Educational Methods & Philosophy

There are many ways to educate your children, and, if you're just getting started in home schooling, just choosing the approach you wish to take can be overwhelming, never mind the curriculum itself! If you're interacting with more experienced home school families, the stuff they're doing might intimidate you into thinking you can't possibly home school your kids, but stop! Take a breath. You just need to sit down, ask yourself a few common sense questions about what you want to accomplish, and get a handle on what options there are.

As we see it, all approaches to education should fall under a broad "covenantal approach," in which parents deliberately focus on training their children to love and reverence their God, respect their parents, and explore their world. From our perspective, that's the main reason to home school. But when one talks about "approaches," one typically means the philosophy driving the way you educate your kids. There are limitless methods to teach your kids, but they seem to fall under five main philosophies.

These are: 

 "Eclectic" home schooling, explained conservatively, is to blend elements of all of them (generally what we recommend). "Eclectic" can also refer to a much more liberal, anti-Christian education; We obviously suggest steering clear of that approach.

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330 Items found Print
106 Days of Creation Studies
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 3rd-Adult
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
940 Saturdays
by Harley A. Rotbart
for Adult
in Parenting (Location: XFA-PAR)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
A to Z Guide to Home School Field Trips
by Gregg Harris
from Noble Publishing
for 1st-8th grade
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
All Hallows Eve
by Wesley Callihan
from Regent College
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All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar - 4 DVD Set
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar - DVDs only
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$25.00 (1 in stock)
America First updated
by Lawton B. Evans, Updated & Revised by Rachel Lebowitz
from Charlotte Mason Plenary LLC
for 4th-6th grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
American Presidents & Presidential First Ladies Notebooking Pages
from Notebooking Pages
for 3rd-8th grade
in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Egypt and Her Neighbors
by Lorene Lambert
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
Beauty for Truth's Sake
by Stratford Caldecott, foreword by Ken Myers
from Brazos Press
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$11.50 (1 in stock)
Better Late Than Early
by Raymond & Dorothy Moore
from Word Publishing
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
Bible and the Constitution
by Verna M. Hall and Rosalie J. Slater
1st edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Bible and the Constitution
by Verna M. Hall and Rosalie J. Slater
1st edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Bible Picture Portfolios - Genesis
Bible Picture Portfolios
by Emily Kiser
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
Big Book of Books and Activities
by Dinah Zike
from Dinah-Might Adventures, LP
for 2nd-5th grade
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Big Book of How to Make PROJECTS
from Dinah-Might Adventures, LP
for Kindergarten - College
in Classroom Teacher Resources (Location: HSR-CTR)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Book of Centuries (BC/AD Edition)
from Living Book Press
for 1st-12th grade
in Timeline Resources (Location: HISRF-TIM)
$10.99
Book of Centuries (BCE/CE Edition)
from Living Book Press
for 1st-12th grade
in Timeline Resources (Location: HISRF-TIM)
$10.99
Case for Classical Christian Education
by Doug Wilson
from Crossway Books
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
Castle with Many Rooms
by Lorene Lambert
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in History Spines & Surveys (Location: HISRF-SPINE)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Castle with Many Rooms - Narration Notecards
by Crystal Lee Hildreth
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in History Spines & Surveys (Location: HISRF-SPINE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Charlotte Mason
by Lanaya Gore, illustrated by Twila Farmer
from Blue Sky Daisies
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$18.95
Charlotte Mason Book of Centuries
from Living Book Press
for 1st-12th grade
in Timeline Resources (Location: HISRF-TIM)
$13.99
Charlotte Mason Book of Quotes
by Lanaya Gore, Charlotte Mason
from Blue Sky Daisies
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$18.95
Charlotte Mason Companion
by Karen Andreola
from Charlotte Mason Research and Supply Co.
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$19.99
Charlotte Mason Education
by Catherine Levison
from Champion Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99
Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic Series Book 1
by Richele R. Baburina
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-2nd grade
in Miscellaneous Math Curriculum (Location: MATR-MISC)
Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic Series Book 2
by Richele R. Baburina
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-2nd grade
in Miscellaneous Math Curriculum (Location: MATR-MISC)
Charlotte Mason Made Easy
by Stephanie Walmsley
from Living Book Press
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99
Charlotte Mason's Living Math - DVD
by Richele Baburina & Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Miscellaneous Math Curriculum (Location: MATR-MISC)
$15.00 (3 in stock)
Christian History of the American Revolution
by Verna Hall & Rosalie Slater
from Foundation for American Christian Education
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Christian History of the Constitution of the United States of America - Volume I
by Verna Hall
from Foundation for American Christian Education
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Christian History of the Constitution of the United States of America - Volume II
by Verna Hall
2nd edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Civil War
by John & Patty Carratello
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 6th-8th grade
in American Civil War Era (1850-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Classic Konos Character Curriculum - Obedience
by Jessica Hulcy and Carole Thaxton
from KONOS
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in KONOS Unit Studies (Location: CUR-KON)
$45.00 (1 in stock)
Classic Konos Character Curriculum - Orderliness
by Jessica Hulcy and Carole Thaxton
from KONOS
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in KONOS Unit Studies (Location: CUR-KON)
$40.00 (1 in stock)
Classical Conversations: Education Trilogy
from Classical Conversations
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
Classical Education and the Homeschool
by Wes Callihan, Doug Jones & Doug Wilson
2nd edition from Canon Press
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$7.00
Classical Education Made Approachable
from Classical Conversations
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$5.00 $6.00 (4 in stock)
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by Rebekah Merkle
revised for homeschoolers from Canon Press
for 5th-12th grade
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$11.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Classical Primer - CD
by Various
from Logos School
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$24.00
Classical Reader
by Dr. Christopher Perrin & Leslie Rayner
1.4st edition from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-12th
