Homeschool Journey

According to the Cards, one of the greatest advantages of homeschooling is the opportunity for parents to tailor the education of each of their children to the child's abilities, personality, goals and dreams. Such highly personalized education encourages children to grow as they learn to appreciate knowledge and how to discern true and false presentations of reality. It also helps them become the person God wants them to be.

True education isn't just about the apprehension and organization of knowledge, it's about the development of character through contemplation and assessment of that knowledge. For the Card family, homeschooling focuses on raising their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, teaching them to be humble, diligent and honest. Education, then, is discipleship, yet another reason it needs to be child-specific.

Susan and Michael (yes, it's the same guitar-wielding Michael Card of Christian music) take turns sharing their perspectives and the experiences of their family through The Homeschool Journey. They devote whole chapters to topics similar books overlook entirely, like the importance of fostering imagination in our kids, the role of music education, and dealing with learning disabilities.

A lot of this book is about listening—listening to your child's uniqueness and direction, listening to the Word of God, listening to mentors, listening to the wisdom of past generations. By contrast, in telling their story the Cards are careful to delineate between Scriptural truth and personal preference; instead of declarative statements or curriculum recommendations you'll find general principles and suggestions for successful homeschooling.

There are resources listed in the back of the book, but most of the materials are general rather than specific, and when it comes to recommending books for specific age groups the titles are of the classic literature variety. Engaging and highly personal, The Homeschool Journey is an excellent trail guide for Christian families on the edge of new territory as well as those well underway on the road of home education.

Currently out of print. We have a limited number of used copies in-stock.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.