Need book recommendations: Educational philosophies

[Aiden]

I started home educating my daughter for preschool; we're doing PreK now. Before my husband and I decided what to do with her for preschool, we read through Cathy McDuffy's Top 101 book, especially the first section, where you think about goals etc for your homeschool. Based on what we decided through that process, we chose our preschool curriculum and our PreK curriculum. But I'm coming to realize that the process we went through, while a good process, wasn't really as complete as I prefer. And although I'm happy with what we've done and are doing, I know I want to make a change for K in fall 2015, so this is the perfect time to re-evaluate and move farther along in that process.

 

I can pick curriculum based on what I think best suits our needs at the time--and I fully intend to do that--but I'm beginning to realize that I need more long term planning than that. In order to understand what best suits our current needs, I need to have a better idea of not only where we've been, but where we're going. I need an idea of where I want us to be when my daughter's formal K-12 education is done--without knowing where I want to go, I can't really figure out step by step how to get there. I need (or maybe want, I'm not sure how crucial this is, but it feels pretty important to me right now) to develop a more complete philosophy of education.

 

So my plan is to read the best books I can find to explain the different philosophies/methods of education that are out there and write up nice little summaries for my husband to look over--summaries that explain goals and methods, the pros and cons as I see them, and anything else I perceive as particularly important in that philosophy. Then my husband will read all my summaries, we'll discuss it, and we'll decide on the framework we want to use (whether that be "pure" philosophy A, or an eclectic mix of philosophies A, B, and C). Of course we understand that things can change as we go, and we'll be open to whatever adjustments we need to make as time goes on, but my personality type is such that I need a plan--one I can change if need be, but a plan, rather than winging it year by year.

 

I'm currently reading The Well-Trained Mind as the "classical education guidebook," so to speak.

 

I know I want to read something about Charlotte Mason, but I don't know what. I would appreciate any recommendations for a single book--not a whole series, just one, please!--that explains the CM method in terms that are understandable. Preferably the book will give not just a plan of education, but the reasoning behind why each element is recommended. And it must be available on Kindle.

 

I've heard of Ruth Beechik, but I must confess to not knowing the first thing about her. Would she fall under a classical or CM umbrella, or is hers a philosophy all her own? If all her own, and if you know of a great book for me to read about her philosophy, please do tell.

 

What other philosophies are out there? What should I read? I'm looking for representatives of "pure" educational philosophies to explain clearly what each one is, although I recognize that most people will not follow any philosophy 100%. Also please note that I'm not asking which is best or worst or how they're ranked--that's the work my husband and I will be doing for ourselves--so I'm asking for books that clearly explain even philosophies to which you may be completely opposed.

 

Oh, and ... I'm a bit of a dinosaur. I know that there probably are websites that have all the information I could want about these philosophies, but I really just want books to read, not webpages to navigate and keep track of. I want a linear presentation of these philsophies, not a web full of branching information that I could explore without ever really knowing when I've gotten the complete picture. And although I wouldn't mind a book or webpage that explicitly compares and contrasts different philosophies while minimizing bias, I'd prefer to read about these philosophies from the perspective of those who developed and/or embraced and advocated for them.

 

Thanks for any recommendations you can provide!

[Mrs Twain]

The best two books I have read which explain the evidence of educational approaches are these:

 

The Knowledge Deficit (E.D. Hirsch)

 

Why Don't Students Like School?: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom (Willingham)

 

Both books have been invaluable to help my husband and me chart out our education strategy. They have also helped me evaluate each homeschool philosophy (classical, CM, etc.). There are an excessive number of claims made by homeschoolers in the types of books you are going to read which don't have a shred of evidence. I encourage you to read these two books so that you will know how to discern what you are reading in the homeschool literature. I would encourage your husband to read both as well.

[73349]

You might also like

• What does it mean to be well educated? by Alfie Kohn
• Project-Based Homeschooling by Lori Pickert
• Marva Collins' Way by Marva Collins
• The Project Zero Classroom: Views on Understanding, ed. Lois Hetland and Shirley Veenema (may be harder to find and is not homeschool-oriented, but really delves into thinking and understanding)

 

I have Mason's Original Homeschooling Series in one volume. It's 800 pages, worth a skim if you can borrow it from someone, but I found only 50 pages or so worth serious consideration. You might prefer books by Catherine Levison or Karen Andreola.

[Farrar]

Seconding Why Students Don't Like School and Project Based Homeschooling.  I think Why Students Don't Like School is more about research results than philosophy, but it can also help give you a lens for evaluating philosophies.  Project Based Homeschooling is short and quick and nice when you have little kids.  It just is going to give you a nice balanced perspective from TWTM.

 

Another option for that balanced perspective would be Free Range Homeschooling, though it's much more of a guide to doing loose, eclectic schooling than a why you should book.  Another option in that arena would be How Children Learn by Holt.  A classic.

 

I like CM...  but I've never met a CM book I liked, unfortunately.  They're all full of cloying prose.

 

[Mergath]

You'll definitely want to read Liping Ma's "Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics."  It's invaluable when it comes to planning out your child's math education.

 

[Hunter]

Ruth Beechick's The Three R's is good. You can follow up with You Can Teach…, if you want, but I don't like it the way I like The Three R's. There really are not any 4-12 Beechick books that I like. Maybe partly because I find it easier to move into independent materials at that point. But The Three R's is amazing and I have read it at least 10 times. http://www.amazon.com/Three-Rs-Ruth-Beechick/dp/0880620749/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401636209&sr=1-1&keywords=the+three+r%27s

 

Bible is the Textbook approach. SOW (Student of the Word) is the only truly Bible CENTERED curriculum, I know of. It's pricey for what you get, and not open-and-go. I think any helps and revisions have only made it harder to use. SOW doesn't advertise as being Beechick inspired, but it is. http://www.sowcurriculum.com For some open-and-go content to add to SOW's Beechick inspired Bible and langauge arts, I like Bedell, for Bible CENTERED. 

http://www.bedellcurriculum.com

I wish I could give you a BOOK, that is truly Bible CENTERED, but there aren't any worth reading in my opinion. Sorry. The Bedell website can take a LONG time to load, so don't give up on it, if you don't see buttons.

 

I love the book on Amish education, Train Up a Child. http://books.google.com/books?id=1MSzboiBfrkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=train+up+a+child&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XUGLU__KDYbMsQSPuoKYBA&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=train%20up%20a%20child&f=false

Amish materials can be purchased at Rainbow Resource and http://www.milestonebooks.com

Old order schools teach the 3R's, drawing and group singing, and geography and health IF there is time, in that order of importance.

