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Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace
In the book of Philippians we are told to be anxious over nothing, and yet we are anxious over everything. We worry that our students will be "behind," that they won't score well on the SAT, get into a good college, or read enough of the Great Books. Our souls are restless, anxiously wondering if something else out there might be just a little bit better—if maybe there is another way or another curriculum that might prove to be superior to what we are doing now.
God doesn't call us to this work and then turn away to tend to other, more important matters. He promises to stay with us. He assures us that if we rely on Him alone, then He will provide all that we need.
What that means on a practical level is that we have to stop fretting over every little detail. We need to stop comparing. We've got to drop the self-inflated view that we are the be-all-end-all of whether the education we are offering our students is going to be as successful as we hope it is. After all, our job is not to be successful—success itself is entirely beside the point. It's faithfulness that He wants.
Teaching from Rest offers inspiration, insight, and practical help for the homeschooling mom. Take a deep breath homeschooling mama; He's got this.
God doesn't call us to this work and then turn away to tend to other, more important matters. He promises to stay with us. He assures us that if we rely on Him alone, then He will provide all that we need.
What that means on a practical level is that we have to stop fretting over every little detail. We need to stop comparing. We've got to drop the self-inflated view that we are the be-all-end-all of whether the education we are offering our students is going to be as successful as we hope it is. After all, our job is not to be successful—success itself is entirely beside the point. It's faithfulness that He wants.
Teaching from Rest offers inspiration, insight, and practical help for the homeschooling mom. Take a deep breath homeschooling mama; He's got this.
ebook
First published January 1, 2014
885 people are currently reading
6506 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mackenzie
10 books2,103 followersSarah Mackenzie is a homeschooling mother of six and the author Teaching from Rest and The Read-Aloud Family, as well as several picture books for kids.
She's the host of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, which has been downloaded over 14 million times in more than 160 countries.
Her boutique, award-winning publishing house, Waxwing Books, makes timeless stories families will love to read aloud.
Sarah makes her home in the Northwest with Andrew, her husband of 23 years, and their 6 kids. You can usually find her reading stacks of picture books, mixing up a batch of sourdough, or loving on her doodles, Tomie dePawla and Gilbert Blythe.
She's the host of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, which has been downloaded over 14 million times in more than 160 countries.
Her boutique, award-winning publishing house, Waxwing Books, makes timeless stories families will love to read aloud.
Sarah makes her home in the Northwest with Andrew, her husband of 23 years, and their 6 kids. You can usually find her reading stacks of picture books, mixing up a batch of sourdough, or loving on her doodles, Tomie dePawla and Gilbert Blythe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,172 reviews
October 27, 2015
Teaching From Rest is a powerfully good little book. Slim, engaging and spiritually uplifting, it is a fast read but a paradigm shifting text.
Teaching From Rest is a bridge book. For those who are immersed in Classical approaches to homeschooling, TFR lays out the spiritual principles of relationship and the true vocation of homeschooling. For those of us who are utilizing some kind of organized unschooling (like TJEd), it gives us the permission to use more structure and more require than we previously felt was appropriate but secretly knew was needed.
TFR gives the Classical or Charlotte Mason homeschooler the scriptural and philosophical justification needed to abandon "rigorous" curriculum in favor of teaching diligence instead that undergirds a true love of learning. TFR gives the unschooler permission to call their young learners into accountability on the necessary routines that foster true, deep and higher level learning.
I abandoned Charlotte Mason and Classical approaches to learning when my very little children were suffocating under the rigor. As Sarah reminds us, the word rigor should not be used in homeschooling. Rigor means - stiff, dull, dead. The rigor of many modern approaches to Classical and Charlotte Mason style approaches left me feeling like education was dead and medicinal instead of life giving and inspiring.
I have spent a couple of years in Thomas Jefferson Education and it was passionately inspiring for everyone in our family. The focus on my study has translated into inspired learning in my kids. The focus on studying ideas instead of curriculum has led us into a great deal of higher level thinking about age old ideas. There is no denying that an inspiration based approach awakens the mind and feeds it a feast.
The trouble with TJEd for me has been that no matter how faithfully I apply the ingredients, I cannot inspire moral fortitude. The more that we have studied, the more self centered and entitled my children have become. The more that I have embraced "family work" instead of chores, the more selfish and sloppy my kids have become because they are certain that someone else will pick up the slack. The more that I have made learning optional for my very young learners, the more I have seen them become self righteous about which challenges they will and will not attempt to meet.
The 7 Keys of Great Instruction from TJEd are solid but they do not work they way that I have interpreted that they need to be applied. "Inspire, Not Require" and "Structure Time, Not Content" do work in some contexts but first the foundation of core learning must be in place.
Teaching From Rest has give me the opportunity to look at my day differently.
I know now that we need Classical mornings and TJEd afternoons. We need mornings spent on individual excellence in chores and a cheerful spirit in math before we can go on science rabbit trails in the Kidschool afternoons.
I am still developing my ideas about how to walk all of this out but I am extraordinarily grateful to see a text advocate for the implementation of a Classical and Charlotte Mason approach that is married to a relational and interest based mindset.
Someone in TJEd said to me many moons ago, "I inspire more than I require." I wish that I could remember who so that I could credit them because I think that that is exactly it.
I am thrilled to read such a gentle, life giving and beautiful text about cheering my son on through 20 minutes of math everyday. The requirement is not that we finish whatever lesson or textbook I have planned. The requirement is that I bring my most engaged self to his 20 minutes of math discovery. We are doing math and reading every day - but we are going to do it in a personal and gentle way.
Thank you, Sarah, for helping me see that both styles can come to a middle point that borrows the best of each.
Teaching From Rest is a bridge book. For those who are immersed in Classical approaches to homeschooling, TFR lays out the spiritual principles of relationship and the true vocation of homeschooling. For those of us who are utilizing some kind of organized unschooling (like TJEd), it gives us the permission to use more structure and more require than we previously felt was appropriate but secretly knew was needed.
