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Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This!
Challenges opinions about the skills and organization required for an effective homeschooling practice, counseling everyday parents on how to address key aspects through a sequence of comprehensive and manageable steps. Original.
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 2, 2011
Fairly thorough book, almost too thorough in places, and the tone was sometimes almost off-puttingly defensive. (For example, I'm sure that a four-drawer filing cabinet with hanging file folders and identically labeled manila file folders worked fabulously for Ms. Bittner, but her description of how she organized her record-keeping was more specific than probably necessary. And I disagree that you need three copies of all of your registration paperwork and everything, including one right by the front door just in case a truant officer comes by, but to each his own, I suppose.)
I took some exception to the chapter entitled "Convincing Your Spouse, the Grandparents, the Kids, and Other Concerned People." First of all, while other people, even (and especially) those who care about your children, may have opinions - you and your spouse are the parents. You make the decision that is best for your child and it really doesn't matter what all of those others think. You don't have to "convince" anyone else. And her whole approach to how to "convince" your spouse kind of makes me wonder about the state of her marriage. When issues arise, my husband and I generally discuss all sides and try to arrive at a solution that we both believe is most beneficial for our children. That seems to me the best way to go about it rather than trying to cram it down the other parent's throat. He would never, ever dream of saying "You aren't smart enough" and heaven help him if his objection to homeschooling was "How are you going to keep up with the housework?" I would suggest that if either of those phrases came out of your spouse's mouth, you have bigger issues that need to be dealt with than can be addressed in a book about homeschooling.
All that aside, I do appreciate the dose of reality she includes throughout with the acknowledgement that homeschooling is a major adjustment, requires effort, and isn't all sunshine and roses. She includes a great deal of additional resources for readers to continue research. Some great chapters with concrete specific how-to info on creating lesson plans, unit studies and specific topics. The fact that I still gave it 3 stars despite my comments above would indicate that I think the information is pretty valuable.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
I took some exception to the chapter entitled "Convincing Your Spouse, the Grandparents, the Kids, and Other Concerned People." First of all, while other people, even (and especially) those who care about your children, may have opinions - you and your spouse are the parents. You make the decision that is best for your child and it really doesn't matter what all of those others think. You don't have to "convince" anyone else. And her whole approach to how to "convince" your spouse kind of makes me wonder about the state of her marriage. When issues arise, my husband and I generally discuss all sides and try to arrive at a solution that we both believe is most beneficial for our children. That seems to me the best way to go about it rather than trying to cram it down the other parent's throat. He would never, ever dream of saying "You aren't smart enough" and heaven help him if his objection to homeschooling was "How are you going to keep up with the housework?" I would suggest that if either of those phrases came out of your spouse's mouth, you have bigger issues that need to be dealt with than can be addressed in a book about homeschooling.
All that aside, I do appreciate the dose of reality she includes throughout with the acknowledgement that homeschooling is a major adjustment, requires effort, and isn't all sunshine and roses. She includes a great deal of additional resources for readers to continue research. Some great chapters with concrete specific how-to info on creating lesson plans, unit studies and specific topics. The fact that I still gave it 3 stars despite my comments above would indicate that I think the information is pretty valuable.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
October 11, 2024
Thorough but down-to-earth and attainable. Bittner's sense of humor makes you feel like you're just having coffee with the older, wiser mom from the homeschool co-op. Four stars instead of five only because it's now 20 years old and some parts feel dated and I'd be interested to see more modern examples (especially regarding online courses and record-keeping). Still, there's so much to glean here and I highly recommend this for anyone who is considering, plans to, or otherwise finds themselves having to homeschool, even part-time.
June 5, 2024
A bit antiquated, but it was originally published in 2012 so of course things have changed.
The author gave an encouraging and simple example of how to move forward or start homeschooling but I found much of it to be common sense.
Overall if you’re doubting yourself this would be a quick easy read to gain confidence in beginning a homeschooling journey.
The author gave an encouraging and simple example of how to move forward or start homeschooling but I found much of it to be common sense.
Overall if you’re doubting yourself this would be a quick easy read to gain confidence in beginning a homeschooling journey.
September 9, 2020
A lot of very helpful advice about the structural aspect of homeschooling. It gets an extra star because she manages to keep it almost entirely secular.
April 28, 2008
Well, this was a VERY complete book. I actually haven't finished the whole thing as I am not sure I am homeschooling yet, so I am saving the chapters on creating a curriculum and teaching different subjects until I get to that point.
But it walks you through step by step how to homeschool, with concrete ideas of how to start, as well as the good and bad aspects of homeschooling. It was pretty inspiring and I am now at a point where I know I could actually homeschool, I believe in my abilities.
Great book to read if you are thinking or just starting homeschooling.
