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Homeschooling
What is homeschooling, or home education, you may wonder? Homeschooling is a unique, life-changing educational choice that empowers families to control their children’s learning mostly at home. It allows children to receive an education at home or other convenient locations rather than in traditional classrooms. In other words, homeschooling involves teaching school-age children outside the conventional educational setting where students physically attend classes. Learners typically receive guidance from parents, hired home education tutors, or online instructors. Homeschooling your children works by following a homeschool curriculum, like the Schoolhouse Teachers (read the full curriculum review here), depending on your children’s needs and interests. It’s important not to confuse homeschooling with online learning or distance education, where a physical school still governs the curriculum and instruction the student receives.
Why homeschool?
Should I homeschool my children? Thinking of why homeschooling is beneficial or why homeschoolers are smarter? If you are considering home education, you may have pondered these questions or similar thoughts. Many families worldwide are embracing homeschooling, and its popularity is increasing daily. Where is homeschooling most popular? The United States leads in homeschooling statistics, with over 3 million children being homeschooled for several reasons.
16 reasons to homeschool your children
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- Homeschooling your children allows you to control their learning at a pace that suits their abilities. That ensures their success academically and socially, thus clarifying the doubt: Are homeschooled kids more successful?
- Does homeschooling affect child development? Yes, it does. Homeschooling your kids helps preserve their innocence, allowing them to focus on their development without comparing themselves to others.
- The flexible nature of homeschooling curriculums, like the homeschooling curriculum for kindergarten, encourages creativity and ingenuity.
- You can choose specific homeschooling curriculums tailored to your children’s needs and interests. Examples of these defined curriculums are homeschooling for college credit and homeschooling programs for high schoolers preparing for college.
- You can homeschool and travel without disrupting your children’s studies, thus allowing continuous education.
- Homeschooling is the best option if your family lives far from a physical school location.
- You gain more time for your kids and address their needs, which align with their talents.
- Your children are less likely to experience physical and emotional bullying from their peers.
- Homeschooling your children minimizes their exposure to bad behaviors and habits from other children.
- You get personally involved in your kids’ learning and development.
- You have greater control over the subjects and content your children learn.
- There won’t be any worries about the safety of a traditional school environment.
- You can choose a Christian homeschool curriculum based on moral or religious beliefs.
- There is no competition for higher grades or class rankings with homeschooled kids.
- Homeschooling creates strong bonds between parents and children.
- Homeschooling your children reduces pressure, allowing you to set the learning pace for them.
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Homeschooling streamlined; thrive as a homeschooler.
How do you choose the right curriculum for your child? Which homeschooling program is the best?
The success or failure of your home education journey largely depends on your choice of a homeschooling curriculum. Selecting a homeschool curriculum is a crucial step that requires careful consideration of your educational goals, family values, and, most significantly, available resources. Though not exhaustive, here are key guiding steps to help you determine which curriculum is best for homeschooling your children. Note that it is not mandatory to follow the steps as stated below. However, it will be beneficial to take all of them into consideration.
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- First, think carefully about homeschooling and conclude why homeschooling is the best option for your children or family. Set definite educational goals that you intend to achieve through homeschooling. These goals could be academic excellence, religious or moral education, character development, obtaining a specific skill, meeting a particular need, etc. If you’re after a faith-based approach, the question, “Which Christian homeschool curriculum is best for my children?” may be imperative. Choose a homeschooling curriculum that aligns with your goals. You may also want to read the 16 reasons to homeschool your children.
- How do you create a structured schedule for homeschooling? From the start, you should decide who takes charge of the homeschooling. Will it be you, the parent, or a hired tutor? It is crucial to be crystal clear about who leads the homeschooling process. This clarity will help you plan your daily schedules, decide on the teaching approach, and determine how much time you need to commit daily. This is imperative because a well-structured, flexible curriculum does not require much of your time like a disorganized one.
You can control the entire homeschooling process or hire homeschooling tutors to teach specific subjects. Whichever you settle on, keep it well coordinated and in line with your family routine to ensure consistency and balance. - Another important factor you can’t ignore is checking the legal status of homeschooling in your country or state. If you live in the United States, for instance, you have to check the states where homeschooling is legal and ensure that the curriculum of your interest complies with your state’s regulations. Homeschooling in Texas laws are a bit lenient, requiring minimal supervision.
- Explore and understand different types of curricula, such as traditional, unschooling, Montessori, online curriculum, and classical education. This knowledge will help you choose one that matches your children’s learning styles and goals while reflecting your family values.
