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"The information is real and generous. Most books do not really explain 'how' as well as you do." Tracy

"I cannot seem to get enough of your writings on the whole home ed subject! You portray a lot of wisdom, knowledge and experience..." Marie

"A fabulous source of information and inspiration. I am very pleased to have some of your titles on my bookshelf... providing me with wonderful, detailed information and resources." Faye

"Whenever I read your writing I always come away with increased confidence in my ability to provide and share a wonderful learning journey with my family. Thank you!"Maaike

"I have been so grateful for the texts I have read from you so far. They have been so helpful as we entered our first year of official home schooling." Sue

Home education is a legal alternative to school education in Australia. Regulations differ between states and territories. Home educating families develop curriculum and learning programs to suit the educational and developmental needs of their individual children.

When you order from Always Learning Books you are purchasing from someone who has lived with home education for most of her life. The books we write and sell are based on personal lived experience. We understand our subject, having built empathy and understanding of the needs of home educating families over 30 years of volunteering and advocacy in the homeschooling and unschooling community.

Our aim is to encourage you on your home educating journey and to help you find ways to meet your family's educational needs. We wish to empower you as an educating parent and the nature of our books is to build your confidence to help you teach your children: we are not suppliers of fill-in-the-blank curriculum materials for children to complete. Our books give you information of the why and how of home education, what has and will work for you as an educating parent. Download our FREE Resource Directory. Follow us on Facebook.

Always Learning Homeschool Learning Plans

Beverley and April are busy creating a series of year level homeschooling learning plan for your child!

They come with a how to use guide, description of the learning environment, and a comprehensive collection of suggested activities and links to mostly free curriculum aligned lesson plans and unit studies. Add it to your home education registration application. Or simply use as a platform to develop your own homeschool learning plan!

Combine with our record keeping tool - ALB Planner Diary & Report - and Learning Materials for Home Educating e-book for a reassuring and confident start to your homeschooling adventure!

Weekly Homeschooling Diary

Convenient A5 comb bound diaries open flat to the current week. Leave them ready for recording on the kitchen bench, dining table or desk. Recording your children's learning becomes a breeze - taking only a few minutes throughout the day. Includes space for evaluative and anecdotal comments; calendar; annual learning program goals and evaluation for each subject; homeschooling contacts, networks, resources, and addresses.

"Thank you for everything you taught me when I started this journey knowing nothing about what I was doing. I read everything you wrote and stocked up on enough diaries to see me through to year 12!" Moette C

A5 or A4 spiral bound. Includes space for evaluative and anecdotal comments; calendar; annual learning program goals and evaluation for each subject; homeschooling contacts, networks, resources, and addresses. Includes a log of child-initiated activities, including play, as well as space for recording learning in each subject area.

The Natural Learning Diary will help you recognise the natural educational embedded in your children's everyday activities such as chores, hobbies and play. For over 14 years this popular diary has helped many families feel confident and comfortable about developing a 'play curriculum' and allowing their children greater freedom and responsibility in determining their own learning outcomes and activities.

"I love this diary! For the first several years it was probably the best tool I had for figuring out our curriculum, recording and reporting. The diaries have saved me an enormous amount of time and worry." Violet

"The diaries have been so useful and the A5 book is handy handbag size which is very convenient for excursions and life learning outings. Thank you Beverley as I believe they also helped my approval process." Louise W

"Being able to track the 'non-curriculum based' aspects of our days have been invaluable! Thankyou Beverley for creating and sharing such helpful resources!" Prudence Chaz

Need a solid foundation for a successful and sustainable homeschooling or unschooling lifestyle?

a complete 'how to' home education course

short gif showing cover and internal pages of experienced home educators Beverley and Tamara how to home educate 3 parent workbook course

20% discount if you purchase all 3 parent e-workbooks together $24

3 self-paced guided 'how to homeschool' parent workbooks

"This practical workbook, densely packed with Beverley's common sense ideas based on years of personal experience, is a comforting guide for parents just starting out on their homeschooling adventures." Grace C

"They are my bible. I'm always looking at them." Caroline Gualt

Beverley Paine, The Educating Parent
April Jermey, Always Learning Books
Tamara Kidd, Tutor Your Own Child, B.Teach(Primary)/B.A.,GCertEdStud

