So You're Thinking About Homeschooling

So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Second Edition: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It (Focus on the Family) by Lisa Whelchel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yay, I finished my first book about homeschooling! And I think Heavenly Father was blessing me in my first choice.

This book is great for a person considering homeschooling that has no background in it. She takes seventeen short, easy to read chapters to indroduce the reader to fifteen different ways of homeschooling. Obviously, these are not the only ways, but it is a great introduction to what is available.

The books chapters are very relaxing to read, almost like having a conversation (she intentionally designed it this way) to give you an idea of what different homeschool families could be like, after interviewing hundreds of real families.

My favorite thing? At the end of the book, there is an appendix that is 21 pages of contact information for different learning styles, homeschool associations, supply sources, etc. I can't wait to dig through these websites tonight!

PS - I didn't even realize the author was Blair from Facts of Life until I was already reading the book, despite her picture being on the front cover. LOL!

Kindle Edition: So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Second Edition: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It (Focus on the Family)

Homeschooling for Excellence

Homeschooling for Excellence by David Colfax
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The main redeeming quality of the book is that it is well written in terms of grammar and thought flow. But it is extremely dry and I felt like I was being lectured by a holier than thou hippie, there was absolutely no humor or personality in this book. The book also has some good appendices. Though they are a bit dated, they still give one a lot of information and a place to start on your search for more up to date information.

The Colfax’s obviously have very talented children and their style of homeschooling worked for them. But unschooling is not a style that I really like. And due to that, some of their book recommendations were not good recommendations for my family. But they may work well for families that are interested in unschooling.

Also, the book spent a lot of time on simply tearing down the public school system. While I agree that public schools are not working, I was not looking for a book to bash them. But if you are looking for a book that discusses what exactly is wrong in the public schools of the United States, this book has very well thought out arguments.


Kindle Edition: Homeschooling for Excellence

The Beginner's Guide to Homeschooling

The Beginners Guide to Homeschooling by Patrick Farenga
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Okay, I’ll admit it; I was a little frustrated with this book. Instead of being a person’s experiences and thoughts on homeschooling, it feels more like a book catalog in a library. The author will give a sentence or two, then tell you for more information to see his appendices or reference another book. In a 124 page book, the appendices start on page 62!

The best part of the book is that while the author is a fan of unschooling, he does give resources about many types of homeschooling. And if you’re looking for a book to give you references for other books to read on homeschooling – this is the place to go. Though a lot of his references he readily admits are out of print.

The Complete Guide to Homeschooling

The Complete Guide to Home Schooling by John Perry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, I’m finally done with The Complete Guide to Homeschooling. It took forever just because things have been crazy around here and the book was chock full of good information that I didn’t want to skim in a quick read.

So, while the book has had some of the best, most up to date information I’ve read so far, I’m scoring it down because of the tone of the authors. They have a very arrogant, their way is best, everyone else’s are to be looked down on tone. Have you ever met a person that claims tolerance of all groups, but then when they talk about how they are tolerant but their tone of voice oozes snideness, sending the message that while they’re ‘tolerant’ they think the other person is an idiot for doing it differently? Well, that sums up the whole tone of this book. But if you can force yourself to ignore their tone, there is a ton of good information in this book. Especially for the parent that is planning on using textbooks as a major part of their curriculum. I also like that it had chapters devoted to things to do with different age groups (elementary, middle school and high school).

This book has so much information that applies to my situation, that snide tone or not, I plan on purchasing my own copy so I can reference it whenever I want instead of having to go back to the library and hope it’s not checked out.