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Let's Create a Booklist of 'Must Read' or 'Essential' Homeschooling Books
After reading a post on the Homeschool Australia Frequently Asked Questions email support group I began wondering: what 'how to homeschool' books do we all consider essential reading - books that have enlightened, encouraged and reassured us, that have given us invaluable tips that saved time and worry, or books that changed the way we think about education and made the task of explaining our choices to others much easier.
When April was four years of age (in the mid 80s) I read John Holt's How Children Learn and How Children Fail and that set the tone and direction of my thinking on the education process. Before that I dogeared a copy of Your Baby and Child, a classic parenting book by Penelope Leach, so perhaps my thoughts were already on that path and I was primed to accept his ideas. Holt's writing style is anecdotal - he reflects on his observations so that gives his books authenticity - he talks about what he experiences first hand. Letters from homeschooling parents and friends about their experiences help to illustrate his ideas. Although the basic ideas were fairly challenging back then because of the way I'd been schooled to believe in schools and teaching, I found echoes in my own experience, both as a child, teenager, adult and parent. I think John Holt helped me to look at my experiences in a different way and to draw different conclusions. It is this widening of my awareness that I'm still grateful for two decades later.
After a couple of years of homeschooling I read a book by Mario Pagnini, a homeschooling dad. He had a list of 'qualifications' to home educate in the early chapters, one which read "You must like your child." Everyone loves their child, but homeschooling requires that you like your child, that you want to be with them all day, every day. That made me realise that it's perfectly normal to not like our own children. Later I read a uni text book on child development and found out about temperamental mismatch and the havoc it can cause in family relationships. Mario's book curbed my enthusiasm to convert everyone I came across to the cause of homeschooling!
Better Late Than Early, a classic by Raymond and Dorothy Moore, early homeschooling pioneers, is a book that has given much reassurance to many families, particular those whose children seem to be reluctant to start intellectual study by age five...
There were so few books about home education when we began and now there are thousands! Many, like my own Getting Started with Homeschool book focus on the practical aspects. Of this kind I think Ann Lahrson Fisher's The Fundamentals of Homeschooling is the most thorough and could sit on the shelf alongside books that promote any method of homeschooling such as Classical, Montessori, Charlotte Mason or Steiner. Then there are books that combine the basics with an approach such as unschooling or eclectic and using unit studies and learning centres by authors such as Anna Kealoha, Gareth Lewis as well as the books produced by Linda Dobson's Prima Publishing's Homeschooling series. I've only read a handful of Charlotte Mason inspired homeschooling books and love the emphasis on developing habits and routines, and the way in which they honour the nature of childhood, placing children at the centre of the learning process but without the focus on individualism that can occur with other approaches. Then there are books that focus solely on a particular homeschooling approach such as Steiner or Classical education.
Wouldn't it be great to have a list of 'classics' or must read books - half a dozen gems - that we could recommend to families interested in homeschooling?
I'd want to include at least one book that considers the political nature of homeschooling and schooling: John Taylor Gatto's Dumbing Us Down is a classic, and it's less US focussed than his epic The Underground History of American Schooling, but I personally prefer Canadian homeschooling pioneer and advocate Wendy Preisnitz's compact and succinct Challenging Assumptions in Education. Wendy was the leader of the Green Party in Canada for a couple of years and has published Natural Life, an alternative lifestyles magazine for more than two decades, as well as Life Learning. She gets to the point quickly and has much to say that is very thought provoking. Unsettling, but essential reading for anyone! It's not a book about homeschooling, it's a book about the way society uses schools to promote particular attitudes and values that aren't meant to serve the whole of humanity.
Many homeschooling families pick up a copy of Grace Llewellyn's The Teenage Liberation Handbook at some stage. It's a book that I think we should all read when our children are tiny, rather than leave it until their in their teens. Her book, written in her twenties, speaks to the teenager in all of us, but more than that she shows us that we don't have to stay stock in whatever dogma was written for us educationally in the past. It's a book which, through anecdotes of real first hand experiences, demonstrates that their are many pathways to the adult world of work. Grace's book was both reassuring and challenging: it helped me to treat my children as unique individuals and to learn about their learning styles, needs and interests. The Teenage Liberation Handbook reinforced John Holt's message of trust the children.
