Feeling a little lost choosing a homeschool philosophy? Read over these tips on choosing the one that is right for your family.
It can be stressful…
You’re interested in homeschooling and have maybe even decided to take the plunge, but you’re still trying to sort out your homeschool philosophy.
With so many parents choosing to homeschool these days and so many different homeschool philosophies to choose from, a lot of parents are facing this decision. And it can be difficult to decide which one is right for your family.
In this blog post, we will discuss the most popular homeschool philosophies and how to choose the best one for you and your children.
Let’s dive in!
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Table of Contents
What is a Homeschool Philosophy?
Before we dive into choosing a homeschool philosophy, let’s talk about what a homeschool philosophy actually is. It’s pretty much a guiding set of principles that you use to structure your homeschool.
It’s the foundation your homeschool will be built on. So, it’s important to choose a philosophy that you feel comfortable with and that aligns with your beliefs and parenting style.
You’ll use it to decide which curriculums you use, how you structure your day, what subjects you’ll teach, and even how you parent in some ways.
Homeschooling is often an extension of parenting, so it’s not surprising that your homeschool philosophy will have an impact on how you respond to your kids in ways far beyond academics.
There are many different homeschool philosophies to choose from, and I’ll go into an overview and some pros and cons of the major ones at the bottom of this post.
Does it Matter Which Homeschool Philosophy or Approach You Use?
When it comes to choosing a homeschool philosophy, it doesn’t really matter which one you choose. They all have upsides and downsides and there is no one perfect philosophy.
Some will resonate better with you than others and that’s ok. Just as we all come to homeschooling for different reasons, how we homeschool and our philosophy is going to vary from family to family as well.
Why it’s Important to Have a Homeschool Philosophy
Although it’s possible to just dive into homeschooling and figure things out as you go along, I do think there is a lot of value in choosing a homeschool philosophy.
Having one helps give you a frame of reference for making decisions about your homeschool. It can help narrow down your curriculum decisions, help you decide how long to study each day, and even make decisions about things as simple as how much time your kids spend on electronics.
Homeschooling comes with a lot of freedom to make decisions for your children, but sometimes all that freedom can be a little overwhelming. A homeschool philosophy can help you better understand how you want to educate your child which will give you more guidance in making all those decisions.
Tips for Choosing a Homeschool Philosophy
There are so many options for how to homeschool. Let’s dive into some tips to help you choose the homeschool philosophy that’s right for your family!
Learn about the different homeschool philosophies
The first step in choosing a homeschool philosophy is to learn about the different ones. Do some quick research on each style so you have an idea of the different approaches.
Then, when you find one (or more) that sounds interesting, you can do some deeper research to get a better understanding.
You can find information about homeschool philosophies online, in books, or even by talking to other homeschooling families. Find out what philosophy other families are using and how it’s working for their family.
I’ve included some resources under each homeschool philosophy later in this post. The more you know about the different homeschool philosophies, the more informed your decision will be.
Pick a style that is in line with your spiritual beliefs
Religious beliefs have a big impact on choosing a homeschool philosophy. Many families choose to homeschool for religious reasons and that shows up in the different homeschooling styles and curriculums.
Some homeschool philosophies have a religious component to them, so it’s important to consider that.
It’s always possible to take parts of a curriculum or philosophy that you like and leave the rest, but it’s always nice to know before you buy a curriculum what you’re getting yourself into.
Take into account your parenting and teaching style
Another important part of choosing a homeschool philosophy is taking into account how you like to parent and teach. As I mentioned before, your homeschool philosophy is going to spill over into your day-to-day parenting.
So it’s important that it aligns with how you want to teach AND parent. For example, if you’re more laid back and relaxed, a more relaxed homeschooling style might be a better fit for you.
Conversely, if you’re more of a Type A personality, choosing a philosophy that is more structured and scheduled might work better for you.
