The Well Trained Mind...EXCELLENT HELP

Author's Rating:

Pros: Clear, concise outline on teaching your child the Classics!

Cons: Requires a lot of planning, but you probably do that anyway if you hs!

The Bottom Line: 
It's worth the read & money. Even if you don't use the approach outlined, it will change the way you homeschool!

Author's Review
Ok, so we were homeschooling already when I first heard about TWTM. An online pal introduced me to this book and gave it rave reviews. I was skeptical because I thought about the old line "if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is."

Well, I bought it anyway. And I was hooked. Not on the philosophy or the principles of the book. I was hooked on the notion that YES PARENTS are responsible for their child's education.
Learning "the classics" thru the approach outlined in this book seems easy enough. Any extra materials needed are mentioned, along with websites and phone numbers to the places offering. She (the author) suggests using the library & free resources as much as possible. And it is VERY kid friendly, because the child is learning FUN stuff in a very basic approach.

The idea behind the book is to build upon the elementary years. In grade school, you learn the basics of history, math, reading, writing, etc. In middle school those same subjects are built upon with a more in-depth study and analysis. By the time you reach high school, the child has covered the ancients, biblical times (totally optional), etc, on up to modern times. They will have studied biology, chemistry, astrology, addition, subtraction thru algebra and geometry. So much is covered, it would take several "e-pages" to detail it.
I loved this book because it gives YOU the parent the guideline, materials needed, where to find the materials, and goal of each grade level.

The down side is the planning. But whether you are organized or not, you can totally pull it together and make it work according to your family's needs!
I HIGHLY recommend this to any family that is considering homeschooling OR already homeschooling. We were in our third year of hs'ing when I read it. It changed the way I feel towards hs'ing.