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52nd out of 125 books
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139 voters
The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education
In the past, correct spelling, the multiplication tables, the names of the state capitals and the American presidents were basics that all children were taught in school. Today, many children graduate without this essential knowledge. Most curricula today follow a haphazard sampling of topics with a focus on political correctness instead of teaching students how to study....more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
June 8th 2010
by Palgrave Macmillan
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This is a book that I can see rating lower in time as I read more books about classical education (update: after reading The Well-Trained Mind, I did lower my rating from 3 stars to a rating of 2 stars: it's okay). The author has a pleasant writing style and presents the philosophy of a classical education in a pretty convincing manner. I'm wondering though, where are the citations? She makes dozens of claims and references to statistics throughout the book, but doesn't provide exact sources. If...more
While I haven't finished reading every page of this book, I've read enough to say that it's easier to read than the other homeschool book on classical education: The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home. When I read Susan Wise Bauer's book, I walked away feeling like a classical education was something that sounded intriguing, but difficult (if not impossible) for me to implement. Bortins makes everything feel more achievable and does a great job of articulating the value of...more
Once you start reading this, it becomes clear that the intent of this book is to introduce the ideas of a "classical" education to parents considering home schooling for their children. The book is clearly written, moves along well, and does provide some distinct ideas for what to do if home schooling is chosen. I have little doubt that, if followed through, this book can contribute to a successful home schooling experience. The author, who is an active blogger on these topics, has successfully...more
I loved this book. It was very inspiring and encouraging as we start our first year of formal homeschooling. It contains many, many gems, though the following is a favorite of mine:
"Parents even say they would die for one of their children, yet somehow they find it difficult to live with them. I initially found it hard to be a parent, especially when I knew I could be paid to do things I liked equally well. When I became a mother, no one told me it would take about three years to figure things...more
"Parents even say they would die for one of their children, yet somehow they find it difficult to live with them. I initially found it hard to be a parent, especially when I knew I could be paid to do things I liked equally well. When I became a mother, no one told me it would take about three years to figure things...more
The Core, by Leigh Bortins, is a book about how to give your child a classical education. It is written for the elementary aged school child, primarily with home-educators in mind, although someone whose children were in public school would probably benefit from it too.
It is a well written, and fairly easy to read manual. A guide to an overall view of classical homeschooling. It is not really a step by step handbook as the Well Trained Mind or the Latin Centered Curriculum are, this one is less...more
It is a well written, and fairly easy to read manual. A guide to an overall view of classical homeschooling. It is not really a step by step handbook as the Well Trained Mind or the Latin Centered Curriculum are, this one is less...more
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This is a wonderful book. Bortins manages to strike a wonderful balance between explaining the philosophy behind classical education, equipping the parent to make decisions based on the practical experiences of another, and tell you exactly what to do and buy. I say balance because, while she provides detailed descriptions of the books and methods she has used to teach her own children, and shows no hesitation in saying that any particular book is particularly useful, she never gives the impress...more
If you are considering homeschooling with the classical method/trivium and are persuaded by arguments appealing to your tendency to brag and feel smug and snidely superior, this book might be helpful to you. Otherwise, don't waste your time, there are other books out there which cover far more practical ground without the snotty tone. Also, dear author, so your child can identify Millard Fillmore on sight? Big deal. There's a lot more to a comprehensive education than the rote memorization of no...more
I loved the chapter on Geography. I want to do more actual drawing of maps rather than just coloring them in. The rest of this book sort of bugged me because there is so much emphasis on memorization. Memorizing facts hasn't been, at least at my house, the "fun" or "exciting" experience that she makes it out to be in the book. My kids learn better by being immersed in a subject and reading and reading about that subject rather than just sitting to memorize a bunch of facts or timeline as she des...more
A few useful quotes and references, i.e., notes to self:
Rhetoric: formalized by Aristotle - the practice of specific skills in order to be the most persuasive in expressing truth, goodness and beauty.
p. 85: knowledge and power are inadequate; need wisdom and virtue
p. 92: The Writing Road to Reading (book)
The Story of the World - Susan Wise Bauer
The Lost Tools of Learning - Dorothy Sayers
p. 179: "We perish from want of wonder, not from want of wonders." G.K. Chesteron
p. 46: Recoering the Lost Too...more
Rhetoric: formalized by Aristotle - the practice of specific skills in order to be the most persuasive in expressing truth, goodness and beauty.
p. 85: knowledge and power are inadequate; need wisdom and virtue
p. 92: The Writing Road to Reading (book)
The Story of the World - Susan Wise Bauer
The Lost Tools of Learning - Dorothy Sayers
p. 179: "We perish from want of wonder, not from want of wonders." G.K. Chesteron
p. 46: Recoering the Lost Too...more
Really enjoyed this one. I've already read it twice in the last two months. A good complement to The Well-Trained Mind. I find myself more in line with the Charlotte Mason style than I would have thought two years ago. Like most books having to do with homeschool, I found things I totally agree with and others that don't really work for us (or matter as much). I did like her ideas for teaching mapping/geography and will try and integrate that next year. This is a book I will keep on my shelf.
