Amber blogs about learnin’ and livin’ from deep in the heart of Texas. When her three kids aren’t keeping her hoppin’, she blogs at Classic Housewife, reads, makes lists, overplans, drinks coffee and procrastinates on house cleaning (but she’s working on that.) Schooling eclectically from a classical perspective, Amber’s main goal is to help her children find God’s fingerprints through all of creation, learning and life.

In the beginning, I was a Classical Homeschooler. Well, in the very beginning I didn’t know what I was, I was just having fun with my preschooler doing crafts, reading stories and filling in workbooks. But when a friend handed me the book, “The Well-Trained Mind”, that all changed and I decided I was a Classical Homeschooler. I immediately loved everything about the book, what it had to say about learning and teaching, and the curriculum options that it recommended. I carefully selected my daughter’s first grade curriculum to go along with our new Classical Homeschooling Approach. And I was so excited. And I loved it so much.

I soon learned, however, that I’m not good at it. I’m not quite 100% in tune with a “true” Classical approach. I mean, we *like* worktexts for some things. ; ) Over the years I’ve come to learn that not only do I have a deep-seated need to be in control of our curriculum (boxed sets do not work for me) and not only do I have a deep conviction to choose curriculum that are biblically based but I’ve learned that I strongly believe that I need to teach my children to their strengths, interests and learning styles. I want school to be literature-rich, hands on, audio-visual, full of God and personalized for my children. So what does all this mean? It means that I am…

Schooling Classically, with an Eclectic Twist.

Because I feel the need to mix and match not only curriculum but also teaching approaches, I am undeniably Eclectic. However, the majority of the curriculum that I gravitate toward is in line with a Classical approach to schooling and I still find myself most drawn to the philosophy of the trivium, of how children learn in stages, and the spiraling approach to teaching history. So I am, though Eclectic, largely a Classical Homeschooler at heart. It was when I allowed myself to fully embrace my Eclectic side that I became most satisfied with our approach to homeschooling and what the children were learning. What I have learned over the past 7 years is that 1.) you cannot make yourself something you are not and 2.) you will not be truly happy with curriculum that doesn’t match your teaching style and homeschooling approach. For any other homeschooling Moms out there who find themselves in this same boat, who are mostly happy but feel the need to tweak, I want to share how I have blended Classical and Eclectic homeschooling to work with us. But truly, what I have to say will probably have something of value for any homeschool Mom trying to find their groove, whether Classical or not.

1.) Know who you are.

Many homeschoolers I know just start somewhere. Whether they choose a complete boxed curriculum or several pieces, they pick things that look good and they start, like I did. Oh how I’m glad to have a friend hand me “The Well-Trained Mind” early on! Though it was a few years before I found my true groove, it got me on the right track. The first thing I tell new homeschoolers now is to determine their approach toward homeschooling. Yes, that may change (and that’s fine) but it gives them a starting point.

If you’re new to homeschooling you may not know how to do that, exactly, but even the kind of curriculum that appeals to you is a clue to who you are as a homeschooler. Making a list of things that are important to you will be a good way to get an idea of what you are looking to get out of a curriculum, too. This “Parent’s Personality Quiz” at Homeschool Diner is an easy way to get an idea of the kind of homeschooling approach you want to take.

For example, the main thing I wanted from science and history was a biblical worldview. Secondly, I wanted something that provided some structure for lessons, some hands-on and writing opportunities, could be easily supplemented with literature, that fit with the philosophy of the trivium, and that would work for the whole group across all the grade levels. This led me to the Mystery of History and Apologia science. This is one example of how I made a list and used it to find a good match for us.

You can see how it will help to know your approach and goals ahead of time. If you’re new to homeschooling, you’ll be able to better feedback and suggestions from homeschooling friends and discussion boards if you have specific goals and needs for the curriculum. If you’ve been homeschooling for a few years already and feel that your children aren’t getting enough of their math, for example, or their history, clear goals and needs will help you refine and tweak and make a good choice for a new curriculum. It’s never too late for a little bit of assessment and self-evaluation.

2.) Know how your kids learn.

This is definitely one way in which the Eclectic side of schooling bleeds into the Classical side. Emphasis on learning style is something you might hear about more from a Montessori or maybe even a Charlotte Mason approach. Learning style is, in my opinion, something that should be considered in any approach. (The biggest influence for me on the important of learning style is the book, “How Your Child IS Smart” by Dawna Markova.) If you can clue in to the way that your child learns most easily, you can use that to their advantage when trying to learn new or difficult concepts, such as multiplication tables or memorizing history dates. Likewise, you can easily identify why a child is particularly frustrated with one particular aspect of a project and make a simple change to suit their needs. For example, you might switch an auditory child to less written reports and more oral ones.

One of the biggest areas I take learning style into consideration for is choosing math curriculum. It wasn’t until choosing one that taught directly to her learning style that she was able to progress smoothly and easily and with confidence. Even if you don’t tailor the whole curriculum towards a child’s learning style, you can make use of this knowledge in small ways: choosing flash cards or memory songs or clapping games or copywork to memorize facts, for example.

I also take their learning styles, interests and strengths into consideration when assigning additional tasks and projects for history or science. While notebooking in our Apologia journal, my oldest–who is more confident with her writing and has more patience–is expected to journal more and include more facts than my verbal middle child–who gets frustrated by writing long passages and responds better to dictating what she’s learned while I write. My oldest (visual) is allowed more time to diligently illustrate her journal without rushing her, while my middle (who pays less attention to detail) is simply encouraged to work on neatness and presentation, not perfection.

Even very young children display signs of their preferred learning style. Do they easily memorize songs? Can they easily recall visual details? Can they take a toy apart and put it back together easily? Do they most like to sing, dance, draw or build with blocks? A simple quiz can give you an idea, but you’ll learn most by observing your child. Another note, it wouldn’t hurt to know what YOUR learning style is! You usually teach how you learn (and you may not be teaching how your children learn!) I have a tendency to overtalk my non-verbal child to death. ; )

3.) Know what you want your children to take away at the end of the day.

When you think of Classical Homeschooling you tend to think of something with a lot of structure, and when you think about Eclectic Homeschooling you tend to think of something more relaxed and with a lot of flexibility. When you’re an Eclectic Classical Homeschooler you need a great deal of both. Your Classical side craves order and your Eclectic side screams, “not too much!” Finding this balance may take a lot of trial and error on your part, and may even change as your family size and childrens’ ages change. It will be very helpful, though, if you know what you want your school day to look like and what you want your children to take away from it all at the end of the day/the year/the journey.

Does the idea of school desks in a row with a chiming school bell marking the beginning of the next subject thrill you? Do you get goose bumps when vision your family gathered around the table covered in glue and paper and glitter? I’m somewhere in the middle. I need structure, I want hands on time. I want my children to like learning, to curiously want to learn, and to know how to learn for themselves. I need a situation where subjects follow a routine but where there is plenty of room to explore science and history. Knowing what you want will help you decide if you need a schedule, a routine, a scheduled routine or simply just a “flow” to the day.

What you fill your day up with will depend on how Classical and how Eclectic you are. I want to make sure we spend enough time on science and history and literature. I think it’s important read a variety of literature styles, work with a variety of art mediums and have hands on projects as much as possible. I think it’s important to learn Latin roots (but haven’t yet been swayed towards learning Latin) but do think it’s important to learn a second language. I want my children to see God in all of learning and life so we study God but we also study history and science (and even math has a God-ordained order to it) as a creation of a Sovereign God with a sovereign design. And all of these with my children’s interests and learning styles in mind. The things that are most important to you (the things you listed in number one and number two above) these are the things you’ll fill your day with. You may find yourself adding in nature walks or you may find yourself adding in violin lessons. That’s where the “Eclectic” in front of the “Classical” lends a certain freedom to mix things up and pick and choose.

And now you know what I mean when I say school Classically with an Eclectic Twist.

Exactly what that would like for you would depend on which Classical elements you kept and which Eclectic elements you added in, but at the heart of it all you’d find an education geared towards creating a love of learning, based on the trivium, enriched by literature, well rounded with language and fine arts and usually with a biblical worldview. Things will also grow and change as your children get older and move from craft paint to model volcanoes to building solar robots. I look back over the past few years, particularly last year where we tried a boxed all-in-one curriculum, and I feel there were times that we didn’t do so particularly well at sticking to our “classical roots.” That’s part of figuring out the “eclectic twist” I think. And the good news is that it’s never too late to get back to your roots. This year we’ve added it back in (with a touch of Charlotte Mason thrown in, hello Eclectic!) and it feels like coming home again. This is the most satisfied we’ve all been with our schooling since we’ve begun. Which brings me back to my initial statements, worthy of repeating I think:

You cannot make yourself something you are not and you will not be truly happy with curriculum that doesn’t match your teaching style and homeschooling approach.

What about you, where do you stand in your homeschool journey? Are you looking for your groove? Have you been rocking that groove for many years now? Or maybe you’re just about there, a tweak away from finding your fit. Are you a strictly Classical Homeschooler or do you blend in other elements as well? I’d love to hear!

Photo Credit: Some rights reserved by Corey Leopold

Be sure to visit these brilliant women in this 10 days adventure between February 7th-18th! We love these ladies and we know you do too.

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