Eclectic Homeschooling

I have always thought of myself as an eclectic homeschooler. Eclectic homeschoolers seem to use a variety of curriculums or methods, which would best suit their children’s learning styles. From a traditional curriculum to an unschooling approach, homeschooling allows you the freedom to choose what is best for your family and season in life.

I remember when we were selling our first home and remodeling our second. At the same time - during those six months, we took a more unschooling approach. The only traditional curriculum we did was math. I had them continue their math curriculum while allowing them the freedom to choose good literature to fulfill English and History. 

Our oldest was in 9th grade at the time and decided to research the American Revolution and write a historical fiction novel. That met her English / History requirement. Besides research, there was editing to be done. She sent her book out to friends, and during our park dates, they would discuss the characters and plot. I believe this allowed her the freedom to explore her writing style and nurture a passion for history. Hence, she is currently pursuing a master's degree in Musicology. 

There was a lot of remodeling work to be done, so we took that time to teach life math, woodworking, painting, plastering, designing. They ripped out termite damaged and unsalvagable wood floors; measured for tile; helped choose kitchen cabinets - all while reading Jane Austin books or Jeeves and Wooster between projects. Name it, and we did it! Our crew of six kiddos right by our side. Learning through real-life experiences. Remember Home Economics? This was Home Economics on steroids! 

We also tried a classical approach for two years. According to my husband, he had never seen me so stressed out with homeschooling during that time. Realizing that was not working for us, we returned to our previous methods.

Online schooling? Yes, we incorporate that as well, but only for the upper grades. 

Living in Florida we have access to Florida Virtual School (FLVS). We have opted for the Flex program instead of the full-time program - allowing our middle and high schoolers to take classes that would supplement our regular schooling. This has been a lifesaver for a mama with so many age ranges. I realized early on in my homeschool journey that I do not need to teach everything - especially Algebra and Geometry! Courses such as Driver’s Education or Spanish are available online as well. The best part of online schools, such as FLVS, is that they are free! Keep in mind - you are getting a public school curriculum. If you are ok with that for some subjects, this could be a good fit. 

I would not recommend online schooling for elementary grades. I feel children should stay as far from electronics as possible. I am certainly not militant about this, and very sparingly allow them to play on educational sites, being conscious that too much screen time is damaging to little developing minds. 

Eclectic homeschooling may also include a traditional method. Traditional schooling is textbooks, quizzes, and tests; like you would find in the regular school system. I find that I prefer a traditional approach in the subjects of grammar and math. Leaving other methods, such as unschooling or unit studies, for science, history, and geography. 

Find what fits best for your family, and never be afraid or feel disappointed because something is not working. Sometimes you need to put a particular curriculum aside and reevaluate what is working and what is not.

The beautiful thing about homeschooling is that you can make it your own. Unique. Just like your child and your family.