Golden Eagle Charter School
Philosophies & Approaches
Listed below are popular educational philosophies and approaches of homeschooling families. While many families ascribe to a specific philosophy, there are many who adopt an “eclectic” approach; taking aspects that fit their child and the family’s values. Your EF would be happy to discuss these options with you.
Scroll down to view these approaches, or, click on a heading below.
WALDORF
MONTESSORI
CHARLOTTE MASON
CLASSICAL APPROACH
UNSCHOOLING
UNIT STUDY
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
WALDORF
Rudolf Steiner (1861 - 1925) is probably best known as the developer of what is known as a "Waldorf" education and its related philosophy, anthroposophy. He established the first Waldorf school in Stuttgart Germany after World War I for the children of Waldorf Astoria cigarette factory workers. There are currently over 700 Waldorf schools in more than 50 different countries.
Through an arts-based, multi-sensory curriculum, Waldorf educators attempt to address each individual child's developmental level, gifts, talents, temperament, and learning style. Competition and grades are not emphasized. The arts, practical skills, movement activities, and academics are integrated throughout the curriculum. Each is considered equally essential to healthy human growth and development.
Steiner was an early proponent of a "holistic" education in which the physical, emotional, and cognitive needs of children are addressed. He believed individuals move through three distinct developmental stages on their way to maturity: early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. The Waldorf curriculum is designed to nurture the whole child while taking advantage of each developmental stage's learning strengths. Waldorf adherents believe that children can be damaged if they are hurried through childhood and encouraged toward intellectual development before they are maturationally equipped for such pursuits.
During the early childhood stage (ages birth through seven), computer-usage, television, and pressure to learn to read or master academic skills are avoided. The main emphasis is to provide activities in which the child explores the environment through physical, creative, and sensory activities. At this level the curriculum emphasizes a rich, oral language environment; free play; fantasy; imitation; poetry; fingerplays; puppet shows; singing and rhythm activities; movement games; celebrations of festivals; arts and crafts activities; cooking and baking; gardening; cleaning; sewing; fingerknitting; construction activities; nature studies; etc.
In the middle childhood stage (ages seven to fourteen), the child is encouraged to learn through his/her imaginative and artistic faculties. Academics are taught through creative, artistic, imaginative activities. Cooperation is highly valued and students are not evaluated by a traditional grading system. Textbooks, flashcards, and worksheets are avoided. Typically students record their learning experience in lesson books.
At the adolescent stage, (ages fourteen through twenty-one), the Waldorf curriculum emphasizes the development of intellectual and conceptualization abilities. It is believed that students at this stage are developmentally ready for such academic endeavors. The student is encouraged to develop a sense of responsibility for the world and a sensitivity to self and others. Textbooks are likely to be used only as supplements to regular lessons. The Waldorf teacher provides experiential lessons, hands-on experiments, primary sources for literature and history, etc. The adolescent is purposefully exposed to a wide variety of experiences and encouraged to explore various interests, capacities, and life circumstances in preparation for adulthood.
MONTESSORI
Early in the twentieth century Dr. Maria Montessori developed educational materials and methods based on her belief that children learn best by doing, not passively accepting other people's ideas. This approach to learning promotes the active personal pursuit of many different experiences: Physical, social, emotional, cognitive. With the materials Montessori devised, an environment in which such learning takes place can be created.
Montessori philosophy holds that learning should occur in multi-age environments where children at various stages of development learn from and with each other. Her developmentally appropriate approach was designed to fit each child instead of making each child fit the program.
Montessori teachers know that children learn more by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting, and exploring than by just listening. Training prepares educators to create dynamic, interactive learning environments that encourage their student to reason, cooperate, collaborate, negotiate, and to understand. Their goal is the development of an autonomous individual, competent in all areas of life, not merely someone with the "right" answers.
The aim of Montessori education is to foster competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers. Learning occurs in an inquiring, cooperative, nurturing atmosphere. Students increase their own knowledge through self-and-teacher-initiated experiences. Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn through manipulating materials and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas. The individual is considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important. Respect for oneself, others, the environment, and life is necessary to develop a caring attitude toward people and the planet.
CHARLOTTE MASON
The Living Books model of education is based on the writings of the British educator, Charlotte Mason (1842-1923). Her unique approach is also sometimes referred to as the "Life Experiences", Charlotte Mason, or CM approach. It is a child-centered, literature-based educational model that aims to lead children to a lifelong love of learning. There has been a recent revival of this educational model as a growing number of teachers and homeschoolers apply Charlotte Mason's methods in their classes and/or homes.
During her lifetime Charlotte Mason's ideas were considered quite innovative. It was common in England to view children as not quite complete beings that "should be seen and not heard". Mason was instrumental in bringing about important educational reforms. Her approach is based on the belief that children's minds are not empty containers that need to be filled with knowledge. Instead children are viewed as naturally curious, capable, and eager to learn. Children are respected, trusted and encouraged to think and participate in the learning process.
