Ramblings...

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **


Ok, I know I should have posted this weeks ago, but we got busy with school, and I got distracted. It’s here now though *woohoo!!*.

Eclectic is the easiest method to write about since it pretty much explains itself, eclectic means: choosing from various sources: choosing what is best or preferred from a variety of sources or styles. So eclectic homeschooling is when you pick and choose what works for your family in the area of schooling.

You could have a mix of Waldorf, with a dash of Unschooling, and a pinch of Montessori.

Eclectic isn’t just limited to a variety of homeschooling methods, but can also refer to the materials used. Instead of just one box curriculum a family may take a portion of the curriculum from one company, the reading list from another, and then their own ideas to make a curriculum that fit’s the needs and beliefs of their family.

So a quick recap:
Eclectic homeschooling is all about putting together the pieces that work best for that particular family.

So would this method work for us? Yes it would, and honestly it is what we have pretty much been doing. I don’t use a box curriculum because, they are either religious or I don’t like the way they flow.

I see education as a ladder, with one concept leading to another concept, and so on. I feel strongly that subjects, concepts, material should be taught in this manner. So I supplement the curriculums and textbooks we do have with books I’ve handpicked as well as activities, worksheets, and anything else I can get my hands on that will allow our schooling to flow in the manner I think is best for family’s educational adventures.

I don’t really see any negatives to eclectic homeschooling other than the fact that it can be overwhelming having to make sense of everything you are putting together. That has been the one downside to what I’ve been piecing together over the past year. I’m often up late at night on evenings when I am doing planning/prepping, whereas if we were strictly traditional (box) homeschooling I would have everything I needed already put together. That time spent though while sometimes exhausting seems very worth it, when I think of the end result *a personalized education for both of our children that respects our beliefs and our desire for a hands on, critical thinking, fact based education for them*.

So I finally found a method that works for our madness. I’ll go into more detail as to what we will use from each method previously discussed and what core materials we will use to tackle the madness.

I’ve also linked to the other posts in my Method to the Madness post, so you have a one stop shop for the methods I’ve covered! Now I have to go make sense of the chaos that is our dining room table…one bit of chaos at time.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **



*I already had this typed up and completely forgot to post it before the Unschooling Method post. Anyways, enjoy!*

We are currently experience some “lovely” weather, so hopefully I can present you with two of the last three homeschooling methods posts. I make no promises, but we are new school year quickly approaching I need to churn these out in order to give myself time in the evenings for lesson prep.

So without further adieu here is the Unit Studies Homeschooling Method.

The unit studies method isn’t a set of guidelines, but instead it is a way of handling subjects. With unit studies you take a topic you want to cover, lets say weather, and then you incorporate it into every school subject. Literature would have to deal with weather, Science would discuss the ins and outs of weather, for History/Social Studies you could cover the way weather events have impacted people, and so forth. Unit studies are ideal for families with more than one child *especially large families* the reason for this is because you can pick a topic and then pick the materials that are appropriate for each child’s abilities. Instead of in the traditional method where you cover multiple subjects, with unit studies you are just covering one topic/subject and forming your lessons around that subject.

So instead of having to plan for multiple subjects that all cover various different aspects, you are just planning for that one subject and tweaking the books, hands on activities, etc., for the child who will be using it. Unit studies can also be used with something called lap books, which are basically project books made out of folded file folders and the child fills it with things they have done during the unit, or facts they have learned during the unit. There are kits you can buy or you can do it yourself, whichever works best for your family and your budget.

In some families unit studies are child-led where the child picks the subject/topic they want to learn about and the parent brings in the various elements, unit studies are good for those doing child-led homeschooling but still want some sort of structure/direction in the things being taught.


So a quick recap:

Basically unit studies allow you to teach a topic through the various core elements of schooling (literature, science, history, social studies, math, art, etc.) getting rid of the extra cost in having to buy traditional textbooks or boxed curriculums. Lap books are also used sometimes in this method to help reinforce what has been taught and to also act as a way for the child to look back on what they learned.


