A book review of Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything by Laura Grace Weldon
Stars: ***
Hohm Press (2010)
Homeschooling
304 pages
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Summary: With more kids at home now . . . here is a book for parents, family members and friends who want to maximize this time for a deeper learning experience for their children and themselves.
Free Range Learning will encourage and excite those who want their children to reap important benefits from this period of “sheltering in place,” learning at home. This is a book for anyone simply wanting some fresh ideas at this time, or those who wonder if a commitment to ongoing homeschooling might actually result in longer term benefits! The material in this book is backed by scientific and educational studies, along with the testimonies of scores of parents and kids from around the world. The work here is applicable for young people from pre-school through high school.
Studies indicate that adults who were homeschooled are:
* More likely to vote, volunteer and be involved in their communities than graduates of conventional schools.
* Read more books than average.
* More likely to have taken college level courses than the population as a whole.
* Tend to be independent and self-reliant.
Children are naturally “free range” learners. They build knowledge and skills naturally, within the full spectrum of their daily lives, while observing, exploring and pursuing their interests. This book guides any parent or educator in assisting that process.
Free Range Learning
I picked this up at the library and it’s pretty good but is outdated. If it wasn’t outdated it would for sure be a 4 star book. This is the layout of a textbook so it a little awkward for reading. It contains ideas for homeschooling but also LOTS of quotes from actual homeschooling parents and kids on the topic being talked about.
A lot of the talk is what would be called unschoolers now but it’s not only that. It offers a wide variety of ideas and quotes from families around the world.
The topics include: natural learning, nurturing the learner, work/play/other essentials, connecting with others, collaborating, homeschooling changes everything, adventure homeschooling, field tripping, full spectrum learning, science and nature, math/business/critical thinking, physical education/health, arts, language arts/foreign language, history/current events and volunteerism/ethics/spirituality.
The book is full of (unfortunately outdated) websites and organizations. This would have been great in 2010. I’d love to see an updated version of this book.
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