Brook Farm Books

Homeschooling THE TEENAGE LIBERATION HANDBOOK: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education, by Grace Llewellyn. Probably the best, most accurate review of this book was in Bloomsbury Review: “This is a very dangerous book. It contradicts all the conventional wisdom about dropouts and the importance of a formal education. It is funny and inspiring. Do not, under any circumstances, share this book with a bright, frustrated high-schooler being ground into mind-fudge by the school system. The writer cannot be responsible for the happiness and sense of personal responsibility that might come from reading this book.” Grace Llewellyn has compiled a fantastic array of ideas and resources for a very comprehensive unschooling education, in all the standard subjects and scores of non-standard ones — science, math, social sciences, English, languages, the arts, sports and athletics, outdoor jobs and activities, travel — through books, personal contacts, jobs, apprenticeships and internships, volunteering, social and political activism, and more. She offers very encouraging advice throughout the book, and illustrates her arguments with dozens of real-life stories (many borrowed from Growing Without Schooling) of kids who have done it. Even a homeschool with more structure than Grace advocates will find the numerous ideas and resources invaluable; for the truly unschooled teenager who is serious about doing more than watching TV, it will be an invaluable guidebook.

I have one major reservation, and a few minor ones. Like many unschoolers, Grace seems to think that any and all resources (people, places, etc.) are good — except the child’s own parents. The first thing to do after making the decision to quit school, Grace advises the teenaged reader, is “celebrate your audacity with deep chocolate ice cream” and then, step two, “consult your parents.” Some parents might feel they should have something to say about such a momentous decision, but Grace doesn’t seem to have much sympathy for them. “You might get this over with after dinner tonight,” she says, “or you might acclimate them slowly to the idea.” At least she realizes that some old fogies may be a little slow. “Fortunately,” she adds, “with a little care and planning, you will probably be able to help them see the light.” Ah, yes, we remember it well — our kids, at the age of 13 or 14, suddenly wise and mature, trying to help us see the light — and we, stubborn and over-protective, always in the way of their freedom and happiness, trying to keep them from frying their brains or wrapping themselves around a tree. Our own “fortunately” is that they soon saw the light and grew out of this phase almost as quickly as they had grown into it, and we continued our lives together as friends and family. Overprotective or not, we still think that most kids of 13 or 14, and even some of 16 or 17, are not ready to take on the entire world on their own terms alone, with no consideration for their parents’ opinions, guidance — and yes, even a few rules now and then. There are exceptions, of course, but even for them there is seldom any excuse for presenting parents with ultimatums and sudden declarations of independence.

My minor reservations about the book have to do with some of Grace’s recommended reading for the newly liberated teenager. We happen to agree with most of her choices, but a few of them seem to encourage a “liberation” with which we cannot agree. Poe, Gibran, Thoreau, the Bible, Blake, Shakespeare — excellent choices. But Grace also recommends Rubyfruit Jungle, by Rita Mae Brown, with the parenthetical note that it’s “sexually explicit, offends a lot of people,” which is putting it very mildly. She recommends The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, without mentioning that it’s largely about incestuous rape, sexual promiscuity, and infidelity. She does admit that Tom Robbins’ Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is “rated R — some sex, some drugs,” but her idea of some is a long way from the book’s nearly total preoccupation with random promiscuity and constant drug use. Grace’s list of “poetry” looks okay, except “poetry by Sappho,” which is of course explicitly lesbian. In what she calls “a short list especially tailored for searching teenagers,” I think she could have made better choices than these.

These reservations are concerned with a tiny part of the book, and shouldn’t keep you from buying it and using it, but keep in mind that the author has her own orientation and opinions, and you may not always agree with her.

P.S. A reader recently pointed out that Grace has no children of her own. Our reader wondered if Grace would be as liberal with her own children at the expense of parental judgment. Me too. $20.

Homeschooling THE UNSCHOOLING HANDBOOK: How to Use the Whole World as Your Child’s Classroom, by Mary Griffith. This book kept me awake even at a very late hour. I enjoyed and learned from the creative ideas presented by her many contributors about how they expanded their children’s knowledge and enjoyment in their learning activities. I liked her broad definition of a classroom. This book begins with suggestions and thoughts about unschooling that can help you decide if it’s something you want to do — and can do. It continues on to cover all the subjects expected by schools and interesting unschooling approaches used by her contributors. The variety of approaches adds depth and interest and offers good suggestions. At the end of each chapter is an example of how that chapter’s subject would be covered throughout an unschooling day, along with a list of very good resource books. $16.95.

