“The Dog Ate My Experiment!” Is the latest book by KS “Kaz” Augustin, a homeschool mum based in Malaysia . It is an internationally-focused strategic guide for parents in, or contemplating, homeschooling. It isn’t a subject-and-assessment blow-by-blow listing but presents considerations and strategies in making homeschooling work for your situation. Local homeschool mum Tan Mei Ling reviews.
As a Singaporean homeschooler, the PSLE leaves me with little options for the primary school years. Beyond P6, the possibilities are endless and overwhelming. “The Dog Ate My Experiment!” is a practical and readable guide to homeschooling in the teen years. And since all my homeschooling reads have been (stereotypically) Christian and US-centric, this secular-oriented approach for those living outside outside the USA is a refreshing perspective.
Kaz was born in Malaysia. Her kids had a stint in the Singapore public school system, making her experience highly relevant and relatable to me. The way she presents information is comfortingly easy – after breaking it down into bite-sized chunks, the homeschooling journey doesn’t seem so daunting after all. “The Dog Ate My Experiment!” is so well-researched that you will find homeschooling information about Europe, US and even South America!
I found Kaz’s honesty and snark both appealing and intimidating. I liked that her approach was very balanced and that she does not make any sweeping generalisations. In addition to all the benefits and options of homeschooling, she does also list the limitations. At the core, I really resonate with her belief that every child is different, and that is our main driving force to homeschool.
One of my favourite parts of the book is how it is peppered with insights from her two children. They were endearing and honest, definitely not afraid to point out the negatives in their own homeschooling experiences. If I had to nit-pick, I would have liked to know her kids by their first names instead of a pseudonym; I kept having to check back to remind myself which kid is which!
Where to Buy
“The Dog Ate My Experiment!” can be ordered online from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, or brick-and-mortar bookshops (Popular, MPH, Kinokunia, etc.). Just give the staff the ISBN, title and author. More details on the book, and the accompanying journal and online video course is available at https://www.TheDogAteMyExperiment.com
More about Kaz
KS “Kaz” Augustin is a mother, wife, homeschooler, novelist and small business owner. During her time in corporate, she worked for several large IT companies, including Hewlett-Packard and Oracle Corporation, as well as freelancing for clients as diversified as government departments and multinational construction companies. Kaz has been a technical writer, project manager, trainer, lecturer, systems analyst ad programmer, and has had to bring every iota of those experiences together when homeschooling her children. Whew!