**Please note: Connecting Waters Charter School is neither advertising nor advocating these resources, their links, suggested materials, opinions, or beliefs. Keep in mind that restrictions apply to what materials may be purchased with public funds. Your ES can provide you with further clarification of which resources are acceptable for instructional funds purchasing.
Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore were early advocates in the modern homeschooling movement. They have written several books that are popular with homeschooling families. Their holistic "delayed academics" education model has been applied successfully by thousands of home and school educators worldwide. The Moores developed "Delayed Academics" after Dr. Moore participated with other leading American educators in U. S. Office of Economic Opportunity sponsored research into the way young children learn.
The research study findings suggested that children are likely to be physically, emotionally, and mentally damaged if required to do traditional classroom learning before they are maturationally ready. With inadequate life experiences upon which to build new concepts, children are unlikely to learn effectively. Children who spend the majority of their time with same-aged children become peer dependent.
Basic proposals of the delayed academics model include:
- Formal education should be delayed until the child is mentally, physically, and emotionally ready for such academic pursuits.
- Children have different learning styles, interests, rate of development, etc.
- Personal responsibility and good work habits develop through participation in family work activities, service projects, and home businesses.
- Children's association with peers should be limited and guided. The real world exposes children to people of a variety of ages, interests, abilities, etc.
- Children should be encouraged to spend equal amounts of time and effort on study, family activities, and community service.
- The most effective teachers for children are nurturing, involved, affectionate adults who provide an enriched learning environment and exposure to a large quantity and variety of literature, music, practical and creative arts, and life experiences.
- Encouraging an unstructured learning approach for younger children; unit studies or projects for older children.
Additional Resources:
Please refer to "Unschooling" and "Unit Study" educational approaches also.