So would this method work for us? Yes and no. While it would allow me to just plan for a chosen subject instead of for each grade level, I do like having each individual subject at least in the elementary years. It ensures that we get the basics down, once the boys enter the middle grade levels then I could see us using the unit studies method. It wouldn’t just allow us to save money on textbooks, but also allow us to be on the same page with what we are learning. We wouldn’t use just unit studies though because there are books I want the boys to read that may not fit into an actual unit. Unit studies would also be ideal for our summer learning. In fact that would probably be when it would be used the most if we incorporate them in our learning.

It would allow us to still get in some light schooling that would be mostly reading and hands on activities. I like the idea of lap books and had planned to do something similar to it *like the Good Books advocated in Waldorf Education*.

Could we be strictly unit studies though? No. Not in our heavy schooling times. Textbooks give us a base to spring from, we also don’t teach completely opposite topics. The way we have science and history laid out Child #2 will be learning what Child #1 is learning, he just won’t be expected to retain the things Child #1 will be expected too, at least not yet.

By the time Child #2 is ready for formal lessons he will have a good background just from being present while Child #1 is learning. For instance when formal lessons start for Child #2 we will be back to covering Ancient History so Child #1 will be going more in depth with it while Child #1 is actively learning(retaining) it for the first time. So I will be planning for the same topic just on varying levels *like unit studies, but it will just be for each individual subject*.

I like being able to mix and match things in our schooling, so if they are at the reading level for a great novel like Huck Finn, we don’t have to worry about planning our history around that time period. We can just enjoy the book, learn about it, discuss it, and let it take us wherever. All while still having our separate history lessons that take us where they will take us depending on the time period. For us each subject is like its own separate little world, occasionally they collide, but not always.

So can it work for us: yes to some extent, is it a perfect fit for our family: no. If we had a larger family I could completely see using unit studies exclusively, because it is cost effective, time effective, and does produce great results. But for our goals it alone wouldn’t work.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **

Unschooling is a simple concept, it is completely non-school in any traditional sense. No classrooms, no dictating what will be learned and when, it is child-led 99.99% of the time. Unschoolers believe in learning in the moment, they follow the child’s desires with the aim of sparking a continuous love of learning. There is a lot of real world applications in unschooling. Instead of learning money from a textbook unschoolers may opt to go on a grocery shopping trip and allow the child to handle the money.

When an unschooling parent wants to teach a certain subject they may rely on unit studies. Unit studies offer unschoolers a way to bring structure into their day if they *and most importantly their children* desire *or need* it.

Unschooling will be different for every family taking part in it *some families are more “radical“ in their approach and others dance the line between traditional school at home and unschooling*. Just as homeschooling is different in every family, even those who use the same method. Unschooling especially is different in every family because each child is different. Being child led one child may be into robotics and another may be into nature. So even among the kids in the family one child may be learning the ins and outs of robotics while another is learning how nature works.

Now would this method work for us? No. I’m sure you all already had that answer figured out from my previous posts. While I’m all fine and dandy with letting my kids follow what sparks their interest *and will allow for time in our day where they can study whatever floats their boats*, there are still core things I expect to be learned. Due to the fact that I expect them to learn these things, I expect myself to ensure they are taught. This means using textbooks and most importantly a schedule. Our days are way more affective with a schedule. While we do have days where it gets thrown out the window, all in all if we are attempting to meet learning objectives we need our schedule.

I can see the unschooling concept being great for small children or even as a last year of schooling before the boys embark on college, as a way to unwind before the work of paving ones future career really starts.

But during the main schooling years, I don’t see it working for our family. Alas nothing seems like a perfect fit, but there is still one more method to go over! Until then enjoy your summer ladies and gentlemen!

Unschooling Disclaimer: Everyone has seen unschooling in the media at some point in time, all I have to say is this, television is television and should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes they will hunt out the ones who prove their point so they can fill their hour long show with their thoughts and opinions. The same can be said for homeschooling, if you look at the media 9 times out of 10 homeschooling families are religious fanatics who shelter their children from anything they deem filled with "evil". Is this the whole homeschooling community? No it's not, is that how we are shown though, yes. While unschooling isn't for our family, there are families who make it work. Just like with any other method out there.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **


Sorry about the delay ladies and gentlemen, things have been busy in this homeschooling family’s house. Tons of fun, but extremely busy. Here is the fifth installment of A Method to the Madness.

