Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary pdf of both volumes of Big Book of Homeschool Ideas in exchange for my time and honest opinions. I have not been compensated for a positive review, and all opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.
There are a lot of homeschooling resources out there. It’s overwhelming. But if you want a single homeschooling guide to address just about every question you could possibly ask about homeschooling, that would be the Big Book of Homeschool Ideas, volume 2, from iHomeschoolNetwork.com.
The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas (v.2) is written by 38 different homeschooling moms from all over the globe, and covers 58 different topics. The printed version is 484 pages! That’s a lot of homeschool info! But with a clear table of contents, I found it very easy to navigate. As a homeschooling guide, you don’t necessarily have to read through it in one sitting (though you will want to). Think of it like a reference manual. If you have a question on how to handle transcripts, socialization, homeschool doubters, or learning styles? Pull that bad boy out and flip right to the answer.
Homeschooling Guide to middle school and beyond
The Big Book starts with topics related to homeschooling middle school through high school. (If your kids are younger, hang on! There’s something for you, too.) I loved this section because its exactly where I’m headed. Sixth grade is looming ahead of me next year, and all the questions about electives vs. extra-curricular, transcripts, dual credit, etc. are all becoming more relevant. I also appreciated the in-depth article about independence and what it looks like. As homeschoolers, the end goal is always to teach our kids to be independent self-learners, but I didn’t realize how abstract that could be until I read Heather Woodie’s article “Teaching Your Teens to be Independent Learners.” She breaks it down into small steps that helped me to evaluate exactly where we are at and what we need to work on: self-starting, identifying and solving problems, coping, and more. Other articles in this section covered topics about the changing socialization needs of our older kids and how to help your child explore career options in fun, creative ways.
Homeschooling Guide to learning styles, methods, and resources
The second section of the book covers general homeschool topics, everything from learning styles and education methods, curriculum recommendations, fun learning ideas (including learning with board games), to “how to stay the course when the school bus looks tempting.” Then, five more sections provide learning resources for different subject areas, special needs, and unique homeschool situations. The authors even covered the hot topics of socialization and how to deal with anti-homeschooling family and friends.
While the Big Book is thorough, it is not overwhelming. The short articles allow you to easily find what you are looking for, read for 5 minutes, and come back again for more later on. The unique situations and perspectives of so many homeschooling moms also makes this a really terrific resource, collective wisdom from collective experience. Rather than a dry, reference manual of facts and lists, reading this book feels like you are sitting down with your homeschool mom buddies over coffee, discussing how to teach subjects from living books or how to do nature study in the city.
For the handful of questions that might not be in volume 2, there is also Big Book of Homeschooling Ideas, volume 1 (55 moms on 103 topics). This volume is your homeschool resource guide for homeschooling preschoolers, homeschooling with babies and toddlers, elementary specific topics, home management, and tons more.
I can’t recommend these books enough. Nothing I’ve picked up has covered the ins-and-outs of homeschooling as thoroughly as the Big Books. You can pick up a copy of your Big Book of Homeschool Ideas (volume 2) on Amazon:
Big Book of Homeschool Ideas, vol. 2—Kindle
Big Book of Homeschool Ideas, vol 2—print copy
Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary pdf of both volumes of Big Book of Homeschool Ideas in exchange for my time and honest opinions. I have not been compensated for a positive review, and all opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.