Consider your child’s learning style
Just as your parenting and teaching style are important when choosing a homeschool philosophy, so is your child’s learning style. I would even go so far as to say it’s a little more important.
Some philosophies are better for children who like to learn through hands-on projects, while others might be more suited for children who prefer a traditional school setting.
Think about how your child learns best and find a homeschool philosophy that will capitalize on that.
If you’re not sure about your child’s learning style yet, that’s ok. You can always try it out and adjust as necessary down the line.
Decide what you want most out of your experience homeschooling your child
When you’re choosing a homeschool philosophy, it’s important that you consider your reasons for choosing to homeschool in the first place.
Are you choosing to homeschool because you want more control over your child’s education? Or are you choosing to homeschool because you don’t believe that the public school system is a good fit for your child?
Do you want your child to be able to learn and grow at a pace that works for them? Or do you want to provide more life experiences that public school just can’t provide?
Different philosophies align with each of these reasons. So, it’s important that you take some time to think about why you’re choosing to homeschool before choosing a philosophy.
Consider your daily schedule
How much time you have to actually teach is going to have a big impact on which homeschool philosophy you choose. You need to consider how much time and energy you have each day.
Here are some things to think about when choosing a homeschool philosophy that will fit with your schedule:
- How many children are you homeschooling?
- How many hours a day do you have to teach?
- Will you be doing a co-op?
- How many extracurricular activities will you be doing?
- Do you work as well as homeschool?
- Do you or your child have other chores that need to be done?
Some homeschool philosophies are more time-consuming than others. They might take more time to plan and teach, so you want to have an idea of how much time you have to devote to homeschooling each day.
Pay attention to your budget
Something else to consider when choosing a homeschool philosophy is how much money you have to spend on curriculums. Some philosophies/curriculums can get very expensive.
You want to make sure that you choose a homeschool philosophy that is within your budget. You don’t want to put yourself in a position where you can’t afford the curriculum.
If all else fails, try a quiz!
If after doing a little research on choosing a homeschool philosophy you still aren’t sure what to try, you can always take a quiz. Here are a few that can help point you in the right direction:
- Homeschool Philosophies Quiz
- The Homeschool Style Quiz
- Quiz: Discover Your Homeschool Philosophy
- What’s Your Homeschool Style?
Treat it like a trial
My last tip for choosing a homeschool philosophy is to just treat it like a trial or an experiment. Don’t feel pressured to make the exact right decision the first time.
MANY homeschool families start with one homeschool philosophy and style and end up changing to another one later down the line. Myself included!
Just go with what feels right for you and your family at the time and adjust as necessary.
Now that you’ve read these tips, choosing a homeschool philosophy should be a little easier. Just remember to take your time, do your research, and choose what’s best for you and your family.
Related Posts:
- The 20 Biggest Beginner Homeschool Mistakes You Want to Avoid
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- 17 Homeschool Tips for Beginners – What You Need to Know to Get Started
- Teach by Dennis DiNoia: The Best Advice for Homeschooling Parents
- The Advantages of Homeschooling: 29 Reasons We’re Never Going Back
Common Homeschool Philosophies and Styles
Now that we’ve covered some tips for choosing a homeschool philosophy, here is a brief overview of the most popular ones. For each homeschool philosophy, I’ve included:
- An overview of the method
- Pros and cons
- Reasons this philosophy might be a good fit for your family
- Resources to help you learn more about it
- Curriculum suggestions that align with that philosophy
Virtual/Distance Learning
Overview
The first homeschool philosophy we’ll be covering is virtual or distance learning. This is where the student does all of their schoolwork online through a learning portal.
Students attend either live or prerecorded videos of the lessons and then have to complete the assigned work. Coursework is either completed online or done by hand and then uploaded to the portal for the teachers to grade.
Most curriculums are either offered by the state, an accredited school, or through an educational company.
Some programs require you to completely enroll in a full set of classes whereas some will allow you to pick and choose which courses you take. It all depends on the program.
