Learning Methods

The Charlotte Mason Method is a literature-based homeschool approach emphasizing living books, narration, nature study, short lessons, and habit formation. Developed by British educator Charlotte Mason (1842-1923), the philosophy treats children as whole persons capable of engaging with great ideas across a broad curriculum.

Classical education is a time-tested approach organizing learning into three stages—Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric—that align with children's natural development, emphasizing great books, Latin, Socratic dialogue, and the cultivation of wisdom alongside knowledge.

Eclectic homeschooling is a flexible approach that combines elements from multiple educational philosophies—classical, Charlotte Mason, traditional, unschooling, and others—to create a customized learning experience tailored to each child.

Farm schooling is a homeschool approach that weaves traditional academics into hands-on agricultural experiences, using real farm activities like animal husbandry, gardening, and food production to teach math, science, and practical life skills.

Forest schooling is an outdoor education approach where children engage in regular, hands-on learning sessions in natural woodland settings, developing confidence, resilience, and academic skills through nature-based exploration.

Gameschooling is a homeschool approach that intentionally uses board games, card games, and other games as educational tools to teach academic skills, critical thinking, and social-emotional development.

The Montessori Method is a child-centered educational philosophy developed by Dr. Maria Montessori emphasizing self-directed learning, hands-on activities, and development of the whole child within a carefully prepared environment.

The Moore Formula is a homeschooling approach developed by Raymond and Dorothy Moore balancing three components—study, work, and service—while advocating delayed formal academics until ages 8-10.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational approach where students learn through extended, real-world projects driven by their interests. In homeschooling, it emphasizes child-directed learning where students take primary responsibility for their education.

The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy from Italy that views children as capable, curious learners who construct knowledge through exploration and relationships. It emphasizes project-based learning, the environment as a "third teacher," and documentation of the learning process.

Relaxed homeschooling is a flexible, parent-led educational approach that prioritizes the child's individual needs over rigid schedules. It uses shorter formal lessons while leaving ample time for interest-led learning, falling between structured school-at-home and child-led unschooling.

Roadschooling is homeschooling while traveling, typically in an RV or through extended road trips. It combines traditional academics with experiential learning from destinations visited, using the journey itself as an extended classroom.

School-at-home is a structured homeschooling approach that closely replicates traditional classroom education at home, using packaged curricula, fixed schedules, textbooks, tests, and formal grading.

Structured homeschooling is a formal approach that follows organized curriculum with set schedules, clear learning objectives, and regular assessments, similar to a traditional school environment but personalized for the individual child.

Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd) is a homeschool philosophy developed by Oliver DeMille that emphasizes classics-based learning, mentorship, and developmental phases to raise leaders who think independently rather than follow prescribed curricula.

Traditional homeschooling recreates a school-like environment at home using structured curricula, textbooks, scheduled class times, and formal assessments like tests and quizzes to track student progress.

The unit study method is an interdisciplinary approach to homeschooling where learning is organized around a central theme or topic, integrating subjects like history, science, geography, and art rather than teaching them in isolation.

Unschooling is a child-led approach to education where learning happens through natural curiosity, real-life experiences, and pursuing interests rather than through formal curriculum, lesson plans, or structured instruction.

Waldorf education is a holistic teaching philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner that develops the whole child through arts, imagination, and hands-on learning across three developmental stages.

Worldschooling is an educational approach that uses travel and real-world cultural experiences as the primary learning environment, turning the entire world into a classroom rather than confining education to a traditional setting.