A few months into our homeschooling adventure, my husband and I have found that it would be helpful to determine our exact educational philosophy. We definitely already hold strong ideals, but putting our thoughts in ink would seemingly keep us focused. For example, we hope a philosophy statement will help us to make decisions. Whether it be choosing a curriculum or trying to decide what the day’s activities will hold, it will certainly be easier to choose those items that point more clearly to our philosophy.

 Since we now “have our feet wet” and have learned quite a bit about our daughter’s learning style, we decided to research some of the homeschool educational philosophies already in existence to see if there were any that matched our own beliefs and style, and we found many to review.

 The following is a list of some well developed philosophies as well as suggested websites that we came across:

• The Charlotte Mason Method holds the motto “"I am, I can, I ought, I will." Those with this philosophy believe deep care should be taken so that children develop a love for learning. Children are exposed to a wide, abundant, lively array of subjects. The method advocates reading good books from original sources and spending lots of time in nature and is an excellent choice for those who wish to delve more into the subject. charlottemason.com or google “Charlotte Mason homeschool”
• Montessori Method is a natural, self-directed process. This philosophy holds an awareness that children have sensitive periods which bring on intense concentration . . . so intense that the child will be almost unaware of the rest of his surroundings and, if allowed, will continuously repeat an activity until an inner satisfaction is met. A child having freedom in a prepared environment will be able to develop physically, mentally, and emotionally to his full potential. homeschoollearning.com.
• The Unit Studies Approach integrates all school subjects together into one theme or topic. Unit studies usually use a hands-on approach, and the child learns by actually experiencing or discovering through different activities, rather than by reading a chapter from a textbook. homeschooling.about.com/od/unitstudies/
• Unschooling is a philosophy of child-led learning.  Unschoolers are concerned with learning or becoming educated, not with 'doing school.' The focus is upon the choices made by each individual learner, and those choices can vary according to learning style and personality type. unschooling.com
• Waldorf education is designed to address the whole child: Head, Heart and Hands.  It strives to awaken capabilities, and learning is focused upon a discovery of the world and of oneself.  A Waldorf education nurtures healthy emotional development by conveying knowledge experientially as well as academically. Waldorfhomeschoolers.com
• Traditional or School-at-Home Method set up public school style with a complete curriculum, traditional grading system and record keeping.

And the method we have researched that seems to fit our current style because it allows us to integrate particular features of each philosophy is “Eclectic.”

• An Eclectic Homeschooler looks at the different approaches of homeschooling and takes from each forming his own unique philosophy.  eho.org

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