A clue for where to start in developing a first grade curriculum?

[MarkW]

Hi folks! I'm brand new here. :)

 

We've recently started homeschooling, rather more abruptly than we had planned but it's for the best anyway.

 

I understand that homeschooling can be a very individual thing and there is quite a variety of opinion on what is really "required" or "appropriate" and so on. I'm curious to know whether anyone consults any peer reviewed research in educational theory in order to help "justify", even to yourself, the curriculum that you're presenting to your children? I'd like to try to do that myself.

 

I understand that at 6 years old there's no great emergency, but my heart starts to waver a bit as I consider where she's going to be ten years from now. I can't conceive of a future where she ever re-enters public school before college and so I want to develop some good habits now for self checking and for "justifying" the curriculum and the lesson plans we come up with, rather than just relying on some vendor or some collection of vendors who provide what they purport to be appropriate materials and my own editorial sense.

Am I making any sense here? Anybody? 

 

Thanks in advance for any help. :)

 

- Mark

[wapiti]

You might benefit from reading The Well Trained Mind for starters.  Somewhere here are long threads discussing books on educational theory.

 

Skill subjects - math and language arts - are more of a priority in the early years.  Science and social studies are content subjects at the elementary level.

 

Research smesearch.  As you get to know your child, you will learn what sorts of programs are a better fit than others for how your individual child learns best.  Custom-fitting the education to your child is one of the most important benefits of homeschooling, IMO.  Take full advantage of that.  By that I mean consider your child's strengths and weaknesses in how to teach your child most effectively.

[Ellie]

Hi folks! I'm brand new here. :)

 

We've recently started homeschooling, rather more abruptly than we had planned but it's for the best anyway.

 

I understand that homeschooling can be a very individual thing and there is quite a variety of opinion on what is really "required" or "appropriate" and so on. I'm curious to know whether anyone consults any peer reviewed research in educational theory in order to help "justify", even to yourself, the curriculum that you're presenting to your children? I'd like to try to do that myself.

 

I understand that at 6 years old there's no great emergency, but my heart starts to waver a bit as I consider where she's going to be ten years from now. I can't conceive of a future where she ever re-enters public school before college and so I want to develop some good habits now for self checking and for "justifying" the curriculum and the lesson plans we come up with, rather than just relying on some vendor or some collection of vendors who provide what they purport to be appropriate materials and my own editorial sense.

Am I making any sense here? Anybody? 

 

Thanks in advance for any help. :)

 

- Mark

 

Welcome. :-)

 

No, it would not occur to me to consult peer-reviewed research, primarily because I don't think there is any, lol.

 

The only "requirement" that I consider is whether the state I live in has any accountability (e.g., annual reporting to the state). If not, then my priorities would be to help my younger dc learn as much as they are able, as soon as they are able, and my older dc to be prepared to be productive, responsible, happy adult people. If that includes college, then we do whatever it takes to get there. If it doesn't, then we do...whatever else they need.

 

[MarkW]

Yeah I'm not sure college is a necessity, either, but I'm pretty loathe to make that decision for her by failing to prepare her for the option. I'm sure I'm putting the cart before the horse a bit, but... :)

 

Without journal access I can't argue on the research bit. LOL. I'm not sure what's out there or even what discipline(s) I'm looking for if I were to start digging.

[Aiden]

I don't believe most of us consult any peer reviewed research. Peer reviewed research is WONDERFUL for determining what happens on average--if you give this medicine to a large group of people with that disease, X percentage of them are likely to get better; if you use this teaching method for this or that subject, X percentage of students are likely to do well.

 

The problem is that as homeschoolers, we aren't interested in what happens on average. The one person who is perfectly average doesn't exist. Averages tell you what works well overall in groups. We're not interested in groups. We're interested in what works well with a specific individual--our child. Peer reviewed research can't tell you that.

