We have been kicking around the notion of homeschooling for a
while. By a while I mean a couple years now. Our kids (twins) are just now able
to go to school and this summer has been a huge battlefield for our motivations
and convictions. The ultimate trial was this: Ashley (the one who would be
doing the homeschooling) was finally accepted into nursing school and would be
out of the loop for at least two years. So the question was whether she should
get her degree (which was mostly for the money and security), or do we trust
God with our convictions and proceed with homeschool?
So we sought counsel. And then sought more counsel. And yet
again, we sought even more counsel. We thought for sure she was going to do the
nursing program; we then thought for sure we were going to homeschool. We have
been back and forth a lot. All of the counsel we sought said to put them in
public school and do the nursing program. We would have had no problem taking
the advice of others if it weren’t for the convictions we felt deep down
inside. Ultimately…the convictions won. The Monday before the nursing program
started, and the Monday before the kids would have gone to their first day of
kindergarten, Ashley dropped the program, and called the elementary school. We
have had to answer many questions, not only since we made the final decision,
but also throughout the decision making process. Here is, for the most part,
why we want to homeschool.
We want to home school our kids so that they can escape the
"kidult" culture. I read this article where they talk about how these people go to school and due
to the same low expectations which are talked about in the book Do Hard Things (see the movement here) as well as this other blog “Orange
Dad”, the youth don't
know what they are capable of, or believe that they can do greater things than
what they are doing now. These people then go off to college and endure even
more school and shielding from the "real world" of responsibility for
even longer into their early twenties. The universities do not prepare them for
the real world in the aspects of professional socializing/mixing, the hands-on
aspects of their jobs, and so while they may have a degree, they have little to
offer the working force, so they become waiters and entry level “high school”
jobs. (This is not always the case obviously.) But they are not raised to
believe that they can do something significant, or to be encouraged to find
what interests them, they merely go to school like they're supposed to, learn
their core intelligence (maybe), all the while dreaming about the day when they
can move out or go to college so that it will be easier to party and have
fun.
We want to home school because, while we can always push them to do these things while they go to public school, we can customize their education and push them in other ways that public schools could not. It is to get over the cookie cutter curriculum. We can introduce them to areas of life that they probably would never be able to learn about without detracting from their education (because it will be part of their education). We can give them a better rounded education, not only book smarts, but also practical skills in and outside of the house setting. We can show them the proper ways to treat people before they get corrupted by the people who will tell them that proper respect for each other is lame.
We want to home school because, while we can always push them to do these things while they go to public school, we can customize their education and push them in other ways that public schools could not. It is to get over the cookie cutter curriculum. We can introduce them to areas of life that they probably would never be able to learn about without detracting from their education (because it will be part of their education). We can give them a better rounded education, not only book smarts, but also practical skills in and outside of the house setting. We can show them the proper ways to treat people before they get corrupted by the people who will tell them that proper respect for each other is lame.
We want to home school because most importantly, we will be able
to incorporate God into every lesson we do. They will be encouraged to memorize
Scripture, they will be able to know what the Word of God says and by that they
will know the proper way to live. It can be argued that this is something we
should be doing regardless of where they go, but it will be so much easier and
expected if we are home schooling. We will be able to train them that through
life they can trust that God will protect, provide, and love them. They will be
able to fix their eyes on God as it is marvelously described in the song by the band For
King and Country. We cannot hope and wish that our kids will be the “Soldiers
who knows [their] orders to walk the walk [they’re] supposed to walk.” There is
no room in public schools to teach doctrine along with history, science, and
math…well not that people would allow anyway. The Bible used to be used as a
text book in the classrooms, but those days are long gone. For a better view of
the direction public schools have gone watch the documentary Indoctrination
(trailer).
Special note: While the movie presents the public school system in a complete doom
and gloom, it is interesting to see the path that it has taken through history.
That’s why I mention the video.
How much do we truly like the way society works and thinks
nowadays? Should we accept public school simply because it is the way things
are set up now? Romans 12:2 could be argued many ways, I get that. But when it
says, “do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s
will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will,” we must evaluate what the
patterns of the world are. Once we see what those patterns are in the world, we
must then find out not only if they are working, but inviting to our Christian
beliefs. While our school district is surprisingly open to having pastors and
youth pastors volunteer and mentor students, it is still a public school
serving many different faiths, which makes it increasingly hard for the
students to hear God’s message on a regular basis.
