A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling [Paperback]

Luanne Shackelford (Author), Susan White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1988

Home schooling may be one of the most important and rapidly growing social movements of the day, but that doesn't get the laundry done for home teaching moms! Here, at last, is help millions of home schoolers have been waiting for. Written by two home teaching moms, this book answers the questions home schoolers are asking:

• How can I prevent burnout?
• What do I do with my preschoolers while I teach?
• What if my child isn't "getting it?"
• How can my husband help?

Writing with wisdom, candor and humor, the authors share the situations, solutions, successes and yes, even the failures home teachers face. A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling offers practical suggestions, support, and encouragement, all in light of Scriptural guidelines.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Recent estimates by the Home School Legal Defense Association state that one percent (600,000-800,000) of school-age children in the United States are being schooled at home, and this number is expected to increase. Whatever the reasons for opting for home schooling, the decision to undertake it is not one to be taken lightly, according to these authors. A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling is "homey," containing anecdotal illustrations to present a basic overview of the situations that can occur and for which a parent should prepare if home schooling is to be accomplished with success. It is an easily read book for those who are just beginning to consider the home school option or as a "pick-me-up" for home schoolers facing burnout. Home School: Taking the First Step is the book all parents need when deciding on the question of home schooling. The book's step-by-step approach is excellent and covers not only the legal issues, including a state-by-state analysis of laws and requirements, but also the planning process, curriculum and materials needs, teaching preparation, and an excellent listing of readings and resources. There is also a listing, with addresses and some phone numbers, of support groups and services available to the home schooling parent. The glossary and indexes make this an excellent reference source. This title is essential for all public and academic libraries to support questions and research. Mary Pride's The Big Book of Home Learning ( 1986), The Next Book of Home Learning ( 1987), and The New Big Book of Home Learning ( 1988, all Good News Pub.) are also valuable for home schooling-- Ed. -- A.R. Huggins, Memphis State Univ. Libs.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 182 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books; First edition (August 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891075038
• ISBN-13: 978-0891075035
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,070,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Loved it !!, November 1, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling (Paperback)

Just when I was ready to send my home schooled child back to public school (in Siberia!) Luanne Shackleford's book made me laugh, cry, dance, and jump for joy to be privileged enough to educate my children at home. (Okay, so I didn't really dance.) "A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling" hits the funny bone and touches the heart string of what home schooling is all about. She has a fresh way of reminding home educators that while ours is the most important job in the world to us, we just have to lighten up a bit sometimes. Now, there's serious stuff in here, too. After all, education is no joke no matter who is doing it (take me for instance). But, thankfully, serious information does not have to read like a technical manual and Luane Shackleford proves it! The nitty gritty is covered here. Several home school moms share their daily schedules with us. The rules and even the "Swat Chart" at the Shackelford home are right there in black and white. Even the author's deep dark secret confession about how she manages the housework around home schooling seven (yes, I counted seven!) kids. Do's and Don'ts of what to tell your mother-in-law (and other well meaning skeptics) about your decision to home school is only one example of practical and usable advice. This book is Christian-based. It is funny. It is good for new and old home schoolers alike. It is hard to put down. It is now on my home school bookshelf (but probably won't stay there long).

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dated material (1988), September 3, 2004

By 

Kathy H (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling (Paperback)

The material in this book is very out-of-date. Homeschooling has come a long way since 1988! Back then I would have given the book 5 stars, but I wouldn't recommend it now. There were very few options for homeschool curriculum in 1988, and the internet didn't exist. This book is very "conservative" in its "christian - based" approach. For example, it cautions you that secular math textbooks may have word problems that "...emphasize women in non-traditional roles and other off-the-wall propaganda." Some of the information may be useful, especially the chapter on reading to your children, but I wouldn't buy this book just for that. A better choice would be Lisa Welchel's "So You're Thinking About Homeschooling".

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I was hoping for, June 3, 2006

By 

Heather Martin (The Republic of Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling (Paperback)

I was looking for advice on how to teach several children while maintaining a clean home. Sadly, this book did not offer such advice. The author uses a live-in housekeeper which is out of our budget. The suggestions she does offer are very generic and not very useful. Not much time is devoted to the scheduling of multiple children. She offers some different schedules from other families, but doesn't really show how you would actually use them.

This book is openly 'Christian'. I am also, but I'm not sure which church she belongs to since many of her beliefs I disagree with. I found myself skipping large portions of the text because it didn't apply to my views or were slightly offensive.

As mentioned by another reviewer, this book is very dated. So many new products are on the market that you really can't use her recommendations. This wouldn't have bothered me if I had been able to cull several good ideas from the rest of the material, but I came away feeling like the book had not been worth my time.

I'm sure the author is a lovely woman and I appreciate her honesty about her life. Yes, homeschooling is great and crazy. I felt like she understood how most of us feel when we go to bed at night with dirty dishes and loads of unclean laundry after having yelled at the kids all day about needing to do their schoolwork. I just wish that she had given me more tools on how to 'overcome it all.' I'll keep looking!