Even amongst ourselves, we may or may not have a good understanding of what other home school families are doing, and why. My hope in sharing the following information with you is that it helps you evaluate your philosophy (or helps you to develop one) in order to make sure your goals and objectives for your children are met. More importantly, I hope this information helps us to understand and support each other in the various methods in which we have chosen to home school.
Most families do not adhere to one philosophy or methodology, but rather, gravitate toward one or more, picking and choosing among the options according to what works for them, otherwise known as The Eclectic Method. In addition, within each philosophy there are variations of application. This can add to the confusion, and contribute to the failure of that methodology. In addition, a particular method or philosophy may be referred to by various names, adding to the chaos.
(Please note that some of the following information was stolen liberally from all over the internet, sometimes rephrasing things and sometimes copying word-for-word, and some is based on what is already in my head… a dangerous place, I must say.)
The Pace (when and at what speed things are taught)
- Delayed Academics: Children are not ready for formal instruction until they reach ages eight to twelve, due to physical, emotional, and spiritual maturity. “The first years are for the development of ‘head, heart, hand and health’ and the reading of good literature and exposure to life.” http://www.excellenceineducation.com/better_late_than_early.php
- Accelerated Education: Starts schooling early and advocates schooling year-round. Advocates of this system see it as a way to capitalize on a child’s ability to learn at a young age. A child finishes high school level work in his/her early teens and begins college level work during the “high school” years. http://www.home-school.com/Articles/AcceleratedChild.html
- State Standard Driven: This describes any curriculum or method that seeks to adhere to the state standards set for the public school systems.
- Mastery Based: This term can apply to any of the methodologies. It means that a child must master one objective before moving to the next objective. The term may also refer to the idea that a child is exposed to every aspect of a subject at once. For example, the child may spend an entire year immersed in botany, learning everything from the Latin names for classes of plants to grafting and planting. This is in contrast to…
- Spiral Based, which theorizes that a child needs to grasp only pieces of an idea at age-appropriate levels because he will get it more of it “the next time it comes around.” This is the way the American school system is organized.
- Delight Directed/Interest Directed: The scope and sequence is decided based on the child’s interests and may be completely unstructured or very structured. So, if the child is interested in American Girl Dolls, the parent would make all the lessons revolve around that (making clothes, history of each one and perhaps the history of dolls and dolls of various cultures, how the dolls are made, proportional anatomy, writing reports on each one, etc.). This impetus is often used with Unschooling and/or Thematic/Unit Study. http://www.homeschooloasis.com/art_delight_directed_marilyn.htm , http://www.design-your-homeschool.com/Delightdirected.html
- Unit Studies/Thematic: Learning is based around a theme or time period: This is similar to “delight directed,” except that the theme is decided upon by the parent or a curriculum. Studies revolve around a topic such as “ horses,” or a time period.
- Literature Based: Learning is done by reading good literature, “good” being determined by the choser. Literature is chosen by the parent, the student, or an outside source/list.
- Textbook/Traditional/Subject Driven: This is the one that will feel the most familiar, as this is what is done in the American schools. Learning is divided into subjects and into grade levels.
- Project Based: Learning is done in the context of the creation of some artwork or the participation in some project. This is different than the more familiar order of giving information first and then doing a project that correlates. Rather this starts with the project, such as building a tree house, and the learning is extrapolated from that.
- Unschooling/Relaxed/Environmental Method: The child directs his/her learning. The parent does not teach unless the child asks for instruction in a particular area. On one end of this spectrum, the parent provides no stimulus. The middle ground is that the parent provides a rich atmosphere which sparks interest. The other end of the spectrum is that the parent provides a curriculum but the child moves through it as he/she chooses. Another way this term is used is “anything that is not traditional/textbook.” http://www.unschooling.com/library/faq/index.shtml , http://www.homeeducator.com/FamilyTimes/articles/11-4article8.htm , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Holt_(educator)
- Charlotte Mason/Habitual Method: This is a combination of delight directed and literature based, but is much more specific in its methodology. Charlotte Mason developed this methodology, which prominently includes “living books” and note booking/narration. http://simplycharlottemason.com/basics/what-is-the-charlotte-mason-method/
- Whole-Heart Learning: Encourages the use of real “living” books rather than text books. The family that wants to focus their lifestyle on whole-heart learning will set goals for the family as a whole and for each individual child. This lifestyle, known as “whole-heart learning” has a firm belief that the heart is the key to all learning. This methodology is “a biblical, discipleship-based, commonsense, relational approach to educating your children at home.” http://www.wholeheart.org/wharticle.php?articleid=8
- Waldorf: Developed by Rudolf Steiner, this method emphasizes arts and crafts, music and movement. Students learn to read and write by making their own books. http://www.waldorfanswers.org/Waldorf.htm
- Montessori: Maria Montessori advocates observing your child, removing obstacles to learning and providing children with real, scaled-to-size tools to use. Its method of education is characterized by emphasizing self-directed activity on the part of the child, and clinical observation on the part of the teacher (often called a director, directress, guide) — to stress the importance of adapting the child’s learning environment to his or her development level, and the role of physical activity in the child’s absorbing abstract concepts and learning practical skills. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method
- Enki: Besides drawing from the best of Waldorf, Enki also draws from Montessori, the United Nations International School, Theme Studies, and even the discovery learning of John Holt. “Enki is a unique and innovative approach to alternative education, which works with a Developmental Immersion / Mastery approach to curriculum. Immersion and mastery are the two core aspects of the learning method; content is chosen according to the child's developmental needs and interests. Throughout the program, all academics are introduced through the arts. Children are first immersed in the living quality of what they study. Through storytelling, visual arts, movement, music, manipulatives, activities, and projects, this alternative education soaks in the qualities and living textures of what they are studying. Then, on this rich base of connection to life, they bring what they have absorbed to mastery through intellectual exploration, discussion, exercises, practice, and concrete application.” http://www.enkieducation.org/ , http://www.unis.org/academic_programs/curriculum/index.aspx
- John Dewey/Traditional/American: The teacher, textbook, or other source provides the information and instruction. The child must then interact with that information in a way that personalizes it in order to make the knowledge “his own.” Learning follows these steps: 1. Instruction 2. Guided Practice 3. Independent Practice.