 

By all means, if you want to look at educational research, go for it. Like Ellie, I'm not sure that peer reviewed research into homeschool curricula exists, but there's certainly plenty of books about educational philosophies and methods. How you teach your children, and which curriculum you use (or whether you create your own), will depend on your goals, your strengths, your weaknesses, your personality, your child's strengths, your child's weaknesses, your child's personality ... all sorts of individual factors. Even if there is peer reviewed research on curricula, peer reviewed research has not been conducted on your specific child as a student or on you as a teacher--and that's what really matters.

 

Good luck as you get started!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

In the beginning, which wasn't too long ago for me, I just confirmed what I'd heard about language teaching- that phonics was stronger than "whole word", then chose a phonics based reading program.  Actually, programs.  And I found that less really is more.  The more complicated, the more bells and whistles, and more parts, the less likely I was to want to use it.  So we settled down and used Phonics Pathways followed by McGuffey Readers.  There are thousands of phonics based options though.  

 

For math, again, there is a whole lot of straw men, false dichotomies, and fanatics out there.  I spent a lot of time looking into math and realised that I wanted a focus on conceptual understanding, but enough practice and emphasis on fact work to create fast mental calculators.  We have used mostly Singapore, adding in many Right Start ideas, but using Cuisnaire rods and base-ten blocks as are almost sole manipulatives.  

 

To be honest, there is a lot of research out there pointing to the education of the teacher being more important than the material used by the student.  If YOU know your stuff, you can teach it well.  So invest in self-education if you can.  

 

In my signature is a link to my blog, which is sadly neglected, but where I attempt to summarise some of the data out there on teaching methods for application in the home school.  

[Ellie]

Yeah I'm not sure college is a necessity, either, but I'm pretty loathe to make that decision for her by failing to prepare her for the option. I'm sure I'm putting the cart before the horse a bit, but... :)

 

Without journal access I can't argue on the research bit. LOL. I'm not sure what's out there or even what discipline(s) I'm looking for if I were to start digging.

 

I went to the first homeschool convention in California in 1983? '84? My dc were only 7ish and 4ish at that time. The only workshop I attended was the one on getting the dc through high school. :-)

 

I would recommend reading as many books about homeschooling as possible, from all different points of view. You can't go wrong with the Well Trained Mind, of course. :-) On the opposite end of that spectrum would be John Holt, who wrote only one about homeschooling (Teach Your Own) but several about children and learning in general. Dr. Raymond Moore wrote several books, which encouraged delayed academics (not delayed *learning,* you understand, but delayed *academics*).

 

 

If you help your dd learn to read well and develop good language skills, and help her learn good, basic arithmetic, you'll have set a good foundation for pretty much everything else.

[MarkW]

I don't believe most of us consult any peer reviewed research. Peer reviewed research is WONDERFUL for determining what happens on average--if you give this medicine to a large group of people with that disease, X percentage of them are likely to get better; if you use this teaching method for this or that subject, X percentage of students are likely to do well.

 

The problem is that as homeschoolers, we aren't interested in what happens on average. The one person who is perfectly average doesn't exist. Averages tell you what works well overall in groups. We're not interested in groups. We're interested in what works well with a specific individual--our child. Peer reviewed research can't tell you that.

 

 

Speaking as a dad whose two kids have been basically medical marvels in their ability to react in wonderfully new and unexplored ways to various well researched medications in scenarios where they almost died as a result, yeah, I can get down with this...

[Aiden]

Speaking as a dad whose two kids have been basically medical marvels in their ability to react in wonderfully new and unexplored ways to various well researched medications in scenarios where they almost died as a result, yeah, I can get down with this...

 

Not liking your kids' medical difficulties, but it is good that you're already aware of how "average" doesn't mean "everyone." When I was studying psychology, that was one of the concepts that our professors harped on constantly, and it took most of us a while to really understand what they were saying. Studies never prove how any given person not in the study will react to any given situation--they can only tell you what's likely to happen most often if you put a lot of people in a given situation.

 

Luckily, though, for home educating your kids, you don't need a nice big study that would be worthy of peer review. We're all about the case studies around here ;)

[Ellie]

 

Luckily, though, for home educating your kids, you don't need a nice big study that would be worthy of peer review. We're all about the case studies around here ;)

 

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

[Desert Strawberry]

You may be able to access research databases through your public library. Both of our city libraries(we recently moved) have hosted online access accounts.