Waldorf is more of a philosophy and a way of addressing child development than an actual method. Waldorf breaks child development into three blocks. The first block is from birth to age 7, then the second block covers ages 7 to 14, and finally you have the high school years *14-18*.

During the first block of the Waldorf method the child doesn’t receive any formal lessons. Waldorf philosophy believes that a child in this stage needs to be able to explore and be active, while still having some sort of balance in their homes. Waldorf pulls strongly on the rhythms of the day, and on the parents setting the rhythms to give the child equal amounts of active/creative time and down time/quiet time. In place of the formal lessons children learn through imitating their parents, older siblings, or any one else who is frequently present. They also learn through imagination, which is why during this stage it is important to provide plenty of objects to be used in imaginative play during active time.

Due to the lack of formal lessons during this stage Preschool as well as Kindergarten are skipped. The first formal grade is 1st grade and it starts at age 7. Now it doesn’t have to start exactly on the child’s birthday, and it can even start a little bit before the birthday. It depends on if the child has exhibited readiness for 1st grade or not. The second stage takes advantage of the child’s feelings, since it is seen as the feeling stage where children learn through their emotions. In this stage children use artistic mediums *paints, pencils, clays, ect.*) to express the feelings that their formal reading lessons evoke. Main Lesson Books also known as “Good Books” are introduced during this time. These books are used to keep track of the work that the child has done. These books are created by the child and features their best work, hand picked by the child him/herself.

Lessons from this stage through the third stage are taught in intervals of 3-6 weeks. With the first couple of hours of the school morning begin designated strictly to in-depth learning on the topic being covered in that interval. After that the other lessons tie into the main topic. During the early morning lesson the child will usually work on their Main Lesson Book for that topic, since this is the time when the main lesson is covered thoroughly.

As you move to the third stage artistic expression is still strongly encouraged, but the child must also use their intellect and the work must be noticeably more difficult. In the third stage rhythms are still used like in the previous stages, and Main Lesson Books are still made, since the interval approach is still used.

Now you may be asking, what about religion and the Waldorf method…is it secular? The Waldorf philosophy asserts the belief that every child is a spiritual being. Waldorf pulls strongly from anthroposophy which is a religious philosophy that holds spiritual development as humankind’s utmost concern. So naturally one of the main components of Waldorf is developing the child’s spiritual being. Which is why a lot of artistic expression is used throughout the method, and science is taught more of a way to appreciate nature, by being “one with nature”, versus just formal lessons on various science topics. When approaching science in the Waldorf method it deals greatly with connecting the child to god’s creation and adding spiritually to science.

Now obviously this would pose a serious problem for us, but it’s an ignorable component, especially because we can see the beauty in a child actually connecting with nature. Not in a “spiritual” manner, but in a respectful manner. Which can naturally instill a sense of appreciation for our world, a desire learn about it, and a desire to take care of it. So this sense of oneness with the world has its’ positives to it for us.

So a quick run through: Waldorf is a philosophy that breaks development and educating into 3 stages. It relies heavy on artistic expression and a oneness with nature. It also advocates for children being spiritual beings that must have their spiritually nurtured over everything else.

Now what won’t work for us? Well the idea of putting off formal lessons until seven doesn’t sit well with us. We started actively homeschooling Child #1 because, the public school system said he was too young to attend even though, intellectually he was beyond capable of completing the work. We also feel Preschool *while not anything formal* is great for kids. The way they are introduced to concepts they will need later on, taught the importance of routine/structure in your day, and increasing given more responsibilities/chances to be independent, is great for developing future independent intellectual beings. So for our family Preschool as well as Kindergarten have a place in our home, even if on an informal level.

The method for teaching lessons once formal lessons start doesn’t work for us either. We prefer to spread the intense lessons out over the course of our day, keeping more with the rhythms technique in the first stage, rather than doing the interval plus rhythms technique advocated for the second and third stages. The rhythms technique is a part of the philosophy we really like. It is natural for us to move from periods of activity to periods of quiet relaxation. So what else works for us? The idea of making a Main Lesson Book or “Good Book” is very creative and a great way to reinforce what is being taught. So that is something we could easily work into our daily routine *we had already planned to do it for our history lessons* and benefit from it greatly.

