Five Great Reads for Homeschooling Parents
The books below span the gamut from resource suggestions to curriculum planning. Both secular and Christian titles are included - I’ll note which each one is in the review.
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Homeschool Bravely
by Jamie Erickson (2019)
Christian
Ms. Erickson is an outspoken Christian, and this book is definitely written with the Christian parent in mind. She encourages homeschooling moms in the education of their children from a biblical perspective.
Her reminders of why we do what we do are timely. And her resources and suggested tips scattered throughout are really helpful. There are several pages that I want to tag just so I can refer to them over and over.
Home Learning Year by Year
by Rebecca Rupp (2020)
Secular
In this incredible reference book for homeschool parents, Rupp gives a breakdown of topics taught by grade level within each subject - and I mean ALL the subjects. Not just reading, writing, and arithmetic! She refers to state standards and lists links to free and paid resources for parents. This book is definitely secular, and it leans heavily on the public school system for pacing of subjects.
I first purchased a used copy of the first edition (2000) but soon realized how many of the website links were no longer viable. At that point, I broke down and bought a copy of the new edition. It was worth it!! I will have this book on my shelf for years to come as a fantastic resource.
Although I don’t use it as a strict guide in planning my homeschool, I really appreciate having a reference to compare what my kids are studying with what their peers are learning. It gives me a helpful gauge as I make plans and goals for our schooling.
Uncovering the Logic of English
by Denise Eide (2012)
Secular
If you are looking for a book that explains ALL THE RULES of English spellings and pronunciation in one short volume, look no further. I am a bit nerdy about this stuff, but I found Eide’s book to be fascinating. She explains the rules - even the little ones that are often considered “exceptions” by many teachers.
I read this one cover to cover and now love having it in my library to reference or loan out to interested friends.
For Further Reading - I reference this book in the article “Why I Chose a ‘Dyslexic Curriculum’ for my Non-Dyslexic Child”.
The Read-Aloud Family
by Sarah Mackenzie (2018)
Christian
Sarah Mackenzie writes to all parents, whether or not they share her Christian faith. In the first part of the book, she shares stories from her own family, ideas for creating wonderful read-aloud experiences and memories, and research pertaining to the benefits of reading aloud. In the second part, Mackenzie gives an annotated bibliography of read-alouds broken down by suggested age ranges. I found her descriptions of the books very helpful and now plan to buy a physical copy to refer to - rather than just the digital one I read on Scribd. She explains that her method of assigning age brackets for the books is based on the topic/vocabulary’s age-appropriateness and not based (like many publishers do) on the age of the characters in the book. Mackenzie says that publishers often assume children only want to read about kids older than them, and therefore often assign the age ranges accordingly.
The Three R’s
by Ruth Beechick (2006)
Christian
Though this is clearly written by a Christian, it is written FOR any parent. Dr. Beechick’s short book focuses on the three primary elementary skills - reading, writing, arithmetic. She provides many wonderful ideas for how to gently introduce and develop each of these subjects in younger elementary aged children.
This book could essentially be used to develop your own homeschool curriculum for grades 1-3. Her approach is very child-centered, in that she encourages gently developing their learning as they are ready for each step.
Dr. Beechick provides research to support her views on considering “delaying” some elements of the curriculum until the child is truly ready for it. And, she shows that this method often leads to better student outcomes in the long-term. Click here for my full book review.
For Further Reading
Used Book Resources
Check out this page for great places to purchase used books.
