Abbeville Institute founders Drs. Clyde Wilson and Don Livingston recently asked me to help out a gentleman who had contacted them regarding history curriculum suggestions for homeschoolers. We “eggheads … are limited to ‘higher education’ in our knowledge,” Wilson replied playfully, so he and Livingston passed on the request to me.
Interestingly, veteran homeschoolers sometimes even ask me for history suggestions. One would think that with the array of curricula available, trust-worthy material wouldn’t seem so difficult find. But as my last post explained, when it comes to history, conformity to the “secular theocratic” worldview is the rule, resistance is the exception. But it’s there, I promise.
“History really is the granddaddy of all subjects,” Dr. Brion McClanahan aptly states, so however homeschoolers (or lifelong learners) tackle the vital discipline, it’s best approached with intentionality, inspiration, and innovation. Here’s a primer on my family’s eclectic but effective pedagogical approach to true history and some of the sources we use.
Don’t lean on normalcy bias
Last fall, my sons and I completed the 4-volume Story of the World, which served as our “official” curriculum for all these years. I was impressed with the author’s classical approach, as well as her breadth of knowledge.
I was even pleasantly surprised by her lessons on the War Between the States. Now, she’s certainly no unReconstructed radical, but it was fairly even-handed analysis for mainstream curriculum. However, some of the 20th-century lessons were appallingly progressive, which resulted in my leading a corrective discussion with the kids.
I’ve been around the block in my near 8 years of home education, with co-op history, finds from teacher-sharing boards and used-curriculum sales, mom suggestions, and anything and everything that presents itself. We’ve used countless supplementary materials like Liberty’s Kids, Drive Through History, and Crash Course, and even though there’s typically some valuable info to glean from popular sources, they all miss the big picture of the American story.
This was frustrating during my early years. But what initially seemed like a struggle has turned out to be blessing. I’ve come to realize that when packaged curriculum and other materials fall short, this is simply an opportunity to dig deeper, find alternative sources, and uncover truth together as a family. Lifelong learning is fun!
I say, don’t depend on the captive culture. Even though it may be convenient, it’s “diluted knowledge,” as educator Charlotte Mason would say. Rather, use it as a springboard for what she called “self-education” and for finding real truth and real history, of which there’s plenty. You just have to know where to look … and where not to.
Be suspect of popular academics
Beware of “the failings of [the] short-sighted and ideological historian,” advises Wilson in his review of White’s book. Hence, books not written by “career college professors” are often the best place to start.
“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe,” commented futurist H.G. Wells, who just so happened to be a Fabian socialist, and a proponent of world government and Darwinian scientism. Elites like Wells and Huxley grasped the immense power of influencing people’s concepts of time and place through the written word. Unfortunately, they used their talents to perpetuate man-made progressive conceptions, not tap into godly ancient truths.
After all, the secular-theocrats aren’t concerned with the transcendence of the Logos, and the wisdom, virtue, and beauty that stems from seeking Him. Thus, they can never view history with humility, since they approach modernity (and their self-appointed stature within it) with so much misplaced pride. In other words, cultural imperialists will never admit we’re standing on the shoulders of giants.
“White has indeed identified many of the failings of academic historians of today who care not about the history that people actually lived but are eager to force artificial theories onto the experience of humanity,” notes Wilson. “It is to the non-professionals that we too often need to look to understand the past of our kind.”
Today’s specialized academics, says McClanahan, lack the ability to teach or write about “synthesis history” because they depend on “monographs” (read: race, class, gender, and other critical-theory obsessions). We must then look both to the growing ranks of quality amateur historians filling the void left by mediocre and ideologically driven niche “professionals” and to rigorous academics teaching real history outside of mainstream venues (since they’re often purposefully driven from university jobs by PC bullies, as Dr. Paul Gottfried explains).
Know your source
Abbeville and Reckonin‘ are two stellar blogs for finding such diverse authors who are doing the thankless yet extremely necessary work of pursuing true history. Wilson is a common thread at both sites, as he co-founded Abbeville and runs Reckonin’ with his daughter, Anne.
Another Wilson project is Shotwell Publishing, which he operates with compatriot and author Paul C. Graham. You can sample the types of hard-hitting “Southern without apology” history books sold therein by signing up for Wilson’s free Shotwell ebook “Lies My Teacher Never Told Me.”
Yep, you can get “on the house” material written by this Emeritus Distinguished Professor of History of the University of South Carolina and editor of the “The Papers of John C. Calhoun.” Wilson’s not only the world’s foremost expert on the significant American statesman, but many (like me) say he’s the greatest living historian of the South. So, if Wilson gives his approval to an essay or book, you can bet it’ll be worth your money and effort.
