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When you make the decision to home educate your child you will need to first research. Not just researching how to remove them from school or what home education groups are in your area. But also research the different ways to home educate. In the UK you don’t need to do ‘school at home’ or follow a homeschool curriculum. You may even find it detrimental for your child to go straight from school to school at home. So I highly recommend you read some of these fantastic books to get you out of the school mindset and consider the bigger picture of your child’s education and how they learn.
Don’t forget to check in your local library for some of these books, it’s an excellent resource to find books on your book list.
Table of Contents
Best Books For Homeschool Parents
There are so many great books to learn how to home educate your kids effectively. There’s a good chance you aren’t going to want to buy or borrow everything on this list straight away. However, I would definitely recommend you first read at least one of John Holt books and then scroll through the list reading the blurbs to find a couple of others that sound interesting. Even if you don’t intend to unschool it’s still useful to read some of the good books about learning through play and unschooling. It may help open your mind up to other ways your child may enjoy learning.
John Holt – Books For Homeschool
Yes, John Holt gets a whole heading to himself! Originally an American teacher and later a homeschool advocate. He’s a classic for homeschool families to read and learn more about how children actually learn. He’s definitely in our top picks section and although I don’t recommend buying ALL of his books. Definitely choose one from this list below. Please note that these are not all of John Holt’s books, he’s written more too!
John Holt – How Children Learn
The title basically explains it all! Holt discusses how children learn from both his observations and also from questioning assumptions about how children should learn and acquire knowledge.
This is a book suited to those who have children in school or recently removed them from school. In short it discusses the issues of school vs the way children investigate the world. Covering topics such as classroom learning, grading, testing and the role of trust and authority.
John Holt – Learning All The Time
This book describes how humans learn all the time, learning is as instinctive as breathing. There are ideas for adults to be respective and encourage the process of learning, whilst knowing that children are constantly learning.
John Holt – Instead of Education
The book ‘Instead of Education’ details how children learn through ‘doing’ and not education. With plenty of ideas of how to create learning opportunities outside of schools and lots of anecdotal stories of those who make it work.
John Holt – Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Home Schooling
This book was one of the first I bought when I started thinking about home education. It’s a comprehensive guide to teaching children at home without turning your home into a miniature school. There are plenty of practical ideas to help parents encourage the children in their learning without forcing it.
Unschooling – Books For Homeschool
A lot of people seem to consider unschooling a new trend. When actually it was the original way of learning before mass teaching was created in the form of schools. A basic description of unschooling is an informal approach that follows child-led learning. This can include formal activities if that is what the learner chooses, or it can be completely play based if that is what the child chooses too.
This is the perfect book for those considering unschooling or wanting to learn more about what unschooling is. Using evidence from anthropology, history and psychology he demonstrates that free play is a primary way for children to learn how to control their lives, become emotionally resilient and get along with peers.
Sandra Dodds Big Book of Unschooling
This is a book dedicated to unschooling, although please note that it is very informal in style. This is because it’s information taken from Sandra’s blog and made into a book. However, you will find a wealth of information and knowledge of unschooling in this book.
Naomi Fisher – Changing Our Minds: How Children Can Take Control of Their Own Learning
Naomi explains in her book that it is important that children take control of their own learning. Education is not synonymous with schools, self directed learning can bring motivation and purpose back to children’s lives.
Julie Webb – Those Unschooled Minds: Home Educated Children Grow Up
If you are wondering where your children may end up after a life of unschooling, this is the book for you. In the early years it’s hard to envision what your children will be doing as an adult after being home educated all their lives. This book gives you some insight into this, through interviews with 20 different home educated people who have now reached adulthood.
Alternative Learning Ideas
This book list covers combined decades of experience in home education from a range of authors. Learning at home can be an excellent education and your teaching style may vary over the years, whether it’s unschooling or school at home. These books for homeschool cover a range of ideas to help with your child’s education.