 

Teaching the Trivium is a must read for a delayed and conservative approach to classical.

http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Trivium-Christian-Homeschooling-Classical/dp/0974361631

10 Things to Do Before 10 article

http://www.triviumpursuit.com/articles/ten_to_do_before_ten.php

 

Climbing Parnassus is a must read for Latin/Greek CENTERED education. Start with part 2, not part 1. Trust me.

http://www.amazon.com/Climbing-Parnassus-Apologia-Greek-Latin/dp/1933859504/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401635395&sr=1-1&keywords=climbing+parnassus

There is Latin Centered Curriculum, but I don't find it so Latin centered. If you do purchase this book I suggest the 1st edition and reading it AFTER Climbing parnassus.

http://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/resource-books/latin-centered-curriculum

 

A lot of modern American Waldorf materials are expensive and complicated. These free African pdfs are really good as an introduction.

http://www.entwicklungshilfe3.de/spenderinnen/download/

The ebooks at Waldorf Essentials often go on sale and are a great introduction. Some people wing it with these more skeletal pdfs, and others go on to invest more heavily in open-and-go.

http://waldorfessentials.com

 

There is not a book on The Robinson Curriculum, but you absolutely must be aware of this method. Two hours of Saxon math, one hour writing, 2 hours reading. No sugar or TV. Parent sits with children, everyone with their own desk, and models how to sit and learn/work. Children are taught (not expected) how to learn independently.

http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com

http://users.gobigwest.com/rosegate/

 

Providential and Principle Approach. A Guide to American Christian Education. I love the section on arithmetic!

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-American-Christian-education-school/dp/0961620110

 

Back to Basics. Blumenfeld's How to Tutor is only about K-5, but a must read. Again I love the arithmetic.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Tutor-Samuel-L-Blumenfeld/dp/0941995011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401636572&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+tutor

Homeschooling for Excellence about the Colfax family is an example of back to basics for the older years.

http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Excellence-David-Colfax/dp/0446389862/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1401636633&sr=1-1

 

 

[ElizaG]

I think you're on the right track, but wanted to suggest that you also take a close look at different philosophies of college and university education (especially what's called "liberal arts" education), and how those have changed throughout European and American history.   It was only when I took this step that it all came together for me.   

 

Orators and Philosophers and The Liberal Arts Tradition, both by Bruce Kimball, are excellent.  I ended up reading a ton of other books before finding out that he's already put together most of the important material.   With The Liberal Arts Tradition, even if you can't find an affordable copy or get one from a library, you can learn a lot just by going through the table of contents and looking up the references online.

 

ETA:  We also have Richard Gamble's The Great Tradition (from ISI), but haven't found it as helpful as Kimball's work.   Perhaps one reason for this is that Gamble tries to present liberal education as a single tradition, whereas Kimball acknowledges that there are different, often conflicting strands, going back to the days of Isocrates and Plato.    And these same "classic" disagreements can be seen among today's homeschoolers, starting as early as the elementary years.  

 

ETA2:  After looking at the vast mass of "educational philosophies" that are being presented in this thread -- many of which were just put together recently by some random person, and dressed up with a historical-sounding name (TJE, LCC, etc.) -- I double, triple, and quadruple the above recommendation.   :tongue_smilie:

 

There's a lot of snake oil out there, and the amount is increasing every year.  You could spend years swimming in it.   Go to the sources, and check them out carefully.  Whether the "educational philosophy" is new or old, look for evidence of proven results, teaching real live children over a fairly long period of time, with the very same methods and materials that you're being advised to use.   Don't just rely on someone's attempt to create something that looks good in theory, or to reconstruct an old-time system of education that "we think might kinda sorta have looked like this."   There might be many good ways to educate children, but wishful thinking isn't one of them.    

[Mrs. A]

If you want to know Charlotte Mason's philosophy, read her 6th volume titled "Towards a Philosophy of Education". You can read it in a modern version of you prefer that to the original, but in order to truly understand her ideas best you'd be better off reading her actual work than reading what some else writes about her. Here's a link to the modern translation at Ambleside Online. 

[Crimson Wife]

Latin-Centered Curriculum. I personally much prefer the 2nd edition to the 1st, but this is a YMMV thing.

 

The Paidea books by Mortimer J. Adler. They are designed for classroom-based schooling but classical HSers can gain a lot of wisdom from the books.

 

I've read Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's "For the Children's Sake" , Karen Andreola's "A Charlotte Mason Companion", and Karen Levinson's "A Charlotte Mason Education" but it's been so long that  I can't remember which of the 3 was the most helpful.

 

I've had a couple of Paula Polk Lilliard's Montessori books on my shelf for ages but have only skimmed them. My dad did some financial analysis consulting work for a Montessori school years ago and he passed the books on to me when I first started HSing. They are theory-heavy and don't really get into the practical details of how to do Montessori education. Elizabeth Hainstock's books are geared towards home education but I haven't read them yet. They are OOP unfortunately.

[tjlcc]

I'm copying and pasting something a veteran homeschooling Mom posted here a while ago.  I can't remember who it was.  I found it helpful.  Also, a book that hasn't been mentioned yet is For The Children's Sake by Macaulay.

 

 

Choosing Homeschool Approach and Curriculum with Confidence by Evaluating Your Own Education

 

Without knowing what you want your curriculum to accomplish, it will be hard to evaluate if a particular curriculum or approach will meet your needs.  It’s very helpful to articulate what you want and why, not only for choosing materials, but also in responding to criticism from others.  It can clear up potential friction between spouses who may have different ideas on the subject.

 

The tremendous amount of homeschooling materials available today can be overwhelming to new homeschoolers. Beginning with a basic idea about what you want and what you don’t want can make the process of selecting easier.

 

Since homeschoolers vary widely in their views, it’s important each couple focus first on their own motivations and goals first then they can consider the motivations and goals of others and whether or not they would like to add them to their own goals.

 

 

To help parents new to homeschooling define their goals and choose a homeschooling method, couples can try the following exercises either verbally or on paper or a combination of the two. It will likely require several conversations and lead to other discussions-that’s a good thing.

 

 

1. List everything you learned in your K-12 education that was good and useful.

 

2. List everything in your K-12 education that was not good or not useful.

 

3. List everything you wish had been included in your K-12 education that would have been good or useful.

4. Describe in as much detail as possible the ideal education in the areas of academics, relationships, and life skills. Include not only general abstract ideals (like well-rounded and rigorous for example) but also specific subjects and skills that make up the abstract ideals (like Classic Literature, Formal Logic, etc.)

 

 5. What are the main reasons you want to homeschool your children?

 

 

 

 

 

Three Homeschooling Mindsets

 

I am forced to generalize.  It should be understood that the 1-2 million homeschoolers in the US do not fit neatly into categories.  Many are represented in more than one of these mindsets to varying degrees.  All three groups are represented in today’s homeschool community.

 

First Wave Homeschoolers

 

In the early 1980s before the public schools were, on the whole, viewed as performing poorly and safety was not generally an issue, two groups of people emerged creating the modern homeschooling movement.

 

The first were largely conservative Christians who wanted what they called a “Christ Centered Education†for their children.   Their goal is to integrate family relationships, life skills, academics, and religious training in equal proportions along with what they call a “Biblical Worldview†into the education of their children.  They believe that God had a particular plan for each child’s life, and it is the job of the parent to prepare their children as individuals for that purpose.  They believe that children are designed to learn best in a family situation and that institutional educational environments are for adults. They are strong proponents of individualized learning. So, in essence, they define education as including more than just academics.

