The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life

I am an unexpected homeschooler. I attended public school as a kid and mostly loved it -- had some truly amazing teachers. I taught elementary school for 7 years. I pulled my kids out of public school when 9, 7, 5 after struggling with the stay/go dilemma for several years. I still dream of enrolling them in a wonderful school we all love. So I am not married to the idea of homeschooling. I have just finished my first read through of this book. I plan to now go through a second time much slower, taking notes, using the free journaling guide Julie Bogart provides on her website to accompany this book. This book is highly readable but also dense -- it is jam-packed with ideas. The enchanted education methods Julie advocates do not come naturally to me as a homeschool mom (they came more easily to me as a school teacher -- go figure!), but I have enough personal experience teaching and have read enough about mental health, self-motivation, learning and emotion, and educational research to know that Julie's assertions about learning are all well-founded and backed up by the latest research. Alongside her easily understood explanations of how learning works is practical advice -- the book is full of concrete examples and ideas. I also love that she is honest (about her own failures), encouraging, and nonjudgmental. I certainly do not agree with every single thing Julie advocates or suggests. But even when she suggests a certain approach or practice or describes what worked for her family, she often offers several alternatives or differing examples alongside her own experience (example: chores). You feel you are benefiting from her years of coaching and learning from other homeschool families. She encourages you to take what you need and what works for you, and discard the rest. As both a mother and as a homeschool parent, I find the book very encouraging and empowering. This books offers all parents a wonderful perspective on learning and enjoying family life. If and when I ever put my kids back in public school, I will certainly hang on to the mentality of learning and collaborating with my kids all the time as we live our lives. I actually think this book would be especially helpful for parents who are trying to help kids in uninspiring schools hang onto or rekindle their love of learning outside of the institutional setting. A fantastic book for school teachers as well really! If you read this book, I think you will find that what Julie advocates was embodied by your own favorite adults and teachers from your childhood/ college years. The kind of education Julie describes -- it is what I hope for my own children, whether within my own home or inside a school building.

I suspect that everyone I know is tired of hearing the name Julie Bogart, but I can’t stop talking about this fantastic woman and the ways she breathes life into my homeschool and my relationships with my children. This book gathers the wisdom and encouragement shared via Julie’s blog, podcast, and other platforms, and distills it in one place for the first time, along with countless new-to-me nuggets and stories and practical plans. Julie Bogart is a woman who was homeschooling her children back when I myself was being schooled at home. This was back when the idea was new and we had to explain ourselves all the time.... back before the internet and before we knew how many people were with us for the journey. Julie bravely raised her 5 children through this time and has completed her homeschool MOM adventure, but she has not left the game! No, she is now standing in the path and showing the way to those of us coming behind- cheering us on. She is just so darned encouraging to anyone anxiously navigating the waters of philosophies and resources and ideas. The Brave Learner lays out, in ever-practical ways, how to help kids actually learn, and how to see that taking place even outside their workbooks. This book opens my eyes to the “secrets” of the learning process and helps me harness that magic to make education a thing of joy and delight in our home. This book (and all that Julie shares) boldly points us back, always, to what matters most: our relationships with our kids. She shocks a little with her bluntness and honesty (no sugar-coated memories here), makes me laugh and smile (and sometimes cry), and ultimately makes me want to go hug my children and know them better. Isn’t that why I wanted to homeschool in the first place? I also really appreciate Julie’s lack of judgement for anyone utilizing the tool that is public school! She makes it clear in The Brave Learner that every parent can add enchantment to the learning experience, no matter where their children go to school. She gently redefines education and helps clear away so much anxiety surrounding the subject, bringing it back to seeing our children as people and working in ways that value them and all they’re learning at all times. Every parent can benefit greatly from reading this book! I know I’m a better homeschool mom, and that I’m leading a richer life thanks to this woman and this book. The Brave Learner will be in my reading stack for the rest of my homeschool years.... or possibly even longer than that, thanks to the encouragement to pursue an awesome adult life of my own! If I could put a copy into the hands of every parent I know, I would. This book is a treasure, and Julie Bogart has my immense gratitude for so beautifully sharing this hard-won wisdom for generations to come.

I notice that most of the negative reviews of this book point to a lack of Jesus as being cause to reject a lot of the contents. How self-absorbed do you have to be... What illusions of grandeur do you need to uphold - to believe that the only book on home education worth publishing, is one that specifically references your world view and private faith? A majority of homeschooling families in the world (because families do home educate outside of America and this book is on sale elsewhere in the world!) are not Christians. This isn't a book written specifically for the minority of global home educators who happen to believe in a Christian God. This is a book on educating children. It is not a book on raising children within a religious environment (there are other books on that). This is a homeschooling book that could be enjoyed by a Christian family, a Muslim family, a Buddhist family, a Pagan family... As well as a family who have no religious position at all. There is nothing on the cover, in the synopsis, or anywhere in any promotional material, that suggests this book is written for Christians. If you by it, and you're surprised to find that it doesn't mention your particular faith, even though there was nothing to suggest that it would... You need to ask yourself why you expect the world to revolve around you! If you are such an intolerant, self important individual as you don't want to read inclusive books that can be enjoyed by everyone, but only books which pander to your need for validation at the expense of including others - you'll need an alternative book. As a guide to home education, it leans very heavily towards unschooling and autonomous/natural learning methods. If this doesn't sit well with you and you prefer a more structured, school-like approach, I'd avoid this book entirely. We are a semi-structured, secular family in England (which is the case for a majority of UK home educators) and this book has been a great encouragement. I also found that even though its written primarily for a US audience, the fact that it isn't, like most North American books on home education, heavily influenced by Christianity, meant that it was very relevant to British home educators who are likely to be taking a secular approach.

Excellent read!

A great assess to homeschooling. Easy to read, great practical advice

This book for both homeschoolers and traditional schoolers. Shifts our perspective on parenting

I'm reading this book slowly, finding guidance and encouragement on every page. I don't homeschool anymore but the words in this book remind me how to be a better, more understanding parent. Julie Bogart teaches me how to recognize & appreciate what the truly important things are in my children's development and in my relationship to them.