One-to-one: A Practical Guide to Learning at Home

One-to-one: A Practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 0-11 by Gareth Lewis


This is a book I keep coming back to, it's a book that can be dipped in and out of because it is packed full of very useful information.

I first got the book out of my local library, they ordered it in for me. I was so impressed I bought my own copy. It was back in the days when I was first starting out in HEing. It provided reassurance at a time when it was much needed, it helped through the colly wobbles of questioning myself am I doing the right thing, when deep down I knew I was.

So what's the book about...well it incorporates the age range 0-11, although I'd say it applied more to age 5 up, it does give good advice for pre-schoolers, such as type of play, and what toys are good, for instance not nasty cheap plastic toys which seem to be in abundance these days, but rather good solid traditional types like wooden toys which are not only aesthetically more pleasing to the eye but more tactile too.

The title of the book after the One-to-One says A practical guide to Learning at Home, and it does what it says.

In the early part of the book it talk about schools and why they are so bad...I remember thinking at the time it was very anti-school, and it did put me off some what, until I got to the practical pointers, which do come very quickly. Now after a few years HEing, I'm not so put off by those early comments.

Now on to the practical,
here are some of the chapter headings

* Art
* Writing
* Reading
* Mathematics
* Parental Role in Education
* Gardening
* Cooking
* Crafts
* Working with your Child

The first practical chapter is as you can see about Art, this is a crucial chapter to read and must not be skipped as so much hinges on allowing a child to express themselves through Art...how it helps with writing later on. I really felt I'd learned something from this chapter.

The other chapters are good too, but one that stood out to me, was that on the chapter of Mathematics - it too is a must read, it just made so much sense, and it triggered memories of my abysmal Maths lessons, and questions why so many school leavers fail in Maths and why so many of us shudder at the word MATHS. This is one chapter that I keep re-reading because it is pertinent to me, other chapters may stand out to someone else.

I don't agree with everything the author says, but it is a book I like a lot, it is an extremely helpful book for someone on the beginning journey of HEing and even beyond the early days.

As always I say Try before you Buy, so go down to your local library to see if they have a copy or if they can order one in for you.

If you would like to buy,then try Amazon UK One-to-one: A Practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 0-11
USA link