 

Meanwhile a mix of secular and religious parents, many inspired by John Holt’s writings, decided that keeping their children at home and customizing an education to suit their individual talents and interests emerged.  They believe real life and academics should be integrated to give a greater understanding of the world. They see institutional settings and modern education methods as artificial, detached, and too compartmentalized to fuel the natural love of learning in children.  They are also concerned that much of modern education is not relevant to the real world adults live in. They too have different definition of education.

 

Both groups have different motivations, but some of their educational philosophy is very similar.  Most practice some variation of tutorial style education.  It fits with their views of customizing education to the individual student.  Apprenticeships, internships, and life experiences, in conjunction with academics are often common between them.  Neither group likes the standard scope and sequence or fill in the blank workbook approach that is characteristic of most institutional settings.

 

In general they share the conviction that institutional settings are bad for children, so of course, homeschooling is the only acceptable option that meets their goals.

 

These two groups are primarily responsible for the legal battles legalizing homeschooling in each state.  They currently fight to deregulate homeschooling nationwide.

 

Second Wave Homeschoolers

 

In the early 1990s several studies on academic performance revealed that homeschoolers were outperforming children in government schools on standardized tests.  A group of parents took notice because academic performance was their number one priority.  They began homeschooling their children and enjoyed combination of a flexible lifestyle and accelerated academics that homeschooling provided.

 

The do not have convictions that institutional settings are categorically bad for children, and many can afford private/religious education, but their children are thriving in the homeschooling environment so that’s where they stay.  This group has a large mix of very religious and secular people, and everyone in between. 

 

They are primarily responsible for taking homeschooling into the mainstream.

 

 

 

 

Third Wave Homeschoolers

 

By the late 1990s and after the turn of the new millennium public schools were getting bad press specifically about negative social issues and poor academic performance.  The floodgates of homeschooling opened and a new group of parents poured into the homeschool community. 

 

They are refugees fleeing what they see as a bad situation.  They do not like or have access to charter schools or cannot afford a private/religious institutional setting, so they choose to homeschool.  Some left because they see government schools as indoctrinating their children into secularism and socialism.  Some have children that are above or below average and want something more specific to their children’s individual needs.  Others are very unhappy with the social norms in public schools.  Many are very concerned about what they see as a decrease in academic standards and performance in American public education.

 

This group has helped fuel the current debate about school choice nationwide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 Different Approaches to Homeschooling 
 

 

Most homeschoolers use a combination of two or more of these approaches.  Homeschooling is inherently flexible, so these approaches can be adapted and modified in any way the parent chooses. This is a bird's eye view making very broad generalizations. Popular curricula, websites, and authors detailing these approaches are listed.  Let me know of others and I will gladly add them to the lists.

 

 

 

===Traditional School Approach ===

Typically uses prepackaged curriculum with a Scope and Sequence educational philosophy.  Their daily and yearly schedules usually follow the 6 hour days of institutional settings and a 180 day school year with the summer off, but many allow their children to work at their own pace and finish early.  Grading systems like those used in traditional school settings are the norm and aged grades mimic schools. Textbooks and workbooks are their primary texts. Fill in the blank and multiple choice answers are characteristic of this crowd. Children are generally taught the same information around the same age and proceed along the same path, although some may do so faster or slower.

 

Think institutional school.

 

Abeka

BJU

Alpha Omega

Apologia

Christian Liberty Press

ACE PACEs

 

=== Unschooling Approaches A and B===

This is a broad term that applies to two distinct groups.

 

Group  A

 

Generally believes children are wired for learning, and their job as teachers is to avoid interfering with the learning process.  Their job is also to provide access to learning (books, lab equipment, etc.) guided by the child’s interests.  They do not necessarily think children need to be “taught†outside of answering a child's questions.  Real life, hands-on projects and applied learning experiences are strongly preferred to other methods of instruction. Some will allow children to take classes of interest in an institutional setting-usually college.

 

Think Thomas Edison and John Holt.

 

Christian Unschooling (website)

Learning without Schooling Magazine

John Holt’s Books

Free Child Project (lots of links and resources)

 

 

Group B

 

 These parents design every learning experience to answer the question, “When am I going to use this in real life?†by actually using almost exclusively real life, hands on, applied situations and projects.  Only the real world here.  They tend to be systematic and adult directed but are very careful to take additional time to follow a child’s interests some too.

 

No known packaged curriculum, websites, or magazines that address only this approach to homeschooling.

 

 

===Unit Study Approach ===

Typically these people integrate studies based on an era, historical event, person, character trait, technological development, or historical person.  For example, if the Depression is the core of the unit study, Math (if possible), Literature, Science (if possible), History, Economics, and Writing will hinge on different elements of the Great Depression. This gives the student a multidimensional understanding.  Each child in the family is given different assignments based on ability, but all study the same core theme.

 

 

Learning through History Magazine

Konos

Learning Adventures

Moving Beyond the Page

Trail Guides to Learning

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett

All Through the Ages

Timetables of History

 

===Living Books Approach ===

Only the best literature and writings on each subject are used.  Think of it this way, instead of reading from a distilled over simplified textbook on the Civil War, these parents have their students read several of the books about the Civil War that an author of a textbook would read preparing to write the textbook.  Now, think of doing that for Science, History, Economics, Literature, Art, etc.  This crowd is also known for

nature studies, narration, and dictation.

Heart of Dakota 

Charlotte Mason

Karen Andreola

My Father’s World

Sonlight

Greenleaf Press

All Through the Ages

Robinson’s Curriculum

 

 

===Classical Education===

Classical education has at least three distinct camps. They can be integrated as much as the parent prefers. They all have a strong preference for first source materials and use primarily Western Classics (Also called the Western Canon, or the Common Book of the Western World.) Some can include the study of "dead" languages (Hebrew, Classical or Biblical Greek, and Latin) although some are content with good English translations of Classic works while others opt for studies of Latin and Greek Roots in English.

 

Group A

 

 Characterized by the Trivium.  The 3 stages have many terms: 

 

1.     Stage 1 Grammar (facts)

2.     Stage 2 Logic (cause and effect) All stages of formal Logic inductive, deductive, material, etc. 

3.     Stage 3 Rhetoric (application and persuasion) Formal argumentation is studied.

 

Formal Logic and Rhetoric are studied specifically. History is usually studied chronologically. Logic is studied formally, and Science is studied with experimentation, biographies, and original writings of the greatest minds. Classic works from masters throughout Western Civilization in all eras are studied. Some integrate History, Geography, Science and Literature into a more unit study approach.

 

Think Dorothy Sayers.

 

Tapestry of Grace

Classical Conversations

Memoria Press

Veritas Press

Teaching the Trivium

The Well Trained Mind

The Circe Institute

 

Group B

 

Characterized by the Mentor Model and sometimes called a "Statesmen" education. Morals, virtue, and character are emphasized above all.

 

1.     In the early years children are allowed to follow their interests and learn good moral character while developing a strong work ethic.