But it walks you through step by step how to homeschool, with concrete ideas of how to start, as well as the good and bad aspects of homeschooling. It was pretty inspiring and I am now at a point where I know I could actually homeschool, I believe in my abilities.
Great book to read if you are thinking or just starting homeschooling.
November 2, 2008
I like this book as an intro to the process of homeschooling. The author starts off well, but despite advocating whatever approach works for your family, she has very specific ideas about how to teach certain things. However, her record-keeping and organization advice are great, especially for someone in PA where exactly such records are required. I'll be getting my own copy of this book (read the library's copy first) because of the great resources at the end of each chapter.
March 20, 2008
This is an excellent resource for new homeschoolers. She has a very specific way of doing things - especially dealing with the records aspect of homeschooling - which I don't follow, but there are some good resources and ideas in it.
April 19, 2008
A great read for anyone looking into homeschooling or interested in learning more about how it's done! I checked this book out from the library but will be buying a copy for my own personal library. Excellent ideas! Easy to read!
September 12, 2023
This is a book I will be returning to lots in the future!! Sooo practical! And very encouraging to parents who want to homeschool but feel totally overwhelmed or inadequate- the author tells you exactly how you can homeschool with lists of resources and so much more. She also covers common questions and concerns which I found very informative. HIGHLY RECOMMEND to all parents who are even slightly considering homeschooling their children.
March 19, 2009
Eh.....I'm on a journey and reading loads of homeschooling books, and I'd have to say this one was "OK", but nothing special. I found the authors frequent attempts at humor to be out of place. I get trying to lighten up the topic a bit, but mostly her comments just weren't that funny and were often ill-placed.
I also think the author tried to focus on too much because she covers a lot of information, but doesn't cover any of it in-depth. An example: she briefly mentions learning styles (only three of them and spends about 2-3 pages in all talking about them). In my opinion, this deserves an entire chapter in an "intro to homeschooling" book, and in light of how often the author refers to teaching to your child's learning style (a great benefit of homeschooling), her lack of time spent on this important topic was baffling.
On the plus side, she offers some creative ideas on teaching certain subjects and at the end of each chapter lists a couple additional resources (websites or books). Beyond that, I felt this book should've focused on a couple of areas, and done it well, rather than having all these different topics and offering up a modest portion of each topic.
I also think the author tried to focus on too much because she covers a lot of information, but doesn't cover any of it in-depth. An example: she briefly mentions learning styles (only three of them and spends about 2-3 pages in all talking about them). In my opinion, this deserves an entire chapter in an "intro to homeschooling" book, and in light of how often the author refers to teaching to your child's learning style (a great benefit of homeschooling), her lack of time spent on this important topic was baffling.
On the plus side, she offers some creative ideas on teaching certain subjects and at the end of each chapter lists a couple additional resources (websites or books). Beyond that, I felt this book should've focused on a couple of areas, and done it well, rather than having all these different topics and offering up a modest portion of each topic.
August 28, 2010
Apparently the author must have had to deal with a great deal of opposition to homeschooling as there was a very defensive tone in places, a bit of record-keeping advice that struck me as disingenuous, and an almost flippant attitude towards spousal opposition and an assumption that husbands would assume it's been a day of leisure. Not a book I plan on buying. However, I did take many notes for planning suggestions, ways to make homeschooling fun, the importance of mixing lesson styles, and other approaches. Certainly it did live up to the title--it made it very clear that homeschooling is do-able by anyone committed to taking the time, effort, and excitement of taking charge of their children's education.
July 26, 2015
This was about as basic as basic could be. If you have no kids currently in school and no absolutely nothing about the education system then this might be a good starting point, other should seek another introduction to homeschooling.
It felt more like a personal journal than a how to guide. Throughout the book it felt more like the author wanted to tell her story of homeschooling rather than guide others through it. Further, it is really geared towards homeschooling younger children, in the early elementary years. The short sections in the chapters where she adds how to adapt principles previously touched for older kids feels more like an afterthought, they are very short and lack the detail that the sections for elementary kids include.
It felt more like a personal journal than a how to guide. Throughout the book it felt more like the author wanted to tell her story of homeschooling rather than guide others through it. Further, it is really geared towards homeschooling younger children, in the early elementary years. The short sections in the chapters where she adds how to adapt principles previously touched for older kids feels more like an afterthought, they are very short and lack the detail that the sections for elementary kids include.
December 21, 2010
This is an interesting book and I would recommend this to any parent who thinks they might be dealing with a learning disability (their own or a childs) and wants to homeschool. I thought the author had some great tips on being organized with school records and she had some other great suggestions on games, reading with children and learning new words in a challenging way, preparing reports at an early age, and journaling. What I didn't like was some of advice on dealing with others opinions- it was manipulative and a bit trite. You can tell this author has taken a lot of heat for homeschooling and has some strong opinions.
