7 Modern Homeschooling Strategies for Parents and Children

This might not seem like a sizable portion of the population, but the homeschooling trend has been growing at a steady 7–15% per year over the past few decades. The surge didn't come out of nowhere, given that homeschooling has many benefits.

Benefits include personalised teaching, the flexibility to adapt to individual needs and learning styles, creating a safe learning environment, fostering a love for learning rather than just chasing grades, and customising the curriculum to fit the child's interests.

Have you considered homeschooling your children? Given the variety of tools and resources available today, it might not be as hard as you think.

How to Start Homeschooling?

You're convinced that homeschooling is the best option. What comes next? Here's a quick primer on everything you'll need to start successfully with homeschooling:

1. Know the rules

Every state has its own set of laws governing homeschooling, so the first step is to know what your state requires to educate your child at home legally. These laws can differ greatly—some places have strict regulations, while others are more laid-back. However, don't sweat the legal jargon too much. There are many local resources and homeschooling associations that can help you navigate the logistics.

2. Figure out your approach

Every kid's different, so this is your chance to pick an approach or a blend of approaches that suit your child's learning style and interests. Keep reading for a quick rundown of seven different homeschooling approaches!

3. Gear up with supplies and resources

You could spend a lot of money on a homeschooling curriculum in the early stages of your plan, but sometimes you'll only regret it. A set curriculum isn't always necessary because plenty of helpful resources can be used for free or at a reasonable cost.

4. Connect with fellow homeschoolers

Building a network of like-minded homeschooling parents is key to creating a thriving educational environment for your kids. Check out online groups for virtual support or local associations to engage with in person. Plus, working with others helps your kids develop social skills and opens up opportunities for field trips, camping trips, and group learning experiences—all of which are outside the bounds of homeschooling.

7 Approaches to Homeschooling

1. Traditional Homeschooling

Also known as the classic home study, this approach follows the same curriculum as local public or private schools but in the comfort of your own home. Children can study individually; however, lessons are usually supervised by a parent or online teacher.

• Benefits: It conforms to official standards, offers a wide range of curricula, allows kids to keep up with their peers, and is suitable for application over the short term.
• Downsides: Pricey, less flexible, time-consuming, and parents can easily burn out.
• References: K12, Time4Learning, Abeka.

2. Classical Education

Classical education is one of the most popular homeschooling methods, drawing inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman teaching practices. It employs chronological learning to help students grasp the progression of ideas over time and encourages Socratic dialogue to go beyond mere understanding. Most often, it relies on prominent, Greek, and Latin books.

• Benefits: Tried-and-true (having been practised for decades), adaptable, fosters logic and critical thinking, structured and organised, prioritises reading, offers opportunities to learn ancient or modern languages, and facilitates finding people to communicate with.
• Downsides: Less hands-on or interactive learning; challenging to pick up ancient languages; heavy emphasis on reading can be time-consuming and exhausting; and the framework isn't as flexible.
• References: The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education, Well Trained Mind website, "What is Classical Education" article, The Classical Curriculum resource.

3. Unit Studies Approach

Instead of breaking education into subjects, unit studies address topics comprehensively and tackle them from each subject's angle. For instance, a unit about animals might involve reading books about them, learning their classifications, habitats, and more. This approach is often used as a technique in other, more comprehensive educational methodologies.

• Benefits: It fosters holistic thinking and non-repetitive thinking, empowers students to steer their learning journey, helps in subjects where they struggle, and is ideal for teaching students of varying ages.
• Drawbacks: It can be incomplete, have knowledge gaps, and rely heavily on curriculum.
• References: Websites like Unit Study, Unit Studies, and Konos, as well as the book Unit Studies Made Easy.

4. Charlotte Mason Approach

This homeschooling method allocates short study periods, up to 15-20 minutes for elementary and 45 minutes for secondary levels. It incorporates nature walks and storytelling, encourages observation, memorisation and recitation, and emphasises living books—those with gripping tales, life lessons, and ethical insights—making reading a pivotal aspect of this approach.

