The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning

by Leslie M. Martino, Ainsley Arment (foreword)

A parent’s guide to cultivating an unhurried lifestyle and education that help their children thriveIn a culture that prizes productivity, efficiency, and success, it’s easy to feel as though we’re constantly falling short and to lose sight of joy. The homeschool community is not exempt from this pressure, but longtime educator Leslie Martino shows parents how to slow down to recapture the delight and depth that are hallmarks of meaningful learning. In The Joy of Slow, she offers practical guidance daily rhythms that celebrate the ordinary and make space for spontaneitysupporting children as they explore personal interests and engage in self-directed learningtracking students’ progress in ways that might be overlooked by traditional assessmentsprioritizing connection with other people and the natural world    While parents of young children are more likely to embrace a slow childhood that nurtures wonder and imagination, panic often sets in as kids grow older, and parents worry about preparing them for the world beyond school. These fears are exacerbated by learning challenges, unspoken competition among peers, and standardized assessments. The Joy of Slow offers a much-needed reset, inspiring parents to prioritize the needs of each individual child and to help them find renewed freedom and passion.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education

272 pages, Hardcover

Published August 13, 2024

About the author

Leslie M. Martino is the author of the book The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning, a guide to cultivating an unhurried lifestyle and education in order to help children thrive. She has over twenty years of experience teaching—as an elementary school teacher, a home educator, and an adjunct lecturer for graduate courses focused on the role of the teacher in supporting children’s individual work preferences.

Leslie homeschools her four children and works as an educational consultant, writing curricula, training teachers, and coaching parents to approach learning in an interest-based and child-directed way. She is a speaker on topics of education and motherhood and is also a contributing writer for the Wild + Free homeschooling community.

Leslie enjoys teaching Pilates and collecting nature treasures (though not at the same time). She lives in sunny Florida with her husband and children. You can find her at LeslieMartino.com and on Instagram @lesliemmartino.

Reviews

[Janssen]

Fine - lots to think about but it felt slow to me (no pun intended!)

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the author’s idea of slow bringing balance to our homeschool, but this book reminds me of an over-achieving homeschool mom’s Instagram page, overwhelming and intimidating. Had I read this book a few years ago, I would walk away feeling inadequate. Homeschool books have a to ride a fine line in order to be the encouragement that I’m sure all such authors intend. They need to have the right balance of cheering you on to attainable goals and challenging you to step outside of your comfort zone and do more. This book falls into the latter ditch and it sounds like this mom is working really hard to do all things, just more slowly. She has a bunch of great ideas and book recommendations, but just use a lot of discernment when choosing which of her ideas to incorporate. My advice, do LESS and more slowly.

[Anna Sincock · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Neither childhood nor learning is a race.”
“Teach the child, not the curriculum.”
“Slow isn’t unproductive or lazy. Slow is quality over quantity.”
“wonder over worksheets”
“rigor and difficulty are not analogous to true and useful learning.”
“deeper understanding over shallow mastery.”

I can’t recommend this book highly enough for every homeschooling family 🫶

[Claire Laster · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give up, I can’t (or don’t want to) finish this book 200+ pages in. Life is too short and my TBR list is too long to keep trying to trudge through this one. The sections are hard to follow and the book lacks clear organization. She has great information (the parts that I was actually able to digest were helpful), but I think she needed a better editor to get her points across with clarity.

[Carrie Brownell]

Not rating this one (because I really resist messing with the rating system, as all reads are subjective). I felt like this book was written towards moms who might be new to home schooling and need encouragement to not overdue it. It's very full of practical tips and tricks for parents to do with their kids. The lengthy and frequent lists weren't of great interest to me.

I DO agree with her that we should live slower lives though. If you need such encouragement, here's a great read for you.

[Darcy Schock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was more of a deep intellectual vs cheerleading writing style that gave me many things to ponder and come back to often.

[Amber Judkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think of this as The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry meets homeschool. Beautiful well-rounded review on the effects and benefits of slowing down in your homeschool, or slow schooling as she calls it.

