The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life
Parents who are deeply invested in their children's education can be hard on themselves and their kids. When exhausted parents are living the day-to-day grind, it can seem impossible to muster enough energy to make learning fun or interesting. How do parents nurture a love of learning amid childhood chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards?
In this book, Julie Bogart distills decades of experience--homeschooling her five now grown children, developing curricula, and training homeschooling families around the world--to show parents how to make education an exciting, even enchanting, experience for their kids, whether they're in elementary or high school.
Enchantment is about ease, not striving. Bogart shows parents how to make room for surprise, mystery, risk, and adventure in their family's routine, so they can create an environment that naturally moves learning forward. If a child wants to pick up a new hobby or explore a subject area that the parent knows little about, it's easy to simply say "no" to end the discussion and the parental discomfort, while dousing their child's curious spark. Bogart gently invites parents to model brave learning for their kids so they, too, can approach life with curiosity, joy, and the courage to take learning risks.
Reviews (184)
Hmm
so i would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars - I homeschool and I absolutely love books that give practical ideas and that encourage us moms and dads in this challenging but very rewarding endeavor. That being said what really bugged me about the book was the lack of any reference to Jesus or going to Him for help with any of your homeschool issues/needs etc. I must have mistakenly thought the author was Christian but after reading the book I dont think she is. Also the book had ideas like let your child explore cus words and watch horror movies if they want to ... be open to how wonderful online and video games are etc. I am coming from a home where are our oldest has a gaming addiction and i sincerely blame myself for not having discernment about gaming when i was younger. A lot of the advice just did not jive with my belief system and I truly believe that God helps us and guides, equips us to walk this journey out so if we dont go to Him first all the magic in the world is not going to accomplish much eternally speaking. The constant verbiage on enchantments and magical spells in reference to creating a magical homeschool environment also bugged me. Please note that I consider myself a conservative Christian but also a very fun homeschooling mom. We have had sensory bins, hands on science, slime, art supplies and station, paint on walls, etc :) since i can remember so no fuddy duddy here:) Would i recommend this book - maybe to my secular friends that dont mind that kind of thing. I liked her ideas about letting your kids pick what paper to write on etc as some people can really be controlling and miss the whole point of homeschooling. Homeschooling is not recreating school at home. Makes me sad to see that.
Not Just For Homeschoolers
Whether you are a homeschool veteran, just warming up to the idea of homeschooling, or are looking for new ways support your schooled-kids’ spark for learning, this is the book for you. Julie Bogart shares how to create an environment in our homes and our hearts to not only educate our children, but parent them in a way that deepens our family connections and creates passion for learning in our children. This is not a stuffy book about theories; it is practical and inspiring. Julie is honest and frank, drawing from her years of experience homeschooling her own children and coaching many other families along this same journey. In every chapter, Julie provides activities to do in your home, and questions to ask yourself so you can cultivate togetherness in your family and a rich learning environment, whether your kids are homeschooled or not. I knew I had a gem in the first chapter, where Julie shares ideas for creating magic in our homes. She says, “I wanted to create a warm memorable life for my kids and myself, not just an education...Happiness shouldn’t be something to end up with; it ought to be the by-product of a whole-hearted, fully lived life.” This is a parenting book, written through the lens of homeschooling. It is a guide I will refer back to regularly, my tool box for enchanting my children’s education. It’s not just about raising your own brave learners, it’s about becoming one yourself.