• Benefits: It's cost-effective, emphasises daily writing over tests, includes nature walks, suits elementary education perfectly, and is compatible with unit studies and classical approaches.
• Drawbacks: It's unsuitable for middle and high school students, lacks focus on math and science, and modern materials may be unavailable.
• References: Books like A Charlotte Mason Education, A Charlotte Mason Companion, Simply Charlotte Mason, and websites like Ambleside Online.

5. Montessori Approach

Maria Montessori developed this method in the early 20th century while working with children with special needs. She focused on measuring students' pace, indirect teaching from the teacher, freedom of movement, unstructured periods (up to 3 hours), multi-level classrooms, and personalised learning plans.

• Benefits: Highly adaptable, suitable for special needs and gifted students, perfect for elementary level.
• Drawbacks: Requires teaching certification, lacks structure, and isn't effective for middle and high school students.
• References: Books like How to Raise an Amazing Child, the Montessori Way, and The Absorbent Mind, as well as websites like American Montessori Society and Living Montessori Now.

6. Unschooling Approach

This approach, heavily influenced by John Holt, prioritises student interests, experiential learning, and continuous learning. Basic skills like reading and math may be taught systematically and depend on a more technical approach, so tests and assessments are typically avoided, and teachers primarily act as facilitators.

• Benefits: Highly adaptable, driven by student passion, promotes multidimensional learning and supports student diversity.
• Drawbacks: Lacks structure, lacks parental supervision, potential knowledge gaps, and difficulty in assessing cognition and progress.
• References: Unschooling Rules: 55 Ways to Unlearn What We Know About Schools and Rediscover Education book, Unschool Rules website, The Master List of Unschooling Resources.

7. Eclectic or Relaxed Approach

As the most common homeschooling approach, eclectic homeschooling is flexible, resource-rich, and not curriculum-based, and parents can sample any combination of homeschooling and reference techniques or models. It combines traditional education with homeschooling.

• Benefits: Flexible, abundant resources, adaptable to individual student needs and learning styles.
• Drawbacks: Many options to choose from, a mix of incompatible methodologies.
• References: Eclectic Homeschooling website, Think Outside the Classroom: A Practical Approach to Relaxed Homeschooling book, The Relaxed Art of Eclectic Homeschooling

Using Technology to Facilitate Homeschooling

The reason why homeschooling is more popular than ever is the availability of resources and technologies to accelerate learning, such as:

1. Email

Email is timeless. It launched in 1972 but still slays as the first internet communicator. It's a great way for parents and kids to share tasks, links, and videos effortlessly.

2. Google Drive and Calendar

Google Drive provides essential programs for homeschooling, such as docs, spreadsheets, and presentations. With easy sharing, access, and auto-save, organising tasks and getting them done is smoother than ever. This will improve students' writing skills and eliminate their need for paper. Google Calendar is also a top-notch tool for tracking deadlines, planning field trips, and honing time management skills.

3. E-Books

Instead of going for paper books, e-books offer a tidy and cost-effective option, with many paid and free sites for a variety of e-books, like:

1. International Children's Digital Library.
2. ManyBooks.
3. Open Library.
4. OneDrive World Public Library OverDrive.
5. Project Gutenberg.
6. Kindle Unlimited.

4. Online Courses

When a structured curriculum is a must, online courses come to the rescue. There are online courses on almost every subject imaginable, from art to calculus. Various teaching methods—differing from the parents'—will inspire kids to learn in new ways, while visual and auditory stimulation will help them grasp and retain concepts.

Recommended references:

1. 50 Best Online Courses for Kids.
2. The Ultimate List of Online Courses for Homeschooling.

5. YouTube

YouTube is more than just a place to find funny videos and music videos—it also has a wealth of excellent instructional content available for free! Crafting playlists with diverse topics is a great way to enrich homeschooling.

Recommended channels:

1. Khan Academy.
2. Ted Talks.
3. TED Education.
4. Numberphile.
5. Veritasium.
6. Crash Course.
7. SciShow.
8. School My Kid.

In Conclusion

Homeschooling today is a whole different game compared to a decade ago. It offers a lot of options and flexibility. Don't worry about educating your kids at home; it could be your family's game-changer for a brighter tomorrow.