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Summary: The Best in Classical Education
Review: The BEST home schooling book I have read so far. I want to share it with everyone I know. You won't be sorry you spent the money.
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Summary: Love it!
Review: This is very well thought out and complete. It is also quite inexpensive with the use of the library as well after minor start-up costs. It is sooo easy to adapt the program to individual curriculum preferences. We did not like Saxon, which is suggested, but I did try it and then found something I like. It didn't change the program. We use some of their suggested books and substitute others. The sequence is what is important. The schedule seems at first glance grueling but is also quite flexible. It was added at insistence of their publisher and is not one they "expect" you to follow. Adapt it to your needs. The bottom line is building upon knowledge, teaching your child according to their developmental needs and covering everything they really need to succeed.
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Summary: Classical Education explain so anyone can understand.
Review: This book is geared mostly toward those who wish to teach their children at home -- homeschoolers especially. Although classical education is usually religious in nature, this book is not "soaked" in religion (as are many other books aimed at homeschoolers) -- a welcome breadth of fresh air.
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Summary: Drop-Dead Fantastic Book
Review: This is, as I mentioned in the title of this review, a drop-dead fabulous book not only for homeschoolers but also parents of students in a 'regular' school setting--public or private. It will serve as a guideline to judge how your child's education stacks up to the 'classical education' outlined in the book. Fortunately, our private school is built on this same classical model and utilizes many of the same books; but even so, it has shown me how I can supplement and reinforce what my child is learning and how to fill in some gaps for the years my child was not in this particular school. I was just plain excited after I read this book. It doesn't just tell you what a good education looks like, it tells you exactly HOW to do it!Here is where you will learn why public schools today are failing and why they are wrong to 'ditch' learning facts and simply focus on process. Here is where your suspicions that phonics really DO matter will be affirmed. Here is where you will learn just what the key 'basics' really are and how to make sure your child learns them. This is probably one of the best books on education you will ever read. Parents, this book will truly help you take charge of your child's education!
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Summary: Clear and compelling reading
Review: When we decided last year to try homeschooling, I checked out every book on the subject from our public library. After I had read all of them, a friend recommended The Well Trained Mind. It was by far the best book of all that I read. It presents a clear and compelling case for homeschooling and for classical education. The authors lay out, in the clearest possible fashion, a blueprint for classical education and a framework for building it. They explain what to do, how to do it, and most importantly, WHY - all important to a novice like me. We have followed the recommendations of the Well Trained Mind for nearly a year now, tailoring it to fit our family's needs, and I am extremely pleased with the results. Whether or not our children ever go to college, I am confident that the ideas and language and literature that they are exposed to now in their classical education will equip them with the tools for a lifelong pursuit of learning. We don't do EVERYTHING the book recommends - the authors themselves point out that no one could! But I find the wealth of information a tremendous resource - I'd rather have a feast of ideas than a strict bread-and-water curriculum. Read this book with an open mind. Even if it does not fit your own philosophy of education you will certainly benefit from some of its ideas and suggestions.
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Summary: A Wonderful Homeschooling Resource...
Review: These comments are mainly in response to the "Don't Torture Your Children" review. For a detailed description of the contents and organization of this book, please see the editorial reviews. My comments will focus on how this book has been of use to me. Instead of finding this book narrow, rigid, and otherwise stultifying (as some reviewers have indicated), I have found this to be an invaluable curriculum planning resource. It lays out a practical, reasonable way of schooling at home in a "classical" manner, without any of the excesses that one might associate with traditional "classical" education. I have read many of the other homeschooling resources on classical education but this is the one that enabled me to feel comfortable in implementing this method at home. The recommended curriculum programs are easy to use and reasonable in price and even if one doesn't use them, they give one a good idea of what type of programs to look for. The suggested schedules are helpful in providng an outline in planning a school day. But for those who think the timeframes given are too structured or too rigorous, know that the authors present them only as guidelines, not as the only way to school if one is doing "classical" education. The authors have made this clear on their wonderful website, where hundreds of other Well-Trained Mind users give feedback, support, and suggestions for schooling the Well-Trained Mind way. I fully appreciate the progression of developmental skills provided in this book. For example, in the grammar years for history, the young student narrates what he/she hears and then begins to write out his/her own narrations (a la Charlotte Mason); in the dialectic years, the student begins to outline the material, do timelines to see interrelationships, and write short reports; in the high school years, the student concentrates on analyzing events and integrating history with literature and philosphy. The same kind of progression is also provided for science and for the other academic areas. This is one area that I found missing in other classical homeschooling resources--just what kind of work does one require from students in the different areas of the trivium. So, bottom line, if you are interested in classical education at home, this book is a wonderful foundational resource. You may not use everything suggested in the book; you may not do everything suggested in the book. But the book will give you excellent perimeters within which to do your classical schooling.
