Last summer about this time there was a lot of chaos and confusion about what the school year would look like. Because of the pandemic, there was a large increase in homeschooling families. In fact, the percentage of homeschooled students in the U.S. jumped from 3% to 8% in just two years. While there isn’t as much unknown for this upcoming school year (praise Jesus), there are still families who will choose to homeschool.
While we all choose different ways of education for our families, I think it’s important to remember there is no ‘perfect education’. Each family and child is different and we are blessed to live in a country where we get to choose what path is best for us. Public school, private school, collaborative school, homeschool. They are all important avenues of education.
Whether we choose to homeschool or not, reading about ways to connect with our kids, parent, and educate (the parent is the first teacher after all), can be helpful, inspiring, and make us better human beings. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite homeschooling reads that have helped me cultivate the at home learning experience. While I am not following any of these books verbatim, I have taken bits and pieces from each one to grow in the way I love, parent, and educate my kids. Some of these are good reads for all parents, while others are specifically homeschooling reads.
Homeschooling Reads for Summer
The Lifegiving Parent by Clay and Sally Clarkson
I’m going to begin with Clay and Sally Clarkson’s book because it’s more of a parenting book than homeschooling book. Sally and Clay lay out the foundation for nurturing and growing our children in a life giving way. Scripture and personal family stories are used as examples to offer practical ways to raise up our kids. Sally and Clay always bring it back to scripture, which I appreciate. I read this book slowly, taking in and applying each of their heartbeats of parental life-giving. This will be one I reread from time to time.
The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
While Sarah Mackenzie provides great resources for homeschooling families, her material is incredibly beneficial for all families. This is my favorite on the list because it is for every family and is so good. Each chapter of The Read Aloud Family will build you up and inspire you to connect with your kids through books. I could not get enough of this one.
Here is an encouraging quote from the book (there were so many): A book can’t change the world on it’s own. But a book can change readers. And readers? They can change the world.
The Unhurried Homeschooler by Durenda Wilson
This is a mercifully short read and one I skim through every summer. It’s a book that reminds parents of the basics: the reasons we began homeschooling in the first place. It’s a good reminder of why we’re doing what we’re doing. I highly recommend this one to every homeschooling parent. It will give you the inspiration needed to start the school year strong.
The Call of the Wild & Free by Ainsley Arment
We’re getting a little deeper on this one. I read this for the first time last year. It stretched me in a lot of ways and helped me see homeschooling in a different way. It begins at the decision to homeschool: defining the why, debunking the myths of homeschooling, and helping parents figure out their homeschooling style. There are about a million ways to homeschool and Arment leads readers down the path of the Wild + Free method. While I don’t fully adopt this method in our family’s homeschool experience, there are incredibly valuable points and pieces of this methodology. If you’re wanting different view points on homeschooling and/or believe in the importance of nature in education, this book is a good read.
The Five Hour School Week by Kaleena Amuchastegui and Aaron Amuchastegui
If you are really looking to shake things up in your family’s homeschool life, this book is a fantastic read. It’s challenging, engaging, and motivating. I listened to this book and it opened my eyes to how education doesn’t have to look like workbooks and a teacher teaching from a set curriculum. I have seen first hand how my kids’ interest can motivate their learning and this book describes how interest-led learning can be powerful. The authors also stress that education doesn’t have to be achieved inside four walls, but can be attained by traveling and doing everyday life together as a family, which is right up our alley.
It’s always encouraging to get a jolt of inspiration before a new school year begins. However our kids are educated, I believe books help us grow and become better versions of ourselves. I hope these homeschooling reads inspire you to grab a book and learn something new. What are you reading this summer?
P.S. If you’re local and want to borrow any of the books I shared today, I am happy to lend them out!