Create Your Own Curriculum

Part 1 - The authors walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that that works for YOUR family, ticks all the registration boxes, and creates a solid foundation on which to grow your home educating experience! Designed to help build your confidence as an educating parent.

e-book $10

D.I.Y. Lesson Plans & Unit Studies

Part 2 - Learn how to help the kids get the most out of homeschooling with these tried and proven home educational strategies. Create your own lesson plans and unit studies to suit your individual children' learning needs and watch them thrive as their motivation for learning grows! Packed with ideas and examples.

e-book $10

Part 3 - Learn how to record and use authentic and continuous assessment of your children's learning to help plan and implement activities that meet their immediate learning needs. Real examples.

We've taken some of the pages from our Planners, added a whole heap more...
70+ printable templates to help you plan and record your home ed adventure!

Three decades of home educating experience is pulled together in this comprehensive list of consumables, materials and resources; everything you can think of to inspire learning and creativity in the home educating environment. Arranged under the curriculum subjects of English and Language Development; Mathematics; Healthy and Physical Development; Humanities and Social Sciences; Science; The Arts; Technology and Information Technology. Also includes invaluable information and tips on how to set up your home to encourage and maximise learning opportunities.

"This is a wonderful home education resource that provides many useful suggestions on what kinds of learning materials and resources you may need, as well as ideas on how to set up your learning spaces at home. As a newcomer to homeschooling, this document takes a lot of the guess work out and provides clear ideas in simple category/list form to help start you on your journey without feeling too overwhelmed." Sophie Nelson

Getting Started with Home Schooling Practical Considerations

The original and much-loved Australian homeschooling manual. Packed with practical information and examples, this book sets out in detail how to write, record and evaluate a learning program tailored for your child's individual learning needs. Plenty of actual of examples of ways to organise and evaluate lessons, as well as excellent ideas for recording learning at home.

"Getting Started is very balanced in its approach to homeschooling methods and also covers so many of the areas and questions that I desperately needed to deal with." Joanne

"Beverley's patience, experience, and understanding of both the questions and the answers make her a wonderfully helpful guide to the adventure of helping children learn without school." Wendy Priesnitz, Life Media

"I would have loved to have had access to this book at the beginning of our leap into home education. I know I will refer back to it as we move into new stages of our journey. It covers everything I can think of that a prospective homeschooler might want or need to know." Kylie H, QLD homeschooling mum

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

Finding the 'right' curriculum can be daunting, more so because we have a plethora of choices. Beverley gives a brief summary of the most popular approaches and guides you to asking the kind questions that will help you determine if it is the one for you and your family. From a DIY writing-your-own-personalised curriculum for your child to buying a 'packaged curriculum' or enrolling your child in an online school or course, the emphasis is on working out what will work for your child and suit your family's situation.

Home educating families face the same objections and get asked the same questions over and again. Beverley draws on her three decades of home educating experience, both with her children and now her grandchildren, to help parents feel confident when answering the many objections and comments relatives, friends and strangers raise. She offers a selection of well-worn answers to over a dozen of the most popularly voiced objections to homeschooling you are likely to encounter.

In this e-book Beverley combines her 2019 online conference presentation on socialisation with an excerpt from her Building Homeschool Networks to help reassure you, and hopefully arm you with some answers, when facing that prevalent and pesky question we all get asked, as well as share some of the different ideas families use to provide social opportunities for their children.

"I am continuously astounded & supported by your wisdom & guidance. You have, from afar and completely unknowingly, been one of my greatest assets in achieving so much that is important to me, and to the lives of my children. Thank you." Samantha Johnson

Learning Without Schooling

A collection of 'how we homeschool' articles by 30+ home educating families from across Australia. Showing 'typical' days or weeks, this 'fly on the wall' look at what actually happens will both inspire, reassure and encourage you. There is no 'right' way to home educate - a considerable variety of approaches and styles are demonstrated in this book.