I feel like distance learning got a bad rap during covid because so many students and teachers were thrust into it without having the skills, equipment, or programs necessary to make it go smoothly.
Most programs that offer virtual learning on a full-time basis are much better equipped to make the lessons interesting, engaging, and effective for the students.
Pros of Virtual/Distance Learning
Virtual or distance learning can be a really good fit for some families. I’ve done some form of it with all 3 of my children and they did well with it.
Here are some pros:
- Can be done from anywhere.
- Less expensive than some other homeschooling options.
- Often little to no teaching is done by the parent.
- No planning is required by the parent.
- Often little to no grading is done by the parent.
- Can often choose to do a full curriculum or just individual courses.
Cons of Virtual/Distance Learning
Like all homeschool philosophies, this one isn’t perfect. Here are some of the cons:
- Rigid schedules and expectations.
- Little to no input from the parents on what is being taught.
- Your child has to sit at the computer to complete all their coursework which can be tough for younger children.
- Can feel like public school at home.
You might consider this if…
- You need your child to work independently.
- Time is a factor and you don’t have time to plan or teach every lesson to your child.
- You plan to put your child back in public school one day.
- You don’t feel confident teaching certain subjects to your child.
Resources for Virtual/Distance Learning
If you want to learn more about virtual or distance learning, here are some resources to check out:
- Distance Learning Versus Virtual School
- 11 Tips for Successful Distance Learning
- 10 Tips to Effectively Homeschool Online
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in virtual or distance learning, here are some curriculums to check out:
Traditional/Textbook Learning
Overview
Traditional homeschooling is essentially recreating public school at home. You use a lot of similar teaching styles and workbooks that traditional schools use.
Traditional homeschoolers typically have a set schedule, keep on pace with public school learning standards, teach directly to their children, and use lots of textbooks and workbooks.
It’s a style that many new homeschooling families adopt as they adjust from leaving public school. Or if the homeschooling parent went to public school, they often try to recreate the only learning environment that they’re familiar with.
Pros of Traditional/Textbook Learning
In the homeschool community, following a traditional homeschooling style isn’t very popular with veteran homeschoolers. However, it does have its upsides.
- Can offer some confidence and stability for new homeschoolers.
- Many children love the steady, predictable routine.
- It’s easy to see how well your child is learning the concepts you’re teaching.
- You can be confident your child is staying on pace with public school children.
- Most textbooks do all the planning for you.
- Most textbooks provide answer keys, so the work is easy to grade.
Cons of Traditional/Textbook Learning
Here are some of the downsides of traditional homeschooling:
- Requires a lot of time and effort on the part of the parent.
- Easy to get overwhelmed and burnt out trying to do too much.
- Hard to keep up with multiple kids at different grade levels.
- Very strict schedule and pace.
- Doesn’t take into account the learning needs of your child.
- Might include a lot of aspects of learning that your child struggled with in public school.
- Many textbooks are boring and don’t keep children engaged in the learning.
You might consider this if…
- You plan to put your child back in public school one day.
- Your child responds well to routines and bookwork.
- You love to teach.
- You don’t feel confident or don’t have the time to plan lessons on your own.
Resources for Traditional/Textbook Learning
If you want to learn more about traditional or textbook homeschooling, here are some resources to check out:
- The Traditional Homeschooling Style
- How to Homeschool with the Traditional Method
- What is Traditional Homeschooling?
Curriculum suggestions
When it comes to doing a more traditional or textbook style of homeschooling, your options are pretty limitless. There are a LOT of curriculum suggestions.
So rather than list them all, here are some great curriculum review sites that can help point you in the right direction:
Charlotte Mason
Overview
The Charlotte Mason homeschool philosophy is based on the educational philosophy and methods of a British educator named Charlotte Mason. She believed that teachers should educate the whole person and not just a child’s mind.
Charlotte Mason believed that a child’s education had a lot to do with not just the academics taught, but also their home environment and teaching good habits.