The spiritual element doesn’t work for us as mentioned before, but we can see the beauty in nature and have a reverence for it. We will still teach formal, in-depth, sit down science lessons though, because there are elements that are needed to be taught formally. So Waldorf can be used to some degree in our secular home.

The Waldorf method like all the other methods mentioned before, isn’t a prefect fit for us, but there are bits of it that we could use and benefit from greatly.

Of course there are still three other methods to pick through, and hopefully when it is all said and done we will emerge with a greater understanding of our own personal homeschool.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **

Structured or Traditional Homeschooling pretty much explains itself. This is a method that closely mimics the classroom setting but in the home, which is why it is often called the “school at home” method. Those who follow this method often *not always though* purchase a box curriculum that comes with everything they could possibly need to teach for a whole school year, some even goes as far as to include pencils and paper.

Boxed curriculums aren’t the only ways a family implements this method, they can also rely on textbooks/workbooks, and comprise their own curriculum and schedule. This method relies heavily on schedules, lesson plans, and documentation, like a traditional school. Some families who use this method even have a school room, where the bulk of their learning takes place and they have a wide variety of supplies just like a traditional school room would.

This method helps ensure that the child learns nearly the same material their peers are learning at school everyday *this depends greatly on the curriculum/textbooks that the parent uses*, and eases fears over gaps in a child’s education.

So to recap: This method is basically “school at home” using either a box curriculum or a combination of textbooks and workbooks. There are grades, test, and in some cases quarterly progress reports and end of the year report cards just like in traditional schools.

Now for us there are some amazing positives with this method, for starters the structured aspect of it. We thrive on structure, routine, schedules, and plans. When there isn’t something planned or a schedule in place we get very little done. That has pretty much encompassed our first full year of homeschooling. While we have accomplished a lot, the level of structure wasn’t were it needed to be.



We also ran into the problem of having to plan out the lessons and basically make our own curriculum with very little to go on aside from books we picked up at the library or found at the store. While the books would have been a great supplement, having a guideline *like a traditional textbook* would have made things a lot easier. I am actually finding as I plan our upcoming school year that having these books really makes planning go a lot smoother and a heck of a lot quicker as well.

We also worry greatly about ensuring our boys hit all the academic concepts that are required in the traditional school setting. This will allow them to transition into a high school setting if they make the choice to attend high school. On the other hand, if they opt out of high school they will be able to enter into a college right out of our home with little to no trouble. With the traditional method this adherence to meeting grade requirements is a great positive for us. It eliminates the fear of missing something, while allowing us to pick and choose the materials*textbooks/workbooks* we feel best ensure that the boys have a solid education.

This method is also *almost* completely secular unless the family buys a box curriculum or textbooks that are geared to their specific religious views. The problem with the box curriculums comes in when you hunt for them. Most sellers of these curriculums are religious and it can be difficult to find secular box curriculums, but it is possible. Even box curriculums sold through some religious companies can be secularized and as secular homeschoolers grow so too does the product market.

There are other negatives *aside from the box curriculum problem* to this method. First off, it can be overwhelming having all the materials in front of you to weed through before the start of your school year. For some families it can produce the same problems found in a traditional school, with the underlining feeling that everything must be covered. For us this isn’t a huge negative since we don’t plan to schedule a traditional school year. Instead our scheduling would mimic more of a year-round school schedule (with periodic breaks throughout the year instead of a large break during the summer).

The difference then in what we do and what a traditional year-round school would do, would be that our schooling during the summer months wouldn’t be as intense. So the pressure would be on hitting the “needed” topics during our intense school months, which would allow us to relax a bit during the summer months. This doesn’t seem difficult since we would have from the first week of September to first week of June to meet our educational goals for that given school year. From there we would carry the topics not covered into the summer months. Which would then naturally lead us into the following school year since those topics we covered lightly would be the ones that got intense *more in-depth* coverage over the next year.

Overall though this method seems to be something that would work very well with our family. The structure and scheduling are highly needed in our home. We homeschool for academic reasons first and foremost. So this method completely works with that, by allowing us to pick and choose the materials that we feel will meet those academic standards we have, while still working in the aspects of traditional school that we like.



For instance we already have a classroom in place, it gives us a place to go to actually focus on formal lessons. Our classroom eliminates the distractions that come from having the dishwasher, washing machine, and/or dryer going, or any other item that can pull us away from what we are suppose to be doing.

