Glossary · Canada
Homeschool glossary
The words you'll meet when you start homeschooling in Canada, explained in plain English, with links to our full guides.
- Charlotte Mason
- An approach based on the ideas of the 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason: short lessons, "living books", narration, nature study and the arts. Learn more →
- Classical education
- An approach built around three stages — grammar, logic and rhetoric — with a strong emphasis on history, literature and writing. Learn more →
- Co-op
- A group of homeschooling families who share teaching, classes, activities or costs, often meeting weekly. Learn more →
- Credit
- A unit of high school course completion counted toward a provincial diploma. How homeschoolers can earn credits differs between provinces. Learn more →
- Deschooling
- A settling-in period after leaving school, when families slow down and let a child adjust before starting structured learning at home.
- Distance learning
- Courses taken online or by correspondence through a public or independent school. Students in these programs are usually enrolled students, not homeschoolers. Learn more →
- Eclectic homeschooling
- Mixing methods and resources — for example a structured math program with interest-led projects — to suit each child. Learn more →
- Learning plan
- A written outline of what and how you plan to teach. Several provinces ask homeschoolers to submit one; others don't. Learn more →
- Ministry of Education
- The provincial or territorial government department responsible for schools. In Canada, education is a provincial responsibility, so there is no national homeschool law. Learn more →
- Montessori
- A child-led, hands-on approach based on the work of Maria Montessori, most often used in the early and primary years. Learn more →
- Notification
- Telling your province or territory (or a school board or division) that you are homeschooling. What's required, and when, differs between provinces. Learn more →
- Portfolio
- A collection of dated work samples, photos and notes that shows a child's learning and progress over time. Learn more →
- School board
- The local body that runs public schools in an area (called a school division or district in some provinces). Some provinces have homeschoolers notify their local board. Learn more →
- Unit study
- Teaching several subjects through one theme, such as the ocean or a historical period; popular with families teaching several ages together. Learn more →
- Unschooling
- Interest-led learning that follows the child's curiosity and everyday life rather than a set curriculum. Learn more →