Homeschooling; the Nuts and Bolts (Part 1)

This post comes from an email I sent to someone requesting more information about homeschooling. A lot of people have questions about the details of homeschooling. I'll try to answer some of those questions in this post, and in part 2.
Although I think homeschooling is wonderful and we have a great time doing it, it isn't for everybody. So don't feel bad if after you've researched the idea you feel it's not for you. There is so much to ask about homeschooling, isn't there? There are tons of different ways to do it. Here are a few that I know of:
1. First, is distance learning. I think this is what most people picture when they imagine homeschooling. You sign up for a complete curriculum and an accredited school (like Calvert) will send you the materials in the mail, and you do what it says. Like I said, it's a complete curriculum. You don't prepare any of the work and you don't choose what materials your children learn from. There is a program here in Utah called k12. Basically, it's public school done at home through the computer and various books. They even send you science materials! It's also free! I think there are only certain times of the year that you can sign up for this though.
2. The Classical approach. This is what we do. This method is best described as the education that our founding fathers had. It's the study of great books through the ages from ancient to modern using a system called the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric). It's academically rigorous. If this sounds interesting to you, a wonderful book to read is called The Well Trained Mind. It will guide you from 1st grade to 12th and tell you exactly how to do it.
3. Unschooling. Unschooling is the polar opposite of the Classical approach. Unschooling is child led education. As I understand it, the child sort of decides what they will learn about and how much they will learn. They are free to follow their interests, talents, and passions.
4. Charlotte Mason. The Charlotte Mason sounds similar to the classical approach with more of an emphasis on narrating what you've read and encouraging students to spend lots of time in nature.
5. Eclectic. Eclectic is a little of every approach. I guess this is us too.
I think all of the methods have truth and merit to them. There are more approaches that I've barely even heard of!
If homeschooling sounds like something you'd like to try you should read a book called Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started Homeschooling. She outlines the legal requirements for homeschooling, answers basic questions, and gives you a few things you need to know before you start. Then she goes into each approach in more detail than I did and directs you to different resources for each approach.
The most important things to know or think about before homeschooling in my opinion are:
1. Choose a method that speaks to you and seems to fit your family and parenting style. Don't try to do it the way someone else does. You've got to do what works for you .
2. If you're going to homeschool, you need to enjoy being with your child/children.
3. Homeschooling won't solve discipline problems. However, homeschooling provides you with time to get to know your child better, and you are more aware of what is causing the trouble.
4. It's a sacrifice of time on the part of mom (or whoever is responsible for the teaching). Your hobbies will have to wait (at least until the kids are in bed for the night).
In the next part of the post, I'll get into the classical approach in a little more detail and show you what our typical day looks like.
Good luck,
Kristy