- Additionally, consider the interests and needs of the children you plan to homeschool. If you are unsure of your children’s interest areas, here is a hint. Children’s interests often revolve around topics or subjects that ignite their curiosity. Identify these areas and ensure your children’s learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic learning, etc.) align with the curriculum.
- Choose a place that will foster a love of learning in your homeschool environment. Design and decorate the learning environment well to make it attractive to your children. Let it display hands-on activities, enough space for engagement, real-world experiences, structured lessons, and less distraction. It should be a flexible home learning environment focused on children’s interests and needs to encourage creativity and ingenuity. Will your homeschool learning environment allow a successful implementation of the chosen curriculum? Food for thought.
- What homeschool curriculum should I use? The answer to that question rests on your resources, particularly your budget. After gathering all the information and deciding to homeschool your children, the resources and tools available could be the final key factors. Homeschooling curriculums vary widely, from free resources to paid trials and subscriptions billed monthly or yearly. Depending on your chosen curriculum, there can be additional costs for textbooks, worksheets, tablets, laptops, and other supplies. Deliberate on these before selecting a homeschooling curriculum for your children. You might also look into an all-inclusive curriculum like Schoolhouse Teachers, where one subscription covers the entire family.
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A careful consideration of the factors mentioned above can help you determine which curriculum is best for homeschooling. That will address your concern about what homeschool curriculum is best for your child and meets their needs and interests. Homeschooling streamlined; thrive as a homeschooler.
10 Types of Homeschooling Curriculum Styles and Methods
There is no such thing as the best curriculum style. Do you believe that? The best curriculum may not meet my needs and goals. So it won’t be a choice for me. However, there is a right curriculum style for every homeschooler. That curriculum style aligns with your family values, educational goals, and needs. Choosing the right homeschooling curriculum style is crucial for your success. Below are 10 homeschooling curriculum styles and methods for homeschooling families and those looking for homeschooling ideas.
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- Traditional Homeschooling: This homeschooling style, also known as school-at-home, follows the principles of the public or private school system within a home setting. It has well-structured schedules and specific study rooms and uses homeschooling textbooks, lesson plans, and workbooks like traditional schools. Some families prefer online options with all the features of this curriculum style.
This curriculum style suits new homeschoolers and families transitioning from traditional schools. It is also the right choice for homeschooling families that adhere to structured schedules or prefer structured approaches.
Homeschool curricula such as Abeka, Easy Peasy All-in-One, Alpha Omega Publications, BJU Press, Northgate Academy, and others use a traditional curriculum. - Online homeschooling program or virtual schooling: This curriculum style is primarily designed by experts. It is internet-based and offers interactive lessons, assignments, and assessments. There are options for live classes or self-paced learning, supported by homeschool tutors and parental involvement. The program’s flexibility accommodates various learning styles, making education accessible and captivating.
This curriculum style is ideal for families seeking high standards in subject knowledge or expert-led instruction. Schoolhouse Teachers, Monarch, K12, Khan Academy, and Master Books offer online homeschooling programs. If you’re homeschooling multiple children, Schoolhouse Teachers is more cost-effective because one subscription covers the entire family. Check out the complete Schoolhouse Teachers review in one of my blog posts. - Classical Education: It is not a new homeschooling style since it has existed for a long time. The classical education homeschool curriculum approach consists of three stages collectively called Trivium. These stages are the Grammar stage (building a foundation of knowledge), the Logic stage (developing reasoning skills based on the knowledge gained), and the Rhetoric stage (applying the knowledge obtained). This curriculum encourages well-rounded thinking. Homeschooling families interested in systematic education may opt for this curriculum.
Typical examples of classical education homeschool curricula include Veritas Press, Memoria Press, Angelicum Academy, Classical U, and Classical Conversations. - Charlotte Mason Method: This homeschooling curriculum style is named after the British educator Charlotte Mason. She visualized a society where all children learn through hands-on activities, outdoor exploration, and other real-life experiences. This approach emphasizes the use of well-written and engaging literature, nature studies, and the arts. These materials are called “living books” because they provide more vivid pictures of reality than traditional textbooks.
The method includes practices such as narration, focused lessons, music appreciation, and dictation. Curricula that adopt the Charlotte Mason homeschooling style are Simply Charlotte Mason, Ambleside Online, The Alveary, My Father’s World, and Riverbend Press. - Montessori Homeschooling: The Montessori homeschooling curriculum method is a child-centered approach that prioritizes experiential learning to gain knowledge through self-paced, hands-on activities, and collaborative experiences. Children learn with specially made materials that promote independence as they progress through their developmental stages. The curriculum avoids rote learning using worksheets and textbooks.
