Educating the WholeHearted Child - Apologia - A TOS Review

        

 Educating the WholeHearted Child, 3rd Edition

Clay Clarkson with Sally Clarkson

ISBN:  978-1-932012-95-8

 

Apologia Educational Ministries
1106 Meridian Plaza Suite 220
Anderson, IN 46016
(888)-524-4724
www.apologia.com

$22
For parents who are educating their children ages 4-14

 

As a member of the TOS Review Crew I recently received a free copy of Clay and Sally Clarkson's Educating the WholeHearted Child.   Let me tell you about this interesting and challenging book which is about discovering God's design for raising children. The book is meant to provide a homeschooling model based on biblical principles of nurture, discipleship, instruction and learning. The book I received is the newly revised and expanded version. The Clarkson philosophy is that Christian homeschooling should begin with the sure foundation of a Christian home. This book provides tools that are suggested to help parents ensure that foundation. The cover of the book says it all when it states "Discipleship, Whole Books, and Real Life! WholeHearted Christian Home Education for Ages 4-14".

 

  See the Table of Contents here

 

The Table of Contents Includes a Preface, Introduction  and  4 sections including Home, Learning, Methods, and Living.  These sections are followed by a Postscript Challenge about Keeping Faith in the Family.  The final part of the book contains Resources including suggested books and forms.

 

(WARNING:  TEASER MAY CAUSE DESIRE TO FIND BOOK ASAP !) 

Take a peek at some of what is in the major sections of the book:

 

SECTION 1: HOME (Covers things such as Learning to Be at Home With Christ, Learning at Home to Be with Christ, Shepherding Your Child's Spirit to Long for God and more)

• Ten Good Biblical Reasons for Homeschooling 
• Biblical Principles to Consider
• Specific Scriptures to Consider about parenting, your children, christian life
• Be Ready to Live by Faith
• Be Confident as a Homeschooling Parent
• Answering the Legal Question
• Answering the Education Question (chart - classroom vs. home education)
• Answering the Socialization Question (chart - conventional vs. home school)
• Answering the Qualification Question (chart - classroom teacher vs. parent-teacher)
• The Biblical Case for Home Nurture
• LifeGIFTS - Grace, Inspiration, Faith, Training, and Service
• Feed Your Children with Fish (Faithfulness, Integrity, Self-Discipline, Humility) and Bread (Bible, Relationships, Eternal Perspective, Authority, Disciplines)
• Leading with Sympathy (vs. Strictness)
• Leading with Encouragement (vs. Guilt)
• Leading with Love (vs. Neglect)
• Leading with Instruction (vs. Information)
• Correction (Spiritual, Verbal, Behavioral, Physical Discipline)
• Protection (Unhealthy Appetites, Unwise Relationships, Ungodly Media)
• Building Mental Muscles (Language, Appetites, Habits, Creativity, Curiosity, Reason, Wisdom
• Cultivating a Positive Learning Attitude
• Cultivating a Positive Teaching Attitude

SECTION 2: LEARNING (Covers things such as Living and Learning Together at Home, Creating a Home You Can Learn Within and more)

• Giving Your Child a Designer Education
• Schools of Schooling (Public, Private, Independent, Homeschooling)
• Schools of Homeschooling
• Curriculum-Centered - Printed Curriculum, Virtual Learning
• Content-Centered - Classical Approach, Unit Studies, Principle Approach
• Child-Centered - Unschooling, Moore Formula, Montessori Method
• Home-Centered - Whole-Book Method (Living Books), Charlotte Mason Method
• 12 Pillars of WholeHearted Learning
• 5 Focused Study Areas (Discipleship, Disciplined, Discussion, Discovery, Discretionary)
• Designing a Learning Room
• Building a Home Library
• Acquiring Good Books
• Living Book vs. Textbook Chart
• Books to Avoid
• Managing Home Media
• Evaluating Curricula and Workbooks
• Deciding About Tests and Grades
• Personality and Learning Styles (Doer, Helper, Mover, Shaper)

