What if a particular educational philosophy guaranteed your child two years of progress in just one year? The Maloney Method has been used in many learning centers and schools throughout the U.S. and Canada with striking results. Even at-risk kids and kids identified with learning disabilities make significant academic gains with this program. In recent
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Have you ever read an early primer to your young child and been bored to tears? Have you wondered if your child felt the same way? What if children didn’t need stickers, rewards, or candy to learn? What if learning was so joyful and gentle that children couldn’t wait to get started? The Charlotte Mason
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One hundred years ago, children didn’t begin formal academic instruction until they were at least eight years old. Today, though, the prevailing thought seems to be, “Why wait? The earlier, the better.” Kindergarten programs have replaced blocks, pretend play, and art projects in favor of rigorous academics. Children are expected to start reading by the
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Living off the grid is a independent, ethical living choice that we make in and out each day. While this is a fulfilling life choice, it can be difficult to get your kids enthusiastic about self reliant living at a young age. While your kids may love being outdoors, they may not be motivated to
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One of the wonderful things about homeschooling is that every aspect of life is an opportunity for learning. Whether you have a tiny urban plot or a full-fledged homestead, a family vegetable garden perfectly fits the bill of learning through life. Planning The Garden The first step in preparing a vegetable garden, of course, is
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A recent study by the Home School Defense Legal Association (HSDLA) found that over 49 percent of homeschooling parents opt to homeschool for religious reasons. Other parents homeschool because the local school wasn’t meeting the educational or social needs of their children. One of the hidden benefits of homeschooling, though, is the flexibility parents and children have to pursue extracurricular interests. Children attending a traditional public or private school spend around six hours per day in school. Add in transportation and homework, and at least eight hours of the day is gone. Families struggle to
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Visit any homeschooling conference and the curriculum options are downright overwhelming. Classical, traditional textbook, unschooling, Montessori—how do you choose? The Principle Approach is an ideal philosophy for those seeking a back-to-basics, Bible-based program steeped in early American history. The approach seeks to adapt the educational methods used by the Founding Fathers—that is, an education based primarily on Bible teachings. History Of The Principle Approach In 1947, Verna M. Hall organized a study group to research the U.S. Constitution. She reviewed many early source documents and came to the conclusion that the American government had fundamentally
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Dr. Arthur Robinson, president and research professor of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, and his wife, Laurelee, also a scientist, were busily engaged in homeschooling their six children, managing a successful professional life, and taking care of a farm. Laurelee, who was responsible for most of the homeschooling duties, developed a curriculum spanning twelve grades, which was filed away in several filing cabinets. When Laurelee died suddenly after a brief illness, Robinson was left wondering how to manage everything. Their youngest child was only seventeen months old. The other children were left with
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Twenty years ago, homeschooling families were lucky to find a handful of curriculum options. Today, though, you can find hundreds of commercial homeschooling packages. If you’ve visited a homeschooling convention, you know how inspiring—and overwhelming—the choices are. Of course, as a homeschooling parent, you don’t have to use a boxed curriculum program. You can design your own by putting different materials together. However, most homeschooling families use some sort of general curriculum or philosophy to stay organized and on track. Read on to learn more about the basic types of curriculum options on the market
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One of the biggest challenges for a new homeschooling family is learning to live and work with each other, day in and day out. Rather than trying to imitate a school’s structure, I think it’s important for families to find a schedule and organizational structure that works for them. Some parents like to-do lists and detailed schedules; others prefer a more laid-back approach. I think I fall somewhere in the middle. I like the Moore’s approach of breaking up the day into short periods of academic learning, followed by longer periods of manual work and
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