HOMESCHOOLING AND THE VOYAGE OF SELF-DISCOVERY: A Journey of Original Seeking, by David H. Albert. A unique, wise, witty, literate, useful, philosophical, and thought-provoking journey for homeschooling parents and thoughtful educators. There isn’t a comparable work available for those seeking to enrich and expand their homeschooling horizons into a life-altering experience for themselves and their children.

David asks the most magnificent questions that will provoke you into turning ideas on their heads, but he doesn’t always give you the answers. Instead, you are invited and challenged to find your own. He has the unique ability to find the kernel of truth in a quagmire and let it shine for us. I consider reading this book a major step forward in my own continuing education. $17.95.

Homeschooling HAVE FUN. LEARN STUFF. GROW. is also by David Albert. When I first picked up this book I thought it was another homeschooling book when I read the title. Well it is, and then again it isn’t, and then again, it is. It begins with a glass-half-full–half-empty metaphor. This should make you stop and think right there. We all develop, consciously or not, an outlook on life and relationships, and the fact that this challenge is right up front is appropriate. Those with the (half) empty outlook will either think more about it or retreat.
This book is a delightful mix of philosophy, metaphor, storytelling, and how to homeschool in freedom, and it’s not just about freedom for the kids.

The chapters about math and spelling should be mandatory for all parents and teachers. As a self-confessed math phobic I dearly wish someone had figured out the “best” way to not teach math when I was “doing time” in the public school system. I’m going to have to try the unspelling myself. If it will work with me it will work with anyone. I have always learned best from my failures.

David sorted out for me the roots of the “video” obsession some kids have. It’s bothered me for some time but I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around it. Control is the issue. It makes sense. I am grateful that he put it all in perspective too. Who wants their kids playing violent games, even if they are “only” games? It’s an oxymoron, but I am fiercely opposed to teaching or supporting violence (should we add intolerance here too?) in any way.

In reading this book I came away feeling that as a parent, homeschooling or otherwise, one of the best teaching/learning tools available is how to learn within the context of your own life. $14.95.

Homeschooling AND THE SKYLARK SINGS WITH ME: Adventures in Homeschooling and Community-Based Education, by David H. Albert. David’s astute observations and comments about modern educational methods used in the public schools are important, but they aren’t what impressed me most. The Alberts, more than the families in any other homeschooling accounts I’ve read, integrated their freestyle homeschooling with other people and resources in their surrounding community. This called for a change in lifestyle, and David calls that “hard work.” Their striving to connect their children with people who were passionate about what they were doing, and who were willing to share and foster the interest of young children, demanded that they expand their network of friends and acquaintances and explore options through newspapers and by calling strangers. This wasn’t always easy, but the results were immensely rewarding. The children’s interests were respected and their horizons expanded. Their intellectual growth flourished, and because this learning took place within the family and expanded into the community at large, the children formed relationships with people of all ages based on common interests and needs, as opposed to the public school standard of peers based solely on age. Many books emphasize “values,” but mostly within the family. David and his wife talk about imparting the values of community interaction — not just for social contact with people outside the family, but because this interaction makes activities outside the family more than just isolated incidents: They become a foundation and model for the future.

While David is cognizant of the precocity of his own children (and you will be well aware of this too), you will quickly see that the most important aspect of his story is how he and his wife labored to observe, respect, encourage, and only occasionally direct their children. The observations, ideas, and suggestions given for encouraging personal and intellectual growth are worthy models for all of us.

You’ll find insightful comments about how children learn throughout the book. I heartily endorse his suggestion that you read James Loewen’s Lies My Teacher Told Me and Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the United States so that you can incorporate varied perspectives about history and its depiction into your own presentation of the subject. I agree with David’s idea of repeatedly making math relevant to young children, thereby enabling them to discover its usefulness in making sense of their world. I particularly liked his statements about encouraging early reading and the use of phonics: “Having kids read at ever-younger ages may be high on the agenda of parents with heady images of escorting their sons and daughters off to Harvard, but given the content of most young children’s reading material, learning to read is small potatoes compared with the fascination of an anthill.” He goes on to point out that the choice of whether to use a whole-language or phonics approach to reading should be determined by each child’s need at the time — and that this may change over time. He points out that his daughter Meera was not interested in having a word sounded out phonetically, but wanted the word said and explained (if necessary). She would then memorize it if it was useful. “What I am cautiously suggesting is that heavy emphasis on phonics might get some children to read earlier, but not necessarily better, provided ‘late’ readers are not stigmatized and their self-confidence damaged for not reading on someone else’s time schedule. The problem with either phonics or whole language approaches to reading is that they are each all too often tied to both a timetable and a content not of the child’s own devising.”