Julie Bogart – The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic In Homeschool, Learning, and Life
Julie is a veteran homeschooler, with her 5 children now grown adults. This book explains how to capture the magic, making room for surprise, mystery and adventure in their homeschooling lives.
Gatto was a school teacher in the USA for 30 years until he realised that school isn’t the answer. In his opinion children should have more choices in their education. This a great book to open the eyes of those parents who have had children in school and confirm your reasons for home educating.
The Call of the Wild is an easy read for those beginning their homeschooling journey. With practical tips and inspiration on making small changes to enjoy the wonder of your children’s education and inspire new homeschool adventures. A rather inspirational book for relaxed homeschooling.
Ross Mountney – Learning Without School
This book describes the basics of what home education is, the advantages and disadvantages of choosing this lifestyle and also the technical aspects of curriculum etc. If you are looking for a practical guide with tips and advice then this is a good choice.
Jan Fortune-Wood – Doing It Their Way: Home-Based Education and Autonomous Learning
This book discusses 3 popular learning strategies and how they affect a child’s learning experience both in school and as an autonomous learner. The book then delves deeper into autonomous learning and home-based education.
Sue Fairhead – Home Education. What? Why? How?
This is a guide for beginners in the home education world. Filled with practical tips on how ordinary parents can help encourage children through their home education journey. There are also practical suggestions on topics such as socialisation for home educators.
Gareth Lewis – One-to-One: A practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 0-11
This is a comprehensive guide to learning at home with young children . An excellent book with sections on academic topics such as English and Maths, as well as practical subjects such as art and gardening.
Lori Pickert – Project-Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners
Project based homeschooling combines children’s interests with long-term deep learning. This book is a guide to creating circumstances in which kids can teach themselves and tips for parents to help children do meaningful work.
Educating Teenagers – Books for Homeschool
This age group of teenagers (and tweens) can seem difficult, they are high schoolers without the school and it can be a bit scarier than primary aged kids. They are learning things that even us adults may not know!
Gareth Lewis – Unqualified Education: A Practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 11-18
This is a complete guide to home education of the UK high school years. Offering practical advice on how to help teenagers through the difficulties of this period of life and make education rewarding and self-fulfilling. It also includes alternatives to an education based on exams and qualifications.
Grace Llewelyn – The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How To Quit School and Get a Real Life Education
This is the only book on my list that is actually written for the youth, rather than parent! This is perfect for those children who are reaching the teen years and need a little more confidence over home educating during the teenage years. It’s the ultimate guide for any teenager who is home educated or considering it.
Podcasts For Home Educators
If you’re not into reading books, or just don’t have the time these podcasts may be useful to you. You can listen to them wherever you are and hopefully they help you with your home ed mindset.
Stark Raving Dad – Life Without School
An excellent UK home education podcast covering different topics about Life Without School.
Covering topics such as learning with ADHD and gifted learners, along with other topics such as organisation.
Home Ed Voices Podcast
With 3 seasons of podcasts with information from other home educators as well as covering topics such as ‘are you smart enough to home educate’.
Honey! I’m Homeschooling The Kids!
Episodes range from interviews with authors such as Julie Bogart to how to support passions and unschool or beginning homeschooling.
Blogs For Home Educating Parents
There are lots of blogs around that are written by home educators like me! You can find more of my home education philosophy posts here, or home education activity ideas here. I also write a monthly diary of what home education looks like for us.
Here are two of my favourite home education blogs!
This is a blog that I also follow on Facebook and it really does give lots of practical advice on making learning fun. It’s an Australian homeschooling family who unschool their kids. They like to share their wisdom on learning through everyday life and children own interests.
This is great for whenever you’re doubting yourself and need a little pick me up so you know you’re doing the right thing!
This is a great place to find out more about home education from a dad’s perspective. The blog itself isn’t extensive, however it does direct you to his social media pages which have lots of information updated frequently. Also, don’t miss his podcast!
Other Great Home Education Posts
Pin Best Books For Homeschool and Home Education
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