Homeschool Philosophies
When you decide to homeschool your child, one of the most daunting tasks to complete can be choosing a curriculum. Many times parents will have to go through some trial and error before finding what works best for their family. Below is a brief introduction to some of the more commonly used curriculum methods. Follow the links for more information on each philosophy.
Please note: The Harnett County Public Library does not endorse any curriculum style
This method hold firm to the belief to educate children you must educate their whole selves not just their mind, believing “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life.” The philosophy believes that children should learn good character habits as part of their education. Instead of textbook use, children read from "living" books such as those in narrative form that makes the subject come alive and are asked to narrate what they learned instead of taking a test on the material.
This language-focused method works on a three part process for educating children called the trivium. In the early years, children focusing on laying firm foundations by absorbing facts. The middle years are spent practicing thinking through arguments, while the high school years are spent learning self expression.
A homeschool curriculum that uses the classical education method and its three distinct methods, but also blends in the beliefs of Christianity and a strong sense of community.
This method is followed by many "unschoolers" and allow children's interests to dictate their studies. It holds that children as naturally curious and ready to learn.
This methods focuses on supplying children with many hands-on experiences and allowing them to move to learn. It also focuses on order within the learning environment.
This method seeks to not only develop a child's mind but also the whole self of "head, heart, and hands" by focusing on not only the academic subject, but also the imagination and artistic development of its students.
These are just a sample of the existing homeschool curriculums. If you are looking for a more extensive list, many of the books listed on the Helpful Library Resources page in this guide can offer just that!