Charlotte Mason's approach requires children's active involvement with real things in real life situations. Students are provided ample time in which to discover, think, play, and create. Individual learning strengths, interests, capacities, and developmental levels are considered and addressed. The students' natural hunger for knowledge is fed through interaction with a wide variety of quality educational materials. The importance of good character is stressed. Children are trained to develop good habits, thoughtfulness, responsibility, attentiveness, and self-discipline.
The Living Books model stresses that students be exposed to real, "living", whole books that are well written, engaging, and fact-based. It is believed that such books contain ideas that stimulate the students' intellectual and moral development. Dumbed down literature, textbooks, workbooks, and other "twaddle" are avoided. Students are trained to participate in narration activities in which they "tell back" what they have learned. This method of narration is believed to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and improve the students' abilities to comprehend and retain information.
The Living Books curriculum covers traditional school subjects. Children are taught to read, write, and do math. They study history, science, geography, art, literature, and the humanities through engaging, quality literature. Typical Living Books learning activities include nature walks, observing and collecting natural things, visits to museums and art galleries, field trips, exposure to quality music, journal keeping, book sharing, copywork, dictation, poetry, reading, narration, various writing activities, drawing, open discussions with teachers/parents, etc.
CLASSICAL APPROACH
In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the academically-challenging classical model of education. The classical approach is a history-based, idea-oriented educational model that exposes students to the great minds of the past through literature, essays, philosophy, etc. It has been successfully used to educate students for hundreds of years and has produced many of history's great minds. Advocates of this language-intensive approach believe the key to educating students is to provide them with intellectual tools that will help them learn to teach themselves.
Dorothy Sayers is one of those associated with the recent interest in classical education. Sayers was an English writer and scholar who became concerned that people were displaying a general lack of intellectual ability to discern and think logically. She proposed that without critical thinking abilities the citizenry could be too easily influenced and persuaded by such tyrants as Adolf Hitler. In 1947 she advocated a return to the classical form of education through presentation of her well-known essay "The Lost Tools of Learning". Those "lost tools" of learning include language and thinking skills that can be applied throughout one's life.
Advocates of the classical approach believe that children move through certain developmental learning stages. The learning strengths of each of those stages are considered carefully as classical educators systematically teach students to learn in three sequential, interrelated levels. They apply teaching methods they consider appropriate at the various levels in order to help students learn more effectively.
The three level process for educating students using the classical approach is called the trivium. The three levels include the grammar, dialectic/formal logic, and the rhetoric stages. The trivium educational pattern is designed to train students to learn and apply facts, think logically, and express themselves effectively.
Grammar stage (elementary grade level) - At this stage, children display a natural ability to memorize and absorb large amounts of information. The emphasis at this level is on filling the students' minds with facts and on developing and refining their skills of memorization, observation, and listening.
Dialectic / Formal Logic stage (middle school level) - At this stage, children begin to demonstrate independent and abstract thinking. Teaching at this level, takes advantage of the students' natural tendencies to argue and question. Students are trained to support their ideas with facts, draw logical conclusions, and recognize flaws in arguments.
Rhetoric stage (high school level) - At this stage children become more concerned with how they are perceived by other people. Knowledge and skills acquired from the prior stages are applied and built upon. Students are trained to write and speak with clarity, eloquence, and persuasiveness in order to present their ideas and express themselves effectively.
UNSCHOOLING
Prior to the early 1900s, most Americans received their formal education at home. Home-based education became rarer as public schools became the norm and compulsory attendance laws were enacted nationwide. Not everyone believed that public schools were doing a good job of educating our citizenry. There has been a growing frustration with public education as the literacy rate continues to decline. Various educational reformers have voiced their concerns and presented ideas that they believe will result in improved education.
In late the 1960s education reformer, John Holt, presented ideas that some believe were the beginning of the modern homeschooling movement. Holt viewed learning as a natural process. He proposed that what goes on in a traditional classroom destroys a student's innate desire and drive to learn. After frustration with attempts to reform the education system, Holt began encouraging parents to keep their children out of school and to "unschool" them at home. The growth in the number of homeschoolers in the last several decades shows that many have considered and followed Holt's advice.
Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons. Homeschoolers represent many different educational philosophies, life styles, and worldviews. One style of homeschooling is commonly referred to as "unschooling". Some also refer to it as relaxed, natural, or flexible homeschooling. Unschooling is a less structured learning approach that allows children to pursue their own interests with guidance and support from their parents/guardians.
Although it is difficult to define unschooling, there are certain tendencies among unschoolers that include:
- Trusting children to be responsible to learn what they need to know and encouraging them to pursue such knowledge.
- Taking advantage of unexpected educational opportunities and "teachable moments" since everyday experiences become a base for education.
- Allowing children to pursue learning in their own way; at their own pace.
- Providing adequate amounts of time and space so children are able to actively participate in in-depth study of their areas of interests.
- Recognizing that learning is an interactive, intrinsically rewarding process that occurs most effectively when chosen and directed by the learner.
- Viewing the parent/teacher as a nurturing, positive role model who interacts freely with the child and facilitates the learning process, rather than being a "teacher".
- Providing children with an enriched environment that invites invention, experimentation, exploration, discovery, and research.
