Classical vs. Neo-Classical Homeschooling (What’s the Difference—and Do I Have to Pick One?)7/22/2025 Okay, so let’s just say I’ve googled “what is classical education” more times than I want to admit. It can just be hard to nail down that definition you know. And just when I thought I finally had a handle on it… I heard someone say neo-classical, and I was like—wait, what now? Did classical get rebranded while I wasn’t looking? If you're confused too, you're in good company. And if you're not confused, well then… teach me your ways. This post isn’t meant to be super academic or technical—I’m just a homeschool mom trying to figure this out alongside you. Because while we love and truly believe in Classical Conversations, I do get a bit annoyed, and confused, when people decide to split hairs on this topic. So here’s what I’ve come to understand about Classical vs. Neo-Classical education. No pressure, no perfection, just a little clarity for those of us making lesson plans while reheating our coffee for the third time. 🎓 First, what Is Classical Education? At its core, classical education is an old, time-tested approach based on the trivium—which is just a fancy word for a 3-part learning process: grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
It’s all about raising thinkers and life long learners—not just test takers. And it usually includes Latin, Greek, logic, great Western ( not western like boots and cowboys, but western as in writers who are from the west like, Mediterranean, Europe and America) books, and Socratic discussions. It’s rich. It’s deep. And it is a purposeful continuation of the Western tradition. And if I’m being honest… sometimes it makes me feel underqualified. 😂 🌱 So then what’s Neo-Classical? Neo-classical is basically classical’s slightly more relaxed cousin. Still values all the same things—truth, beauty, virtue, wisdom—but it’s more flexible in how you get there. It’s a modern spin that says, “Hey, we love the idea of classical education, but maybe we can adjust it a bit to work better in actual homes with actual kids who don’t always want to recite Latin AND Greek nouns before breakfast.” It really is a beautiful spin encouraged by Dorothy Sayers back in the 40s when she was observing a great NEED in the modern education system. It might blend in other methods like Charlotte Mason or modern literature. It’s usually less rigid and a little more grace-filled. Think: same roots, but adapted for life in 2025.  🧡 Why I Think Both Are Worth Exploring Honestly? You don’t have to choose just one. Some families thrive with a traditional classical structure. There are a lot of classical schools that are great for families who may not be able to educate their children at home. It’s amazing to have these structured options. Others need a little wiggle room—some space to follow a rabbit trail or skip a worksheet without guilt. That’s where a neo-classical education can shine. We’re in our third year of Classical Conversations, which lands more neo-classical—it holds to classical roots, but also gives us a rhythm and community I wouldn’t trade for anything. And here’s the thing I’ve had to learn (over and over again): You can love the philosophy of a method without following every single part perfectly. You’re allowed to adjust. You’re allowed to make it fit your real life. This is how you take control of your childs education. Final Thoughts (Because I Always Ramble) If you’re still figuring out what kind of homeschooler you are—classical, neo-classical, some blend of five styles with a side of chaos—just know that’s okay. These aren’t boxes you have to squeeze into. They’re tools you can use when they help, and gently set aside when they don’t. No method is perfect. But the fact that you’re thinking about this? That you care about what style to follow? That’s what makes you a good homeschool mom. You’re doing much better than you think. Let me know in the comments—do you lean more classical or neo-classical? Or are you winging it like the rest of us? We’re all just figuring it out, one messy, beautiful day at a time. 💛 Lori Lacey To know God and to make Him known 
