And the Skylark Sings with Me: Adventures in Homeschooling and Community-Based Education

I bought this book after hearing the author give a talk to a homeschooling group. His talk was one of the most inspiring I have ever heard in my years of homeschooling, and I've heard many!But I've often been disappointed by books of authors I've heard speak. Not this time! The voice of this book -- friendly, insightful, occasionally self-deprecating, commonsensical, thoughtful, and downright helpful -- is the same voice I heard at the talk. I couldn't put it down, and read it in one sitting. I own many homeschooling books. Usually, I read them once and then they sit on my shelf. Not this one though. I'll go back to this one for ideas and inspiration, though if I start loaning it to friends, I might never get it back.David also has a wonderful column in Home Education Magazine. If your group is planning a gathering any time soon, invite him as a speaker. You will come away changed, and your family (and homeschooling group) will come away with new ideas and new perspectives that will re-energize you and re-ignite your passion in the homeschooling adventure.

As a home-schooling parent myself I can affirm that this book and its empowering story is 'right-on'... We all have much to learn from the experiences of parents like David and Ellen. This is a liberating experience of the highest order... one that shows that anything is possible if we have faith, love and energy for our children and focus on these as the touch-stones of our children's (and our own) education and lives... BUY THIS BOOK! AND GIVE IT TO YOUR FRIENDS!

This is one of the best homeschooling books I've seen. The author focuses on the many ways a homeschooling family can utilize the resources within their own family and the wider community by paying close attention to their children's expressed needs and interests. And the Skylark Sings with Me is an engaging and inspiring story. It would make a wonderful gift for any homeschooling family.

I highly recommend reading "And the skylark sings with me" to learn how children can be prepared by their parents to be successful participants in the rapidly developing Information Society.Every thinking person's greatest joys are learning something new and having an interesting conversation with someone you just met. Readers will enjoy learning with David's family as they expand their capabilities in a self-chosen community of knowledgeable skillful adults. The book clearly shows parents how to provide rich learning environments for their self-directed unschooled children.

I LOVE this book. It is a terrific story, and filled with so many ideas that I can use with my children that I hardly know where to start. And yet it almost reads like a novel, with humor, insight, and wonderful characters. This book will also be useful for parents whose children attend school, though the author's critique of public education will cause them to think hard about what they are doing. The resource lists are great, too. No listings of curricula, just ways to help parents and children engage the world with a new sense of discovery. Joseph Chilton Pearce calls this the best book on homeschooling, and I think he is right. I'm going to get a bunch to give as Christmas gifts.