- Providing children with exposure to the real world since the world is considered the classroom.
- Surrounding children with books, educational resources, interesting materials, the arts, a wide variety of people and life experiences, etc.
- Honoring and respecting individual learning styles, interests, talents, gifts, and rates of growth and development.
- Allowing children to be children; not hurrying them through childhood.
- Recognizing that learning is an incremental, lifelong process that occurs everywhere, all the time.
- Believing that knowing how and where to obtain information is more important than memorizing facts.
- Believing a personalized approach is far superior to any one-size-fits-all curriculum educational model or set curriculum. Students choose, plan, and carry out their own learning activities.
- Believing children learn academics best when they see the personal need for them.
- Actively participating in meaningful, "real-life" learning activities that include: volunteerism, field trips, mentorships, apprenticeships, classes, correspondence courses, private lessons, library/internet research, hands-on activities, practical and creative arts, gardening, home projects, etc.
UNIT STUDY
The unit study model is a brain-compatible, multidisciplinary, interest-directed approach to education. As a teaching tool, the thematic unit encourages the in-depth study of a topic over several days, weeks, or months. In the traditional model of education academic subjects are studied separately. A unit study blends several academic subjects with a common thematic thread.
The unit study approach is believed to provide a more natural structure onto which knowledge and understanding can be built. Children are assisted in viewing a topic globally rather than presented with unrelated facts. Curiosity, independent thinking and a life-long love of learning are fostered. The topic is revisited and reinforced over the entire period of the unit study. This approach is believed to provide more effective learning, improved comprehension, and better retention.
An in-depth unit study is likely to include many types of learning activities and utilize a wide variety of resources. It allows a diverse group of students to learn together while addressing individual needs. Each student's age, abilities, learning style, and developmental level can be accommodated with challenging, individualized assignments.
A topic for study may be chosen and developed by students and/or teachers. The study unit might be self-contained or used to enrich and expand materials presented in a textbook or workbook. Teachers may create their own unit or choose to purchase a commercially developed one. The internet is a good source for unit study ideas. Topic choices may be generated by such sources as literature selections, the calendar year (seasons, holidays, significant dates, etc.), current events (olympics, elections, an earthquake, new technology, etc.), upcoming events (planting a vegetable garden, camping at the ocean, visit from friends from a different country or state, etc.), or a child's interest (dinosaurs, bugs, sports, fashion, etc.).
Suggested learning activities in an unit study related to the topic of "Elections" might include: reading and writing about the candidates (language arts); learning about statistics, percentages, and polling results (mathematics); researching and discussing the various states, the election process, past elections (social studies); researching the candidates' stands on an environmental issue related to the election or the changes in technology used in counting votes (science); debating issues; volunteering at a compaign headquarters; a field trip to the state capital; attending a local city counsel meeting; creating campaign posters, songs, campaign slogans, commercials, or political cartoons;internet and/or library research; discuss various movies (such as MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, THE CANDIDATE, THE WAR ROOM), media coverage of political conventions, etc.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
The concept behind the International Baccalaureate (IB) model of education originated among the "international schools". It was developed to fill what was seen as a need for a rigorous, academically challenging education approach for students worldwide. The IB model is considered holistic in that it addresses a students' social, emotional, cultural, physical, as well as academic aspects.
IB learning activities are considered developmentally appropriate for students in their corresponding program levels. There are three levels available: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 3-12, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for ages 11-16, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for ages 16-19. The three programs are related but independent. Enrollment in the lower levels is not required for success in the Diploma Program. IB is also offered at "United World" colleges in several locations throughout the world. Students are provided a cultural experience as part of their total education program.
The IB level program that is probably most familiar is the Diploma Programme (DP). The DP provides excellent preparation for university level studies. Upon successful completion, a student receives the IB diploma which is recognized and honored at universities throughout the world. The two-year DP program is designed for highly motivated secondary students. The academically challenging DP is a liberal arts program which contains additional courses that are unique to IB. Those unique IB courses include "theory of knowledge" (interdisciplinary coursework), "CAS" (150 hours in creative-, action-, and community service-related endeavors), and an in-depth study into an area of interest to the student.
There are currently over 600 active IB schools in more than 80 countries throughout the world. In order to be recognized as IB, a school must be approved by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). IB approved schools have demonstrated their ability to provide a high quality standardized IB program for the student population they will serve. In order to maintain their accreditation, schools must adhere to the strict IB guidelines. The highly qualified and specially trained IB instructors are allowed some flexibility within the standardized IB scope and sequence, teaching methodology, and student assessment strategies.
IB schools are communities of active learners in which education and knowledge are highly valued. The comprehensive, interdisciplinary IB curriculum provides traditional academic subjects as well as courses in the arts, foreign languages, physical education, business, technology, personal and social development, etc. The IB approach is believed to encourage the development of good work habits, productivity, self-discipline, social responsibility, and excellent oral and written communication skills. Students are encouraged towards inquiry, critical thinking, reflection, and risk-taking. Due to IB's global worldview, students move toward open-mindedness, intercultural/global awareness, and a deeper understanding and care of others.