Homeschooling Methods

Often, I am asked about the process in which I go about homeschooling my children.  Whenever this comes up at a coffee shop or department store, this easily turns into an hour long conversation with oohs and ahhs and “I’ve never thought about it like that before”.   I take pleasure in not only giving a different perspective of homeschooling, but also getting another way of doing things in return.  The exchanges used to make me apprehensive, but now, I’ve become accustomed to the sharing of ideas. Today, let’s talk about homeschooling methods.

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Though many people seem to use “approach” and “method” interchangeably, they are not the same thing.  Think of your homeschooling approach as your platform.  A homeschooling method is a way in which instruction occurs within your chosen platform (homeschooling approach).  For example, you may choose the online homeschooling approach but only choose courses that apply the Charlotte Mason method of education.  Or maybe you sign up for an African centered online school.  Perhaps, you prefer the traditional homeschooling method so that you can provide a religious education for your children.  There are a variety of methods for homeschooling and each one can be adapted to fit the needs of your students. Also, more than one method can be combined to suit your family’s needs, just like your approach can be.  Each child has their own level of development.  It is critical to recognize and honor that.  Understanding your child’s development and learning style enables you to determine which approaches and methods will work best in your homeschooling.  This will not only ensure a pleasurable homeschooling experience but also pave the way for student success.  If you have multiples, you may find that you need to employ different methods for each child or tweak a method to accommodate multiple levels and that’s okay too!  Here are some popular methods for homeschooling:

• • African-Centered  ➡ African-centered curriculum places a strong emphasis on the identity of African and melaninated peoples, their histories, and their ties to the motherland.  This includes the study of the geography, culture, language, people, and literature of all African countries in addition to conventional subjects such as math, science, and social studies, which are taught from the African perspective.  This means that the focus is placed on the contributions of Africans/Blacks to the subject field as well as how it all applies to Black life.  People of African descent include Africans, African Americans, Latinos, and other groups.  However, this method is mainly of importance amongst African Americans.  The African-centered method can occur in different forms including online, traditionally, or in a co-op.  It can be rigorous or looser depending on the needs and desires of the family.  Some families have even relocated to an African country to be able to completely immerse in the local cultures during their child’s educational years.
• • Charlotte Mason ➡  Charlotte Mason was a British educator.  Her motto was “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life.” She believed in educating the whole child, not just the mind. Families that use this method follow her philosophies.  This method utilizes short enriched lessons that are generally around 20 minutes.  Materials such as Living Books and copy are also used.  Retelling stories, especially narratives, in the student’s own words is encouraged.

• • Classical ➡ Classical homeschooling is sort of an old-world approach to education by learning to formulate arguments and memorizing facts.  Think of Socrates and Plato.  The elementary years lay out the foundation with the implementation of the basics.  Lots of time is spent on fact recalling.  In middle school, students begin making their own arguments based upon the facts that they’ve acquired.  As they enter high school, students learn to express themselves within the guidelines they’ve been given.  This method is based upon what is taught in traditional classrooms with parents becoming the teacher.  Homeschooling parents enjoy the ability to apply one to one teaching or bypass certain content.  Textbooks, worksheets, reading, and other formats are used to deliver instruction.  There are also some online programs.
• • Distance Learning/ Online  ➡  For many families that do not have the funds, resources, or the time to devote to purchasing or creating a curriculum for their families, this a great option.  Parents can enroll in a school or program of their choice, often a free public school.  The school sends all material and many also provide laptops and internet subsidies.  The school handles all distribution instruction and grading, taking some of the pressure off of the parents.  Field trips and other events are usually prescheduled.  There are also online private schools and online cooperatives.  Some do not consider this to be actual homeschooling, but I disagree.  Distance learning encourages parents to be fully involved in their children’s learning process.  It also provides an option for parents who may not feel confident in teaching their children alone.  Parents are often referred to as learning coaches.  Parents can also supplement distance learning and online courses with other curricula and materials.
• • Eclectic ➡ Electic homeschooling is a relaxed homeschooling method where there is no official format or curriculum.  Essentially, families that utilize this method use a little bit of everything to get the job done.  Multiple platforms can be used.  Eclectic homeschooling families make use of whatever materials that they have available to them and change up as needed.  This is the preferred method of many homeschooling families, including my own, because of the freedom that it provides to continuously adjust to their children’s needs which can change day by day.  It allows them to employ various methods and approaches to achieve a wholesome education.

