Are you thinking homeschooling your family? Here are a list of books that you’ll want to read to help you make that big decision.
If you’re thinking about homeschooling your children, the first place you’ll want to go, for reliable and complete information, are books.
From my experience, families who are considering home education for their children, often feel overwhelmed with books that are heavy on detail or educational philosophy.
Instead, what I’d recommend is that you read books that paint a picture of what homeschooling could look like for you. Rather than bogging you down in details, the books I recommend allow you to draw inspiration and take ideas that suit your family dynamic and belief system.
Primarily the books I’ve included in this list of books to read when you’re considering homeschooling, are memoirs of homeschooling families (real and fictitious) and a few others with a similar approach.
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Books to Read when you’re Considering Homeschooling
A Funny Kind of Education by Ross Mountney
Ross Mountney is an ex-teacher from the U.K., who many years ago left the mainstream educational system to home educate her two daughters. In this memoir of their homeschool experience together, Ross Mountney shows the reader what homeschooling really looks like! It’s moving, hilarious and forces the reader to question what education can look like.
A Funny Kind of Education is one of the first books I ever read about home-education and is the one that inspired me to truly consider beginning our homeschooling journey.
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
Over the years, there is one book that I come back to again and again. That book is “Mere Motherhood” by Cindy Rollins
Cindy Rollins began her homeschooling journey in U.S.A. in the 1980’s, and 9 children later (yes…that’s 8 boys!) she tells us all about her family’s experience home-educating.
The book is written so honestly, and with such a heart-felt message, that you can’t help but fall in love with their story. The author, after decades of homeschooling and facing the ups-and-downs of life, gives the reader perspective and consider what homeschooling could mean to them in the long-run.
For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
If you’re looking for a book to show you what a true education is meant to be, then you’ll want to read For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.
After years of research and personal experience, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay wrote this beautiful book. Based around principles set out by Charlotte Mason, the author forces the reader to consider what is education, and how can we provide that in our home.
Some sections of this book contain Christian rhetoric, and readers of other faiths may choose to skip over those parts.
This is the book that inspired me to begin learning more about the Charlotte Mason philosophy, and is the book I always recommend to families who want to know more about the CM method without being inundated with the finer details.
Homeschooling for Excellence – by David Colfax
The Colfax family didn’t begin homeschooling their family to get them into Havard, but somewhere down the road that is exactly what happened!
Homeschooling for Excellence is a memoir of a home educating family from U.S.A. who took their children out of school and gave them the freedom to learn whatever is was they wanted to learn!
The book is written in a conversational style, where the parents talk honestly about their approach to education, the lessons they learnt and lists some resources they used.
It’s a truly inspiring story. In fact, I feel like finding my copy now and re-reading again!
Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola
Pocketful of Pinecones is a fictitious account of a homeschooling family, which was written to inspire mothers through hard times. Karen Andreola, the author, is an experienced homeschooler herself, and pours into this story the lessons she learnt along the way.
It’s written as the diary of one mother’s year of teaching her children at home, with a focus on nature study.
It’s a deligthful book to read, and will help readers to better understand their role as a homeschooling mother, as well as give some insight into what a Charlotte Mason homeschool day might look like.
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
This list would not be complete without something from the legend that was John Taylor Gatto.
If you have ever struggled to justify home education to yourself, or others, this book will help. From years of working in education, and his extensive research, Dumbing Us Down outlines many deeply rooted problems in mainstream education.
This book is eye-opening and will soften the heart even the biggest cynic to homeschooling!
I hope this has helped those of you who were unsure where to begin with their homeschooling research. Memoirs and personal accounts provide insight and inspiration, as well as information on “how-to” do it!
If you have any questions, pop them in the comments below.
Peace and Love,
P.s. Did you know I have a PODCAST, where I answer a lot of your questions about homeschooling? Make sure you check it out!
