The Homeschool Classroom ~ The Teacher's Heart

One of the things I've learned over the years is that the attitudes of my heart have just as much to do with the success of my school as the hearts of my children.  When mom is burned out, tired, apathetic, and uncaring, positive learning will be limited at best, AND more importantly, negative pattern can be established which are difficult to reverse.

I was privileged to hear two book reviews at our November homeschool meeting, and I want to recommend them, even though I haven't gotten to read them as of yet.

The first is called Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families, by Ann Kroeker.  The educator who reviewed this book is a single mom, and was very open about some of the struggles of homeschooling three children without her late husband's assistance.  What struck me about the review was the frequency with which the author turned to Scripture to set the standard for how our time should be spent.  Here's a clip from Amazon:

Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families explores the jarring effects of our high-speed, high-pressured, highly-scheduled lives and offers refreshing alternatives. Author Ann Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace has resulted in a richer, fuller, and more meaningful life.



Practical ideas and insight will spark creativity and personal reflection. Plus, ponder real-life stories from parents who put the brakes on the high-speed lifestyle and reaped the rewards of richer relationships. Not So Fast offers hope that families struggling with hurried hearts and frantic souls can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life.

Sounds great, doesn't it??  I can't wait to read it.  It's available on Amazon for around $10.

The other book reviewed that night that stood out to me was Personality Plus for Parents: Understanding What Makes Your Child Tick, by Florence Littauer.  Also available for around $10, this book explains the four major personality types, and helps parents discern which basic traits are their own, and where their children might land in the personality profile. 

Understanding personality strengths and weaknesses assists parents in negotiating the difficult task of disciplining and motivating children in a loving way that is the most effective for their learning styles.  The book even has a section with suggestions for parenting the different styles, which I though was particularly interesting.

I'm looking forward to both these great reads!