She also believed in giving children living thoughts and ideas, not just dry facts. Homeschoolers who follow the Charlotte Mason philosophy will typically use a lot of living books to teach concepts and ideas instead of textbooks.
Here are some other hallmarks of the Charlotte Mason philosophy:
- Students retell what’s read in living books to help demonstrate their learning instead of doing workbooks.
- Handwriting and spelling are taught with passages from great books.
- Emphasis on time spent outdoors.
Pros of the Charlotte Mason Homeschool Philosophy
Here are some upsides to using the Charlotte Mason philosophy:
- Can more easily homeschool multiple children at once.
- High emphasis on reading and high-quality literature.
- Teaches critical thinking and communication skills.
Cons of the Charlotte Mason Homeschool Philosophy
Here are some downsides to using the Charlotte Mason Philosophy:
- Unless you use a pre-planned curriculum it can take a lot of time to plan lessons.
- Teaching the lessons can take a lot of time as well.
- Hard to provide grades or proof of learning, which may be needed for some states.
- Doesn’t work well for children who struggle to read or don’t enjoy reading.
You might consider this if…
- You want to be able to teach some subjects to multiple children at the same time.
- Your child has a love of reading.
- You highly value critical thinking skills.
Resources for Charlotte Mason
If you want to learn more about the Charlotte Mason homeschooling philosophy, here are some resources to check out:
- What is the Charlotte Mason Method?
- A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
- A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison
- How to Teach a Charlotte Mason Lesson
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in the Charlotte Mason homeschool style, here are some curriculums to check out:
Typically this homeschooling method is Christian-based and most of the curriculums reflect that. There are, however, some more curriculums being made that incorporate a lot of the methods of Charlotte Mason but from a secular viewpoint.
Waldorf
Overview
The Waldorf homeschool philosophy is based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. It is a holistic approach to teaching where subjects aren’t separate from each other.
Instead, the philosophy focuses on body, mind, and spirit.
In early childhood, up through about age 7, education is focused on creative play and hands-on learning. During the middle years, parents start introducing academic teaching while teaching their children to increase their imagination and manage their emotions.
In the upper grades, the focus is critical thinking, empathy, and community service.
The Waldorf philosophy is also known as the Steiner education philosophy or the Waldorf/Steiner approach.
Pros of the Waldorf Homeschool Philosophy
Here are some pros of using the Waldorf homeschool philosophy:
- Children can learn at their own pace.
- Your child will really get to know themself.
- Lots of outdoor time.
- Heavy emphasis on creativity.
- Get to explore lots of interesting “subjects.”
Cons of the Waldorf Homeschool Philosophy
Here are some cons of using the Waldorf homeschool philosophy:
- Children may become behind on using technology in a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on it.
- Children might miss out on key learning standards they’ll need for college or higher education.
- Lots of time and energy planning and teaching on the parent’s part.
- Very few curriculums are available for parents.
- Can feel overwhelming for new homeschoolers.
You might consider this if…
- There are no plans to put your child back into public school.
- You see the value in waiting until your children are older to introduce academics.
Resources for the Waldorf Homeschool Philosophy
If you want to learn more about the Waldorf homeschooling philosophy, here are some resources to check out:
- Waldorf Homeschooling
- Understanding Waldorf Education by Jack Petrash
- Introduction to Waldorf Homeschooling
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in the Waldorf homeschool style, here are some curriculums to check out:
Roadschooling/Worldschooling
Overview
Roadschooling is when you and your family spend most of your time traveling as you homeschool. Often the sites, experiences, and things you encounter while traveling become a big part of your homeschool curriculum.
Worldschooling is the same thing, it’s just done on more of an international scale. Your family might travel to different countries as opposed to just around your current country.
Families who roadschool often use a mix of different learning styles. They might combine workbooks with a heavy emphasis on unit studies or field trips to new places.
Pros of Roadschooling/Worldschooling
Here are some benefits to roadschooling:
- Getting to see different cultures.
