“...She must ask herself seriously, Why must the children learn at all? What should they learn? And, How should they learn it? If she take the trouble to find a definite and thoughtful answer to each of these three queries, she will be in a position to direct her children’s studies…(Home Education, Vol. 1 p. 171)
I just love the words of Charlotte Mason in Volume 1 of her book. She is speaking to the parent in this section of her book and we can safely assume that having an opinion of education is as much for the teacher as it is for the parent. If we’re going to take the time to inquire of our teachers what they believe about education and how students are to learn best, then we should take the time as parents to form an opinion on the matter too. What she is asking us to do here is essentially develop an individual philosophy of education. As home educators it’s important that we form our own philosophy as well.
Once you’ve determined what your “why” is and know the vision for your homeschool, you can now begin to craft your own personal philosophy of education. Your philosophy is what you believe about education. Ask yourself these questions to help shape what you believe:
What is the purpose of education?
What is your role as educator?
How do children learn best and in which environments?
Why must children learn? What should they learn? How should they learn it? Can all children learn?
What are your goals for your children? Long term & short term?
What is your goal as an educator?
What is the importance of discipline and habit training in education?
This will take time to consider but the formation of your philosophy will explain wha
As you begin to answer these questions, you can also begin researching other educational philosophies and see which ones you align with. You will find that you may agree with one more than others or align with several. That’s okay! You may also find that over time and with the more experience you gain that your philosophy may change, grow, or adapt. That’s okay too! There are a few homeschooling philosophy quizzes online that can help you figure out which philosophies you might align with, without necessarily having to do any research on the side. Eclectic Homeschooling has a great quiz that I will link in my profile. Some of the popular philosophies out there are:
Classical
Charlotte Mason
Unschooling
Montessori
Eclectic
Waldorf
Reggio Emilia
Project Based Learning
Unit Studies
And sooo much more!!!
Before the beginning of every school year, I take some time to reflect on my philosophy. I see if anything has changed or not, make changes if necessary, and make sure that everything is current and up-to-date. Your philosophy will help guide every decision you make. It will explain why you choose certain curricula, best practices, or how you teach. Knowing what you believe about education will help you focus on what matters most, help align your goals, encourage & motivate you, and serve as a compass for you to stay your course.
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