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Review in Homeschoolers' Support Association Newsletter, HSA Happenings, in Seattle Washington (http://www.hsa-wa.org/index.php):So—Why do You Homeschool? Reviewed by Jill Bell Although homeschooling has come a long way, even in the last five years, it’s still not uncommon to get those arch questions from both family and curious bystanders: “Why don’t you just send them to private school if you don’t like the public ones?” or “Isn’t it just the religious nuts who homeschool?” Or how about those well-meaning grandparents who wonder “Are parents really qualified to teach their own kids at home?” And we all have the incredulous friends who say, “How do you keep the house clean?” or “It may be fine for you, but homeschooling would be too hard for me.” These, and 70 other frequently-asked questions and comments about homeschooling are answered clearly in Mimi Davis’ new book, So—Why do you Homeschool? Answering Questions People ask about Home Education. If you want to have an answer ready for those pesky questions we all have to live with, or if you just wonder about some of them yourself as a new homeschooler, this book is a fine place to turn to. Covering a wide range of topics, including “Who Homeschools,” “History, Law and Research of Homeschooling” and “All Grown Up—College,” you’ll find your questions answered here in some form or another. And if you have just started out homeschooling, and have family-members who are full of questions, give them this book! Mimi answers questions respectfully and kindly, in a manner that will win over your relatives to homeschoolings’ benefits and excellence as an educational choice. Well-researched and chock-full of information, So—Why do you Homeschool? is a welcome addition to the homeschool bookshelf, a book we can use to remind ourselves why we chose to homeschool, as well as to share with those outside the homeschool community. So—Why do you Homeschool? Answering Questions People ask about Home Education by Mimi Davis; ISBN 1-59781-572-1, copyright 2005, Xulon Press. To order, contact Mimi Davis at mimi@sowhyhomeschool.com.
Review in Home Education Magazine, a 23-year-old national homeschooling periodical (http://www.homeedmag.com/):So – Why Do You Homeschool? “So – why do you homeschool?” What a conversation starter! Or is it a conversation stopper? Should you fend off the question with something neutral like, “Well, it seemed like the right decision for us,” or should you dive headfirst into a deep discussion of the whys and wherefores of home education? Mimi Davis has written a slim but comprehensive volume containing almost every question you can imagine a well-meaning (or not so well-meaning) friend, relative, or acquaintance might ask. Fortunately, it also contains a lot of great answers. Davis is a homeschooling mother of four as well as a certified special education teacher who has worked in private and public schools and with other homeschooled children. Two of her children attended school for a brief time, and she experienced what many of us have seen in our own families: Her children were gone all day and family time had to be fit in around homework and school preparations. When problems arose, communication with school staff was difficult or nonexistant. She saw a change in her daughter’s attitude toward learning, and not for the better. While these experiences are unfortunate, I think they, along with Davis’s professional and homeschooling experience, could very well lend her a greater degree of authority with people outside the homeschooling community. The book is divided into several broad sections, including general questions about who homeschools and why, concerns friends and relatives might have about homeschooling, the personal sacrifices – and personal joys – involved in home education, the history of homeschooling in the United States, and the usual questions about qualifications to homeschool, academics, socialization, and life after homeschooling. So – Why Do You Homeschool? devotes quite a bit of space to comparing homeschooling with public and private schooling, which is appropriate considering that most people who are asking about homeschooling are, of course, going to be familiar with public and private school and curious about how home education measures up. So – Why Do You Homeschool? is written in a smooth, clear style and Davis takes care to footnote her sources throughout the book. She is respectful of the diversity of homeschooling methods and provides religious and non-religious perspectives. Overall, the book provides thorough answers but usually doesn’t go into the degree of detail someone who was researching homeschooling for his or her own family might require. Sometimes the very qualities that we value in homeschooling – for example, the degree of family intimacy and self-determination it allows – are the qualities that makes it hard to discuss with those who might not understand. It’s a rare person who enjoys defending their family decisions against skeptics, and even when the questioner is friendly and interested, it can be hard to think of everything you’d like to say when you’re put on the spot. That makes So – Why Do You Homeschool? a good book to have on hand when questions come up. Review in Jonathon’s Arrow, Middle Tennessee Home Education Association’s newsletter (http://www.mthea.org/)This review is in pdf format - click here.
Here’s what people are saying about So – WHY Do you homeschool?: Some reviews from online retailers: 5 of 5Number One Homeschool Pick Friday, February 03, 2006 So-Why Do You Homeschool? is the most comprehensive, yet to-the-point, book on homeschooling that I have seen. The book covers a huge variety of questions briefly, backs answers with researched facts, adds a touch of humor, and does all of this in a manner that enables a person to read until the book is completed or go straight to a particular segment or question. Mrs. Davis has the background to speak from authority on this subject and yet blends her own experiences and humorous thoughts in a transparent way that makes one feel he/she is having a personal conversation with the author! This is a "must have" for anyone considering home education OR for those who get tired of answering others' questions about home education. (From Buy.com)
Reviewer: Barrett B. Russell ( Watertown, TN) I just completed So Why Do You Homeschool by Mimi Davis. It is an excellent resource! I would consider this book to be a must read for anyone considering homeschooling, although it would certainly be beneficial for veterans as well. I have already passed this wonderful title along to my own mother to read, as it answers so many questions that grandparents of homeschoolers often have. As a parent of four just beginning our homeschool journey, I found this book to be packed with excellent information and ideas. It is very easy to read and truly answers all those little (and big) questions that people ask about homeschooling. I highly recommend this book! (From Amazon.com)
Reviewer: Melanie Ritz ( Brentwood, TN) "So-Why Do You Homeschool?" answers questions I didn't even know I had about homeschooling! Each section made me more and more interested in homeschooling, something I originally had given little thought to. I read the book cover to cover - well written and easy to read. It can also be used as a reference for specific issues, looking up individual questions and topics. |
A must read for anyone considering homeschooling!, March 24, 2006 | Mimi Davis | mimi@sowhyhomeschool.com |