- Classical Education: Often history and literature rich, this emphasis relies heavily on developing writing and communication skills; features high quality books including “The Classics”; includes a great deal of discussion and reflection. This term is also used to describe a dedication to an in-depth education in Latin, mathematics, the arts and sciences, elocution, and a deep understanding of world history and its effects. Another way this term is used is to delineate between the more social-based agenda being promoted in most modern public schools, and an emphasis on reading, writing, and arithmetic. http://www.foundationsacademy.org/about.htm , http://www.welltrainedmind.com/classical-education/
- Cultural Literacy: This refers to the concept that citizens in a democracy should possess a common body of knowledge that allows them to communicate effectively, govern themselves, and share in their society's rewards. E. D. Hirsch Jr., a literary scholar, popularized the term in the best-selling book Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know in 1987. He argued that to participate fully in society, a person needs more than basic literacy, that is, the ability to read and write. Hirsch opposed the long-accepted view of educator John Dewey (founder of the modern public school system), who argued for a child-centered pedagogy that stressed experiential learning. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2004-02-24-hirsch-edit_x.htm
- Biblical Principle Approach/Principle Approach: The Principle Approach is a philosophy and method of education based upon Biblical reasoning and a Biblical, Christian worldview which requires considering and pondering the purpose of everything in God’s universe. The seven principles are: God's Principle of Individuality, The Christian Principle of Self-Government, America's Heritage of Christian Character, "Conscience Is the Most Sacred of All Property" (James Madison), The Christian Form of Our Government, How the Seed of Local Self-Government Is Planted, and The Christian Principle of American Political Union. http://www.face.net/203345.ihtml , http://www.homehearts.com/principle.html
- Thomas Jefferson: This is similar to “Classical” but has a more political/social agenda. Jefferson hypothesized that literacy and self-government work hand in hand and was a key component to self-preservation. Often called Leadership Education, a “Thomas Jefferson Education,” teaches students how to think and prepares them to be leaders in their homes and communities, entrepreneurs in business, and statesmen in government. It has a delayed academics approach as a part of its scope and sequence. http://www.tjed.org/what-is-tjed
- State Standards or Textbooks: Whatever the curriculum provider writes is what the child learns. Most prepared texts adhere to some state standard or accepted American pedagogy.
- Secular: Views of the origin and nature of mankind and the universe are based on humanistic and other philosophies.
- Protestant: Views of the origin and nature of mankind and the universe are based on biblical principles and teaching.
- None: Views are not put forth in the curriculum but derived from discussion with parents or implication in the literature.
- Traditional: Paper, pencils, books
- Computer: CDROM, Internet, Distance Learning, DVD
- Tutoring/Apprenticeship: Child attends classes, participates in an apprenticeship, and/or receives instruction from tutors who specialize in a subject or area of expertise.
Use this information to evaluate your current situation or one you are considering. Here are some examples so you can see how to apply this knowledge in evaluating various home school books and curricula:
- Name of program: K12
- Pace: State Standard Driven, Spiral Curriculum with individual mastery components
- Impetus: Textbook with some Literature and Thematic components
- Application: John Dewey
- Necessary Pool of Knowledge: Cultural Literacy and State Standards
- Worldview: Secular
- Environment: Traditional and Computer, Tutoring in high school years
- http://k12.com/
- Name of program: Robinson Curriculum
- Pace: Accelerated structure and emphasis (6 days a week, 5 hours per day, year-round), but allows for individual movement through the curriculum, Spiral Based (students cover subjects and themes over and over, and pick up more each time based on maturity and previous knowledge), Delayed Academics in science, Mastery/Spiral Based in math (Saxon)
- Impetus: Textbook for Math (Saxon); Literature Based
- Application: Unschooling (self-taught, parent is a resource, parent provides the items from which a child can choose)
- Necessary Pool of Knowledge: Thomas Jefferson and Classical
- Worldview: Founder -- Protestant, Actual Curriculum – None
- Environment: Traditional with some Computer components
- http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/
- Name of program: Switched-On Schoolhouse
- Pace: State Standard Driven, Spiral Curriculum with individual mastery components
- Impetus: Subject Driven
- Application: John Dewey
- Necessary Pool of Knowledge: State Standards
- Worldview: Protestant
- Environment: Computer with some Traditional components
- http://www.aophomeschooling.com/switched-on-schoolhouse/overview.php
- Name of Book: Apologia Elementary Science Series by Jeannie Fulbright
- Pace: Mastery Based
- Impetus: Subject Driven
- Application: Charlotte Mason
- Necessary Pool of Knowledge: Classical Education
- Worldview: Protestant
- Environment: Traditional
- http://www.jeanniefulbright.com/science.html
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