Homeschooling Methods And Techniques

By Peter Johnson

For many people, homeschooling may bring to mind the picture of two

or three children sitting at a table and writing vigorously in their exercise books, while mom or dad stands eagerly nearby. This is not necessarily true. There are different methods of homeschooling, and the method you choose will decide the curriculum and your style of teaching. Here are some of the most influential and popular homeschooling methods.

The Charlotte Mason method:

Charlotte Mason is known as the founder of the homeschooling movement. A home schooler herself, she was passionate in her enthusiasmto design the foundations for an effective and complete homeschooling program that was educational and funThis method focuses on all the core subjects with emphasis placed on classical literature, poetry, fine arts, classical music

and craft. Mason used a variety of books from classical literature, which she called 'Living Books'. As this method encourages a passionate awareness of literature, the child is read to daily from the 'Living Books'. After this, the child is asked to relay what she has heard. This process begins at the age of

six, and by ten the child is expected to write her narrations in her book. Mason also advocated the use of 'Nature Diaries'. After each short and interesting lesson, the child is asked to go to and draw observations from Nature. Thus the child also gains a sense of respect for her environment- an everincreasing importance of today’s society. Mason believed that development of good character and behaviour was essential to the complete development of the child's personality.

Unschooling:

John Holt, a Boston public educator, laid the beginnings for the unschooling method.John was of the belief that children learned best when they are free to learn at their own pace and when guided by their own interests. His message was to 'unschool' the child. This method is a hands-on approach to learning, where the parent takes definite signals from the children and adjusts the curriculum accordingly. There is no definite curriculum, schedules or materials. This method is the most unstructured of the various homeschooling techniques, and may not be suitable for those new to homeschooling.

The Eclectic Homeschooling:

This is a combination of various homeschooling techniques. Here, the

parents trust their own judgment and pick out the topics that make the best curriculum for their child’s interests and needs. Such parents continuously look out for the best products that will meet the needs of their home schoolers, and need to be extremely diligent in doing so. Most Eclectic homeschooling curriculum’s are improvised and invented on the spot. This means that the basic curriculum is essentially home-made. The parents then make changes in the curriculum to accommodate the individual needs and interests of their children. The child's gifts, temperament, learning style and interests

dictate the curriculum. Eclectic programs include visits to the

museum, libraries and art galleries.

The Montessori Method:

This method was devised in Italy, when it was observed that children have acute sensitive periods, during which they undergo periods of intense concentration. During such focussed periods, a child will repeat an activity till he gains a measure of self-satisfaction and accomplishment. The Montessori method relies on a prepared environment to facilitate learning. All the materials used in this method are designed to satisfy the inner desire for spiritual development of the child. The materials used progress from simple to complex, and are rather Expensive, in comparison with materials for the other homeschooling methods.

Conclusion

I have just mentioned a few of the methods of homeschooling. Whatever the

Method you choose, the overwhelming factor/s should be flexibility and a keen interest in the desires of the child. The key is to use the child's

desire for knowledge to further his/her education.