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Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book Of Homeschooling Paperback – April 1, 2003

by John Holt (Author), Pat Farenga (Author)

4.6 228 ratings

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The classic and indispensable work on teaching children at home, fully updated for today's new laws, new lifestyles, and the growing new generation of homeschooling parents

Today more than one and a half million children are being taught at home by their own parents. In this expanded edition of the book that helped launch the whole movement, Pat Farenga has distilled John Holt's timeless understanding of the ways children come to understand the world and added up-to-the-moment legal, financial, and logistical advice. No parent even considering homeschooling should be without this wise and unique reference.

Rather than proposing that parents turn their homes into miniature schools, Holt and Farenga demonstrate how ordinary parents can help children grow as social, active learners. Chapters on living with children, "serious play," children and work, and learning difficulties will fascinate and encourage parents and help them enjoy each "homeschool" day. John Holt's warm understanding of children and his passionate belief in every child's ability to learn have made this book the bible of homeschooling families everywhere.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Da Capo Lifelong Books
Publication date

April 1, 2003
Dimensions

6 x 1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

9780738206943
ISBN-13

978-0738206943
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An expansion and revision of the homeschoolers' bible, written by the late, outspoken Massachusetts education reformer John Holt." -- Boston Globe Magazine 03/21/04

"For many parents this book is an indispensable handbook for educating their children at home." -- Austin Family July, 2003

"[An] enduring homeschooling classic...A landmark work...This book is indispensable." -- Home Schooling Today December 2003

About the Author

John Holt (1927-1985), one of this country's leading educational and social critics, was the author of ten influential books which have been translated into fourteen languages. Known both as a passionate reformer and as "the gentle voice of reason" (Life magazine), John Holt offers insights into the nature of learning that are more relevant today than ever before.

Pat Farenga, writer and president of Holt Associates, lectures all over the country and is the father of three home-schooled daughters.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0738206946
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Lifelong Books; First Paperback Edition (April 1, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780738206943
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0738206943
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,013,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,160 in Parenting & Family Reference
- #1,895 in Popular Child Psychology
- #2,749 in Homeschooling (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 228 ratings

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About the authors

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John Caldwell Holt
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Patrick Farenga
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Patrick Farenga is a writer, publisher, and education activist who worked closely with the late author and teacher John Holt and continues his work today as the president of HoltGWS LLC.
Holt founded Growing Without Schooling magazine (GWS), the nation’s first periodical about homeschooling, unschooling, and learning outside of school, in 1977. Pat continued publishing it from Holt's death in 1985 until it ceased publication in 2001.
Pat speaks as a homeschooling expert at education conferences around the world, as well as on commercial radio and television talk shows.
Pat is the author of many books, articles, and videos about homeschooling and unschooling (Holt's preferred term for learning without school curricula). He wrote the entries about homeschooling for the International Encyclopedia of Education, 3rd Edition (Elsevier, 2010) and the online edition of Encyclopedia Britannica (2012). As a publisher, Pat's work includes reprinting Holt’s Escape From Children: The Needs and Rights of Children (HoltGWS, 2013) and as co-editor, contributor, and publisher of an original title, The Legacy of John Holt: A Man Who Genuinely Understood, Trusted, and Respected Children (HoltGWS, 2013). His most recent books are Teach Your Own (Hachette, 2021) and Growing Without Schooling, Vol. 5 (HoltGWS, 2023).
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

228 global ratings

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Garry

Love the update!

Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2021

Verified Purchase

I pre-ordered this book back in June 2021 and it showed up on my doorstep last week, SURPRISE! The updated version is very relevant to today. As someone who doesn't need to be convinced to homeschool my 3 children, I was still blown away by some current information. Pat Farenga put into words what I could not when it comes to the recent uptick of Covid homeschoolers. Remote learning is not homeschooling and when all the parents are complaining about how horrible remote learning is....they need to listen to their gut, it's because it is horrible for all involved. Anyways, I plan to reread this book every so often just for a confidence boost when homeschooling goes back to being "the weird thing" to do.

P.s. I really appreciate the connection to parenting styles and homeschooling. I also went against the grain of society when I held my newborns basically until they could walk themselves, and I still carry and cuddle them!

12 people found this helpful

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Customerex

So encouraging! Must read for parents considering home education

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2023

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I checked this book out from the library, and a couple chapters in realized I NEEDED my own copy. This is an excellent resource, and there’s so much goodness to highlight, underline, star, and heart, throughout this book and to reference back to over the years. I love so much of John Holt’s ideas and philosophies, and this book earned its spot on my bookshelf, for sure!