The sad truth of the matter is that public school is not
working. It might be functional, but it is twisting in many ways further from
God and what we believe to be true. The curriculum is under fire right now, and
being pushed regardless of extreme scrutiny. And while the New York teacher’s union
leader may not be able to speak on behalf of all of the teachers in New York,
the statements he made regarding “punching” people “in the face” if they try to take away Common Core is not the type of leader
I want having a major influence on what is put in my children’s head. He did
not even back it up by providing facts, it was just a rant filled with physical
violence. The encouraging thing about that whole meeting is that the teachers,
which are the ones actually in the classroom rather than a comfortable office,
are standing up against it. While that may be true, it does not negate the fact
that it is still in classrooms. Not only is it impractical, as in one case
during the debate, it is un-teachable in another. There are also a multitude of
controversies surrounding this curriculum, and that is saying something when
you take into consideration the creation/evolution debate which never seems to
be settled. But in all honesty, it is not a matter of Common Core or no Common
Core, it is still a matter of deciding what my children learn in and around
what they are required to know leaving any given level of schooling. It is
giving individual attention to our students and then moving on once they
understand the subject matter, and not waiting on someone else who has yet to
grasp the concepts. This is not a slam against other children who may be slower
than my own children, or faster for that matter, it is merely the nature of the
classroom. I want my children to have all the attention they need in order to
leave the “school” stage of life and move on to become productive members of
society.
For those concerned that I may have just sounded a little
arbitrary there when talking about controlling what my children learn, it is
more of a matter of teaching them everything they need to know, plus some of
what they would not learn in public school; things that will interest them,
highlighting their individual strengths, while they struggle to grow their
weaknesses at the same time. At least this will help keep their attention and
avoid total dredge in their schoolwork. Not only that, but for those who are
worried about the level of education a homeschooler gets, the Washington Times
put out an article
illustrating studies that put homeschoolers in between the 83rd percentile,
to the 89th percentile. Public school students averaged around the
50th percentile.
While public
schools are functional under their own purposes, it still has a liberal lean. I
understand that it would be incredibly difficult to release any slant on
anything, but if there will be a slant then should it not be one chosen by the
parent; especially if there is no scientific proof that one slant is wrong?
Be light and
salt to the world (Matt 5:13-16), I get it, but is it really a child’s
responsibility to go evangelizing something that they do not completely
understand? I do not know one kindergartener (at least that’s where our kids
are right now) who can effectively spread the gospel with the rest of their
classmates. That’s not to say they do not exist, but I do not know any. The
light inside of a person is a great argument for this; however, if they do not
know how to let their light shine without shading it by being tainted by the
other kids who have no morals is another issue. Now that might have seemed a
little harsh, but the truth of the matter is that we have seen enough
reprobates in the McDonald’s Play Place and the neighborhood park to be scared
of what “extras” our kids will pick up at school. Also, how will they know how
to stand unless they are properly trained?
The other
popular argument is that they will not grow up with the proper social skills if
you do not send them to public school. We have no intention of isolating our
children from the rest of the world so it is not like they will grow up without
social skills. We are currently looking for a homeschool co-op where we can
meet with other kids. They will be doing sports and are always looking forward
to the sports lessons we have already signed them up for at the YMCA.
Let us look
at the “learning social skills at school” argument just a little longer. If
there are people doing things that we normally would not want our children
doing, why send them to a singular room with those children and deplorable habits
for eight hours a day? If the social skills they learn from the other students
are how to disrespect their parents and authority, rebellion, nose picking,
glue eating, and a multitude of other nasty habits which will only make your
own child look more like what you do not want them looking like, why send them
to spend the majority of their day, and week, where they will only pick up
these practices among others? Does logic follow?
While this
may seem like I am pushing hard against public school and shaming any parent
who chooses to do so, I truly am not. This is where we are in our lives. This
is the understanding we have, and these are the opportunities we wish to
pursue. And through seeking counsel prior to making this big decision we have
noticed a strange truth. Anytime you bring up the subject of homeschool with a
parent who sends their kids to public schools, they get defensive. It is as if
for some reason they feel the need to defend what they are doing, but why? Why
is it that while it may not be the blood and gore name calling you see between
the liberals and conservatives, there is a clear and distinctive line in the
sand. It appears as though they think we are saying that public school families
are wrong and we are on the right path. This is far from how we feel! The truth
is the classrooms need people of all faiths in them. People do need hope, and
how are they to see hope unless someone else shows them. Home school is merely
a choice we are making for our family through a deep seeded conviction, even
though many other people do not completely understand it: people who are close
to us. People in our social circles who say they could not do it. And that is
fine. All we ask is that you celebrate along with us as we have made our
decision.
Other videos
which may be interesting and funny:
