The options for homeschooling range from “mom babysit that kid and nothing else” to “grab your library card and leave the cash at home.” There really is no excuse for any married couple to not find some way to homeschool in this country. If you live in Germany I would give you a pass as you would be risking going to jail, but not here.
First of all, there is K12 School. This is a school created on Christian values while trying to be as neutral as possible (an impossibility of course). The child logs on to the internet site, does his work, it is corrected by his teacher and new assignments are given. The parent’s job is to make sure the child sits at the computer long enough to get his work done. That is it. This school is paid for by many public schools as an independent study. The school stills gets money for your child, you don’t have to do any work, the child spends less time in a classroom but gets a better education. You can add a bible study into the day. The draw backs are of course that it is still not a Christian education, though it is much better. And the parents have no control of what their child is being taught. I can’t find a price for individuals, but it’s free if you go public school route. (Note: I honestly believe this could be a good stop-gap on the way from public school to true homeschool. I don’t think it is the best long term idea, but it is certainly better than traditional public school.)
http://www.k12.com/schooling_programs/online_private_school_/
Next is Abeka book video school. You buy the books and rent the DVD of the class(es) your child is enrolled in. He watches the DVD for the day and does the work. If you are enrolled in the correspondence school, you pack up his work and send it to his teacher who grades it and sends any other assignments to him, keeping records. If you aren’t in the correspondence school, you do the grading and keeping the records. This isn’t much more work for the parent than K12, but it is VERY Christian. Since it is the most used private school curriculum in the world, it is recognized and accepted by state authorities everywhere (if that is important to you. It isn’t to me). It is a very high quality curriculum; very academically advanced. You can buy the books without the DVDs and do the teaching yourself if you wish. They have teacher’s guides to help you. It costs around $700 for the first child with DVD correspondence school (includes text books). They offer a sort of discount for additional children. Just the text books runs around $400 depending on the grade.
http://www.abeka.com/
Bob Jones University has a satellite school. you get a special receiver and set your VCR to record at 3am or so. From there it functions just like Abeka. Same quality, same prices, too. The university itself has had some problems with racism, but I understand there is NONE in their homeschool texts. The advantage is that you own the tapes when you are done, where with Abeka you have to send the DVDs back.
http://www.bjupress.com/page/Home
Alpha Omega publishers has two options: Lifepacs And Switched On School house. The later is the first on computer disks. The first is a set of ten workbooks per subject (five subjects) per year. Your child goes through them at his own pace. When he finishes one book he goes on to the next. The parent does very little beyond correcting the final test for each booklet. They do have correspondence school. very good quality, costs less than $400 per year, I believe.
http://www.aophomeschooling.com/lifepac/overview.php
Christian light is the same thing as Alpha Omgea printed on cheaper paper with cheaper ink and with all fantasy stories changed to be realistic. Also all pictures show boys in long pants and girls in dresses (Christian Light is Mennonite).
http://www.clp.org/
Accelerated Christian Education was one of the first Christian Curriculums in America (Abeka was the other one). They give the equivalent of a public school education in the fastest format possible. I have heard of 14yo graduating from high school with this program. Their program is identical to alpha Omega’s only they have twelve “PACEs” instead of ten. I don’t really like them as they are very weak academically (equivalent to public school, not better) and they are more expensive. But some people love them. They also offer their curriculum on computer disks now.
http://www.aceministries.com/homeschool/Default.aspx
The most extreme option is to simply go to the library, check out books, read them together or apart, have each child write (or narrate) a report on it, take spelling and grammar lessons from their mistakes. Math can come from everyday for the early grades. You cover all subjects this way. It takes more work, but costs nothing.
From here there are many options, many programs and correspondent schools that all function like Abeka’s textbook correspondence course. You can also pick and choose one subject from one program and another from another. There are also many companies that only produce one subject. Every child is different and every family is different. You will have to find what works best for you. This may take some trial and error, but it is worth it.