2.     The middle years are when the parent begins inspiring students by reading classic works by the best minds on the subjects and entering into apprenticeship situations with masters of certain skills. 

3.     The later years the students are mentored in apprenticeships in entrepreneurial situations for their future leadership roles and professional pursuits.

 

Think Thomas Jefferson.

 

A Thomas Jefferson education by DeMille

A Thomas Jefferson Companion

 

Group C

 

 Also known as the Principle Approach.  This is a method often attributed to how many of the Founders were educated.

 

1.     Research the topic by looking up ideas

 

a. first source materials (original writings, documents, autobiographies, first hand historical accounts, etc.)

 

b. look up terms in dictionary (keeping in mind dictionaries that are specific to the era)

 

c. look up terms in your sacred writings or other sources related to your beliefs (Christians-Bible)

 

1.     Reason through the material looking for the underlying principles.

 

1.     Relate the information you have found through research and reason and apply it to your life.

 

1.     Record your findings in a logical, systematic, and persuasive format.

 

Think James Madison.

 

www.principleapproach.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preschool and Early Elementary Decisions

 The way to reduce insecurity is to know what your choices are and why you chose one over the others. That means homework up front and taking an active rather than passive role but it spares you the endless shifting sands of blindly accepting recommendations, experimenting with them, and then repeating the process over and over until you finally find something that works.  It saves time, money and energy in the long run and creates a more satisfying, cohesive homeschooling experience for you, your spouse and your children.

 It also gives you something intelligent to say when people question your decision to homeschool.  If you're not able to articulate what you're doing and why you're doing it the way you are, you're going to be very insecure when someone brings up the subject. 

 Since you're beginning at the beginning, you can take a deep breath and rest easy.  These are the early elementary issues that come up.  Focus on those first THEN look at curriculum. 

I would consider people pushing academics for any child under the age 6 in the same category (assuming their children didn't beg daily to learn academics.)

 There are 2 uses of the word preschool:

 

1) the time in a child's life BEFORE a child learns reading, writing, and arithmetic-usually under the age of 6 in our culture

 

2) a time when a child under 6 is learning reading, writing and arithmetic

 

There are different schools of thought on which is best for children in general and for individual children.  I suggest any parent starting out familiarize herself with the arguments for and against both and decide for herself what she thinks is best for her family and each of her individual children.

How much academics does she want for her kids? What kind of academics? How much exploring their interest? How much creative play?  How much free play? How much group play?  How much exploring nature? How much physical play?

 

Whether you choose academic preschool or not, I strongly suggest any parent (regardless of how they plan on having their child educated) start a read aloud routine.  There are plenty of excellent resources out there for finding quality books at the library and at book sellers.  Here are good books to help you find good books:

 

1) Honey for A Child's Heart

 

2) Books the Build Character

 

3) A Thomas Jefferson Education (the book lists for different age groups in the back is excellent)

 

You can also google award winning children's books for book lists.

 

My husband and I read aloud to our kids from preschool-high school about 2 hours a day (not all in one sitting.)   Search this website [The Well Trained Mind Forums] for read aloud information, suggestions, and book recordings. It's one of the most important and neglected aspects of education in America-even among many homeschoolers. There are book recordings for parents who want someone else to help read aloud to their kids and for kids who aren't reading fluently yet but want to be read to constantly.

 

There are a couple of categories for teaching reading.

 

1) Look Say (often mislabeled whole language) which is memorizing each word by how it looks

 

2) Phonics which is memorizing the sound each letter and each letter combination so each word is sounded out enough times until a child memorizes it by sight.

 

Familiarize yourself with both schools of thought and decide for yourself which you want to do and why. The vast majority of homeschoolers choose Phonics. Different Phonics curricula vary to some degree.  The most immediate difference is whether the letter names are taught first or only the letter sounds (and the names aren't mentioned.) Ruth Beechick explains why letter sounds first are preferable (both in the short and long term) in her book A Homestart in Reading.  Most other phonics approaches choose to do the letter names first. The other huge difference is how many sight words are taught in the Phonics program.

 

Having a good solid grasp of the two approaches will make you a more savvy shopper.

 

Different children are ready to learn to read at different ages.  My oldest (17 and in college now) learned to read fluently between the ages of 4 and 5. By her 5th birthday she could read any of the books in the house like an adult.  My middle child (15 and in college now) wasn't ready to learn to read until she was almost 8.  We got out the phonics when she was 6, did 2 short 10 minute sessions per day for a couple of weeks.  Nothing stuck.  We put it away for 2-3 months and repeated the process until it did stick. By the time she was 11 she could read fluently like an adult.  My youngest (now 8) was ready when she was 6.  She is a very strong reader, but not fluent like an adult yet. She'll get there when she gets there because we're voracious readers around here.

 

When it comes to math there are different approaches out there:

 

1) Most people learned to do math in a very symbolic way (counting pictures or on their fingers and adding written out numbers.) This approach emphasizes wrote memorization more.

 

2) Others incorporate a concrete representation of what's written on the paper with what are called "manipulatives."  Read about why and how they're used and decide if it's for you or not.  There are variations in curricula that use manipulatives and some also add in drawing some sort of representation of the thought process going on (putting groups of things together, taking a larger group and making them smaller groups, etc.) First they emphasize the concrete representation until it's mastered, then they focus on memorizing math facts for speed.

 

Decide for yourself which you prefer and why then you won't have to waste your time looking into curriculum that is clearly not a good fit. You can look into the different curricula that do things the way you know you prefer. 

 

Writing has different schools of thought and styles and priorities when it comes to the mechanics of writing.  Some start earlier and some later because of their views on brain development and the development of fine motor skills.  Then you have to decide which style of handwriting you want.  What is your goal?  Beauty?  Legibility?  Speed? Easier transitions between print and cursive/italic script?

 

When it comes to writing in the sense of putting ideas on paper in understandable ways, there are two approaches:

 

1) Narration based writing.  Children listen to something read, then they put into their own spoken words what they remember.  In the early stages a parent writes down what the child said out loud and the child copies it on paper.  Later the child does all of it on their own.

 

2) Not narration based. There are lots of different approaches with different techniques and priorities.  Some are more formulated than others. 

Narration is a skill developed over time with practice.  Look into what it is and how it's done. Decide if it's something you want to do.  Decide if you want to do it exclusively or in combination other approaches. Do you want formulated writing?

 

School at home or not?

 

There are roughly to two big categories of homeschoolers:

 

1) People who mimic school with pre-packaged curriculum like institutional schools use.  All subjects are segregated, they use grade levels, they use workbooks/textbooks that require the child to fill in the blanks, write short answers to questions at the back of the chapter, answer multiple choice questions, do a test at the end of the week, etc.  They tend to have their children doing seat work several hours a day, etc. They usually follow a schedule like the local schools do during the day and throughout the year. This type of person is usually doing a grading system of percentages and letter grades.