[Christina Kern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure. I want to come back to it over and over for years to come. Very inspiring with the big picture of why it’s important to leave space in your life and homeschool for slower pursuits, but also gives lots of practical ideas of how to actually do that. At times the author’s descriptions of the amazing talents and insights of her kids left me feeling a little “behind”, but I love that she highlights personally the benefits she seen in her homeschool and her family. The most poignant point that I believe I will take away is a quote she borrowed from another author, which essentially asks, “how do you react when your children enter the room? Do you light up from simply seeing them? Or are you checking if they have their hair combed, and their shoes on, etc. Because that’s what they will notice. We think that our constant care of them is showing our love for them, but that doesn’t always translate. Do they know I love them just because I love them and not because they are doing what they’re supposed to do?” Is the face they usually see a more critical one than I even realize? Dang.
Lots of good ideas for project-based learning also.

[Ashley Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over a month and intentionally read it slow so I could soak it all in. This is the message we all need to hear in this busy world. Sometimes we need to slow down and remember that we’re not trying to be a part of the rat race of life, we’re trying to achieve something different. ❤️

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful and encouraging book. I am a homeschool mom of three and this book has been so uplifting and full of great ideas for us to implement in our slow living journey. I love how she talks about life as continually working on our own balancing scale. The chapters on connection, project time, and tools for measuring growth were immensely helpful. I adore her writing and the book club YouTube videos that came along with the preorder. This is a book I will keep and reread multiple time in the years to come to remind me of the importance and joy of slow.

[Hannah Hutslar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book soared above and beyond my expectations. It may be (dare I say?) my favorite homeschooling book to date?! Whew — that’s saying a lot, but it was so good, friends. I will be recommending this one to all my homeschooling friends from now to forever. Thank you for gathering your thoughts and sharing them all in such an incredibly helpful way, Leslie! 👏🏼

Listening to Leslie narrate was lovely as well. Highly recommend.

[Ashley Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great takeaways and reminders - we choose homeschooling because of the freedom to learn. So much slowing down I need to do, particularly when it comes to personal connection, and showing my kids I care about THEM, and not what they remember or learned.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75⭐️

“We don’t lose time by slowing down. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We gain time to do the things we value most”

Some good quotes. But read very textbook ish.

[Tiffany Thenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliance and wisdom folded into every page. Both simple and accessible advice for the parent and the educator and those who rock both hats. Love Leslie and cannot wait to read more from her!

[Amanda Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ironically this one took me forever to read. There were some good ideas though.

[Tina]

DNF. Too long to explain, but this one is just not for me. I cannot imagine my kids ever wanting to do “project time” for 2+ hours every day… once their schoolwork is done, they want to go outside and ride their bikes! 🙌🏼

[Tamra]

From the opening paragraph you get the feeling you've chosen a great book to read/purchase. Leslie writes from so many perspectives, from the quotes spread throughout chapters from experts in psychology, child development and education experts to her insightful wisdom around gathering your family for a more relaxed (yet hightly effective) educational life.

I have 3 children 15, 12,11 who have had the privilige of being home-based learners and we are seeing the fruit of having applied already much of what Leslie is promoting in her book. Children DO learn, develop and grow at different rates and its only when we remember that they are a whole person, and learning is a lifelong pursuit that we can shift from a rush, rush, push, don't "get behind" mentality, to one that sees the child, who they are becoming and the joy that lights up their eyes as you partner with them in life.

This book is filled with practical wisdom from experts but also from Leslie who has a lived experience as a former teacher (working with self-paced and self-directed learning) and also now has teens and younger children who have walked this book out thoroughly in their lives and continue to do so; bareing much fruit as a result.

As the title suggests, much of the book is about taking a step back from the "curriculum first" approach to education and instead to firstly foster deep connection with your children and think about your family values, home environment and how the choices you make either help you move toward or away from those values. To piggyback off this approach, theres an exhortation to move away from grades, exams and no learning "gaps", but instead to see discussion, connection, self-directed interests and involvement in the larger community to see and know what they are understanding.