Just for interest sake, I use;
• The Bible for Bible study
• Alphabet island for phonics
• McGuffey readers for reading
• AVCO for spelling
• Easy Grammar and Daily Grams for grammar
• Math U See and Calculaddars for math
• The Story of the World for History
• The internet for science (we are studying the human body right now and I know enough about it to put together my own course.
• The Drawing Textbook for art
• My mom for music lessons
If you are interested, Google the names and you will go right to the publisher’s sites.
There it is; “homeschool” means everything from hiring tutors for each subject to sitting the child in front of a computer everyday to buying a book designed to teach from to visiting the library every week. Most homeschoolers actually mix and match many of these options. The point is that the parent is in control and footing the bill instead of a politician with ideological goals (different from the parent’s goals) and the taxpayer.
Contact me if you want anymore information of need help. I am happy to help;-)
-
Women who get an abortion between the ages of 18 and 30 have twice the risk of breast cancer than women who never have an abortion. Wome... -
What is Quiverful? Nothing I say here is in condemnation of those that are infertile through no fault of their own. Some infertility is the...
-
Chapter 53 1Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Who will choose to believe the prophets o...
Really? No excuse? Do you not hear your condemning words? When I read this title, I do not feel as though I want to get closer to your god. In fact, I doubt that Yahweh, the Creator and Sustainer of life, is pleased with your lack of compassion.
ReplyDeleteThe resources you provide may very well prove invaluable to many. However, it seems as though your myopic view is beyond glorifying God, it's rather the realm of self-aggrandizing.
Yes, there are options for homeschooling. That is IF that is the path that God has chosen for a family. There are cases of God-loving, God-centered families whose children attend public school, whose single mother works outside of the home. Are you so arrogant to say that those types of families are not pleasing to God because they don't conform to YOUR ideas of what He has in mind for your own family?
Wow.
I will pray for you.
Thank you for the prayer. I can always use more.
ReplyDeleteIf you had read my other posts about homeschooling, you would know that I do acknowledge that there are times when homeschooling is not the best choice. single mothers are the biggest exception. I think it is horrid that our churches aren't doing more to provide CHRISTIAN educational options for these families. I would call to task any church with fancy-schmancy, cost-eating programs that does not have a private school for the single parents in their congregation. they are violating the Word of God and putting the precious women in their congregation in a place of no choice.
There are also times when private school is the best option for a married couple. For example, if one partner is too ill to work OR care for the children. But there are many good, cheap private schools out there. Again, the church should be providing a CHRISTIAN education for those couples in this position who honestly can't find a private school they can afford, (and by afford I don't mean afford while maintaining an upper middle-class standard of living. I mean their choice is truly food or school).
This article was written to all those who say "I am not patient enough, I don't know how to teach, it would be too hard..." and all the other silly excuses given for putting your CHRISTIAN child into an ATHIEST school. I have racked my brain and searched my Bible trying to find an excuse for these people as i have friends and relatives I love very much doing just this. I simply can find no excuse for a healthy, married couple to have their children in a heathen school being taught with a heathen curriculum, by heathen methods, and either heathen teachers or christian teachers with their spiritual "hands" tied so tightly they can't possibly use them for Christ. I find NO justification in the Bible for such actions. "Whose image is [on the tax coin]" "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's." In Whose image are your children created? How can you possibly justify rendering them to Caesar by sending them to the Atheist school in this time with so many other options? (We all know about the private school options. Many don't know how very many options there are in homeschooling, thus this post)
If you think I am condemning outside of God's will (and yes, God does condemn. That is what a judge does), you find one scripture that approves of CHRISTIAN children spending the majority of their time under the authority of an Atheist school system. I will listen if you can find it.
If you can't, then you had better discuss it with God. Don't shot me. I am just the messenger.
