1. Traditional Approach: Synonyms are school-at-home, curriculum-based homeschooling, and structured learning. Families adopting this approach use textbooks, grades, and schedules, much as school do.

2. Unit Studies: Also called integrated or thematic studies. Pick a topic, and study it in depth. Eventually you will cover all school subjects. As an example, a unit study of birds might include reading about a famous ornithologist (language arts), studying bird anatomy and life cycles (science), diagramming migration pathways (math, geography), and building bird houses (math, art).

3. Unschooling: Also called interest-initiated, child-led, or natural learning. Unschooling families trust the student to determine what he needs to learn, when he needs to learn it. Parents facilitate, helping children pursue their interests and goals. All of life is a school and the world is the classroom.

4. Eclectic Approach: Eclectic homeschoolers use all of the above - traditional, unit studies, and unschooling - and anything else that encourages enthusiasm for learning.