- Lots of hands-on experiences.
- Impromptu learning opportunities.
- Children can make connections between what they learn and the world around them.
- Stronger family bonds with all the extra time together.
- You can travel to places your children are interested in.
Cons of Roadschooling/Worldschooling
Here are some downsides to roadschooling:
- Harder to create relationships and friendships because of constantly traveling.
- A lack of routine or stability might be hard on some children.
- Children miss out on a lot of traditional things in childhood like local friends, clubs, pets, riding bikes, etc.
You might consider this if…
- Your family travels a lot.
- You want to immerse your children in the world.
Resources for Roadschooling/Worldschooling
If you want to learn more about roadschooling or worldschooling, here are some resources to check out:
- Roadschooling Brings Flexible Learning to a Whole New Level
- Roadschooling: The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Your Kids While Traveling
- Roadschooling 101
Curriculum suggestions
Many roadschooling/worldschooling families tend to use the same homeschool curriculums as other philosophies or build their own. Often online or digital curriculums are preferable because they take up less space on the road.
Here are some popular online resources for homeschooling:
Here are some other great programs to check out while roadschooling:
- National Park System’s Junior Ranger Program
- 10 Free Educational Travel Resources
- Global Travel Alliance Educational Resources
Classical Education
Overview
A classical education homeschool philosophy is based on the Trivium. This is a teaching model that is broken into 3 parts.
Part 1 occurs during the grade school years where there is an emphasis on concrete thinking and homeschool memory work. Part 2 occurs during the middle school years where there is a focus on abstract thinking and analysis.
Finally, part 3 occurs during the high school years where students learn abstract thinking and articulation.
As well as traditional subjects, a classical education also teaches grammar, logic, and rhetoric. A Classical Christian Education will also include subjects like history, art, Western Civilizations culture, Latin, Greek, and the Bible and theology behind it.
This philosophy also places a great emphasis on reading “Good Books” and “Great Books.”
Pros of a Classical Education
Here are some benefits of a classical education:
- No standardized tests.
- Sets a good groundwork for learning later.
- Builds deep thinkers.
- Takes into consideration children’s developmental learning stages.
Cons of a Classical Education
Here are some downsides of a classical education:
- Very rigorous education.
- Lots of memorization.
- Not as heavy in Math and Science.
- No room for flexibility.
- A lot of emphasis on recalling exact information.
- Can be overwhelming for new homeschoolers.
You might consider this if…
- You want your child to have a really solid learning base.
- It’s important to encourage your children to be deep thinkers.
- You feel your child would benefit from the structure.
Resources for a Classical Education
If you want to learn more about the Classical Education homeschooling philosophy, here are some resources to check out:
- What Is Classical Christian Education?
- The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
- Teaching the Trivium: Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Style by Harvey Bluedorn
- Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum by Laura m. Berquist
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in the Classical Education homeschool style, here are some curriculums to check out:
Montessori
Overview
The Montessori teaching method is based on the teaching methods of Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. The homeschool philosophy focuses on giving your child lots of independence and choice.
This philosophy focuses on providing an environment that encourages a child to play, explore, and learn independently. Many Montessori learning supplies are built for children to use on their own as they explore and learn.
Pros of the Montessori Homeschool Philosophy
Here are some benefits of using the Montessori homeschool method:
- Fosters independence at a young age.
- Allows for different learning styles and paces.
- Lots of flexibility.
- Lots of hands-on learning.
- Fosters a love of learning.
Cons of the Montessori Homeschool Philosophy
Here are some of the downsides of using the Montessori method:
- Not enough structure for some students.
- Can be challenging to recreate the community environment at home.
- Some children can miss certain learning standards due to a lack of interest.
You might consider this if…
- Your child doesn’t do well in structured learning environments.
- Your child is a kinesthetic learner.
- You want to encourage a love of learning.
