The Plaths have been following the homeschooling culture for years. They have relied on a specifically chosen curriculum to help their family to understand, internalize and appreciate their lessons.
This article will explore and explain the different aspects of their homeschool curriculum and the way the family chose to bring the educational teachings in the home environment.
Introduction to the Plath Family
Before looking at the specifics of the Plaths’ homeschool curriculum, an introduction to the family is necessary. The Plaths are a homeschooling family who reside in a home in Virginia, USA. The parents, who have no formal education degrees, have chosen to take charge of their children’s education.
The family consists of Brad and Linda Plath, and their four children, Rebecca, Johnathan, Kelsey, and Maureen. Brad and Linda both prioritize their children’s education and dedicate most of their energy and time to making sure that the children are well-educated.
The Plaths’ have chosen to use a combination of traditional and modern homeschooling approaches but in a unique and creative way. They have chosen to incorporate a combination of classical, Charlotte Mason and unit study approaches into their homeschool curriculum.
How the Plaths Actually Follow their Homeschool Curriculum
The family follows a structured yet flexible program of homeschooling. Every day, the family would wake up early and depending on the type of day, the parents would set out a timetable for the day. One of the main reasons why the Plaths chose homeschooling is that it gives the family the freedom to alter the schedule to accommodate different tasks, family events and free time.
However, the parents still maintain a sense of balance in the children’s homeschool curriculum because they understand the importance of learning in the form of a rigid and structured environment. The curriculum taught in the Plaths’ homeschool includes a range of subjects such as Math, Reading, Writing, History, Science and Language Arts.
The family also uses an approach called unit studies where they base their learning around themed units. For example, the Plaths have used a unit study on Ancient Rome, where the family studied all aspects of the culture and civilization to gain a thorough understanding of the topic. The family also integrates homeschool field trips into their curriculum.
The family would try to visit places of educational and historical importance, such as sites of battle from the Revolutionary War and museums to help contextualize the children’s history studies. This is an integral part of their homeschool curriculum because it helps to bring life to what the children are learning.
The Benefits of the Plaths’ Homeschool Curriculum
The Plaths have had great success with their homeschooling approach. The family has noted how their children have developed a great understanding of their curriculum, with the children even taking an interest in the topic before their parents have taught the particular lesson. The Plaths also feel that their homeschool curriculum has enabled their children to develop independent learning skills, they are taught to think critically, ask questions and make connections between different pieces of information.
This aids in their children’s intuition and encourages them to see things from different points of view. The Plaths also strongly believe that it has been beneficial for their children to spend quality time together.
It has enabled them to foster strong family values, preserve their emotions and have strong familial bonds. Homeschooling has also enabled the parents to remain in contact with their children throughout the day and observe their progress.
Conclusion
The Plaths’ homeschool curriculum has allowed the family to combine traditional and modern approaches to create a unique homeschool program. This has enabled their children to learn in a structured and flexible manner and develop strong independent learning skills. Moreover, it has enabled them to foster strong family values and preserve the family bond.
The family has noted that their homeschool curriculum has been successful, leading to the children developing a great understanding of the different topics.