Firstly, American public schools are not Atheistic, and it is from ignorance that anyone in our society would describe public schools this way. There is a fundamental separation between church & state in our country that protects the religious liberties of all students who attend public school. Schools are not Theistic, nor are they Atheistic. They are secular. That means that they do not teach religious teachings at school. That should be done at home, anyway. Schools endeavor to educate students, to teach them skills and instill a love of learning. That goes for ALL students: those from Christian homes, those from Buddhist homes, those from Muslim homes, those from Atheistic homes. All children are provided with equal opportunities in a public school. And, frankly, without public school, many, many students would continue to be abused, sexualized, or hungry. It's not a perfect system, to be sure, but it is the system we have for a large society, such as ours. Of course, there are alternatives if a family is able/willing to; but, all things come from God.
ReplyDeletePlease do not misunderstand my personal position, I am an advocate for homeschooling because, even as a teacher, I understand that the individual attention each child receives in an average homeschooled family is far above what they would get at a public school. And, as a parent it is my primary responsibility to teach my children. Though that is not a possibility for my family at this time, I supplement their school's curriculum at home. However, I am not so insecure in my faith, or in my relationship with either God or my children, to believe that what they are learning in school trumps what I teach them in the home. No matter where students are educated, their primary learning comes from the home (which is a great deal distressing to me as a high school teacher because I see disfunction in the classroom as a result of unhealthy homes).
You are making a false assumption that simply BECAUSE students are educated in one way or another they are better off. The reality is that there are awful homeschooling families as much as there are really wonderful public school teachers.
Secondly, it is not your place to condemn, it is God's. We live according to our own conscience, and with Him directing our lives. It is arrogance and self-righteousness akin to the Pharasses of Christ's time, to claim that because you believe a certain way, or because that is your understanding of the scripture, that those who don't do likewise are making excuses. Who are you to judge that the woman who says, "I'm not patient enough" is making an excuse? Would it make you feel better in your own heart to know that she decides to homeschool her children, then either beats the hell out of them or causes them psychological harm because she simply cannot teach them? Why does it matter to you what other people decide for themselves? Why do you take God's role in others' lives as your own personal mission? Let God handle those families and bless them and work with them as he is with yours and mine. Please do not continue this destructive path of minding everyone else's business instead of your own. I am not laboring this point to "shoot" you, but rather to correct a misunderstanding you seem to have built up as Truth.
I am not making any claims towards or against the Church for providing for my family because I believe God is doing that. He has provided opportunities for me to continue my education, He's put a career path in front of me that utilizes my skills, talents and develops me spiritually, He's provided financially in this profession, and I get as much time with my children as I can possibly have- a teacher is the best career for a single mother! The point I am making, BettySue, is that it is my relationship with my God which enables me to experiences these blessings. And, if the family next door, across the street or in another town feels that providing their children with a quality of life (bikes to ride outside, family vacations, etc.) instead of quantity of children, and sending them to the local public school, which their taxes rendered to Caesar has paid for, then that is between them and God. I trust God. I know He's working with people in their life according to His plan. It doesn't sound to me like you do. It sounds to me like you're trying to dictate to others what God has in mind for their lives.
Please focus on developing yourself and your family, not on how others choose to do so. Please give the rest of us the courtesy and respect of letting us enjoy our own relationship and understanding of God and His plan in our lives. See, it doesn't matter who you are ranting against, the mother who makes (what you call) "excuses", or the Church...the fact is you are ranting instead of being humble, compassionate and loving. Who are you to sit on your computer and attack God's Church instead of becoming His hand or arm and reaching out and changing what is not working? Your attitude is not Christ-like, it's not loving and it prevent your readers from loving or trusting YOUR God.
You're welcome for my prayers. Please know that that statement is sincere, even if it came across as rude, originally. For some reason God called me to your blog. Perhaps it was to shed some light, perhaps it was to upset you enough to create some change instead of just sitting around blogging why it needs to be changed. Whatever the reason, I completely trust the Creator. And, yes, I will continue to pray for you.
