Educating the WholeHearted Child

by Clay Clarkson

Since 1994, Educating the WholeHearted Child has been a trusted guide for thousands of homeschooling families. This extensively revised and expanded third edition provides a solid biblical foundation for educating and nurturing your children's hearts, minds, and souls. In it you will discover how * Make your home and family the heart of your children's education * Train your children to become creative, self-directed learners * Enrich your family's life and education with living books * Identify and work with each child's learning style * Help your children love to learn as naturally as they love to play * Gain confidence to teach using practical, common-sense methods Whether you are a first-time homeschooler or a longtime veteran, this comprehensive guide will equip and empower you for your journey of faith as a family. Discover the joy of bringing relationship-based, book-centered learning into the natural daily life of your home. The highest calling for a Christian is discipleship, and Educating the WholeHearted Child is setting parents on this course. David Quine Cornerstone Curriculum This is a book to encourage you on a journey of discovery in your home life, in education, and in faith. Those who embrace the spirit of this book will find that living wholeheartedly is the key to a life well lived. Rea Berg Beautiful Feet Books Once in a great while, we open a book that reveals a marvelous, beckoning world where treasure and adventures await. This is one of those books. And the world is real. Diana Waring History Revealed I'm shocked that so much detail, vision, and practical advice could be packed into a single book. This is one reference book every homeschool family needs. Dr. Scott Turansky National Center for Biblical Parenting This book is gold for the homeschool mama!

Genres: Education, Parenting, Nonfiction, Christian, School, Reference, Family

376 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Clay Clarkson is director of Whole Heart Ministries, a nonprofit family ministry he and his wife, Sally, started in 1994 to help Christian parents raise wholehearted children for Christ. He is the author of Educating the WholeHearted Child, Our 24 Family Ways, Heartfelt Discipline, Taking Motherhood to Hearts, and The Lifegiving Parent (with Sally Clarkson). He writes online about Christian parenting, imagination, and other biblical topics. Clay is a graduate of Denver Seminary (MDIv) and has served with churches and ministries since 1975. He is also a Christian songwriter and collector of old Christian books. Clay and Sally live in Monument, Colorado. Their four children are grown, following Jesus, and following in their parents' footsteps as writers and creators.

Reviews

[Lori McKinley · Rating 1 out of 5]

In my sixteen years of homeschooling I have read a lot of homeschool how to and encouragement books. Educating the WholeHearted Child is one I have seen throughout the years but never picked up. The day this new edition came up for review, I was feeling rather discouraged. I'd followed the supposed formula and I wasn't seeing the promised results. I needed encouragement to continue despite disappointment, disillusionment, and fear. Unfortunately, that is far from what I found.

When the book arrived, I began reading with anticipation...and felt like it was something I could have written eons ago when I first began homeschooling. You see, I became a Christian, graduated from Bible college, and began homeschooling all within a few years. I was so excited about everything and wanted to do it all "right". It was oh so easy to slip into legalism in all areas of my life. Following the crowd was much more simple than following the Spirit.

Soon I found myself deciding there was a "right" way to dress, a "right" way to church, a "right" way to educate my children (homeschooling), and a "right" way to homeschool. If you disagreed, you were wrong. Simple as that. Of course, this didn't last too long with me. God has created me to be a somewhat free spirit. I'm naturally independent and I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I couldn't live within the box for too long and thankfully found freedom to follow His Spirit rather than someone else's version of what God wanted.

I'm not going to place these motives on the authors of this book at all. I do not know their hearts. What I do know is that the tone of the book brought me back to my legalism of old. The idea that homeschooling is the Biblical way, that if we follow these suggestions our children will turn out a certain way...I've been there, done that, and found it doesn't work. Sheltering, Courtship, and any other X,Y, and Z doesn't always accomplish what you think it will. My parenting is much different now than it was with my older kids and I now rest in knowing that I follow His guiding the best I can and my kids are in His hands. They will make their own choices. They must have their own faith. I can't give it to them by homeschooling or sheltering or getting rid of my TV or whatever. I can teach and live and love God and pray they see Him in me, but there are no guarantees in the end. There are no formulas.

I love much in the methods presented in this book. I'm a huge proponent of literature based studies and reading whole books and real life learning. These ideas are wonderful. But for me, the overshadowing of a "right" way was too much. The tone seemed to be one of spiritual arrogance (again, I would not presume to place that on the authors, this is simply my take away as I read) and therefore I cannot recommend it.