We don’t personally like box curriculums not really because they tend to be sold by religious companies, but because we have an idea of how we want certain subjects to flow and box curriculums don’t give that flow we are looking for. This means relying heavily on traditional textbooks, which can get very pricy.



So in order to maintain some part of this method over the long haul a lot of saving over the course of every year will need to take place. This is possible, especially if we time our book buying to coincide with sales that publishers have, but we are still going to have to be vigilant with adhering to our budget. Price is an issue with this method period, since some box curriculums start at over 1,000$ and then go up from there the cost adds up quickly, especially if you are homeschooling more than one child.

So are there things useful to us in this method, yes. Does it have its drawbacks, yes, but they can be overcome.
We are half way through our methods coverage and so far no method seems to be a perfect fit for our family.

We still have four more methods to cover though, next up: The Waldorf Homeschooling Method.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **

The Charlotte Mason method is more of a philosophy then an actual set of guidelines. It is literature based and blends various elements. These elements are, along with literature, narration, copy work, nature notebooks, fine arts, and languages. Charlotte Mason promotes reading “living books” over traditional textbooks. Basically a living book is a book of high quality that is intriguing and offers excellent literary content. Living books should cover the subjects being taught as closely as possible so textbooks won’t be necessary. A big component along with living books is copy work. Copy work is used in every course of study, starting at about age six and continuing through to the upper grades (including high school level). Copy work starts with penmanship, by learning letters and numbers, then it grows to tie in narration, dictation, journaling, spelling which ideally comes from a daily reading.

With the upper grade levels this copy work becomes composition and creative writing. As far as subjects English is incorporated into every subject instead of being its own separate subject, and History along with Literature are to go hand in hand, with the child learning history topics through the books about history that they are reading *or having read to them*. Geography is taught the same way, interwoven with the other subjects using maps/map work to highlight the area/ time period being covered in the history lessons.

The Charlotte Mason Method also values lessons that are short in order to maintain the focus of the child and not be too overwhelming for them. Through shorter lessons Mason felt that a child would learn more because you would have their full attention. Aside from “school” subjects Charlotte Mason also advocated teaching at least 20 desirable habits to your child one by one starting at birth. As well as respecting the child as a fellow person/human being on this Earth with us. She felt children should be valued for what they can do, not by the value that society places on them. Charlotte Mason also believed religion should be taught by the family and that it is what holds/bonds a family together, faith is a central point of the family, and passing it on to the children in the family was just as important as learning to read and write.

So for a brief recap: Charlotte Mason focuses on “living books”, books with literary content, that aren’t pointless or “twaddle”. These living books are used to spark ideas in children and also to teach various subjects, mainly history. It is heavily literature focused, the reading of “living books” are used to teach every possible subject, and for subjects such as Science nature walks/nature study are used along side the living books, Art, Music, and Math are done through doing the subjects *experiencing art/appreciating it, listening/studying music, learning an instrument*, and Math is taught through manipulatives and with a focus on understanding the “why” of various concepts not necessary through using formal lessons to achieve understanding. Copy work is also heavily used to teach things like handwriting and even spelling.

So will Charlotte Mason work for us? Possibly. There are parts of it I really like, like the emphasis on reading quality books, and nature walks/nature study adds another dimension to our science lessons. Are there things that don’t work for the aim of our schooling, yes. We personally feel that textbooks can serve a purpose and shouldn’t be completely discarded, they shouldn’t be the only source of information either, but they can be a valuable guide. So we would need to use a combination of living books and textbooks to meet our educational goals. The short lessons are already something we do. We have blocks of time set out for each subject based on the days we do those subjects. The actual formal lessons don’t require the full amount of time blocked out for them, but the blocks of time do leave us room to go deeper if need be or to allow for some independent learning.

I really like the teaching of 20 desirable habits, that seems like something we could really work into what we are already striving for *with our weekly virtues and chore charts*. The overall view of respecting the child as an individual is also very appealing as well. We greatly want our children to be independent beings, with their own thoughts, emotions, and opinions. This personal desire of ours seems to fit well into the Mason mantra of respecting the child.

