What Homeschoolers Should Know About the History of Educational Philosophies

In the U.S., homeschooling can be traced back to at least the 17th century, when large groups of Europeans began settling in North America. Because there were no public schools in existence at that time, parents who wished to educate their children had to assume that responsibility themselves. 

In colonial America, the main goal of homeschooling was a religious one: to instill faith-based knowledge and biblical literacy in children. Subjects other than reading and math were only superficially explored, if they were taught at all.  

During class, children memorized Bible verses, hymns, and prayers through rote learning, or a type of superficial learning accomplished through repetition. The instructor occupied a dominant role by dictating religious information, while the student was expected to be submissive and obedient, taking notes and following along quietly.

Homeschooling was a rather informal endeavor during this time period. In fact, children in colonial America spent significantly less time taking lessons than some homeschooled students do nowadays. The absence of regulatory government bodies meant that parents were not held accountable for their students’ learning—or lack thereof. Parents were free to teach when and how they pleased. 

Up until the 1800s, when the first compulsory education laws were enacted, most American students were educated at home. Despite these laws, some parents continued homeschooling their children despite the potential risks. 

Homeschooling methodologies remained relatively unchanged until the 20th century. At that point, scientific breakthroughs aroused researchers’ interests in measuring the effectiveness of different teaching techniques. 

Not surprisingly, educational philosophies now look different than they did 100 or more years ago. This is because research has proven that students learn more from actively taking part in their own education—for instance, by problem-solving, inquiring, reflecting, etc. Teaching methodologies have evolved to reflect such findings. (Since there are active learning activities available for large groups, small groups, and individuals, there’s always a way to incorporate them into lessons.)

Furthermore, the traditional classroom hierarchy, with the teacher having total control and doing most of the talking, has been somewhat abandoned in the United States. It is still the instructor who corrects and disciplines students when necessary. However, instructors, especially at the high school and college levels, are now encouraged to act more as backseat “moderators” in student learning. 

An example of this approach can be observed through the Socratic method, the name of which comes from the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. With the Socratic method, the instructor’s role is to ask the student questions that eventually lead him or her to a conclusion of educational value. The Socratic method is empowering for students because it engages higher-level thinking skills like critical thinking, reasoning, and logic. The instructor is present to give direction to the student’s thoughts, but the student remains at the center of the process. 

Similarly, the 80:20 rule is based on the belief that having a minimum of teacher interference is best. With the 80:20 rule, “The instructor’s goal is to create an environment in every class where the students are communicating 80% of the time and the instructor is communicating 20% of the time.” (It should be noted that the 80:20 rule is a goal for educators, meaning there will be times when achieving such a ratio is not feasible or appropriate.)

While the 80:20 rule was originally implemented in language classes, so that students would have ample opportunity to improve in fluency and pronunciation, it has since been adopted in multiple academic circles. The 80:20 rule is a particularly effective technique for auditory learners, who retain more information from hearing themselves speak.

Since the early stages of homeschooling in America, rote learning has declined in popularity. Educators agree that rote learning can be a useful way to teach straightforward content, such as the alphabet and verb conjugations. However, many believe that when it’s used as the principal teaching technique, it makes for unimaginative lessons and stunted creativity. 

As such, rote learning “is being abandoned for newer techniques such as associative learning, meta cognition, and critical thinking instead of being used as a functional foundation to higher levels of learning.” 

While no parent is expected to be an expert in pedagogy, if you stay abreast of current educational philosophies, you can help your homeschooled child maximize their learning. 

Tiffany Sorensen holds a Master of Science in Spanish-English Translation from New York University. She works remotely from sunny Mexico, where she gives English and Spanish classes, writes educational articles, and designs practice tests for the ACT.