It looks like my list would include a general, but comprehensive nuts and bolts 'how to homeschool' book; a book that provided reassurance that our kids will graduate homeschooling and become valued and useful citizens; a book that covers the basic underlying philosophy of home education - that of life learning and personal responsibility for the educational process and our reasons for the rejection of the principles behind compulsory mass schooling. We also seem to need a book that lays out a basic curriculum - a guide to follow in that first year or so: what to do when, but without needing to spend hundreds of dollars on a particular curriculum as most of us soon change our ideas!
Let's create that list! If you email me your choices I'll compile them into a list on my website, and post the file in the Files section of the Homeschool Australia FAQ group's yahoo website.
PS: Read the completed booklist . 
Scroll down for a complete list of available books. We accept Personal Cheques and Money Orders (Aust only) or PayPal for credit card orders.
HOW TO ORDER
ALB Newsletter
Getting Started
Learning Without School
Language Series
Practical HS Series
Ebooks
Educational Games Series
Natural Learning Series
Sample Learning Programs
Unschooling Books
Diaries
Portfolios/Report Cards
Homeschool DVDs
Interested in homeschooling, but still not sure? Read
'All You Need Is...'
Looking for educational resources?
Home Education Directory
Questions about homeschooling?
Browse the Homeschool Australia Article Library,
or join our Frequently Asked Questions
online support group.
Wondering what to teach? See
Australian Homeschool Curriciulum
What's new on
Homeschool Australia? Subscribe to our mailing list.
Children Learning Naturally
Online Support Group
Travelling and homeschooling? Keep in touch with Aussie Homeschool Campers!
Home education is a legal alternative
to school education in Australia.
State governments are responsible
for regulating home education.
Different states have different
requirements, however
homeschooling families are able
to develop curriculum and learning
programs to suit the individual
needs of their children.
For more information:
Home Education Association
Text & Images on this site
Copyright © 1999-2008
Beverley Paine.
All rights reserved
Email
Thank you
for visiting!
Please note:
The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice.
Pioneering members of the home education movement in Australia, Beverley and Robin Paine are passionate advocates of true educational choice for families. They began homeschooling their children in 1986 and three years later started the South Australian Home Based Learners network.Beverley wrote several books and booklets on home education through her self-publishing business, Always Learning Books. Beverley balances spending time helping home educators with working in her garden and renovating her home, as well as continuing to build her collection of ebooks on a variety of homeschooling subjects. retired from actively supporting home education in July 2008 to allow her to spend time on her garden and writing projects. She maintains an extensive collection of websites as well as several Yahoo groups supporting families teaching their children at home. Beverley continues to support the Home Education Association of Australia as a committee member and helps to produce the HEA Newsletter, publications and annaul Resource Directory. If you'd like to keep in touch with what Beverley is up to her in her life, sign up for either the Always Learning Books mailing list or the Homeschool Australia Newsletter.
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How to Order ~ Orders from Outside Australia
Click on each title to read reviews and brief descriptions of each book. |
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Getting Started With Homeschooling: Practical Considerations ISBN 1876651008, Paperback, 132 pages, AUS$25.00
Home Education Student Portfolio Reports Early Childhood Student Report Middle Childhood Student Report Early Adolescence Student Report
covers approximately year/grade level 7 to 10 (ages 12 - 15) A4, Spiral bound, 130g $6.00 (free postage)
Weekly Homeschooling Diary Naturally Learning Diary
Learning in the Absence of Education
The Homeschooling Trail:
Unschool~Kidz! Visit the Unschool~Kidz web site
also by Beverley Paine Aquadome, an underwater research station in the year 2024, is shrouded in mystery, hiding controversial genetic experiments and treacherous secrets. Psychic links draw teenagers, Katya and Coen, into an international conspiracy which threatens their very existence. 2002 Book store price...
Learning to Let Go
ISBN 1876651288 A5, stapled, 60g, 30 pages.
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PRACTICAL HOMESCHOOLING BOOKLET SERIES
Practical Homeschooling Exploring Approaches This booklet combines the notes of seven speakers at the Adelaide 2008 Homeschooling Seminar and Curriculum Fair.