TFR gives the Classical or Charlotte Mason homeschooler the scriptural and philosophical justification needed to abandon "rigorous" curriculum in favor of teaching diligence instead that undergirds a true love of learning. TFR gives the unschooler permission to call their young learners into accountability on the necessary routines that foster true, deep and higher level learning.
I abandoned Charlotte Mason and Classical approaches to learning when my very little children were suffocating under the rigor. As Sarah reminds us, the word rigor should not be used in homeschooling. Rigor means - stiff, dull, dead. The rigor of many modern approaches to Classical and Charlotte Mason style approaches left me feeling like education was dead and medicinal instead of life giving and inspiring.
I have spent a couple of years in Thomas Jefferson Education and it was passionately inspiring for everyone in our family. The focus on my study has translated into inspired learning in my kids. The focus on studying ideas instead of curriculum has led us into a great deal of higher level thinking about age old ideas. There is no denying that an inspiration based approach awakens the mind and feeds it a feast.
The trouble with TJEd for me has been that no matter how faithfully I apply the ingredients, I cannot inspire moral fortitude. The more that we have studied, the more self centered and entitled my children have become. The more that I have embraced "family work" instead of chores, the more selfish and sloppy my kids have become because they are certain that someone else will pick up the slack. The more that I have made learning optional for my very young learners, the more I have seen them become self righteous about which challenges they will and will not attempt to meet.
The 7 Keys of Great Instruction from TJEd are solid but they do not work they way that I have interpreted that they need to be applied. "Inspire, Not Require" and "Structure Time, Not Content" do work in some contexts but first the foundation of core learning must be in place.
Teaching From Rest has give me the opportunity to look at my day differently.
I know now that we need Classical mornings and TJEd afternoons. We need mornings spent on individual excellence in chores and a cheerful spirit in math before we can go on science rabbit trails in the Kidschool afternoons.
I am still developing my ideas about how to walk all of this out but I am extraordinarily grateful to see a text advocate for the implementation of a Classical and Charlotte Mason approach that is married to a relational and interest based mindset.
Someone in TJEd said to me many moons ago, "I inspire more than I require." I wish that I could remember who so that I could credit them because I think that that is exactly it.
I am thrilled to read such a gentle, life giving and beautiful text about cheering my son on through 20 minutes of math everyday. The requirement is not that we finish whatever lesson or textbook I have planned. The requirement is that I bring my most engaged self to his 20 minutes of math discovery. We are doing math and reading every day - but we are going to do it in a personal and gentle way.
Thank you, Sarah, for helping me see that both styles can come to a middle point that borrows the best of each.
April 23, 2016
How could a person not love Sarah Mackenzie? I certainly count myself among those who do greatly appreciate everything she has brought to the homeschooling conversation. Her enthusiasm is infectious and she is a great antidote to discouragement for the homeschooling mama. In many ways, she is a true godsend.
However. There is much about this book that troubles me. Sarah (I feel like I know her personally; I've heard her speak so much!) takes care in this book (and particularly in its update from its e-book form, I believe) to state that teaching from rest does not mean just giving up on the difficult work aspect of homeschooling. This is well and good, but references to not worrying about being a couple of years behind in math and to not letting attention to detail in schoolwork get in the way of relationship seem to belie the notion that diligent study is what's being discussed here. I've seen how this thinking is filtering into the homeschooling vernacular. The idea that there is a thin line between classical education and unschooling is a new one and one that I don't appreciate.
A home education is something to be undertaken by a parent with a full understanding of how much self-sacrifice will be involved. It is not just a little and it comes in ways that one might not have expected. The richness of the classical tradition in education is so palpable and enticing that if a classically homeschooling mother loves learning at all, she may quickly find herself greatly desiring to share what she is learning with others. (This is made obvious by the fact that SO MANY homeschoolers are blogging, running podcasts, taking on speaking engagements, etc.) I am not immune to the desire to share and discuss all of things I am learning through the educational journey of homeschooling and I love being able to enjoy the above-mentioned podcasts and blogs for these reasons. It is fun, fun stuff.
Ms. Mackenzie talks about her propensity to take on too much, to multitask the heck out of every minute of every day, and I can see that this is true. The glaring contradiction here, though, is that all the podcasting and blogging and everything else is not brought under the microscope. Homeschooling, done well, is a life of discipline - there are many things that simply can't fit on the schedule if true attention to education is to be undertaken. It pains me to say it because I love Sarah Mackenzie's contributions so much, but: shouldn't we finish the math book or the grammar lesson and then just not blog so much about it? Shouldn't we show our children that mastery of a subject (or even finishing a textbook on it!) is important? Shouldn't we lead them into discipline by being disciplined ourselves in what we have undertaken? If we have placed ourselves in a position to take sole responsibility for our children's educations, shouldn't we then be single-minded in our pursuit of giving them that education?
However. There is much about this book that troubles me. Sarah (I feel like I know her personally; I've heard her speak so much!) takes care in this book (and particularly in its update from its e-book form, I believe) to state that teaching from rest does not mean just giving up on the difficult work aspect of homeschooling. This is well and good, but references to not worrying about being a couple of years behind in math and to not letting attention to detail in schoolwork get in the way of relationship seem to belie the notion that diligent study is what's being discussed here. I've seen how this thinking is filtering into the homeschooling vernacular. The idea that there is a thin line between classical education and unschooling is a new one and one that I don't appreciate.
A home education is something to be undertaken by a parent with a full understanding of how much self-sacrifice will be involved. It is not just a little and it comes in ways that one might not have expected. The richness of the classical tradition in education is so palpable and enticing that if a classically homeschooling mother loves learning at all, she may quickly find herself greatly desiring to share what she is learning with others. (This is made obvious by the fact that SO MANY homeschoolers are blogging, running podcasts, taking on speaking engagements, etc.) I am not immune to the desire to share and discuss all of things I am learning through the educational journey of homeschooling and I love being able to enjoy the above-mentioned podcasts and blogs for these reasons. It is fun, fun stuff.
