Rating: 
Summary: Others are right; this book is about unschooling
Review: If you have ever considered homeschooling this is the book to read. I considered homeschooling 3 years ago, but due to the negative response I received from practically everyone I knew, I backed down. This book was absolutely inspiring. This book gave me the support I needed to do what is best for my children. After reading this book I know homeschooling is a must for well-rounded, educated, christian children. I will read all of Linda Dobson's books.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: If you have ever considered homeschooling this is the book to read. I considered homeschooling 3 years ago, but due to the negative response I received from practically everyone I knew, I backed down. This book was absolutely inspiring. This book gave me the support I needed to do what is best for my children. After reading this book I know homeschooling is a must for well-rounded, educated, christian children. I will read all of Linda Dobson's books.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful resource for those new to homeschooling...
Review: My husband and I were on the fence about whether or not to homeschool our kids until we read this book. Now we know that it is the right choice for us! Ms. Dobson's book answered all the questions that were plaguing us and made us realize the benefits of homeschooling and that we weren't out of the norm for feeling the way we did. I would (and have) highly recommend it to anyone who is considering this wonderful education option.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful resource for those new to homeschooling...
Review: My husband and I were on the fence about whether or not to homeschool our kids until we read this book. Now we know that it is the right choice for us! Ms. Dobson's book answered all the questions that were plaguing us and made us realize the benefits of homeschooling and that we weren't out of the norm for feeling the way we did. I would (and have) highly recommend it to anyone who is considering this wonderful education option.
Rating:
Summary: Dobson Has Written The Definitive Book On Homeschooling!
Review: Parents, journalists, legislators and homeschoolers across America need look no further for the definitive book on homeschooling. It has finally been written and the author is Linda Dobson, a wise and leading voice in the American homeschooling movement. Within the covers of 'The Homeschooling Book of Answers' Ms. Dobson has brought you the experience and wisdom of 39 of the movers and shakers in this viable alternative opportunity to public schooling. These homeschooling parents and their children share their collective knowledge and lives in this informative book. This book has lots of personality. This book is an accumulation of 500 years of homeschooling and child rearing experience. This book is a 'keeper', one to be referenced again and again. As a home education advocate 'The Homeschooling Book of Answers' is now the only book I recommend to anyone wanting information on homeschooling. This book is so chocked full of information and resources that readers will be able to use it as a jumping off point in their quest for a top-notch education for their children. The information in this book also has a redeeming value that will help to heal the wounded American family and give parents back their children that government run public schools are destroying. 'The Homeschooling Book of Answers' will also show parents how the act of homeschooling/schooling at home can lead to a more promising way of educating children--free and independent learning known to some as 'unschooling', a much healthier and happier way to raise children. The following related books are also highly recommended: 'The Art of Education' by Linda Dobson; 'Dumbing Us Down' by John Taylor Gatto; 'Teach Your Own' by John Holt; 'Dumbing Down Our Kids' by Charles J. Sykes; 'Homeschooling' by Samuel L. Blumenfeld; 'The Teenage Liberation Handbook' by Grace Llewellyn; 'Outcome Based Education' by Peg Luksik and Pamela Hoffecker
Rating: 
Summary: An valuable but incomplete picture
Review: Some previous reviews notwithstanding, this book does not provide a sufficiently complete overview of homeschooling as practiced today. It focuses on the viewpoints of those who favor an "unschooling approach", where the child pursues his own interests and curricula are de-emphasized or unused. This makes the book interesting and valuable, since parents get the chance to consider the possibilities of this type of methodology, but other the other principal means of homeschooling a child (a traditional curricula at home) gets less emphasis. I would recommend that those seriously interested in homeschooling read other books or materials to get the whole picture.I think parents who follow some of the ideas expressed in this book need to be careful that their child receives a well rounded education. Some of the contributors may seem to suggest that children will "pick up" what they need as they pursue personal interests, but I don't think that will happen in all cases. Children and parents who get the privilege of homeschooling need to take on the responsibility of getting a good foundation in all major subject matters, even those they don't like. Also, some kids may have aptitudes they won't discover unless parents really insist that they give each subject a good, solid chance. But the good news which this book brings out is that homeschoolers have the flexibility to really focus on special talents, and need take only moderate amounts of time on those subjects which aren't so important to them personally. Homeschooling families also have the freedom to approach notoriously "boring" subjects from non-conventional angles to create more interest. To sum up, I recommend this book because it will introduce options and make the reader think, which is really good. However, more research is needed before any family even makes preliminary decisions regarding the best way to educate their child.
Rating:
Summary: Homeschooling Does Not Equal Unschooling!
Review: The purpose of Dobson's book is to present "homeschooling" as synonymous with "unschooling," the radical philosophy put forth by the late John Holt. The "respected voices" Dobson touts as her collective authority on homeschooling may be respected in UNschooling circles, but they are most certainly NOT representative of the homeschooling community at large. Dobson's book is designed to mainstream the radical unschooling philosophy and pass it off as homeschooling. It's a very misleading book which should have been titled, "The UNschooling Book of Answers."
