Today I was randomly surfing the internet and came across a website for a history curriculum called “History Alive,” written by Diana Waring. I’d actually met Diana a few years ago at a conference and was very impressed by her enthusiasm for teaching history to kids – and enabling homeschool moms to do the same. Reading her site made me become excited about the prospect of homeschooling my own kids sometime in the near future. Although I know there will be frantic days, frustrating days, and stuck-in-a-rut days, I’m tremendously looking forward to the many learning adventures and bonding experiences that homeschooling will permit for our family. My only fear, at the present moment, is that my kids will hate me for trying to create constant learning opportunities.
When people ask me why I would homeschool my kids, I usually tell them that we’ll probably homeschool because we were homeschooled. I’ve found that it’s a convenient way to answer the question. Honestly, though, it’s not the real reason why we’ll homeschool our kids.
The truth of the matter is that we’ll homeschool our kids because we believe education is so much more than learning facts and trivia. Education is about shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation (and public school educators know this too). We will homeschool because we believe God gave us (the parents) the primary responsibility to train our children in the way they should go and we should not relegate this responsibility to a godless state government. (Please note – although I feel strongly about this, I’m not judging anyone who is not convicted in this area. So … smiles, love and happiness all around … okay?)
I was also reading today about a case in Tennessee where a 10 year old was banned from reading his bible on school campus with his friends during their free time. It’s interesting to me that in California, where we live, kids are required to study the religion of Islam during classroom instruction time (probably because it’s politically correct right now to embrace the religion of American-hating terrorists?) but, on their own time, young kids can’t even read the bible. What is it about the bible that makes people fear it so much? Are public school educators afraid that the kids might learn harmful things taught in the bible – like “do not steal,” “do not murder,” “love your enemies,” etc.?
But it’s not just for ideological and religious reasons that I want to homeschool. I also think it will be incredibly fun to learn with my kids, and hopefully instill within them a hunger and love for learning too. That’s why I was excited to find Diana’s website today. I think history can be such an exciting subject to learn – but it can also be an extremely dull subject, depending on how it’s taught. Diana’s curriculum brings history alive by helping kids to learn it through their five senses (she has a recipe for Napoleon’s perfume, I hear) and also having the kids study geography, literature, music, and art relevant to particular historical periods.
This world is so big, rich, and full … homeschooling will afford me the time and opportunity to dig deeper to fully explore this glorious world with my kids. And I will seize that opportunity as a gift from God.
Yes, I’m really looking forward to not only being my kids’ mom but being their teacher as well.
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2 comments:
Technically you are homeschooling from the day the child is born...everyone is...some negatively and part time...others of us hope to do it (or did it already) positively and full time. The statistics bear out that homeschooling is best. What beats "one on one" plus individual attention, and learning "hands on" anyway? (We used a fair amount of materials and participation in 4H too...great things even city kids can do there. Especially Home Ec subjects are taught far better than in most high schools these days)!!
There are some who should not do this...but that is rare. I think the better statement is that there are some who should pass on being parents...that is the more truthful. But there can be extenuating circumstances too...and we must be understanding...or maybe even helpful to someone who perhaps has the desire but just needs more help and encouragement somewhere in life.
It was our experience that some who were the most openly critical (mostly within the extended family but also within the church) when we were in the early years of homeschooling our 3, also were the most complimentary about each child, their abilities and behavior. Strange....
Elizabeth
Good post, Amy.
Let's work hard to keep home-schooling safe and protected in California. We've certainly got the right reasons. May God save the family from the merciless politicians!
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