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 So at this point in the year you maybe asking yourself " Should we or shouldn't we join a co-op this fall? " I've been there. Honestly, probably depending on the area you are located in, you've been asking yourself this question for a while. We’ve been part of a homeschool co-op--Classical Conversations—and we’re heading into our third year. I know. Wild. When we first started, I wasn’t totally sure about it. Part of me loved the idea of community and shared teaching (and let’s be real—someone else handling the science experiments). But the other part of me was like… do I really want to get everyone dressed, packed, and out the door by 8:30am on a Tuesday? (Spoiler: still no. I never do.) But we jumped in, and we stayed. And we've thrived. Since I know some of you are sitting in that “should we or shouldn’t we” space, I just wanted to share a few honest pros and cons—no pressure, no fluff—just what it’s actually been like for us and what I think about co-ops. *Ok but first off though, this IS an important note moving forward, while we LOVE LOVE LOVE Classical Conversations, this is not an ad for it. I truly believe everyone should find the community that is best for their family. And I will always be the first to say that may not always be CC. So please do be in fear proceeding forward. I'm not trying to peer pressure you into anything!* Pros of Joining a Co-op 1. Community. There is nothing like talking to another mom who gets it. Ones who also forgot what week we’re on or who also made her kids cereal for dinner. Just being around other homeschool families helps remind me I’m not totally losing it. Knowing you are going to be around other adults outside of your family is a welcome reprieve in the middle of the week. 2. Group learning is actually kind of fun. My kids love having “class” with other kids. I didn’t think they’d care that much, but turns out—they do. And there’s something sweet about watching them light up because someone else explained fractions. 3. Outsourcing is a gift. I don’t want to do messy science. Or lead book discussions. Or honestly, plan crafts. OMG I don't want to plan any crafts. So if a co-op can take some of that off my plate? I’m all for it. Cons of Joining a Co-op 1. It’s a commitment. You have to get dressed, be on a schedule, and bring things. There sometimes are theme days. Which is fine! But also a lot, depending on your bandwidth. Some weeks I’m thrilled to go, other weeks I do literally have to talk myself into it. The commitment can be tough when you're in the think of kid stuff at home. 2. Not all co-ops are the same. Just being real here—some co-ops feel like a warm hug, others feel like you accidentally walked into a high school clique. If your first one doesn’t feel like a fit, that doesn’t mean all co-ops are like that. Ask questions, go to any open house you can, and ultimately trust your gut. You KNOW when something isn't going to be a good fit for you and your family. 3. Less flexibility. If you’re a spontaneous, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pajamas kind of homeschooler, having a set co-op schedule might feel constraining. For us, it’s been worth it—but I do miss the freedom to ditch everything and go to the zoo on a random Wednesday. So... is it worth it? For us, right now, absolutely yes. Not because it’s perfect, but because I needed help carrying the load. Knowing that we are in fellowship and community with other like minded families has been a complete Godsend and motivator for our homeschool journey. But if it’s not for you? That’s okay too. There’s no one “right” way to homeschool. You’re allowed to say no. Or not yet. Or maybe next year. And if you do join one and your kid licks the whiteboard or refuses to participate or forgets their shoes? Mine has done the same. You got this! Lori To know God and to make Him known Need more information on how to start homeschooling but are completely unsure of where to start?! Start here! Check out my eBook to get you and your family started off on the best foot possible!   So I’ll be honest, when I first heard “Charlotte Mason,” I thought it was a Pinterest aesthetic. You know—lace curtains, watercolor quotes, fresh-pressed nature journals, maybe a goat in the backyard nibbling on a vintage tea towel. And look—I like pretty things. I really do. But I also live in the real world, where breakfast is often just pop-tarts and the toddler is doing somersaults on the couch while I try to remember which child I was supposed to be reading to. So who was Charlotte Mason, anyway? Okay. Tiny history detour (I promise I’ll keep it short because I know someone’s already climbing on the kitchen counter right now). Charlotte Mason was a christian British educator in the late 1800s and early 1900s who believed kids are whole people—not just little buckets to dump information into. She spent her life developing an approach to education that was centered on habits, character, nature, and “living books.” She taught that kids learn best when they’re given rich ideas to chew on—not just facts to memorize. And also? She didn’t believe in cramming in 7 hours of school a day. Bless. Her. So what is Charlotte Mason homeschooling, exactly? At its core, Charlotte Mason homeschooling is about feasting on beautiful ideas through books, nature, art, and real-life conversations. It’s slow and intentional and sometimes a little wild (in a muddy-boots-and-frogs-in-pockets kind of way). Here’s the basic gist:
