Traditional Homeschooling
Families who are new to homeschooling, particularly those who are accidental homeschoolers, often begin their home education adventure using a traditional homeschooling style. This approach is also sometimes called “school-at-home” because it leans on the educational model that most of us are primarily familiar with. On this page we will take a look at what traditional homeschooling looks like, the types of curricula that traditional homeschoolers often utilize, and how the Time4Learning program supports families using this approach.
What Is Traditional Homeschooling?
Traditional homeschooling is essentially doing school-at-home, using similar methods to those used in public or private schools. Because this is the educational model that parents are most familiar with, many new homeschooling families begin their journey by purchasing textbooks, desks, wall posters, and other items that mimic the conventional school setting.
In addition, traditional homeschoolers usually utilize a lecture teaching style, have their days solidly scheduled, make frequent use of tests and quizzes to track progress, and try to align their curriculum with what their local school follows. Although many families migrate away from this style as they gain more confidence with homeschooling, it is a popular approach for those who are concerned with “getting it right” or who appreciate the familiarity and accountability that traditional homeschooling provides.
Benefits of the school-at-home homeschooling style include:
- It gives new homeschooling families a touchpoint for where to begin
- It provides structure and familiarity to students and parents
- It smooths the transition back to school for students who will only be homeschooling short-term
- Recordkeeping and assessments are straight-forward
- It provides confidence to parents who wonder if they are doing “enough”
Traditional Homeschool Curriculum
A traditional homeschool curriculum can range from textbooks to online options offering a detailed scope and sequence for parents to follow. These traditional homeschooling programs can come in an “all-in-one” or “curriculum in a box” package. They usually emulate school curricula by offering textbooks, workbooks, literature, science supplies, and other educational supplies.
Families who follow a traditional homeschool method are also concerned with making sure their homeschool uses grade-level appropriate curriculum. Having lesson plans to follow or a grade-by-grade curriculum overview takes the guesswork out of planning a student’s homeschool day. Parents often choose a single program or mix of programs that offer a predictable routine and plenty of guidance for how to execute their day.
How Time4Learning Works with the Traditional Homeschooling Method
Time4Learning is an exceptionally popular curriculum for those new to homeschooling or those who prefer a comprehensive option. Families who appreciate a traditional homeschooling approach choose Time4Learning because it:
- Is easy and all the information is already laid out
- Offers a standards-based core curriculum that meets or exceeds standards in all 50 states
- Allows students to work sequentially through complete grade levels (or to pick and choose specific lessons and activities for remediation and/or review)
- Requires no parental lesson planning or preparation; children can operate the online platform independently
- Is extremely cost-effective in that all elements of the program are accessible with a single monthly subscription
- Includes a strong, online community for parents to connect with other homeschoolers for advice or support
- Provides an activity planner that allows parents to stipulate and track exactly what they want their homeschooler to accomplish within a given day/week/semester/year
- Integrates detailed assessment and reporting tools for tracking everything needed for a homeschool portfolio
Time4Learning is a convenient, online homeschool curriculum that combines education with interactive fun. Student-paced multimedia lessons, printable worksheets, ongoing assessments and detailed reporting make our learning system an effective and affordable choice for homeschooling.
Additional Resources on Homeschooling Styles
Want to know even more about the different approaches to homeschooling? The following pages can help:
- Homeschooling Styles Overview
- Roadschooling
- Worldschooling
- Unschooling
- Eclectic Homeschooling
- Classical Homeschooling
- Montessori Homeschooling
- Homeschooling with Unit Studies
- Charlotte Mason Homeschooling
- Waldorf Homeschooling
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