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5 Reasons to Use Living Books in Your Homeschool
What are Living Books?
Living books are a type of literature that engages the reader in a vivid and personal way. Authors of living books are usually passionate about a topic and present information in a narrative style that captures the reader’s imagination. Living books can cover subjects from history and science to literature and the arts. Living books are a valuable educational tool that can help students develop critical thinking skills, inspire a love of learning, and provide a well-rounded education.
One of Charlotte Mason’s most famous quotes about living books is: “Children must have books, living books; the best are not too good for them; anything less than the best is not good enough.”
In Mason’s educational philosophy, living books are essential to a child’s education. She believed that children learn best while actively engaged in the learning process. Living books are one powerful tool for engaging children in their studies. Living books help children connect with the material on a deeper level, making learning a more meaningful and enjoyable experience.
5 Reasons to Use Them in Your Homeschool
1. Living books offer a richer learning experience: Living books are books that bring a subject to life, written in a narrative form that engages the reader. As stated, The books are written by authors who love the subject and have a writing style that makes the reader feel captivated. Unlike dry, textbook-style readings, living books allow students to experience a subject in a more personal and engaging way.
2. Living books promote critical thinking skills: Living books often present ideas in a way that requires students to think critically and make connections between different concepts. This type of reading material encourages students to ask questions, seek answers, and form their own opinions. As a result, students develop the critical thinking skills they need to succeed in all areas of life.
3. Living books inspire a love of learning: Because living books are engaging and immersive, they can help foster a love of learning in students. When students are excited about what they’re reading, they are more likely to want to learn more about the subject. This can create a positive feedback loop, where the more they learn, the more they want to learn.
4. Living books offer a broad range of subject matter: Living books cover a wide range of topics, from history and science to literature and the arts. This makes them an excellent choice for homeschoolers who want to provide their children with a well-rounded education. By using living books, homeschoolers can expose their children to a variety of subjects and ideas that they might not encounter in traditional textbook materials.
5. Living books can be used across grade levels: Because living books are written in a narrative style, they can be used across grade levels. This makes them an excellent choice for homeschoolers who have children of different ages and abilities. Using living books allows homeschoolers to provide their children with a shared reading experience, regardless of their reading levels. Often times, these types of books help to cultivate a love of reading.
We hope this gives you some practical ideas for how you can use quality books in your homeschool. For a carefully curated book list each month, you may want to consider our membership.
