If you had to choose just one method of homeschooling...?

Question

and you had to strictly follow that method only which one would you choose and why? Distance learning program? Classical approach? Charlotte Mason? Montessori? Unschooling? Literature-based curriculum? Unit studies? Traditional text books?

I feel that I should note that I am not looking for advice. This question is just for fun. I've already chosen my methodology for homeschooling my children.

Answer 1

Charlotte Mason and Thomas Jefferson Education

You never hear... "I'm going to public school my child, but I am concerned about his 'education'... aww, who cares.. he'll get plenty of 'socalizaion'"!!

This is to address Jackie W's answer:
What About Socialization?
by Pam Hartley

10. We're training him to like isolation so that he can be an astronaut.

9. Socialization? We're Republicans!

8. Don't worry. We get together with other kids twice a week so he can learn how to spit on them and treat them disrespectfully.

7. We do Unit Studies on Socialization, and also Hair Washing, Clothes Folding, and other completely redundant subjects.

6. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. I was mentally planning her week of Girl Scouts, 4-H, dance class, karate, and soccer. What were you saying about socialization?

5. If I could get him to stop planning so many group camping trips and book fairs, I'd be able to convince him to socialize!

4. Huh?

3. Please, just for a change, ask me about college, okay?

2. Squeak, dive under the nearest object, peek out, and mutter "who are you and what do you want?"

1. Oh, I know what you mean! That's why we're homeschooling, for the socialization!"

Answer 2

This actually is a very interesting question, but it's one I don't think I can answer. Part of the reason that I homeschool is because I don't like to put myself in a box. I have freedom to choose, so I can't really imagine having to pick only one approach.

I love certain elements of literature-based, unschooling, textbooks, Charlotte Mason, and classical. I'm not a big fan of the unit study. I might consider distance learning if I felt that we needed that type of approach at some point--at least for some subjects. But I can't seem to nail myself down to one method to cover all subjects. That would take away all the fun! : )

Answer 3

Definitely NOT distance learning. One of my reasons for homeschooling is for academic flexibility. Classical has never sparked my interest enough. Charlotte Mason and Montessori have interesting elements. Not complete unschooling. Literature-based would be good. Not unit studies. Not traditional textbooks--I didn't always use them when I was teaching because some of them were so awful!

So that leaves me with Charlotte Mason, Montessori and literature-based. Although all 3 are somewhat literature-based at the elementary and above levels. Hm... I don't know. lol. I like Charlotte Mason with some of the specific things done (narration, for example; nature study and other things); Montessori because of the hands-on and a certain amount of freedom for the child; I like literature-based but I guess I have to be honest that I'm not entirely sure what that means in terms of an approach because I know of different curriculums that are literature-based but have different approaches. And Charlotte Mason is definitely literature-based as is Montessori in a lot of ways. I still don't know which I would choose if I had to choose just one! lol

Answer 4

First, as a homeschooling dad, I'm really blessed and tickled reading all the answers. There obviously remains a certain degree of public ignorance on this subject.
Rebekah W's answer to Jackie W is hilarious. We don't socialize; we're Republicians. I have to remember that answer next time my Aunt Joyce scolds us. My Aunt Joyce is a usually a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from the state of Washington.
Second, I realize the question is kind of like taking a family opinion poll on which restaurant to eat supper......there is no right or wrong answer. They're all good.
What works for one family may be foreign to another. Children all have unique DNA, and so do families. Isn't that one of the fantastic benefits of homeschooling to start with, flexibility??
To answer your question: No, I can't answer other than what I have lived and experienced. We used traditional text books in the beginning,(because we didn't know any better) but my wife found additional unit studies in subjects that our kids liked to allow them to pursue their interests and get credit for doing so, then discovered my son's love of literature and chased that, then we got a computer and internet and my son is currently doing some high school courses in Algebra and Physics online; and we know families currently using the Classical approach.
General Patton once said "Never tell someone how to do a job. Tell them what you want done and let them surprise you with their ingenuity."
Therefore, Barbara, as parents, we are following Gods instructions to teach our children, and I believe God is blessing our efforts beyond some people's wildest expectations, but I respectfully disagree with the premise of your question. I can no more answer the question than I have a desire to eat my wife's spaghetti every night. And I love my wife's spaghetti.

