Hey parent! Are you ready to homeschool like it’s your job? Because it is! Sometimes we get so caught up picking the **PERFECT THING** for the kiddos that we forget there’s always more for us to learn too! If you take time for your own professional development as a homeschooling parent, you’ll be better prepared to weather all of the stages and challenges of educating at home. I have some suggestions for a homeschool parent reading list that will inform and inspire!
** This list uses Amazon Affiliate links. Please see our Disclosures page for more information.
Reading List for Homeschool Parents
Titles for Your Professional Development as Home Educator
1. Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling (John Holt and Pat Farenga)
John Holt, sometimes called the “father of unschooling,” was a pioneer in homeschooling. His volumes How Children Fail and How Children Learn led a generation of parents and educators to imagine what children could accomplish without the traditional classroom walls. What happens if we allow curiosity and social nature to “teach” instead? Teach Your Own makes Holt’s wisdom accessible to today’s homeschool parent with stories and advice for the day-to-day of home education. Whether you unschool or take a more structured approach, there is something to be learned here about the very nature of what we’ve set out to do.
2. Minimalist Homeschooling (Zara Fagen)
“Minimalism” is more than just a buzzword in today’s harried world; it’s become a battle cry! Many choose homeschooling for a slower pace of life, to enjoy their families more, and appreciate childhood as it’s meant to be. Somehow, we still end up caught in the endless spiral of looking for more: more curriculum, more classes, more opportunities, more achievements. Minimalist Homeschooling helps us to give our homeschooling choices the litmus test of values, and its helpful worksheets make prioritization doable so that we can cut out without missing out.
3. The Self-Propelled Advantage: The Parent’s Guide to Raising Independent, Motivated Kids Who Learn With Excellence (Joanne Calderwood)
I’ll be honest: this one is still on my to-read shelf, though very near the top. The Self-Propelled Advantage was recommended to me by another parent at a homeschool meetup, and I was so intrigued by her glowing review that I went home and bought it right away. Since then, two more homeschool moms have raved about this book. However, I was warned that this book is heavy on the philosophy, but light on practical implementation. The more news I read, though, about the problems students emerging from our traditional schools are having, the more I am convinced that self-motivation is an absolutely necessary skill for our children. That makes this book a must-read, and I’m looking forward to getting to it very soon!
4. The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life (Julie Bogart)
I have been a fan of Julie Bogart’s since I first heard that Brave Writer could help my very reluctant student put pen to paper. Then, when I heard her podcast entitled “55 Things I Did NOT Do As a Homeschooler“… well, I may have cried tears of relief. She just GETS it. No matter what your homeschool looks like, Julie has gems to inspire. The Brave Learner takes all of her wisdom about weaving writing into life, and applies it to education at home. The focus is on connecting with your kids, and the stories and practical advice make any vision of homeschooling so attainable. I may never get through this whole book because I have to stop after almost every page and try something! The ideas about adding “risk and adventure” to help engage teens inspired Our Homeschool Penny Date. Make sure you have a whole pack of new highlighters and sticky notes when you sit down with this one!
5. Homeschooling for College Credit: A Parent’s Guide to Resourceful High School Planning (Jennifer Cook DeRosa)
This book was in my hand just before I grabbed my computer to write this article, and it’s not just because I have a 9th grader. It’s never too early to get this treasure on your reading list. If you are at all intimidated by homeschooling through high school, the fear of not getting your child into college might be a reason. Enter Homeschooling for College Credit. The tools in this book will change your question from “Will my child get into college?” to “How many college credits will my child have before they finish high school?” And don’t forget to add up how much you’re going to save by using the vast array of resources in today’s continuing education marketplace. Homeschoolers have a unique opportunity to use the time they’re NOT spending swapping books out at lockers and taking standardized tests to get a jump start on their future, usually at a much lower cost! Whether you’re in the last year of your homeschool journey, or just beginning, this book will up your confidence level!
6. Homeschool Moms Want You to Know (Jennifer Elia)
Have you ever wanted to peek in the windows of some real homeschools to get a look past the polished social media posts and see what it’s really like? This short volume is the perfect “You can do this!” dose of inspiration because it proves success doesn’t equal perfection. It’s like having a friend on call to give you a little push when you’re feeling stuck or doubting yourself. The best part? The Kindle version is so affordable you can put it on your mobile device reading list and make it your waiting room go-to!
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of titles, but they have a space on my reading list for their ability to inform and inspire. Each one of these would be a great study for a group of actual homeschool friends looking to encourage and support one another.
If you are local to the Raleigh/Durham area and looking for a community like that, consider joining our Triangle Homeschool Resource Center for parent support, socials, and early access to classes and events!