Homeschooling
What Is Homeschooling?
Homeschooling means you, the parent, guide your child's education at home instead of sending them to a classroom. You choose what to learn, how to learn it, and how fast to go.
For many families, and especially for children who learn differently, that freedom changes everything. A child who struggles in a noisy room of 40 students can blossom with short, calm lessons and a parent who knows exactly what they need.
You don't need to be a teacher. You need love, patience, and a simple plan. We'll help with the plan.
Homeschooling may be a good fit if…
- Your child needs a slower, gentler pace
- Traditional school hasn't worked for your family
- You're waiting on an assessment and want to start helping now
- Your child learns best by moving, touching, and exploring
- You want learning to be part of everyday family life
Two Paths to Homeschooling
In the Philippines, families usually homeschool in one of two ways. Both happen at home. The difference is who keeps the records, who does the teaching, and how much support you get.
You enroll your child with a DepEd-recognized homeschool provider. Your child learns at home, and the provider guides and supports your family.
- Official school records and report cards
- A curriculum or lesson guide to follow
- Regular check-ins and assessments
- An easier move to a regular school later
You teach your child. The provider gives the curriculum, guidance, and assessments.
The provider's teachers lead the lessons, often online. You support at home.
Cost: Tuition fees apply and vary by provider. Teacher-led is usually higher.
You plan and teach everything yourself, with no school or provider involved.
- Full freedom over what and how you teach
- You choose every book and activity
- You keep your own records
- A placement test may be needed to join a regular school later
Cost: Usually lower. You only pay for the materials you choose.
Why we chose a provider, parent-led
A provider gives us structure, official records, and support on the harder days. Going parent-led means we teach our son ourselves, at his pace and the Charlotte Mason way: short lessons, living books, and lots of time outdoors. For our family, it's the best of both worlds.
— The Somera Family
Requirements and fees differ from provider to provider, so it's worth asking a few before you enroll.
Charlotte Mason: A Gentle Way to Learn
Charlotte Mason was a British educator who believed children are whole persons, not empty containers to fill. Her method uses real books, time outdoors, and short, focused lessons. It's gentle, flexible, and works beautifully for children who need extra time.
Stories written with heart by one author who loves the subject. No dry textbooks, just books that make ideas come alive.
Lessons of 5 to 15 minutes, ending while your child is still interested. Attention grows a little at a time.
After reading, your child "tells back" what they remember, in words, drawings, or actions. No quizzes, no worksheets.
Time outdoors every day: watching ants, touching leaves, noticing the weather. The world is the best classroom.
Small, daily habits like attention, kindness, and tidying up, built slowly and patiently, one at a time.
Poetry, music, art, and handicrafts, sprinkled through the week so learning feels rich and joyful.
Made Gentle for Kids Who Learn Differently
How we adapt Charlotte Mason for children with ADHD, autism, or language delays:
Start with 3 to 5 minutes. Stop on a happy note, and grow from there.
A word, a sound, a drawing, or pointing at a picture. It's all real narration.
Jumping, animal walks, or a quick run outside help the body get ready to learn again.
Virtual Library
Classic living books to read together, all free and online. These books are in the public domain, so they're free to read forever.
Gentle, musical poems about play, bedtime, rain, and the world outside the window.
Bouncy nursery rhymes that are wonderful for speech practice and joining in.
Farm animals tell their own stories. A lovely match for farm life and nature study.
Peter Rabbit learns about birds from his feathered friends. Great for backyard bird-spotting.
Traditional stories from Filipino tribes, gathered over 100 years ago. Preview and pick your favorites.
Free audiobooks of many of these classics. Great for car rides and rest time.
A free Charlotte Mason curriculum with book lists for every year.
These books open on Project Gutenberg, a free online library. They were written long ago, so some language can feel old-fashioned. We suggest previewing a chapter before you read it aloud.
Feeling confused and don’t know what to do while waiting for a developmental assessment?
