This is the first-ever book to offer an analytical study of John Holt's philosophy of
education. It provides a clear analysis and critical evaluation of the key themes in his work
considers the main objections to his views and discusses their relation to the contemporary
homeschooling movement. The book examines Holt's critique of compulsory education and his
account of the relationships between learning freedom intelligence and character. It argues
that Holt's works contain a philosophically rich critique of instrumentalism in education and
thus continue to represent a significant challenge to many mainstream views on education today.
Given its scope the book will be of interest to anyone who wants to understand Holt's work and
influence as a critic of compulsory schooling educators and education students philosophers
of education and those seeking a better grasp of the ideas behind unschooling and
homeschooling.
