Monday, July 30, 2012

Back to Homeschool--Homeschool Methods

BacktoHomeschool
It's that time of year again, isn't it? That time of year when most homeschoolers are gearing up for the beginning of a new school year.

If you're new to homeschooling, all the choices you have to make can seem overwhelming! Trust me, sometimes it can seem a tad overwhelming for some of us "veterans" as well.

One choice to make is: What method will I use?

I am sure there will be others who will delineate just what those different methods are, and what they are all about. But I am going to focus on the method/s we use around here. :-)

The first year I homeschooled Tim, I ordered a complete curriculum package: textbooks, workbooks, etc. It didn't take long to see that method was not going to work for us!

After doing some reading of books such as Better Late Than EarlyHomestyle Teaching, and The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook, by Dr. Raymond & Dorothy Moore, as well as Education, by E.G. White, I adopted a more delayed-formal-education method. We also do our best to incorporate work and service in to our educational training.

We began heavily using unit/theme studies, and by the end of that first year, we were using a literature-based theme/unit study program (about which I'll share tomorrow). That has remained our major method.

To this, we have added in lapbooking/notebooking, as well.

Lapbooks for our Download N Go units

Some of our notebooks
I am starting to think about adding in Workboxes....if I can just figure out how to best incorporate it and make it work for us. I like the idea of having the boys work their way through their assignments this way, so they will know what to do, and when their schoolwork for the day is completed. I need to spend some time today setting up the system.

Be sure to come back tomorrow, when we'll discuss curriculum! Also, so you don't miss anything, like Life at Rossmont on Facebook.

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1 comment:

  1. Workboxes were a big blessing to us last year in getting our little one used to being an independent learner! We used a big 4" binder (we need our life to be portable) and are using a file box this year ~ still planning though!

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