While I do cringe at the thought of religion being the bond that holds our family together, I can see the importance of being the one who teaches your children about your beliefs. Neither my husband nor I want our children to learn what an Atheist is from just anyone, since many people do bring with them their own previously held opinions of what an Atheist is or isn't with them. While our beliefs aren’t the central point of our family, we can still use many of the components in the Charlotte Mason Method and just adapt it to our own unique family. So that element of it isn’t a complete negative for us.

Overall the philosophy that Charlotte Mason pioneered can very well be adapted in our home, to what extent, well you will just have to wait until we have gone through the rest of the methods to find that out.

Next on the giant drawing board: Structured/Traditional Textbook Homeschooling Method.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **

The Montessori Homeschooling method is based on the Montessori method of educating. The Montessori method was created by Maria Montessori which promotes more of an emphasis on learning life skills than on an academic curriculum. Montessori encourages children to learn by doing, and to move on when they are ready not when a guideline says they should be ready.

Montessori method is more geared for the younger set (think preschool-early elementary), and at this age learning is meant to be fun and child paced. The child isn’t forced to do any work, instead they are given access to various learning tools, which they choose when and for how long they want to interact with them. In Montessori the teacher is more of an observer and model. Their job is to keep records of the child’s progress and interests, as well as offering kind suggestions of activities that may interest the child. They don’t directly teach the behaviors they want the child to exhibit, they instead exhibit those habits for the child to pick up in everyday interactions *like kindness, compassion, and sanitary actions *hand washing**.

The Montessori method can be extended to the older ages, with the student learning from the materials in their environment and by following their own interest. With older students though they are encouraged to research their interest, but they aren’t forced to adhere to any schedule, they have the hours that are dedicated for schooling *or the whole day depending on the family*, which they can use as they wish. In the older aged child there are subjects that may be required to be taught depending on the homeschooling laws in your state, aside from lessons to meet these requirements the child is just as free as they were in the early ages/grades.

One of the biggest components to Montessori education are the materials used in the environment this includes the furniture the children use as well. Everything needs to be kid sized. The children should have their own cleaning supplies that are easy and safe for them to use. They should be able to use actual kitchen items *and even have their own apron*, so they can experience cooking and learn the skill *as well as safety* by actually doing it. The same thing goes for gardening, woodworking, using tools, and any other skills the child can learn that will be vital. Furniture needs to be kid friendly as well, with tables and chairs low to the ground so the child can sit comfortably with their back against the chair and their feet flat on the floor. Bookcases and other storage devices *including the shelves for storing the child’s clothes* need to be low to the ground *eye level for the child*, and items need to be easily accessible for them. The key is to allow the child to get to what they need/want without having to stop and ask for assistance from an adult.

So to recap: Montessori is child lead, with the environment *in this case the home* providing the child with tons of materials and most importantly the time that allows the child to learn how to interact in the world, take care of themselves, and learn about subjects that interest them. In Montessori education teachers are observers and guiders giving helpful suggestions on ways for the child to further their learning, while keeping records on how they are doing, and what they are doing.


Now when I was looking into preschools before we arrived here *since at the time my husband wasn’t a fan of homeschooling* I was aiming for a Montessori school. I figured this would allow our son to learn at his own pace and not be stuck doing preschool work we he clearly understood elementary level work. I also am very big on children learning to be independent *our children already have chores, they know how to navigate our kitchen, they are responsible for cleaning up after dinner, and washing their own hands and faces after a meal or after playing*.

So there are elements of Montessori that I really like, as far as practical life skills goes. I think it is great in the early years also, and even on a smaller level as the child ages *by keeping a large amount of supplies that allow the child to explore*. Giving them time to just follow their interest(s) can add another dimension to schooling and giving them an incentive to accomplish the structured part of our day in a timely manner with little to no complaint.

But to be fully child lead is a negative for us. We believe there is a lot to be learned from having structure and a set of objectives that need to be meet. The biggest reason we chose homeschooling is because we wanted a highly academic setting for our kids. We want the learning to be fun *hence the use of various activities like our pizza Earth layers*, but there are objectives we feel should be meet during all the fun.

