We began our homeschool adventure in 1994 when our then pre-school daughter
was anxious to learn to read. Walking through the research process with some
close friends a few years earlier had caused us to seriously consider homeschooling
for our own children. After attending our state homeschool convention for
a couple years running, we were overwhelmed, yet excited about the possibilities!
Having close friends walking the path ahead of us gave us a resource to draw
from, but there were still endless options to choose from.
Over the years we found a few resources that we are comfortable recommending
to others. Here they are, mixed in with some other helpful areas to research
as you consider home education.
WEBSITES TO PERUSE:
Homeschool
Legal Defense Association The Home School Legal Defense Association is a non-profit
advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional
right of parents to direct the education of their children and to
protect family freedoms. Living in a highly regulated state for
homeschoolers, we appreciate the peace of mind our HSLDA membership
provides.
Learning
Style Quiz
With all the different “types” of homeschooling out there, do you
wonder which one will be best for your child? Determining your
child’s learning style is a good place to start. No quiz is 100%
accurate, but this one might help point you in the right direction.
And while you’re at it, consider reading The
Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias.
News and Articles on Preschool Homeschooling
An ever-changing resource of articles written about homeschooling. Read this site with a grain of salt and remember that I don't review it every day!
Teaching Styles:
There are many approaches to teaching your children, all of which have pros
and cons. Very few are purists in their approach; most find a comfortable
balance of two or more teaching styles. Here are brief explanations
of some of the more well-known styles:
Traditional – relies heavily on the text-book approach
to education. Similar to the classroom experience many of us are familiar
with from our own childhoods. Names like ABeka and Bob Jones will be familiar
to traditionalists.
Unschooling – the opposite end of the spectrum from traditional
homeschooling, recommends providing a variety of experiences and resources
to stimulate a child’s in-bred desire to learn. “Delight Driven Learning”
is a common phrase heard among unschoolers. The Relaxed Homeschool
by Mary Hood is a good place to begin investigating this approach to teaching.
Unit Studies – are topic driven units that intermesh
history, literature, writing, science and other subjects around a common
theme. These can be accomplished by purchasing pre-packaged units or designing
your own by making liberal use of your library. KONOS and Amanda Bennett
are well known in the unit study arena.
Classical – is a term synonymous with The Well Trained
Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. The premise is that children move through
different stages of learning, each requiring a slightly different approach.
There is a heavy emphasis on the use of living books, study of logic and
a chronologic look at history.
Literature Based – falls somewhere between unit studies
and a classical approach. Relying heavily on the writings of Dr. Ruth Beechick
and Charlotte Mason, this teaching style relies on exposing children to
great ideas found in classic literature. The best known name in this genre
would be Sonlight Curriculum,
Ltd.
For the Children's Sakeby Susan S. MacAulay
This is a classic home education book; one of the first that I read
as we considered homeschooling for our family. Mrs. MacAulay shares
the ideas of the late 1800 educator Charlotte Mason. A must read!
A Charlotte Mason Home Companion: Personal Reflections on
the Gentle Art of Learningby Karen Andreola
Mrs. Andreola does a thorough job of reviewing the teaching principles
of Christian educator Charlotte Mason. Covering topics like narration
and nature studies, this is a very practical look at incorporating
Mrs. Mason’s ideas into your own homeschool.
Survivor’s Guide to Homeschoolingby Luann Shackelford
Great advice for the practical side of homeschooling liberally dosed
with humor. Should top the list for new homeschoolers. I’ve only
been able to find this at www.lifetimebooksandgifts.com.
