Rachel Gathercole

I had ordered this book with great anticipation and was really looking forward to reading it based on the reviews I had read. Perhaps it was this great build-up that has let me down, but I was a bit disappointed with this book, for three main reasons:
-While it claims to have exhaustive research and many examples, it does not bother to present any negative examples at all. Not one parent or child saying one remotely negative thing about homeschooling. That just doesn’t ring true, and leads this reader to wonder what was left out : it reads as though the author has decided on the end point of her argument and picked out evidence to support it rather than presenting a range of examples.
- A lot of what is presented as research and well measured argument seems to be opinion. I am not saying opinion is not valid, but often I would find myself easily finding answers to refute what the author was saying. And I am a supporter to home schooling!
- (This is a minor thing) Some of the examples of ‘famous and important homeschoolers’ are ridiculous – Moses, Joan of Arc, John the Baptist? People living in communities where there were no schools. And I doubt that Joan of Arc was ‘homeschooled’ considering she was a female and a peasant. A small thing, but demeaning to the argument.

I agree with the premise of this book, but I think the execution is flawed. Guterson’s book Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense is a much better exploration of this topic (and also a better constructed argument in support of homeschooling and it’s benefits re. community and socialisation).… (mais)