“Car school” is easy and efficient
“Wish I had been homeschooled,” Livingston wrote in an email. “How many hours were wasted in the state system I went to. Just the time going and returning home could have been put to better effect!”
Time is the most valuable commodity, so take every moment as a learning opportunity. Since my kids and I are always on the go, we make the most of our time in the minivan listening to audiobooks, from biographies or historical fiction through Audible or the public-library app Libby, or G.A. Henty’s spellbinding classics on Heirloom Audio.
For years, my sons have also been soaking in information from my two favorite podcasts, the all-history Brion McClanahan Show and the Tom Woods Show, covering history, economics, and current events. And with their dad, the boys listen to Jay Dyer, who uses history, philosophy, and theology to critique the media, government, and globalism, and Rebel Yell, Identity Dixie’s unReconstructed podcast.
When a podcast is too intellectually challenging for them, I still think the content is fairly digestible if we pause to explain terms, answer questions, and reinforce ideas. Plus, it’s stunning how much knowledge children really do soak up through osmosis.
Read aloud as a family
I’ve always liked “reading history books written with the arc of a story,” messaged my friend John. “Historical fiction that entertains and delights and also serves as a touchstone for teaching history … [is] much more compelling than are textbooks.” Mason would call these “living books.”
Historical fiction like “The Battle of New Market” by William C. Davis or “Rifles for Watie” by Harold Keith are “inspiring tales, well told,” so I devoured them right alongside my children. Reading aloud fosters conversation, queries, and further exploration, thus, I fully consider these experiences “history lessons.” The practice also models fluency, expands vocabulary, and increases story comprehension.
Due to the social-justice assault on modern children’s literature, I try to stick to older works, but sometimes even they’re revised for today’s woke audiences or may even be out of print if deemed too offensive by PC publishers. You can sometimes score those gems on Thrift Books.
Of course, biographies are a superb way to discover the past. Read “Lee” by Douglas Southall Freeman and “Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson” by S.C. Gwynne, and then take a road trip to Lexington, Va., where both generals are buried. If your child has friends who are on the Hamilton or Lincoln bandwagons, dive into McClanahan’s “How Alexander Hamilton Screwed Up America” or Tom DiLorenzo’s “The Real Lincoln,” and then encourage him to incorporate these newfound facts in with his budding rhetorical skills.
Or tackle a subject. Read “The Confederate Constitution of 1861” by Marshall DeRosa along with McClanahan’s “The Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution,” Mike Maharrey’s “Constitution Owner’s Manual,” and Kevin Gutzman’s “The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution,” and there you have the makings of an unforgettable American constitutionalism course that will far surpass anything a mainstream curriculum has to offer.
The Politically Incorrect Guides (PIGs) are pithy works on big matters. They feature short chapters and eye-catching info boxes, making them doable for even younger homeschoolers with read-along guidance from a parent. Dr. Woods’ “PIG to American History” was our launch pad into this wonderful series of books and could certainly serve as either stand-alone lessons or a supplement to other curriculum.
McClanahan’s “PIG to Real American Heroes” and “Forgotten Conservatives in American History” (co-written with Wilson) are must-reads for students starved to hear something other than the constant bashing of their ancestors and demeaning of their heritage. It also makes for an interesting case study in contrasting past exemplars with today’s sorry excuses for “leaders.”
Dare to deep dive
As any parent knows, sometimes kids get obsessed with a topic. Currently, my boys are intrigued with everything WWI. So, we listened to all the podcast episodes from Woods’ WWI Week back in 2014 and are now learning even more from subsequent interviews with historian Hunt Tooley. When we wrap up, we’ll read aloud Richard J. Maybury’s “World War I: The Rest of the Story and How It Affects You Today.”
Why not use every tool in your educational tool belt to help discover history previously untapped by you and your child? It’s fun, plus, your student will never forget these learning experiences because he got to choose the adventure.
Maybury is a geopolitical analyst and author of the Uncle Eric Series, classics in anti-“therapeutic state” instruction. These history and economics books can be used independently or as supplements. “‘Whatever Happened to Justice?‘ is critical reading for all Americans,” asserts Ron Paul. If that endorsement doesn’t do it for you, check out Maybury on my friend Rachel’s podcast where the two discuss natural rights and common law.
An excellent primer for the tween-to-teen Uncle Eric books is the Tuttle Twins, which teaches free-market economics and liberty principles for late-elementary to middle-school-aged kids. My sons have read the entire series (and done the accompanying workbooks), giving them a more discriminating eye when studying history as a whole.
