Have you ever heard that opinions are like elbows, everyone has one? When it comes to teaching, everyone has an opinion about how it should be done, especially when you announce you’ve decided to homeschool. You can simplify things for yourself by learning about different teaching methodologies and how you can apply them in your homeschool. Here are just four to get you started.
1. Classical – This method dating back to Ancient Greece follows the natural growth of children throughout stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric in what is referred to as the trivium. Great minds such as our country’s founding fathers, Aristotle, Leonardo Di Vinci, Shakespeare and Homer were all educated classically.
2. Charlotte Mason – Charlotte Mason was a renowned educator who lived in England during the turn of the century. Her philosophy of copywork, dictation, and narration can be implemented using any quality piece of literature. Her use of “living books” and “spreading a feast” before her students produced amazing results.
3. Montessori– Maria Montessori was an educator who taught in Italy during the turn of the century. She based her methods on basic principles: emphasis on independence and discovery, a prepared environment, movement, freedom within limits, and respect for the child’s natural development.
4. Unschooling – This method has garnered a lot of attention over the last few years with the rise of homeschooling. It simply means following the child’s interests. If she’s interested in butterflies, go to the library and checkout all the books on butterflies. Get caterpillars and observe the life cycle of a butterfly. Learn to spell “chrysalis.” When the interest has been satiated, move on.
You can learn more about teaching methodologies by watching this video.
Brett Pike is the Author of the Cubs to Bears book series.
He is also the creator of Classical Learner’s Homeschools Connected community & curriculum – bringing together thousands of like minded people and providing them the resources to give their kids an education worthy of freedom. You can learn more about Homeschools Connected here.
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