Not really my style
I have enjoyed listening to Julia Bogart's youtube/podcast. I have heard so many positive reviews about the Brave Writer curriculum that I have considered using in it (but have not). I knew from listening to her before that she takes a neutral stand in her curriculum on religion/theology. Which I don't have a problem with as it is teaching writing not the Bible. So going into reading this book I knew it would not be from a Christian worldview. I believe she claims to be a Christian. There are some great practical tips in the Brave Learner that any homeschooler could apply if they were looking for more creative ways for learning. I feel like you could find most of these tips in other sources. Julia does present them in a nice way. But... Unless you are a child centered home,child led educator, and follow "gentle" parenting some of this will will not fly for you. Probably better fitted for unschoolers, relaxed or eclectic, and secular homeschoolers. I feel that is book is filled with a lot of propaganda that most homeschoolers try to to avoid (why they don't put their children in public school) especially if you're a Christian. While my child means the world to me we are not a child centered home. Our home is a family home which considers all members not just the children. Where we work on our marriage- which will be longer than the amount of time my children are in my home. (Maybe if Julia and her husband had not just focused on their children they would not be divorced?) And while I do think what whatever philosophy of education you practice their will be times that you do follow your child's lead and learn about what they are interested in. But not to the point that I would just follow that and not complete core subjects or allow my child to decided how much school she feels like doing. As the teacher and parent we are to be leaders and help/guide them in their education and life. There are a few thing that had me shaking my head. Multiple times she degrades rote memorization. And while I know public schools do none of that anymore (or even when I was in school) most homeschoolers do especially classical and CM. Its not that you have them memorize and not understand as she implies. You have them memorize so that down the road they have knowledge to draw upon with understanding. She made the point that we live in a digital age they have calculators and the internet they don't need to have things memorized! They just need skills to analyze the information. Really she is promoting Google IQ. And really this is a problem, public schooled adults even today and the children coming out don't know a whole lot but yeah we have google... This one reason our culture today is falling apart we don't know our history, or grammar, or basic math. She really promotes the home being set up for the kids..you know they didn't get to pick their parents or where they live or the things they have as you did being an adult so forget what you have worked for or what or have it should all be for your children. Don't get the furniture you want or have things look nice. Example she give is if you get a new table you should dent it yourself so you don't get upset when your child does. And get a couch that can take a beating. How about instead we teach our children to treat belongings with care and respect? She say children should just be allowed to be children. I agree they should enjoy childhood but I'm not raising my child to be a child she will be an adult one day and the habits, morals and personality she has now will be who she is as an adult. She promotes children to not be required do chores-as there is enough time as an adult to learn these skills when they need them. If you can afford to she says to pay for cleaning services. If you can't you can do it as a family or just do what you can and leave the rest...until it bothers you. Ask your kids if they want to help but don't demand it. Maybe this is why there are young adults today that need "Adulting" classes, because their parents didn't teach them basic life skills! She also really promotes allow your child to play video games. If your child want to experiment with cuss words allow them to or rock music or whatever they fancy... Just don't be a controlling parent! She promotes "gentle" parenting over "authoritative" parenting. Trying to suggest parenting in a homeschooling book is hard because you parent based on your beliefs- theology will play a big role in your parenting style kinda hard to address from a neutral standing point. The positive take away from this book building a good relationship with your child. Helping them to have creative outlets and encouraging them in learning new things and finding interest/hobbies. Overall I would have rated this book 1.5 stars.
The homeschool mentor you've always wanted
If you are a homeschooler, Julie Bogart is a woman you need in your life...even if it's virtually. (And if you are not a homeschooler she can still do your family a whole world of good!) True to what we all expected, this book is packed with so much wisdom that was earned through experience. It is deeply encouraging and thought-provoking. It is inspiring and motivating yet not just rainbows and idealistic pretty-talk. She gives you actual, practical ideas to put action behind that inspiration! There are personal examples as well as lists of how to implement and things to try. The Brave Learner will challenge you to do better yet Julie's voice is, as always, gentle and gracious - understanding and leaving room for our mistakes and imperfections. She's real. I have so much highlighted I thought, "How am I ever going to be able to reference all of this good stuff later?? There's so much here!" Alas, I happened to flip to the back page to find a comprehensive index of topics, words and page numbers...that is going to save my bacon later when I want to find particular parts! Buy this book. Read it immediately. I cannot imagine anyone regretting it!
The best tool for our homeschool!
This book offers so many ideas for how to make our life and the lives of our children into one filled with joy and learning where we work together and teach one another. Julie Bogart gives us skills to allow our children to learn rather than to push them to do so.
Witty and authentic wisdom from the BEST education coach out there!