One last thing. You made a snarky remark about finding a scripture that supports education in an "Atheistic" school. I've already gone over why that statement begins with a) a bad attitude and b) illogic. However, since you are asking for proof, just like doubting Thomas asked the Lord for proof for his unbelief, let me remind you that the Apostle Paul says that ALL THINGS WORK FOR GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM!! Paul was not inspired by God to say, "some" things, God inspired Paul to instruct us that ALL things work for good. Indeed, while it may not be ideal (and I am 100% in agreement with you regarding my own personal family) that some children are in public school, it certainly is not a condemnation by God that those services are provided to His little children.
Perhaps you can meditate and reflect on this exhortation, BettySue. Some of us are humble servants of God. Some of us are still in development, and your patience, kindness, compassion and love is expected from your Christian heart. Neither do I see those things, nor an absolute trust that God's got things under control. He is blessing us every moment of every day- He is working good into the lives of everyone who loves Him. Let's let you and I remember that, please.
First of all, here is the sermon I gave last mother’s day. http://johnssermons.blogspot.com/2008/05/mothers-job.html
ReplyDeleteThis is the foundation for what I am writing.
OK, I looked up the words in the dictionary to be sure. Secular means “without religion.” Atheist is from the Greek words “a” meaning no and “theos” meaning God; atheist means having no God. We are talking semantics here.
For example, the description of a History text written by an atheist would be "A chronicling of the course of history with no mention of any divine guiding hand." The text written by a secularist would be described as "A chronicling of the course of history with no mention of any divine guiding hand." I fail to see a difference. The description of a text written by a Bible believing Christian would be "A chronicling of the course of history explaining God's guiding hand in human events." Very different.
Jesus said in Luke 11:23 "Whoever is not with me is against me." You said yourself that the schools don't teach Christianity. They are not “for” Christ. By Jesus’ definition, then, they are against Him.
“It is from ignorance that anyone in our society would describe public schools [as atheist]”
You know, the ONLY ones I ever hear say this are those who have been through the indoctrination courses we call teacher training. Nobody outside the “forest” of edu-talk believes this for a minute.
“There is a fundamental separation between church & state in our country that protects the religious liberties of all students who attend public school.” and that is why little kids who draw nativities for their Christmas pictures have their pictures confiscated, kids who dress up as Jesus for Halloween are sent home in shame, essays extolling the Christian life are torn up or openly ridiculed, the words husband and wife can no longer be used in California schools whose school bathrooms must now be unisex, counselors drive students to get abortions without parents knowledge, birth control is given away for free, I can go on and on. The fact is that in many schools today Christianity is being openly suppressed and moral relativism (“There is no right and wrong” A belief based squarely on the absence of God) openly taught. In fact, let me ask you where you got the idea that it is ok for a parent to choose bicycles over Christian education? That no one can say anything anyone else is doing is wrong? Don’t those very thoughts come from Atheist relativism? My Bible sure doesn’t say that. It says we are accountable to each other and that we are to help each other see the truth, to follow God’s will. That we are to “bring [our children up] in the nurture (culture) and admonition (education) of the Lord (Ephesians 6).
“That means that they do not teach religious teachings at school.” What teachings are not religious? History is the story of God’s interaction with human kind and the results of our reactions to Him. Science is the study of God’s creation. Math is the language God used to create the universe. Grammar, spelling, speech, art, music are the preparations to spread the gospel as Jesus commanded and the means necessary to worship Him. What exact subject is “not religious?”
“[Religion] should be done at home.” That’s what I am saying:-)
“And, frankly, without public school, many, many students would continue to be abused, sexualized, or hungry.” I have heard this over and over from public school teachers. Do you know where this assumption that parents are inherently evil and will all abuse their children began? With the idea of evolution/socialism; the idea that the common man is stupid and those in power are more “evolved” and thus less animal like and more able to guide society (children) into perfection. Trust me, most parents feed their children. They don’t beat them. They don’t rape them. And for those that do, the schools are not stopping it. In fact, when you consider that over 90% of all parents were raised by the public schools, I think their very failure is a condemnation of the system that produced them. Abusive parents didn’t receive the education they needed to be decent human beings. Whose fault would that be if they receive their education from public schools?
