2/5/13
I love home schooling. When the journey began, I envisioned long skirts, long hair, all of us around the table working together in a harmonious unity. Thoughts of co-ops or online schools never entered my mind. We were going to grow and learn on this journey together. I felt Mom could surely teach everything effectively. That was about 9 years ago.
Now that we're looking at a rising 7th grader, 5th grader, and 3rd grader, my perspective has changed quite significantly. While I think it is possible for Mom to teach and do far better than the hedonistic public school curriculum, balancing all the variables we believe are important while doing so, is a tall order for this Mom. We strive to classically educate, which brings in aspects of learning that we didn't know existed as we worked with our budding 3 year old so long ago.
Classical education is a terrific fit for our family. The memory work has proven invaluable for teaching them how to retain information. All three of our children have excelled in this department while we've been in a Classical Conversations community. CC has brought to light how much children can memorize, and through the years as our confidence has grown (each of ours!), we've seen the fruit of what they have accomplished in other areas of life.
All of this said, what Classical Ed. brings to the table are classes beyond our ability. In theory, we could take the time to learn every subject well enough to teach it, but the time and energy that would take is more than we're willing to spend. Many other things we're not willing to sacrifice like an organized sanctuary to dwell in, would have to fall off the table. Some subjects take a lot of preparation and learning...Logic and Latin, for example. Rudimentary levels can be learned with Mom or even DVD's, but neither of these is a substitute for a master instructor. Logic is so important in today's world~so few people know how to think rightly (of course without God, that won't happen no matter how much educating one has). There is so much more to a thorough classical education now than when classical ed. was predominate (look at all the advances with mathematics and science, for example).
Throughout history, master instructors or tutors have been tasked with bringing along the next generation. As our children age, the areas we feel a master teacher is needed, grow. Since we are selective about a teacher's worldview, online schools have been a good route. The teacher has some influence, but not too much, and there are schools whose beliefs are spelled out pretty well. I feel with this approach, the teacher has opportunity for input beyond the class material, but not more than I'm comfortable handing over to a grown-up I don't truly know.
Let the reader please realize, a public school teacher and many private teachers are not masters of their field. The useful idiots of Communism were people who really believed in the cause and that they were making a helpful difference, yet they were just pawns in a much larger, far more sinister game...I think the same goes for many public school educators today. They go along with what they are told, doing a poor job of educating, yet believing it is superior to what a parent could do or what teachers have done in the past. Student's aren't taught at a high level, nor are they taught to think. In the USA most teachers are from the lower percentages grade-wise (I've heard they are in the lower 40% to the lower 10%). Bottom line, teachers and society 'think' they are the brightest of the bright, but the statistics and results we see across the board in this nation tell a different story.
In sum, choosing online classes with teachers who have a Biblical worldview, as best we can, is what I consider a terrific solution to many of the challenges home educators face. Learning to manage a schedule, having deadlines, taking real quizzes and tests, and answering to someone other than Mom for assignments, helps students mature and take ownership of their education.
In today's world of mysticism infiltrating the church, we have to be careful who we'll entrust with our children for long lengths of time. One rule of thumb I try to employ is to look at the church a person attends, and their own family and children to see if I like what I see. This goes for if I'm interested in modeling what someone else is doing as well, which usually, I'm not.
For the record, just because a parent has realized they should have done some things differently with their children, they aren't automatically qualified to 'do it a different way' with your children. How can you know the root of their mistaken path before has now landed in the right place? Do you want to take the risk now with your kids to see if their 'great awakening' is on the money?
Keep doing what you think is best as you home educate, with the resources God has provided. If online classes are out of reach, seek the Lord on what His best option is for your family. Pretty much anything will be better than public school, and probably many private. If you are convinced online classes are impersonal, sit in on one sometime. We've found them to be very helpful for educating, while still sheltering to a degree. Be confident in how you are raising your family. If you aren't, make changes!