Ms. Mackenzie talks about her propensity to take on too much, to multitask the heck out of every minute of every day, and I can see that this is true. The glaring contradiction here, though, is that all the podcasting and blogging and everything else is not brought under the microscope. Homeschooling, done well, is a life of discipline - there are many things that simply can't fit on the schedule if true attention to education is to be undertaken. It pains me to say it because I love Sarah Mackenzie's contributions so much, but: shouldn't we finish the math book or the grammar lesson and then just not blog so much about it? Shouldn't we show our children that mastery of a subject (or even finishing a textbook on it!) is important? Shouldn't we lead them into discipline by being disciplined ourselves in what we have undertaken? If we have placed ourselves in a position to take sole responsibility for our children's educations, shouldn't we then be single-minded in our pursuit of giving them that education?
January 27, 2016
http://ladydusk.blogspot.com/2016/01/...
I have, perhaps, gushed too much about Sarah Mackenzie's book Teaching from Rest.
I've quoted it a number of times: twice before on Wednesdays with Words (To Those Ends, Surrender ... Take On), just this past Monday on my Daybook, and you can't forget Instagram where I snapped a pic of the page I was on because it was just what I needed to hear in that moment on Tuesday. (also, not the first IG thing of Sarah ... book, casting classes from the Read Aloud Revival site, and an us-ie at the Cinci convention)
Just to be clear, I think Sarah is awesome.
And I think she deserves all the accolades she gets.
I told my friend Heather that I think Sarah is great at the quotable quip; she is clear and concise yet provides a mental picture that stimulates your thinking to hang the quote upon. The pithy is strong with her.
Teaching from Rest strikes that wonderful balance between reliance upon God for everything while maintaining man's responsibility for continuing to work. One of the key themes in the book is that, as teachers, we ought to know who we are - in Christ, our desires, our gifts, our abilities, our deficiencies - so that we can put them to work in an appropriate way.
In Christ: we are His. He loves us, he equips us, he asks us to bring the things he himself has provided so he can do work through and for us.
Our desires, gifts, abilities are those things he provides; he has given us exactly what we need for the end He has determined: His own glory from us and our children.
He knows our deficiencies and gives us the means to change, to grow - He gives the sanctification.
This quote speaks to that. Know thyself ... use virtues to overcome sin, but don't let your vices make excuses to sin.
Virtues and Vices: We can grow or we can wallow. Our choice.
I would unreservedly recommend Teaching from Rest to any Christian homeschooler - Protestant or Catholic, Mackenzie is herself Roman Catholic. She has many wise things to teach and a facility with language that is engaging, encouraging, and energizing. Five Stars.
I have, perhaps, gushed too much about Sarah Mackenzie's book Teaching from Rest.
I've quoted it a number of times: twice before on Wednesdays with Words (To Those Ends, Surrender ... Take On), just this past Monday on my Daybook, and you can't forget Instagram where I snapped a pic of the page I was on because it was just what I needed to hear in that moment on Tuesday. (also, not the first IG thing of Sarah ... book, casting classes from the Read Aloud Revival site, and an us-ie at the Cinci convention)
Just to be clear, I think Sarah is awesome.
And I think she deserves all the accolades she gets.
I told my friend Heather that I think Sarah is great at the quotable quip; she is clear and concise yet provides a mental picture that stimulates your thinking to hang the quote upon. The pithy is strong with her.
Teaching from Rest strikes that wonderful balance between reliance upon God for everything while maintaining man's responsibility for continuing to work. One of the key themes in the book is that, as teachers, we ought to know who we are - in Christ, our desires, our gifts, our abilities, our deficiencies - so that we can put them to work in an appropriate way.
In Christ: we are His. He loves us, he equips us, he asks us to bring the things he himself has provided so he can do work through and for us.
Our desires, gifts, abilities are those things he provides; he has given us exactly what we need for the end He has determined: His own glory from us and our children.
He knows our deficiencies and gives us the means to change, to grow - He gives the sanctification.
This quote speaks to that. Know thyself ... use virtues to overcome sin, but don't let your vices make excuses to sin.
Virtues and Vices: We can grow or we can wallow. Our choice.
I would unreservedly recommend Teaching from Rest to any Christian homeschooler - Protestant or Catholic, Mackenzie is herself Roman Catholic. She has many wise things to teach and a facility with language that is engaging, encouraging, and energizing. Five Stars.
August 6, 2017
I am no great fan of Sarah Mackenzie, but she is very popular among Catholic homeschoolers, so I felt it was a good idea to read this book so I'd know what people are talking about when they discuss it. While the idea of teaching from a place of rest (in God) is a valuable concept to understand, it is not really original to Mackenzie so I didn't feel that I needed to read this book to appreciate what that was about. I did find some small bits of wisdom here and there, but they were no more in-depth than the advice one receives from a Facebook group filled with moms. Personally, I don't think I would write a book on homeschooling until I was finished educating my kids and had years of experience to back up my arguments. I also found myself becoming annoyed by all the self-promotion (and promotion of the work of a select few friends) within the text of the book. I find that those who are really experts on a given topic don't have to go to that kind of trouble to market themselves; when you have something substantial to say, it usually markets itself. Either way, this book is fine but not in any way essential.
April 12, 2016
It was a quick, uplifting read. And full of practical advice. Unfortunately not anything you wouldn't get by reading the authors (free) blog, or for that matter any homeschooling forum worth beans. I mean, are there really any people out there that DONT already know you don't have to do every subject every day? Or that if a lesson takes 20 minutes and you have three toddlers in the house you should go ahead and plan for 30?
Three stars if you are someone completely new to homeschooling, you may find it useful though not earth shattering. Anyone with a few years of experience, or plugged into a local or online community gets two stars. You can probably skip it, you know all this. And if you are already plugged into the Circe crowd one star, this is a watering down of everything you love.
