Classical Method

A philosophy that we use is the Classical Method. In many books, this defies definition as they often conflict. The two descriptions that I liked best came from

• The Latin Centered Curriculum :A Home Schooler's Guide to a Classical Education by Andrew Campbell - it's a much easier read than the title suggests.
• The Well-Trained Mind : A Guide To Classical Education At Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer - it's a huge, overwhelming book the first time through, but much of it is a blow-by-blow of suggested materials for each subject for each grade. The first few chapters are the overview of Classical education that spoke to me so much.

Both of these books may be available in you local library. I'll try and tell you through my reading, what I take from the Classical Method.

Classical Homeschooling is traditional taken a step beyond, or back, as it were. Classical models believe in teaching the way it used to be. An article by Dorothy Sayers entitled “The Lost Tools of Learning” really brought this thought process into the conscience of those looking for an academically rigorous type of school that taught children how to think. Dorothy Sayers only provided an outline of the stages used to teach in the classical method. There is a lot of variation from program to program. Usually, there is a thread that ties many if not all subjects into a cohesive whole. Often it is history studies as the focus of the classical school and often Latin or Greek is part of the overall program. Memoria Press has some fantastic articles on why children should be taught Latin, as well as an excellent Latin curriculum, Latina Christiana.

The Well-Trained Mind uses history as the thread and ties many subjects together based on history including science. RC History does this with Catholicism as the guiding principle incorporating writing, science, religion, bible history, and art into the scope of history.

To read more about the Classical Method, read the post on Classical Method - stages not ages.

Continue to look around concerning Classical Homeschooling. Many homeschoolers end up with a main focus of one type of homeschooling, such as classical, but supplement with other points of interest or balance and toss in Eclectic facets to their school. There are enough options in homeschooling to find the right fit for your school and your children.