10 Homeschool Methods, Styles & Approaches: Which is Yours? - How Do I Homeschool

The British educator, Charlotte Mason, founded the CM approach.

• CM advocated short lessons, nature walks, and field trips.
• Apart from reading, writing, and arithmetic, CM believed other learning should be done by exposing children to knowledge through nature and 'living books'.
• Mason advocated testing children in a non-confrontational way without the stress of feeling like they are being examined. This is done through narration.

The Montessori method is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play. The classroom and the teacher offer age-appropriate activities while the children make creative choices in their education.

CM principles include:

• Respect for the child
• The sensitive periods
• The absorbent mind
• Mixed-age groupings
• The prepared environment
• The curriculum areas
• Montessori materials
• The role of the teacher

Rudolf Steiner's education theory - known as Waldorf education - advocates hands-on, creative play and the use of a monthly learning theme called the Main lesson. Waldorf education is based on anthroposophy.

Some elements in the Waldorf/Steiner approach:

• Avoidance of technology in the early years.
• Deliberate mentoring relationship
• Using natural materials for play
• Doing tasks as a team
• Encouraging students to learn hands-on skills they'll use in life.

The term 'unschooling' was coined by John Holt, a schoolteacher who became frustrated with the school system because of its rigidity. Holt advocated that children should have as much freedom as the parents can bear to learn unrestricted by unnecessary rules, procedure, and busywork.

With the unschooling method, learning happens as part of life, not as a separate area of life. It is one of the best ways to promote an interest-based education.

This approach works very well for large families because you can teach all your children at once with the same curriculum. It is very hands-on.

Older siblings also teach younger siblings, meaning older siblings will learn leadership skills while learning about a specific topic.

This is the method people think about when they hear that someone is homeschooling.

• Children sit in chairs and listen to the teacher.
• They get homework and must submit their papers.
• They are tested using exams.

Many inexperienced homeschooling parents prefer this method because it is a method they are familiar with. But it has been linked to causing burnout if done in a strict manner because it doesn't suit the home well. Some parents find it easier to use a relaxed traditional homeschooling method in the formative years.

Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences states that everybody differs in intelligence in different ways.

There are eight main intelligences:

• Intrapersonal MI
• Interpersonal MI
• Bodily-Kinesthetic MI
• Naturalistic MI
• Musical MI
• Visual-Spatial MI
• Logical-Mathematical MI
• Verbal-Linguistic MI

MI theory says our intelligences can differ according to our experiences. We can also practice at strengthening different intelligences. It continues to say that we will use our strongest intelligence more naturally.

MI is used together with other home education approaches.

The Eclectic approach combines ideas from different homeschooling methods. It uses multiple sources, styles, and theories to gain a complementary understanding of a subject.

For example, attending school part-time while doing distance education. Or incorporating unschooling activities into a classical form of education.