Rating:
Summary: A truly inspired response to the need for good information!
Review: These are *excerpts* from my review published in Home Education Magazine Linda Dobson explains that what she calls "The Bright Idea" came from a summer spent speaking and presenting workshops at homeschooling conferences. She thought it would be wonderful to be able to bring the collective energy and knowledge of "some of the most dedicated, practiced, knowledgeable, and commonsensical voices on homeschooling" to people who can't get to such conferences. Soon she had recruited 39 people to contribute responses to the 88 questions that seem to come up most frequently. What you'll find in this book is helpful, warm, and thoughtful support, but certainly not an attempt to give expert answers. As a matter of fact, if you're looking for such answers to how it should be done, read this book, and you'll probably soon find yourself comfortably letting go of that need. One of the fun things about homeschooling is that the most commonly voiced inner personal experiences are startlingly similar, although almost unheard of in the broader educational world. Those experiences are generously shared in The Homeschooling Book of Answers - that is both the heart and the guts of why it works so well. The key to the unique character of The Homeschooling Book of Answers is in the introduction, where Dobson says: "Looking at homeschooling as an odd educational choice, or even as a valid educational choice, for that matter, places it in a very narrow context. This narrow context is unfortunate because it abruptly ends just where homeschooling begins. Considering homeschooling this way is like looking at someone's finger as it points toward a beautiful sunset." This stunningly phrased essential truth is the heart of the matter, and ironically enough, the hardest thing to convey to people who are just starting to inquire about "homeschooling." Dobson continues, "Homeschooling is a grassroots educational alternative that originates with the seed of parental love and commitment and blossoms into a lush garden of personal empowerment for child and parent." It was surprising to me that Linda had managed to corral for this book so many diverse homeschoolers who clearly and strongly supported that core sentiment, but she has done just that. A diverse group indeed, but the voices weave together in wonderful harmony around the essential issues, and heart, of homeschooling. No "school at home" advice here - just a wide variety of individuals offering reassuring advice and encouragement in both the practical and philosophical aspects of the homeschooling adventure. The goal Linda Dobson set out with is accomplished even more effectively than one could have imagined. This is a book I've already begun recommending to everyone looking for information about homeschooling, as well as to friends who also get a lot of calls asking these questions.
Rating:
Summary: A truly inspired response to the need for good information!
Review: These are *excerpts* from my review published in Home Education Magazine Linda Dobson explains that what she calls "The Bright Idea" came from a summer spent speaking and presenting workshops at homeschooling conferences. She thought it would be wonderful to be able to bring the collective energy and knowledge of "some of the most dedicated, practiced, knowledgeable, and commonsensical voices on homeschooling" to people who can't get to such conferences. Soon she had recruited 39 people to contribute responses to the 88 questions that seem to come up most frequently. What you'll find in this book is helpful, warm, and thoughtful support, but certainly not an attempt to give expert answers. As a matter of fact, if you're looking for such answers to how it should be done, read this book, and you'll probably soon find yourself comfortably letting go of that need. One of the fun things about homeschooling is that the most commonly voiced inner personal experiences are startlingly similar, although almost unheard of in the broader educational world. Those experiences are generously shared in The Homeschooling Book of Answers - that is both the heart and the guts of why it works so well. The key to the unique character of The Homeschooling Book of Answers is in the introduction, where Dobson says: "Looking at homeschooling as an odd educational choice, or even as a valid educational choice, for that matter, places it in a very narrow context. This narrow context is unfortunate because it abruptly ends just where homeschooling begins. Considering homeschooling this way is like looking at someone's finger as it points toward a beautiful sunset." This stunningly phrased essential truth is the heart of the matter, and ironically enough, the hardest thing to convey to people who are just starting to inquire about "homeschooling." Dobson continues, "Homeschooling is a grassroots educational alternative that originates with the seed of parental love and commitment and blossoms into a lush garden of personal empowerment for child and parent." It was surprising to me that Linda had managed to corral for this book so many diverse homeschoolers who clearly and strongly supported that core sentiment, but she has done just that. A diverse group indeed, but the voices weave together in wonderful harmony around the essential issues, and heart, of homeschooling. No "school at home" advice here - just a wide variety of individuals offering reassuring advice and encouragement in both the practical and philosophical aspects of the homeschooling adventure. The goal Linda Dobson set out with is accomplished even more effectively than one could have imagined. This is a book I've already begun recommending to everyone looking for information about homeschooling, as well as to friends who also get a lot of calls asking these questions.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, thought-provoking, education not schooling
Review: This book gives you a window into the lives of a number of successful homeschoolers - most of these are parents who follow their children's interests and allow for flexibility in their learning. Wonderful resource if you are considering home education, or want to break out of the "school-at-home" rut into true learning.
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