Top Education Books Every Parent Should Read👇
If I could start over, this is the book list I’d read to prepare to educate my children.
I’d been teaching nearly 20 years when I started homeschooling my kids. Not only had I been teaching, I had been perfecting teaching through the development of new education models.
But educating college students and educating 5 years olds as it turns out has some differences. Moreover, I specialized in STEM, so I needed to learn a lot about teaching other disciplines.
Now, I’ve spent countless of hours devouring thousands and thousands of pages of books learning how not just to educate my children, but to give them a truly exceptional education. There is not a week that goes by that I don’t learn more - and I share all of it with you wonderful people.♥️
But if I could go back, this is a list of the books I’d read in preparation for homeschooling.
The first book, The Well-Trained Mind, permanently sits on my desk - I can see it out of the corner of my eye right now.
These books will help you deliver the education your child deserves, one as exceptional and unique as they are.
Should you read all of these?
I get it. You’re busy, and not everyone has my obsession with this topic! Pick books that speak to you and your current situation.
Struggling starting with homeschooling → Well Trained Mind.
Struggling to communicate with your kids → Nonviolent Communication, Hold Onto Your Kids
Struggling to decide to leave the school system → Dumbing Us Down
Want Pure Inspiration & Joy → Wild+Free Family (Golly I love this book & reread it when I want to just feel inspired to be a better parent)
Deep thoughts from Education Visionaries from the early 20th century: The Absorbent Mind, Home Education
No matter where you start on this list, you will be inspired and directed towards the education your children deserve.
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Your Ultimate Education Book Starter List, Enjoy!
The Well-Trained Mind, Susan Wise Bauer (don’t get the newest edition as it doesn’t include the resource recommendations, 4th ed. or older)
Why Don’t Students Like School?, Willingham
Nonviolent Communication, Marshal Rosenberg - NOTE: His workshops are available for FREE on YouTube HERE. I personally find it more helpful than the book, but that’s because I learn better from workshops - you might prefer books.
Free to Learn, Peter Gray
The Lost Tools of Learning, Dorothy Sayers
Home Education, Charlotte Mason
The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori
Dumbing us Down: The 7 Hidden Lessons of Compulsory School, John Taylor Gatto (This one is free online)
7 Myths about Education, Christodoulou
How Children Learn, John Holt
The Knowledge Gap, Wexler
Why Knowledge Matters, Hirsch
Wild+Free Family, Arment
How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler
Hold onto your Kids, Gabor Mate
Happy Reading! ~Claire
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Thanks for a great list- I’ve read a few but will add lots to my list. Have you read the Brave Learner- it is a little like Wild and Free, I feel so encouraged after reading it
All of the John Holt books have really shaped my views on homeschooling and specifically unschooling. (Although they do get repetitive towards the later books and some of his ideas are obsolete because of the internet). One of the first anti school books I read was "How children fail" and it was quite formative for me. In terms of communication with my kids, all of the books in the "How to talk so kids will Listen" series really shaped my early years of parenting.