Strong in history and language, but weak in mathematics and science

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	• The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, Revised and Updated Edition Susan Wise Bauer, Jessie Wise W. W. Norton & Company, 2004 - 800 pages average customer review:based on 213 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A great resource to anyone's library!

A little pricey which is why I'm only giving it 4 stars. I had the first copy but it ended up losing its binding so i had to buy a new copy. It's still worth it.

Substance, Not Superficiality, in Science Education

There is a great deal of food for thought in this book and its support for classical education. For instance, the authors are of the opinion (p. 169) that most science textbooks are rather incoherent, that they hit many topics superficially, and don't really give time for children to develop an interest in the topic before moving on to something else. As an experienced science teacher, I agree 100%. But the required state science objectives get in the way.

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Strong in history and language, but weak in mathematics and science

The authors clearly feel more comfortable with teaching language and history than they do with teaching mathematics and science. This significant imbalance is reflected both in the relative number of pages devoted to each of these subjects, and especially in the quality and quantity/depth of the suggested resources.

While the book remains a valuable resource, a follow-up edition would benefit greatly from a thorough revision and expansion of the sections covering mathematics and the pure sciences (the coverage of physics is particularly weak, while the coverage of computer science/programming is absolutely abysmal). I feel that such a revision is quite necessary for the book to achieve its full potential, even if this requires the services of an additional co-author with a much stronger scientific background.

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Great Place to Start!

I wish I had this book when my oldest was beginning to home school. It is nice to have curriculum recommended that has been reviewed and passed certain criteria.

I will definitely be following Jessie Wise's and Susan Bauer's educational plan. For those who are just beginning to home school and have no idea where to start...this is the book you want!

Our Classical Education and Homeschool Spine!

This one book had everything I needed for confidence, knowledge and resources to homeschool my child. I've read numerous books and essays on classical education and homeschooling but this one stays number 1 on my list.

The authors provide everything you need plus more to homeschool or after-school your children comprehensively. The trivium suggested, based on Dorothy Sayer's essay, The Lost Tools of Learning, fits perfectly into a child's developmental stages.

As to the lack of strength in the mathematics and science arena, the authors provided their suggestions for these subjects. My opinion is that mathematics and science are usually something to be tailored to the student's skills and interests as well as the parents' religious views. (Creationist or Evolutionist)

I appreciated the fact that there was no particular religion pushed in this practical classical education expository. As a pastor's wife, I feel it best to leave any decisions regarding religious studies to parental discretion. This fact also helped in the discourse of the book, I was able to read about classical education and the author's proposed application of it without having to sort through logical arguments of the Christian faith.

The final reason I enjoyed this book was the fact the authors have creditials. Not only did Jessie Wise homeschool Susan W. Bauer and her siblings, Susan (from her biography) entered college at seventeen as a Presidential Scholar and National Merit finalist. Finished her B.A. in five semesters with a major in English, a minor in Greek and a summer spent studying twentieth century theology as a Visiting Student at Oxford. She went on to earn a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where she added Hebrew and Aramaic to her languages. In 1994, she also completed the M.A. in English language and literature at the College of William and Mary in Virginia; her concentrations were in translation theory, seventeenth-century devotional poetry, and Psalm paraphrase in the Tudor period. Since 1994, Susan has taught writing and American literature at William & Mary, where she has also done doctoral work in American Studies, with concentrations in the history of American evangelicalism and the American novel.

Susan herself is a pastor's wife and is also a contributing editor to Books & Culture and a frequent contributor to Christianity Today.

This book is perfect for secular and christian homeschooling. I recommend it highly to everyone.

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reviews: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, page 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

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