"Is your child getting lost in the system, becoming bored, losing his or her natural eagerness to learn? If so, it may be time to take charge of your child's education by doing it yourself. The Well-Trained Mind will instruct you, step by step, on how to give your child an academically rigorous, comprehensive education from preschool through high school--one that will train him or her to read, to think, to understand, to be well-rounded and curious about learning. Veteran home educator Susan Wise Bauer outlines the ...
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"Is your child getting lost in the system, becoming bored, losing his or her natural eagerness to learn? If so, it may be time to take charge of your child's education by doing it yourself. The Well-Trained Mind will instruct you, step by step, on how to give your child an academically rigorous, comprehensive education from preschool through high school--one that will train him or her to read, to think, to understand, to be well-rounded and curious about learning. Veteran home educator Susan Wise Bauer outlines the classical pattern of education called the trivium, which organizes learning around the maturing capacity of the child's mind and comprises three stages: the elementary school 'grammar stage,' when the building blocks of information are absorbed through memorization and rules; the middle school 'logic stage,' in which the student begins to think more analytically; and the high-school 'rhetoric stage,' where the student learns to write and speak with force and originality. Using this theory as your model, you'll be able to instruct your child--whether full-time or as a supplement to classroom education--in all levels of reading, writing, history, geography, mathematics, science, foreign languages, rhetoric, logic, art, and music, regardless of your own aptitude in those subjects. A new optional Resource Recommendations Portal provides subscribers with curated lists of the best curricula for every grade level and learning style. Thousands of parents have already used the methods described in The Well-Trained Mind to create a truly superior education for children in their care. You do have control over what and how your child learns. The Well-Trained Mind will give you the tools you'll need to teach your child with confidence and success"
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This is by far the best book in my homeschooling library. It is incredibly rich in resources and information. The mother-daughter team behind the book are blessed with the ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner, which is evident, too, in their other books. (I'd highly recommend their Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading as well...it makes the daunting task of teaching your kids to read a SNAP). They provide numerous good reasons for adopting their classical approach to education...and, more importantly, they present it in such a no-nonsense way that you are not overwhelmed...but rather find yourself thinking "Hey, I think I can actually do this!" Coupled with the aforementioned resources, it makes this educational path a realistic option for even the busiest homeschooling family. While they come from a Protestant Christian background, I think you will find the book to be religiously unbiased, appealing to both Christian and secular readers in a totally non-offensive way. I've read critiques of this book that knock it for strongly recommending the authors' own curricula. But, if you take the time to actually look through their curricula (again, the reading program...also Language Arts and History), you'll see that their programs are challenging and intelligent. In other words, they should recommend their own stuff because it's THAT GOOD. Plus, they don't exclusively recommend their own programs....they list a slew of other options (including the benefits of said other programs).
Rosanne
Jul 5, 2007
A bit overwhelming, but comprehensive
This book is a complete curriculum guide for homeschooling your children using the classical model of education. It's a lot to take in because it covers everything from preschool to grade 12. I would suggest looking through the whole thing and then focusing on just where your children are now, because you'll try to do too much at once. This is thorough, informative, encouraging, at times quietly humourous, and comprehensive. It's twelve years of material in one volume. I'm not sure that anybody could possibly follow EVERYTHING suggested - and the authors candidly agree with me - but it's a great place to start. I wish I could report more on how the book has worked for me, but my children are too young yet. However, I have started to collect some of the materials that the authors recommend. If you are thinking about homeschooling, and the classical method in particular, check this one out. Just don't make any other plans for the evening.
kathyhashimoto
Apr 26, 2007
This book has been a most valuable resource for homeschooling! I use it weekly.
