Rating: 
Summary: Truly outstanding advice
Review: Although the bulk of the text is devoted to curriculum suggestions, which can be easily found elsewhere, the resource lists will be very helpful to any homeschool family, Catholic or not. Yet it is the introduction that I found most helpful in solidifying my concept of the philosophy of Classical Education in general, and homeschooling in particular. One caution however. The book includes an article on what NOT to do in an appendix at the end. This really should have followed immediately after the introduction since the advice is very important. I am sure that some readers will inadvertently miss this treasure, and that is a shame.
Rating:
Summary: A "Must Have" Resource
Review: Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum is definitely one of the best homeschooling purchases I have made over the years. Not only is it an excellent resource for beginners wishing to learn about the classical education route, but it is also an invaluable reference for experienced homeschool veterans. In this book, the author shares helpful advice and numerous tips from her many years of homeschooling experience in addition to offering various curriculum suggestions for each stage of the trivium.Instead of dictating one cookie cutter form of classical education, the author stresses that classical education (before the college years) is primarily about 'formation' and not 'information'. What is important is the method used and not necessarily the particular resources. This book will truly help you design your own curriculum while sticking with the method of classical education. Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum is definitely a "must have" resource that is worth its weight in gold!
Rating: 
Summary: Good supplement for religious resources, inspiration
Review: Despite being Catholic and very interested in Catholic home education, over time I've found Susan Wise Bauer's "The Well-Trained Mind" to be more useful and comprehensive. You can look at Laura Berquist's website (Mother of Divine Grace school) or the curriculum company that sells her recommended books (Emmanuel) to get a look at her curricula and book lists. Personally, I found it to be too weak on science and math, especially in the lower grades. The most useful thing Berquist offers are her poetry memorization recommendations (available in a separate book "The Harp and Laurel Wreath") which we have used extensively and religious curriculum suggestions (Faith & Life, catechims, upper-level history & religion texts) focusing on the Catholic faith. Compared to the "Well-Trained Mind" (whose authors are some type of high-church Protestant), DYOCC doesn't offer the extensive lists of suggested materials nor does it offer a comprehensive vision for what your child should be learning overall. WTM is based on a 4-year cycle of learning history so that you cover each era (ancient, medieval/early ren., late ren./early modern, modern to present) three times in a child's education, progressing to a more intensive level of study with repetition. Worthy addition to your bookshelf if you are looking for additional inspiration or ideas on how to integrate a Catholic worldview into your studies.
Rating:
Summary: Good supplement for religious resources, inspiration
Review: Despite being Catholic and very interested in Catholic home education, over time I've found Susan Wise Bauer's "The Well-Trained Mind" to be more useful and comprehensive. You can look at Laura Berquist's website (Mother of Divine Grace school) or the curriculum company that sells her recommended books (Emmanuel) to get a look at her curricula and book lists. Personally, I found it to be too weak on science and math, especially in the lower grades. The most useful thing Berquist offers are her poetry memorization recommendations (available in a separate book "The Harp and Laurel Wreath") which we have used extensively and religious curriculum suggestions (Faith & Life, catechims, upper-level history & religion texts) focusing on the Catholic faith. Compared to the "Well-Trained Mind" (whose authors are some type of high-church Protestant), DYOCC doesn't offer the extensive lists of suggested materials nor does it offer a comprehensive vision for what your child should be learning overall. WTM is based on a 4-year cycle of learning history so that you cover each era (ancient, medieval/early ren., late ren./early modern, modern to present) three times in a child's education, progressing to a more intensive level of study with repetition. Worthy addition to your bookshelf if you are looking for additional inspiration or ideas on how to integrate a Catholic worldview into your studies.
Rating:
Summary: This is what homeschooling is about!
Review: Generally, we choose non fiction books that present perspectives similar to those we already hold. This was the case for me when I bought Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum. I knew that the author was a respected educator, with a solid Catholic background. What I didn't know at the time was just what "classical curriculum" entailed. This was one of those books that opened my mind. At first, reading her recommendations to focus on classical material made me uneasy. It didn't seem relevant to modern education. As I continued through the book, however, two things struck me: first, that classical education is far more relevant than my first instinct had told me. Second, Berquist's ideas are helpful in much more substantial ways than curriculum suggestions. More than simply a reading list or a pre-designed curriculum, the book offers guidelines and ideas for how to develop your own educational approach. Whether or not you use her classical material recommendations, her ideas can give you solid assistance in planning a syllabus and schedule that conforms to your family's abilities, scheduling needs, and educational objectives. The "classical" suggestions are the bonus. Whether or not you plan to use a mostly classical approach, this book is worth reading and re-reading at curriculum planning time.