We’re not hardcore Charlotte Mason purists over here BUT I do believe her style of education has so much to pull from and we’ve borrowed a few things from her style. We love the nature walks that turn into bug hunts. Or reading a chapter of a really good story instead of doing ten pages of a workbook. I have Sam narrate back to me the stories we read but its not that serious. If you’re coming from public school—or you’re Type A (like so many moms I know)—Charlotte Mason might feel a little… too soft at first. Like, “What do you mean we’re just reading and going outside and talking about art?” But if you’re craving a slower, more connected kind of learning—it’s worth exploring. It’s not about perfection. Or adding more. Honestly, it gave me permission to do less—and still feel like we were actually learning. Deeply. And no, you don’t need to buy watercolor paints or go to the woods every day. You don’t need to churn your own butter or start pressing wildflowers between pages of Pride and Prejudice. Start small. Read a story. Step outside. Look at a flower. Wonder out loud. That’s it. That’s the vibe. And on the hard days (because oh yes, there will be hard days), just know this: You’re doing just fine. You’re loving your kids. You’re building something slow and sacred and lasting. You’ve got this. 💛 Lori To know God and to make Him know P.S Find all sorts of Charlotte Mason curriculums here! You can also find a direct link to her 20 points. Go check it out now! Also, are you still interested in homeschooling but really still don't know what it is. Go check out my eBook, it's all about how to start homeschooling.   My love affair with classical education started many years ago, when I first started going to the Great Homeschool Convention. My absolute favorite session was when Martin Cothran from Memoria Press read a chapter from Anna Kerenina and 200 people discussed it in a classical way. I was enamored by the depth we were able to achieve in such a large group. I went home and read the 900 page book myself.
And it was AMAZING. So in full honesty, I have always known we would use the classical model in homeschool. No other method seemed like it would be the right fit. Ok, so the big question… What is classical education? Classical education is a method that teaches kids how to think by teaching and following three stages of learning: memorize (Grammar), understand (Logic), and express (Rhetoric). It’s all about building a strong foundation with facts, then helping kids connect ideas, and finally teaching them to communicate clearly—through great books, big questions, and meaningful conversations. These 3 stages together are called the Trivium. Which sounds vaguely medieval and a little intimidating. But once I actually looked into it, it made SO. MUCH. SENSE. It’s basically teaching kids how to think, not just what to think. And I love that. Ok so let's look at each of these 3 stages of the Trivium:
What does this actually look like in our house? Well… some days it looks like joining our Classical Conversations (CC) group once a week, coming home feeling inspired (and slightly overwhelmed), and then re-listening to the week's memory work in the car while everyone’s eating Veggie Straws. Other days, it’s just singing skip-counting songs while folding laundry. Or reading a library book about Ancient Rome, and then watching a random but surprisingly educational YouTube video about gladiators. It’s messy. It’s flexible. And honestly, it’s kind of beautiful. I won’t pretend I have it all together. I’ve definitely forgotten which week we’re on in our CC guide more times than I want to admit. Some weeks we do memory work in the car, other weeks I completely forget to print the maps. Some days it’s just math and a read-aloud and calling it good. Other days the kids ask big questions and we chase rabbit trails and somehow that feels more valuable than anything I planned. If you’re thinking about classical homeschooling and you feel like you have to have a Great Books list printed out, a Latin curriculum ordered, and a 10-year plan ready to go—I just want to say: you don’t. Start small. Try one thing. Play a song. Read a book. Watch a video. Let curiosity lead you. You don’t have to do all the things at once. Honestly, you shouldn’t. A few memory songs, some good stories, and a lot of grace? That’s classical homeschooling, too. And no—you don’t need to know Latin. Unless you want to. (In which case, I fully support your nerdiness and also need your help translating something from my CC guide.) You’re doing great. Keep going. With you in the mess + the magic, Lori To know God and to make Him known Want some ideas on Classical curriculums? Click here to see what we recommend!  Aka the question every single person asks when you say you homeschool. You know the one.