 

2) People who don't do school at home.  They use other types of materials, they often avoid any sort of grade level mindset at all (most consider it a way to slow children down) and assign different kinds of assignments that require different levels of thinking.  They have a tendency to look for approaches and materials that are more customizable and that are more flexible in nature. They tend to prefer what they call "living" or "real" books over workbook/textbooks.  They sometimes integrate subjects together.  Sometimes they do subjects, like formal logic, not done in most packaged curriculum. They often have multiple children at different developmental levels studying the same core content at the same time, but doing different levels of study and assignments. Some focus more than others on their children's individual interests and build an education around it.

 

What do you think of the typical education in America? (Or wherever you live.) Are you interested in doing the same at home or do you want to do something different?  Do you want to do a mix of the two? If you're interested in different, what kinds of different do you want and what kinds don't you want?

 

General Questions

 

What are your priorities for your children's education?  What are your goals for them by the time they're done with High School?  How structured do you want to be?  How hands on?  How much flexibility do you want built in?  How much of your child's interests do you want to include? How much of their childhood do want them sitting in a seat?  How much in the the field? What does your spouse say about these things?

 

Having a general idea about these kinds of things makes choosing what to buy and what to do much easier to decide. It also helps you ask better questions when looking into your options.

[craftyerin]

We take a CM approach to homeschooling, and the books about CM written by others (so, not her original series) that I like best are For the Children's Sake and When Children Love to Learn. If you want an alternate view on classical education, you could read The Core by the founder of Classical Conversations. I much prefer the WTM, but they're pretty different if you wanted to compare. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

The best two books I have read which explain the evidence of educational approaches are these:

 

The Knowledge Deficit (E.D. Hirsch)

 

Why Don't Students Like School?: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom (Willingham)

 

Both books have been invaluable to help my husband and me chart out our education strategy. They have also helped me evaluate each homeschool philosophy (classical, CM, etc.). There are an excessive number of claims made by homeschoolers in the types of books you are going to read which don't have a shred of evidence. I encourage you to read these two books so that you will know how to discern what you are reading in the homeschool literature. I would encourage your husband to read both as well.

 

Ditto these two books.  If you'd like to choose your philosophy looking through the lens of what research is out there, start with these two! 

 

For early math, I recommend the videos at Educationunboxed.com as being a teacher education in and of themselves. 

 

I prefer the online CM explanations to the published books I've read. 

 

I also recommend reading through the Bravewriter website for some great ideas on language arts integration. 

[twoxcell]

For books about CM my two favorite are A Charlotte Mason Companion and When Children Love To Learn. The first leans more toward the flowery/Victorian and the second moves it more toward the modern educator. I think both interpretations are helpful. If you want to know straight from Charlotte the 1st and 6th volume would be the most helpful. :)

[ElizabethB]

Here is a good overview of the general philosophies. It is from a Christian viewpoint.

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/phil.html

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/_pdf/phlhdn.pdf

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/philtrans.html

[ElizaG]

Here is a good overview of the general philosophies. It is from a Christian viewpoint.

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/phil.html

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/_pdf/phlhdn.pdf

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/philtrans.html

 

The site author might be a Christian, but the model she's presenting first appeared in the late 1940s in the writings of Harold Rugg and Theodore Brameld, founders of Social Reconstructionism.   (There were originally four categories; "existentialism" was added later.)   It's been promoted heavily in education schools, and I'm guessing this is where she was taught it.  

 

This whole model seems skewed.   For one thing, none of the categories accurately represents traditional classical education, or Montessori education.  Each of these matches up with parts of multiple descriptions, and also has goals that don't seem to be mentioned in any of them (such as the ability to communicate effectively).   And at the time the model was first published, educational scholars looked at it with skepticism, as a set-up by members of one group for promoting their own theory; see e.g. here.  But somehow, in the last few decades, it's become taken for granted as objective truth.   As a result, many people who are against Reconstructionism -- including the above author -- are letting their opponents define the terms of discussion.

 

So here's an example of the importance of looking at sources.   A speaker goes around to homeschool conferences and tells parents that "There are five, just five, basic schools of educational philosophy," but doesn't say where she learned this, or why we should believe it.   (I wonder if anyone who's been to one of the workshops has thought to ask her? :001_unsure: )   

[reign]

You might also like

• What does it mean to be well educated? by Alfie Kohn
• Project-Based Homeschooling by Lori Pickert
• Marva Collins' Way by Marva Collins
• The Project Zero Classroom: Views on Understanding, ed. Lois Hetland and Shirley Veenema (may be harder to find and is not homeschool-oriented, but really delves into thinking and understanding)

I have Mason's Original Homeschooling Series in one volume. It's 800 pages, worth a skim if you can borrow it from someone, but I found only 50 pages or so worth serious consideration. You might prefer books by Catherine Levison or Karen Andreola.

 

Thank you! I have been trying to remember Marva Collins name for a couple weeks. I loved that book and wanted to reread it this summer!

[ScoutTN]

I Saw the Angel in the Marble by Chris and Ellyn Davis - Oop most likely but worth the effort to find.

[Kareni]

I'm copying and pasting something a veteran homeschooling Mom posted here a while ago.  I can't remember who it was.  I found it helpful. 

 

To give credit where it's due, your copy and paste came from the following post:

 

 

Here's what I give new homeschoolers or homeschoolers considering making a change.  Consider it homeschooling orientation.

 

2014 Homeschooling Packet

Choosing Homeschool Approach and Curriculum with Confidence by Evaluating Your Own Education

 

Without knowing what you want your curriculum to accomplish, it will be hard to evaluate if a particular curriculum or approach will meet your needs.  It’s very helpful to articulate what you want and why, not only for choosing materials, but also in responding to criticism from others.  It can clear up potential friction between spouses who may have different ideas on the subject.

 

The tremendous amount of homeschooling materials available today can be overwhelming to new homeschoolers. Beginning with a basic idea about what you want and what you don’t want can make the process of selecting easier.

 

Since homeschoolers vary widely in their views, it’s important each couple focus first on their own motivations and goals first then they can consider the motivations and goals of others and whether or not they would like to add them to their own goals.

 

 

To help parents new to homeschooling define their goals and choose a homeschooling method, couples can try the following exercises either verbally or on paper or a combination of the two. It will likely require several conversations and lead to other discussions-that’s a good thing.

 

 

1. List everything you learned in your K-12 education that was good and useful.

 

2. List everything in your K-12 education that was not good or not useful.

 

3. List everything you wish had been included in your K-12 education that would have been good or useful.

4. Describe in as much detail as possible the ideal education in the areas of academics, relationships, and life skills. Include not only general abstract ideals (like well-rounded and rigorous for example) but also specific subjects and skills that make up the abstract ideals (like Classic Literature, Formal Logic, etc.)

 

 5. What are the main reasons you want to homeschool your children?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Homeschooling Mindsets

 

I am forced to generalize.  It should be understood that the 1-2 million homeschoolers in the US do not fit neatly into categories.  Many are represented in more than one of these mindsets to varying degrees.  All three groups are represented in today’s homeschool community.

 

First Wave Homeschoolers

 

In the early 1980s before the public schools were, on the whole, viewed as performing poorly and safety was not generally an issue, two groups of people emerged creating the modern homeschooling movement.

