Jump to content

Menu

Must-read books and websites for beginner homeschoolers...


Recommended Posts

Ok, so I am now becoming familiar with the WTM/classical approach, but I'd really like to know more! I want to know more about different styles of homeschooling (Charlotte Mason? Unschooling? What else is there?) and books that have just good solid start-up advice for any styles. Websites are fantastic too! We are a Christian household, so Christian books/sites and secular books/sites are both welcome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really enjoyed:

 

*Things We Wish We'd Known (edited by Diana Waring) http://www.amazon.com/Things-Wish-Known-Abundant-Life-Homeschooling/dp/1883002427/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1320704005&sr=8-6

 

* A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison - finished August 2011 - This small, easy-to-read book is an excellent resource for homeschool moms, particularly for those in the elementary years. An educator from the 19th century, Ms. Mason's ideas are widely appreciated in homeschool circles. Even though though we're beginning our 6th year homeschooling, this book was not only a great refresher on Charlotte Mason's principles, but also gave me a great amount of encouragement to be more hands-on and intentional about the ways that we approach subjects like science and literature review. I eagerly recommend this book.

 

 

Here are some of my thoughts on other books:

 

* A Biblical Home Education - (Ruth Beechick) - This book outlined some new-to-me ideas, and expanded on Dr. Beechick's ideas on homeschooling, which I'd already read in many other places. Much of the book was re-hashing (for me), so I can't say it was anything incredibly insightful for me as a mom already a few years into homeschooling. BUT! If I was a new homeschool mom, trying to really get a feel for what is *necessary*, what some of my basic goals ought to be and what school should "look like", I think this book would be quite helpful. She does outline how to base your curriculum on the foundation of God's Word and offers some helpful critiques of each homeschooling "philosophy" out there. I enjoyed the book, and have dogeared a few pages for follow-up from me. I would be hesitant to recommend this book to a seasoned homeschooler, but for the mom with preschoolers or in her first few years of homeschooling, this can be an excellent vision-shaping book.

 

* The Christian Home School - (Gregg Harris) -This book was written more than a decade ago, when homeschooling was still largely a statistically insignificant thing, when Joshua Harris was still unmarried and living at home, and when the Harris twins were kidlets. It was insightful and helpful for me to read what Mr. Harris & his wife were doing even then that has helped to sharpen and shape some of the most challenging and determined Christian young people of our generation. Harris' ideas about homeschooling, parenting, and life will be encouraging for Christian parents who seek to be intentional and interactive.

 

* For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home & School by Susan Schaeffer Macauley - finished 4/12/10 - This classic text on homeschooling took me "a shade under a decade" to finish (not really, that's just a movie line-- it took maybe 4 years!) because when I first picked it up, my oldest was still too young for me to really grasp the value and be able to implement what I was learning in the book. When I picked it up a few months ago (perhaps at the beginning of this year), I found that it was absolutely perfect for this stage of homeschooling... a few young interested learners in our home, and with me having a few years of early homeschooling under my belt. I'm happy to recommend this book as inspirational and challenging for the young homeschooling mom.

 

 

Hope this helps you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...