A dear friend of mine is a homeschooler and passed on a book to me about homeschooling this past Sunday. I read it very quickly as it is subject of supreme interest to me. Brandon and I have been discussing how we would educate Noah before he was even born. Sure, we have some time to figure this out still, but time flies and we do not take his education lightly. Brandon and I were both public schooled. So, we don't have any real personal insight into how Christian school or homeschooling might be better or worse for Noah. I personally received a great education from my public school, but certainly it was a secular education.
What we want most is what is most glorifying to God and most beneficial to Noah's soul and mind. We aren't sold that public school is the answer, but neither are we sold on Christian schooling or homeschooling.
In R.C. Sproul Jr.'s book, When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling
, homeschooling is put in a light that I have not seen any of my Pastors or Elders hold homeschooling to. Sproul's argument is that in order to be faithful to scripture and God's commands to Christian parents, one is obligated to homeschool his children. I know a lot of godly people and a lot of homeschoolers, but I have never heard someone put so bluntly that sending your child to public or Christian school was abdicating your responsibility as a parent. Sproul continues to argue that it is no one's place other than a parent's to educate their children. Sproul uses Deuteronomy 6 as his primary source as to why we are to homeschool as opposed to any other form of schooling. Specifically verse 6 of chapter 6 is his main focus: You shall teach them [commandments] diligently to your sons 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 up. While I appreciate Sproul's vigor in making his arguments and agreed with many his points about schooling, I did not agree with his overall thesis. The first point he argues, that character is more important than knowledge is one that I can concur. I would much rather my son go to heaven than be smart. I think deep down inside we all feel this way, even if we are not living this way. But his second, more strongly stated point, that homeschooling is the only way of obeying God in educating children, goes a little off the deep end for me. Sproul is so enthused about his belief in homeschooling, that he argues that if you are a parent that entitles you to the ability to teach your children; that if you don't understand a subject area, skip it because it's not that important; and (by way of a personal example) if a child is unable to read by the age of 9 it's not a sign of failure if he/she shows signs of godliness.
Again, I agree with Sproul that godliness is more important to cultivate than book intelligence, but how is outsourcing my children to others wrong when I am obviously failing my child in head knowledge and others are better equipped to handle this work?
I do give Sproul props for addressing most people's issues with homeschooling. He doesn't avoid the common questions of socialization issues and the burden of homeschooling. However, I don't agree with all of his answers. Sproul addresses the question of, "what about the poor? Don't they need access to free education?" Sproul's answer is no, that even in tough situations and parents without proper education themselves, they are still called to educate their own children. I think this is a ridiculous answer and a short-sighted answer. If Mom and Dad are illiterate (assuming there is a mom AND a dad), how are they going to be capable of teaching their children. What about mental health issues present in parents? What about single moms who work 60 hours a week? I know I sound like a liberal asking the specific regarding a general statement, but I found no wiggle room in Sproul's book. To Sproul, homeschooling equals obeying God and all other forms of education fall short of honoring God.
Sproul Jr. and I agree that God does command me to educate Noah about God. That in all I do and say around Noah, I should be educating my son about God. However, I am not so much convinced that word of God is compelling me to teach my son about calculus because frankly, I know nothing about calculus (sorry Dr. Saunders!). If Noah, however, excels in math, why would I just "skip that subject?" Isn't my ignorance hindering Noah's calling from God to be a mathematician (whether or not that his call who knows)? Many of my homeschooling friends do co-ops or will bring in tutors to cover subjects that they are unable to teach. I do not see a difference in this and sending them to a Christian school (or even many public schools).
I would recommend Sproul Jr.'s book to you because it is written from a perspective that I have heard few utter before. I also suspect that many homeschooling parents feel the same way Sproul does, they just don't have the audacity to say it aloud or, more permanently, write it in ink. Perhaps one day I feel differently about this book, maybe after making schooling decisions for Noah I will be more like Sproul, but on this day, I stand in disagreement with his conclusions. This, however, does not mean that Brandon and I will not homeschool. We very well may. When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling
just brings us no closer or farther away from our decision. How do you feel about homeschooling? What has informed your decisions on how to educate your children?