Nonconformist curriculum
We’re still using a history “backbone,” and this year we’ve chosen the self-taught Ron Paul Curriculum. Woods teaches the high school Western civ classes and shares instruction in the two-part government class with Dr. Gary North, who also teaches U.S. history. “In no high school course is the bias against liberty greater than in the American history course,” writes North. His goal is to train students “to consider what is officially impossible … to think, then dig deeper, then re-think.”
Eventually, our family will take all the courses at McClanahan Academy. His “US History to 1865” and “US History 1865 to Present” classes, however, are specifically tailored to homeschoolers and offer lesson plans and quizzes. If I haven’t already sold you on McClanahan, check out his amazing work at FreeHistoryCourse.com, or pick up his “Forgotten Founders” free e-book and audio book.
McClanahan is also affiliated with Liberty Classroom, where he, Woods, and a handful of other high-caliber scholars teach history and economics. This site is geared more toward adult-enrichment, but a mature high-schooler could handle it for sure. Plus, if your student has a question, he can ask it in real time during the monthly live sessions with faculty.
My new friend William Chad Newsom recently launched Christendom Curriculum. He describes his homeschool courses as “pro-West, anti-social justice, anti-multicultural, and anti-globalist.” In other words, it’s a bold alternative to the rah-rah-Lincoln-equality-liberal-democracy stuff common within “conservative” Protestant materials. It can be used as a full elementary-to-high-school curriculum or piecemeal.
Two other “resistance” history options are Michael Boldin’s Tenth Amendment Center and KrisAnne Hall’s Liberty First University. With all these alternatives, there is literally no excuse to fall prey to conformist curriculum.
“Values, meaning, context, perspective”
Our children are the inheritors of an approach to education when “our people did great things” … now being reared in a time “in desperate need for the type of men the South used to produce,” remarks writer Robert Hoyle. Let’s connect our kids with their noble roots and their place in the unfolding story of America.
This will train up well-rounded critical thinkers who are able to resist the “spirit of the age,” as writer CJay Engel describes it, not “manufactured and produced” youngsters who fancy themselves radical individualists, while they’re really “masses [who] live without distinction.”
Teaching logical history also nurtures children’s innate curiosity and encourages a healthy dose of status-quo skepticism, not cynicism. This will indeed make your student distinct. Not popular, but unfashionably free. Like Flannery O’Connor said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd.” Embrace it, rebel.
“The homeschooling children will be the aristocrats of the future,” Wilson remarked in an email. “They will be the only people with intelligence and character.”
Well, I’m not sure if that’s exactly the case, but I do believe homeschoolers have an obligation to honor the past, teach the story of our heritage and heroes, and defend truth, no matter the cost. This is how you best care for “granddaddy” history and his grandchildren: our students, our hope.
Have any suggestions or advice yourself? Please explain in the comments. Also, be sure to check out my sidebar on choice essential-reading lists.
Truth warrior, Jesus follower, wife, and boymom. Apologetics practitioner for Orthodox Christianity, the Southern tradition, homeschooling, and freedom. Recovering feminist-socialist-atheist, graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and retired mainstream journalist turned domesticated belle and rabble-rousing rhetorician. You can read her blog at Dissident Mama.
I still have a copy or “Rifles for Watie” and applaud your recommendation for reading aloud.
I appreciate your comment, sir. And thank YOU for the fine work you do. We absolutely love your stuff. 🙂 Keep up the good fight!
Very nicely done again, Dissident Mama. I’m impressed.
I’m also impressed by Dr. Wilson’s humility and deference to you on the homeschool thing. I of course get email notifications from Shotwell Publishing whenever they are endorsing a new book or books. I just purchased one on Kindle the other day, in point of fact – How Southern Families Made America by Howard Ray White – upon their recommendation, but haven’t gotten into it yet.
Foundation for American Christian Education (F.A.C.E.) is another good resource for home schoolers or would be homeschoolers. Their “Noah Plan” curriculum guides are, in my view, second to none. That is to say if those things you discuss in the post – lifelong learning, self-education and self-directed studies, and those sorts of things – are a priority for you. They also publish a facsimile edition of the Webster 1828 dictionary. If “original intent” of the founders (or “framers” if you like) is something you wish to impart to your kids, then having a dictionary of the times ready at hand is certainly beneficial. But as I said in a comment to the earlier post, philosophy and methodology of education is where it’s at. And this is where the folks at F.A.C.E. have done a lot of great (even ground breaking) work the last thirty or so years.
