Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good not great.
Review: I like many of the ideas in the book for supplementation. I have four children so it covers the gamut. I do not homeschool so it was helpful in identifying what else I should be thinking about. I did not particular care for some of the recommendations however. Not all sources receommneded are good. One example is a phonics book I purchased to teach my son to read. My son is four years old and I found that book is not well targeted to this group. I found similar problems with a few other resources, so I wonder if the authors really examine their receommendations carefully. So when deciding to buy a book that is recommended, you need to be careful. Otherwise, the ideas are great and pointed me generally in the direction I should be going. I am usually bothered by the religious emphasis in homeschooling type of books, but this book has a moderate tone and does not overdo the religious angle.
Rating:
Summary: good book, just ignore the details
Review: This is a great book, and I have used it extensively in my home for homeschooling and also for helping along the education of my child in school. I warn readers though to read without taking too much of it seriously-- while the resources listed are good, and the ideas about classical education are also excellent, the way in which the author suggest these ideas be accomplished are little over the top. Please ignore the scheduling part altogether and remember that NOBODY does all of the things suggested. A better reource is the Well Educated Mind.
Rating: 
Summary: I expected more from all the other 5 star reviews
Review: I found the authors' tone as being rather smug (to the point of throwing this book down!)and beliefs rather Eurocentric. There are many gaps left for the reader to figure out concerning grade levels. Many of their curriculum recommendations are religious and being a non Christian I wish they gave other curriculum options. I don't agree with many of their views and I would advise anyone to ck this book out of the library first before purchasing. They don't value computer science/the use of computers as part of their curriculum (ofcouse being a 'Classical Education' guide!) It's an obnoxious book but maybe useful for some. Good luck
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT BOOK FOR BEGINNERS
Review: I am in my first year of homeschooling. This book provided some great direction. It was an easy read, very practical. It is my reference tool/teacher handbook for all my homeschooling children. This book provides a great overview of the classical home schooling method.
Rating:
Summary: The book that will last for years
Review: This is the kind of book that you will return to again and again. It is the one book you need through the years. I use it as a guide for when I purchase my curriculum. It has saved me a lot of money in the fact that I didnt have to buy a lot of extra curriculum that was not needed for my child at her age. If you love to read to your child or love to learn through literature this is the approach to homeschooling for you. A caution though if you dislike reading or if you can only work with workbooks for everything I would caution you on purchasing this book. This is not an approach to homeschooling for you.
Rating:
Summary: Silver Spring, Maryland
Review: This text is well thought out and very helpful. With the vast amount of literature advising homeschool curriculums on the market, choosing one can be overwhelming. This mother daughter duo meet the challenge. They not only tell you how to do it but a list of resources support their theories. Nothing is left unanswered.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for a beginner
Review: I purchased this book because I am new to home schooling and didnt know where to begin. A friend recommended this book as a reference guide. The author and co author are a little high on themselves and want to make sure you know how smart they are in the first few chapters. (Truthfully it gets a little old.)
The book is good as a beginning reference to home schooling and can point you in the right direction. But you wont be able to complete everything they tell you to do or you may not want too. It lays out schedules and courses from pre K to college preperation but does not go into detail on how or where to begin if you arent starting from the beginning. The book only gives a paragraph per subject in the back in regards to starting home school at older ages but leaves you with many unanswered questions.
I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a starting point but if you are a veteran I wouldnt waste my time or money.
Rating:
Summary: Before Training Your Child's Mind, Consider This . . .
Review: 1. If the authors have such well-trained minds, why do they take so long to make their points? After reading their tome, I felt like writing -The Well-Trained Mind for Dummies- or -WTM Cliff Notes- just to make the book's useful aspects (e.g., resource lists, approach to history study) more accessible.
2. The "homeschooling Bible"?--please! The only thing biblical about this book is its length. No one book could possibly tell all homeschoolers how to teach all their children. And a book's wild popularity doesn't make it a classic; it merely makes it a fad.
And finally . . .
3. If this is what it takes to have a well-trained mind, I don't want one. Implementing just a few of the book's suggested methods created a joyless learning experience for my children and me. Training (instructing/drilling) and educating (developing/enlightening) are clearly not the same thing. I'll take an educated mind over a well-trained one any day.
Rating:
Summary: Most intelligently written book on this topic I know
Review: Once I started reading The Well Trained Mind, I couldn't put it down. Wow--what an excellent resource. I had decided to begin homeschooling my children (who were at the time enrolled in public school) and had some ideas in my mind about things I liked or didn't like education-wise. I had researched the subject by way of internet, reading other books on the subject, and talking to friends who homeschool, but still didn't have as clear of a "direction" as I wanted to have. I borrowed The Well Trained Mind from a friend, and ended up buying my own copy. It put into words and practice what I wanted for my children's education. I found it to be the most practical, intelligent, and thorough book/resource on home education I've seen so far. Too many books (that I'd seen anyway) waste "book space" on putting down the public school system or spreading anti-government propaganda, something I find annoying and useless in my pursuit of providing the best possible education for my kids! The Well Trained Mind provided for me an understanding of the theory behind classical education, very useful recommendations of curriculums/educational material/resources, techniques and approaches for teaching each subject area for every grade level, and a flexible "plan" on how to put it all together. I only wish everyone could receive an education like the one outlined in this book. I've lent the book to a number of friends (it's on lend even now) who have all been inspired by it--whether for homeschooling or just supplementing a public school education. I jokingly refer to this book as my "education Bible"--and to the authors as my academic heroes. I may glean from other resources, but I keep returning back to this one.
Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: This book is the best resourse for anyone considering homeschooling, classical or otherwise. It is helpful even for those who just want to be more involved in their child's education. This book put into words exactly what I was feeling when faced with my daughter reaching school age. This book gave me the starting point I needed to do what I really wanted to do, homeschool, and the courage and information I needed to do it. I plan to use their curriculum for the next 12 years. The curriculum they suggest and the choices they recommend are flexable enough for any homeschooler to build on without being restricted to "someone else's plan". Every homeschooler should own this book. It is a great resource and full of great advice.
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