On the last episode, Favorite Homeschooling Books – Philosophy, we look a look at some of my favorite homeschooling books related to educational philosophy. If you missed it, be sure to go back and have a listen! It is important to form our own beliefs about education and develop/refine a philosophy.
Now I want to explore some books that have helped me with the “nuts and bolts.” Admittedly, I am more of a “learn by doing” type of person, but these books have given me some good ideas and a jumping off point for my own methods and ideas.
Some of the books on this list are ones that I have not read, but have reviewed enough to know they are gems worth reading! For example, “Learning in Spite of Labels” is directed at parents of special needs children and thus does not pertain to me. However, I know the author and her philosophy, and I’ve read enough excerpts to highly recommend it.
So, let’s jump in!
Mary Pride’s Complete Guide to Getting Started Homeschooling by Mary Pride – This is my very favorite resource to recommend for brand new homeschoolers! What I love about it is that it really is what it says… “complete”! Mary goes through every topic imaginable with homeschooling, tackling learning styles, educational philosophies and methods (the 12 most popular homeschool methods), educating the gifted and special needs child, testing and evaluation, and many common questions the newbie may have. This book was my crash course one summer when my kids were young and I was still figuring things out! It was really instrumental in helping me being exploring my own philosophy of education and what I wanted for my children. Until I read this book, it had not even occurred to me to figure that out!
Playful Learning: Develop Your Child’s Sense of Joy and Wonder by Mariah Bruehl – I’m not sure how I came across this lovely, inspiring book, but it’s one that you just want to pick up again and again. It almost has a “coffee table” book feel about it. The pages are those clean, smooth pages that show off photos so beautifully. Okay, I know… That may seem a silly virtue to start with. Content is pretty important, after all! But when you have exclellent content in such a nice package, it is hard to not get a little giddy. The photos and layout are inspiring… like holding somoene’s Pinterest account in your hands. But I suppose I should at least mention something of the content. 😉 I love that this book, while focusing on the importance of play, helps parents to gently guide their children’s play to help develop various aspects of the education by suggesting various projects and “playful learning spaces.” This can, of course, be taken to the extreme and we don’t want to interfere too much in our children’s imaginations, but I think the author strikes a good balance here. As I’m sure it’s apparent, I am inspired!
Project-Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners by Lori Pickert
This is another book that helps the parent to guide the child in their learning. Though not as “exciting” as the previous book (dull paper and black and white pictures…snooze), it is still worthwhile for its excellent content! What stood out to me was the ideas of engaging with children and helping them take the next steps. The parent is taught how to help their child research ideas without taking over, how to praise with sincerity and honesty, and how to help the child document their progress. What I love about this approach is that we are building connections with our children by being involved and interested in their work. And by allowing them to take the lead, we are teaching them to be independent and affirming that they do have great ideas and that we believe in them!
100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy
This is one of those tried and true books that nearly every homeschooler owns, myself included. I must admit, though, that I have not read it in its entirety. I use it as more of a resource for researching curricula. But, like the Complete Guide above, it is a book that can be very useful for the new homeschooler in forming a philosophy of education and figuring out the nuts and bolts of what that will look like in their home. Cathy even has a chapter dedicated to helping you figure out what style and philosophy of education will work best for your family by going through a series of questions and quizzes. Many parents forget this crucial step and dive right in to choosing curricula! So I appreciate her attention to this important detail.
All Through the Ages by Christine Miller
I was very excited when I came across this book because it fits so well with a living books and story type of approach to history. This could probably also be put in the category of curriculum, as it really is more of a how-to guide to building your own history curriculum. It is divided into periods of time, with each period having a list of recommended books by grade level.
Learning in Spite of Labels by Joyce Herzog
If you’ve never heard Joyce Herzog speak, you need to find a recording somewhere and purchase it! Joyce is no longer speaking at conferences, but for those with special needs children, her wisdom is invaluable. If you can’t find a presentation to buy (or even if you can), then purchase her book. I’m not big on labels, and neither is Joyce, but she still recognizes the need for teaching that is specialized for those who learn differently, whatever we may want to “label” them. Her positivity and encouragement can be felt through hear writings, and her tips are practical and sensible. Though she is no longer speaking, I was privileged to hear her on a webinar about a year ago, and I will never forget her demonstration that helped those of us on the call understand what it is like to be learning disabled. (It’s also on pages 4-5 of her book.)
These are just a few books I would recommend to help you in your lifeschooling journey. I hope these past two episodes have inspired you, as they have me, to dig into some good books this year!
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