Texts.  TWTM tells the parents which books to use and where they can be obtained--curriculum suppliers, bookstores, and the library.  The texts recommended are frequently not true textbooks.  Math, grammar, writing, logic, and Latin all use traditional texts.  However, resources for science, art, and history are more along the lines of what you might find at your library or favorite bookstore.  For some this may seem a little unorthodox, but others may see some of the advantages to this system.

Latin. The Well-Trained Mind advocates that the student begin learning the Latin language in third grade.  Why Latin?  Yes, I've read all the arguments and still can't justify (for us) learning the language.  Learning the roots (word parts) of both Latin and Greek makes sense to me, but I can't see learning the whole language.  Here's a link to an essay that I wrote on that subject.  But don't let me deter you if you want your students to learn Latin.  Just make sure they're learning it for substantial reasons. 

Terminology.  Is this classical education or is this Sayers' version of classical education?  I think it's the latter.  You may read my little ditty if you care to here.  It probably doesn't matter one way or the other; that's why it's got its own little page away from the review of The Well-Trained Mind.

Too Prescriptive.  TWTM has caused a little controversy because some homeschooling folks can't believe they had the audacity to write it--mainly because they think that it's too prescriptive.  Some have inferred that TWTM is too rigid in its methods--too many workbooks, sentence diagramming, memorizing arithmetic tables and other lists.  Others have indicated that this method is too rigid and that parents will feel that it is necessary to do things exactly the way the book says and stick to the schedule in the book.  This is a valid concern.  Parents that feel compelled to follow a curriculum exactly to a "T" may find themselves or their children burned out.  Another result might be a child that hates or dreads school.  However, I think that most parents are wise enough to realize that no one program fits every child or family and that all programs need adjusting to fit individual families and situations.  Parents can (and should) investigate other methods before settling on one.  But parents that still aren't sure what would be good for their family can easily try this Sayers' method to a classical education for a year and then make adjustments once they have a little experience under their belt.

So, is TWTM too rigid?  Sometimes yes, sometimes no.  There are a number of places in the book where the authors encourage students to follow their interests.  Yet there are other places where the book will say things like, "... you need to have your child tested every year"¹ and "... three days per week is an absolute minimum [for Latin]...."²  I do believe that the book itself comes off as being a little more prescriptive or rigid in tone than the website does.  I think this may have been because the publishers/editors had their hand in the book, while Susan Wise Bauer herself realizes that homeschooling is an individual thing.  Check the website out; the link is in the sidebar.

Not Static.  For a couple of reasons, this method cannot be considered static.  When this book was published, there were certain books available that were the recommended texts for certain subjects at certain levels.  As time has gone by, certain of these books have gone out of print.  Some users have been dismayed and have spent $100 on a $35 book just to make sure they can follow the curriculum exactly.  I can understand the desire to use the exact books recommended in TWTM, but in reality, you can substitute similar books for those that go out of print.  If you need help in deciding a good substitute, just visit the website and visit the bulletin boards.

Another reason why this method can't be considered static is that Bauer herself has changed her mind on what items might better fill certain curricular needs.  For instance, she's mentioned at her website that she feels that Voyages in English would probably be a better secular choice for grammar than the one recommended in The Well-Trained Mind.

I can see this as being beneficial for those who want to substitute different texts for the ones recommended in TWTM.  If Susan Wise Bauer realizes that there may be better texts available, then that will help some users to feel confident enough to step out of the box when they find a text that they love and want to incorporate into their homeschool.  It must be noted, though, the fact that a few of the recommended books in TWTM are not available will be very frustrating for some users.

Reading. TWTM states that a parent's #1 goal is to have the student reading fluently prior to entering grade 1.  The author spends six pages telling the reader, "Reading is easy."   I see this as problematic because I had a student that didn't read before grade 1.  This was not for lack of instruction either.  Nor was it a lack of interest or lack of books or lack of being read to.  TWTM states over and over again that it's easy to teach a child of 4 or 5 to read.  But some children are just not ready, for what ever reason, to read at age 5.  I appreciate that some parents need to be encouraged to realize that teaching their children to read is totally doable; parents do need to feel confident in their ability to teach their children to read.  But on the other hand, one little paragraph at the end of the preschool reading section telling parents to use common sense and wait a month or two if the child is demonstrating no comprehension--well, it's too little, too late.  This last paragraph mentioning common sense needs to be stated at the beginning of the reading section, and it would be helpful to have a few guidelines on how to teach a later-than-average reader, too.