I really enjoyed this book and read it rather quickly even though there is a lot of information.
I am very intrigued with homeschooling, especially with the Classical Method. I wish this would have been an option for me when I was growing up.
This is another great reference book for those wanting to explore the Classical Method of homeschooling. I highly recommend it along with Susan Wise Bower's The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home.
I am very intrigued with homeschooling, especially with the Classical Method. I wish this would have been an option for me when I was growing up.
This is another great reference book for those wanting to explore the Classical Method of homeschooling. I highly recommend it along with Susan Wise Bower's The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home.
Mar 06, 2011
Debra
is currently reading it
I love the transparency in which Leigh gives us a glimpse into her thinking and humility as she strives to educate the next generation. I love this practical guide to educating your child at home with the Classical Conversations curriculum. I am so inspired to simplify and focus on what will bring fruit in the minds of my children as I have the challenge of giving them a solid foundation.
I've read this one twice, because I keep trying to like it. I want it to be a knock-your-socks-off exposition of the joys of classical education. Instead, it reads more like a course catalog for Classical Conversations (founded by the author) -- full of glimpses of what your kids could be doing, but no information at all about how to actually pull it off. A grave disappointment.
This book was great and I'm so grateful that Dani lent it to me. I'm thinking about buying two of the curriculum she talks about in this book. She also uses Bauer Wise but there are two other books she references too as well. They're in my cart and we'll see.... I think this book would be read with better eyes in a couple years. I feel our kids are a little young for some of her chapters, but it gave me a lot to think about.
A life-changing view on education (and makes so much sense with everything I've tried to do while teaching my kids or coaching, only now I can understand why and how some of the things that were working worked and can be more deliberate about it).
It makes perfect sense to me that rote memorization of things like world geography (my children are already drawing their own basic maps of the world from memory), math facts and timelines provides students with the framework they need to hang all the s...more
It makes perfect sense to me that rote memorization of things like world geography (my children are already drawing their own basic maps of the world from memory), math facts and timelines provides students with the framework they need to hang all the s...more
Read for further research into the classical model. Useful, and I didn't really notice the haughty tone noted by other reviewers. There were some great suggestions and ideas incorporated throughout. A fine overview of the model that takes a lot less time to read than does "The Well-Trained Mind"! (But you really should read WTM, too...)
This book made me feel like my education was pretty lacking. As we plan for our girls education, I never thought I would consider homeschooling, but now we are headed that direction. This book gives a compelling argument for it. I really like the way a solid foundation of information and grammar is layed with this method as compared to the public education I received. I would recommend this book to everyone wanting to compare ALL the options for school.
I enjoyed Susan Bauer's The Well-Trained Mind but found Bortins to be preachy and not terribly compelling. The part of her model that is compelling (and marketable) are the communities that meet weekly. Too much focus on memorization out of context for me and my kiddo.
I agree that maybe we should find a happy medium when it comes to educating our children and teach both old and new techniques. My problem with this particular text is I think the author has set out to belittle those of us who elect to use the public education institutes.
Starting to do some official reading on homeschooling and classical education. This was pretty basic and meant to be encouraging but left me kind of low.... I have so much to learn. They say it can be done.
I feel inspired to pursue this type of homeschool curriculum for my boys and was pleased to find out there is a group here in town that uses this method! I'll definitely be looking further into this option!
What a really great book! This is the book to read if you want to know what was missing in your own education and what you can add to your childrens' education.
The ideas and concepts presented here made so much sense to me--things I felt I already wanted to teach my children but didn't know exactly how.
My two public school teachers I felt I learned from the very best implemented MANY of these techniques, especially the memorization exercises. Remembering those terms, parts of speech, countries & capitals, and scientific processes are still a huge blessing to me years later.
My two public school teachers I felt I learned from the very best implemented MANY of these techniques, especially the memorization exercises. Remembering those terms, parts of speech, countries & capitals, and scientific processes are still a huge blessing to me years later.
This book was written by the founder of Classical Conversations. Being involved in CC I may be biased but oh well. I really liked it.
Loved this book! Why? It makes the big picture easier to see. I would recommend this book to anyone in the field of education or parenting.
Leigh Bortins is one smart cookie! She gives a practical method of implementing classical education in your homeschool.
This is a good, practical introduction to why educate your children in your home, using the classical model. Much of the material will be repetitive for those that have read similar books, but the strengths in this book are that it is short, yet gives good examples of the expectations for each stage of the trivium, as well as material to cover.
Bortins is good at encouraging parents that they can give their kids a great education using the classical model, and also creative in how to actually do...more
Bortins is good at encouraging parents that they can give their kids a great education using the classical model, and also creative in how to actually do...more
Excellent book for any parent! Bortins gives a wealth of information on how to make sure your kids learn how to learn.
I have read parts of this book, and will probably revisit it. The chapter on geography was very interesting.
Really good primer especially for homeschool classical educators. Also a great book to give to new people.
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“Families are designed to nurture the minds, wills, and emotions of its members so that the barriers created by fear of the unknown can be replaced by the confidence that comes from knowing you are loved whether you succeed or fail.”
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Nov 02, 2011 08:16pm