A Parent’s Guide to Homeschool Styles

In this day and age, “homeschool” can be a bit of a misnomer. Plenty of students who take part in nontraditional educational options aren’t actually learning from home. They are learning at parks, zoos, and museums. They’re taking trips with their families, exploring and experiencing cultures and lands that those in a more traditional setting typically only read about in textbooks. There are tons of different homeschool styles that families can follow!

If learning from the kitchen table is more your style, there are plenty of options for that, too! Choosing a homeschooling style boils down to sustainability. That is, what you as a family can sustain. If loads of field trips and outdoor activities aren’t feasible, you can certainly alter your approach to fit your family’s needs. There isn’t one “correct” way to homeschool, but some of the most popular styles include:

Traditional Homeschooling

Discover a timeless approach to education with traditional homeschooling. This style emphasizes fundamental subjects like math, science, and history, using a structured and systematic curriculum that ensures your child’s success.

Montessori Homeschooling

Unlock your child’s potential with Montessori homeschooling. This style encourages independent learning through self-directed activities and hands-on exploration. Watch as your child develops a lifelong love of learning!

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling

Experience the power of literature-based learning with Charlotte Mason homeschooling. This style emphasizes the classics, nature study, and the arts to foster a deep understanding of the world around us.

Waldorf Homeschooling

Connect your child to the natural world with Waldorf homeschooling. This style incorporates storytelling, art, and movement into the entire curriculum. It fosters creativity, imagination, and a sense of wonder in your child.

Project-Based Homeschooling

Empower your child’s creativity with project-based homeschooling. This style centers on hands-on, experiential learning that encourages children to explore their interests while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Unschooling

Unleash your child’s natural curiosity with unschooling. This philosophy emphasizes self-directed learning, allowing children to pursue their interests and passions at their own pace.

Roadschooling

Take your child’s education on the road with roadschooling. This approach imbues travel and adventure into every lesson, creating a unique and enriching educational experience for your family.

Eclectic Homeschooling

Design a personalized educational experience for your child with eclectic homeschooling. This philosophy allows you to choose from a variety of teaching styles and materials, tailoring your child’s education to their individual needs.

Trying to Choose Between Homeschool Styles?

One of the most important questions you must ask yourself before committing to a particular style of homeschooling is, “How do my kids prefer to learn?” Do they:

  • Thrive in fast-paced environments?
  • Find a thrill in real-world experiences?
  • Enjoy exploring the outside world?
  • Require a more serene environment with little distraction?

Another thought to consider is how you enjoy teaching. If your kids love field trips but they exhaust you, multiple field trips a week is likely not sustainable. It’s important that you find a good balance between your children’s needs and your own.

Some families thrive off structure, while others find a relaxed approach much more appropriate. The list can go on and on, but the beauty in all of this is that you get to choose. Having a choice makes all the difference. 

Miacademy and MiaPrep Can Fit Into All Homeschool Styles

Our curriculum is extremely flexible and completely customizable. This allows parents to use our programs with just about any homeschool style. Does your child work at different grade levels depending on the subject? Would you like to exclude certain subjects or lessons from your child’s schedule? You can do that and more from your parent account with ease! Does your child prefer a more relaxed approach to learning? Would they benefit from the freedom to move at their own pace? Our learning path is completely customizable, student-led and automatically adjusting. 

A common concern for parents who are looking into homeschooling is the quality of the education their children will be receiving. Our sites are accredited through the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges as a supplementary education program. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to our customer service team!

As mentioned above, our curriculum is extremely flexible. So flexible, in fact, that children can take their schoolwork just about anywhere! Our program is mobile-friendly, with many students using tablets and other devices to work in the places they feel most comfortable, whether that be outside, in a comfy spot in their home, or on the road!

If you decide that a particular homeschool style isn’t working for your family, you can easily adjust our program to fit your family’s needs. Parents can easily increase or decrease the amount of structure in their child’s school day right from their parent account.

Join Our Community!

In our parent Facebook group, we answer parent-posed questions and provide helpful information. You can get tips and advice from fellow homeschool parents as well. We hope to see you there!