September 30, 2011
When we were researching homechooling, this was the most helpful book that I read. The other books about homeschooling seemed to describe homeschooling as the perfect solution for all education and family problems. I wasn't satisfied, because no education program is perfect, and no education program works for everybody. This author was honest enough to write about the disadvantages of homeschooling, and I was relieved to know what to expect, and to be prepared to accept them.
She also has tons of great ideas for getting and staying organized, some of which I'm still using after four years.
She also has tons of great ideas for getting and staying organized, some of which I'm still using after four years.
July 7, 2014
I found the author easy to relate to and I appreciated that in the beginning of the book, she admitted that she has ADD and if she could homeschool, so could you. I like how she broke up the chapters so that you could read it all the way through or just skip to the chapters that interest you. I also appreciate that at the end of each chapter, she provided a few book and website references, so that you could get more in-depth information. It was fantastic to have someone I felt was giving me advice on curriculum and how to create thematic units.
August 12, 2012
Always looking for helpful tips for my kids' education. Some useful sites I gleaned from this are:
Homeschool.priswell.com/index.htm
MathForum.org/t2t
MathSolutions.com/index.cfm?page=wp10...
CoolMath4Kids.com
TerryBitner.com/language_arts/storypl...
Other resources I want to check out:
Shoe box math learning centers by Jacqueline Clarke
Family Math by Jean Kerr Stanmark
Overall, a helpful resource, but more info than I needed.
Homeschool.priswell.com/index.htm
MathForum.org/t2t
MathSolutions.com/index.cfm?page=wp10...
CoolMath4Kids.com
TerryBitner.com/language_arts/storypl...
Other resources I want to check out:
Shoe box math learning centers by Jacqueline Clarke
Family Math by Jean Kerr Stanmark
Overall, a helpful resource, but more info than I needed.
April 21, 2009
This is a very encouraging and informative book. I read it with a highlighter. There are useful resources and tips in each chapter. True, it covers a broad range of subjects and that limits its depth but I think it's a good book to own. I originally borrowed it from the library and then purchased my own copy because I knew I would want to refer back to it.
October 20, 2010
I've read several books on homeschooling recently, and this one is the best. The author is realistic, encouraging, practical, informative and never condescending. Bittner writes like she knows you're a reasonably intelligent reader and just need a little guidance. I initially borrowed this gem from the library, but I just ordered my own copy - that's how much I like this book.
January 22, 2014
This book is a good resource if you are just starting out or are considering homeschooling. She covers a wide range of topics, although not in great depth, but enough so you can get the gist and presents resources at the end of each chapter if you want more depth. I skipped the sections that didn't apply to me and this didn't effect my ability to understand or follow future chapters.
March 2, 2014
I liked the way this book was organized. I liked that the author laid out the plans and methods that worked for her, made recommendations based on her experience, yet always encouraged experimenting and finding what works best for any individual. She provided good resource lists and practical solutions/suggestions to a variety of concerns. It was a good guide to parenting, not just schooling.
September 14, 2014
I have been enjoying this book very much. I checked it out from the local library and I have found it so useful that I am buying my own copy. It should arrive a few days before I have to return the library copy.
It's like she is holding your hand through the process. Very reassuring and informative.
It's like she is holding your hand through the process. Very reassuring and informative.
July 10, 2008
If you're interested in home schooling this is a great book! I don't know if I'm going to do it or not, but if I do I'll use a lot of her suggestions. It's a great read even if you plan on just supplementing your children's education.
March 10, 2015
So far, this book has been very insightful. She is real about the challenges homeschoolers may face, yet expresses confidence in working through the challenges. Some great simple ideas and suggestions as well.
January 2, 2010
I think this could be a really good book for some people but her style is way too structured for me. She does go into great depth on exactly what worked for her, and would work for parents in really strict states. She is definitely not an unschooler!
September 11, 2012
Really good and very helpful. Very easy read, couldn't put it down-it was very interesting, and she did good at holding my attention.
She was very funny, and like me, has ADD. Her stories were both useful and familiar.
She was very funny, and like me, has ADD. Her stories were both useful and familiar.
December 26, 2012
This was a very empowering book! She offers great advice to new home schooling parents in a very supportive manner. However, some of her information is catered to her personal home school style and may not be what every home schooler is looking for.
September 10, 2014
I liked this book a lot. Very encouraging. Also, this book talks to those who are homeschooling for just a year or some other short time. The author covers taking your child out of school but also putting your child back in. I find that is often missing in other books.
March 11, 2009
This was highly recommended to me by a friend - something I think I need to refill my 'emotional bucket'.
March 7, 2009
just trying to keep up my motivation and get ideas to incorporate as the kids get older and we continue on this journey
December 18, 2012
I couldn't finish this. I didn't like her attitudes about relationships or suggestions.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews