Every club has their “one question.” Here’s what I mean. If you’re into CB radios, the question is, “What’s your handle?” If you find yourself in the slammer, you ask, “So, what-are-you-in-for?” College kids ask each other about their major. And if you find yourself at the mercy of a group of homeschool moms, the question is, “What’s your method?” [Dun, dun, dun, dunnnnn.]

Yes, I’m a homeschool mom, but it’s only because I happen to homeschool my kids. It’s not because I wear denim jumpers and bore people with mono-discussion about curriculums. (I drive a large white van, but we’ll keep that part a secret.) I like talking with homeschool moms about things of substance, but in order to get there, it’s an official requirement to ask another homeschooler about their method.

So, it came as no surprise when walking the crowded halls at the FPEA convention that The Old Schoolhouse editor, Jen Ig, asked me about The Method. It’s weird that I don’t have a canned response for The Method, so I gave her a thoughtful, reflective, insightful, and enthusiastic reply instead.

After a lengthy pause, I said, “Ummm.”

Noticing that this isn’t one of the standard methods, someone in our entourage (either Kris or Kate, I can’t remember, so I’ll call her “K”) tried to rescue me from total embarrassment and decided to prime the pump, “You know. Do you school your kids using the Charlotte Mason approach, classical, unit studies….?”

I felt like a doctor without a scalpel. A baker without a spoon. A lawyer without a lie.

So, “K” mercifully allowed me to save face (I only have one side, you know) and gave me my out, “…or do you use an eclectic approach?”

Bingo. The eclectic approach allows us rebel types to shelter under the safety of a respectable label. Yes, the eclectic approach. Just to make sure, I took an online quiz last night to see What Kind of Homeschooler Are You.

I ended up with the Unit Study label. I felt like a fraud.

I’m not sure we’ve ever done a unit study before. We don’t even have a Konos catalog.

Since we agree that education is conversation and that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, I’d like to contemplate the Deuteronomy 6 Method of Education. It means that we read good books and talk about them. It means that when my husband found a cocoon yesterday, that we examined it and held an impromptu unit study. It means that we talk and tell and practice God’s ways from the time they are born. (And that we apologize when we do not, which is often.) We teach the three R’s and use the same books you do.

We also like to start ‘em young and use all our available resources:

math

In the end though, Jen Ig and K, that does sound kind of eclectic. I think I got it all sorted out now. I’m going to be ready fer ya next time.