Even though I was homeschooled as a child and have had the advantage of my mother’s advice, I have also found gleaning wisdom from other veteran homeschooling / unschooling moms, as well as influential writers in the education arena, to be helpful. The following books are the ones that I found to be the most encouraging and inspiring in cultivating a relaxed and joyful learning lifestyle for our family.
Top 5 Homeschooling / Unschooling Books
(in my opinion and in no particular order)
- Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola – As the subtitle suggests, this book is Karen’s “Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning” and includes inspiration for home atmosphere, instructions for specific subjects, Christian family life, etc that follow the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy. While I don’t adhere to the CM method, this book was one of the first homeschooling books I read and it helped spark the desire for a beautiful and broad learning experience for my children.
- Learning All the Time by John Holt – This book was so helpful to read when I first began researching the idea of unschooling. While it does not come a Christian perspective, Holt’s ideas gave me the confidence to try a more relaxed homeschooing approach when my oldest began to show signs of frustration with the more traditional homeschooling methods we were using.
- Curious Unschoolers by Sue Elvis – In the way of a memoir, Sue shares personal stories of her family’s journey to unschooling and give examples of how learning was woven in the everyday moments of their life. As a devout Catholic, she also shares how she believes unschooling embodies teachings in the Bible, specifically trust, grace and love.
- God Schooling by Julie Polanco – While the title may sound a bit strange, Julie’s heart in this book is to point parents to the fact that God created children with a curious mind that yearns to learn. She covers stages of child development and shares anecdotes from her unschooling days, as well as practical ways to cultivate a natural learning environment while still fulfilling our God-given responsibility to disciple our children.
- Awaking Wonder by Sally Clarkson – This book isn’t specifically about homeschooling, but it is rich with inspiration to help parents spark a sense of wonder and foster the desire to learn in their children. Sally shares many examples from her days as a homeschooling mom and points the reader to Scripture to further encourage a life-giving family culture and home atmosphere.
Other Great Books to Consider
The following are other unschooling / homeschooling books that I have read, enjoyed and found helpful in different seasons of life. (Listed in no particular order)
- Home Education by Charlotte Mason
- The Big Book of Unschooling by Sandra Dodd
- Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay & Sally Clarkson
- The Relaxed Home School by Mary Hood
- Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie
- The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
- Better Late Than Early by Raymond & Dorothy Moore
- Getting Started with Christian Unschooling by Pauline Cook (ebook)
- The Unhurried Homeschooler and The 4-Hour School Day by Durenda Wilson
- Pocketful of Pinecones and Lessons at Blackberry Inn by Karen Andreola (fictional CM-themed books)
While all the books mentioned above are wonderful, I would be remiss if I failed to mention that the inspired Word of God is the go-to book for all things in life. While the Bible doesn’t specifically talk about homeschooling, it does have many verses about wisdom and learning, not to mention specific instructions for parents.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Reading the Bible and praying for the Holy Spirit to guide you as you cultivate a learning lifestyle for your family is the best thing you can do as a homeschooling parent. The Lord will lead you as you trust in Him.
What books have guided you in your homeschooing journey? I’d love for you to share the titles in a comment!