 

The first were largely conservative Christians who wanted what they called a “Christ Centered Education†for their children.   Their goal is to integrate family relationships, life skills, academics, and religious training in equal proportions along with what they call a “Biblical Worldview†into the education of their children.  They believe that God had a particular plan for each child’s life, and it is the job of the parent to prepare their children as individuals for that purpose.  They believe that children are designed to learn best in a family situation and that institutional educational environments are for adults. They are strong proponents of individualized learning. So, in essence, they define education as including more than just academics.

 

Meanwhile a mix of secular and religious parents, many inspired by John Holt’s writings, decided that keeping their children at home and customizing an education to suit their individual talents and interests emerged.  They believe real life and academics should be integrated to give a greater understanding of the world. They see institutional settings and modern education methods as artificial, detached, and too compartmentalized to fuel the natural love of learning in children.  They are also concerned that much of modern education is not relevant to the real world adults live in. They too have different definition of education.

 

Both groups have different motivations, but some of their educational philosophy is very similar.  Most practice some variation of tutorial style education.  It fits with their views of customizing education to the individual student.  Apprenticeships, internships, and life experiences, in conjunction with academics are often common between them.  Neither group likes the standard scope and sequence or fill in the blank workbook approach that is characteristic of most institutional settings.

 

In general they share the conviction that institutional settings are bad for children, so of course, homeschooling is the only acceptable option that meets their goals.

 

These two groups are primarily responsible for the legal battles legalizing homeschooling in each state.  They currently fight to deregulate homeschooling nationwide.

 

Second Wave Homeschoolers

 

In the early 1990s several studies on academic performance revealed that homeschoolers were outperforming children in government schools on standardized tests.  A group of parents took notice because academic performance was their number one priority.  They began homeschooling their children and enjoyed combination of a flexible lifestyle and accelerated academics that homeschooling provided.

 

The do not have convictions that institutional settings are categorically bad for children, and many can afford private/religious education, but their children are thriving in the homeschooling environment so that’s where they stay.  This group has a large mix of very religious and secular people, and everyone in between. 

 

They are primarily responsible for taking homeschooling into the mainstream.

 

 

 

 

Third Wave Homeschoolers

 

By the late 1990s and after the turn of the new millennium public schools were getting bad press specifically about negative social issues and poor academic performance.  The floodgates of homeschooling opened and a new group of parents poured into the homeschool community. 

 

They are refugees fleeing what they see as a bad situation.  They do not like or have access to charter schools or cannot afford a private/religious institutional setting, so they choose to homeschool.  Some left because they see government schools as indoctrinating their children into secularism and socialism.  Some have children that are above or below average and want something more specific to their children’s individual needs.  Others are very unhappy with the social norms in public schools.  Many are very concerned about what they see as a decrease in academic standards and performance in American public education.

 

This group has helped fuel the current debate about school choice nationwide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 Different Approaches to Homeschooling

 

 

Most homeschoolers use a combination of two or more of these approaches.  Homeschooling is inherently flexible, so these approaches can be adapted and modified in any way the parent chooses. This is a bird's eye view making very broad generalizations. Popular curricula, websites, and authors detailing these approaches are listed.  Let me know of others and I will gladly add them to the lists.

 

 

 

===Traditional School Approach ===

Typically uses prepackaged curriculum with a Scope and Sequence educational philosophy.  Their daily and yearly schedules usually follow the 6 hour days of institutional settings and a 180 day school year with the summer off, but many allow their children to work at their own pace and finish early.  Grading systems like those used in traditional school settings are the norm and aged grades mimic schools. Textbooks and workbooks are their primary texts. Fill in the blank and multiple choice answers are characteristic of this crowd. Children are generally taught the same information around the same age and proceed along the same path, although some may do so faster or slower.

 

Think institutional school.

 

Abeka

BJU

Alpha Omega

Apologia

Christian Liberty Press

ACE PACEs

 

=== Unschooling Approaches A and B===

This is a broad term that applies to two distinct groups.

 

Group  A

 

Generally believes children are wired for learning, and their job as teachers is to avoid interfering with the learning process.  Their job is also to provide access to learning (books, lab equipment, etc.) guided by the child’s interests.  They do not necessarily think children need to be “taught†outside of answering a child's questions.  Real life, hands-on projects and applied learning experiences are strongly preferred to other methods of instruction. Some will allow children to take classes of interest in an institutional setting-usually college.

 

Think Thomas Edison and John Holt.

 

Christian Unschooling (website)

Learning without Schooling Magazine

John Holt’s Books

Free Child Project (lots of links and resources)

 

 

Group B

 

 These parents design every learning experience to answer the question, “When am I going to use this in real life?†by actually using almost exclusively real life, hands on, applied situations and projects.  Only the real world here.  They tend to be systematic and adult directed but are very careful to take additional time to follow a child’s interests some too.

 

No known packaged curriculum, websites, or magazines that address only this approach to homeschooling.

 

 

===Unit Study Approach ===

Typically these people integrate studies based on an era, historical event, person, character trait, technological development, or historical person.  For example, if the Depression is the core of the unit study, Math (if possible), Literature, Science (if possible), History, Economics, and Writing will hinge on different elements of the Great Depression. This gives the student a multidimensional understanding.  Each child in the family is given different assignments based on ability, but all study the same core theme.

 

 

Learning through History Magazine

Konos

Learning Adventures

Moving Beyond the Page

Trail Guides to Learning

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett

All Through the Ages

Timetables of History

 

===Living Books Approach ===

Only the best literature and writings on each subject are used.  Think of it this way, instead of reading from a distilled over simplified textbook on the Civil War, these parents have their students read several of the books about the Civil War that an author of a textbook would read preparing to write the textbook.  Now, think of doing that for Science, History, Economics, Literature, Art, etc.  This crowd is also known for

nature studies, narration, and dictation.

 

Heart of Dakota 

Charlotte Mason

Karen Andreola

My Father’s World

Sonlight

Greenleaf Press

All Through the Ages

Robinson’s Curriculum

 

 

===Classical Education===

Classical education has at least three distinct camps. They can be integrated as much as the parent prefers. They all have a strong preference for first source materials and use primarily Western Classics (Also called the Western Canon, or the Common Book of the Western World.) Some can include the study of "dead" languages (Hebrew, Classical or Biblical Greek, and Latin) although some are content with good English translations of Classic works while others opt for studies of Latin and Greek Roots in English.

 

Group A

 

 Characterized by the Trivium.  The 3 stages have many terms: 

 

1. Stage 1 Grammar (facts)
2. Stage 2 Logic (cause and effect) All stages of formal Logic inductive, deductive, material, etc. 
3. Stage 3 Rhetoric (application and persuasion) Formal argumentation is studied.

 

Formal Logic and Rhetoric are studied specifically. History is usually studied chronologically. Logic is studied formally, and Science is studied with experimentation, biographies, and original writings of the greatest minds. Classic works from masters throughout Western Civilization in all eras are studied. Some integrate History, Geography, Science and Literature into a more unit study approach.