SECTION 3:  METHODS  (Covers Discipleship Studies Methods, Disciplined Studies Methods, Discussion Studies Methods, Discovery Studies Methods and Discretionary Studies Methods)

• Discipleship (Bible Knowledge, Bible Reading, Bible Devotions, Bible Study, Bible Instruction)
• Disciplined (Beginning Reading, Language Arts, Writing and Composition, Math, Thinking Skills)
• Discussion (Reading Aloud, Reading Alone, Narration, History, Geography, Fine Arts, Unit Study, Context Study, Memorization and Recitation, Speaking and Presentation, Storytelling)
• Discovery (Creative Arts, Drawing and Coloring, Creative Play, Nature Study, Creation Science, Hands-On Science, Foreign Language, Computer, Internet, Audio/Video Production)
• Discretionary (Real-Life Learning, Private Lessons and Mentors, Library, Field Trips, Study Groups, Home Workshops, Living and Learning Notebooks, Standardized Tests)

SECTION 4:  LIVING  (Covers Family, Structure, Order and Support)

 

Father - The Head of the Home

• The Godly Father (FATHERS - Faith, Authority, Training, Humility, Encouragement, Responsibility, Service)
• 7 Secrets of the Home TEACHER (TEACHER - Time to Talk, Enthusiasm to Explain, Ability to Apply, Confidence in Christ, Humility to Help, Encouragement to Explore, Responsibility to Remind)

 

Mother - The Heart of the Home

• Walking With God on his PATH (Purpose, Assurance, Trust, Heart)
• Following God's Heart for Moms
• The Life-giving Mother (LIFE - Love and Liberty, Inspiration and Imagination, Fun and Feasting, Engaging and Enjoying)

• Knowing Your Purpose, Priorities, Plans, Principles, Personality, Breaking Point, Provider, Path
• Characteristics of an Orderly Home
• FIRST 5 Priorities of Home Management (Managing Family, Information, Rest, Stuff, Time)
• Homeschool Support Groups, Books, Mentors, Small Groups

 

  Here's a peek at what is in the Resources section of the book:

 

• A:  Books for the WholeHearted Family (Family Sampler list of Favorite Books including Classic Children's Fiction, Modern Children's Fiction, Illustrated Storybooks, Fables, Fairy Tales, and Fantasy, Poetry and Art, History and Biography and Miscellaneous Sets, Series, Readers)
• B:  Books for WholeHearted Learning (Sampler of Books for Christian Homeschooling including Home and Parenting, Fatherhood and Motherhood, Young Men and Women, Devotions and Discipleship, Homeschooling and Books, Reading and Writing, Thinking and Speaking)
• C:  Forms for WholeHearted Learning (Including Agenda, Overview, Planner, Task List, Project Planner, Reading Record, Book Report, DiscipleSheet, DependableList, 24 Family Ways (Godly Character), 24 Ways (Biblical Values), LifeGIFTS Discipleship Planner, Devotional ARTS Planner, Bible Reading Record, Bible Reading and Devotional Journal, 1 month calendar planner, 1 week calendar planner, Family Chores Chart

 

  See a Sample Chapter here


  My WholeHearted Opinion:  Once again I am impressed by another offering from Apologia.  I really like this book.  Filled with great ideas, models and forms to use, as well as some of the most relevant and encouraging scripture, this book is one that will stay handy at my desk or bedside.  The manner in which information is arranged in this book makes it quite easy to read in small chunks--which is what you'll most likely do too considering the 376 page length.    I really enjoyed the honesty and family tidbits in the "In Our Home" sections sprinkled throughout the book too.  Although I did not read previous editions, I think this 3rd edition is definitely a keeper to refer to often.  I found many ideas for personal growth and felt challenged to examine where we need to make changes in our homeschooling.  Great job Clay and Sally Clarkson!  

 

 

  See other TOS Crew Thoughts here 
  Order Your Copy here

   Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of Educating the WholeHearted Child from Apologia to read in order to write this review.  I did not and will not receive further compensation.  I am not obligated to provide a positive review.  All comments and opinions are my own.