Chapters in this booklet cover Charlotte Mason, Natural Learning, Unschooling, Discipleship Based, Relational homeschooling, Steiner influence, Unit Studies, and more! $4.50 (free postage)
The first in a series of booklets sharing Beverley's reflections, experience, tips and suggestions to help you become a more effective home educator.
Take the frustration out of everyday homeschooling.
Motivation in the Homeschool "If I knew twenty years ago what I know I know now about motivation home educating my children would have been a breeze! What I can say is that it is never too late to make adjustments... Despite all the 'mistakes' we made in the early years we couldn't ask for a better outcome. Our now adult children make us proud every day." Beverley packs in a lifetime of learning about how to overcome motivation obstacles into this 36 page booklet.
Answering Objections to Homeschooling
by Beverley Paine How do you answer all the questions people ask you about home education? These could be friends, family or total strangers. Beverley offers a selection of well-worn answers to over a dozen of the most popularly voiced objections to homeschooling you are likely to encounter. Includes a section on dealing with unsupportive relatives.
Write Your Own Unit Studies
Learning Maths Naturally
Frequently Asked Questions
by Beverley Paine Over 60 fundamental questions asked by families new to homeschooling are answered by Beverley in this 36 page booklet. 2004
The Spelling Process
The Writing Process
Learning to Love Reading
Developing Handwriting
Language Games You Can Play
A Sample ‘Approved' Learning Naturally Homeschooling Program & Review
Natural Learning
Learning Materials for the Homeschool
Translating Every Day Life
into Educational Jargon
by Beverley Paine . 2008
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2007 National Home Education This 4 DVD pack includes over 8 hours of conference speeches by John Taylor Gatto, Alan Thomas and Eleanor Sparks as well as the Brisbane Conference Question and Answer session. Includes Conference Notes from many of the Workshop Presenters. NHED Conference DVD $50 for International Orders [Please ensure that your TV and DVD player will handle DVD-R disc in the PAL format before purchase.]
Let's Play Together Traditional Children's Games Kathi Wyldeck's very practical Educational Games Booklets draw on her extensive educational experience with children and will help supplement your children's learning across the curriculum. Fast Games and Quiet Games
Physical and Mental Games for Families Book One Kathi Wyldeck ISBN 1876651385, 70g $4.50 (free postage) Outdoor, Campfire, Water and Theme Games
Physical and Mental Games for Families Book Two Kathi Wyldeck ISBN 1876651369, 70g $4.50 (free postage) Maths, English, Music and Art
Educational Games for Families Book One Kathi Wyldeck ISBN 1876651350, 70g $4.50 (free postage)  ScienceEducational Games for Families Book Two Kathi Wyldeck ISBN 1876651342, 70g $4.50 (free postage) History Geography, French, German and Latin Estimation, First Aid, Health, Tracking, Safety, Knotting and Navigation
Life Skill Games for Families Book One Kathi Wyldeck ISBN 1876651377, 70g $4.50 (free postage) Character Building, Handcraft, Aussie Flags and Emblems, Discovery, Nature and Conservation, Cooking, Self Expression, Tools and Construction
Life Skill Games for Families Book Two Kathi Wyldeck ISBN 1876651393, 70g $4.50 (free postage)
STOCK TO CLEAR EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE Take advantage of this opportunity to fill in any blanks in your collection of this great homeschooling magazine no longer in production.Education Choices featured columns by well-known, experienced home educators in various practical departments, such as:
$4.45 (plus postage) Issues available:
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More than 60 essays covering a wide range of homeschooling concerns and issues, such as late readers, value of play, socialisation, learning maths, part time school, and thoughts on testing. Follows the Paine family's progress from homeschooling to unschooling. An intimate and honest look at the day-to-day life spanning several years. Illustrated with clear black and white photographs and children's drawings. 
Designed to take the worry out of education and to reassure parents, these booklets are a valuable aid in the homeschool. Written by experienced home educators and teachers, each booklet offers ideas, activities or tips on how to help your children learn at home in the different subject areas. All prices include postage.
by Beverley Paine