Whenever I worry or wonder whether we're doing enough in our homeschool, I turn to Julie Bogart for a reality check and pep talk. The Brave Learner provides both and much more! She not only addresses issues faced daily by home educators, but also family dynamics navigated every day by every parent. With wit and authenticity, Julie shows us how to see, value, and engage with our children and with learning in new ways. This book is filled with practical ideas that I'm excited to implement now, as well as big, juicy ideas that I will enjoy pondering for a long time to come. I love the visual elements included in the book, including lists, charts, and graphic organizers. Plus, she's included so many interesting and inspiring quotes at the beginning of each chapter. If you want to bring more joy and confidence to your homeschool or family relationships, this book will help you do it.
IF YOU ONLY READ ONE HOMESCHOOL BOOK....READ THIS ONE!
First of all, I have been following Julie since I stumbled upon her writing program years ago. Listening to her podcasts, watching her YouTube videos, reading A Gracious Space EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY and reading/re-reading The Writers Jungle for ideas and inspiration. When things in my homeschool start to feel stale and hard, I turn to Julie. She never lets me down. She breathes life into my homeschool. My husband calls her my therapist...I think of her as my homeschool mentor. Her heart comes through in this book like I never could have imagined. Wisdom for parenting and creating the home you dream of ooze from every page. Julie seems to take you aside like a close friend whisper the secret to a happy homeschool...and it's a paradigm shift. Please buy this book! Buy the Audible book and listen in the morning before you start the school day! Get the companion guide to help implement the many ideas! And then please share it with all your friends whether they homeschool or send their kids to school or teach in the school system. Everyone can benefit from reading it! One more side note: Even if you have followed Julie the way I have for years, heard all her podcasts, read her materials and don't think you need this book because you think you have heard all she has to say....I promise you....you still need to buy this book. There is so much more she has to say! I honestly think she is going to help change education and people will one day be calling her the "Charlotte Mason" of our day.
A breath of fresh air from an experienced home educator
I love everything from Julie Bogart and this book is no exception. Julie has a way of speaking directly to the heart of being a home educator. When I need a pick me up in the middle of a rough day with my kids, I'll turn to this book or perhaps one of her Gracious Space books. While much of the content of this book can be found in her podcast and youtube videos, it's nice to have it in one printed place and there are a few new gems as well. Great job Julie! I'm so glad to have you along as an ally in our great homeschooling and life adventure. In response to the comment that this book isn’t from a Christian view... that’s true, this is an inclusive book. It’s a book that’s meant for everyone who wants to have a hand in educating their children, even those who are not homeschoolers at all! I am sure that parents of all kinds will find many gems of wisdom in this book. Julie supports all kinds of homeschooling, including religious homeschooling. Unschoolers, classical homeschoolers, eclectic, Montessori, Waldorf... no matter how you support learning at home you will benefit from this book.
Needs a home on every homeschooler's bookshelf (Even if you're not a Brave Writer family!)
I've listened to Julie Bogart's podcasts for years and I've always loved her perspective, wisdom, and practical ideas for helping kids learn. And, while we don't use any of her curriculum line*, I know without a doubt that this is a book I'll turn to time and time again in the coming years. I've already got pages of notes and know I'll need to read again to process them all. I'm finding The Brave Learner to be a wonderful resource for taking all of that Brave Writer magic and sprinkling it into ANY homeschool. It's full of inspiration, practical ideas for partnering with your kids, and encouragement to see learning for what it really is: a big, bold adventure. It takes all of those wonderful, but abstract ideas about education and turns them into tangible experiences and applications. Whether you're teaching your littles, teens, or in between kids, I absolutely recommend having this one to reference as needed! *I've got nothing but love for Brave Writer; we're just happy with the resources we use and have never needed to venture away from them!
"The Well Trained Mind for the rest of us"
Want to keep the home in homeschool? Want to focus on connection before learning or character correction? Want to be reminded that you can do this and that it ABSOLUTELY does not need to look like public school? This book is for you. I am an avid consumer of Julie's podcasts and YouTube vidoes. I love her frankness, whit, and honesty. She helps me make space for my own learning adventure and notice all the natural learning around us. As I re-up for the high-school years this book is reminding me why my family started homeschooling and reinvigorating me for the future. Wherever you are in your journey this book is for you.
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