There are practical questions and prompts sprinkled throughout each chapter making it simple to apply what you are learning right away.

This book is not a "how to" dissect educational philosophy thankfully, but really cuts through all the shallow information to get to the heart of both home education and parenting; including principles centered around making sure your children are able to explore interests and learn how to learn through project-based learning, how to get started in this as well as considering some helpful tools to consider when designing your days to align with your values.

If you're not a home educating parent, this is for you also. The idea of living your days or at least part of your days in alignment with your values and taking the time to see joy in your children as they learn, explore, and live life alongside you as the parent is not a new idea but it is made much more accessible through Leslie's conversational tone and simple to apply prompts.

There are sections on how to foster your children's natural internal desire to learn and be curious about the world around them as well as tools you may want to try to help your children flourish in their own pursuits.

The timing of this book is ideas for me as we are navigating major change in the coming months with one child commencing tertiary level education, work, exploring business ideas; which leaves my 2 nearly teens and a really different approach to our home, our time and collaboration with each other as well as others in our home-based learning community.

I CANNOT stress enough what a blessing this book is and also Leslie Martino as a homeschooling Mama and advocate for the Joy of Slow!!! A must read for all seasons of motherhood and home educating Mamas.

[Laila · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, I rounded up! Buckle in friends here’s my honest review:

First let’s just say this… I’m actually not a homeschool mom. I am an ex homeschooled kid who is now a parent reading books on homeschooling to determine if this is really something I feel called to do for own children once they become school aged.

Alright, now the review…

What i loved about it:

- the message!

- loved how it really was CHALKED full of ideas. Super helpful! Like every chapter had a wholeee long list of different activities or questions to put that chapter’s topic into action

- a lot of these kinds of books, I feel like would be better as a speech or a pdf but instead they drag them out and waste our time. I really didn’t feel that way with this book. There was a lot of value in it! Was def not dragged out “just to hit a page quota”

Here’s what I didn’t love:

- Ironically, I found it to be a bit slow. I kinda just wanted it to be over by the last 60% of the book. Like it was a bit boring by the end unfortunately :/

- I felt like the ideas and questions she provided in each chapter were SO many that it was a bit overwhelming to be the reader to be honest.

If you struggle with comparison in your homeschooling journey, this may not be for you because the author is clearly an INCREDIBLE passionate homeschool mom. You may find yourself doubting your own capabilities. So just a heads up!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In our fast-paced world, the concept of slowing down is counterintuitive particularly when it comes to education and checking all the learning boxes. @lesliemmartino shares her approach to homeschooling in The Joy of Slow which emphasizes slowing down to foster deep, meaningful learning experiences.

As a homeschooling, check-box loving parent who went to public school... this book has me refocusing on what I prioritize in our homeschool. I was encouraged to continue trying to balance a slower life that is measured by joy rather than our number of checkboxes. I appreciated the encouragement throughout the pages and highlighted quite a bit!

Some of my highlights:
• "Slow schooling believes in preserving wonder for every child, regardless of their age." (Helpful reminder as I prepare for high school!)
• "[Slow] is about spending time doing things that are worthwhile."
• "When time is seen as expansive rather than something we are pressed for, we are ore apt to lead with playfulness"
• "A slow approach sees time not as a commodity to be traded for doing the most, but as a generous gift toward a child's growth and maturity."

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Mathy Yutes · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Slow ISN'T unproductive or lazy. Slow IS quality over quantity" The Joy of Slow, Leslie M. Martino

This book serves as a great guide to the new or seasoned homeschooler. The Joy of Slow teaches us how to approach education from a place of curiosity and genuine connection with our learner. Leslie offers a lot of personal insight at her slow approach to education with her own children. Often reminding us that we all have similar battles we face as parents in tech heavy society. Her approach gives the child an opportunity to develop their interests at the rate of their choosing.