~Ann
I love home schooling. When the journey began, I envisioned long skirts, long hair, all of us around the table working together in a harmonious unity. Thoughts of co-ops or online schools never entered my mind. We were going to grow and learn on this journey together. I felt Mom could surely teach everything effectively. That was about 9 years ago.
Now that we're looking at a rising 7th grader, 5th grader, and 3rd grader, my perspective has changed quite significantly. While I think it is possible for Mom to teach and do far better than the hedonistic public school curriculum, balancing all the variables we believe are important while doing so, is a tall order for this Mom. We strive to classically educate, which brings in aspects of learning that we didn't know existed as we worked with our budding 3 year old so long ago.
Classical education is a terrific fit for our family. The memory work has proven invaluable for teaching them how to retain information. All three of our children have excelled in this department while we've been in a Classical Conversations community. CC has brought to light how much children can memorize, and through the years as our confidence has grown (each of ours!), we've seen the fruit of what they have accomplished in other areas of life.
All of this said, what Classical Ed. brings to the table are classes beyond our ability. In theory, we could take the time to learn every subject well enough to teach it, but the time and energy that would take is more than we're willing to spend. Many other things we're not willing to sacrifice like an organized sanctuary to dwell in, would have to fall off the table. Some subjects take a lot of preparation and learning...Logic and Latin, for example. Rudimentary levels can be learned with Mom or even DVD's, but neither of these is a substitute for a master instructor. Logic is so important in today's world~so few people know how to think rightly (of course without God, that won't happen no matter how much educating one has). There is so much more to a thorough classical education now than when classical ed. was predominate (look at all the advances with mathematics and science, for example).
Throughout history, master instructors or tutors have been tasked with bringing along the next generation. As our children age, the areas we feel a master teacher is needed, grow. Since we are selective about a teacher's worldview, online schools have been a good route. The teacher has some influence, but not too much, and there are schools whose beliefs are spelled out pretty well. I feel with this approach, the teacher has opportunity for input beyond the class material, but not more than I'm comfortable handing over to a grown-up I don't truly know.
Let the reader please realize, a public school teacher and many private teachers are not masters of their field. The useful idiots of Communism were people who really believed in the cause and that they were making a helpful difference, yet they were just pawns in a much larger, far more sinister game...I think the same goes for many public school educators today. They go along with what they are told, doing a poor job of educating, yet believing it is superior to what a parent could do or what teachers have done in the past. Student's aren't taught at a high level, nor are they taught to think. In the USA most teachers are from the lower percentages grade-wise (I've heard they are in the lower 40% to the lower 10%). Bottom line, teachers and society 'think' they are the brightest of the bright, but the statistics and results we see across the board in this nation tell a different story.
In sum, choosing online classes with teachers who have a Biblical worldview, as best we can, is what I consider a terrific solution to many of the challenges home educators face. Learning to manage a schedule, having deadlines, taking real quizzes and tests, and answering to someone other than Mom for assignments, helps students mature and take ownership of their education.
In today's world of mysticism infiltrating the church, we have to be careful who we'll entrust with our children for long lengths of time. One rule of thumb I try to employ is to look at the church a person attends, and their own family and children to see if I like what I see. This goes for if I'm interested in modeling what someone else is doing as well, which usually, I'm not.
For the record, just because a parent has realized they should have done some things differently with their children, they aren't automatically qualified to 'do it a different way' with your children. How can you know the root of their mistaken path before has now landed in the right place? Do you want to take the risk now with your kids to see if their 'great awakening' is on the money?
Keep doing what you think is best as you home educate, with the resources God has provided. If online classes are out of reach, seek the Lord on what His best option is for your family. Pretty much anything will be better than public school, and probably many private. If you are convinced online classes are impersonal, sit in on one sometime. We've found them to be very helpful for educating, while still sheltering to a degree. Be confident in how you are raising your family. If you aren't, make changes!
~Ann
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