That said, no. I don't use peer review studies specifically for schooling. I use social science studies in my work and self-education, though. I'm not unfamiliar with the body of work on child development, and learning. 

I prefer to read educational theory from the opponents themselves, Charlotte Mason and SWB are my favorites. Montessori is good too, especially in the early years. Holt and Kohn, too.

For perspective, my husband has asked me to check my planned and achieved goals against the state standards. We have lived in states without oversight, laws usually require an education comparable to that of public schools. I should at least know what is that means. He doesn't expect me to match what they are doing when, but he would be reassured that we will cover everything at some time.

In reality, we do much more, and our studies are generally both wider and deeper. Never in the same time frame. We do a slew start, then pile it on one they get to the middle grades. My 12 yo who couldn't read till he was 8 regularly complains that his work isn't"enough". He's doing Algebra 1, his fourth "year"of middle school level science, doing his first ever written book report, and starting on a research paper. 

 

[MarkW]

Our state requires an equivalent education but only "suggests" that we do any sort of portfolio review with the school system. We are planning to decline any sort of review with a school system we no longer trust with the care of our youngest, so that's that part sorted anyway. :)

 

Thanks for the rest, good starting points!

[fdrinca]

I would recommend spending time with your child in low-stress "educational-ish" activities to get a sense of how your child learns. So perhaps you play some rounds of 21 to see your child's natural instincts for math. Does she rely on fingers or manipulatives? Does she naturally group numbers into sets of 10? This might direct you toward the math curriculum best suited for her needs. Once you know how she learns, you can match a curriculum to her style.

 

I'd also really recommend that you take time to discern what are the most important educational goals for your child. Do you want a life-long learner? Are you encouraging family relationships? Are you hoping for a precocious and advanced education? Again, with the goal in sight, you can pick a curriculum to meet the needs.

 

Recall that almost all public school curricula is selected based on economic considerations, not pedagogical efficacy. You've already gained a huge advantage by giving yourself the ability to select a curriculum that attends to your child's learning styles. 

[73349]

There's really no one to do research for evidence-based homeschooling, because everyone doing educational research is earning a master's degree for teaching in public or private school, where the teacher gets paid and can pay off the loan for the degree. :)

 

That said, I do think some frameworks and resources made by and for classroom use are helpful. You might like works such as

• Essential Questions, ISBN 978-1-4166-1505-7;
• Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning, ISBN 1-4166-3070-0;
• Building a Better Teacher, ISBN 978-0393081596 (which I enjoyed comparing with Better, a book about medical practice by Atul Gawande, ISBN 978-0312427658)
• Engaging Ideas, which is meant for university professors, ISBN 978-0-470-53290-4, (and makes an interesting comparison to Homeschooling at the Helm, not sure if it has an ISBN but available at treasuredconversations.com);
• Theme Immersion, ISBN 0-435-08806-8 (which you can compare to Project-Based Homeschooling, ISBN 9781475239065).

 

Immerse yourself in these without feeling that you need to turn them into an immediate plan. The Well-Trained Mind and Consider This are also really interesting and are focused on homeschooling.

 

As far as what to do with your children now, it depends on where they are--the range at age six is enormous, with some still learning to recognize those last few letters and others reading chapter books. I have a fairly typical kid, slightly ahead in math, and you can see what we've done in various years by clicking the tabs in the spreadsheet linked in my signature.

 

Best wishes in your homeschooling adventure, Mark!

[Lang Syne Boardie]

First, I studied educational theory of the modern and post-modern eras, which I rejected wholesale.

 

Common Core, Whole Brain Teaching, whole language, values clarification, outcome-based education, invented spelling, social studies in place of history, ignoring science until the upper grades, excessive testing, limiting physical education/art/music, endless worksheets, basal readers, emphasis on conformity, inadequate help for gifted children, etc.)

 

Then, I looked to the past to see how people of the west used to educate children, decided that some of those ideas were superior (or at least proven), and hitched our wagon to that star.

