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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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)
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)
Charlotte Mason
by Lanaya Gore, illustrated by Twila Farmer
from Blue Sky Daisies
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$16.11
Educating the Whole-Hearted Child
by Clay & Sally Clarkson
3rd edition from Apologia Educational Ministries
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$17.60
Educating the Whole-Hearted Child
by Clay & Sally Clarkson
4th edition from Whole Heart Ministries
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Everything You Need to Build a Unit Study Notebook
by Jennifer Steward
from Steward Ship
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
Everything You Need to Know About Flapbooks
by Jennifer Steward
from Steward Ship
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$10.00 (1 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)
Home Education - Wide Margin Study Edition
Charlotte Mason's Original Home Schooling Series Volume 1
by Charlotte Mason
from Simply Charlotte Mason
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$9.35 (1 in stock)
Illustrated Nature Journal
by Fiona Biddington
from Cicada Books Limited
for 3rd-8th grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
Morning Time: Student Anthology
by Cindy Rollins
from Blue Sky Daisies
for 3rd-8th grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$15.95
Philosophy of Education - Wide Margin Study Edition
Charlotte Mason's Original Home Schooling Series Volume 6
by Charlotte Mason
from Simply Charlotte Mason
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$9.35 (1 in stock)
Principles of American Government
by Ben Gilmore
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 9th-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
Renewing the Mind for Teaching and Learning
by Elizabeth L. Youmans
3rd edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$19.00 (1 in stock)
Self-Knowledge
by Charlotte Mason, edited by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 7th-8th grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$9.35 (1 in stock)
Success With Unit Studies
by Valerie Bendt
from Common Sense Press
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Understanding Waldorf Education
by Jack Petrash
from Gryphon House
for Adult
in Classroom Teacher Resources (Location: HSR-CTR)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Unit Study Idea Book
by Valerie Bendt
3rd edition from Common Sense Press
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Your Questions Answered: Narration
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.88 (1 in stock)