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| Copyright 2005 Julie Shepherd Knapp |
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The Homeschool Diner's Click-O-Matic Guide to Choosing a Homeschool Approach by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006 Parent's Personality (6 questions) Can you answer "Yes" to these questions? 1. Will you enjoy researching to find just the right resources to teach your child? Are you comfortable pulling together materials from various sources to use as curriculum? Do you enjoy trips to the library? If so, take a look at these approaches: Eclectic Homeschooling; Unit Studies. 2. Are you too busy to do much research on curriculum? Will it be a challenge to find time to teach your children at home? If so, take a look at these approaches: School-at-Home; Independent Research; Distance Learning. Some School-at-Home and Distance Learning programs require a great deal of parental involvement, some do not - check with each. 3. Are you uncomfortable with the responsibility of choosing the right curriculum? Do you, perhaps, feel "unqualified" to teach your own child? Would you be relieved to have a brand-new matching set of full curriculum that covers all subjects, and includes daily lesson plans and teacher's guides? If so, take a look at these approaches: School-at-Home; Distance Learning; Public e-School. There are also full curriculum suppliers for each of the popular homeschool approaches - check to see which best suits your needs. Keep in mind that you will be more comfortable in the role of teacher after you have taught your child for a while, and you will gain confidence in making curriculum choices once you have seen how your child learns and how he or she responds to the different kinds of assignments. If at all possible, take some time off with your child to discover how he or she learns best before purchasing an entire full curriculum (they are the most expensive option). 4. Would you prefer to have a predictable daily homeschool schedule? Do you wish you had a whole year's worth of daily assignments all planned out for you? If so, take a look at these approaches: Literature-Based; Classical Education; School-at-Home. Most packaged curricula come with daily or weekly lesson plans and goals. Remember that you, personally, can establish a daily schedule no matter which approach you choose. 5. Would you be happier with a flexible schedule, so that you can "take each day as it comes"? Do you like to keep your schedule open for unplanned learning opportunities? If so, take a look at these approaches: Eclectic Homeschooling; Unschooling; Unit Studies. Most of the alternative approaches (those not like traditional school) are very flexible and allow parents to establish their own schedules. Purchased curriculum packages are designed to be completed in a school year, and include a schedule to complete that goal. However, unless you are using a public charter school (a Public e-School), parents are always free to choose whether or not they will follow the curriculum schedule. 6. Are you comfortable with having half-finished projects on the kitchen table and stacks of books and videos around the house? If so, take a look at these approaches: Eclectic Homeschooling; Unit Studies; Educational Games; Audio-Visual Materials; Hands-On Learning. It seems that the more fun and child-centered the homeschool approach... the more clutter it will generate ;-) Back to the Click-O-Matic Quiz |
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| The Homeschool Diner's Click-O-Matic Guide to Choosing a Homeschool Approach |