I’m running short of time, but I went and got the following link to a July, 1839 Southern Literary Messenger article which covers some of the topics in your post nicely, and the value of which you will probably appreciate more than most. See here:
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moajrnl/acf2679.0005.007/451?page=root;size=100;view=image
T, I’ve never heard of FACE, surprisingly. I’ll check ’em out. The idea of offering an old dictionary for study is intriguing.
I appreciate your sharing that 1839 article, as well. “The main object of education is to develope [< note the cool, old spelling there!] and to strengthen all the faculties of the mind," both intellectual and moral. So simple, yet so forgotten.
Deo vindice, good sir. And thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
Dissident Mama:
Thanks for the reply. Btw, I meant to say in the earlier comment that you’d never know those boys of yours are brothers. Ha, ha. Good looking boys, though. One can tell right away they are good boys too, by the light (and the joy) in their eyes.
One of my sons, Samuel (Sam, 15) just finished making his first long bow from the branch of a bodark tree he cut from a tree he selected himself. I’m not talking about the typical stick strung with a piece of string, I mean a real bow (about a 65lb pull) that he hand crafted start-to-finish. It’s an impressive piece of work for his age. For any age, really, but particularly for a 15 year-old. He works with me in my remodel business all the time, but I can’t take credit for teaching him how to carve and shape and straighten that bodark branch, nor to ‘fit it for usefulness in its future station’ as a deer hunting instrument during bow season; he learned all of that from reading books by experts in the craft and internalizing the concepts.
The 1828 dictionary is an invaluable resource to have around. Indeed, I first ordered that dictionary almost thirty years ago. We just replaced the original with a new one only a week or so back because, as you can imagine, any book thirty years old that gets almost daily use by eight homeschooled children and their parents is going to accumulate a lot of wear and tear during that course of time, so I’ve reluctantly put the old one in retirement. There is a free online version as well, but I insist that all the kids know how to navigate an actual dictionary proficiently, so there ya go.
Speaking of the dictionary, follow the link I’ve provided below and look at the definition of the word “education” which I memorized years and years ago. Notice that it follows the Genesis account of the Creation – enlighten, correct, form, and to fit for usefulness in his or her future stations. Notice as well that the account I gave above of Sam’s work on that bodark branch follows precisely the same process. First he enlightened his own mind by acquiring and reading books written by experts on how to build a quality and aesthetically pleasing bow from raw materials start-to-finish and internalized the concepts; he then went to work putting that newly-acquired knowledge to good use, exercising dominion over that branch and all the tools he used to shape it. And what elements did he employ in the process? Why of course he corrected its defects or shortcomings (e.g., he straightened warpage out of one limb using a technique he’d learned from the books, etc.); he planed it down by hand roughing out what would be its final form or shape, then proceeded with his work fine tuning all its various details. All the while making sure he never got into the next growth ring, for he had learned frome the books that doing so would cause the bow to snap at that place when pulled. And all of this with the goal always in mind to make his bow not only a piece of art pleasing to the eye and worthy of his effort, but also “useful in its future station.” See how that works? Ain’t that cool?!
Incidentally, I heard a sermon once in which the pastor (whose name escapes me) told the story of attending one of his grandson’s “parent/teacher conferences” at the Christian school his grandson attended. The grandfather was there in the parents’ place because the parents couldn’t be due to an untimely death of a friend or something like that. Anyway, the pastor told the story of the boy’s teacher explaining to the group all the new crafts and the various “educational” methods the school had recently adopted in place of the old, antiquated way of doing things. During the Q&A session afterward, the pastor asked the question of the teacher, “what is the goal in all of this?” “And,” said he, “she couldn’t answer the question satisfactorily. And I was horrified.”
As you say in your reply, education – true education – is a lost art. Virtually no one knows what the goal is or should be, nor how to get there. If the professional educators understood it there wouldn’t be so many divorces, or abandoned or otherwise fatherless children, and so on and so forth. If modern parents understood it (I mean of course generally speaking), same thing. …
Here is the link I promised above:
http://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Education
Thanks again, T. I am delighted by that story about Samuel’s homemade bow. What a Renaissance man!
Thought you might like to check out the piece just posted today at my personal blog. (I didn’t share it with ID as I was pretty sure it wasn’t quite the right fit for over here). I am confident it will be to your liking. Please do consider commenting over there at the DM site, if you would. I’d love to keep up the conversation. Hope you and your huge brood stay well.
http://www.dissidentmama.net/tearing-off-the-scab/