Three stars if you are someone completely new to homeschooling, you may find it useful though not earth shattering. Anyone with a few years of experience, or plugged into a local or online community gets two stars. You can probably skip it, you know all this. And if you are already plugged into the Circe crowd one star, this is a watering down of everything you love.
August 15, 2023
This is one of those that I'm going to read over and over again.
January 31, 2025
I loved this book. I highly recommend reading this if you teach, homeschool or even need encouragement as a parent as you raise your children. It was a powerful rejuvenation for my soul as a homeschooling mom. I will be rereading this at least on a yearly basis. Short and to the point- It will challenge, convict, encourage and inspire you. Do yourself a favor and read this book if it sounds like something you are interested in. You will be blessed.
2022 reread: Just read it. You most likely need this! Make sure to read with a highlighter though, because you’ll be wanting one. Once you complete this short read, you’ll want to holler a hearty “Amen”, and you’ll peacefully sigh with a fresh energy for your own homeschool journey. Blessings!
2025 reread: I’ve been on my homeschool journey for 16 years, and I finally, fully, understand this book. I wish I understood it and lived it all those years ago, but I’m thankful that I’ve discovered its beauty now. I cried upon finishing it. It truly is life changing if you can learn to teach from rest. This book is small, but it’s one of the most relatable and impactful books that I’ve ever read.
2022 reread: Just read it. You most likely need this! Make sure to read with a highlighter though, because you’ll be wanting one. Once you complete this short read, you’ll want to holler a hearty “Amen”, and you’ll peacefully sigh with a fresh energy for your own homeschool journey. Blessings!
2025 reread: I’ve been on my homeschool journey for 16 years, and I finally, fully, understand this book. I wish I understood it and lived it all those years ago, but I’m thankful that I’ve discovered its beauty now. I cried upon finishing it. It truly is life changing if you can learn to teach from rest. This book is small, but it’s one of the most relatable and impactful books that I’ve ever read.
October 28, 2015
Sarah Mackenzie is winsome and wise, a real ally for teachers in the trenches. Teaching From Rest is profoundly helpful for home educators at any stage. It's been a blast of light in our family, and a rich resource for our homeschooling community.
December 29, 2015
Many things Sarah Mackenzie writes here are not new, but this little (81 pages) book is filled with important reminders and packed with gems of wisdom the homeschool parent needs to hold on to. Many times I was brought to tears by the encouragement provided to keep on with what I am doing, and to press on to do it a little better. I would recommend this book not only to homeschooling parents, but to any parent who desires a richer, more peaceful home life.
March 3, 2018
An absolute must read for all homeschool moms! I listened to it on audible and it was a great book to listen through as I frantically work through my to-do list! Sarah, thank you for the reminder to be homeschooling (and doing everything else we do) in the Lord! A great encouragement and one I’ll go back to often!
March 3, 2016
*Update ~ I just read this for the second time. I started reading it again as soon as I finished it. It is that good. Reading a little bit from it each day makes a huge difference in my homeschooling and mothering. 3/3/16
Wow. This is simply one of the very best books I have ever read. It has already changed my life. I read it slowly, over 2 full months, savoring it, applying to my life - allowing time for the concepts to sink into my consciousness and become part of me. And I am truly sad to have come to the end. Reading it has brought so much light, peace, and joy into my days as a mother and homeschooling teacher. I think I will start right back at the beginning and savor reading it again, so I can continue to bask in it's light & love.
I recommend this book to all mothers, and even to those who aren't mothers, as the principles that it contains can be applied to all aspects of life. It teaches how to "rest in the Lord" which is truly life changing.
Wow. This is simply one of the very best books I have ever read. It has already changed my life. I read it slowly, over 2 full months, savoring it, applying to my life - allowing time for the concepts to sink into my consciousness and become part of me. And I am truly sad to have come to the end. Reading it has brought so much light, peace, and joy into my days as a mother and homeschooling teacher. I think I will start right back at the beginning and savor reading it again, so I can continue to bask in it's light & love.
I recommend this book to all mothers, and even to those who aren't mothers, as the principles that it contains can be applied to all aspects of life. It teaches how to "rest in the Lord" which is truly life changing.
June 19, 2018
Sarah Mackenzie's book is cool water that quenches, invigorates, soothes and satisfies.
This is not a nuts and bolts how-to-homeschool book.
It distills the wisdom of subtraction.
At 85 pages, it is short.
Gulp it, sip it, swallow it, live it.
This is not a nuts and bolts how-to-homeschool book.
It distills the wisdom of subtraction.
At 85 pages, it is short.
Gulp it, sip it, swallow it, live it.
August 31, 2025
I love this gospel-centered approach to homeschooling and teaching. As a teacher, it's so easy to get caught up in all the boxes I have to check and how much curriculum I "need" to get through. This book really shows you what to keep focused on, how to do less, how to rest in teaching. She asks great questions, my favorite being, "When your adult children are asked what being homeschooled was like, what do you want them to say?" (paraphrased, but something like that). She just continually brings everything back to the heart of the matter, to all those things that are so easy to forget as we get caught up in the school year.
I think this is something I need to read ever summer as I plan for the next year, to remember how to teach restfully so my students can learn restfully in order to really learn what is true, good, and beautiful and to cultivate a love of learning.
I've listened to a few of Christopher Perrin's Cafe Schole podcasts (which are mentioned in this book_ and I highly recommend them to anyone who loves this book and wants to dive deeper into the idea of schole.
I think this is something I need to read ever summer as I plan for the next year, to remember how to teach restfully so my students can learn restfully in order to really learn what is true, good, and beautiful and to cultivate a love of learning.
I've listened to a few of Christopher Perrin's Cafe Schole podcasts (which are mentioned in this book_ and I highly recommend them to anyone who loves this book and wants to dive deeper into the idea of schole.
