The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning

A parent’s guide to cultivating an unhurried lifestyle and education that help their children thrive

In a culture that prizes productivity, efficiency, and success, it’s easy to feel as though we’re constantly falling short and to lose sight of joy. The homeschool community is not exempt from this pressure, but longtime educator Leslie Martino shows parents how to slow down to recapture the delight and depth that are hallmarks of meaningful learning. In The Joy of Slow, she offers practical guidance on:

• creating daily rhythms that celebrate the ordinary and make space for spontaneity
• supporting children as they explore personal interests and engage in self-directed learning
• tracking students’ progress in ways that might be overlooked by traditional assessments
• prioritizing connection with other people and the natural world

While parents of young children are more likely to embrace a slow childhood that nurtures wonder and imagination, panic often sets in as kids grow older, and parents worry about preparing them for the world beyond school. These fears are exacerbated by learning challenges, unspoken competition among peers, and standardized assessments. The Joy of Slow offers a much-needed reset, inspiring parents to prioritize the needs of each individual child and to help them find renewed freedom and passion.

Leslie Martino has over twenty years of experience teaching--as an elementary school teacher, a home educator, and an adjunct lecturer for graduate courses focused on the role of the teacher in supporting children’s individual work preferences. She homeschools her four children and works as an educational consultant, writing curricula and training parents and teachers to approach learning in an interest-based and child-directed way. She is also a contributing writer for the Wild + Free homeschooling community.