in Recommended Book Lists (Location: LIR-REC)
$9.95
Climbing Parnassus
by Tracy Lee Simmons
from Intercollegiate Studies Institute
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$19.99
Closing of the American Mind
by Allan Bloom
from Simon and Schuster
for Adult
in Secular vs. Christian Education (Location: HSR-PE)
Common Arts Education
by Christopher Hall
from Classical Academic Press
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$12.95
Complete Charlotte Mason Home Education series
by Charlotte M. Mason
from Living Book Press
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$84.54
Complete Charlotte Mason Home Education series
by Charlotte Mason
from Living Book Press
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Consider This
by Karen Glass
from CreateSpace
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$13.95
Delightful Handwriting: D'Nealian and Zaner Bloser - Teacher Book
by Lanaya Gore
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Handwriting Resources (Location: HAN-REF)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Delightful Reading Kit
by Lanaya Gore
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Delightful Reading Level 1 Kit
by Lanaya Gore
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Preschool
Delightful Reading Level 2 Kit
by Lanaya Gore
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Preschool-1st grade
Delightful Reading Level 3 Kit
by Lanaya Gore
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum
by Laura M. Berquist
3rd edition from Ignatius Press
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$15.00
Discover Classical Christian Education
from Classical Academic Press
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$3.95
Discovering Doctrine: A Personal Bible Study Grades 7-12
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 7th-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$9.50 (1 in stock)
Early Modern & Epistles: Lesson Plans for Grades 1-12
by Sonya Schafer
4th edition from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
Easy Start in Arithmetic
by Ruth Beechick
from Arrow Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Echo in Celebration
by Leigh A Bortins
1st edition from Classical Conversations
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$9.00 (2 in stock)
Educated Child
by William Bennett
from Simon and Schuster
for Preschool-8th Grade
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Educating the Whole-Hearted Child
by Clay & Sally Clarkson
Revised from Apologia Educational Ministries
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$17.60
Education of Henry Adams
by Henry Adams
from Houghton Mifflin
for Adult
1919 Biography Pulitzer Prize
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
Enjoy the Poems: Alfred, Lord Tennyson
by Emily Dickinson, Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
Enjoy the Poems: Emily Dickinson
by Emily Dickinson, Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
Enjoy the Poems: Robert Louis Stevenson
by Robert Louis Stevenson and Sonya Shafer, Compiled by Ruth Smith
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Poetry Curriculum & Resources (Location: LIR-POET)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Enjoying the Early Years - 2 DVD set only
by Sonya Shafer & Karen Smith
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$13.00 (1 in stock)
Enjoying the Early Years - Book & DVD Set
by Sonya Shafer & Karen Smith
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Nursery-Kindergarten
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Enrichment Studies Volume 1: Lesson Plans for Grades 1-12
by Sonya Schafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
Everything You Need to Build a Unit Study Notebook
by Jennifer Steward
from Steward Ship
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$14.00
Everything You Need to Know About Flapbooks
by Jennifer Steward
from Steward Ship
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
Everything You Need to Know About Homeschool Unit Studies
by Jennifer Steward
from Steward Ship
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$19.95 $14.00 (1 in stock)
Explorers
by Mary Ellen Sterling
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Exploring What God Has Made
by Karen Smith
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 4th-6th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
For the Children's Sake
by Susan Macaulay
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$17.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
For the Children's Sake
by Susan Macaulay
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$17.99
For the Love of Learning
by Jenny Sockey
from Xulon Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99
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by Charlotte Mason
from Living Book Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$16.99
Formation of Character
by Charlotte Mason
from Living Book Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$16.99
Galloping the Globe
by Loree Pettit & Dari Mullins
3rd edition from Geography Matters
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
$29.95 $20.00 (2 in stock)
Galloping the Globe - Lapbook
from Geography Matters
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Genesis through Deuteronomy & Ancient Egypt
by Sonya Shafer
3rd edition from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$17.50 (1 in stock)
George Washington
by Verna Hall
from Foundation for American Christian Education
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Gridded Math Notebook - 1/2" Graph Paper
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 3rd-6th grade
in Algebra (Location: MATR-ALG)
Gridded Math Notebook - 3/4" Graph Paper
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 3rd-6th grade
in Algebra (Location: MATR-ALG)
Guide to American Christian Education for the Home and School: The Principle Approach
by James Rose
1st edition
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$24.00 (2 in stock)
Habits: The Mother's Secret to Success
by Charlotte M Mason
from CreateSpace
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Home Education
by Charlotte Mason
from Living Book Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99
Home Education
by Charlotte Mason
from Living Book Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99
Home Education in Modern English - Volume 1
by Charlotte Mason, modernized by Leslie Noelani Laurio
from Unknown Publisher
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Home Grown Kids
by Raymond & Dorothy Moore
from Word Publishing
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Home Start in Reading
by Ruth Beechick
from Arrow Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Home-Spun Schools
by Raymond & Dorothy Moore
from Word Publishing
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
How Children Fail
by John Holt
Revised from Da Capo Press
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
How Children Learn
by John Holt
Revised from Da Capo Press
for Adult
in Unschooling (Location: HSR-METUN)
How To Tutor
by Samuel Blumenfeld
from Paradigm Publishing
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$16.00 $7.50 (1 in stock)
How To Tutor
by Samuel Blumenfeld
from Storehouse Press
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$24.00
Ignite the Fire!
by Terri Camp
from Noble Publishing
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Illustrated Nature Journal
by Fiona Biddington
from Cicada Books Limited
for 3rd-8th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
In Vital Harmony
by Karen Glass
from CreateSpace
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$15.99
Individual Studies: Lesson Plans for Grade 1
by Sonya Schafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
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