Are you wondering how to foster a love of learning in your homeschool environment? The Montessori homeschooling curriculum is an excellent choice. It encourages learning in a flexible, structured environment. Several examples of the Montessori homeschool curriculums include the Montessori Compass, Keys of the World, Montessori Guide, Waseca Biomes, and Montessori by Mom. - Unit Studies: The unit studies homeschooling method is an educational approach that allows for an in-depth exploration of a topic or theme. The study is interdisciplinary and integrates several subjects, such as history, literature, science, and math, around the central theme. Subject integration and in-depth studies enable children to learn knowledge interconnectedness and increase their understanding, It is flexible with hands-on activities, field trips, creative tasks, experiments, etc.
The unit studies homeschooling curriculum style is ideal for families with many different-aged children. Customizing one topic can meet the needs of multi-age children according to their abilities. UnitStudy.com, Gather ‘Round Homeschool, and Five in a Row are unit study homeschooling curriculum options. - Unschooling: It is an informal and flexible method without a strict curriculum. Children control their learning based on their interests, which allows them to acquire knowledge naturally through life experiences. Children learn through curiosity, real-world applications, passions, and exploration without their parents making decisions for them.
This technique promotes creativity and self-motivation. Unschooling proponents, including John Holt, believe that learning is not merely a product of teaching. Therefore, they recommend removing the teacher-led factor to enable children to learn independently. Unschooling may be a suitable option for families that do not like following routines and schedules. - Waldorf Education: The Waldorf homeschooling curriculum style is based on the educational ideology invented by Rudolf Steiner. It centers on a holistic approach to learning, with an emphasis on children’s physical, intellectual, artistic, and emotional development. The curriculum was designed with the developmental stages of children in mind. It prioritizes individual growth over standardized testing and competition for grades as seen in the traditional school system. The curriculum gives preference to experiential learning over rote learning or screen-based learning. Formal academics are typically introduced to children starting at age eight.
The Waldorf curriculum covers subject areas such as arts and crafts, math and science, language arts, practical life skills, storytelling, literature, etc. Families wishing to have their children develop naturally through hands-on learning to foster creativity may choose this curriculum.
Waldorf homeschooling curriculums include Oak Meadow, Live Education, Earthschooling, and Christopherus Homeschool Resources. - Eclectic Homeschooling: This curriculum aligns its style with its name. The eclectic homeschooling curriculum combines elements from several curricula to create a personalized education based on children’s needs and interests. Homeschoolers can choose what works best for them from any curriculum without adopting the entire curriculum. This flexible nature of the eclectic curriculum encourages personalization more than any other because homeschoolers choose what suits them best.
Some examples of eclectic homeschooling curriculums include Timberdoodle, Master Books, Curriculum Express, and My Father’s World. - Project-Based Homeschooling: The project-based homeschooling method is a child-led educational approach focusing on long-term projects based on the child’s interests. It is a flexible interdisciplinary technique that enables children to gain in-depth knowledge of a topic through real-world applications. Because it is child-centered, parents only facilitate the process rather than give direct instructions. The method allows children to think critically, become creative, and develop problem-solving skills while encouraging self-decision-making.
For instance, a child who takes a gardening project as the basis for learning mimics real-world gardening activities thoroughly throughout the process. This enhances the child’s practical skills for real-life situations. Some project-based homeschooling curriculums include Miacademy, PBLWorks, Sreb, and Smart Learning.
- Traditional Homeschooling: This homeschooling style, also known as school-at-home, follows the principles of the public or private school system within a home setting. It has well-structured schedules and specific study rooms and uses homeschooling textbooks, lesson plans, and workbooks like traditional schools. Some families prefer online options with all the features of this curriculum style.
Choosing the right curriculum is essential for homeschooling success. By evaluating the above options, families can find a homeschooling method that fits their educational ideology and meets their children’s needs. They can do this by adopting a full curriculum or picking elements and resources from various curricula tailored to their needs. Homeschooling streamlined; thrive as a homeschooler.
Schoolhouse Teachers Review - E B E N M A Y
March 25, 2025 @ 2:22 AM
[…] Schoolhouse Teachers’ homeschool curriculum uses different homeschooling methods to meet the diverse needs of homeschooling families. These methods include the Unit Studies […]