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In the previous posts we have discussed a few of the different educational options available to families. We looked at the pros and cons of public education. Depending on where you live, the moral and social issues plaguing public education may be more or less of an issue. Don’t assume your child’s school is somehow different. Every school is dealing with the moral and cultural changes one way or another. Regardless of the state of your school district, it remains the parents’ responsibility to teach and train their children. Get involved!
The second option available to some families would be private education. This option does come with a cost, but many families feel that the benefits outweigh the financial burden. Christian education has the added benefit of surrounding your children with teachers and curriculum that would agree with the Christian worldview. The downfall of many parents that have chosen this option is their willingness to allow the school to bear the burden of their child’s Bible training. Parents, you must live out Christ in your home and take the lead in training them in God’s Word. Long after your kids are out of school, they will live out the principles that you have or haven’t instilled in them.
OPTION #3…THE HOMESCHOOL OPTION
Now we come to the last major option….the homeschool option. There is an ever-expanding support system for parents that choose to homeschool their children. For many of these families, this wasn’t their first choice but became the default option after others were exhausted. However, this option is gaining in popularity due to the flexibility it offers in your child’s education.
Problems With Homeschooling
Before you jump headfirst into homeschooling, recognize there are some hurdles. It’s possible you and your spouse lack the ability to adequately teach your kids. I know it sounds harsh, but I have seen it played out many times in kids’ lives. Those who are not equipped to do the teaching need to recognize this early in the decision process. There are homeschool options, like correspondence curriculums or video school, that put others in the teaching role and parents serve as proctors. You may need to choose one of these options.
Unless mom and dad are an editor/engineer combo, it is likely that you will need to seek out help in some areas of your child’s education. It is impossible to duplicate the hands-on learning you get in a science lab with a teacher knowledgeable in chemistry and physics. What’s the point? Recognize your weaknesses. Don’t plow ahead at your child’s expense. You may need to enlist the help of others on your journey, and many private schools will allow a student to take one or two classes.
The homeschool option also removes your child from the available activities that many schools often provide. This hurdle can be overcome with planning and creativity. Often schools offer programs like band and sports to local homeschool families, but you have to do the research to find those programs. Many cities have specialized homeschool support groups that organize sports teams and other extracurricular activities.
Benefits Of Homeschooling
The main benefit is that parents are put directly in the driver’s seat of their child’s education. Curriculum choices, homeschool co-ops, school schedule: all of these are left directly to the parents. The year that we homeschooled our daughter she was able to take ice skating lessons from the local ice rink, something we would have never done while in traditional education. My wife was able to work with her each morning, and they finished up around lunch. They finished all of her books two months before summer break with the personal, one on one attention that homeschooling can bring.Homeschooling is also a less expensive option to traditional private education but doesn’t come without cost. Curricula, books, equipment, supplies: all cost money and do add up. Just because you are overseeing their schooling doesn’t mean it is a free option.
Conclusion
No matter what schooling option you choose, it is important that you are involved and influential in your child’s education. “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Don’t hand over your God-ordained responsibility to others; take the reigns and lead in your child’s education!
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DJHarry Isaiah 64:8 We are the clay!