Back to School {For The Mamas}

Ah, September. Month of fresh notebook paper, unsharpened pencils, shiny red apples, and all the rest of back-to-school glory. Call me a nerd, but ever since elementary school I've adored the beginning of fall and the fresh start of another school year.

Sadly, at this stage of my life, school does not pertain to me in any way, shape, or form. I am finished and done (probably forever... unless I go back for a masters in my forties?), and my daughter is still in the phase of board books as chew toys.

What's a school loving mama to do?

Pull out her textbooks and get reading, of course!

I'm starting myself on a stack of "back-to-school" books just to soak up and enjoy this favorite time of year. The list?

The Well-Trained Mind:A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. It's never too early to start thinking about your child's education! Niall and I plan on homeschooling at this point, and are leaning towards a classical model.


This book is excellent- as I'm reading it I'm finding myself getting super excited about the possibilities of home education. I am also excited to get a thorough redo of my own education! Latin, anyone? Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise completely unpack the classical homeschool for parents- what each grade looks like, what texts to use, how much time to spend, etc. Basically they've done all of the leg work for you- if you want to go classical but don't know where to start, I couldn't recommend it highly enough!

Classical education at home minus the intimidation of your own insufficiency. This book proclaims that any dedicated and committed parent can give their child an excellent education at home (with a good deal of time and hard work!). You don't even have to know Latin ;).

An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't by Judy Jones and William Wilson. Speaking of my own educational insufficiency, may I present a remedy? This large volume presents witty and highly informative briefs on every topic from Art History to Political Science to Literature and Economics.


I'm not sure if I'll plunge through and read cover to cover, or if I'll just buff up my understanding as I come across pages that particularly catch my fancy. Whatever method I employ, I am looking forward to filling the wide gaps in my own education.

Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines That Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever by Jay Heinrichs. Super excited about this one! Everyone ought to seek to improve their writing and speaking skills, because everyone is a communicator on some level, whether as a family member and friend, or as a professional.

Sharpening my writing skills is especially of interest to me lately, and Jay Heinrichs book is so far both helpful and seriously entertaining. Looking forward to hopefully learning a lot from him!

How are you celebrating this season of back-to-school?