“I have just finished re-reading "Learning Without School"- very inspirational and reaffirming!” Kirby

Learning Without School and Getting Started with Homeschooling Practical Considerations. Both are books I found invaluable and still refer to in our 3rd year homeschooling." Rowena

Frequently Asked Questions about Homeschooling

Over 60 fundamental questions asked by families new to homeschooling are answered by Beverley. 2004

"Thankyou! The information you share will be used over & over again. Your resources are clear to understand and it helps so much to make ‘sense' when in a challenging time.I found the e-book version wonderful as it is instantly accessible. Much appreciated!" Amanda Jones

Containing over 60 articles drawn from Beverley's first decade of home educating her children, this book covers a range of issues, such as late readers, value of play, socialisation, learning maths, testing, etc. An intimate, frank and honest look at day-to-day home educating life spanning several years. The author's youngest child coined the title one day when he innocently asked, "Mum, I'm learning in the absence of education, aren't I?" meaning learning without school and the traditional methods of learning employed by schools. This book shows the transition the author family made from homeschooling to unschooling and natural learning.

"This book helped me see home schooling as a practical possibility for our family, what home schooling can look like, and prepared me for some of the challenges that lay ahead. My son snuggled up beside me, and asked me to read it aloud to him and asked if he could start being homeschooled straight away, he didn't want to wait." Marika, SA

"It is all in here: how right it feels when natural learning is working well, what happens when we have insecurities ourselves, and the results so far. Beverley has been able to reflect the different moods, the ups and downs, that make the book a valuable resource for all those interested in home education, whatever their current style." Janine Banks

A comprehensive step-by-step guide which considers factors such as why start a group, how to manage and promote them, resolve conflicts, as well as list suggestions for different types of groups and activities. Tap into Beverley Paine's three decades of active involvement in the Australian home education community. Since 1988 she has edited and produced newsletters, magazines, promotional leaflets, books and booklets, as well as organising local groups and networks, homeschooling and unschooling camps and expos. In addition to presenting workshops and seminars Beverley has been a keynote speaker at Australian conferences. She admins for several online support groups, including The Educating Parents Homeschooling and Unschooling.

"Your group and comments gave me the courage to create my own local homeschooling group, which is absolutely thriving and who meets every Tuesday on a regular, committed basis." Samantha J

Write Your Own Unit Studies

Learn how to create your own ‘unit studies'! Personalise your children's curriculum by exploiting their natural curiosity to produce real education experiences that are also fun while covering learning across most of the curriculum subjects. Learn how to capitalise on your children's learning styles by incorporating how they individually learn best into the activities. There are several examples of unit studies to illustrate the principles and information in the booklet. Unit studies are essentially child-centred, parent-guided learning explorations!

"I bought Beverley's booklets when I first started out on my homeschooling journey (finished that now, with both in tertiary education) and they are AMAZING! Saved me from freaking out with my crazy fears about how I would ever do this!" Kirsten G

Motivation

Beverley Paine takes a fresh new approach to the issue of motivation in the home learning environment, or what most of us would call, "what to do when my child doesn't want to learn anything"! In her typical self-critical and analytical way she digs deep into the subject of motivation, unearthing some practical and useful tips and ideas to help make life easier for both parent and child... Peppered with personal anecdotes and examples, Beverley's honest and authentic writing style will help you to discover a path toward developing trust in instrinsic motivation and less reliance on extrinsic motivation. Expect bunches carrots, rather than bundles of sticks!

ISBN 978-1-876651-44-2, 2008, available in print and e-book

"I can't even adequately express how inspiring your common sense, experience, empathetic responses and articles over the years have been." Lusi Austin, That Homeschool Life

" I just wanted to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have gained a wealth of knowledge from it that I will carry with me into my homeschooling journey." Tahlia W

Natural Learning Answers

A refreshing practical approach to unschooling based on the needs of the child and family which demystifies and simplifies the philosophy and practice of this style of home education. Using a question and answer approach Beverley Paine uses real examples (with names changed) to help parents better understand how natural learning can enhance their home educating experience.

"Your guidance, understanding, support & words of wisdom changed our lives." Leslie

"The natural learning method has been wonderful for us and one that I felt would suit our son; however, until I read your book I had assumed that it would not be an acceptable method. Your book gave me the confidence to go that way. I think that our first year would have failed drastically otherwise; eternal thanks from me." Sue H, NSW

Learn to take your children's everyday activities and wrap them up in the jargon of school – not only to help you report your children's learning to educational authorities if you need to, but also to help build your confidence that no matter what your children are doing, it is probably covered somewhere in the school curriculum – and it's definitely learning! Beginning with an exploration of what jargon is and why it used, and the benefits of becoming confident (if not comfortable!) users of it, Beverley gives some examples of how we can use it when recording what and how our children are learning. There are also practical examples showing how to decode jargon, and a list of educational jargon with which you can have a play!