The other negative is cost. To have a fully Montessori home, would cost a lot of money. First their would need to be tables, chairs, and large furniture of that nature in a kid size for them to use with ease. While we do have some of these things already, we would need to alter their closets, and get rid of their dresser in order to bring in something lower to the ground that they could easily access. Then there are the kid sized materials, like gardening tools, kitchen supplies, and so on. Since Montessori encourages use of an item that actually has a purpose, plastic toys would not fulfill this. Then we would need to make sure there are enough high quality supplies/materials of various types from various subjects, in order to spark learning sense formal lessons aren’t promoted in Montessori education. Educational supplies/materials, especially high quality ones, don’t come cheap. For a family on a budget this can pose a problem.

So could a full Montessori education work for us beyond the toddler/preschool years? No. But the life skills/independent learning already has a spot in our home so continuing it and even increasing the level at which it is done can be very beneficial and effective.

There are still six other methods to dissect though. Next up on the chopping block The Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Method.

**Disclaimer: All information on homeschooling methods will be just a generalized and very brief *if I can help it* overview of the method. Every family who uses these methods will of course work them to fit their needs. After each overview I will discuss some of the things I do and don’t like about the method in relation to our family. **


The heart of Classical Homeschooling is your child’s cognitive development, or should I say a teaching style based on your child’s cognitive development, also know as the trivium. The trivium works like this:

In grade school the focus is put on concrete thinking and memorizing subject facts.

In middle school the focus shifts from concrete thinking to analytical thinking and actual understanding of the facts learned in the grade school years.

Finally in high school analytical thinking morphs into abstract thinking and the student is expected to articulate the subjects they are learning about. Classical Homeschooling uses Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric as the main subjects in order to achieve the ultimate goal of abstract thinking and articulation.

Now the flow of Classical Homeschooling goes something like this:

Kindergarten is strictly a choice grade, if the parent finds it unnecessary than it can be skipped. If the parent decides to start at Kindergarten then the main focus is lots of reading, including poetry and great literary works. Art is also brought in to work on fine motor skill, and if the child is developmentally ready phonics and math can also be brought into the fold as well.

Kindergarten aside Classical Homeschooling is divided into three stages which closely mirrors the three subjects used to achieve the ultimate goal of the trivium. The three stages are: Grammar (grades 1-6), Dialectic (grades 7-9), and Rhetoric (grades 10-12).

The first stage Grammar, obviously promotes grammar/language above all other subjects. This doesn’t just mean English, but also a foreign language(s), usually Latin and/or Greek, but the family can change these if they choose to. Remember the beauty of homeschooling is that nothing is set in stone, it’s more like non-drying play dough which you can rework as needed.

The Grammar Stage starts with one of the most important things we all must learn to do and that is learning to read! The first year of Grammar deals greatly with learning to read, phonics, and introducing spelling. From then on formal grammar lessons steady progress. Writing is also introduced through copy work and other writing activities. Foreign languages don’t get much attention the first year unless the family wants to focus on it formally, if not then formal lessons are expected to begin at the 3rd grade level.

Formal math lessons can also be delayed with the Classical Homeschooling method, until around grade level 3. By this point reading, writing, and phonics are expected to be mastered. Of course the family doesn’t have to wait until those three things are mastered to being formal math lessons, but if they do opt to wait then they can engage their child in math games in order to expose them to mathematical concepts. Learning an instrument (especially piano) is also encouraged and art is covered by learning art history, which includes copying various works of art. Science in this stage consist of nature studies. Geography starts out as learning through the literature you are reading, then by about 3rd grade *when the reading, writing, and phonics are expected to be mastered* memorization of geography facts is introduced, grades 4th-6th tack on map skills and geographical exploration through history.


After the Grammar Stage you enter the Dialectic Stage which focuses on the subject of Logic to the same extent the Grammar Stage focused on Grammar. The Logic Stage (grades 7th-9th) ends formal Grammar lessons and replaces them with formal lessons on Logic. The reading of great literature is still heavy promoted and at this point the child is expected to be proficient in their foreign language. Writing develops from writing clear, grammatically correct sentences, to paragraphs, and then essays by the 3rd year of the Dialectic Stage. In the areas of Math and Science*usually Earth Science topics* logic is expected to be applied, and the skill of debating is introduced by studying the principles of debate. Music lessons are still highly encouraged, but Art upgrades from copy work to learning about the relationships between the various elements of art.