David disagrees with using E.D. Hirsch’s cultural literacy and Core Knowledge books as standards for yearly content, and while I feel strongly that a common cultural knowledge is important, I agree that these books can become simply another set of artificial standards with emphasized data unrelated to a child’s life, which makes the content just something to be regurgitated, not an integrated relevant set of useful knowledge.

At the end of the book he concludes that “to educate a child well is to enable her to find her destiny as well as our own. This can only be accomplished successfully, I am persuaded, by allowing her to find the freedom to listen to and be exhilarated by the harmony of her own inner voices and those of the world around her so that, like Blake’s schoolboy, she comes to know that ‘the skylark sings with me.’”

This is a book to inspire you throughout your homeschooling journey. An added bonus is a list, at the end of each chapter, of resources the Alberts found most useful. $16.95

Homeschooling LEARNING AT HOME: A Mother’s Guide to Homeschooling, by Marty Layne (and recently updated) mother of four homeschooled young adults. Learning at Home is a personal book. Marty’s insights about interacting with her children should be used by all parents and teachers even though it was written primarily for homeschooling parents. What makes this book exceptional are Marty’s observations about the interaction between parents and children. She has an acute awareness of how children learn best and how to help them. Marty shares her insight into how to see and work through the conditioned responses we all subconsciously carry from society, our own upbringing, and our schooling in order to create a harmonious homeschool environment. The book begins by taking a close look at the answer to the very common question “Can I do this — teach my child at home?” You’ll find Marty has the unique capacity to help you sort out your inner thoughts and motivations and recognize your fears (and learn how to deal with them), and to impart confidence. You’ll find numerous comments and suggestions for creating a learning environment to suit yourself and your children, and the emphasis is always on how to relate and respond to your children, and how to best meet their needs and your own. Yes, Mom and Dad, you have to take care of your needs too; that’s a strong part of Marty’s message. Being a good mate and parent presents many challenges. Add teaching (working with, guiding, whatever you want to call it), and you’ve added to those challenges exponentially. Unless you’re superwoman or superman you’re going to find your life, at times, more stressful than is reasonable. Marty’s chapter on burnout — how to recognize it, what to do about it, and (most constructive of all) how to prevent it — is the best I’ve seen. This is a book designed for real people. She recognizes that parents as well as kids have times when they are grumpy, that there are times when the kids get bored or are unhappy, and she offers some interesting observations about why these times happen and some ideas for improving the situation.

Along with all this sagacious writing about critical issues, you’ll find chapters about helping your child learn to read, write, and do arithmetic; the importance of including the arts (music, art, dance, and drama); and using all of life as a curriculum. Many of us have read about homeschoolers becoming accomplished musicians at a young age, going to prestigious colleges, or doing other remarkable things. Marty makes the important point that homeschooling can “allow time to pursue an interest and reveal talent but can’t create it.” Thankfully, Marty recognizes that not all children develop remarkable talents or abiding interests, and points out that there are important talents our society does not recognize: “We tend to recognize only outstanding gifts that fall in recognized categories like art, music, drama, or sports. We are not willing to recognize talent for something like happiness, listening to others, being a warm person, taking delight in a rainy day.” I particularly value this observation because more important than any talent or recognition, living well with ourselves and those around us is one of life’s true goals and rewards. There is so much depth to this book that it’s worth reading and rereading.

If you are considering homeschooling it will help you decide if this is really what you want to do and how to do it successfully. This book also has great value to those who have been homeschooling for a while, because Marty has given so much thought to issues that frequently cause problems in daily homeschooling, and clearly states ways to help you deal with them.

October, 2009: Marty has just updated her book and added a chapter about reading. Her ideas are superb. A great addition to a terrific book.

The end of the book contains several very useful appendices, with a list of read-a-loud books, a bibliography, help in setting goals, and addresses for U.S. and Canadian support. $18.95.