Our original education laws in this country said simply that parents must make sure their children were educated. The ways and means were left up to the parent but if they didn’t educate them, they lost custody. This system produced a 98% literacy rate (1800 US census). Our system is producing 85% at the highest. Similar laws GRADUALLY enacted today would have even better results as we have even more resources (such as this computer).
“All things come from God.” No, they don’t. Some things come from Satan.
“I am not so insecure in my faith, or in my relationship with either God or my children, to believe that what they are learning in school trumps what I teach them in the home.” Interesting. How many hours per week are they in school? How many hours in front of media of some sort? How many hours with peers? And you somehow think you can undo ALL this with a few workbooks. Is one of those supplements you use the Bible? Do your children spend time in His word every day? If they don’t aren’t you teaching them to worship education instead of Him? That human knowledge is more important than knowledge of God?
The fact is (and I can find the studies if you want) that the majority of Christian children coming out of public schools are atheists. The children coming out of homeschools are Christians. There are some exceptions to both, of course, but this is the way the numbers are falling. (I have no data to tell where private schools fall. Wish I did) No matter how hard parents try, they can never completely undo what happens in the school. My own parents were the best, most supportive and attentive parents possible. Yet there were things that happened to us that they never knew about. Things that taught me behavior that I have had to work hard to undo and that has hindered my witness for God.
“I see dysfunction in the classroom as a result of unhealthy homes.” First of all the parents and grandparents of those homes come from public school backgrounds. They obviously were not prepared for adulthood. Secondly, you are totally discounting the effects of peers and media. Most people don’t realize that nearly everyone has been damaged by our system because they have never met anyone who has not been damaged.
No group is immune from jerks, unfortunately. However, homeschool students do better in all studies of education, socialization, and spiritual outcome. This is a verifiable fact. It is also a fact that, though God had the entire tribe of Levi at His disposal, He told Israel to homeschool (Duet 6:7, et al). The Bible is plain that the most important knowledge is the knowledge of God. This knowledge is more than can be learned in Sunday school once per week. It takes a 24/7 instruction.
“There are really wonderful public school teachers.” Yep. My brother is one of them (high school special, special education) He preached Jonathon Edward’s “Sinner In The Hands Of An Angry God” to his class in the name of using original source documents. Brilliant! I wish there were more of you dedicated Christians working in the classrooms. But the final point is, my brother’s children are spending the majority of their waking hours under the authority of people who do not worship the same God he does. And this is somehow ok because tax payers pay for it? (Against the constitution by the way. The Founding Fathers intentionally left education out realizing it was a religious issue) Because a set of atheists shoved it down the throat of the people through donations to the legislators?
“Secondly, it is not your place to condemn, it is God's.” How does God express this condemnation in the Bible? First by sending human beings to preach and warn the people they are displeasing Him. How can people know they are doing wrong if no one tells them? “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14
Those I KNOW PERSONALLY who have their children in public school ARE making excuses. They have the means for private school and they either already have a stay at home mom or could lower their standard of living to bring a parent home and still live higher than I do. And they are not in any way abusive.
“Who are you to judge that the woman who says, "I'm not patient enough" is making an excuse?” I have yet to meet a mom who IS patient enough before she starts homeschooling. This method of education is what God has used to make me and all the other hs moms I know patient.