The last stage (Rhetoric) deals with the subject of Rhetoric, which is the last subject to be achieved in the trivium. This is done through formal courses in learning to communicate. Language is less formal and focuses more on reading literary works in the foreign language the child learned. Writing focuses on finding the individuals particular style as well as on research papers. The subject of Philosophy is also introduced during this stage, and the subject of literature still consist of covering great literary works. Advanced math subjects are taught, and science focuses on a different branch each year (biology, chemistry, physics, in that order). For art the child learns how to create art themselves and music lessons are still attended.

By the end of the 12th year the child should have mastered the subjects taught thus mastering the trivium. I intentionally left off History because the way Classical Education does History it spans the three stages, and thus needs its own space.

Classical Education’s History is broken down like this:

Ancient History (1st grade, 5th grade, 9th grade)

Middle Ages (2nd grade, 6th grade, 10th grade)

Renaissance/Early Modern (3rd grade, 7th grade, 11th grade)

American/Modern History (4th grade, 8th grade, 12th grade)

Each time the topic is covered the level of depth is increased in respect to the age and maturity of the child. It follows the sequence of history, and allows each year to grow from the pervious one. Instead of bouncing around it adds steps to an ultimate goal. Now the higher grades also tie in politics, economics, and government/civics as well. That just further goes with the whole increasing the depth of understanding and topics covered with increasing maturity and age.


There is one other element in Classical Homeschooling that I have left out, and that is the Christian element of it. Classical Homeschooling is more commonly known as Classical Christian Homeschooling, and every element/subject is to be drenched in Christianity, if taught from the Christian viewpoint. One subject that goes through all the stages is the Bible *reading it, knowing it, and having it become the way in which the child views the world*. Even the various subjects like philosophy or logic are to be taught in a way that encourages the questioning of scientific theory while neglecting to actually teach *and understand* the scientific theories they are attempting to tear down, since the science materials recommended don‘t actually explain most scientific theories including the big one of evolution.

That aside though this method can be used in a secular sense *almost any and every item out there can be used in a secular sense if you try hard enough*, but for our family this is a big negative when it comes to this method. Simply finding curriculum or supplies strictly geared towards this method that still respect the core beliefs we hold could prove to be more of a headache than they are worth.

BUT, the idea behind it, the way it promotes teaching to the development of the child is phenomenal.. I really like the way this method flows when it comes to teaching history, I don‘t like the emphasis solely on Western Civilization that I have found in some texts on the method though, I feel each civilization needs emphasis in order for the child to fully understand the world, and where we come from.

I do strongly think that subjects should be taught from beginning to end though. I never liked all the bouncing around in school, just follow history the same way you do math, by stepping up each new year. Consistence is very important to us, and this offers that. We are going to teach science in the same light, starting at the beginning, and going up to present day. Each year getting more in depth as we go, and tying it all in together so the boys can see how it all interlocks.

Are there other flaws to this method in relation to our family, yes. I think there should be a stronger focus on math, especially in the early years. We need a strong foundation in math to function in our world, just like with reading. This of course can be changed for our family, but then you run into burn out with a heavy language/literature/history load coupled with a heavy math *as well as science* load. Reading is very important and shouldn’t be neglected, but for us math and science as just as important. So for us we would need a method that puts a greater focus on math and science, and allows reading to be done as an enjoyable plus once reading is mastered, more like here is a book read it and lets discuss it around the dinner table, instead of a formal lesson on it.

So to recap:

Are there things we can use from the Classical Homeschooling Method? Yes.

Are there things we would drop if we used the method? Of course.

So far just by looking at the method it isn’t exactly what we are looking for. There is potential there though. But there are other methods to explore first before we make a decision, so stay tuned!

Upon digging into homeschooling I discovered that there are various ways in which to instruct your child/children. Every family, in fact every child, is different. Even if two families are using the same method it will still vary based on what best fit’s the needs of the family implementing it. That is the beauty of homeschooling, no need for a one size fits all approach, this also invites frustration in locating the method(s) that work best for your family. As we come to a close on our first full year of schooling, I’m still working out what method(s) we will use and what we won’t. So as I work my way through it all I will be posting one post a week for the next eight weeks that will give a brief overview of the featured method, a list of books or other resources that relate to that method, and a list of pros and cons of the method in relation to our family’s needs.