*Disclosure: I received this book at no cost for review purposes. This review originally appeared on my blog.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic resource and workhorse book for anyone who homeschools or is looking to do so for any extent. It is a very concise, comprehensive guide; very well organized and a highly accessible format. Covers everything from personalities to foundational learning blocks to organization, etc. It takes principles and makes them simple, clear, organized, and PRACTICAL for easy application. I LOVE IT. I consider it a foundational book to faith and scripture focused education, and one with the individual in mind! The Clarksons have done a beautiful job of laying out and lighting the path for others!

[Matthew Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an all-in-one guide to Christian homeschooling (I'm not sure how helpful it would be for non-Christian homeschoolers), this is pretty comprehensive.

The core of the Clarkson's approach is to create a love of learning in children by helping them interact with solid books. This, to me, makes sense. How many times have we been put off a topic by a dry textbook, but then had a turnaround when we came across a book that was written in a way that fired our imagination?

The book starts with the philosophical approach to how they do things, then a myriad of ways to tackle different subjects, then all the logistical issues, like developing routines, ordering your house, etc. It was a good reminder of just how much work my wife does in homeschooling our children that can be easy to overlook.

I'd highly recommend this book to any Christian parents wanting to explore homeschooling further. You may not agree with everything and there is too much here for any one set of parents to implement, but the ideas that it will generate (plus the overall approach) make it worth the read.

The main drawback with this book is that it is a rather large, unwieldy size and, with a bit of editing, I'm sure a lot of points could be made more succinctly.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and Sweet: This book was like drinking straight from a fire hose. But it is all encompassing, well-rounded, and a treasure trove of resources. One of my favorite I've read so far.

The Novel Version:

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire"
-William Butler Yeats

This was one of the many (many) quotes listed in this book, and I have adopted it as the motto of our homeschool. Having a year of somewhat intense homeschool research under my belt, and being over halfway through my first year of homeschooling - I have come to realize that the education I want to give my children is so much more than passing a test and getting a degree so they can get a job. It's about creating in them a sense of Awe and Wonder at the world the Lord has created. It's about teaching my kids to become lifelong learners. It's about discipleship and pouring into my children.

This quote from the end of the book also describes my hopes for our homeschool well:

"The end you need to envision for your children is not what they will do with their lives but what they will become. It's not about making a living but about making a life. If the internals (who they are) are strong, the externals (what they do) will take care of themselves. As we have said before, a mature disciple of Jesus Christ with the will and skill to learn is much more useful to God's work than a well-educated but immature Christian."

Clay and Sally Clarkson have presented us with a manual for not only Homeschool (the what and how), but also:
Discipleship
Family Life
Management of School, Home, and Life
And the importance of Mom receiving support and taking care of her own "Spiritual House"

Like I said above, this was like drinking from a fire hose. But it was good.

The Clarksons do not present homeschooling as AN option, but as THE option (for Christians). This may rub many people the wrong way, but I can understand their reasoning. It is based on Deuteronomy 6:6-9

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Because the Lord has charged parents with raising their kids as disciples and being so intentional with teaching them the word and will of God, the Clarksons believe, that though God never states "homeschool your children", it naturally follows (from these verses) that the best way to raise your children in this biblical manner is to homeschool them. I agree. My husband and I have decided that I will stay home and as such the vast majority of the child-rearing, character forming, and discipleship of my children falls on me. I gladly and seriously take this yoke upon my shoulders and as such it is a joy to get to educate my children. I want the most amount of time I can have to spend with them!

The Clarksons never state "if you don't do it this way you're wrong" but they do highly encourage everyone to go this route. Ultimately, though, they want parents to seek God and to then obey his plan for the raising of their children. Which I appreciate. Following God can look different in so many ways, and I don't think it's good to have a legalistic view of things.

Having followed Sally for a couple years now, one of the things I've come to love about her and her family is how genuine they are in their love of the Lord and how intentional they have been with their children. This book spends a large chunk discussing the "Heart" aspect of homeschool before they ever get into discussions of curriculum and schedules and book lists. Homeschooling is more than book learning. It is about the forming of a person. Not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.

I also loved that in their "whole hearted approach" they talked about dad being involved a lot. That educating the children was a family affair and not just mom's 9-5. It is a way of life that can be continued by my children after they have left the home.

I'm rambling now, but I just don't know that I can succinctly nail down why I loved this book. Using the term "Whole Hearted" is probably the best thing that can be used to describe their approach. They also love a good acronym 😂

I will come back to this book time and again for the many quotes, resources, book lists, etc.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great encouragement that I’ll come back to again and again!

[Becca Tillotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rave about this homeschool guide to anyone I can. It's been so helpful to me as I prepare the foundation of our homeschool.

[Emily]

I read this over ten years ago. It’s what convinced me I could homeschool and it helped me to decide how to go about it.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my oldest child was two, I began to research homeschooling. This book was in the pile I checked out from the library, and in reading it, I found that someone had put into words what I had been envisioning for our family. It encouraged me at the beginning of the journey. This book has since been updated and is due for a re-read.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice, esp for those just starting out or needing a refresher. but it is outdated and the format is very distracting...like it was printed from a Word doc while using as many fonts available way back when.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have maybe a couple of quibbles with this book, but overall it’s a fantastic homeschooling resource. It covers just about everything related to homeschooling and has tons of practical advice. Highly recommended.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

All time favorite homeschooling book!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite homeschooling book. Full of practical advice and encouragement.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have loved to have this book back when I was homeschooling! So many great ideas, tips, tools, illustrations, and the philosophy of Christian education underlying all of it. The edition I checked out from the library was from 1999, and it has been updated several times since then. But even this edition would be greatly helpful to new or even experienced homeschool families. And there's another thing that encourages me: the Clarksons' children are now successful at the highest levels of Christian life and service. So their method is certainly worth looking into. My interest was in creating a list of resources for my children and grandchildren regarding Christian home education. I would rate this one the highest of all that I've seen so far.

[Julia Burford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very informational and great as a resource book to flip through. However, as a book to read through, it is very hefty and a bit exhausting to get through.
I'll be keeping this as a resource book on my shelf, but it wouldn't be the first homeschooling book I recommend someone read 🙂

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about Educating the WholeHearted Child—I REALLY wanted to like it, because I’ve heard so many good things about the Clarksons, but unfortunately I struggled with it a bit. Starting from the beginning:

I’m a second-generation homeschooler, so I was homeschooled myself as a child and now am homeschooling my own child. Despite that, I am definitely *not* a person who believes homeschooling is the only or primary way to follow the Bible while educating your kids, so there was a lot I disagreed with in the first part of the book. I think it’s sloppy interpretation to say that because the Bible didn’t have “schools,” therefore formal schooling outside the home isn’t the biblical model. There are lots of reasons why it didn’t arise until later; the fact that mandatory schooling didn’t exist back then meant that lots of people were illiterate, so I’m really not going to trash mandatory education and schools, even if my family isn’t using them. (There also is often some class and race issues going on in this discussion, because many socially disadvantaged people have no choice but to work multiple jobs and can’t easily homeschool. I will support public schools for whoever needs them, while at the same time working for a better future so *all* families, not just white middle class ones, have the resources to choose to be at home if they want to be. I believe it’s a decision each family should be able to freely make.)

However, I started liking the book near the end of chapter 6, when they introduced the five study areas of the WholeHearted model. I felt like that was a really useful way to conceptualize the different types of learning that I already see happening in our home. Sometimes I’ve wondering if I’m borrowing from too many different approaches or if everything I’m doing together doesn’t quite make sense, but it actually fits perfectly into the different categories they had listed, and helped me see it as a cohesive whole.

In chapter 7, the book also got dogmatic at a spiritual level about several other things—that you have to have a dedicated learning space, for example; it would be fine to talk about the benefits but I felt like they were actually saying you *need* to or you’re not sending the message that you prioritize learning. They also said that reading is a “fundamental activity for spiritual maturity,” which I vehemently disagree with despite being a bibliophile myself—there are huge numbers of cultures around the world that are oral cultures and pass on traditions and stories orally. So while I agree that books are hugely important, I think it’s the *stories* that are vital, and that get passed on in both oral cultures and those that rely on written words. If I lived in an oral culture, my love for stories would mean that instead of reading books constantly, I’d be pestering the elders for more stories. In some cultures even Bible stories are transmitted orally. To say that actually reading the words is necessary for *spiritual* maturity is honestly lack of understanding of world cultures.

