Monday, January 27, 2014

Homeschooling Methods




For many people, homeschooling may call to mind the picture of two



or three children sitting at a table and writing feverishly in



their workbooks, while mom or dad stands nearby. This is the not



entirely true. There are different methods of homeschooling,



and the method you choose will decide the curriculum and your



style of teaching. Given below are some of the most influential



and popular homeschooling methods.





The Charlotte Mason method:



Charlotte Mason is known as the founder of the homeschooling



movement. A homeschooler herself, she was passionate in her zeal



to lay out the foundations for an effective a complete



homeschooling program that is fun and educational at the same



time. This method focuses on all the core subjects with emphasis



placed on classical literature, poetry, fine arts, classical music



and craft. Mason used a variety of books from classical



literature, which she called 'Living Books'. Since this method



encourages a passionate awareness of literature, the child is read



to daily from the 'Living Books'. After this, the child is asked



to narrate what she has heard. This process begins at the age of



six, and by ten the child is expected to write her narrations in



her book. Mason also advocated the use of 'Nature Diaries'. After



each short and interesting lesson, the child is asked to go to



Nature and draw observations from Nature. Thus the child also



gains a sense of respect for her environment. Mason believed that



development of good character and behavior was essential to the



complete development of the child's personality.





The Eclectic Homeschooling:



This is a mixture of various homeschooling techniques. Here, the



innovative parents trust their own judgment and pick out the



topics that make the best curriculum for their child. Such parents



continuously look out for the best products that will meet the



needs of their homeschoolers. Most Eclectic homeschooling



curriculums are improvised. This means that the basic curriculum



is ready-made. The parents then make changes in the curriculum to



accommodate the individual needs and interests of their children.



The child's gifts, temperament, learning style and interests



dictate the curriculum. Eclectic programs include visits to the



museum, libraries and factories.





Unschooling:



A Boston public educator name John Holt laid the beginnings of the



unschooling method. He believed that children learned best when



they are free to learn at their own pace and when they are guided



by their own interests. His message was to 'unschool' the child.



This method is a hands-on approach to learning, where the parent



takes definite cues from the children. There is no definite



curriculum, schedules or materials. This method is the most



unstructured of the various homeschooling techniques.







The Montessori Method:



This method began in Italy, when it was observed that children



have acute sensitive periods, during which they undergo periods of



intense concentration. During such phases, a child will repeat an



activity till he gains a measure of self-satisfaction. The



Montessori method depends on a prepared environment to facilitate



learning. All the materials used in this method are designed to



satisfy the inner desire for spiritual development of the child.



The materials used progress from simple to complex, and are rather



expensive.





These are just a few of the methods of homeschooling. Whatever the



method, the underlying factor is flexibility and a keen interest



in the desires of the child. The secret is to use the child's



desire for knowledge to further his education.


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