Answer 5

Had I known from the beginning all the different choices, I probably would have saved myself a ton of money and a lot of headaches.
We use the Unschooling approach as it allows her to study and learn at her pace (9yrs old, 3rd grade) and do a LOT of hands on learning.
We did TRY the Prairie Primer which revolves around the Little House on the Prairie books, but we found that many of the activities could not be done properly due to our location (we are in Florida) and some of the items are darn near impossible to aquire due to FDA rules, not to mention that all the 'extra' books that are needed set me back a pretty penny (oh well live and learn).

Answer 6

I think that I would probably go with a literature based curriculum like Sonlight or Robinson. Personally I never learned anything in public school. Most of my knowledge base comes from independent reading of vast amounts of eclectic literature.
We have used quite a few different workbooks, canned curriculums and thrown them out in frustration and disgust; the longer I homeschool the more militant I am becoming. My children have also thrived with unschooling (one of them anyway) We have covered a large amount of science and history that way, just because it is so much fun. She thinks learning is exciting.
I would also stick with my grammar math heavy program with a bit of Latin and add good quality science in highschool.

Answer 7

This question is hard to answer for many, since most home school families start out with a "standard method."
Most have not had the time to research, or change their own thinking from conventional schooling to home schooling.

After years of home schooling, I have to say we went from strict classical, to relaxed classical (Charlotte Mason),to unit studies, to our final destination "unschooling".

If I had to choose one method, it would be unschooling.
We believe it to be the only natural, self directed way of learning.
In spite of what you may read about unschooling, unschooling is guided, and supported by the parents, it is not "give them some books , and hope for the best".

All the the other methods crop up from time to time during unschooling, because unschooling incorporates all methods to provide a true individualized education.
Home schooling is a family learning, and growing together as much as it is about academics.
We feel this is best achieved by interacting daily with each other, as an active part of our community (work, and volunteering), and our Church.
No textbook can ever prepare you for real life.

Our vote is for unschooling.

Answer 8

I think more than anything method of homeschooling is a matter of opinion and what suits your lifestyle the best. I have used the Bob Jones University video curriculum(goes from kindergarten through high school), and I have enjoyed it. The videos are very interesting, and they make learning fun. I tried the Calvert curriculum (however this one only goes through eighth grade) and it is a more classical approach to learning. I found it to be dry and boring, though it significantly upped my test scores, I would not recommend it. It was a lot of drill and kill, and that is good for math, but for everything else it was overkill. You can order Calvert math separately if you would like, but if you want on curriculum I would recommend Bob Jones.

I went to public elementary school, homeschooled for 3 years (middle school),went to public school for a year and a quarter, switched to private school, and I am now going back to homeschooling. I have seen all sides of the fence and if the public schools are not good in your area, then I strongly recommend homeschooling.

Answer 9

I wouldn't. That would be like brick and mortar school. The idea is to do better.

I'd augement everything with unschooling. I find unschooling to be the best.

But you also need to learn structured methods, especially if you go into college.

You need to know the steps in doing linear or differential equations. So you need a structured math course.

Answer 10

I home-schooled our two sons now twenty-two and twenty-four for most of their education. We used different approaches from time to time but the best results, as it turns out, came from a very restricted use of text books and Unschooling.

Since we had enough income to indulge our boys to some extent, we spent quite a lot of money at book stores on popular fiction and how-to books as well as video games and computer programs. To qualify for such generosity and freedom, they had to faithfully complete written assignments from traditional texts on math, science, grammar, and foreign language. But these were books that covered the basics and took shockingly little time to complete considering that our kids did in 2-3 years what government schools do in 12.

The result? We had them participate in standardized testing used by school systems every year and they consistently scored in the top quintile every time.

With Unschooling as a guiding philosophy we made a point of lots of conversation daily to answer questions and give guidance where needed. No subjects ever taught on health or social studies, etc. since they are inauthentic constructs necessary only to mass education approach.

If people realized how easy this method is, how little time it takes, and the incredible results that it rewards, there would be an enormous stampede from the halls of all institutions leaving them robbed of all their power to program.