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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940 Saturdays
by Harley A. Rotbart
for Adult
in Parenting (Location: XFA-PAR)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Abigail Adams Package (FACE)
by Rosalie J. Slater, Evelyn Witter
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$19.20 (1 in stock)
All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar - DVDs only
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$21.25 (1 in stock)
American Presidents & Presidential First Ladies Notebooking Pages
from Notebooking Pages
for 3rd-8th grade
in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin (FACE) - Teacher Guide and Student Notebook Packet
by Rosalie J. Slater
5th edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
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) - Hardcover
from Living Book Press
for 1st-12th grade
in Timeline Resources (Location: HISRF-TIM)
$8.80 (1 in stock)
Book of Centuries (BCE/CE Edition)
from Living Book Press
for 1st-12th grade
in Timeline Resources (Location: HISRF-TIM)
$9.34 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (FACE) - Teacher Guide and Student Notebook Packet
by Rosalie J. Slater
5th edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Charles Dickens - Teacher Guide
by Carole G. Adams
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 9th-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Charlotte Mason Education
by Catherine Levison
from Champion Press
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic Series Book 1
by Richele R. Baburina
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-2nd grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$30.60 (1 in stock)
Charlotte Mason's Living Math - DVD
by Richele Baburina & Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$12.75 (2 in stock)
Christian Idea of the Child
by Carole G. Adams
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
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)
$2.40 (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 Education Made Approachable
from Classical Conversations
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$12.10 $7.50 (4 in stock)
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)
$8.46 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Courtship of Miles Standish - Teacher Guide and Poem
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, teaching notes by Elizabeth L. Youmans
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
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)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Easy Start in Arithmetic
by Ruth Beechick
from Arrow Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$1.50 (2 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
4th edition from Whole Heart Ministries
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
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)
$7.23 (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)
$11.05 (1 in stock)
Enrichment Studies Volume 1: Lesson Plans for Grades 1-12 (old)
by Sonya Schafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
$10.20 (1 in stock)
Enrichment Studies Volume 2: Lesson Plans for Grades 1-12
by Sonya Schafer
2nd edition from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$14.88 (1 in stock)
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)
Explorers
by Mary Ellen Sterling
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$1.60 (1 in stock)
Exploring Creation with Astronomy - Printed Lapbook
by Cyndi Kinney
2nd edition from Knowledge Box Central
for 3rd-6th grade
in Apologia Exploring Creation (Location: SCICUR-AEM)
$15.00 (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)
$10.20 (1 in stock)
For the Children's Sake
by Susan Macaulay
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
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 (1 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 (old)
by Sonya Shafer
3rd edition from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$10.63 (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 (1 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)
Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates (FACE) - Teacher Guide and Student Notebook Packet
by Rosalie J. Slater
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Heidi (FACE) - Teacher Guide and Student Notebook Packet
by Rosalie J. Slater
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$17.00 (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)
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 To Tutor
by Samuel Blumenfeld
from Paradigm Publishing
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$16.00 $7.50 (1 in stock)
Ignite the Fire!
by Terri Camp
from Noble Publishing
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Ivanhoe and Sir Walter Scott Package (FACE)
by Sir Walter Scott, Pearle Henriksen Schultz, Rosalie Slater & Carole Adams, edited by Cheri Mabe
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$25.00 (1 in stock)
Journaling A Year in Nature
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Know and Tell
by Karen Glass
from CreateSpace
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$15.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Land That I Love
by Bobbie Ames
from Nordskog Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in America's Christian Heritage (Location: HISA-CH)
$9.60 (1 in stock)
Latin-Centered Curriculum
by Andrew A. Campbell
2nd edition from Non Nobis Press
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Learning and Living Workshop - DVD set
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$55.25 (1 in stock)
Letters from Egypt
by Mary L. Whately
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 4th-12th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$7.65 (1 in stock)
Literary Life Commonplace Book - Tree Cover
by Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins, and Thomas Banks
from Blue Sky Daisies
for 9th-Adult
in Commonplace & Journaling Books (Location: LIR-Com)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Literary Life Commonplace Book for Kids - Dragon Fire Cover
by Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins, and Thomas Banks
2nd edition from Blue Sky Daisies
for 3rd-8th grade
in Commonplace & Journaling Books (Location: LIR-Com)
$9.95 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Little Women (FACE) - Teacher Guide and Student Notebook Packet
by Rosalie J. Slater, revised by Cheri Mabe
2nd edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Lost Tools of Learning - Audio CD
by Dorothy Sayers; narrated by Victoria Twigg
from Classical Academic Press
for Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$6.76 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Math Lessons for a Living Education Level 1
