The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home

A very well-organized, easy-to-follow guide explaining the three student stages and how to approach each with around 15+ vetted and reviewed curricula suggestions for every subject. In a world brimming with suggestions, this book is an excellent help in determining what will work for YOUR family's needs! Love it.

Informative

Susan’s Wise-Bauer gives detailed instructions for how to educate your child using the Classical method. Take notes and watch as this book implants itself into your psyche so that Classical Education-Know-How becomes second nature.

To be honest I came across this book by total curiosity. I saw our pastor's wife carrying it with her to and from church so I asked her what it was. After she showed it to me I decided to check out the library copy to read for myself. Since I had attended an "accelerated" public school which taught classical education I was curious as to what it would look like in the home setting. "The Well Trained Mind" is authored by former public school teacher and homeschooling mother Jessie Wise, with additional commentary from daughter Susan Wise Bauer. The book begins with Jessie telling her own story of how she home educated her three children in the early 1970's when homeschooling was virtually unheard of. Susan adds her own commentary by giving the reader a personal look at classical education. From there the book is divided into the three components of classical education: Grammar Stage: Kindergarten-Grade 4, Logic Stage: Grades 5-8, and Rhetoric Stage: Grades 9-12. The book ends with the chapter on "How to Home Educate Your Child" and appendices. The Well Trained Mind is an excellant, non sectarian resource for those who would like to learn more about home education with a classical emphasis.

This book changed me from very against Homeschooling, to being a Homeschooler. Do not be put off by the thickness of this book. It is divided by age group, so parts may not pertain to you yet. A reader has the chance to glean from the experience and wisdom of the author, and her adaptive approach to the Trivium Method of homeschooling. After much research we are using this book as our manual to closely follow the Trivium, and looking into the many suggestions for curriculum that supports the Trivium Method.