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199 reviews for:
The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life
Julie Bogart
4.16 AVERAGE
199 reviews for:
The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life
Julie Bogart
4.16 AVERAGE
I picked through pieces of it to find useful bits. But it wasn’t anything profound or extremely useful.
I absolutely loved this book! It not only has great ideas to implement into your homeschool day but also focuses on the emotional and mental health of the home. It's a bit repetitive surrounding some ideas, and it probably won't gel with every homeschooler (since we all do things differently) but I found it helpful.
I borrowed this from the library but will be buying my own copy to refer to again and again.
I borrowed this from the library but will be buying my own copy to refer to again and again.
I really waffled on whether to give this 4 or 5 stars. It's probably more of a 4.5 for me.
What I loved: So many practical ideas. I took quite a few notes on things I'd like to implement as my kids get older. Art table, monthly narrative sketches, poetry teatime... all such great ideas! I also loved the reminder to be a collaborative learner with my kids, and not expect them to do everything themselves.
What I didn't love: The lackadaisical approach to cleaning, and the assumption that all kids are doomed to have excessive screen time.
What I loved: So many practical ideas. I took quite a few notes on things I'd like to implement as my kids get older. Art table, monthly narrative sketches, poetry teatime... all such great ideas! I also loved the reminder to be a collaborative learner with my kids, and not expect them to do everything themselves.
What I didn't love: The lackadaisical approach to cleaning, and the assumption that all kids are doomed to have excessive screen time.
I liked this book but I didn’t love it. As a new secular homeschooler of neurodivergent kiddos (and as a ND person myself) I found Julie’s suggestions and general stance on child-led learning helpful. What was challenging for me was that I just didn’t “see” myself or my kids in many of her examples or in her lists of interests and activities. I find that a book many books written about homeschooling come from a very “crunchy”, “we love Ann of Green Gables and Tea Time” type vibe. Me and my boys aren’t as interested in these things. Maybe we are a little more rough around the edges? It’s not a deal breaker, but it definitely helps to read tips from someone you can relate to and I found Julie hard to relate to in many ways. Also, we are definitely trying to be gentle parents and partners to each other, but the way Julie talks about raising your voice as something that could scar your relationship with your kids indefinitely was a little intense. We don’t want to yell or make that our go-to but we are a house of neurodivergent people and one or more of us is dysregulated on a regular basis and meltdowns happen. It felt like she was saying on one page that “everyone makes mistakes and it’s totally fine and everything will work out” and a few pages later being like “be careful not to get upset and lose your cool because your kids will leave home and never want to talk to you because you didn’t sing about your anger instead”. Anyway- I just couldn’t relate and find myself and my family in much of her writing but I liked the book for the guidance she gives in general. I hope this helps someone reading this who feels a little more punk than a typical homeschooling parent.
Julie Bogart's social media posts have been a regular encouragement to me throughout my years of homeschooling, and I never doubted that this book would be worth the read. Even so, it still surpassed my expectations, and I'm confident it will be one I turn to again and again. Along with Sarah Mackenzie's Teaching From Rest and Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods, it's a book I would recommend for every homeschooling family (and non-homeschoolers who are passionate about learning!).
Be sure to download the free companion guide as well to take the principles Julie shares and translate them for your own homeschool!
Be sure to download the free companion guide as well to take the principles Julie shares and translate them for your own homeschool!
This was the inspiration I needed to return joy to both learning and teaching. The ideas and approaches are very child-centered. As someone who did not voluntarily choose a home schooling lifestyle and instead was pushed into it during the (ongoing) pandemic, I needed that. I needed to center on my children and their experiences to shake me from a paradigm I knew wasn’t working but was lost on and doubtful of, any other alternatives. I had recreated school at home, and it was making everyone miserable.
There are so many ideas and approaches it can feel overwhelming, but I’m taking it “slow to go fast” by focusing on one element at a time. These singular shifts have already brought more joy and connection to our family without compromising on what I’m confident is a solid education. There’s a free companion guide on the website which is also helpful in breaking things down and helping you focus on one change at a time.
It is at times, a bit too child-centered for our family, so we leave those bits and carry the rest with us on this journey. There’s still plenty that aligns with our vision. I’m very grateful to have this come into my life and my children certainly are as well!
There are so many ideas and approaches it can feel overwhelming, but I’m taking it “slow to go fast” by focusing on one element at a time. These singular shifts have already brought more joy and connection to our family without compromising on what I’m confident is a solid education. There’s a free companion guide on the website which is also helpful in breaking things down and helping you focus on one change at a time.
It is at times, a bit too child-centered for our family, so we leave those bits and carry the rest with us on this journey. There’s still plenty that aligns with our vision. I’m very grateful to have this come into my life and my children certainly are as well!
Had some great ideas, and some that are pretty well known in the homeschool community. I dropped 2 stars because of one chapter about chores and housework that completely disregards a couple of very important things.
