The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to
Classical Education at Home (Third
Editition) by Jessie Wise
Great Book, But Not For Kindle
Outstanding ... should be on every home educators reference
bookshelf. —Homeschooling Today This educational bestseller has
dominated its field for the last decade, sparking a
homeschooling movement that has only continued to grow. It will
instruct you, step by step, on how to give your child an
academically rigorous, comprehensive education from preschool through
high school. Two veteran home educators outline the classical
pattern of education—the trivium—which organizes learning around the
maturing capacity of the childs mind. With this model, you
will be able to instruct your child in all levels of reading, writing,
history, geography, mathematics, science, foreign
languages, rhetoric, logic, art, and music, regardless of your own
aptitude in those subjects.

Newly revised and updated, The Well-Trained Mind includes detailed
book lists with complete ordering information; up-to-date
listings of resources, publications, and Internet links; and useful
contact information.
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Personal Review: The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical
Education at Home (Third Editition) by Jessie Wise
I am an educator who has worked in both private and public schools, and I
am the father of three young ones (thus far!) who are schooled at home by
their mother. My wife has a very similar background but has only taught in
private schools. Thus we have first hand experience in almost the whole
gamut of modern American education. This is one of the best books my
wife and I have read on the subject of home-schooling.
It was clear to us when we began researching curricula that we wanted
several things available to us.
First: We wanted a classical liberal education. My wife has an
undergraduate degree from prominent women's liberal arts college (major
in English, minor in Religion) and a Masters Degree in Liberal Studies from
a prominent liberal arts University. I have the same Masters Degree and
an undergraduate degree in Music Education from a relatively good
conservatory. We wanted our children to have the benefits of an
outstanding and complete liberal education that we both feel is increasingly
lacking in both public and private schools. It seems to both of us that
schools place a huge emphasis on test scores and job related skills that
deny the education of the complete person.... especially those that desire a
true Christian education.
Second: We wanted an education that that was scholastic and socratic.
We were not interested in home-school curricula that are stolen from public
schools and have religion added (usually from a solely evangelical
protestant perspective). If we wanted the typical education, we would send
our children to school. We believe deeply in the trivuum and the power of
the classical curriculum for unlocking human potential.
Third: We wanted classical languages, especially Latin and Greek to be a
part of the curriculum. Latin is important to us for more than one reason.
First, we are Catholic, and we love the Latin Mass. The Latin language is a
dead language and that makes it PERFECT for religious expression. A
dead language does not have meanings for words that change and evolve
over time like a living language does; rather words and their meanings stay
static. Having the liturgy (and the scriptures) in a dead language like Latin
(or ancient Greek, which is the original for NT texts) prevents them from
accruing new and heterodox interpretations as the definition of words in a
living language undergoes nuances and changes over time. Second, as

educated people, we felt the lack of Latin in our own academic
background. Latin provides the basis for every romance language, and it
therefore has applications to developing vocabulary and grammar that will
aid students across a range of disciplines.
Greek is the language of philosophy, and is also the original language of
the New Testament. Reading the Bible in translation has been aptly
referred to as "kissing through a veil." The key thing is to understand the
original languages. It is also important to read the great philosophical
works in the original when possible.
Fourth: We wanted an education free of the societal pressures being
placed on me in the work force. As a mature and adult Catholic Christian it
is difficult enough maintaining myself in a state of grace in today's school
environs (this is true even in "Catholic" schools that long ago abandoned
their identity and mission). For children it must be very difficult (this is not
to say that I don't see it done again and again). BUT, to give one example,
gay marriage was just approved in some states in this country. How long
before same sex marriage begins being taught as "normative" in school
curriculums ranging from social studies to health class? I want to see my
children in heaven some day (God willing I get there). There is no way one
can entrust young and tender minds to the decay that the modernist
rejection of the natural moral law has created. Secular humanism is not a
cogent philosophical construct, but that has become the default position of
nearly all of our schools. As much as I try to keep my own class-room free
of such modernizing influences (it is comparatively easy as a music
teacher) it is difficult at times even for me. What about our kids?
This book really put flesh on ideas that my wife especially, and I as well,
were coming to as we researched home-school options and curricula.
Thankfully, there are curricula and home-school academies out there that
fit our needs perfectly. We opted for Kolbe Academy as it had everything
we wanted, from a complete classical curriculum to latin and greek, to
transcript and grading services, to phone consultations with academic
advisors; all this within an Ignatian and Classical framework. But there are
plenty of other options as well. This book gives one resources for
designing their own classical curriculum, or where to look for help and
support if one wants it. As a teacher, I strongly suggest going with the
support. Having an institution with grading services, and with phone
consultations, and with transcripts etc. helps keep your children (and
perhaps more importantly YOU) on the straight and narrow and on track.
Accountability is important.
This is an excellent book. Highly recommended for all homeschooling
families.
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