2 people found this helpful

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medusaride

Thorough and research based

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

This is an excellent book for those interested in providing a well rounded, hands on, real world education for their child- no matter their age. It is centered around well documented research, personal stories of families who do any variation of homeschooling, and the sad reality that formal schooling simply doesn’t cut it for many children socially, emotionally, or intellectually. Very well written, never dry or boring. I am a public school teacher turned homeschooler/unschooler, and really value research and data. This book delivers on academia and heart. It is both radical and reliable. Highly recommend!

4 people found this helpful

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Artist

How People Learn

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2004

Verified Purchase

Do you remember what they taught you at school? Me neither. I learned to read very early on, mostly at home, and I still remember some math, but only because I balance my checkbook and know when I'm getting correct change at the market. All those years, isolated from the real world in the artificial environment of school, sitting at a desk all day with 30 of my same age peers, how was I to learn about what an actual life in the world is like, or about what I wanted to do with mine? I remember learning to take tests. Now I never take them. A lot of it was pleasant enough, some of it was not, most of it was boring, and somehow I never noticed that I was mostly wasting my time.
Now I know better having read John Holt, a sweet, caring man and a wonderful writer. He's radical, but he never rants. He persuades, gently, eloquently. He learns through years of careful, loving observation and by trial and error and he shares that with you in a way that makes it seem as though he's one of your oldest, most comfortable friends. He reminds you of what you went through in school. He makes sense. He's fun to read. And you know he's right as you read him, because we have all gone to school.

217 people found this helpful

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nicole

Great Insights, good information

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book and it gave me some great insights into the state of public education and they way children learn. It also gave some good context for the friction between homeschoolers and the public school system. There was scant information about addressing schooling and kids with special needs. It would really be helpful if someone could be this comprehensive and also include more information about state perspectives and expectations of parents who choose to homeschool their children with special needs.

8 people found this helpful

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Rachel Rainbolt

it kind of felt like I was just sifting through notes

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2018

Verified Purchase

I am a huge John Holt fan. I just needed to begin this review with that statement. I am also a fan of what I have read from Pat Farenga from other sources. So I thought the book Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Home Schooling would be a slam dunk. It wasn’t for me.

It wasn’t that I necessarily disagreed with any of the content but I just didn’t find it inspirational or informative.

Much of the content in the book consists of notes sent into the homeschooling magazine Growing Without School, which was run by both men, from parent readers. While I can appreciate what they were trying to do in providing a variety of voices to illustrate their points, it kind of felt like I was just sifting through notes.

If you are looking to be inspired and informed on your homeschooling journey, I would skip this book, but I remain a fan of both men and their work and I encourage you to perk up when their other writings cross your virtual desk.

25 people found this helpful

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Rachel D.

Considering homeschooling? Read this.

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2020

Verified Purchase

Excellent read by one of the top education experts & supporter of homeschooling! We pulled our 2nd grader out of public school to homeschool & this is helpful to build my confidence to keep going.

6 people found this helpful

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JDre

I love this book sharing the ideals of Mr

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2016

Verified Purchase

Considering homeschooling my son in a few years. I love this book sharing the ideals of Mr. Holt written by a husband/wife duo who worked for Holt and had never considered homeschooling until they worked with him. Well written, inspiring and easy to read. I'd recommend to anyone considering homeschooling.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Michelle German

Love it

Reviewed in Canada on July 10, 2019

Verified Purchase

No regrets. Highly recommended to parents who may doubt what’s possible.

Shefali

Homeschooling best

Reviewed in India on September 18, 2020

Verified Purchase

An amazing book. Specially when you are homeschooling.

daniel golan

Recomended

Reviewed in Spain on September 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

Very good book for anyone interested in unschooling
It starts with some basic ideas but moves on to some vert good insights
Highly recomended

Alic

It should be an obligatory reading to all parents, future parents and teachers.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2017

Verified Purchase

It should be an obligatory reading to all parents, future parents and teachers. It empowers parents and reminds them that they are responsible for happiness of their children in the first place. Many dramas might have been avoided if parents stopped approaching their children with ''you need to resist (that bully, this bad teacher, the crazy school administration)'' - for you to choose the problem you are facing yourself with your child.
I believe many parents are just too afraid and/or lazy to talk seriously at school, not crying and shouting when their child is already a bunch of nerves, but looking at what is actually happening at school every day; Parents, talk to your children about friendships they make, quarrels they have had with disliked peers, etc. I am a teacher and a mother myself and need to admit parents do not show enough initiative in educational models followed by schools in general and their impact on educating their children in particular. They just drop children at the school door and run to their own business. A bad school can always be changed but your child will never forgive you if you kept him/her some school they hated.

12 people found this helpful

Aditi

Best resource for homeschooling.

Reviewed in India on November 11, 2019

Verified Purchase

Excellent book if you are interested in homeschooling your kids.

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