Okay. Let’s just go ahead and say it together: “But what about socialization?”😅 If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that, I could probably buy a year’s worth of printer ink and crunchy snacks. Maybe even a coffee I don’t have to reheat five times. Here’s the thing. I used to worry about that too. Like, deeply. When we were just starting out, I remember lying awake at night thinking, “What if my kids turn out weird?” (Spoiler: they really are already weird, but in the best kind of way.) So I mean, I get why people ask. It’s not a bad question, really. I mean, we’re used to seeing kids in big groups at school every day, and that feels like socialization. It’s loud, and it’s structured, and there’s recess and lunch tables and group projects and birthday cupcakes with the wrong kind of frosting. It’s what we ALL consider the norm. So pulling your kids out of that can feel…risky. But here’s what I’ve learned: Socialization doesn’t have to look like a classroom full of 28 kids born in the same calendar year. In fact, I’m kinda glad it doesn’t. Because if we are really, really honest about it, thats not actual true socialization. Socialization in homeschool is very different. And honestly? I love that about it. My kids hang out with toddlers and teens and grandparents and new babies and yes, other homeschoolers too. One of their favorite people they see is Rita from church. They make friends at co-op, church, sports, library programs, and in line at Jungle Jims when we’re all melting down and someone’s baby throws a snack cup. These kids and I have real conversations. We’re not just managing behavior for six hours a day—we’re living life together. And yeah, sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes I’m like, “Wow, we need to work on interrupting” or “Can you please not ask the neighbor if they believe in the Loch Ness Monster at 8 a.m.?” But I really believe this is the best type learning. They are literally watching me model life for them. Learning how to talk to people of all ages, how to listen, how to be bored and make up games, how to apologize when they mess up, how to be themselves without the pressure of fitting in or following some 3rd grade lunchroom hierarchy. And honestly? I’m learning too. I’m learning to stop comparing. I’m learning to trust that connection doesn’t have to be crowded. I’m learning that “socialization” might just mean raising kind, curious, slightly awkward humans who know how to hold a conversation and make the best out of a rained-out park day. So yeah. If you’re wondering if your homeschooled kid will be okay socially? I just wanna say: You’re not crazy for thinking about it. It’s okay to be unsure. But I promise, you’re not ruining them. They’ll find their people. You will too. And if not—come over. We’ll be your people. ❤️ Lori To know God and to make Him known  Today we're talking about… learning styles.
Let’s just go ahead and say it — figuring out how your kid learns can feel like a mystery wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a tantrum. One day they love worksheets. The next day they sob over a pencil like it betrayed them. The third their recall over a book they just read was the best you've ever heard! But then the following day they can't read. If you’ve been wondering: “Do I have a visual learner? Or auditory? Or maybe they just learn by osmosis while chewing on a crayon?” You’re not alone. We’ve been there. Honestly, we’re still there sometimes. 😅 But here’s what I’ve been learning the messy, slow way — your kid does have a natural way they take in information. And when you pay attention to it (instead of just doing what the book says)... things just click more. 👀 Visual Learners These are the kids who love pictures, charts, color-coded anything. They might:
What helps:
Curriculum Ideas: 👂 Auditory Learners These kiddos are all about sound. They remember what they heard, not what they read. They might:
What helps:
Curriculum ideas:
✋ Kinesthetic Learners These are the movers. The touchers. The kids who have to get their hands on something to figure it out. They might:
What helps:
Curriculum ideas So How Do You Figure Out What They Are? Here’s what worked for us: Just… watch them. Seriously. Don’t overthink it. Sit back and notice:
And spoiler: most kids are a mix. Mine? Totally auditory and kinesthetic. So we do lots of fidget toys and songs with hand movements and sometimes snacks. Because why not. You don’t have to put your kid in a box. You’re just figuring out what helps them connect with the material better. And that’s not cheating. That’s teaching. Final Thought:There’s no perfect style. No perfect curriculum. No perfect anything. Just a mama doing her best with the kids God gave her. So take a breath. Watch your child. Adjust as you go. You’re doing better than you think. —Lori 💛 To know God and to make Him known  Ok so this is an essay I wrote for an application I filled out. My son does Classical Conversations and we are starting the process of forming our own community. A part of that process is my applying for a community director role to be able to form a CC community.