The Joy of Slow left me with inspiration to look at schooling in a new way that encourages a deeper connection between parent, child, and education. Leslie reminds us that we have to lead by example and feed our own minds. Find our own hobbies and learn alongside our children so they can see firsthand that learning doesn't stop the moment you graduate.

*10/10 Would Recommend to a friend

*Get your highlighters ready because there are a lot of good nuggets of information worth noting.

[Jessica McMullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Joy of Slow is just an incredible addition to ones library! Regardless if you homeschool your children or not, I strongly suggest parents purchase this book. It truly gives you a look at how your home can benefit from slowing down, not rushing childhood, and learning, but embracing the seasons of learning while focusing on minimal amount of subjects to ensure the mastery of subjects/topics/passions/talents/curiosities. As a homeschooling mom myself of 12 years, with 2 of our 10 in college, I would suggest this book to anyone hands down. There are great reminders in here and lots you can learn, and includes moments of pause & reflection, it's a practical read. GRAB YOUR COPY, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!

[Macie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with great tips and reminders about helping our children or students to slow down and enjoy what is around them. Leslie gives practical ways to help slow life down and build a connection between you and your child. While also giving advice on how to help your child build a connection with the things they love to do or are interested in. Each child is different and will learn at a different pace. Slowing down helps bring connection and potentially a confidence you didn’t know you were missing. I would recommend this book for all parents or teachers. We can all learn something from this book.

[Tavia]

*Heavily skimmed*

I don’t love non-fiction at all. I’ve always maintained that *most* non-fictions are basically like a meeting that could have been an email. In this case - a book that should have been an article.

This was well-written, had lots of good information, and I am sure many people will love it! I’m just not crazy about gobs of info. So it’s hard for me to review. I did take pictures of two things I loved, the overall message is wonderful, and the cover is so cute!

Overall, it wasn’t the best for me - but that’s no surprise. Others, who enjoy this type of book, will probably love it!

[Caroline Hurdt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading as a homeschool family especially if you were detoxing from a life with a really busy schedule. Good reminder to continue to cultivate connection. Not a ton to actual help with practical application, a lot of the book was more about the why behind slow schooling vs. the how although I did really enjoy her “project time” chapter. Her own original thoughts were worth reading, but quotes in this book felt forced at times and too frequent. They often distracted me from her own flow of thought and chopped it up.

[Caithlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had an audible copy of this and wish I had a hard copy - I found it difficult to follow through with some of the ideas, in depth, via narration. Particularly when applying the ideas to my own situation. The section on Values as a home Ed family was so useful.

I will go ahead and buy a hard copy, to make it easier to take action on some of the ideas towards the end of the book. Leslie Martino has put a lot of thought into how and why she home educates her children. I am a confident home educator, and found her insights and ideas to be calm, comprehensive and interesting.

[Barrett Homeschool · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a book more about the whys than the hows, but I found that the author’s way of describing slow schooling coincides with a lot of what I’ve been thinking as I try to sift through different curriculums and ideas about homeschooling. There are also some aspects of it that I had not yet fully considered, so I can see myself coming back this one again in the future to further digest.

[Laura McGinnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this book had great points that I want to start implementing into our homeschool life. It was a little on the slower, more drawn out side for me. I also felt it was a little repetitive making it a little harder for me to push through. I did learn a lot of helpful things to start doing and it did get me thinking.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie has a way with words that inspires you to dive deeper into your homeschooling journey, but also taking it slow. She has gentle reminders that we need to take things slow and add on when we are comfortable. We needn't dive head first into everything. Just build on it....slowly.

[Katie Verrue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many other books state these same concepts, but in a better way. She takes quotes quite often from other books with the same pedagogy, so it feels like an amalgamation of those experts into this book.

[Kaitlyn Galloway · Rating 2 out of 5]

75% of this book was just quotes from other authors. There were some helpful tips in this book, but I feel like it could have been way shorter if the unnecessary quotes were removed. 25% into the book, I started skipping over every single quote. I had to force myself to finish this one.