Rating: 
Summary: very helpful, a good jumping off point
Review: If you are looking for general information about classical education, what it is and why one would want to use this approach, you won't find it in this book. This is definitely written for people who've already researched it and are now making up their own curriculum. The book lists books and curriculum that Ms. Berquist recommends for all subjects, organized in a per grade level format. It is well written, easy to follow, and makes designing your own curriculum seem not only possible but easy. The author inputs her personal opinions about various books and curriculum, stating what has worked for her and what did not; the majority of the content is a description of what did work for her. I love reading homeschooling parent's opinions of what worked, what didn't and why; I learn more from their opinions than from reading marketing materials that the companies write. The listings of books and curriculum is limited to just what Berquist personally used. For example, one math curriculum company seems to be used throughout all the grade levels. If this book were truly for someone to design their own curriculum, I would think that if they tried Ms. Berquist's recommended math curriculum and the family did not like it, that they would need some help and guidance to find a different curriculum. The book would live up to its title if it contained a variety of different curriculum company options with Ms. Berquist's opinions of the pro's and con's of each. In this case the reader would have to turn to other sources to find ideas for books or curriculum that may fit their own custom-designed curriculum for their child. (However, that is the beauty of designing your own curriculum, that no two programs will be identical, right?) For anyone looking for that type of review, for additional information, I suggest two (non-religious) books: Rebecca Rupp's The Complete Home Learning Source Book. Or for less curriculum but more books and materials that you can truly custom-create your own curriculum, I suggest The Home School Source Book by Jean and Donn Reed. (These two books are different from each other and are not duplicates in any way.) Each recommended book and curriculum is footnoted with a source. This is nice yet it is unavoidable that companies change their inventory constantly. I found that some of the recommended books were unavailable at the recommended sources when I attempted to buy them. The author didn't include ISBN numbers for the recommended books, and I had trouble finding the books doing a general book search without the ISBN (for example, many books are called "children's bible" and no author name was listed for that volume). Lastly, Internet Website addresses were not given for any of the sources although many of the companies do have a Website. I used a search engine to track down the websites with success. I think the strongest area is Berquist's detailed recommendations for quality teaching materials for the subject of Catholicism. The religion curriculum is very detailed: more detailed than other subjects and I found it very helpful. I feel that some of her recommended courses of study are weak, such as using the game "Mommy, it's a Renoir" to teach art spanning several grade levels. Two homeschooling mothers that I know who read "The Well Trained Mind" (TWTM) first and wanted to design their own Catholic Classical Education program for their children said they felt this book was invaluable and both recommended that I read this book. They found it easy to read, felt that it had good resource listings, and said it helped quelch a bit of fear about what they perceived was an overwhelming task after reading TWTM: to custom design a classical education for their own children. This is definitely worth reading if you are starting out homeschooling with the intent to design your own classical curriculum, which includes teaching Catholicism to your children. You may not choose to duplicate Berquist's program 100%, but you will find many good recommendations, good source lists to obtain catalogs from, and will be inspired and will feel that you are capable of designing your own curriculum plan!
Rating:
Summary: An exceptional resource
Review: Laura Berquist offers so much help to any Catholic homeschooler, whether you follow her suggestions closely, pick and choose, or just use it to clarify your own ideas. She gives the reasons for her own preferences and makes several suggestions for alternatives, depending on the strengths and needs of the particular child. The information is detailed, thorough, and completely Catholic. I strongly recommend the book to any Catholic family who is now, or is even considering, homeschooling.
Rating:
Summary: Handy resource for do-it-yourselfers
Review: Laura Berquist strikes gold again in her new edition of "Designing..." Having bought, read and used the '95 edition, I wondered if the cost of the new one would be worth it. It is more than worth it. Mrs. Berquist's many, many years of homeschooling experience give the reader a wealth of information and resources unequalled in the Catholic hs community when pulling together a solid, classical curriculum from scratch. Most impressive in the new edition is the expanded high school section. I trust Mrs. Berquist's recommendations given she "has been there." The only challenge one finds is the lack of material on helping a child to write. In many places, the author suggests having the students write papers without offering sources to help parents teach their children writing. When speaking to homeschoolers, it seems to be a subject which intimidates parents. A couple of suggested resources would have been good. This book, along with Catholic Home Schooling by Mary Kay Clark, should be on every Catholic homeschooler's bookshelf.
Rating:
Summary: A great resource for those interested in classical eduaction
Review: Laura Berquist's Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum is a great resource for homeschooling families interested in classical education. Laura describes in detail what classical education is and its many benefits. She then sets up a pratical plan for implementing this method, giving grade by grade (K-12) suggestions for subject matter and curriculum. Although this book is written from a Catholic perspective, all faiths can benefit from the practical information given.
Rating:
Summary: Breath of Fresh Air!
Review: This book is well organized by learning stage and grade. The book offers a lot of teaching suggestions and resources for intellectual formation. It has helped me to utilize the curriculum in accordance to the natural stages of learning for my children. Although I am Catholic and the title of the book says Catholic, the book is perfectly adaptable to any religion.
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