by Angela O'Dell
from Master Books
for 1st grade
in Math Lessons for a Living Education (Location: MAT-MB1)
$39.19 $28.00 (1 in stock)
Mathematics: An Instrument for Living Teaching
by Richele Baburina
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for Adult
in Math Reference & Teaching Aids (Location: MATR-TA)
$11.05 (2 in stock)
Millstones & Stumbling Blocks
by Bradley E. Heath
from Fenestra Books
for Adult
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$10.47 $9.00 (1 in stock)
More Charlotte Mason Education
by Catherine Levison
from Champion Press
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$14.99 $9.00 (2 in stock)
Noah Plan English Language Curriculum Guide
Noah Plan
by Carole Goodman Adams
3rd edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$28.00 (1 in stock)
Noah Plan Lessons: 2nd Grade
by Rosemarie Ricciardi & Barbara Keller
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 2nd grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$40.00 (1 in stock)
Noah Plan Lessons: 4th Grade
by Barbara Keller with Martha Shirley and Rosemarie Ricciardi
for 4th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Noah Plan Literature Curriculum Guide
Noah Plan
by Rosalie Slater
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$39.95 $24.00 (1 in stock)
Noah Plan Mathematics Curriculum Guide
Noah Plan
by Arthur Paul Ricciardi
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$39.95 $28.00 (1 in stock)
Noah Plan Reading Curriculum Guide
Noah Plan
by Martha Barnes Shirley
2nd edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$39.95 $24.00 (1 in stock)
Noah Webster: Father of the American Dictionary
by Isabel Proudfit, illustrated by I.B. Hazelton
from Bradford Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.40 (1 in stock)
Norms & Nobility
by David V. Hicks
from University Press of America
for 11th-Adult
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$38.00 (1 in stock)
Object-teaching; or, Words and things
by Thomas Godolphin Rooper
2026 Facsimile from Library of Congress
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 1 Volume 2 - Reader
3rd edition from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-12th grade
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$32.00 $22.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 1 Volume 2 - Video Lectures
by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-Adult
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$84.75 $55.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 1 Volume 4 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
2nd edition from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-Adult
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$32.00 $22.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 1 Volume 4 - Video Lectures
by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-Adult
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$84.75 $55.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 1 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-Adult
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$32.00 $22.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 2 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-Adult
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$32.00 $22.00 (1 in stock)
Outdoor Life of Children
Charlotte Mason Topics Book 2
by Charlotte Mason, edited by Deborah Taylor-Hough
from Unknown Publisher
for Adult
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Paideia of God and Other Essays on Education
by Doug Wilson
from Canon Press
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$8.50 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Pattern of God's Truth
by Frank Gaebelein
from BMH Books
for Adult
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Pinocchio - Teacher Guide and Student Notebook Packet
by Rosalie J. Slater
3rd edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 3rd-6th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Practice Makes Perfect Level 4
by Angela O'Dell
from Master Books
for 4th grade
in Math Lessons for a Living Education (Location: MAT-MB1)
$26.39 $20.00 (1 in stock)
Punished for Dreaming (ARC)
from St. Martin's Press
for Adult
in Secular vs. Christian Education (Location: HSR-PE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning
by Doug Wilson
from Crossway Books
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$4.00 (4 in stock)
Renaissance
by Linda J. Larsen
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation (Location: HISW-REN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
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)
Repairing the Ruins
by Doug Wilson, editor
from Canon Press
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$14.50 $6.00 (2 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)
Seven Laws of Teaching
by John Milton Gregory
from Charles Nolan Publishers
for Preschool-12th grade
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Shakespeare in Three Steps: As You Like It
by Rebekah Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 2nd-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$16.58 (1 in stock)
Shakespeare in Three Steps: Midsummer Night's Dream
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 2nd-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Sonlight American History I: Lap Book Kit
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 4th-7th grade
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$34.00 (1 in stock)
Sonlight American History II: Lap Book Kit
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 5th-8th grade
in Unit Studies & Lap Books (Location: HSR-METUS)
$34.00 (2 in stock)
Strong Start in Language
by Ruth Beechick
from Arrow Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Clearance: Home School Resources (Location: ZCLE-HSR)
$1.50 (3 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)
Successful Homeschool Family Handbook
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$12.00 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Teaching and Learning America's Christian History
by Rosalie Slater
from Foundation for American Christian Education
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$42.95 $15.00 (3 in stock)
Teaching Christopher Columbus, Christ-Bearer to the New World
by Rosalie June Slater & the StoneBridge School Faculty
5th edition from Foundation for American Christian Education
for Adult
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$9.50 (1 in stock)
Teaching George Washington - Set (FACE)
by Rosalie June Slater
from Foundation for American Christian Education
for 9th-12th grade
in Principle Approach (Location: HSR-METPA)
$19.20 (1 in stock)
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