The Well-Trained Mind Newsletter — Susan Wise Bauer, Editor
The newsletters below are a rich resource for parents educating their children at home. Be aware that some of the resources are dated. We're going through and updating the articles one-by-one (this icon means "updated": ++), but they will eventually be styled for easy printing and legibility.
Want to discuss these articles? Go to our message boards.
Looking for something? Check our Complete Article Index, or browse through our archives:
Issue #15
This issue features another "day in the life" of the Bauer family as we educate at home — with Christoper (now 12), Ben (10), Daniel (7), and Emily (3). We also include a review of online writing service WriteGuide and a number of reading games submitted by a reader.
++A Morning in the Bauer Home School by Susan Wise Bauer
++Reading Games by Sarah Schira
++ Curriculum Review: The WriteGuide, Inc.
Issue #14
We've got tips for homeschooling with four or more, reflections of a homeschool dad, and the long-awaited Parts Three and Four of Susan's "How to Write a Research Paper."
++Tackling the Research Paper, Part III: Proving Your Point by Susan Wise Bauer
++Tackling the Research Paper, Part IV: Matters of Style by Susan Wise Bauer
++Life as a Home School Dad by Valjean Robidoux
Ten Tips for Homeschooling Moms of Four or More by Jill Hardy
Issue #13
In this newsletter, you'll find reviews of Great Science Adventures and Imitations in Writing, and suggestions on running (and growing) a co-op. We are also making available (by popular demand) the first two parts of Susan's four-part series, "How To Write a Research Paper" and a (rare) theological essay. Look out for parts III and IV in the next newsletter!
++Tackling the Research Paper, Part I: Preparation by Susan Wise Bauer
++Tackling the Research Paper, Part II: Choosing the Topic by Susan Wise Bauer
How Does Your Co-op Grow? by Laurel Jew
Susan's Theological Essay: "Neutral Education?"
Curriculum Review: Imitations in Writing by Lene Mahler Jaqua
Curriculum Review: Great Science Adventures
Issue #12
This month, reviews, suggestions on how to read them, more on Charlotte Mason methods and classical education, and a few phonics games to play.
How to Read a Review
Games for Phonics Pathways by Suzanne Lutz
The Classical Side of Charlotte Mason by Karen Glass
Curriculum Review: Singapore Primary Math
Curriculum Review: Latina Christiana,
Curriculum Review: Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia
Issue #11
This month, we offer a lengthy reflection on the difference between Charlotte Mason methods and classical education, along with review of language arts curricula: A Word in Season and Wordsmith. Plus, we've found a new diagramming resource!
++Classical Education and Charlotte Mason: An Introduction by Susan Wise Bauer
++Thoughts on Catherine Levison's Books
++Thoughts on Karen Andreola
Curriculum Review: A Word in Season
Curriculum Review: Wordsmith
Curriculum Review: The First Whole Book of Diagrams
Issue #10
This month, we offer an explanation of the benefits of copying and dictation, along with the transcript of an actual dictation session; Susan offers thoughts on unit studies and reviews a popular unit study program; and we review Rainbow Science.
Thoughts on Unit Study by Susan Wise Bauer
Why Do Dictation and Copywork? by Jessie Wise
Dictation with Ben (An Actual Session)
Curriculum Review: A World of Adventure by Learning Adventures
Curriculum Review: Rainbow Science
Issue #9
This month, we offer a home school mom's reflections on incorporating WTM methods into an already-functioning home school. Jessie and Susan review Spelling Power, Voyages in English, and Shurley Grammar. Plus we offer a few tips on memorization and narration, and invite you to a day at the chaotic-but-classical Bauer home school.
A Home School Mom Talks: Starting WTM Methods
Tips for Memorization and Narration
A Day at Our House (Plus Baby)
Curricula Reviews: Spelling Power, Voyages in English, Shurley Grammar
Issue #8
This month, we reflect on a question we've often been asked: why do models of classical education differ from each other? We also provide some guidance to another frequently asked question: how do we educate ourselves? Susan reviews Spelling Plus, Jessie reviews Reading Reflex, and we suggest a few outlining resources for you to use at home.
Why Our Model of Classical Education May Look Different
Educating Ourselves
New Resources for Outlining
Curricula Reviews: Reading Reflex, Spelling Plus
Issue #7
This month, we answer the question we hear most often: how do I start classical education in the middle? Susan reviews Latin programs, and Apologia Science, and also provides some thoughts on the joy of classical education. And home school mom Danelle German contributes an article on scheduling that we think you'll find very useful.
Starting in the Middle
++The Joy of Classical Education
Using the File-Box System for Organization
Curricula Reviews: Latin, Science
Issue #6
Suffering from January slump? This quarter's issue tackles the practicalities of classical home schooling: scheduling, working with multiple ages, and encouraging kids to work. We've also added a curriculum review, which we hope to make a regular feature (but this month's review is probably the longest you'll ever see!).
Scheduling
Classical Education With Multiple Ages
Encouraging Your Child to Work
Surricula Review: IEW, Writing Strands, Rod & Staff Grammar
Issue #5
Since our book came out in August, we've had hundreds of e-mails asking us for advice about specific areas of the classical curriculum. In this issue, we have tried to answer the most common queries. Our goal is to help you spend more time on teaching your children, and less time sorting through books and programs! So we're providing a number of shorter, informational articles about computer instruction, poetry resources, history texts, reading methods, and more.
Journaling
Poetry Memorization
Reactive vs. Reflective Thinking
Whole Language
High School Overachievers
Issue #4
We talked to hundreds of you at the June HEAV convention in Richmond! Welcome to all our new e-mail subscribers; we're glad to have you with us. This issue attempts to answer some of the most common questions we were asked, introduces some new resources, suggests a method for teaching elementary writing, and more.
Questions Home Schoolers Ask
Elementary Writing
Resources for Teaching Rhetoric
Issue #3
In this issue of the newsletter, we’ve tried to answer some of the questions that have come up repeatedly as we talk to home schoolers about classical education at home. Jessie has provided a few insights on teaching phonics, and a list of phonics resources; we’ve also tried to give some guidance to parents who are homeschooling several children at once, and we’ve provided a new resource for studying the Great Books at home. Let us know your questions and problems, so we can address them in future issues!
Phonics Programs that Work
Following the Classical Pattern With More Than One Child
Help With Great Books at Home
Issue #2
We’ve received so many requests for handouts from our workshops at the 1998 HEAV convention that we decided to put all the handouts in this issue of the newsletter. These are meant to accompany the information we gave in our convention workshops. If you missed one and want to find out what we said, you can order the convention workshop tapes from HEAV. (We don’t make any money from these you’ll be supporting HEAV when you buy.) Jessie Wise gave workshops on Academic Excellence, K-4; Academic Excellence, K-5; and If I Had It To Do Over Again. Susan Wise Bauer gave workshops on Logic for the Intuitive and Tackling the Research Panel, as well as sitting in on the Preparing for College panel discussion. Regular newsletter articles will return in the next issue, October 1998.
Includes 1998 Convention Handouts (Academic Excellence, K-4 and 5-8, Preparing the Research Paper, Logic)
Questions about Sonlight
Issue #1
In this issue, some foundations and primers on writing and history, including philosphies and places to look for materials and resources.
Includes A Classical Approach to History,
Middle-School Writing
History Resources