Homeschooling THE HOMESCHOOLING BOOK OF ANSWERS, by Linda Dobson. Amazing! A book with more answers than questions. How can that be? Read on! Drawing from years of experience homeschooling her own family, time spent helping other homeschoolers through workshops, and her extensive body of written work about homeschooling, Linda has posed more than 80 of the most important, most frequently asked questions about homeschooling and asked more than 35 of homeschooling’s most respected voices to contribute answers. Issues of structure, expense, socialization, dealing with officials, resources, and many more are answered here. Reading this book is like attending a homeschooling forum and hearing the most experienced people in the field express their ideas and opinions. Best of all, each question is answered by at least two people so you can consider differing points of view and form your own conclusions. I found it interesting to see where contributors agreed (without any consultation) and where they differed. The greatest value of this book lies not in the number of questions that are answered, but in the rich diversity of answers. You will come away from this book knowing that there are as many ways to homeschool as there are homeschooling families. These “expert” answers come from a combined total of more than 500 years of personal experience, experimentation, observation, and the courage to pursue personal dreams and values. This is a book for all homeschoolers. Reading it will empower you as you experiment and find the best learning style for you and your family. $17.95.

Homeschooling THE FIRST YEAR OF HOMESCHOOLING YOUR CHILD: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start, by Linda Dobson. This book starts off acknowledging all the doubts, fears, and questions you may have about beginning homeschooling. Then it goes on to make you feel comfortable and competent to deal with these uncertainties whether your child has been in school before or you are beginning this journey before your child has attended public school.

Those of us who have homeschooled our children over a long period of time know how important it is to develop a philosophy about learning at home. We understand how important it is to be flexible and recognize each child’s learning style. Linda offers some clear guidelines and sound recommendations to help beginners. There is a very clear overview of a variety of approaches and very practical suggestions for using them.

In this book you will see that it is possible to homeschool children under a variety of circumstances. You’ll find examples of two-income families juggling time and needs, those who choose to homeschool because of medical or other special needs of parents or children. You’ll find stories of families who homeschool for academic reasons or just because they want to spend more time together.

Along with learning from Linda’s years of experience, you’ll learn from many others who contributed their insights into the question “What do I wish someone had told me during my first year of homeschooling?” $16.95.

Parenting and Homeschooling ABOVE ALL, BE KIND: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times, by Zoe Weil.
Weil could have called this book Your Life Is Your Message. She says, “More than anything you will ever say to your children, your life — the choices you make and the values you embody — will be their biggest teacher.” How do you do this? Weil uses a four-step process to help make evaluations and decisions.

I got this book thinking it was about family living. I am so glad I was wrong. The scope of this book encompasses families, communities, and all the people whose lives we touch through the ripples of our actions. Did you know that it would require four earths for everyone on the planet to live the lifestyle of North Americans? This book offers facts like this that will alarm you, and you will find information to help you research the subject so you can make your own evaluations and make a change for the better.

Weil has written chapters to cover the early, middle, and high school years with thoughts and suggestions for what values each age can assimilate, the problems encountered, parenting challenges, and best of all some solutions you can use. Here is an excerpt from the chapter about the middle years:

The book ends with stories of young adults who learned how to make a difference in their world and consequently the world at large. There is a questionnaire you can use to help you think about your life and the changes you would like to make, and a place to write about what you will do about it. There is also a long list of organizations you can go to for information and concrete ways you can make a difference. This book is a thought-provoking tool. $17.95. Also available as an audio book from Amazon.

Homeschooling Help and Support THE AMERICAN HOMESCHOOL ASSOCIATION (AHA), www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org, is a non-profit service organization open to all, created in 1995 to network homeschoolers on a national level and to provide news and information about homeschooling. Current AHA services include an online discussion list providing news, information, networking, and resources; a free e-mail newsletter; and a website providing categorized links to the most helpful and informative pages of homeschooling information on the Internet (including a collection of columns from Home Education Magazine by Larry and Susan Kaseman, authors of Taking Charge Through Homeschooling: Personal and Political Empowerment, addressing issues such as working for homeschooling freedoms, curfews, “homeschooling” programs in the public schools, user-friendly homeschooling records, tax credits and homeschooling, homeschoolers playing public school sports, the question of credentials, the school-to-work program, homeschooling legislation, doing the minimum to comply with homeschooling laws, and much more). It is a showcase of the best writing on a wide variety of topics, from sources all across the Internet.