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Summary: Why you SHOULD read The Well Trained Mind
Review: If one is wishing to start homeschooling, The Well Trained Mind is a good place to start. It not only gives insight to classical education, but child development as well. Is classical education structured? To a degree, yes. But, that is one of the many reasons parents take their children out of public schools, because of the lack of structure. TWTM gives examples and outlines as to how to educate your children classically. I think Ms. Wise and Ms. Bauer would be the first to admit that there are many ways to educate a child, and this is but one. They also say that they didn't even want to put examples of schedules in their book, but the publisher wanted them there. I believe they've since found out that people were really looking for some guidance and structure, and the schedules in the book are only recommendations, not mandatory inflexible requirements. I found the book and the schedules to be extremely helpful in planning our curriculum. Though the path we chose to educate our children is not exactly like some of their recommendations, I don't think they would want us to do it exactly like they did. The results with my sons have been that they now have a foundation of education, which has provided a background and understanding to think independently, creatively, and has fostered their love of learning. TWTM allows for all levels of learning. From the brightest gifted and talented student to the learning disabled and ones with special needs. Is there something so wrong about raising the bar in learning in this country? Go into any public school and you will see a curriculum that has been watered down to the lowest common denominator. This country is slowly learning that a child will rise to the occasion and dumbing them down serves no one. I for one wish for more than that for my child. I am the parent and it is my responsibililty to ensure that my children are educated. Not my neighbors, not the government, but ME! Using The Well Trained Mind I have found that my children have talents and ideas that I never even knew they had! We have been able to pursue them through an exciting and rewarding education at home that I feel will continue long after my sons have left the nest.
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Summary: For My Children's Sake
Review: After reading dozens of books and articles on both homeschooling and education in general, The Well-Trained Mind was the one that truly ignited my passion for educating my children! While the book goes into great detail on the "hows and whys" of classical education, the authors constantly remind the reader to tailor the program to fit the needs of their child and family. The Well-Trained Mind is perfect for the home educator who wants a curriculum schedule completely spelled out, and also for the parent who wants to follow the general format of a classical education, while having the freedom to pick and choose according to their preferences. The book gives wonderful descriptions of the three stages of classical education, and explains the change in focus for each stage. Why is it that 11 and 12-year-olds argue about everything? Why do young childen ask "why"? What gives teenagers their drive for self-expression? TWTM shows home educators how to teach according to their child's natural development. The prospect of educating a child through high school was a real concern of mine, but TWTM outlines a fantastic program for upper level education that will challenge and prepare your kids for a career or college education. And again, the authors encourage you to adapt the curriculum toward your child's interests and abilities. I now feel I can help my children prepare for college; they will have the writing, thinking, and research skills they will need to excel in college and beyond.
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Summary: Join the "Great Converation" of the ages......
Review: After homeschooling for 5 years I found The Well Trained Mind. This book is a treasure trove of classical education philosophy and suggestions for implementation. Don't be scared off by the rigorous schedules, adapt them to fit your situation, but don't miss out on the benefits of an education for your children that follows the natural stages of your child's development. This is called the Trivium and it is one of the components at the heart of Classical education. Let your young children (grammar stage) soak up facts and information, memorize poetry and copy from the masters in writing and drawing. When they're older (logic stage) teach them to think for themselves, to ask "why" and "how". Finally, when they are high school age (rhetoric stage) teach them to communicate with clarity and persuasive eloquence, and to specialize in areas that especially interest them. The Well Trained Mind lays out for you a wonderful blueprint to follow. History is the central focus,not just American History but the history of the world. There are suggestions for how to organize this study starting with the Ancients and moving forward. It shows how to use the western world's "great books", those that have endured the test of time and speak to the human condition. Following the pattern laid out in the book your children will receive an education that will give them a deep understanding of who we are and where we've come from. This will prepare them to meet the challenges (technical, ethical, political,spiritual) our increasingly complex world creates. We have implemented much of the program this past year and my children have all made great strides academically, even though they have various learning styles and abilities. They have loved the organization and pulling together of history, literature,art and science in a systematic way that makes sense. They have even loved learning Latin ! The task of setting forth a classical education may seem daunting but The Well Trained Mind gives you both the "WHY"S" and suggestions for the "HOW'S". It provides guidence and a well thought out model to follow. I refer to it constantly. Our homeschool experience is so much richer for it. If you're just getting started in classical homeschooling this is a must read.
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Summary: Training the Minds of our Children
Review: I have found this book to be the single most helpful homeschooling book I own. I refer to it often for resources and practical how-tos. It describes the trivium in great detail, and is a very practical guide to implementing it. The authors are careful to state that this is a complete list of all possible subjects, and that it is not meant to be followed verbatim. You cannot...and should not try to do it all. However, you can pick and chose which subjects to cover, and I believe the book offers guidance on how to choose the most important. I started out with classical education a little at the time, and added material as my children seemed ready for it. I do not feel compelled to do it all! What's more, in the past year of following the Well Trained Mind, my son, who is learning disabled, has improved 3 and 4 grade equivalents in all areas of his yearly standardized IOWA test. My boys...who are active and rather rambunctious, actually love the structure of their days with classical education and enjoy the challenge. I am so thankful to SWB and Jessie Wise for writing this book!
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