• • Forest/Nature School  ➡  In forest school, the natural outside world becomes the classroom.  Nature is used to create a curriculum and materials.  Paint brushes can be of sticks, sand can become a canvas, etc.  Children learn botany and explore the various living species of their locale, and skill building is a heavy focus.  In this relaxed method, children are made the wardens of their own education.  Children learn by experiencing the world around them directly and by taking risks.  Because of this, children’s own self-confidence is boosted.  Parent and teachers become observers and facilitators.
• • Montessori ➡ While Montessori schools can be found all over the United States, many parents prefer to institute this method at home.  Montessori is a child-centered individualized approach to learning.  This method empowers children to explore their own creativity and curiosity. While instilling self-advocacy, children are encouraged to explore, investigate, and think for themselves and acquire their own skills as they develop.  This a great method when you have multiples of various ages.  The creator, Maria Montessori, believed in delayed reading (just as with the Charlotte Mason and Waldorf methods) but promoted rich experimental learning.  Children model behaviors as they learn independence.
• • Project Based Learning ➡  Project-based learning is becoming more and more popular amongst homeschoolers because it gives children the space to get creative and really hone in on desired skills.  Every subject is studied and reinforced by making and doing.  Topics can be approached by proposing a question or hypothesis.  Students then work and seek answers to those questions and theories.  For math, your students can make airplanes and chart the trajectory.  Or, running a small business for a semester or school year could be a year-long math project.  A LEGO city, complete with roads and animate objects,  can be a STEM project.  A science project could be testing the acidity of various lemonade recipes.  Imagination is the only limitation.

• • Religious ➡ Though often referred to as Bible education, the religious method actually is practiced by a variety of faiths using whatever texts may be sacred to them such as the Torah or Qur’an. Some parents institute a full religious education (daily prayers, scripture and verse copy work, religious music, holy story unit studies, etc) while some may offer a classical education or even a child-led method.  There are textbooks and online courses available as well as complete curriculums.
• • Unit Study  ➡  With the use of unit studies, homeschooling is approached from a thematic view. One topic is applied across several subjects, rather than looking at each as separate entities.  For example, the beach can be explored in many subjects such as math (counting local sea life, calculating distances and currents, etc.), science (name and describe the present flora and fauna, create an observational journal, etc.), language arts (compose a beach poem, write a story, read books on the beach, etc.), art (recreate a beach scene, make a shell necklace from shells collected on the beach, etc.), and more.  Unit studies specialize learning for a more in-depth understanding of topics that families find interesting and want to explore together.  Unit studies can be prepurchased, pre-planned, or created together in the moment.  The unit study method is both projects based and open-ended. It is also great for multiples and multi-age groups.
• • Unschooling ➡ Unschooling is a self-directed and untraditional form of homeschooling in which the child’s interest and passions direct the learning of students rather than the use of specific curriculum materials like textbooks to drive the learning process.  Supporters of this method believe that traditional school destroys children’s natural ability to learn.  In unschooling, parents serve as facilitators rather than teachers.  In addition to not using a curriculum, families also often opt to exclude tests, grade level standards, or other fixed scales to determine success or intelligence in children.  Children may instead create portfolios or a website which may more accurately reflect their skills and abilities.  This method was made popular by John Holt in 1970.

• Waldorf ➡  In the Waldorf homeschooling method, a holistic approach based upon the teachings and philosophies of Rudolph Steiner are followed. Students become fully engaged at around 7 years of age.  Learning occurs through each child’s experiences and interactions. It focuses on the intellectual, practical, and artistic development of students through play, imaginative thinking, nature, and daily prompts.  It rejects excessive academics. Lessons are taught in a gentle manner.  Creativity, both in play and in expression, is encouraged.

• Worldschooling ➡  In worldschooling, the world becomes the classroom.  Worldschooling is quickly becoming a favorite among homeschooling families, especially those that reject the rat race of the 9-5 like entrepreneurs and digital nomads.  Families travel from place to place fully immersing their children in the local culture allowing them to learn by doing.  They may also employ a variety of curriculum including online classes, project-based learning, unit studies, and even enrolling into local schools of the countries that they are visiting.  These families often run and operate online businesses that fund their lifestyle or work remotely for larger companies.  Depending on funds and desires, worldschooling can happen long term, short term, or sporadically when they can.  Families unable to physically travel or feel that a nomadic lifestyle is not for them to make use of programs such as Passports

Which method will you choose?

Hasta Pronto!




Please feel free to share your comments or suggestions! I would love to hear from you. If you enjoy reading my blog, make sure to sign up so that you can always be alerted for new posts, tips, and recipes. You can also find me at Wombology (A Safe Place for Women to Heal) and Being Mama Dot (Chronicles of a Homeschool Mom).

If you are a homeschool mom needing some new ideas and encouragement or if you are completely new to homeschooling and you are looking for ways to get started, click here to apply for a Strategy and Brainstorming Session with ME!  Let’s work together to get you to where you want to be!

Mama Dot

Hi! I’m Kat aka Mama Dot! Nice to meet you. I’m a homeschooling mom of three boys.  By day, I run a mom’s blog (Being Mama Dot) and subscription service (Wombology). In my downtime,  I create resources for families homeschooling children of color at Our Learning Curve. I love coffee, reggaeton (music in Spanish), knitting, and reading.  My favorite thing to do is to feel my feet in the sand. #beachbum. Currently, I am an MA/Ph.D. student in Africana and Latin American studies.  When I am not in school,  I spend my days running my online business and taking care of my little ones. Make sure to check out OLC’s Instagram, Twitter, or join us over at Facebook.