I have two main observations from Dorothy Sayers essay. The first, is, that it does absolutely blow my mind just how relevant her essay is to today. And while, I would like to think she was an alarmist in how the education system was dying at the time, we can see the proof of its death over the last 2 generations since she wrote her essay. Her warning “Christian ethics which are so rooted in their (Atheists, unsaved,etc) unconscious assumptions that it never occurs to them to question it. But one cannot live on capital for ever. A tradition, however firmly rooted, if it is never watered, though it dies hard, yet in the end it dies” forces you to accept that the tradition of learning from before is dead. The problem with modern education is that students are simply not taught how to learn. By learning each subject in isolation, our youth never see how learning and knowledge are so inner-connected. And by the removal of Christ from our learning, they never see how all learning and knowledge is actually coming from God himself. My second observation after reading this essay, and also about who just was Dorothy Sayers, I believe she would loathe being compared to Charlotte Mason and what Mason has done for education. Sayers never claimed we needed to start with the classical tradition anew, she proposed we go back 300 years and pick up where we left off with some modifications. Those modifications were about starting to teach children who are younger to learn. She still saw the child as a whole person capable of learning for themselves. The Trivium is not the curriculum. It is the tool. All persons are capable of learning anything when we teach them the trivium. In order to understand any subject, we must understand grammar first. In order to learn the grammar of anything we must observe and remember what we are learning. The second phase of learning is the dialectic stage. This is where students learn to reason what it is they’re learning. And then finally there is the Rhetoric stage, where students present and defend their thoughts. Learning to tackle their subjects in this manner sets them up to actually be life-long learners. What do you think? Do you agree Dorothy would hate being compared to Mason today the way she has? Let me know! Lori To know God and to make Him known.  Hey friend — Deschooling.
It sounds like some weird detox plan or something crunchy you'd see on Pinterest next to a sourdough starter... but no. It's real. And it’s kinda important. And this is one of those topics that you don't realize you have to talk about until things are happening and then you're left wishing you had talked about it with someone. So here we are... talking. So I'm going to take you on a thought experiment. Imagine this: You have finally decided to pull your children out of public school, and are PUMPED to just hop right into homeschooling. And you do it. Like... okay, you're grabbing curriculum, buying ALL the pretty notebooks, and doing the thing. Except — It's. A. Mess. You're stressed. Your kids are confused. Nobody is learning anything except how fast you can both cry before 9am. Like what is happening?? What's happening is you are still trying to do school like school. So what is deschooling? Okay, short version? Deschooling is the time you and your kid take to unlearn the “rules” of traditional school — before you dive into homeschooling. It’s a reset. A deep breath. A whole mindset shift. Instead of schedules and checklists and assignments and bells, you just… live life together. Read books. Play outside. Have conversations. Get bored. Be together. And I know. It feels weird. Like, "Shouldn’t we be DOING something?? Like actual school stuff??" Nope. You’re doing it. This part IS the work. Why most of us skip it (and why we shouldn’t) Honestly? We skip it because it feels lazy. Or wrong. Or like we’re falling behind. But deschooling isn’t about doing nothing — it’s about re-orienting everything. You're building trust. You're re-connecting. You're reminding your kid (and yourself) that learning doesn’t only happen at a desk with a worksheet. You're showing them that home is safe and that learning can be joyful. That you’re not trying to be the school they left — you’re building something better, together. So how do you actually do it? Well there’s no magic formula. (Sorry. I wish there was.) But here's some super helpful tips:
So back to that thought experiment. I bet it's a little more real than you care to admit. Take a breath. You don’t have to replicate what didn’t work. This is your time to rest, reconnect, and remember why you chose this path in the first place. Also remember your kid isn’t broken. You’re not failing. You’re both just healing. Because that’s really what deschooling is — a season of healing. One last thing... If you’re just getting started and your days feel weird and hard and a little too quiet or a little too chaotic — that’s okay. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just deschooling. And that’s exactly where you’re supposed to be. We’re in this together. -💛 Lori To Know God and to Make Him Known  Okay, so lets talk. When we first started looking into homeschooling, I legit googled:
“Is homeschooling even legal???” Because it felt… kind of rebellious? A little scary? A little bit like am I even allowed to tell the school I'm not sending my kids in? Like seriously guys, we just moved earlier this year, and I am still nervous about sending in our first letter of intent to the local school district. 😅 I know homeschooling is legal and I'm still nervous. So if you’re here and you’re wondering the same thing—hi. You’re not alone. And yes, the good news is: Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. The slightly more complicated news is... every state has its own rules. Because why wouldn't they all have their own set of laws. 🗺️ Step 1: Check Your State Laws Before you go downloading curriculum or printing a daily schedule (or panic buying every FB sponsored curriculum add you see for the next 6 months)... just pause and check the law in your state. The best site I’ve found for this is hslda.org/legal. You can just click your state and it breaks it down into normal-human language. Some states are super chill—like, just write a letter of intent and you’re done. Others want a little more, like testing or portfolio reviews. But none of it is impossible. 📄 Step 2: The Basics Most People Need Now this totally depends on your state, but here are some things that are common (but not required everywhere):
But you do not need to:
You are allowed to homeschool your kids even if you forgot what PEMDAS means. (Parentheses, Exponents… something, something. It’s fine. We’re fine.) 🙃 Step 3: Don’t Panic. Seriously.I know it can feel overwhelming. But most of this stuff becomes second nature really quickly. When I first started, I was so afraid I’d forget a form or miss a deadline and ruin my child’s life forever. I would (Spoiler: I didn’t.) The truth is, most school districts are used to homeschoolers and the process is actually super doable once you get into it. And for the ones that aren't, stick to what you legally know. Those laws come from the state, not from the local school district. Just because they say something is different from the law doesn't automatically make them right. And honestly? A lot of this is just noise at the beginning.If you can figure out:
Then everything else becomes manageable. You do not have to have it all figured out today. Just take one step at a time. You are allowed to learn as you go. This is a part of redeeming your own education. This is the real life application of that. And I’ll say this too, because maybe someone needs to hear it: You are not under-qualified to teach your child. No matter what your high school GPA was. No matter if you finished college. No matter what your mother-in-law says. God gave you these kids, on this journey, for a reason. You're doing better than you think. And I'm right here, cheering you on. —Lori 💛 To Know God and to Make Him Known  Okay, real talk? I used to think a “real homeschool routine” meant color-coded blocks and laminated checklists and waking up at 6:00 AM with a smile. Spoiler: it doesn’t. And I don’t. 😅 I’ve tried to make quite a few versions of “the perfect daily homeschool schedule” and honestly… most of them lasted about a week. Two weeks if I was in a Pinterest mood. I'm not very good with sticking to a super strict schedule. The more detailed I've made them, the easier it seemed to fail. But I’ve learned a few things the hard way (is there any other way?) and I wanted to share what’s working for us right now. Because building a homeschool routine that actually works is less about structure and more about grace. 1. Start With Anchors, Not Hours I don’t plan by the clock. I plan more by the moments of the day. We eat breakfast — then we do our first subject. We clean up lunch and the youngest goes down for a nap — then it’s read-aloud time. Dinner’s in the oven — that’s when I finally do the dishes I've ignored all day. Routines built around natural parts of the day feel way easier to stick to. 2. Pick 3 Priorities (And Let the Rest Be Bonus) Some days we get math, reading, and CC memory work done. Some days it’s just math and a meltdown... If I’ve hit our 3 core things, I call it a win. I do also try to make sure Sam reads at least 1 book by himself at bedtime, before he goes to sleep. The extras? Art, music, baking, nature walks — they happen when they happen. And they’re lovely. But they’re not required for me to feel like “we did school.” And I feel like when you let these things happen more naturally, they tend to happen more often. 3. Make Room for Life Doctor’s appointments, toddler chaos, weird moods, cereal for dinner — they ALL count. Your homeschool routine isn’t meant to replace real life. It’s meant to fit inside it. One big thing I do, is I purposely do not make any plans for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This allows us to have more spontaneity for fun things in our routine. 4. Keep It Short and Sweet Little kids don’t need hours of seat work. And you know big kids don’t either, honestly. Short lessons, movement breaks, snacks, and grace. Lots of grace. You know when your kids need a break. Don't feel like you have to keep pushing them to finish something just because you have to. It really is ok if you’re still figuring it out how to plan your homeschool day (like I am every year, honestly), you’re not behind. You’re just building something real. Something sustainable. And something that leaves space for both learning and living. You’ve got this. ❤️ Lori To Know God and To Make Him Known |
AuthorLori Lacey is the owner and creator of Journey2Homeschool. Archives
July 2025
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