August 3, 2017
There is not much to this book. A great deal is either self-promotion of the author's multiple websites or cross-promotion of others' sites/books. Now, some of those others are eminently qualified (much more so than the author herself), so it's not all bad - but for so much of this book I felt I could get the information straight from the horses' mouths instead of having to go through a middleman ("Andrew Kern says..." and "Cindy Rollins says"). I understand veteran homeschoolers who have graduated an entire family and can stand on a solid record of success writing a book about their approach and their experiences. But here we have someone who is right in the midst of things (and who seems to be still figuring things out and tinkering). No one has any idea whether it's going to work out in the long run. The section that I felt had the most useful information was on scheduling/looping - but I still have a feeling I could probably get that elsewhere.
October 14, 2024
I was absolutely floored by this book. I expected to find a compilation of blog posts that might have a few inspirational nuggets that I could use. I was blown away by the depth and wisdom contained here. While only 77 pages, this book delivers such rich wisdom. I copied at least one quote per page because I didn't want to forget a thing. Definitely worth reading.
July 14, 2021
If, like me, you are beginning your homeschool journey with a lingering fear that you will fail your children (or simply completely forget to teach them something super important), this is a must read.
(Thanks for the recommendation, Brittany!)
(Thanks for the recommendation, Brittany!)
August 31, 2023
Every homeschooler must read this!!!
August 19, 2024
This book was FANTASTIC! It is a must read for EVERY Christian homeschool mom. I wish I would have read this years ago when I first bought it. It would have saved so many tears and fights! I have a whole new perspective on homeschooling my children and will be doing it from a state of rest. No longer will I be putting education above the relationships I am cultivating with my children. This is truly the book I needed from the beginning of my homeschool journey to give me the permissions I needed to let go of the cultural, public school view of getting all the things done, and to embrace a journey of learning through rest and just trusting God that each of my children will learn and progress in His timing!
If you are thinking of homeschooling, or already in the midst of it, do yourself a favor and go get yourself a copy of this book and reread it every summer!!! It is short and sweet and to the point! Definitely will be rereading this every year for a fresh perspective to start the school years off with!
If you are thinking of homeschooling, or already in the midst of it, do yourself a favor and go get yourself a copy of this book and reread it every summer!!! It is short and sweet and to the point! Definitely will be rereading this every year for a fresh perspective to start the school years off with!
January 21, 2023
Second read-through review:
I read this book a few years ago, in the early stages of homeschool, and agreed in principle with pretty much everything she said. I then started homeschooling in earnest, and in four years proceeded functionally to forget everything she said, suffering all the same things she did before coming to the realizations and revelations that caused her to write this book. So this time, the book hit hit me exactly perfect. I teared up a few times within the first three pages alone.
In the midst of external and internal pressures, Sarah Mackenzie is a friendly, capable, and calming voice of reason. She reminded me of why I'm doing this in the first place. On hard days, reading just a few paragraphs of this book while nursing the baby would refresh me and get me excited to dive back in to homeschool for the next few hours.
I first read this book in the spring of 2019, when I was already planning for the semester after summer break, feeling optimistic and excited. But that is not the ideal time to read this book, Future Shannon. Oh, no. You need to schedule a re-read of this book in January, when you are frustrated at not getting to your goals for the last semester, when your kids are all getting sick with winter gunk and therefore seeming to delay school even more than you are already delayed, and when you are still in the middle of all the curricula you chose and kind of tired of them all. That's when I read through it the second time, and OH what a good word it was.
*****
A great mix of life-giving Scriptural teaching, practical guidance, inspiring vision casting, and very necessary "CHILL OUT" advice. I could actually feel myself bucking against her assurances that we didn't have to be slaves to curricula--which shows me that I need this book more than I even realized. I think I'll need return to this one every year (and I've added works from her cited sources to my TBR pile). Thanks to it being blessedly short, it shouldn't be too much of a problem to review it every summer. I know I'll need the encouragement it provides, so the more opportunity to absorb it, the better.
It reads a bit like a series of related blog posts (and could be read a subsection at a time in that way), but it's helpful to have them all in one place. It has some unfortunate formatting issues that may give the impression of its being self-published or unprofessional, but the information in it is good and solid, and I hope they fix these spacing/typo issues in future editions (maybe they already have!) so that it gets the professionalism its message deserves.
In the end, Mackenzie has gained my trust in this book by speaking to my specific fears and desires, relating to me in many shared loves and foibles, and encouraging me with the essentials for the path ahead. I'll be looking to more of her resources as I select my kids' curricula and seek to cultivate an atmosphere of beauty, truth, and goodness in my home.
I read this book a few years ago, in the early stages of homeschool, and agreed in principle with pretty much everything she said. I then started homeschooling in earnest, and in four years proceeded functionally to forget everything she said, suffering all the same things she did before coming to the realizations and revelations that caused her to write this book. So this time, the book hit hit me exactly perfect. I teared up a few times within the first three pages alone.
In the midst of external and internal pressures, Sarah Mackenzie is a friendly, capable, and calming voice of reason. She reminded me of why I'm doing this in the first place. On hard days, reading just a few paragraphs of this book while nursing the baby would refresh me and get me excited to dive back in to homeschool for the next few hours.
I first read this book in the spring of 2019, when I was already planning for the semester after summer break, feeling optimistic and excited. But that is not the ideal time to read this book, Future Shannon. Oh, no. You need to schedule a re-read of this book in January, when you are frustrated at not getting to your goals for the last semester, when your kids are all getting sick with winter gunk and therefore seeming to delay school even more than you are already delayed, and when you are still in the middle of all the curricula you chose and kind of tired of them all. That's when I read through it the second time, and OH what a good word it was.
*****
A great mix of life-giving Scriptural teaching, practical guidance, inspiring vision casting, and very necessary "CHILL OUT" advice. I could actually feel myself bucking against her assurances that we didn't have to be slaves to curricula--which shows me that I need this book more than I even realized. I think I'll need return to this one every year (and I've added works from her cited sources to my TBR pile). Thanks to it being blessedly short, it shouldn't be too much of a problem to review it every summer. I know I'll need the encouragement it provides, so the more opportunity to absorb it, the better.
