| There is a wide variety of home education | | | | libraries and shops, or are overseas. |
| methods and materials. Many home education | | | | |
| families base their work on a particular | | | | These materials typically recreate the school |
| educational philosophy such as: Classical | | | | environment in the home, and are typically |
| education (including Trivium, Quadrivium) | | | | based on the same subject-area expectations |
| Waldorf Education Charlotte Mason education | | | | as publicly-run schools, allowing an easy |
| Theory of multiple intelligences Montessori | | | | transition into school if desired. They are |
| method Others use a broad combination of | | | | among the most expensive options for the |
| ideas or allow the child to develop their own | | | | home-educated, but are easy to use and |
| motivation, through what is known as | | | | require minimal preparation. The |
| Unschooling. | | | | instructional guides are usually extensive, |
| | | | with step-by-step instructions. These |
| Because home education laws vary widely | | | | programs may include standardized tests, and |
| according to individual government statutes, | | | | remote examinations to yield an accredited |
| official curriculum requirements vary. | | | | privately-run school diploma. |
| | | | |
| Unit studies Unit studies teach most subjects | | | | Student-paced learning Similar to All-in-one |
| in the context of a central theme. For | | | | curricula are learner paced curriculum |
| example, a unit study of Native Americans | | | | packages. Often times called paces, these |
| could combine age-appropriate lessons in: | | | | workbooks allow the student to progress at an |
| social studies, like how different tribes | | | | individualized speed. They allow the student |
| live now, and lived prior to colonization; | | | | to master concepts before moving on to the |
| art, such as making Native American clothing; | | | | next subject, instead of being held back by |
| history of Native Americans in the U.S.); | | | | the speed of the teacher and other students |
| reading from a special reading list; and the | | | | or rushing forward for the same reasons. |
| science of plants used by Native Americans. | | | | Prices vary widely depending upon the |
| The following unit-study subject could change | | | | publisher. |
| to some other broad topic of study. | | | | |
| | | | Community resources Home educators take |
| Supporters say unit studies make excellent | | | | advantage of educational programs at museums, |
| use of student time by combining several | | | | community centers, athletic clubs, |
| fields into one study time, and permit | | | | after-school programs, churches, science |
| students to follow personal interests. Unit | | | | preserves, parks, and other community |
| studies also permit children of different | | | | resources. Secondary school level students |
| ages to study together. For example, in a | | | | often take classes at community colleges, |
| Native American unit, a 10th-grade student | | | | which typically have open admission policies. |
| might make a deer-skin coat for an art | | | | |
| project, while a 1st-grade student might make | | | | Eclectic curricula The majority of today's |
| construction-paper tipis. | | | | home-educated use an eclectic mix of |
| | | | materials. For instance, they might use a |
| Home educators often purchase unit-study | | | | pre-designed program for language, arts or |
| guides that suggest materials, projects and | | | | mathematics, and fill in history with reading |
| shopping lists, and supplement them with | | | | and field trips, art with classes at a |
| specialized curricula for maths, and | | | | community center, science through a |
| sometimes reading and writing. | | | | homeschool science club, physical education |
| | | | with membership in local sports teams, and so |
| Special materials Special materials focus on | | | | on. |
| skill-building. Individual subject materials | | | | |
| usually consist of workbooks, sometimes with | | | | Unschooling Unschooling is an area in which |
| textbooks, and an instructional guide. Many | | | | students are not directly instructed but |
| specialized subjects are only available in | | | | encouraged to learn through exploring their |
| this form. | | | | interests. Also known as interest-led or |
| | | | child-led learning, unschooling attempts to |
| Special materials are frequently used for | | | | provide opportunities with games and real |
| math and primary reading. | | | | life problems where a child will learn |
| | | | without coercion. An unschooled child may |
| Critics say that some parents over-focus on | | | | choose to use texts or classroom instruction, |
| skills while excluding social studies, | | | | but it is never considered central to |
| science, art, history and other fields that | | | | education. |
| help children learn their place in the world. | | | | |
| | | | Advocates for unschooling claim that children |
| All-in-one curricula "All-in-one" curricula, | | | | learn best by learning from doing. A child |
| sometimes called "school in a box", are | | | | may learn reading and math skills from |
| comprehensive packages covering many | | | | playing card games, better spelling and other |
| subjects, usually an entire year's worth. | | | | writing skills because he's inspired to write |
| They contain all needed books and materials, | | | | a science fiction story for publication, or |
| including pencils and writing paper. Most | | | | local history by following a zoning or |
| such curricula were developed for isolated | | | | historical-status dispute. |
| families who lack access to public schools, | | | | |