 

Neo-classical education; Dorothy Sayers; The Well-Trained Mind; Charlotte Mason's Original Series; Great Books and Mortimer Adler's discussion of same; studies of recognizable subjects from very young ages: world history, science, math, poetry, astronomy, biology, geology, zoology, logic, art appreciation, music; proven methods of instruction: copywork, narration, dictation, composition, traditional algorithms in math, conceptual math instruction alongside, science experiments instead of demonstrations, etc.

 

Finally, having a framework to start with, I began to look sideways to see what others are talking about in education, and made little changes as seemed right for my own particular children.

 

John Holt's work on homeschooling, John Taylor Gatto's criticisms of public education, Gordon Neufeld's admonition to 'Hold On To Your Kids,' the ongoing conversation about Common Core, and college-and-career readiness, etc.

 

I've graduated one child and am soon to graduate a second, with a 9th grader and a 5th grader still at home. This process of constantly refining what I think about education, while trying to observe my own kids and respond to their needs, has worked out pretty well for us. My boys are bright and capable; they would have been very bored in school, yet needed a little more guidance than unschooling sometimes provides. I'm happy with the balance we've found.

 

[MerryAtHope]

What I found helpful for me personally was to identify some basic, over-all goals, and then break it down to discover the fundamentals I wanted to teach in a subject. 

 

As an example: what's the goal of language arts--communication, both expressive and receptive. We need to learn to listen, read, write, and speak. Things like vocabulary, grammar, literary terms, phonics, and so on all fit within these categories. So, then I started thinking about building blocks--how do I help my kids get to the point where they can do these things effectively? What skills do I start with first as I plan our language arts, and then how do I build on those skills? Thinking in these terms helped me to place a high value on things like reading quality literature aloud to my kids, and helping them to develop the skills to appreciate various genres. 

 

With history, I thought about things like wanting my kids to be well-versed in the scope of world history but also to understand how our nation's history fits into that. History as I was taught seemed so haphazard. One year we studied "bush people." Another year, kings of England. I had no sense of how things fit together, how one event influenced another, how people changed over time--or that things like geography influenced how a people developed. So, the idea of a history cycle that repeats (though I've not always done a strictly 4-year cycle) was important as a logical approach to me. I wanted to go through history at least a couple of times so that my kids could get that sense of flow. I wanted "pull-out" years to focus on US history, but then to weave that back into world history. These kinds of overarching goals guided my choices over the years. 

 

And so on.

 

So where I would start is to think back on your own education. What were the strengths and weaknesses of it? What things surprise you that were included or missed? What values do you want to pass on to your kids? From there, read books and explore various methods like Classical or Charlotte Mason, and look at curriculum that can fit your needs. You may find that you want to homeschool eclectically and put together your own materials, or you may find that certain company's materials are a good fit for at least one subject, with or without some tweaking as needed. 

 

Consider your needs as a teacher and your child's needs as a learner when you get to the point of looking at curriculum. 

 

And...don't feel like you have to figure it all out this year. Your ideas and thoughts will change over time. Get some basic ideas and building blocks to start this year, and then take time gradually to learn about how you want to approach things long-term. 

[Syllieann]

I consult peer-reviewed literature to inform my homescholing (and other life choices) when I am able. There is not a lot of hard data available for many of my homeschooling questions. Like someone else upthread, I access it electronically through my library. I have found real data for synthetic phonics vs whole language and traditional grammar vs applied grammar. There's also compelling data on spaced recall. I'm a big Anki fan. Sometimes you might find a study that breaks down the groups in such a way that you can figure out how it might work for your individual child. For example, upper-middle class native English speakers might respond fabulously to a particular math method, but disadvantaged kids might do no better with it than the control. The well trained mind is a good, practical resource. E.d. Hirsch's, "Why Don't students like school," contains info based on actual research, which backs up some of the recommendations I twtm.

 

Eta; oops, "why students don't like school" is by Willingham. Hirsch has multiple good books that are based on hard data too.

