McGuffey Readers Roundup

The McGuffey readers have been the solution to many of my homeschool problems. They are:

• Excellent
• Simple
• Affordable
• Readily available

They are excellent because they:

• Go from pre-k through high school (and college prep)
• Are re-usable (for multiple children)
• Are filled with godly wisdom, even whole passages of scripture
• Gently build reading, vocabulary, and grammar skills far superior to any other modern alternative

They are simple because they:

• Are open-and-go (little to no teacher prep)
• Take only minutes a day
• Don’t require any other materials other than a pencil and a composition book (or free lesson sheets or The Lesson Book)

They are affordable because they:

• Are a one-time purchase
• Don’t require peripherals
• Cost little compared to other curriculum choices
• Can be found second-hand
• Can be downloaded for free (the revised versions) from the Internet

They are readily available because:

• They have continually been in print since the 1830’s
• They can be found on Amazon and many other outlets

Yes, you read that right: McGuffey wrote his first reader in 1836. He did such a good job that folks have continued to buy up his books and use them over and over again for the last 170 years or so!

When I discovered these gems I was on the verge of burn out from trying to use the Charlotte Mason method with seven or more children at one time. It was difficult to find appropriate passages of poetry and prose for everyone on his or her particular level. It was even more difficult trying to keep track of their work when it was done.

McGuffey gave me a break. Included in each reader was a collection of the greatest literature, both prose and poetry, of the English language. No more searching, no more having to compile everything myself and then watch my hard work disintegrate before my eyes as my children and I both lost track.

Of course I was lost at first–who wouldn’t be? I mean, where are the guides and manuals for these?

Well, there are a few, but they take deciphering. I needed something more to-the-point. So, as usual, I grabbed everything I could find on the subject and I studied until I could make some sense of the whole thing.

What did I come up with? With God’s help, something wonderful, something that any mom anywhere could use and understand.

If you are interested in learning more, make sure to listen to these podcasts and watch these videos– including a new one with an announcement of some exciting news:

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