 

Think Dorothy Sayers.

 

Tapestry of Grace

Classical Conversations

Memoria Press

Veritas Press

Teaching the Trivium

The Well Trained Mind

The Circe Institute

 

Group B

 

Characterized by the Mentor Model and sometimes called a "Statesmen" education. Morals, virtue, and character are emphasized above all.

 

1. In the early years children are allowed to follow their interests and learn good moral character while developing a strong work ethic.
2. The middle years are when the parent begins inspiring students by reading classic works by the best minds on the subjects and entering into apprenticeship situations with masters of certain skills. 
3. The later years the students are mentored in apprenticeships in entrepreneurial situations for their future leadership roles and professional pursuits.

 

Think Thomas Jefferson.

 

A Thomas Jefferson education by DeMille

A Thomas Jefferson Companion

 

Group C

 

 Also known as the Principle Approach.  This is a method often attributed to how many of the Founders were educated.

 

1. Research the topic by looking up ideas

 

a. first source materials (original writings, documents, autobiographies, first hand historical accounts, etc.)

 

b. look up terms in dictionary (keeping in mind dictionaries that are specific to the era)

 

c. look up terms in your sacred writings or other sources related to your beliefs (Christians-Bible)

 

1. Reason through the material looking for the underlying principles.

 

1. Relate the information you have found through research and reason and apply it to your life.

 

1. Record your findings in a logical, systematic, and persuasive format.

 

Think James Madison.

 

www.principleapproach.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preschool and Early Elementary Decisions

 The way to reduce insecurity is to know what your choices are and why you chose one over the others. That means homework up front and taking an active rather than passive role but it spares you the endless shifting sands of blindly accepting recommendations, experimenting with them, and then repeating the process over and over until you finally find something that works.  It saves time, money and energy in the long run and creates a more satisfying, cohesive homeschooling experience for you, your spouse and your children.

 It also gives you something intelligent to say when people question your decision to homeschool.  If you're not able to articulate what you're doing and why you're doing it the way you are, you're going to be very insecure when someone brings up the subject. 

 Since you're beginning at the beginning, you can take a deep breath and rest easy.  These are the early elementary issues that come up.  Focus on those first THEN look at curriculum. 

I would consider people pushing academics for any child under the age 6 in the same category (assuming their children didn't beg daily to learn academics.)

 There are 2 uses of the word preschool:

 

1) the time in a child's life BEFORE a child learns reading, writing, and arithmetic-usually under the age of 6 in our culture

 

2) a time when a child under 6 is learning reading, writing and arithmetic

 

There are different schools of thought on which is best for children in general and for individual children.  I suggest any parent starting out familiarize herself with the arguments for and against both and decide for herself what she thinks is best for her family and each of her individual children.

 

How much academics does she want for her kids? What kind of academics? How much exploring their interest? How much creative play?  How much free play? How much group play?  How much exploring nature? How much physical play?

 

Whether you choose academic preschool or not, I strongly suggest any parent (regardless of how they plan on having their child educated) start a read aloud routine.  There are plenty of excellent resources out there for finding quality books at the library and at book sellers.  Here are good books to help you find good books:

 

1) Honey for A Child's Heart

 

2) Books the Build Character

 

3) A Thomas Jefferson Education (the book lists for different age groups in the back is excellent)

 

You can also google award winning children's books for book lists.

 

My husband and I read aloud to our kids from preschool-high school about 2 hours a day (not all in one sitting.)   Search this website [The Well Trained Mind Forums] for read aloud information, suggestions, and book recordings. It's one of the most important and neglected aspects of education in America-even among many homeschoolers. There are book recordings for parents who want someone else to help read aloud to their kids and for kids who aren't reading fluently yet but want to be read to constantly.

 

There are a couple of categories for teaching reading.

 

1) Look Say (often mislabeled whole language) which is memorizing each word by how it looks

 

2) Phonics which is memorizing the sound each letter and each letter combination so each word is sounded out enough times until a child memorizes it by sight.

 

Familiarize yourself with both schools of thought and decide for yourself which you want to do and why. The vast majority of homeschoolers choose Phonics. Different Phonics curricula vary to some degree.  The most immediate difference is whether the letter names are taught first or only the letter sounds (and the names aren't mentioned.) Ruth Beechick explains why letter sounds first are preferable (both in the short and long term) in her book A Homestart in Reading.  Most other phonics approaches choose to do the letter names first. The other huge difference is how many sight words are taught in the Phonics program.

 

Having a good solid grasp of the two approaches will make you a more savvy shopper.

 

Different children are ready to learn to read at different ages.  My oldest (17 and in college now) learned to read fluently between the ages of 4 and 5. By her 5th birthday she could read any of the books in the house like an adult.  My middle child (15 and in college now) wasn't ready to learn to read until she was almost 8.  We got out the phonics when she was 6, did 2 short 10 minute sessions per day for a couple of weeks.  Nothing stuck.  We put it away for 2-3 months and repeated the process until it did stick. By the time she was 11 she could read fluently like an adult.  My youngest (now 8) was ready when she was 6.  She is a very strong reader, but not fluent like an adult yet. She'll get there when she gets there because we're voracious readers around here.

 

When it comes to math there are different approaches out there:

 

1) Most people learned to do math in a very symbolic way (counting pictures or on their fingers and adding written out numbers.) This approach emphasizes wrote memorization more.

 

2) Others incorporate a concrete representation of what's written on the paper with what are called "manipulatives."  Read about why and how they're used and decide if it's for you or not.  There are variations in curricula that use manipulatives and some also add in drawing some sort of representation of the thought process going on (putting groups of things together, taking a larger group and making them smaller groups, etc.) First they emphasize the concrete representation until it's mastered, then they focus on memorizing math facts for speed.

 

Decide for yourself which you prefer and why then you won't have to waste your time looking into curriculum that is clearly not a good fit. You can look into the different curricula that do things the way you know you prefer. 

 

Writing has different schools of thought and styles and priorities when it comes to the mechanics of writing.  Some start earlier and some later because of their views on brain development and the development of fine motor skills.  Then you have to decide which style of handwriting you want.  What is your goal?  Beauty?  Legibility?  Speed? Easier transitions between print and cursive/italic script?

 

When it comes to writing in the sense of putting ideas on paper in understandable ways, there are two approaches:

 

1) Narration based writing.  Children listen to something read, then they put into their own spoken words what they remember.  In the early stages a parent writes down what the child said out loud and the child copies it on paper.  Later the child does all of it on their own.

 

2) Not narration based. There are lots of different approaches with different techniques and priorities.  Some are more formulated than others. 

 

Narration is a skill developed over time with practice.  Look into what it is and how it's done. Decide if it's something you want to do.  Decide if you want to do it exclusively or in combination other approaches. Do you want formulated writing?

 

 

School at home or not?

