I’m so sorry — I said that I would have the Teaching Torah through Literature: Guide and Book List ready this week, but I ran into some technical difficulties. G-d willing, it should be up next week. Meanwhile, here’s a sneak peak at the introduction. Have a wonderful Shabbos!
Introduction
“Come! It’s history time!” Brother calls Sister as he speeds through the living room and flops on the couch.
“History! Yay!” Sister joins Brother on the couch, where Mother is sitting with an open book, a content smile on her face.
“Who can remind me where we left off yesterday?” she asks.
“Me!” Brother and Sister reply in unison.
Mother chuckles. “Let’s take turns. Youngest first.”
Brother launches into a detailed narrative of the historical events they had read about the day before. Then sister fills in the gaps.
“Great!” Mother says. “Let’s continue then.”
She begins reading as Brother and Sister listen attentively.
Sounds idyllic? Unrealistic? Welcome to the world of literature-based homeschooling!
As a disclaimer, I should add that homeschooled children throw tantrums, bicker, and annoy their siblings just like school children do. Homeschooling does not guarantee constant bliss. Yet, homeschooled children, on average, tend to enjoy learning more than children who attend school, due in part to closer relationships among the family members and in part to the engaging literature-based curricula on just about any subject available to homeschooling families.