“Why does it matter to you what other people decide for themselves?” Because I love them and don’t want to see their children go to hell. It is not loving to standby and watch a blind man walk off a cliff. “Oh well. He is free to choose his own path.” God has blessed me with the resources to do the research. He has given me means to share the beautiful truths in His Word. Now, maybe I am still working on making my style match His beauty, but to not share the blessings I have with those able to act on them would be cruel and selfish. God has given me a calling. He has told me to do this. Repeatedly. Scolded me when I was too timid to really say what He has shown me in His word. Am I supposed to shut up because I might hurt someone’s feelings? Because someone might read things into my writing that I am not saying? Because someone may not like me? Do I obey God or man?
“Please do not continue this destructive path of minding everyone else's business instead of your own.” With the exception of the above mention of my brother, I have never mentioned any specific person. I have spoken in generalities. I could have easily used real families in my “two families” post but I didn’t. I am not calling names or telling specific individuals that I even disagree with them (well except my brother, but that is all mutual and done in a spirit of love and even fun.) In fact, none of the families I have in my mind when I write even read this. I am simply obeying God’s command to “write what I tell you to write and say what I tell you to say .” (Repeated Words from God in our services for the last two years!) Honestly, what choice do I have? And this is a voluntary, public blog. I am free to say what I want to and am answerable only to God and everyone is free to read it or not. It isn’t like I am tying anyone up and forcing this on them.
God is providing for your family, absolutely! Second to a family home business you can’t get better job for a single parent than teacher. However, if your church was obeying the word of God, you would not have to work at all. You could focus on your children, not have to undo all the negatives from school everyday. Because God knew your church would not obey, He provided that job for you. But imagine what would happen to the church if they would start doing things God’s way?
“It is my relationship with my God which enables me to experience these blessings.” Absolutely.
God is working with people and I can only hope that the things I write make them think and get their Bibles out to read. I hope I make them pray and challenge them to listen harder. Mostly I hope God uses the things I and others like me write to teach people what His Word says.
I know other’s business is none of my own. As I said, I am not calling names and not sending emails saying “I blogged about you today.” I am putting this up and letting God guide those to it that can use it.
“Please focus on developing yourself and your family, not on how others choose to do so.” Wouldn’t it be selfish of me to not share my path, the results of my study and spare others the work and pain?
You know, blogs are very difficult things to communicate such things as humbleness with. I have been known to cry over blogs. Am nearly doing so now. I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I would rather hurt them then to see them make eternal mistakes that I might could prevent, even if it is through making them mad enough at me to actually read their Bibles.
“Who are you to sit on your computer and attack God's Church instead of becoming His hand or arm and reaching out and changing what is not working?” One, the church can’t change if it doesn’t know it needs to. I have seen marriages destroyed and children lost to the world because modern churches have got this idea that that they are businesses and entertainment centers instead of arms of God called to care for the widow and fatherless. And two, I am the assistant pastor’s wife in our church. I run a homeschool group, am setting up a library of resources for parents, do homeschool (and sometimes other) counseling, have helped feed the poor, visited the sick. I AM doing all I can to help, WHILE homeschooling, homemaking, writing books, running the church website, and a whole lot more I can’t even put on here. Who do you think you are to tell me I am not doing enough? That I am not reaching out enough?
Maybe God called you here to keep me humble. Maybe to let you know that when Christians call people to leave their sins, it is out of love not self-righteousness. I don’t know. He does and that is all that matters:-)
I apologize that the remark sounded snarky. I mean it in sincerity. I would rather think there was some biblical excuse for Christian couples to send their children to non-Christian schools in a country where you won’t go to jail for homeschooling or private schools (like you do in Germany). I wish there was a reason besides “we need a new car.” I have yet to find one biblical one.
“The Apostle Paul says that ALL THINGS WORK FOR GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM!!” Yes, they do. But this does not give us the right to disobey God. Paul addressed that in many of his writings too. We are to live a life as close to how the Bible tells us to as we possibly can. Sometimes life circumstances do interfere, but in most families I PERSONALLY KNOW, it is “lust of the eye, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” that is stopping them from obeying the Bible.
I am in development too. Will be until I die. I know your prayers are sincere. I really do appreciate them. I certainly do need them.