It reads a bit like a series of related blog posts (and could be read a subsection at a time in that way), but it's helpful to have them all in one place. It has some unfortunate formatting issues that may give the impression of its being self-published or unprofessional, but the information in it is good and solid, and I hope they fix these spacing/typo issues in future editions (maybe they already have!) so that it gets the professionalism its message deserves.
In the end, Mackenzie has gained my trust in this book by speaking to my specific fears and desires, relating to me in many shared loves and foibles, and encouraging me with the essentials for the path ahead. I'll be looking to more of her resources as I select my kids' curricula and seek to cultivate an atmosphere of beauty, truth, and goodness in my home.
August 13, 2023
I have difficulty connecting with the author because we don’t homeschool in the same Charlotte Mason manner - beautifully with morning basket time. We are kinda scattered and messy here. But once I realized why this was so hard for me to read, I easily finished. I don’t need to connect with the author to connect with the subject matter: teaching from a position of rest.
Two main takeaways:
1. Schedule margin. Lots of margin. This allows grace for everyone and extra time on needed tasks.
2. It doesn’t matter if your kids ace every test and score high on the SAT, the relationship is what matters and it lasts forever. Keep that in mind.
Two main takeaways:
1. Schedule margin. Lots of margin. This allows grace for everyone and extra time on needed tasks.
2. It doesn’t matter if your kids ace every test and score high on the SAT, the relationship is what matters and it lasts forever. Keep that in mind.
August 15, 2024
I’ve been reading this book every single summer since I began homeschooling (2021) and it gets better each time. It always breathes new life into my homeschool rhythms and mentality as we get ready to start another year together ❤️🙌🏼
July 27, 2022
Annual Reread
This is a book I reread annually at the start of my homeschool year to remind myself of my goals for homeschooling. I always walk away with new nuggets of encouragement and a renewed sense of purpose for educating my children well at home.
This is a book I reread annually at the start of my homeschool year to remind myself of my goals for homeschooling. I always walk away with new nuggets of encouragement and a renewed sense of purpose for educating my children well at home.
March 28, 2018
Short, sweet, encouraging read! I am drawn to a lot of her philosophy of homeschooling and was encouraged to continue and enhance the path we are on. :)
October 8, 2019
The perfect book to help direct my focus as we embark on our homeschool journey. Perhaps the greatest challenge taken from this book is to do less, and do it well.
August 8, 2023
Worth a reread every August, because I always need the reminder that people are more important than plans and that, when it comes to education, quality and quantity are not equivalent.
September 8, 2023
I need to read this book every single year. This is a fantastic read. Encouraging and thought provoking.
August 9, 2022
Update: August 9, 2022
This was the book selected for one of the online bookclubs I belong to. I listened to the audiobook this go-round and as always, new themes caught my attention. By choosing to nurture my own love of learning I am setting the example of what I hope my children discover. That a place or a time doesn't dictate an opportunity to learn. That we can create these opportunities and steer our learning to what we need or want to understand. And it can happen with joy.
That spark of learning happens when God quickens the open and inquiring mind that desires and shows up, not only or just when I scheduled it in. It all is a together business of me, my child, and Him.
Page 79: "This is one of the great benefits of homeschooling – we don't have to follow up prescribed pace for a class of 30 students. In a homeschool setting when we are seeking to cultivate wisdom and our children, it doesn't matter how far we get in the "6th grade "math book. Rather, we encounter math every day and work diligently at it. The only time we really care about how our children compare to other children is when we're giving into our own vanity, when we're worrying about what other people think of us and the way we homeschool."
Page 80: "We need to relieve ourselves of the burden we feel to do this work perfectly, to not mess up. We should confidently go into our day, thinking to ourselves, "Well, I'm going to make some mistakes today. Thank God for grace, His presence, and His promise to work through me!" And give it our all anyway. We know that God will use our mistakes just as thoroughly as he uses our successes, and so we rest in that."
*********************
Update: September 2, 2020
Based on previous reads, It seems I gravitate to this book in September. Understandably.
As I transition from teaching elementary-age children to middle school and high school, this book is every bit as encouraging as it was before. This is my repeated confirmation of my previous reviews.
I appreciated her sharing the example of offering what we have, akin to the story of the miracle Christ showed with loaves and fishes, but she takes it further with examples of Peter and Jesus walking on the water while the waves and tumult whipped up their fury around them as motherhood and anxiety to love and educate well do too. She also points out that in the miraculous story of Christ turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana, he again used what the people had and made it more than they anticipated. This is what he can and will do with all of us—no bearing ourselves up for what lack we might perceive, just offering fully what we have and watching him fully make miracles in our lives.
*******************
Update: read second edition September 7, 2015. My review is confirmed on a second reading. A very good book for anyone who loves and cares for children, no matter where they are educated. Admittedly homeschoolers will benefit much more from her examples and suggestions, though the principles are universal.
*******************
1st read September 16, 2014.
Reading the book is far better than reading any review, mine included. Reviews tell you what that person thought about that book; but since we all approach a book from different backgrounds and experiences our individual responses will differ greatly.
This isn't just a book for those who homeschool. This is a beautiful book for those who live life with children in the home or not. For those who seek to live with less rushing and regret and with more rejuvenation and rest.
So I'm not going to pontificate about this book (much), I just want to share a few tantalizing and inspiring quotes from the book that were balm to my heart.
"Do we really think we need the perfect math curriculum? The best line-up of books we can find? We think God needs that to work through us? Because I'm pretty sure if we just offer up our simple best and do it without fretting or becoming anxious over many things, then God can bless that a thousandfold. And I believe He will."
"We offer ourselves to God, we introduce our children to beauty and goodness and Truth, and we get out of the way."
"There is no prize for the mama who checks the most boxes on her to-do list...to be efficient is to achieve maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense. But relationships don't flourish or grow that way. Relationships need time, spent lavishly. Homeschooling is all about relationships, and relationships just aren't efficient."
