Traditional homeschooling is what most people think of when they envision homeschool. The picture usually depicts a kitchen table spread with books and happy children eagerly engaged in their work. Traditional homeschool is sometimes referred to as “school at home” There is a set curriculum and children generally work throughout the day checking of each subject as they go. 

 

What is Traditional Homeschooling?

This style of homeschool is what I am most familiar with as, it is what I use with my children. Traditional homeschool involves a set curriculum. This is usually ordered from a curriculum provider and arrives at your front door in a heavy cardboard box. Sometimes they call it “boxed curriculum”.I am not sure if that’t true or I just made it up but it totally makes sense. 

The Curriculum that you choose will include text and workbooks which will cover all the main areas of education. 

These types of curriculums are usually grade based but many of the curriculum companies will have assessment tests that you can do on their websites to see where to place your child. It is important to do these assessments even when pulling your grade level child from school or switching up curriculums. The reason being is that each company and each curriculum will teach differently. Some things may be covered earlier or later in the way they have put their course work together. 

Traditional homeschooling is much more parent intensive compared to other homeschool styles. For the early years the parent is the teacher. You will teach your child to read by following guided work books and teachers manuals, math is taught in a similar way. Once your child is older they will become more independent in their work and may only require you to check their work or assist if a problem occurs that they can not solve alone. My soon to be third grader is working closer to becoming more independent and I envision that he will be fully independent within the next year or two. 

 

How Much Does it Cost?

This is all dependent on how much you want to spend. Traditional homeschool it probably the most expensive of all the homeschooling styles. Curriculum providers charge a considerable amount to provide a fully comprehensive educational outline and resources for your child. 

There are free providers out there though! I wrote a blog post earlier on how to homeschool for free. There is a lot on information there on free curriculums, resources as well as information on how to go about securing funds to be able to purchase curriculum without having to spend your own money. 

The curriculum we used is called The Good and the Beautiful. It is very reasonably priced and also has a free option to download the pdf version of the language arts books for the elementary aged children. 

A simple google search of “homeschool curriculums” will send you a mountain of results. It is overwhelming. I can’t tell you how many reviews I read and how many different curriculums I purchased before I found the one that worked for my family. 

Homeschool curriculums like these cost a lot but they also have a great resale value. Ebay, facebook groups, and curriculum sales at homeschool events are great places to find used books. I have resold some of my books for 90% of what I had originally paid for them so I am counting that as a huge win. 

One thing to be aware of though is that buying homeschool books can be a little addictive…Don’t say I didn’t warn you! 

 

Pro’s of Traditional Homeschool

• There is very little preparation work on behalf of the parent. This is a huge HUGE benefit for me. I have four kids and have had newborns who refused to sleep at night. I don’t know how I would of coped getting through if I had to plan and prepare my own lessons and resources. The open and go aspect of traditional homeschooling is a huge positive for me. 
• Routine. My kids love routine, I think most kids do. Our days go smoother when they kids know what to expect. When my children get up they do their morning chores then school work starts. There is very little complaining as it is just what is expected. 
• One of my top pro’s of traditional homeschooling is that it is well rounded. Each subject matter is covered and the children are exposed to a vast array of different content. I feel a lot more confident and relaxed that everything is being covered and I don’t have to be continually seeking further resources and experience for them. I can use that time to providing experience based on their passions and interests. 
• I have found most traditional homeschooling curriculums provide a good amount of record keeping and assessment. This aspect is particularly important to be because I like to see how well my child is progressing and to see where they may need improvement. Our state requires us to submit portfolios of work and evidence of learning. Traditional homeschooling makes this very easy. Each year I photocopy my children’s pre-test and post-tests provided. These tests are also beneficial for my children as they are excited to see how well they have done. Some days can be very discouraging as a homeschooling parent, having these records and tests offers the reassurement that you are doing okay. 

 

Con’s of Traditional Homeschool

• Lack of flexibility. Homeschooling allows for a lot of flexibility but this is probably the least flexible of all the homeschooling styles. I plan out my school year in advance and become frustrated if anything messes with my plans. At the moment we are slightly behind and are playing catch up. We have family coming from overseas in a few weeks which will likely push us further behind. It is much easier to deal with at the start of a school year but we are in our last six weeks and I do not want to be doing school over summer! 
• It has a high level of burnout. Homeschool burnout is a thing and if you follow traditional homeschooling you will undoubtedly feel it. It is important to recognise it and address it before it has too big of an effect on you and your children. You may just need to put the books away for a week and go have fun. Surprisingly when you come back to it, you are all much happier and everyone is ready to work harder that it makes up for the time you took off. Just something to be aware of. 
• Less freedom in subject choice. We all remember having to take subjects at school that we have never used in real life. I remember the last day I used a quadratic equation. It was the day I sat my final math exam at 18 years old. Traditional homeschooling is quite similar in that it is cut and dry. 
• Your dining room decor may resemble that of a classroom. I currently have a whiteboard surrounded by pictures of the solar system as, we work on our current science unit. My dream is to have a homeschool room! 

 

Who Would Benefit From Traditional Homeschool?

I think when you are deciding how to homeschool your child it is important to take a long hard look at their personality and adjust your approach to suit them. Most parents will begin with traditional homeschooling because is most closely aligned to what they are familiar with in a traditional school setting. Once parents gain their confidence they will then branch out to explore other methods such as Waldorf or Unschooling or even Charlotte Mason which are all very popular homeschooling methods

Traditional homeschooling would be beneficial for first time homeschoolers who need a bit of support as they dip their feet into the homeschooling world. It takes a lot of pressure and worry off you as a parent and that is very important in the beginning. 

Children who previously thrived in a school setting would do well with traditional homeschooling. There are many reasons for homeschooling and if they were doing well in school they would probably appreciate this introduction as it keeps with the familiarity of what they are used to. 

If your family enjoys predictability then this would also be a good fit. I am a person who likes to know what to expect and to check of boxes. I enjoying knowing that I have completed a task, as do my children. 

 

Homeschooling is a mammoth task and not for the faint hearted for sure. There are days that you question what you were even thinking and then there are the days when you know you are doing exactly what you need to do. It is a roller coaster. No matter the homeschooling style you choose, be assured that it is not set in stone. If it stops working or situations arise, know that it is okay to switch things up. You are the boss!