When contemplating homeschooling, it may seem difficult to decide upon which method is right for your family.  Part of the reason is that there are so many methods to choose from, and it can be hard to differentiate between them.  My hope is to let you know what the different methods entail, to help answer your questions about homeschooling as it pertains to the methods available.

I'll be honest with you...the way you homeschool your children may require some trial and error until you find the best method that fits your child's learning style.  You may even find that one method that works for one child will not work with another.  But, that's the beauty of homeschooling...you can tailor it to fit a child's direct needs.

So, here are some of the methods used:

Unschooling Method:  This method is used not so much as a learning method, but as a way of life.  Unschooling means that you do not teach using textbooks and workbooks, but rather personal experiences.  It is taking advantage of every day situations to use as learning points.  A great book about unschooling and its successfulness as a way of teaching is How Children Learn by John Holt.

Montessori Approach:  This way of teaching is designed to let children learn at their own pace.  Textbooks and manipulatives are not suited for age groups, but rather just by skill level.  It is thought that when a child can learn when they are ready to absorb new information, they will have learned it for the rest of their lives.

Charlotte Mason Method:  This method is based on teaching the arts, nature, and the love of books.  In fact, the "living books" that support this method of homeschooling are written to open a child's senses and give them a feeling of being part of the stories they are reading.  Children learn the basic skills, such as science, math, etc., but in a natural setting and through stories.

Christian Homeschooling:  This method of homeschooling is based on teaching children biblical principles as their first priority, while catering to their need to learn basic skills.  Subjects such as history are taught to show how the Bible relates to historical events.  Science proves that God is the creator of everything, and backs this up with biblical principles.  Daily Bible reading is a part of many Christian homeschooling families.

Secular Homeschooling:  This type of teaching is based primarily on what traditional schools are teaching children.  Secular homeschoolers use many of the same textbooks as public schools, or may even use some of the methods mentioned above.  They do not have "religious" reasons for homeschooling, but want to have the right to teach their own children at home.

As you can see there are numerous methods for teaching your children what they need to know.  People have different opinions on how homeschooling should be taught, but it is because they found something that really works for their family.  There is no right or wrong way to homeschool your children, as long as you know in your heart you are providng them with the best education that you can.