Customer Reviews

Things We Wish We'd Known: A Guide to Abundant-Life Homeschooling

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a compilation of several veteran homeschoolers who have varied teaching styles. They tell of their experiences, mistakes and what they know now regarding their homeschooling adventure. I was especially touched by the homeschooling family that spend every day at their dying father's deathbed. And the homeschooling mom who is in a wheelchair. I like to learn from those who know now what they wished they had known then. Stories are short with a picture of family or homeschooling parents with each story. A great "to own" book!

Have you ever wished you could sit down with more than 50 veteran homeschoolers and 'pick their brains' ? Well, "Things We Wish We'd Known" does just that. Each essay is written in a straight forward, clear format and gives you insight, inspiration and practical advice. You can't go wrong with this book !

I just finished this book and I truly loved it! I have marked several of the stories for future reference. The book also includes a wonderful listing of resources (websites, e-mail addresses and phone numbers) for the contributing writers. I would highly recommend it.

I don't have to "officially" homeschool yet because my eldest is not yet kindergarten age, but I've still been working with her because I have the birth to adulthood schooling mentality. Still, I've been feeling anxious about my approaches to her education (ALREADY!) and wanted to hear/read other homeschool families experiences. This is an awesome book for that! It helped me feel even more secure in my efforts to accept Heavenly Father's direction for my homeschool. It's a great book and easy to read because each family's response had section headings, which make it friendlier than some other reading for a busy homeschool Mama.

If you are interested in a book without any Christian perspective, then look elsewhere. For those who are Christians, this is a wonderful and insightful book. Each chapter is written by a different homeschooler or homeschooling family. In my opinion, no chapter is too long or drawn out. They are enjoyable to read. Each chapter feels like meeting a new homeschooling friend, hearing their story, then receiving their advice. It's fun!

The goal of this book is to attempt to help new homeschoolers with sharing wisdom learned over time from others so you don't repeat their mistakes. This book is intended for parents of homeschooled children of all ages and grades.

There are essays written by 50 different experienced Christian homeschoolers who write what their mistakes were and how they fixed them. They want you to avoid making the same mistakes. All of them seem very happy now, some were facing homeschooling burn out at some point in the past. Some of the essay-writers are well known in the Christian homeschooling community such as curriculum-authors, Christian homeschooling book authors, homeschooling magazine column writers or homeschooling conference speakers.

It is not mentioned on the front or back cover but this is very religious content to the point where it may not be helpful to every reader (such as saying if you don't like your curriculum to pray about it).

Many of the homeschoolers wrote that at first they were very rigid and doing "school at home", some even requiring the Pledge of Allegiance, having a flag and desks, and taking attendance. These parents learned over time that learning can be fun (which was a revelation to them) and many ditched the rigid schedules for a looser or very loose learning environment. Some people remain shocked that learning can be fun and are trying to get this point across to the reader. If you already are in that groove you will not learn much.

I found many of the essays to be repetitive of each other, with the same issues and the same resolutions. I have the suspicion that all were included as they are respected and often well-known people in the Christian homeschooling world. Some of the writers are now curriculum authors, are homeschooling conference speakers, are Christian homeschooling book authors, or are authors of regular columns in Christian homeschooling magazines.

Despite the title implying that the book is written to new homeschoolers so they avoid burnout, I felt the book also speaks to a parent who is already using a highly structured form of homeschooling and is burning out. With all the homeschooling books, magazines and free online chat lists I would think that all parents considering homeschooling would be aware that a more loose method is an option that is being used by many happy homeschooling parents and that those children are actually learning! But if someone is not aware of this, then this may be the book to introduce that concept and underscore that a more loose method works for both a harmonious home and results in smart children. If you want a book of advice that is full of Christian references then this is the book for you (there are others on the market without a speck of religious reference that may not appeal to you if you want religious references).

I read this book after we had already begun homeschooling. I also had done research about homeschooling before we "officially began" and for whatever reason was under the impression that more homeschoolers had a "loose" style than a "rigid" style. I already knew learning could be made fun. This book did not reveal much new information to me. I also was a bit bored by the amount of repetition, for example, multiple essays driving home the same point. I don't know if that was done so that the major point was repeated over and over so the reader would believe it or if the editors wanted an essay from those specific writers, or 50 essays, or what. I am sure many Christian homeschoolers will enjoy this book.

I found this book enlightening and informative. We are pulling our 7 year old daughter out of the school system, who is special needs, at the end of the school year. She does not do well in the normal classroom setting. She needs flexiblity but she also needs routine. When she has a bad day, she is impossible to teach. Homeschooling allows for this. We found the book to help with our decision to homeschool. After the school district took away most of her special services due to budet cuts, we decided to do something. Homeschool is our answer. Having done this before with two older children (who loved it by the way), it was a fairly easy answer. Thanks to this book, I know that I can do it.

Another great book is "Things We Wish We'd Known" compiled by Bill and Diana Waring. A collection of essays by 50 veteran homeschoolers, this book truly is a treasure of words from the trenches. The homeschooling veterans in this book were some of the first pioneers of the modern homeschooling movement. They blazed the way for homeschooling to now be legal in all 50 states. They know what they are talking about when they speak of family, learning, balance, education and much more. Read this book and take their advice. It's valuable.

This book is very religious. I would return it but the shipping and handling costs more than the book itself. Stay away from this book unless you want a book totally based on the christian way of life.