Genius of Home, The

To educate means to draw forth (Latin, educare: to lead, to bring up); the teacher must draw forth, but, also, must meet the new individual at her or his own level. But what does the teacher draw forth from the child? Is the teacher like the sun that draws forth the plants? Children do grow up, but at the same time, they come down. What if one is teaching one's own children? There are as many possible approaches to teaching children at home, that is, "homeschooling", as there are homes and families who choose to take up this individualized approach to education. Catherine Read chose to model her School-at-Home on the curriculum used in Waldorf schools. This book is the story of her journey as the primary teacher of her two daughters through the Waldorf curriculum from early childhood through high school grade eleven: what she did, when she did it, and why. Along the way, this flexible, artistic, challenging, and ultimately rewarding approach to education comes into focus. Inspiring and instructional, the account of her years as both parent and teacher will be a boon to anyone thinking of founding their own School-at-Home.