Classical Homeschooling - How to Start

By Kayley Kenzie in Education on March 27th, 2008

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by Kayley Kenzie

Parents who want their children to have the best education possible will want to look closely at classical homeschooling. Homeschooled children have a lot of advantages.

Homeschooled children get more one-on-one time. This gives children a better, more focused education.

Students who are homeschooled also have the advantage of learning in a comfortable and safe environment. It isn’t necessary for a child to learn how to become accustomed to different classrooms. Learning to adapt to a new surrounding can be distracting.

Parents and children who choose to homeschool also have the chance to create deeper relationships. Parents can also have a greater impact on their child’s education.

There are several homeschooling methods. Classical homeschooling methods follow a traditional education model.

There are three learning phases in Classical homeschooling: Primary, secondary, and tertiary. It’s easiest to think of them as the equivalent of elementary, junior high, and high school.

Nonetheless, there is a big difference between homeschooling and the institutionalized version of this education. Classical homeschooling concentrates on the child’s mind and abilities, not just on the child’s age.

A child will not move onto the next developmental phase until they are ready.

The methods of classical homeschooling date back to medieval times. This method is effective: It’s been tested and tried for a very long time.

Younger children focus on learning the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Once your child has mastered the concepts of this phase, they move on to the next, which consists mainly of grammar. This phase focuses on composition.

The third and final phase in Classical homeschooling is the dialect stage. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are still part of this phase. However, children are now focusing on public speaking and rhetoric.

Children are able to move at their own pace in Classical homeschooling. It’s reassuring to know that your child has mastered all the basics before he or she is ready to move on. They aren’t just moved from one grade to the next as a matter of course.

One of the greatest advantages of homeschooling is the flexibility you have. You don’t have to follow the Classical approach and nothing else: You can add other methods and techniques to it. You might want to create study units revolving around a theme, for example. When you homeschool your children, you have the freedom to do things like this.

About the Author:

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