This excellent primer on homeschooling, by journalist and homeschooler Isabel Lyman, presents a history of the movement and an exploration of
the variety of issues confronting parents who may wish to teach their kids themselves.  In the book, which grew out of an essay for the Cato Institute, HOMESCHOOLING : Back to the Future?, she looks at legal issues, the size and shape of the homeschool movement in America, questions about socialization of kids and meeting educational standards, resources that are available for families who choose this option, and even what kind of social acceptance or pressures folks may face.  Ms Lyman also uses copious real-life examples to show how others have met and overcome these challenges, as well as sharing her own experiences.  In all, it's an excellent overview of an emerging phenomena.

My one quibble is actually with the manner in which she tells the true stories.  It may be a function of the book being a couple years old, and that we're more used to the notion of homeschooling now, or of the aftereffects of battles Ms Lyman may have had to wage personally, or maybe I'm just naive, but the tone of some of the book, especially in these vignettes, is more defensive than it needs to be.  There's a quality of here of "look this kid was homeschooled and..ta-da...he turned out fine."  There may well have been a time in this country where homeschooling was so shocking that these
kinds of assurances were necessary, but hopefully we're long past that day.  Ms Lyman and her fellow homeschoolers have exciting stories to tell, stories of which they are, and should be, immensely proud.  They need not justify the choices they've made.  The achievements of their children are ample justification.  If anything it is many of those who run our public schools who need to explain what they've done to education in the last few decades.

Ms Lyman is an effective proselytizer for a movement she obviously cares deeply about. If you are one of those folks who are still dubious
about the efficacy of homeschooling, she'll more than allay your doubts. If you have kids she'll make you think hard about the options available
to you.  If you're thinking about homeschooling she'll more than likely convince you to do so.  But always, as befits someone who is advocating
freedom of choice, she encourages parents to do what they think is right for their own kids.  Perhaps most refreshingly, Ms Lyman writes on behalf of a social/political movement that does not ask for anything from the rest of us--no tax money, no special favors, etc.--except that we accept their decisions to homeschool as a viable alternative for educating American kids.  As she argues convincingly and as test scores and other data demonstrate, homeschooling is not only viable it can be a fabulous choice for families with the determination to succeed.

(Reviewed:10-Aug-02)

Grade: (B+) Orrin C. Judd

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