Religious or secular?  Quite secular.  However, the author has stated that she is a Protestant Christian.  Religion is mentioned in the book.  There are three short chapters dealing with religion.  There is very little information at all in these chapters beyond comments like, You should have some sort of moral/ethical foundation to education in your homeschool.  In the Rhetoric section (grades 8-12) it's mentioned, "... evaluating the ideas and philosophies of the great books, writing about the moral and ethical implications of technology--have to be done in the context of faith."³  While the authors offer Christian and Jewish options in the three short religion chapters, they haven't listed any others.  It will have to be up to the individual homeschoolers to figure out which ethical texts they will need to use define their context of faith.  A few of the curriculum items are Christian based, but in most cases, the recommendations are non-religious. In the case of formal logic, though, both of the recommended texts are Christian.

Perspective.  The tone of the book is often supportive and calming, yet this book puts forth a very intensive curriculum.  It is strenuous and requires a lot of self discipline.  For some, it could lead to unnecesssary stress or feelings of inadequacy.  I know, speaking as a homeschooling mom, that I get a little frazzled at times with all the work and organizing required (even though we don't follow TWTM very closely).  Page 55 of TWTM is something that should be read and reread, imo.  It gives all this work some perspective on days when nothing goes right.  :-)  Some flexibility is needed when homeschooling.  The author does say to make up your own schedule, but it would be good to see some other scheduling choices so that newer homeschoolers won't think they're doing it wrong when things don't go *by the book.*

Starting in the middle.  This is an easy program to implement if you're starting with a 4 or 5 year old.  But it's going to require a whole lot of work to start a 13 year old in the program unless your student has already done a lot of writing and has read an incredible amount.  Starting a 5th grader won't be so difficult, but there will still be a bit of catching up to do.  Obviously, a program that starts a child in Latin at 3rd grade won't be easy to work into, but it can be done.  I personally see nothing wrong with starting a 5th grader in Latin.  Those 2 years are far from an insurmountable problem.  One thing, that shouldn't be forgotten, though, is that, even at 13, starting a student in mid-Logic will still greatly challenge your student.  It's really not too late.  True, a 13 year old will have a difficult time if you try to put him/her into the rhetoric section, but TWTM is an accelerated course in some respects.  That needs to be taken into consideration when it comes time for placement.

Physical Education.  TWTM doesn't really have a lot to say about physical education (PE), so you'll have to come up with another resource for PE.

College Preparation and Admissions.  Please check out Cafi Cohen's books (listed below).  TWTM has some good information, but you'll need more if your student plans on attending college.

• And What About College?: How Homeschooling Can Lead to Admissions to the Best Colleges & Universities
• Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook: Preparing Your 12- to 18-Year-Old for a Smooth Transition
• Homeschooling the Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- To 18-Year Old

So, to wrap this all up, I think that The Well-Trained Mind worth reading by most homeschoolers.  Most dyed-in-the-wool unschoolers will probably want to skip it, but most others will find valuable information and ideas in the pages of TWTM.  If you're a new homeschooler, you'll be provided with a framework in which to get your homeschool off the ground.  If you're a veteran homeschooler, you'll be refreshed by some of the unique ideas included--maybe you'll get your second wind.  Just the fact that the authors are a homeschooling mother-daughter team makes this book well worth the time necessary to read it.  So head off to your library and pick up this book!  If they don't own it yet, ask them to buy it so that you can check it out!  If, however, you can already tell that you're going to like it, buy it now.  You will want your own copy because you will undoubtedly refer to it over and over again.
 

Please visit Amazon.com to read lots more reviews of TWTM!  Plus you'll be able to read 55 pages, including the full index.

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Classical Education seems to have become a Christian homeschooling phenomenon.  For that reason many of the classical books on the topic of classical education seem to be Christian in flavor.  Other books that might provide help or support if you're looking into classical education:

• Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning   (Sayers' essay)
• Classical Education & the Home School
• Norms and Nobility    (review)

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Recommended books for brand new homeschoolers:
(please consider checking with your library before buying)

General	Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense Homeschooling: Take a Deep Breath, You Can Do This! (practical advice) Home Schooling Book of Answers (unschooling) First Year of Homeschooling Your Child
Primary Grades	Three R's  (review) Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual Successful Homeschool Family Handbook  (review) The Early Years: Your Complete Guide
Middle Grades	You Can Teach Your Child Successfully  (review) Successful Homeschool Family Handbook  (review)
High School	Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual Teenage Liberation Handbook And What About College?  (review of 1st ed.) Homeschooling the Teen Years: Your Complete Guide

Why do I recommend books with such divergent opinions when it comes to homeschooling methods?  The reason is that many folks have good ideas.  Reading varied points of view often challenges us to refine our own opinions and helps us to not jump at the first idea to which we are introduced.