Home educating with confidence (by Rick and Marilyn Boyer)

(Amazon UK link)

As one who was fairly new to home education, I was eager to read as many different books of advice and personal accounts as I could. This one is an American book, but home education ('homeschooling') has been popular there for rather longer than it has in the UK. I thought the reviews and also the title ('Home Educating with Confidence') sounded impressive. So I ordered it

It's written by Rick and Marilyn Boyer, who are American parents of twelve. So the subtitle ('How ordinary parents can produce extraordinary children) is somewhat ironic. However desirable, a family of fourteen is not 'ordinary'.

In this book, Rick shares his views on learning and education in this book.

On the positive side, there are some good sections. For instance, the author makes it clear that education is not the same as 'schooling'. He also talks at length about the importance of intrinsic motivation, and of following the children's interests. Nothing really new; I've already picked up on these principles from other books and website, as well as online discussions. But for someone not yet home educating, or just starting out, it's useful basic information.

However, there are also some strange (and sometimes irrelevant) biases in the book. There is, for instance, a strong objection to Christian rock music, and the television in general. These are more than a general recommendation to reduce screen time. 

In conclusion, there's nothing in this that can't be found elsewhere. The American slant as well as the strange biases make this book unhelpful, on the whole, to British home educators. It was quite interesting to read, but I wouldn't particularly recommend it and doubt if I'll read it again.