HSSN Monthly News Vol. 1-Issue 17-9/27/23

Hello Everyone,

We are in the swing of things in early Fall and our autistic son is now a senior in high school! Wow how time has flown:-). For my new subscribers, Thanks so much for joining us here at HSSNTidBits and for those that have been with me from the beginning. Thanks so much for your support:-). Now Let’s get to it!
~M.

Get your little scholars ready for the new school year with Cratejoy’s special collection of all-in-one Back to School Kits!

crop black female teacher teaching kids remotely on laptop — Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels.com

Homeschooling Methods

For many people, homeschooling may call to mind the picture of two or three children sitting at a table and writing feverishly in their workbooks, while mom or dad stands nearby. This is the not entirely true. There are different methods of homeschooling, and the method you choose will decide the curriculum and your style of teaching. Given below are some of the most influential and popular homeschooling methods.

The Charlotte Mason method:

Charlotte Mason is known as the founder of the homeschooling movement. A homeschooler herself, she was passionate in her zeal to lay out the foundations for an effective and complete homeschooling program that is fun and educational at the same time. This method focuses on all the core subjects with emphasis placed on classical literature, poetry, fine arts, classical music and craft. Mason used a variety of books from classical literature, which she called ‘Living Books’. Since this method encourages a passionate awareness of literature, the child is read to daily from the ‘Living Books’. After this, the child is asked to narrate what she has heard. This process begins at the age of six, and by ten the child is expected to write her narrations in her book. Mason also advocated the use of ‘Nature Diaries’. After each short and interesting lesson, the child is asked to go to Nature and draw observations from Nature. Thus, the child also gains a sense of respect for her environment. Mason believed that development of good character and behavior was essential to the complete development of the child’s personality.

The Eclectic Homeschooling:

This is a mixture of various homeschooling techniques. Here, the innovative parents trust their own judgment and pick out the topics that make the best curriculum for their child. Such parents continuously look out for the best products that will meet the needs of their homeschoolers. Most Eclectic homeschooling curriculums are improvised. This means that the basic curriculum is ready-made. The parents then make changes in the curriculum to accommodate the individual needs and interests of their children.

The child’s gifts, temperament, learning style and interests dictate the curriculum. Eclectic programs include visits to the museum, libraries and factories.

Buy Your Crafting Supplies Now at Dollar Tree starting at $1.25!

Unschooling:

A Boston public educator named John Holt laid the beginnings of the unschooling method. He believed that children learned best when they are free to learn at their own pace and when they are guided by their own interests. His message was to ‘unschool‘ the child. This method is a hands-on approach to learning, where the parent takes definite cues from the children. There is no definite curriculum, schedules or materials. This method is the most
unstructured of the various homeschooling techniques.

The Montessori Method:

This method began in Italy, when it was observed that children have acute sensitive periods, during which they undergo periods of intense concentration. During such phases, a child will repeat an activity till he gains a measure of self-satisfaction. The Montessori method depends on a prepared environment to facilitate learning. All the materials used in this method are designed to satisfy the inner desire for spiritual development of the child.
The materials used progress from simple to complex, and are rather
expensive.

Save 33% on home learning activities proven to boost classroom confidence

These are just a few of the methods of homeschooling. Whatever the method, the underlying factor is flexibility and a keen interest in the desires of the child. The secret is to use the child’s desire for knowledge to further his education.

September is here!

Did you create some memories with your loved ones this summer? We did lots of reflection of how far we have come when it comes to advocating for our autistic son.

Now we are in his senior year of high school and there is so much more to do, such as trying to figure out next steps and, in a nutshell, ‘Life After High School’ (Read More Here)