Disadvantages of Living Books

There are a number of disadvantages to the living books approach to homeschool education. The first is that not all children share a temperament that is well suited to this approach. Maybe your child does not like to read, or maybe your child is a hands-on learner who learns best by doing activities. For those children, a living books approach is likely to be a poor fit.

A second drawback to the living books approach is that it is difficult to use it to teach various subjects. While topics in history and geography can take full advantage of the living books approach, there are very few excellent literary works on algebra or even addition. This means that this approach will require supplemental materials to cover math and science, which not only requires additional investment, but also may lead children to make false distinctions between subjects.

The last major drawback is that a living books approach does not follow the standard scope and sequence that cover which topics need to be covered when. This raises two possible problems… First, it is easy to get into a situation where certain types of stories are emphasized repeatedly while other areas fall by the wayside. This can lead to gaps in your child's education. Of secondary concern is that by leaving the traditional scope and sequence by the wayside, it could cause your child some adjustment should he/she ever need to move into a more formal school situation.

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