"I sat in a cafe about 9 years ago with that booklet to help myself learn the jargon and 11 years in, its almost natural speech!" Lusi Austin, That Homeschool Life

"You've kept a lot of us afloat when we were sinking. If only everyone would read your books while de-schooling their kids." Geradine, NSW

Natural Learning

One of Beverley's earlier booklets, she describes her understanding of natural learning and how you can build a home educating life on your children's natural learning abilities. Allow your children to pursue their passions and interests and build learning programs around every day life.

"After reading this booklet, I feel encouraged and liberated. It is written simply and clearly, and reinforces my conviction that play, freedom and joy are integral aspects of Home Education. Beverley re-opened my eyes to the learning which occurs during child-initiated play; she offers examples and ideas of how we as parents can facilitate and support that learning as it happens. Her section on ‘What Natural Learning is NOT' dispels some of the myths and misconceptions about this approach. Beverley writes, as always, in a non-judgemental, objective manner." Leslie L, NSW

"I'm known for saying that the benefits of home educating your children just keep on growing. And while that's true, it isn't all love and roses, there's a fair bit of sacrifice, hard work and way too many doubt-plagued days… Let me talk you through the ups and downs and hopefully help to build your confidence as we piece together a realistic vision of what home education is and can be for your family."

The first part of this ebook is a collection of article from Beverley's archives and concludes with the notes from her Eyes Wide Open presentation at the 2020 Australian Homeschooling Summit.

Teaching Strategies for Home Educators

In homeschooling families the focus is usually on what is taught – the content. This booklet seeks to examine the how of teaching. Beginning with exploring and celebrating what kind of teacher you are, Beverley shares many of her reflections, experience, tips and suggestions to help you become a more effective home educator. Perhaps if your children are resisting your attempts to help them learn, it is time for a 'teacher-make-over': Beverley has some suggestions for that too!

It's through playing games children learn to share and take turns, work and play together in constructive and sociable ways. To the children, of course, it's all about having fun! This collection of traditional games, largely taken from Beverley's memory as well as those of her friends, harks back to those halcyon days of childhood where long lazy summer evenings were spent playing chasey, hide'n'seek, or all-over-red-rover...

"We love playing games, and this booklet contains some great ones! Very simple, very effective, and lots of fun." Jennifer D

More than a foray into the different learning styles, in her usual reassuring and personal way Beverley discusses the ways in which environment affects our children's ability to learn effectively.

"Thank you for opening my mind up to understanding my children in this way." Fee D

"You have given me the confidence I needed ... I didn't even think about finding out my childs learning style, didn't even know this was a thing. to actually hear how different we all are and how it can effect us, has been an eye opener for me. ... I am so grateful. Thank you" Hannah K

The Homeschooling Trail

Faced with an uncertain financial future, Michele Hasting, a Christian unschooling mother of seven years experience, begins to doubt her ability to continue teaching her children at home. Her insecurities lead her to begin to question her faith and her ability to provide an adequate education for her two boys.

The Homeschooling Trail is an intimate and detailed account of how the children in one family learn at home using an eclectic mix of methods and resources, finely tuned into the passing seasons of school work, community participation, and family life. Share Michele's quest for faith in this revealing ‘warts and all, fly on the wall' account of daily homeschooling life.

Michele's insights into the developing character of her sons and their strengths and limitations allow us to see more clearly how learning unfolds in the homeschool environment. One of the most valuable aspects of Michele's account of daily homeschooling life is the constant name dropping of books and resources… In her quest to provide the best education possible for sons, Michele never tires of seeking out new and relevant advice, tips and activities from those more experienced on the path…

"This is, however, not another book about picture perfect homeschoolers... the author invites us to “be a fly on our wall for a realistic day-by-day glimpse of homeschooling life”, including sports, video games, chores and some angst over covering academic basics. ... Most of all, the book is about trust. Trusting children to learn. Trusting ourselves as parents and as mothers – our intuition and our personalities are important in our homeschooling adventure. And, for Hastings , the importance of trust in God." Leonie Westenberg

"What I sometimes find in the home schooling community is a false projection of perfection that makes me discouraged. I love the way Michele tells it like it is—walking me through her days and sharing with me her passion for home schooling. Her delight-centered learning approach offers me freedom to do home school in a more laid-back, child-centered way."
Paula Moldenhauer

Drawing on her obvious enthusiasm for geography Beverley shows how to integrate this subject into your everyday life in simple, easy and achievable ways. With chapters on why teach geography, it's benefits, how to monitor your children's learning as well as checklists to guide you as you plan your explorations, Beverley includes 100 ideas and activities you can implement to enhance learning geography from home.