Resources for the Montessori Homeschool Philosophy
If you want to learn more about the Montessori homeschooling philosophy, here are some resources to check out:
- What is The Montessori Method? Pros and Cons
- Practical Guide to the Montessori Method at Home by Julia Palmarola
- Teaching Montessori in the Home: The School Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in the Montessori homeschool style, here are some curriculums to check out:
- North American Montessori Center
- Shiller Learning Montessori at Home
- Montessori for Everyone
- Montessori By Mom
Unit Studies
Overview
Homeschooling with unit studies refers to creating themed units for your lessons. The parent or child will pick a topic and then create lessons and activities covering as many subjects as possible around that topic.
For example, the topic might be the weather. Then you and your child might observe the weather over the next few days and create a graph (math), learn about the water cycle and how clouds are formed (science), learn about the weather in different parts of the world (geography), read weather-related books from the library (literature), learn about different methods of predicting the weather throughout history (history), and so on.
Unit studies are very popular among families who prefer child-led learning. Often the child will pick the topic for the unit study before they begin.
Unit studies can last as long as your child is still interested in the topic. Anything from a few days to several weeks.
Pros of Unit Studies
Here are some benefits of using Unit Studies:
- Encourages child-led learning.
- Children are often very engaged in learning.
- Good for families homeschooling multiple children.
- Lots of opportunities for fun activities and lessons.
- You can incorporate lots of other homeschooling methods if you want.
- Good for hands-on or kinesthetic learners.
- Children retain the information better.
Cons of Unit Studies
Here are some of the downsides of using Unit Studies:
- Can be time-consuming to create and plan each unit study for your child.
- It can sometimes be hard to incorporate all the subjects in each unit, so you might have to supplement periodically.
- Can be a bit overwhelming for new homeschoolers.
You might consider this if…
- You are a big advocate of child-led learning.
- You’re looking for a homeschool style that helps your child stay engaged.
- You enjoy planning out lessons and activities.
Resources for Unit Studies
If you want to learn more about using Unit Studies, here are some resources to check out:
- Unit Studies
- 10 Steps to Create Your Own Easy to Implement Unit Study!
- The Unit Studies Homeschooling Style
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in using Unit Studies in your homeschool, here are some curriculums to check out:
Unschooling
Overview
Unschooling is a homeschool philosophy where instead of learning through being taught lessons from a parent, your child learns through child-led interests and experiences.
Unschoolers don’t use any lessons, textbooks, or school-like teaching methods that are common in other homeschooling styles. There is a strong emphasis on letting the child learn things that interest them or that come up in day-to-day life.
Pros of Unschooling
Here are some benefits to unschooling:
- Children are highly engaged and take a big part in their learning.
- Children learn in the way and pace that suits them best.
- Lots of freedom and flexibility in the school day.
- Children are not pushed to learn concepts or subjects that they aren’t ready for.
Cons of Unschooling
Here are some of the downsides of unschooling:
- The parent has to stay highly engaged and ready to help facilitate learning at any opportunity.
- Important subjects or learning standards might be missed that are necessary for success in college.
- Some subjects might be missed entirely if your child has no interest in them.
- Hard to track what learning has occurred for states that require high levels of reporting.
You might consider this if…
- You believe strongly in child-led learning.
- It’s important not to put extra pressure or expectations on your child.
- You really enjoy engaging and learning alongside your child.
- You live in a state that doesn’t have a lot of reporting or requirements for homeschooling.
Resources for Unschooling
If you want to learn more about the Unschooling homeschooling philosophy, here are some resources to check out:
- Guide to Unschooling for Beginners
- How Do I Start Unschooling?
- Sandra Dodd’s Big Book of Unschooling by Sandra Dodd
- Project-Based Homeschooling by Lori McWilliam Pickert
- Unschooling Rules by Clark Aldrich
Literature-Based Homeschool Philosophy
Overview
Just as the name suggests, literature-based homeschooling relies on books as the main source of teaching instead of textbooks. This can be everything from novels, living books, and even picture books.