Edited December 4, 2015 by Syllieann

[dragonflyer]

Something a bit more practical than researching educational philosophies.  Check out some of the big curriculum vendors and see what they are selling for a 1st grade package.  You could buy the whole package if you love it, or just get ideas about what is commonly taught/expected for a given grade.

 

Peace Hill Press (publishing arm of Well-Trained Mind)

Memoria Press

Veritas Press

Sonlight

My Father's World

Abeka

Bob Jones

Ambleside Online

 

all have complete 1st grade packages that many Christian homeschoolers love.  If you want a more secular program, I am sure someone can point you in a solid direction.  First grade can be as simple as reading to your kid, teaching them to read, and playing lots of math games.  First grade can be as intense as reading, vocab, spelling, grammar, composition, 2 math programs with an extra practice game, foreign language, art, music, P.E., history, science, field trips, home ec, religion, and five electives.  You will have to decide what is most appropriate in your own home/school and then re-figure for each individual child.  Best wishes!

[Rosie_0801]

I sat down and made a grid with grade level along one axis and subject across the other and set about filling it in. The plan has been tweaked a million times already, but the exercise gave me a good idea on what resources were around and why I wanted to use one or another or toss the subject altogether.

[purpleowl]

Most publishers have samples of their products available online, including tables of contents.  Looking at those can give you an idea of what each product will emphasize and what approach it will take, and you can decide what's the best fit for your family.  I generally consider a subject area and open about a million tabs with different publishers' samples, lol, then look at each one and start narrowing down.  Sometimes after looking at everything I have a clear "winner."  Sometimes I have a couple of different good options and just make a call.  And sometimes I think, you know, I can put things together myself for this subject in a way that will work better than any of these choices (for whatever reason).

 

 

[abba12]

I sat down and made a grid with grade level along one axis and subject across the other and set about filling it in. The plan has been tweaked a million times already, but the exercise gave me a good idea on what resources were around and why I wanted to use one or another or toss the subject altogether.

 

I'm so glad I'm not the only person who did this! lol.

 

I agree, sitting down and researching curriculum is the number one way to guage how it will work for YOUR child (not the average, as has already been covered). As you do so you'll find concepts which differentiate curriculum (for example, in math, spiral vs mastery).  At that point, you can research through the internet and some limited studies the effects and ideas of both methods, and may find some peer reviewed stuff for the concepts. It will begin to form a much clearer image of the 'big picture' in your mind.

 

But, as to what you were originally asking for in your first post, I don't know if those resources really exist. Study of methodology and child development and psychology will help, but you wont find much for the specific programs and ideas relating to homeschooling. I doubt anyone has done that sort of study on charlotte mason for example, let alone specific programs. 

[FO4UR]

There is a poster who has a blog with articles on educational research.  It's not going to justify any curriculum, but iirc she has some good info that might help guide you towards certain types of learning.  Maybe she'll chime in.  I wish I remembered her username.

 

 

There are some books to be read.  Climbing Parnassus, Norms and Nobility, Charlotte Mason's 6 book series, TWTM, and Montessori will get you started on educational philosophy.  I like Charlotte Mason for the way she stands on the cusp of the modern educational movement, yet views it through the lens of the Classical Education of  Victorian times.  You sound like a thinker and a reader, so I encourage you to read some opposing philosophies and dig through while your daughter is very young.

 

Once you know your own philosophy of education, narrowing down curriculum will be easier. In the case of homeschooling, research-based ideas only take you so far.  Your own philosophy of ed (even if you have never articulated one) will drive your homeschool.  It's better to look straight in the mirror at this one. Your phil. of ed. might contradict research, and you might need to shift.  Your phil of ed. might conflict with your lifestyle, and you'll have to shift.  Etc...  If you know your phil of ed, those shifts are so much smoother.  

 

Meanwhile, don't buy any $$$ curricula.  Buy something to teach her to read, a handwriting program, and a math program.  Read aloud to her.  Get her outside for unstructured play for at least 2 hours daily.  Spend a few months doing just these things while you research, read and process.  In January, re-evaluate.