First is how she encourages parents to let the kitchen pile up with dishes, let the floors remain unswept, let food be left everywhere etc. Legally we have to keep our homes in good order because a badly messy home can be considered a sign of neglect - homeschooling families are already under suspicion just because we homeschool, it's actually not a good idea to encourage homeschoolers to let their homes get too messy. It's downright dangerous.
Second is how she talks about letting go of our worry of damage to furniture and home. Okay sure we can learn to let go of concern regarding furniture, get over the fact that all chairs and tables will be painted on and drawn on. But she suggests even walls, carpets, and floors are something we need to let go of. While listening to that I was thinking, "Sure if you own your own home you can just let these things slide and fix it up in years to come, but renters don't have this luxury." And then she adds that she only became worried about house damage after she bought a home - she didn't care about what state she left the houses she rented. She didn't care if the houses she rented ended up with damaged walls and floors and ratty carpet that had to be replaced. I rent, we undergo rental inspections every 6 months, we must keep our houses in good order if we want to have a place to live. And while I don't own a house, I can only feel so much sympathy for home owners when that is the sort of shit they have to deal with. Gross, so gross.
She also at one point states that it's best to ignore a hole in a wall put there in frustration by a child. Yeah, that's nice, let's ignore the signs of future abusiveness. Good job.
So while the book was good over all, I couldn't give it a five stars, because dangerous advice is dangerous.
First is how she encourages parents to let the kitchen pile up with dishes, let the floors remain unswept, let food be left everywhere etc. Legally we have to keep our homes in good order because a badly messy home can be considered a sign of neglect - homeschooling families are already under suspicion just because we homeschool, it's actually not a good idea to encourage homeschoolers to let their homes get too messy. It's downright dangerous.
Second is how she talks about letting go of our worry of damage to furniture and home. Okay sure we can learn to let go of concern regarding furniture, get over the fact that all chairs and tables will be painted on and drawn on. But she suggests even walls, carpets, and floors are something we need to let go of. While listening to that I was thinking, "Sure if you own your own home you can just let these things slide and fix it up in years to come, but renters don't have this luxury." And then she adds that she only became worried about house damage after she bought a home - she didn't care about what state she left the houses she rented. She didn't care if the houses she rented ended up with damaged walls and floors and ratty carpet that had to be replaced. I rent, we undergo rental inspections every 6 months, we must keep our houses in good order if we want to have a place to live. And while I don't own a house, I can only feel so much sympathy for home owners when that is the sort of shit they have to deal with. Gross, so gross.
She also at one point states that it's best to ignore a hole in a wall put there in frustration by a child. Yeah, that's nice, let's ignore the signs of future abusiveness. Good job.
So while the book was good over all, I couldn't give it a five stars, because dangerous advice is dangerous.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Five stars if you're homeschooling your kids (which we're not), and 4 if you're not, and I guess <4 if you aren't interested in teaching kids (why are you reading this review? SHOO!)
So many good ideas, but I was even more impressed by the philosophy behind her approach. A few quotes and ideas that stuck with me enough to write them down (even the quotes may not be verbatim...)
- Assume child is curious until proven otherwise. Before responding to any "negative" behavior, think of how it might be a result of curiosity rather than malevolence.
- "Start with inquisitiveness, not precaution."
- Great wall of questions. Kids stick post-it notes whenever they feel like it. Family discusses all the questions every so often
- Big Juicy conversations: no objective, no parental dictates, children feel safe to risk idease
- Online games can require learning as deep as "approved" activities
- "If you want to have a better experience of your gaming child, ask to watch your child play. Pull up a chair and watch your child for an hour. You may have a change of heart."
- "We are POWERLESS to produce academic results in our kids" <- LOVE this one
- When things aren't going as planned, tell the truth about how it makes you feel and why.
- "The goal can't be to create a perfect homeschool."
- "Paying attention to the ordinary magic in our day-to-day lives can light up learning for everyone - parent and child"
So many good ideas, but I was even more impressed by the philosophy behind her approach. A few quotes and ideas that stuck with me enough to write them down (even the quotes may not be verbatim...)
- Assume child is curious until proven otherwise. Before responding to any "negative" behavior, think of how it might be a result of curiosity rather than malevolence.
- "Start with inquisitiveness, not precaution."
- Great wall of questions. Kids stick post-it notes whenever they feel like it. Family discusses all the questions every so often
- Big Juicy conversations: no objective, no parental dictates, children feel safe to risk idease
- Online games can require learning as deep as "approved" activities
- "If you want to have a better experience of your gaming child, ask to watch your child play. Pull up a chair and watch your child for an hour. You may have a change of heart."
- "We are POWERLESS to produce academic results in our kids" <- LOVE this one
- When things aren't going as planned, tell the truth about how it makes you feel and why.
- "The goal can't be to create a perfect homeschool."
- "Paying attention to the ordinary magic in our day-to-day lives can light up learning for everyone - parent and child"
This is a book I’ve read multiple times and it always, always leaves me inspired, filled with hope and confidence. Cannot recommend this one enough! ❤️