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.

Did you find this review helpful?
17 Items found Print
Active Filters: Hardcover
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)
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)
Closing of the American Mind
by Allan Bloom
from Simon and Schuster
for Adult
in Secular vs. Christian Education (Location: HSR-PE)
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)
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)
Home-Spun Schools
by Raymond & Dorothy Moore
from Word Publishing
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Liberal Arts Tradition
by Kevin Clark, Ravi Scott Jain
3rd edition from Classical Academic Press
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$31.95
Liberal Arts Tradition (old)
by Kevin Clark, Ravi Scott Jain
2nd edition from Classical Academic Press
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
Paper Sloyd for Primary Grades
by Ednah Anne Rich
Facsimile Edition from Repressed Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Paper Sloyd for Primary Grades
by Ednah Anne Rich
Facsimile Edition from Yesterday's Classics
for 3rd-6th grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Well-Educated Mind
by Susan Wise Bauer
2nd edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
for Adult
in Literary Analysis & Reference (Location: LIR-LAR)
$35.00
Well-Educated Mind (old)
by Susan Wise Bauer
from W. W. Norton and Co.
for Adult
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
Well-Trained Mind
by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
4th edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$28.00 $19.00 (1 in stock)
Well-Trained Mind
by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
5th edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$39.99
Well-Trained Mind (old)
by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
3rd edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$16.00
You Can Teach Your Child Successfully
by Ruth Beechick
from Arrow Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$7.50 (1 in stock)