Which Method do you use?

[jrose_lee]

I'm starting to research methods and there are quite a few! Any they all seem to have their good points So, which method do you use and why? Classical? Unschooling? Charlotte somebody? Did you just pick and choose from different methods? etc etc etc.... I would like to hear from real moms who have real live experience and opinions on these methods, not just what some website says. Can anyone shed some light?

[Stevie]

Originally Posted by jrose_lee

So, which method do you use and why? Classical? Unschooling? Charlotte somebody? Did you just pick and choose from different methods? etc etc etc....

I'm an unschooler myself; tried a little preschool curriculum, but it didn't work for us. DD goes through stages when she loves to do worksheets; when that happens, I print some off for her. Right now she's enjoying a reading program I purchased on line. Mostly we take a question and run with it We've been able to incorporate math, reading, geography, science, physics and philosophy into everything we've researched so far...
Plus there's just the fun of learning while grocery shopping and playing in the mud. I guess I figured if they could teach themselves to walk and talk, I trust them to teach themselves to learn other things as well.

I love the museums and libraries and I take advantage of the homeschool classes there to give DD some time with peer groups in a 6 yr age range, while allowing me some one on one time with her little brother.

[UnschoolnMa]

We are unschoolers.

[warriorprincess]

We classically homeschool.

[natashaccat]

I haven't really started anything formal yet but plan to use the Charlotte Mason method for the 3Rs combined with unschooling for most other topics. I really like the CM approach because of it's emphasis on observation, narration, and self discovery.

If you are interested in CM, I would suggest doing a quick Amazon search for books with more information. There are some good CM internet links out there but I don't think that the main one (ambleside?) really explains it all that well.

[SagMom]

We're unschoolers. My kids like the autonomy it allows. I like how free they are to pursue their interests without any rules that some learning/talents/etc. are more important than others. And I like that they can move at their own, individual pace.

I think that, to unschool, you have to be willing to give up the schoolish notion that children "should" learn certain things at certain ages though. Unschooling doesn't follow a scope and sequence. I'm okay with that. Some people aren't.

[Mirzam]

Charlotte Mason/Ablesideonline without the religion.

I love the CM approach and the use of "living books". The Amblesideonline curriculum is pretty true to original the PNEU schools (Charlotte Mason's schools) and her homeschooling approach.

[USAmma]

I put together my own curriculum based on The Well Trained Mind, but we do not use her suggested schedules or timelines.

Why I chose this: It agrees with dd's learning style, it's mostly organized, I know I'm covering all the bases and what comes next. OTOH I also let her choose a lot of things. If she's interested in something we will take time to explore that to its fullest. I also follow her cues on what kind of day she's having and how much to get done.

[mommy2abigail]

:

[lilyka]

after much reseach, trial and error we are starting next year with Charlotte Mason (Ambleside online as our guide). I don't know why I had never heard ofher before thought. it fits so perfectly with our lifestyle and we had already intuitively been doing a lot of it.

[Queen Gwen]

We started out unschooling, switched to neo-Classical/The Well Trained Mind (TWTM), segued into Montessori, back to neo-Classical/TWTM, looked into Charlotte Mason, really wanted to do Waldorf but just didn't get it, back to neo-classical/TWTM, found Christopherus Waldorf which actually made sense to me (which is to say, Donna Simmons explains Waldorf in a way I understand and can actually implement in our home), and now we're into traditional Classical (aka Latin Centered) with sort of a Waldorfy twist (except that just tonight I was looking at some Montessori stuff and starting to drift).

Obviously, that could change....

[oldcrunchymom]

We're relaxed eclectic. We also unschooled for a long time.

[BecBayGrayMad]

We are un schooling cause I feel that life is a classroom and I don't want to force all these rules regarding their education. I would rather be a guide and help them choose the path they would like to travel

[~*SugarMama*~]

I am really interested in unschooling here. But for our first year, I think that we might try something more "grounded" until I can gain some experience and confidence.

I really like the idea of unit studies so maybe we will combine those for now? I don't know exactly yet how we are going to work this, only that this is what is going to work for us.

[joandsarah77]

I'm relaxed eclectic. I have encorporated things from CM such as living books and lots of outdoor time. Later I plan to introduce copy work, naration and nature journals. I also love unit studies and finding fun things to add to those such as crafts, food, games etc. I am writting my own history based unit studies at the present using living history stories. Another unit study I have in the pipe line is a geography/culture one where we make up 3 families who go traveling around the globe. At each loction making a travel brocher with things to see, how far places are, were to eat etc. Each family will travel a diffrent way, one family will camp, another go mid price and the therd 5 star. Each family will have a journey log which will be our language arts lesson. As well as estemating fuel, sleeping and eatting costs for maths.

[jrose_lee]

thank you! These responses are SO helpful!

[3momkmb]

I never know how to answer this question LOL!

I guess we are relaxed, literature based, eclectics with classical leanings. :

Basically our history is literature based following classical schedules and chronology, as is our science. I do teach grammar to my oldest, but not my youngest. WE don't do formal logic or Latin, but I expose them both to both subject in a relaxed way (using reading and fun logic type puzzlers). DS (7yo) is still mostly allowed to dictate where and when (except that I read to him about science and history) while I spend about 2hrs a day working with DD (12yo). We do hands on stuff as a family.

Hope that made sense!