I also disagreed a bit with their ideas of which books are good for children; they seem to feel that all good books must be obviously didactic (see their preference for fables and allegories), and if it’s not trying to teach a Christian moral then it’s suspect. I think this actually really misses a lot of GREAT literature that is based in the imagination God gave us but isn’t trying to explicitly teach anything. I think children’s literature often skews too much towards trying to teach anyways, when we should let them learn to enjoy a good story just for the story’s sake. In the same chapter (7), they also said that in classic children’s literature “the content is almost always acceptable”—which after re-reading things as an adult, I disagree with too. A lot of classic children’s literature has racism, and often harsh or patronizing treatment of children. I can't assume a book is good just because it's traditional or old. Even beloved classics often have racism we need to bring up and talk about with our kids, so they don't absorb it unawares.

I thought some of the personality-related stuff in chapter 8 was interesting, and I also appreciated in chapter 9 how he noted that the Hebrew word often translated “child” in Proverbs 22 is actually referring to a young man. There was a lot of interesting content in the Methods section (chapters 10-14), but I felt like it was almost simultaneously too much (so many topics, so many acronyms and bullet points, literally instruction on everything) and too little (because they could only dedicate 1-2 pages for huge topics like narration, art, etc.). It could be a good starting point to just know topics to read more about, because there's no way they could teach you much about each in that tiny amount of space. I think this section probably is a great resource for some people and very overwhelming for others.

Similarly, I think the overall tone of the book would probably be experienced as just fine or even motivating by some people and overly dogmatic, nitpicky, and discouraging by others.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Checked this out from the library. It is so big that if it was the first book I read to find out about homeschooling I would have been overwhelmed! Skimmed through the book and it has some very good chunks of information, just too much for me and I've been homeschooling for years...krb 9/26/19

[Selina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE homeschool manual i reach for the most. I has it all. book list, the how to, schedule, answers to the hard questions, encouragement, and so much more.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute wealth of knowledge.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book and a great resource for homeschoolers. It will be a good one to add to our home library. Though there are certain attitudes contained in the methods of education the authors advocate that I won't be adopting (see icky geography quote below, which is indicative of a recurring attitude herein), there is also much to be gained in a reading of this book. As I get deeper into reading work by authors who are currently practicing classical education with their children, I increasingly notice that there are two separate and distinct trivia (triviums) at work: grammar, logic, and rhetoric and truth, goodness, and beauty. It's been difficult for me to find authors (or at least bloggers) who embrace both without letting the other fall by the wayside. I am not interested in the slightest in giving our children a "classical education" that does not involve the trivium as understood by Dorothy Sayers and her ilk, and to me, a little Charlotte Mason (who is a foundational influence of the Clarksons) goes a long way. Still, I kept very poor record of the good quotes in this book because there were just so many passages that I would like to remember in order to contemplate and implement with our children. I'll be better off to just get the book.

Commonplace entries:
"Let your child identify a particular habit or routine they want to develop (that you also want them to develop). Create a simple check-off chart for one to two weeks (longer for older children). At the end, write the child's choice of a favorite meal or restaurant. To earn the reward, the child must faithfully do the habit every day and check the list...without needing to be reminded. Miss a day, and it starts over" (81).

"Romans 12:1-2 is a critical passage for parents of young adults. It is an uncomplicated description of God's design for what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I have taught it to parents and youth as the three signs of a disciple. Think of them as traffic signs along God's path of life: YIELD to God; STOP the world; GO to the Word. Uncomplicated, but also uncompromising. When high school and college issues start flooding into your world at home, along with all the world's opinions about what is best for your children, don't take one step forward until Romans 12:1-2 is deeply ingrained in your and your teens' hearts and minds" (172).

"Geography is all the rage these days, and our society has decided that the truly educated child can name every country and capital in the world. While there's nothing wrong with such geo-trivia, it has little to do with true education" (231).

[Cindyloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but certainly can't say it's the best homeschooling book I've read. There was something about the tone I just can't put my finger on... The husband/wife authors come off to me as a bit legalistic and unrealistic. They don't address making time for ministry and service. I found the focus early in the book, falling mainly on obedience to the parents and discipline, overbearing. Now I have read many helpful and sound parenting books that are Biblically based, but I figured this book, with this title, would focus more on methods and encouragement! Also, I mentioned some of the suggestions seem unrealistic. One example is the suggested schedule - it seems rigid and inflexible to me. Did none of their children take any type of lesson? Sport? Ever? Although I appreciate routine as much as the next mom, I also desire the flexibility to be creative. I could go on, but I won't because I didn't actually dislike the book! There *were* some helpful ideas and quotes. It just didn't meet the expectations I had for it.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite overview on home education! The Clarksons do a wonderful and thorough job of discussing what home schooling is and how to make it a part of your life. It is a book that I've shared w/many folks and they usually hand it back and say "I just ordered it, b/c it's so good"....it is a book that I've revisited every few years. A must read for the home educator, no matter what style of home schooling you prefer. They also have an excellent family devotional, "Our 24 Family Ways".

