PARENTS AS TEACHERS

COMING SOON

Recently I've spent some time with my daughter and other Moms who HOMESCHOOL. 

I admit I've had mixed feelings about Homeschooling.  

Here's a short list of my previous concerns:

• Could or would kids learn from Mom or Dad as well as from a Teacher in a classroom setting?
•  Are they receiving competent instruction from current curriculum.  In other words,  is this really an equivalent education?  Or, will they be unprepared for high school or college level work?
• Will the child strive to excel without any 'competition' with classmates, stars on charts, and recognition from their peers?
• What about socialization and learning to get along with others?

There are several Teachers among this group of Moms.  

I know one who has a few of the questions I have had, but two others, who both homeschool, have given me lots of reason to believe that homeschooling can be very advantageous for kids.  For many parents the primary motivation to Homeschool has been shielding their kids from the corrupting influences that seem to be increasing daily in American culture.  

Years ago in a discussion with new parents a Lay Minister, who happened to be a College Professor and Guidance Counselor, made this observation, "You want to be clear about your intention as parents.  You want to remember that you are trying to raise INSULATED kids---not ISOLATED kids.  Give them what they need to see and perceive the world through the prism of Christian Faith.  Don't make them afraid, just equip them to see things as God does and make decisions that are run through the filter of God's revealed truth".

WOW!

That advice is more timely than it was 40 years ago when I first heard it.

So let's look at the potential UPSIDE of HOMESCHOOLING

• As a Parent Teacher you know what your child is learning at school.  This means you can find lots of ways to talk about it during non-school hours.  Fractions are useful in cooking.  Geography in planning a vacation or praying for Missions.  Reinforcement increases learning and retention.
• Theoretically you will have more time for extra-curricular activities like Music and the Arts.  These have both been cut from most Public schools due to time and budgetary pressures.
• You can join with other parents in a co-op for specific subjects and your kids get the benefit of friends and another parent's teaching skills and style.
• You are much more involved with your child throughout the day and this gives you an opportunity to teach character development almost continually.  Study habits, personal discipline and time management skills can be applied to school work as well as chores.  
• You will see your child's academic and personal strengths and weaknesses.  This gives you a clear advantage as a parent.  You are in a position to 'personalize' instruction to help you child master subject matter or personal character issues.
• Your child can move at a completely personalized pace.
• If you manage your time well and choose curriculum wisely  you may have enough time in the school year to expose your children to a much broader scope of subjects that are personally interesting to them. 

God obviously thought parents were qualified to teach about the most important subject of all.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

So I'm adding my SUPPORT to the efforts of those parents I know who are  HOMESCHOOLING by praying for them.  

It's an epic undertaking, like all parenting, but the results can be life-changing for the parents and the kids. 

What are your feelings about HOMESCHOOL?

What do you see as benefits or possible disadvantages?