7 comments:
If only most Christian households had the ability to stay home and raise their children up in a godly way... Dave and I were talking about this the other day and how we know homeschoolers that turn out to be very awkward but are strong in their faith. But then you have ones who went to public school and did not have to delve into bad ways in order to know what is right because of the teachings of the church.
I think it is important to have your child being raised on good teachings and especially before they enter into a public school and could be easily swayed. But also make sure they get that time with other kids so they can develop their personality and have the chance to see God's creation :)
As a homeschooler, I have to agree with you, Lauren. I don't believe that no other adults should have input into my children's lives. In fact, I think it is a very dangerous thing to teach our children that Mom and Dad are the only ones with the authority and understanding to address their needs. Would Mr. Sproul frown at the idea of Sunday School? Probably. As a parent, I am thankful for the reinforcement of what I teach by others who love my children enough to teach them those same things. And, yes, I have many weaknesses and blind spots. I need the help of others in instructing my children.
Thanks for the review!
I love your new background :-). And I think Amanda stated what I feel as well -- this as someone who was homeschooled: that it is wise to be very grateful for those who can help us and to try to use that help wisely. We are all bad influences to at least some degree because we are all still being saved from our sins; and an overprotective mentality seems to necessarily operate with something of a blind spot to this -- potentially as damaging as anything in other forms of education. I do very much admire the dedication of homeschooling parents, even those whose philosophy I disagree with, and pray God will bless such an admirable heart for their childrens spiritual welfare in spite of what I believe sometimes to be a wrong -- almost salvific -- emphasis on homeschooling (no, I can't see in Scripture that learning Trigonometry at home is an ordained means of grace :-). I think it is very good to remember (not as license, but as comfort) in these sorts of discussions that He always blesses in spite of us, whatever the schooling situation -- it's a wonderful thing that God's covenantal mercy to children's children is just as free as it was to their parents, and just as unmerited by anyone but Christ.
I was homeschooled from 5th to 10th grade, and to be honest, I wish that my parents would have sent me to a Christian or public school. Without having many opportunities to form relationships with other kids, I was socially awkward and unexperienced. When I would have the chance to spend time with kids at church, it was difficult for me to relate with them since our lives were so different. Also, I ended up having trouble academically in my college education. I wasn't used to sitting in lectures or having different teachers- I didn't know what to expect or how to interact with them in a purposeful way. My parents had weaknesses in teaching certain subjects which I later had a lot of trouble on, one of them being writing papers. I think that homeschooling can have good benefits, but socially it might not be the best for the child.
I agree with what everyone has said. We considered homeschooling for at least preschool and kindergarten, since I'm technically "qualified" to do that, but since I know we're likely to max out at 2 kids, I'd rather they had the opportunity to interact with others, both peers and adults. Our society today is more insular than in the past, when homeschooling was more common, and we don't have the same opportunity for socialization as we once did. Our plan is to send our kids to a quality public school, and teach morals at home.
Hi Lauren -
We've been h-sing for over 20 years, and I also agree with you. Deut. 6 gives parents the ultimate responsibility for discipling and training their children, but they may choose to delegate some of this role to others. We certainly are very thankful for the input of so many other adults in the lives of our children - both academically and spiritually. Tim and I feel very strongly that parenting trumps school choice in raising children.
I really think it is a question of wisdom, but that being said, I can't understand why anyone would voluntarily send their kids to public school today. I have a teaching degree, and it was well over a decade ago that I did my student teaching (and have subbed since then). If it is anything like it was then (and I'm sure it's worse), I won't be sending my own kids there to spend 6+ hours a day, 180 days a week. I could probably write a book as to why, but here are some recent examples:
Before last Christmas, I was standing in the checkout line at the grocery store. The check-out lady was praising the "diversity" of her daughter's public school while telling the customer in front of me that they taught the kids how to make Islamic "prayer rugs."
Fast forward to last night: Nick and I took the boys to the park, along with a neighbor girl who just finished kindergarten. I said, "Ruth Ann, tell me about what you learned in school this past year?" I thought she was going to talk about letters and numbers and such. But she promptly replied, "Oh...stuff about keeping the earth clean.."
Ugh.
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