"It doesn't really matter how far in the book we get. What matters is what happens in the mind and heart of our student, and for that matter - in ourselves."
I promise these are much better in context, built on the premise of each preceding chapter of that in which they appear. And there are so many more wonderful perspective adjusting ideas.
I did have one disagreement with her, but it was only a matter of word definition. Near the end of the book she says, "So cease striving." This seems to be a current popular phrase among Christian women I've encountered recently. However, I disagree. Quite strongly - depending on the definition. In the USA "striving" seems to be equated with anger, struggling and hardship, with fruitless, vain, difficult effort that is for our glory and not God's.
BUT! Language changes (try NPR's TED Radio hour on "Spoken and Unspoken" May 1, 2014 if you don't believe me).
The definition I employ, and prefer, is in UK dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English, for one): "make great efforts to achieve or obtain something."
Sometimes making a great effort means wearing yourself out, sometimes it means controlling the urge to jump in and do it all, to "be still and know [He] is God" and that your job is to submit. Sometimes that takes the most and highest effort we have.
And for that, I will strive.
It's a short book, one I read in spurts so as to ponder on each point and act on suggestions.
I loved this book. I absolutely loved it.
This was the book selected for one of the online bookclubs I belong to. I listened to the audiobook this go-round and as always, new themes caught my attention. By choosing to nurture my own love of learning I am setting the example of what I hope my children discover. That a place or a time doesn't dictate an opportunity to learn. That we can create these opportunities and steer our learning to what we need or want to understand. And it can happen with joy.
That spark of learning happens when God quickens the open and inquiring mind that desires and shows up, not only or just when I scheduled it in. It all is a together business of me, my child, and Him.
Page 79: "This is one of the great benefits of homeschooling – we don't have to follow up prescribed pace for a class of 30 students. In a homeschool setting when we are seeking to cultivate wisdom and our children, it doesn't matter how far we get in the "6th grade "math book. Rather, we encounter math every day and work diligently at it. The only time we really care about how our children compare to other children is when we're giving into our own vanity, when we're worrying about what other people think of us and the way we homeschool."
Page 80: "We need to relieve ourselves of the burden we feel to do this work perfectly, to not mess up. We should confidently go into our day, thinking to ourselves, "Well, I'm going to make some mistakes today. Thank God for grace, His presence, and His promise to work through me!" And give it our all anyway. We know that God will use our mistakes just as thoroughly as he uses our successes, and so we rest in that."
*********************
Update: September 2, 2020
Based on previous reads, It seems I gravitate to this book in September. Understandably.
As I transition from teaching elementary-age children to middle school and high school, this book is every bit as encouraging as it was before. This is my repeated confirmation of my previous reviews.
I appreciated her sharing the example of offering what we have, akin to the story of the miracle Christ showed with loaves and fishes, but she takes it further with examples of Peter and Jesus walking on the water while the waves and tumult whipped up their fury around them as motherhood and anxiety to love and educate well do too. She also points out that in the miraculous story of Christ turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana, he again used what the people had and made it more than they anticipated. This is what he can and will do with all of us—no bearing ourselves up for what lack we might perceive, just offering fully what we have and watching him fully make miracles in our lives.
*******************
Update: read second edition September 7, 2015. My review is confirmed on a second reading. A very good book for anyone who loves and cares for children, no matter where they are educated. Admittedly homeschoolers will benefit much more from her examples and suggestions, though the principles are universal.
*******************
1st read September 16, 2014.
Reading the book is far better than reading any review, mine included. Reviews tell you what that person thought about that book; but since we all approach a book from different backgrounds and experiences our individual responses will differ greatly.
This isn't just a book for those who homeschool. This is a beautiful book for those who live life with children in the home or not. For those who seek to live with less rushing and regret and with more rejuvenation and rest.
So I'm not going to pontificate about this book (much), I just want to share a few tantalizing and inspiring quotes from the book that were balm to my heart.
"Do we really think we need the perfect math curriculum? The best line-up of books we can find? We think God needs that to work through us? Because I'm pretty sure if we just offer up our simple best and do it without fretting or becoming anxious over many things, then God can bless that a thousandfold. And I believe He will."
"We offer ourselves to God, we introduce our children to beauty and goodness and Truth, and we get out of the way."
"There is no prize for the mama who checks the most boxes on her to-do list...to be efficient is to achieve maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense. But relationships don't flourish or grow that way. Relationships need time, spent lavishly. Homeschooling is all about relationships, and relationships just aren't efficient."
"It doesn't really matter how far in the book we get. What matters is what happens in the mind and heart of our student, and for that matter - in ourselves."
I promise these are much better in context, built on the premise of each preceding chapter of that in which they appear. And there are so many more wonderful perspective adjusting ideas.
I did have one disagreement with her, but it was only a matter of word definition. Near the end of the book she says, "So cease striving." This seems to be a current popular phrase among Christian women I've encountered recently. However, I disagree. Quite strongly - depending on the definition. In the USA "striving" seems to be equated with anger, struggling and hardship, with fruitless, vain, difficult effort that is for our glory and not God's.
BUT! Language changes (try NPR's TED Radio hour on "Spoken and Unspoken" May 1, 2014 if you don't believe me).
The definition I employ, and prefer, is in UK dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English, for one): "make great efforts to achieve or obtain something."
Sometimes making a great effort means wearing yourself out, sometimes it means controlling the urge to jump in and do it all, to "be still and know [He] is God" and that your job is to submit. Sometimes that takes the most and highest effort we have.
And for that, I will strive.
It's a short book, one I read in spurts so as to ponder on each point and act on suggestions.
I loved this book. I absolutely loved it.
December 22, 2022
"It’s easy to forget that teaching is holy work. We forget that building up the intellect- teaching our children to really think- does not happen by the might of human reason, but rather by the grace of God. On an ordinary day, you and I likely have a set of tasks we've scheduled for our kids. But it's more than math. It's more than history. It's the building up of our children's minds and hearts, and we can only do that if we realize that this is how we thank Him for the graces He so lavishly pours out on us."