Learn to Love Reading

Children immersed in a world where reading is valued and an everyday part of life naturally develop a desire to read. With help and encouragement they will soon become readers, even those for whom learning to decode the little squiggles on the page is difficult. In this booklet, Beverley includes dozens of practical and simple, tried and proven ways to encourage your child to learn to love reading.

ISBN 978-1-876651-47-3, 2008, available in print and e-book

Looking Back: What Would We Change?

Drawing on her notes from her 2008 presentation at a conference held in Brisbane in 2008 Beverley shares insights she's learned along the way as a home educating parent and talks about what she and Robin felt they did right, their regrets, and what they would differently if they had their time over again. Beverley's honesty and frankness shines through her writing, imbuing them with authenticity. Two decades of home educating experience are packed into this gem of a booklet.

ISBN 978-1-876651-55-8, 2008, available in print and e-book

Exploring Approaches to Home Education

Notes from the keynote speakers at the 2008 Adelaide Exploring Approaches to Home Education Seminar, all with many years of experience. Topics covered included: Unschooling, Classical Education, Steiner Inspired, Distance Education, Natural Learning and Unschooling, Using a Unit Study Approach, Charlotte Mason Home Education, Home Educating Children with Special Needs, and Discipleship Relational Based Home Education.

A science fiction novel for 12-16 year olds by Beverley Paine
BONUS! Click here to download your FREE Literature Unit Study for Beverley's novel
Classroom sets available - please inquire for discount on bulk orders

Meet the team!

April Jermey publishes information about the home education experience in Australia. She home educates her three children in SA. As a child she experienced a mix of education: homeschooling, unschooling, part and fulltime attendance at school, completing her high school certificate at school. She supports the right of families to choose the education that best meets the needs of their children.

Beverley Paine home educated her three children from 1985 to 2004, during which time she wrote and produced several titles on home educating, including newsletters and magazines. She continues as an active volunteer supporting and promoting education choice for families for over three decades as The Educating Parent. She enjoys helping her children home educate her grandkids.

Got a question about homeschooling or unschooling? JOIN The Educating Parent online support group.

Beverley produces and regularly updates the very popular FREE downloads

The Educating Parent Resource Directory

The Educating Parent Support Groups Directory

FAQ

E-books are emailed: please check your spam folder, as unfortunately sometimes they land there.
Update your address details on PayPal before ordering please.
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Prices are in Australian dollars and subject to change without notice.
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Due to COVID there are currently significant postage delays, please understand that postage times is completely out of our hands.
E-books are emailed: please check your spam folder, as unfortunately sometimes they land there.
Ebooks: usually emailed within 24 hours.
Printed books: please expect between 1-2 weeks for delivery.
If your order has not arrived within two weeks please let us know, but please be patient. Thank you! Unfortunately, Australia Post is fickle and we regularly see unexpected delays in delivery times, especially during peak post times and public holidays. Also unfortunately, Australia Post no longer offers any kind of compensation for lost orders, so any losses are worn by our already small profit margins.
Your order will normally be shipped within 2 business days of us receiving it, however we are a small business, run from home, around the busy life that is parenting and home educating three children.
We run on a very small profit margin, so will always ship your order in the most economical way, by either Post or Courier.
Large orders maybe shipped and marked as separate parcels.
Overseas Orders: We do not ship printed books outside of Australia.
Privacy: At Always Learning Books we do not share, in any way, with any one or third party, your personal information.
Refund Policy: Refunds are available on items returned to us in 'as new condition'. Your return postage costs will not be refunded.
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Keep a copy of your order for reference purposes.
More help: If you have any questions about the ordering process only please email us.
General questions about home educating your children should be directed to our Facebook page or The Educating Parent.
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