 

Child Development.  Learn all you can about the ages and stages and compare everything against what we know about child development.  A decent understanding of child development will give you confidence to define why you do things differently that the PS.  It will help you, as parents, relax and enjoy your child also.  She's 6.  She gets more mental stimulation from playing than from drilling grammar definitions.  The latter might look impressive to outsiders, but the former will develop her mental capacity exponentially.  The two are not mutually exclusive. Most kids can do both.  If you must make a choice, choose play.  Having a foundation in child development will help you know what she needs when.  fwiw, both Charlotte Mason and Montessori have some unique insight into child development and educational practices that are very helpful.

 

 

 

 

[Syllieann]

There is a poster who has a blog with articles on educational research. It's not going to justify any curriculum, but iirc she has some good info that might help guide you towards certain types of learning. Maybe she'll chime in. I wish I remembered her username.

 

.

It is Monica in Switzerland. The site is http://www.homeschoollaboratory.com

 

I agree that her posts and info are great. Otoh, if I hadn't already done the research myself, I wouldn't realize how awesome her posts are; she might just be a yahoo on the Internet. 😛

J/k Monica-if you read this, please get busy on posting some more awesome reads for us.

[MarkW]

I know this is a little bit of a sidebar but oh god invented spelling, what a crock that is..

 

OK sorry..

 

Thanks guys for the wide range of feedback! Very, very much appreciated!!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

It is Monica in Switzerland. The site is http://www.homeschoollaboratory.com

 

I agree that her posts and info are great. Otoh, if I hadn't already done the research myself, I wouldn't realize how awesome her posts are; she might just be a yahoo on the Internet. 😛

J/k Monica-if you read this, please get busy on posting some more awesome reads for us.

Big thanks!  But, FYI, I AM just a yahoo on the internet...  :-P  

 

I desperately miss working on my blog.  It makes me feel less like a mother surrounded by four small children intent on destroying all peace and sanity in her life.  But the baby.  OMG.  If you could hear the background noise in my house, literally AT THIS MOMENT, you would hear my son's doing duoLingo, my daughter pleading for assistance in the bathroom, and the baby flinging legos EVERYWHERE.  One calm child is reading...  

 

I WILL get back to it!!!  

[FO4UR]

I know this is a little bit of a sidebar but oh god invented spelling, what a crock that is..

 

OK sorry..

 

Thanks guys for the wide range of feedback! Very, very much appreciated!!

 

 

Copywork, Copywork, Copywork!  (Plus Narration....and later Dictation!)

 

The currics that utilize copywork, narration & dictation are many.  The way in which they use them vary widely.  I'd highly recommend reading *about* copywork, narration and dictation and trying some things out with your daughter before starting on a curric.

 

A blog post on narration.

 

Try out the free samples of Writing With Ease.

 

Once you *do* some, you'll have a clearer picture of your philosophy on things and your dd's readiness.

[macmacmoo]

Homeschool Mom in AZ posted this last year.

 

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.

[RootAnn]

Agree with so much from above!

 

- Read about different homeschooling philosophies to see which ones resonate with you.

- Borrow Cathy Duffy's Top 100 (101, 102, etc.) book & work through the first section after doing the above. (Whichever edition your library has is fine. The newer ones just review newer 'stuff.' The great part of this book is the first part where you set goals & figure out how you want to teach, IMO.)

- If you want to see the things you might want to cover by grade level, Home Learning Year by Year is a great resource. I don't freak out if my kid hasn't covered all the things in a particular grade, but it gives me a good idea if we're on (or off!) the track.

 

The usual social experiments in education aren't usually on my radar, but I've wondered if the Great Courses "scientific secrets for raising kids who thrive" is any good. I try to read some interesting books for me every year ... How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, How We Learn, ... Creating Self-Regulated Learners is next on my list.

 

But, first, read the books someone else listed (WTM, Charlotte Mason's stuff, John Holt, Climbing Parnassus, etc.).

Then, develop your goals for your homeschool overall (like a 'vision statement') and for the next couple of years.