Pick a Method, Any Method ~ Back to Homeschool Blog Hop

Classical, unit studies, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, school-at-home, Waldorf, unschooling, online... Homeschooling methods are as varied as homeschoolers themselves. And each homeschooler has their own take on the methods themselves. There is nothing cookie-cutter about a home education. And I don't know about you, but that is my favorite part.

So what's the method of madness for our homeschool? Do we have a classical bent? Do I spend hours creating amazing unit studies? Do we spend tons of time out in nature?

The answer...yes, no, maybe, sometimes. All of the above. None of the above.

I guess that makes us eclectic. lol Although some days it does just seem like plain, old madness.

I personally don't subscribe to one particular method. We use bits and pieces of several different methods and make them something unique to our family. We get our love of living books and composer/artist studies from Charlotte Mason. If we find a subject that we can't get enough of, we'll do a little unit study. We've used a few text books in our time. I've even been known to use a bit of the Montessori method.

Eclectic in our house is always evolving. Since homeschooling allows me to tailor my children's education to them, our methods change as they do. What we're using this year might not be the best fit for the next year. What worked for Mackenzie might not be the right fit for Kayleigh. Each year is a new adventure and it's never like the one before it.

There are some things that have managed to remain constant...

**Living Books over Text Books. There are never enough books!
**Field Trips and lots of them. Some to learn, some just to have fun.
**Don't forget the arts!
**Manipulatives are fun! Especially for math.
**Science should be messy. Sometimes.
**Get out the paint and glitter once in a while. Even if makes for extra clean-up.
**God first. Although I chose to save the best for last in this instance. =o)

So tell me, what method(s) do you prefer in your homeschool?


Click the links below to see what methods my Crew Mates prefer. And be sure to stop by tomorrow so we can talk about every homeschooler's favorite subject...Curriculum!!!

P.S. I'm giving away a copy of Learning About God from A to Z this week. Check it out.