Homeschooling

Note: I wrote this back in May of 2011, but it never posted...

If you are praying people and you read my blog, please pray for Tim and I as we make some choices. I believe we are going to home school our children (I can hear my father saying "why would you want to do that?!?"). I want my children's education to be inflitrated with Christ. I want to be in charge of what my children hear and see.

In public school, I would not get to choose or have charge of many things...like my child's teacher. What if that teacher holds a belief or a lifestyle that I totally disagree with and is very open with it in the classroom. I don't want her or him telling my child what they believe to be right. Some people would say that we don't get to choose who we come in contact with. That is true, but I don't have to have those people teaching my children. Contact is all well and good, but teaching my children...I don't think so.



Some people would say that we need to leave our children in public school to be the "salt and light." I don't believe that children at the K-12 level are mature enough or properly equiped to be "salt and light" in a environment that is hostile and contrary to their Christian faith.  That being said, why don't people ask that of parents who put their children in Christian private schools?

A friend of ours child was in music and they were learning Thriller by Michael Jackson. This child is only 7...really...THRILLER?!? Have you ever looked at the words of that song? This child had nightmares of things a 7 year old should NEVER have. Public school does not send a note home asking if they can teach my 7 year old a song like that...no...they just do it. And sex education...not telling what it will be like when my children get there. I could go on and on.

What about myths of no social interaction and no "real world" experience?!? (taken from http://www.sdhsa.org/Articles/Myths.html)

Myth: Homeschooled children are lacking in opportunities for social interaction.

Reality: In the homeschool community this question is usually met with looks of disbelief and a quiet chuckle. There are literally hundreds of opportunities in most states for homeschooled children to get together for activities. Roller skating, theater groups, study groups, archery lessons, swimming, park days, recitals, ski outings --- the list goes on and on. And, although all families do not enjoy access to this wide variety, most do have the opportunity to play sports, to join community groups like scouts or 4-H and to participate in religious communities. Children have the opportunity to develop friendships with children of widely varying ages. They learn social skills from their families, and, in a supportive community, from those who are more experienced at getting along in the world.

Myth: Homeschooled children lack "real world" experience.
Reality: Homeschooled children are quick to point out that they live very much in the "real world." Life is not "on hold" during the day for homeschooling families. These children learn at an early age how to succeed in the world at large because they participate in it with their families. They, for instance, shop, bank, and visit nursing homes.Older children volunteer in the community, hold part-time jobs, take classes, and participate in mentoring projects with adults. This life experience adds up to well-rounded and capable young people who can successfully make the transition to living on their own or to moving on to college.

What about academics? The home-educated typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests. (The public school average is the 50th percentile; scores range from 1 to 99.) Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of formal education or their family’s household income. Whether homeschool parents were ever certified teachers is not related to their children’s academic achievement. Degree of state control and regulation of homeschooling is not related to academic achievement. Home-educated students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT tests that colleges consider for admissions. Homeschool students are increasingly being actively recruited by colleges (taken from National Home Education Research Institute http://www.nheri.org/).

Does this mean that you are against public schools?

Myth: Homeschoolers do not support the public schools.

Reality: This is such a sad thought and so thoroughly untrue. Homeschooling parents, remember, are primarily the result of public school education. Most are college-educated. Their childrens' playmates most likely attend public school. Although a decision to homeschool is certainly a decision to keep the child out of the public/private school system, it is not necessarily a decision to withdraw support from the public school system. Homeschool parents own homes and pay taxes that provide financial support for the schools. Some even volunteer in the schools or provide daycare for school-age children. A choice to homeschool is not a vote against public or private schools.

I am sure lots of people will have questions and objections. One thing we are firm on is that we believe this is what the Lord would have us do at this time. Some people might disagree with our decision, but it is okay to agree to disagree. I would just ask that you talk to Tim and I about the decision before you go knocking it to someone else. Please don't think that I am saying that if you send your child to public school that you are doing something wrong. We all have certain things we are convicted about and this is one of ours.