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my original manual for homeschooling. It's how we got started. Our schooling looked different from year to year and changed a lot as the kids got older but I will always be grateful for how this book shaped my perspective on educating my kids at home. I honestly don't know if I would agree with everything in it now that we are done homeschooling but it was a big help to me as I was just getting started.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst homeschool book I've picked up yet. As soon as I read the first page, I knew this book was not for me. It's written to a very narrow audience, and even as Bible-believing Christian, I did not enjoy this book AT ALL. The "we do it the RIGHT way" tone and legalistic nature of the book caused me to want to scrap this one right away. I skimmed the entire book and could not find anything useful until I reached the book list in the back.

[Rachel Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and thorough but very dense. Don't plan on skim reading it.

[Laura Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teaching children at home is not just a commitment.
Teaching children at home is not just an alternative educational option.
Teaching children at home is a lifestyle.
Clay and Sally Clarkson have captured the essence of the homeschooling lifestyle that many of us desire- one of discipleship as well as academics.


This is not a quick read. It's a big book, 376 pages; but, that's not why it's not a quick read. Educating the WholeHearted Child is a read a little, selah, think about it, read a little more book. It is so comprehensive. I've been homeschooling for 15 years. You would think I'd know most of this; but, the Clarksons approach educating in a completely different way. The WholeHearted method is strongly based on discipleship, using whole books, and making a home that invites learning.
I found myself reading this book slowly, taking time to look up scripture as I went, underlining, and writing in the margins. I soon realized that this book is too packed with information to read from cover to cover quickly. I found myself skipping around a bit. It's like a textbook and reference book and a patient teacher all wrapped up in one.

Things I like about it:
I remember in high school that my honors English teacher drilled into us the phrase, "Show don't tell." The Clarksons do not merely tell us to shepherd our child's spirit or to create a home we can learn within, they show us how to do it. They give examples and suggestions. My favorite feature is In Our Home. It gives a peek into how a particular concept played out in their home. Bold print, excellent structure and organization, plentiful scriptures, and lots of quotes in the margins make this a very easy book to pick up and read for a few minutes at a time. Perfect for a mom with lots of little ones. It's also a book that you can truly study and implement the ideas that the Lord puts on your heart for your family. I say for your family because it is so full, it would be unlikely that one family could implement every single idea. Pick and choose as the Lord leads you. Don't miss all the great forms at the back to help you in organizing your home and teaching.

Things I don't like about it:
Hmmm... I cannot really think of anything. The only way I can think to improve it would be to put an index in the back. That way, if you had a specific question in mind, you might be able to find the answer more quickly.
Whether you're just investigating the option of homeschooling, you've been doing it a few years, or like me, you're considered a veteran, this book has valuable information and wisdom for you and your family. At $22, it is far less expensive than a homeschool conference with the added benefit that it can be at your fingertips for years. I highly highly recommend this book. This is the best book on homeschooling that I've read for years.
It's the Clarksons' magnum opus that will not only give you biblical reasons for homeschooling; but, it will disciple you in discipling your children.


I received this book free in exchange for providing an honest review.

[Marissa | storiesinthemeadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars (I’m learning to round up more now, rather than down. Isn’t it funny that rounding down is often our default with ratings? Trying to change that and be more positive.)

I read the 3rd edition of this book, which I think was published in the early 2000s. Clay and Sally Clarkson had been homeschooling for several years at that point, but all of their children were still at home.

