Hello there! I’m coming back once again with another review (seems to be my specialty). When I received the opportunity to review another of Alicia Michelle’s books, I was very excited because I truly enjoyed reading “Plan to be Flexible”. Her writing style is very friendly and I love how all the content included is intertwined with her love and service for God. I didn’t think it twice when given the chance to review her new book “Back to School Survival Manual: A Girlfriend’s Guide to an Organized and Successful Homeschool Year”.
This manual is excellent for new homeschooling moms that need a hands-on guidance to how to begin homeschooling and getting organized, yet it is also an excellent aid for yearly planning and a Christian revival of goals and perspectives in the home education experience for the current homeschooling mom.
Each chapter tackles an area of home education with the trust in God by also providing additional links to articles that further enhances the topic being discussed as well as printables to put the matter into action.
Each chapter is broken into small sections that provide encouragement as well as examples on how to tackle each task. During the reading you can click on some of the links included along some sentences, and they bring you to an article that expands on the current topic (this works well if you are reading the eBook or the PDF versions). Each chapter ends with a “Points to Ponder” section, which aids into making a summary of what was covered, and also to analyze and determine how to apply what was learned to one’s homeschool lifestyle and to put a plan into action. There are also sections for additional information and helpful resources. The last section directs you to a printable from the back of the book that goes along with the current chapter.
I personally enjoyed several of the ideas presented in this book, and I’m seriously considering applying some of those, especially in the areas that I’m lacking “structure”, for example, organizing each child’s individual creations that tend to clutter the house (Alicia shares a great idea to implement and store everything from grade K to 12th!), and the implementation of some personal traditions. She has inspired me to create my own traditions and I’m excited to begin putting them into practice!
The last chapter is a motivational blend of facing truths to homeschooling (both the bad and the good) and the peace we can achieve through God, and the personal, honest and humble advise from the ten year veteran author.
Index includes activities and printables meant to guide and help in organizing the homeschool year, inventory charts for different areas: by subject, per child, for co-op, etc., a Back to School Checklist of organization, Pillars and Boundaries Worksheet and Goals with Grace worksheet, A Learning Resource Grid, Reading Grids, Subject plan worksheets, and a guide to developing your “Why” to homeschool with journaling prompts to keep you focus and centered on why you are really embracing this journey. It sure makes it all more palpable and inspiring to work more passionate during the homeschool year and to have all these thoughts written down.
Back to School Survival Manual: A GIrlfriend’s Guide to an Organized and Successful Homeschool Year is available as paperback and eBook formats at Amazon (click in the image below).
You have the option of getting a PDF bundle as well together with “Plan to Be Flexible” (For complete review on this book, go here). The image below can bring you to Alicia’s page where she has the PDF versions of her books and several bundle offers to choose from.
Want to take a peak inside the book? Read Chapter 8 for free: backtoschoolsurvivalmanual_chapter8
In summary, the book was fun to read. It was not overwhelming at all because it goes right to the point and guides you into action. The price is affordable and appropriate for this type of book and I can say that I recommend it since the guidelines presented are realistic and easy to follow. I learned some new things, and I was reminded of my reason to home educate my children (I’m on my fourth year), and I also learned new ways to getting things organized.
My last phrase on this review: Go grab a copy!!!
Disclosure: I just recommend products that I personally use and deem useful for my readers. All opinions are entirely my own. I received this book for free to honestly review it. I have included affiliate links in this post, which means that I get a commission from any purchase you make on Amazon through my links at no extra cost to you. By doing so, you would be supporting my blog and I would forever be grateful to you.
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