Countdown to Consistency: A Workbook for Home Educators

by Mary Hood, Ph.D

Ambleside/The Relaxed Homeschooler

The sub-subtitle of this book is “Understanding and Clarifying Your Educational Philosophy.” Hood proposes four philosophical categories of home educators, of course allowing for much overlap. She does a superb job of describing philosophies so that novices can understand basic differences, then she ties in related areas—assumptions about life and learning; educational goals; teacher/student roles and relationships; curriculum design; methods of planning, instructing, and evaluating; and selection of materials. She includes worksheets to help us think through different areas and record our conclusions. At only forty-five pages, with much blank space for our own notes, this book offers a quick jumpstart for developing a philosophy of education.