"We are weary because we forget about grace. We act as though God’s showing up is the miracle. But guess what? God’s showing up is the given. Grace is a fact."
If you're a homeschool mama, you need this book! I'm serious! Any audible gift cards you get for Christmas - listen to it 🎧 Any moolah for books? Buy it! 📚 You will absolutely be encouraged!
"If God expected you to get thirty-six hours’ worth of work done in a day, He would have given you thirty-six hours to do it. If you have more to do than time to do it in, the simple fact is this: Some of what you are doing isn’t on His agenda for you."
"At the end of our lives, He is going to look into hearts. What is it He will find there, I wonder? Will he find that we used the geography lesson, the dreaded math test, the teetering laundry pile and the boiling-over pot of soup to draw closer to Him? Did we use these gifts to teach our children to lift their eyes heavenward? Were the tedious details of a homeschooling day offered up as a way for us to love Him, or were they merely gotten through, checked off and accomplished? Did we even realize that every Monday, every Thursday, we were standing on holy ground? No task is too trivial, no assignment too small. Educating our children is an offering of love we make to the God Who was so gracious to bestow them upon us in the first place. Every moment of the daily grind in raising and teaching and loving on them is hallowed, because we do it for Him and because there would be no point of doing it without Him."
ALL THE STARS! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+❤️
"We are weary because we forget about grace. We act as though God’s showing up is the miracle. But guess what? God’s showing up is the given. Grace is a fact."
If you're a homeschool mama, you need this book! I'm serious! Any audible gift cards you get for Christmas - listen to it 🎧 Any moolah for books? Buy it! 📚 You will absolutely be encouraged!
"If God expected you to get thirty-six hours’ worth of work done in a day, He would have given you thirty-six hours to do it. If you have more to do than time to do it in, the simple fact is this: Some of what you are doing isn’t on His agenda for you."
"At the end of our lives, He is going to look into hearts. What is it He will find there, I wonder? Will he find that we used the geography lesson, the dreaded math test, the teetering laundry pile and the boiling-over pot of soup to draw closer to Him? Did we use these gifts to teach our children to lift their eyes heavenward? Were the tedious details of a homeschooling day offered up as a way for us to love Him, or were they merely gotten through, checked off and accomplished? Did we even realize that every Monday, every Thursday, we were standing on holy ground? No task is too trivial, no assignment too small. Educating our children is an offering of love we make to the God Who was so gracious to bestow them upon us in the first place. Every moment of the daily grind in raising and teaching and loving on them is hallowed, because we do it for Him and because there would be no point of doing it without Him."
ALL THE STARS! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+❤️
February 10, 2023
It's not that the writing was stylistically stellar (it reads at times like a bunch of blog posts, which it is for a good portion), but the basic idea of having a mindset of trusting God and working synergistically with Him in this great endeavor is excellent. I think I'll recommend this book to all homeschoolers--newbies or veterans--for setting a good mindset: this is work, but trust in the Lord. (Although the religious advice is too Catholic.)
Her best parts, that I'd want to read again yearly just to remind myself, are about the "strategies," especially in trying to pare down the schedule. For specifics on teaching subjects, I still think The Well-Trained Mind is my favorite homeschooling book, but I think this one for practical down-in-the-trenches-mom homeschooling book. I even started with a sort of roll-eyes mindset (I get a bit cynical about blogger moms that seem to try hard to make a business off the rest of us who know just as much if not more...), but I ended with humility. My third time reading this now.
2023: now my fourth or fifth time. I don’t need it so much now, but still full of good reminders. Also an addendum on my review above—now I like In Vital Harmony even better than the Well-Trained Mind for theory, philosophy, and teaching subjects. Teaching from Rest is great for mom’s mindset and philosophy as well.
Her best parts, that I'd want to read again yearly just to remind myself, are about the "strategies," especially in trying to pare down the schedule. For specifics on teaching subjects, I still think The Well-Trained Mind is my favorite homeschooling book, but I think this one for practical down-in-the-trenches-mom homeschooling book. I even started with a sort of roll-eyes mindset (I get a bit cynical about blogger moms that seem to try hard to make a business off the rest of us who know just as much if not more...), but I ended with humility. My third time reading this now.
2023: now my fourth or fifth time. I don’t need it so much now, but still full of good reminders. Also an addendum on my review above—now I like In Vital Harmony even better than the Well-Trained Mind for theory, philosophy, and teaching subjects. Teaching from Rest is great for mom’s mindset and philosophy as well.
July 26, 2023
I'm a mom of two, and our oldest will be starting kindergarten in the fall. We've been discussing whether or not homeschool is for our family, and I read this since many of my homeschooling friends recommended it.
I loved this little book! I borrowed a copy but plan to buy my own to revisit later. Even if we decide not to homeschool, it was a useful and applicable read, and I would recommend it to any parent who feels a little on edge or stressed to "do all the things" with our kids. I feel both encouraged and motivated to do my part to create a more peaceful home.
This book is full of scripture and religious references, which worked for me, but be aware if you aren't expecting it.
Update 7/24/2023
Second read through. Now that we have actually started our homeschool journey, the practical lessons hit harder this time around. I really appreciate her tips for keeping the schedule working for me instead of me working for the schedule (among others!)
I loved this little book! I borrowed a copy but plan to buy my own to revisit later. Even if we decide not to homeschool, it was a useful and applicable read, and I would recommend it to any parent who feels a little on edge or stressed to "do all the things" with our kids. I feel both encouraged and motivated to do my part to create a more peaceful home.
This book is full of scripture and religious references, which worked for me, but be aware if you aren't expecting it.
Update 7/24/2023
Second read through. Now that we have actually started our homeschool journey, the practical lessons hit harder this time around. I really appreciate her tips for keeping the schedule working for me instead of me working for the schedule (among others!)
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