Eclectic Homeschooling

Eclectic homeschooling involves picking and choosing from various methods and curriculum providers to find materials that meet the needs of the child.

As an eclectic homeschooler, I use workbooks to teach math and language arts, and teach science, social studies and art in a relaxed manner. For fun, we occasionally complete a unit study or lapbook, and we are also members of a classical homeschooling co-op.

Some parents choose to unschool specific subjects, or teach in a relaxed manner during the elementary school and move to more formal studies in latter years.

Parents who use this method set goals for their children, and choose materials that fit the learning styles and personalities of each child. It is not uncommon in eclectic households to find siblings using different materials to learn the same subject. In addition, parents may use different homeschool curricula from year to year.

Disadvantages

Because we are always on the lookout for the best home school curriculum, eclectic homeschoolers are known as curriculum junkies, and often have an extensive collection of homeschool catalogs. Unfortunately, I am no exception. Instead of looking forward to family vacations, I look forward to our annual home school curriculum fair.

Eclectic homeschools are flexible and will drop ineffective programs, so this method can be costly when materials are purchased and not used. Since curriculum can change year to year, children may suffer from lack of consistency. In addition, parents must be mindful to make sure their children are adequately learning all necessary skills.

Choosing Curriculum

If you have decided not to purchase a complete homeschool curriculum, you can find information about choosing programs in math, reading, science, history and art on my page of tips for finding a homeschooling curriculum.