 

There are roughly to two big categories of homeschoolers:

 

1) People who mimic school with pre-packaged curriculum like institutional schools use.  All subjects are segregated, they use grade levels, they use workbooks/textbooks that require the child to fill in the blanks, write short answers to questions at the back of the chapter, answer multiple choice questions, do a test at the end of the week, etc.  They tend to have their children doing seat work several hours a day, etc. They usually follow a schedule like the local schools do during the day and throughout the year. This type of person is usually doing a grading system of percentages and letter grades.

 

2) People who don't do school at home.  They use other types of materials, they often avoid any sort of grade level mindset at all (most consider it a way to slow children down) and assign different kinds of assignments that require different levels of thinking.  They have a tendency to look for approaches and materials that are more customizable and that are more flexible in nature. They tend to prefer what they call "living" or "real" books over workbook/textbooks.  They sometimes integrate subjects together.  Sometimes they do subjects, like formal logic, not done in most packaged curriculum. They often have multiple children at different developmental levels studying the same core content at the same time, but doing different levels of study and assignments. Some focus more than others on their children's individual interests and build an education around it.

 

What do you think of the typical education in America? (Or wherever you live.) Are you interested in doing the same at home or do you want to do something different?  Do you want to do a mix of the two? If you're interested in different, what kinds of different do you want and what kinds don't you want?

 

General Questions

 

What are your priorities for your children's education?  What are your goals for them by the time they're done with High School?  How structured do you want to be?  How hands on?  How much flexibility do you want built in?  How much of your child's interests do you want to include? How much of their childhood do want them sitting in a seat?  How much in the the field? What does your spouse say about these things?

 

Having a general idea about these kinds of things makes choosing what to buy and what to do much easier to decide. It also helps you ask better questions when looking into your options.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

[HS Mom in NC]

OP, yes, that was mine.

You're absolutely on the right track in the right order.  I suggest you start looking into Classical Education first because it has so many aspects to it, has different content, different educational goals and different teaching techniques. It will take you longer to get a full grasp of it and the different variations on it.  It has it's own jargon and peculiarities so some basic knowledge is necessary for asking more detailed questions.

 

When doing Trivium Classical Education in particular, it means starting in the early years laying a specific foundation with the Grammar Stage and building on it with the last 2 stages in very particular ways. People taking that approach often do a 4 year History and Science cycle 3 times (12 years total.)  So, you'll need to get started by age 6 if you want to follow that format.  If you start later you'll have to adapt accordingly which is certainly doable, but most people don't find it ideal.  If you look into it too late, you may feel pressured to "cram" the stages.  If you choose not to do Trivium Classical, that's perfectly fine.

 

 

[Mrs Twain]

Here is a book discussion I started on the Willingham book (Why Don't Students Like School?...).  It gives an idea of what you would get out of his book.

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/471818-book-discussion-why-dont-students-like-school-willingham/?hl=+book%20+review%20+willingham

 

[Ad astra]

Rebecca Rupp's "Home Learning Year by Year" has comprehensive, specific and thorough lists of what to cover each year and been one of the most valuable references for me. I just skipped the outdated resource suggestions.

[Yolanda]

In between reading the various philosophies, you may want to take a break and read how some children have 'come out on the other side' :) Or some books on the various ways to implement these ideas and what it looks like. Reading some of these types of books could help to understand the philosophies as you go.

 

Here are some books/authors I like:

 

• Linda Dobson
• Rachel Gathercole- The Well Adjusted child
• Rebecca Rupp- Home Learning Year By Year
• David Colfax- Homeschooling for Excellence
• Homeschooling: A Patchwork of Days by Nancy Lande
• Grace Llewellyn- The Teenage Liberation Handbook and others which have many resources and mentions of public education philosophies
• Alfie Kohn
• John Taylor Gotto-read his 'Teacher of the Year' speech
• Natalie Wickham-Pajama School
• Mary Griffith
• Educating the Whole-Hearted child by Sally Clarkson
• Nancy Wallace- Better than School:One Family's Declaration of Independence -- very cool, early beginnings author. Love her.
• Lisa Whelchel's 'So, You're thinking About Homeschooling?'

 

 

 

[vaquitita]

Nm

Edited December 13, 2015 by vaquitita

[Guest molotov]

I recommend Teaching Johnny to Think, by Leonard Peikoff. He gives thorough, specific, rational advice on what children should study (first reading, writing, and arithmetic, followed by history, literature, mathematics, and science), why each is so important, why other subjects don't make the cut, and what teaching methods work best. He explains why many traditional teaching methods do NOT work, and why. The book is based on a lecture course that gives the foundation for building a curriculum of content and also a teaching philosophy or method, and will therefore be useful to any independent-minded educator, though it is intended for an audience familiar with Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism.

[Guest molotov]

I recommend Teaching Johnny to Think, by Leonard Peikoff. He gives thorough, specific, rational advice on what children should study (first reading, writing, and arithmetic, followed by history, literature, mathematics, and science), why each is so important, why other subjects don't make the cut, and what teaching methods work best. He explains why many traditional teaching methods do NOT work, and why. The book is based on a lecture course that gives the foundation for building a curriculum of content and also a teaching philosophy or method, and will therefore be useful to any independent-minded educator, though it is intended for an audience familiar with Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism.

[birchbark]

Classical - The WTM, The Core, Teaching the Trivium

 

Charlotte Mason - When Children Love to Learn. The book Real Learning is one family's example of what CM looks like and is actually my favorite CM book.

 

Ruth Beechick - Not really a philosophy; She is all nuts and bolts! I would start with The Three R's and The Homeschool Answer Book. Similar to CM in using whole books and whole language arts, but is more focused on basic skills in younger ages, whereas CM believed in a wide exposure to arts, ideas, etc.

 

Waldorf - I have yet to see a publication on Waldorf education that I like but there is a new one available here: http://audreypress.com/waldorf/   ETA: This article is actually a pretty good overview.

 

I also highly recommend Why Don't Students Like School recommended above and The Self-Propelled Advantage which is about student-propelled schooling.

 

[basketcase]

Some wonderful suggestions here, and several I'll add to my reading list!

 

I'd add the short and awesome Mathematician's Lament by Paul Lockhart. It's available for purchase or for free here: http://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf

 

While it doesn't address an overall approach to schooling, it drove my math choices, even at a very young age.

[Catherine]

I can recommend authors more than individual books:

1. Marva Collins. She started a classical school in her home, taking in students who were PS failures of one kind or another, plus her own children. Her school was very successful and her students learned to read, sometimes at the age of 12, most went on to higher education.

 

2. Liping Ma-her book about the differences between American and Chinese math teachers, of elementary students, is painful but very enlightening to read.

 

3. James Loewen-wrote, among other things, Lies My Teacher Told Me, which addresses high school level, but the philosophy applies anywhere: teach history from original sources. This can be done even with younger children.

 

4. Look at your own child and find what works for him or her. I taught three children, and tutored a few others, and they are all different. Watch you daughter and figure out what she needs in order to learn best. For many children, that is easy, but for some, it's much more challenging. I find there is a preponderance of these latter children in homeschool circles. If they were conventional learners, they would have done better in conventional schools!

[Farrar]

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