With this style, you can either read to your children, have them read aloud, let them read independently, or listen to audiobooks.
Pros of a Literature-Based Homeschool
Here are some benefits of having a literature-based homeschool:
- You can teach different aged children together for several subjects.
- Strong family relationships, reading together.
- Children often make stronger connections to the information.
- Children are more engaged with their learning.
- Creates a love of reading.
- Subjects are more easily connected and overlap.
Cons of Literature-Based Homeschool
Here are some downsides to having a literature-based homeschool:
- Some subjects like math are difficult to learn through reading.
- Not as much emphasis on writing skills or hands-on learning.
- May be difficult for children who struggle to sit still or aren’t strong readers.
- More difficult to provide “proof of learning” for states with heavy reporting requirements.
- Can be time-intensive, especially when your children are young.
You might consider this if…
- You have a love of reading and want to foster that with your children.
- It’s important to easily teach multiple children the same subject at once.
Resources for Literature-Based Homeschool
If you want to learn more about having a literature-based homeschooling philosophy, here are some resources to check out:
- Literature-Based Homeschooling – Does It Really Work?
- The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
- Jim Trelease’s Read-Aloud Handbook
Curriculum suggestions
If you’re interested in a literature-based homeschool, here are some curriculums to check out:
Eclectic
Overview
Eclectic homeschooling simply means mixing and matching different homeschool styles to suit your needs. You might choose to do a little bit of Charlotte Mason, some unit studies, with a little bit of unschooling thrown in.
Or you might choose to do some other combination entirely.
I’ve found this is the category that most homeschoolers fall into. They might have 1 “main” homeschooling philosophy, but they will add in little bits and pieces from others as needed.
One of the benefits of homeschooling is the freedom to pick and choose how you teach your children, including changing different teaching methods from subject to subject.
Pros of having an Eclectic Homeschool
Here are some of the upsides to using an eclectic homeschool style:
- You can feel confident your child is learning each subject in a way that suits them best.
- You have the freedom to ditch curriculums that aren’t working for you.
- There are endless curriculum options because every style is available to you.
- You aren’t restricted by certain aspects of a homeschooling philosophy that don’t work for your family.
- Can often be cheaper than purchasing full curriculums.
Cons of having an Eclectic Homeschool
Here are some of the downsides to having an eclectic homeschool style:
- Sometimes you have to trial and error different curriculums before you find one that fits.
- Switching curriculums can sometimes extend how long each “grade” lasts.
- Different curriculums have different scopes and sequences and don’t all line up. So sometimes it can be tough changing from one to the other.
- It can be a little overwhelming for new homeschoolers to have so many options to choose from.
- It takes a little bit of extra effort to figure out what works for your child with each subject.
You might consider this if…
- You find multiple homeschooling philosophies appealing and have a hard time picking just one.
- Freedom to change plans when needed is important to you.
- You have different children who respond better to different homeschool philosophies.
Resources for an Eclectic Homeschool Style
If you want to learn more about having an eclectic homeschool style, here are some resources to check out:
- 10 Pros and Cons of Eclectic Homeschooling
- How and Why to Use an Eclectic Approach to Homeschooling
- How to Homeschool with the Eclectic Method
Curriculum suggestions
If an eclectic homeschool style sounds interesting to you, then you pretty much have free reign over what types of curriculums to use. Look through any of the options on this list that sound like they would be a good fit for your family.
Conclusion to 9 Helpful Tips to Choosing a Homeschool Philosophy
I hope these tips help you as you start choosing a homeschool philosophy. At the end of the day, what matters is that you choose something that works well for you and your family.
If you’ve already picked one, how did you go about choosing a homeschool philosophy? And which did you choose? Let me know in the comments or email me at admin@atouchofhomeschooling.com.
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Candice is a mom of 3 who has been homeschooling since 2013. She has an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Studies and cares deeply about helping other parents get the information and resources they need to help them homeschool their children with confidence.