What worked for me:
-awesome book lists (parenting, home education philosophy, read aloud favorites, history, classics, etc.)
-detailed breakdown of subjects covered and the teaching method associated with each subject
-sample forms (chores, daily schedule, goals for children, book report/devotional write up, etc.)
-quotes in the margins related to the topic in the current section

What didn’t work for me:
-view on evolution/how to approach teaching that aspect of science; strictly avoiding the idea of aliens and intelligent life on other planets (For me, Creation and Evolution are not mutually exclusive, and I think God is perfectly capable of creating intelligent life on places other than Earth too.)
-chapter on personality types (Nothing was “wrong” with this chapter, I just largely skimmed it and skipped over it. I think the information is very beneficial to have in your home and family, this just wasn’t the right time for me or what I was looking for at the moment. I might come back to this chapter another time and dig deeper in it.)
-constant references to building faith and discipling children (I found myself getting bored by it, though I agree that it is the most important thing we can do for our children! 😬)

I liked this book fine, but I would first recommend Sally’s newer book, Awaking Wonder, to those seeking information on home eduction. Some other reviews mention this book coming off as legalistic and I can definitely see where they get that idea. However, having been to one of their conferences and listening to Sally’s podcast (and reading Awaking Wonder), I know that that is not their heart for discipling or teaching children.

[Sara Groti · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected to absolutely LOVE this book. Sally Clarkson is well known after all in the Christian Homeschool world. I figured with those two things in common, reading her book would be a delight. I was so wrong.
From outdated ideas (don't let your children listen to rock) to an extreme demonizing view of the public school system.. I found myself writting arguments against her views on most of the pages of this book.
Sally also places WAY too much weight on parents (who will always be flawed) and their children putting faith in Christ. While I agree we have tremendous influence over our children, and a unique opportunity to point them to Jesus in how we live our lives.. ultimately our children will choose for themselves to put faith in Christ. The proverb about "teach your children the way they should go and when they are old they won't depart from it" is not a promise. It's a nugget of wisdom. The most likely way to raise a Christian, is to be a good example of one. But it isn't a guarantee.
I also did not agree with their application of personality tests in order to school their children. It did very much feel like shoving a kid in this neat little box. "You are THIS". But people, created by God, are much more complex that 4, or 8 or 100 personalities.
There's so much more I could say. But ultimately, I learned little in this book, and mainly left it feeling frustrated.

[Kristy Hetzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a challenge to review as I have no doubt about the authors' noble intentions and heart for ministry. However, it just about killed me to finish this book. It is not only exhaustive but exhausting. By the end, there is honestly an opinion on basically everything other than what car to drive and what toilet paper to buy and an underlying premise that the Whole Hearted Learning method is the best way to do everything. I really felt like the subtitle could be: "How to do EVERYTHING perfectly." 😕 Having said that, there were things that I got out of it and parts that I felt were 5-star-worthy, so I figure a 3-star rating averages out the parts that I loved with the parts that made me feel like I was losing my mind (eg, endless acrostics or lists or, yes, box recommendations). I don't recommend the Kindle version unless you like reading textbooks for fun because that is what it felt like. The format of the printed version is much different and much more user-friendly. I will look for a secondhand copy because I will never read this again cover-to-cover but it could be a useful reference.

[Erika]

This book is designed for those who want to make Bible study the central focus of their homeschool (and perhaps the only subject?!). The tone of the book reads like a hybrid of sermon and how-to manual. (As an aside, I really dislike that the authors use scripture to argue how homeschool is what God wants for everyone, and then say "oh, but homeschool isn't for everyone, think and pray about it for yourself.")

As someone who is religious, but not homeschooling for religious reasons, I put this book down pretty quickly. Their style is almost exclusively focused on Bible study. It's probably great for a lot of people, I'm just not the target audience.

I'm also honestly a bit suspicious of their children's classics book list since it has The Jungle Book on it. (If you only know the movie, take a look sometime. Among other things, he finds some human Africans in the very beginning, but decides the gorillas are more civilized...)

I was a bit conflicted on if I should review this or not, but since a review like this would have saved me some time, (and I like adding reviews to my goodreads account) here you go. This book was recommended to me by a homeschooling family.

[Jayde Deleeuw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for any homeschooler to read if they are getting started or want to gain new tips to incorporate into their own homeschooling experience. It's packed full of practical information!
The only thing I don't love is the idea throughout that homeschooling is the gold standard of education. While it is encouraging for homeschooling parents who feel inadequate to hear this, it's not true in all cases and can give homeschool parents a false sense of superiority. I initially put it down for a while after getting this vibe from the first part of the book. However, after hearing some of the authors podcasts (which are amazing) I was keen to give it another try. It ended up being a very helpful book! I now love Sally Clarkson. She is so inspiring.