Even so, I still think he’s crazy
Ξ May 14th, 2008 | → 17 Comments | ∇ Homeschool Stuff |
The first time I heard about someone my age who was planning on homeschooling his kids, I thought he was crazy.
It was a friend in grad school, engaged to a girl who had been homeschooled. I had never met her, but he told me all about how they were going to have a room with desks and a chalkboard and it was going to be just like school, during school hours, five days a week, with their kids having to raise their hands to ask questions.
They were considering getting a bell.
I was less than impressed by the idea.
I got married three days after I finished grad school and then we moved to San Diego. Our new church asked us to help them start up a college ministry, and then one day we were called to come to an emergency meeting with the high schoolers.
Andy Williams had walked out of the boys bathroom and opened fire, killing two students and wounding thirteen.
I talked with one girl who was standing with her friends, facing the bathroom. She saw the boy next to her get shot. She was so scared that she just froze, with another friend yelling at her to get down.
We worked with them for several more months before we were transferred to Japan. In preparing to move, I knew that Isaac would be very busy with his new job and I would be friendless, family-less and jobless in a foreign country, so I went to the bookstore and stocked up on a ton of books.
A lot of the books I just grabbed without thinking about it much. I think there were probably 15 or more that I bought that day. I bought one about the Columbine High School shooting. I bought several about marriage, some Beth Moore, one or two Christian fiction, and one about homeschooling.
I didn’t get to the homeschooling book for quite a while. I think it was the last book I read, and I wondered to myself why in the world I had bought it. I think I was mostly looking for more ammunition that my friend was making a really bad decision by homeschooling his kids, along with the idea that maybe it was safer than public school, but I really didn’t think it would be something I’d ever do.
Instead, my interest was caught. I learned that people who do school at home, as my friend was planning, are in the minority. As I learned about the different styles of homeschooling, it just sounded so…fun. I read about children being able to follow their interests, learning survival skills and flying and cooking, and incorporating math and physics and history into those interests.
I thought about my school experience. As an elementary student I was often sent to the one computer in the class to play games because I finished my work early. In high school I got to skip several finals because my grade in the class was over 100%. In Chemistry I sat in the back of the class with the JV football team and after the teacher taught the lesson, I re-taught it to them in a way they could understand. After my SAT scores became known, our English teacher had me helping her prepare the other students for their SAT’s.
And I had forgotten most of what I had learned. School had taught me to memorize and then forget, and I most definitely did not learn to think deeply or to work hard, much less find an interest I was passionate about and pursue it.
I started sharing the statistics in the book with Isaac. Homeschooled children had higher standardized test scores, had a higher rate of college acceptance, and, despite the many doubts people have, studies have shown them to be better socialized.
I started reading every homeschooling book I could find. As I shared what I learned we both became convinced that homeschooling provided a better quality education. And what finally convinced us was when we started looking at the spiritual side.
Almost 90% of evangelical children will leave the church when they leave our homes.
But that number changes when you break it down by how they are schooled. Children who go to private school have a lower percent who will leave the church.
Children who are homeschooled?
Over 90% of them stay in the church.
Of course, just going to church doesn’t guarantee that they are following their faith, but it is a good sign.
Let me take a break here and say that I don’t believe EVERY Christian has to homeschool. However, I do think every Christian should seriously and prayerfully consider it, and then do as they are led by God.
I had always known that God has charged us with the spiritual development of our children, but what I had never really thought about was that children are gone away at school for 6-8 hours a day, plus they have homework, so the time we get with our children who are schooled out of the home is the leftover time, at the end of the day when everyone is tired.
And all those school hours? Are spent in an institution that is not religiously neutral, but is openly hostile to the Christian faith. Many of those hours are also wasted. Homeschooling takes less time, and leaves more free time for play, family and personal interests.
We’re still early in our homeschooling journey. Chloe is doing kindergarten work, but the public school system would consider her a preschooler because her birthday falls in November. We do school when we feel like it. We play when we don’t. I am having to grow in personal discipline because I would be perfectly happy reading and scrapbooking all day while my children are away at school. I might have a cleaner house and fewer laundry piles. Routines and schedules don’t come naturally to me, but “me-time” does! And as the kids get older I know I’ll have to be working on that. Right now I love cuddling up on the couch and reading together. I love it when Chloe is so proud of herself when she reads an entire book with no help from me. When we all rush to the computer to figure out what kind of lizard we just caught. That we have time for daily devotionals and dancing in the living room and tea parties. That my children are best friends and math is a fun game to play. That everyone gets excited when a new box of school books comes in the mail.
But you’ll never see me with desks lined up in a row facing the chalkboard and the kids longing for the bell to ring.
Because I still think that’s crazy.
on May 14th, 2008 at 11:51 am
This is so interesting and insightful. Thank you for taking the time to share this!
on May 14th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Wow. This has really challenged and inspired me today. I have been thinking about homeschooling for a while, even thinking about it this morning. The benefits to it are so appealing. I guess one my reasons causing me to be reluctant is it just sounds like so much effort. But I bet it’s worth it. Thank you. -Rachel
on May 14th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I loved homeschooling when we were able to do it. Some days I even miss homeschooling my kids. Kudos for being willing to sacrifice what it takes to be a homeschooling mom!
on May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Well said! The home school experience has been a joy for us. The hard days where we all Hate Each Other are more than balanced out by the days where we learn from each other.
on May 14th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
This was really good. I didn’t know what encouraged you towards homeschooling. And I would agree that I couldn’t do the “school at home” thing. The first homeschoolers we were inspired by did that and, although I highly admired them and their children, I knew there was NO WAY I could do that. It really turned me off from homeschooling… until I discovered there were other ways! Fun ways!
on May 14th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
I am not a hs’er and chances are we won’t, however I enjoy reading perspectives from those that do it. And through blogging, I have taken off my mask of judgement and really learned a lot from many hs bloggers.
You spoke about it in a nice and simple way and once again, confirmed that not all hs’ers are, well, kooky!
on May 14th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I am totally impressed by homeschoolers. In fact, I am inspired by my home schooler friends.
on May 15th, 2008 at 12:18 am
My siblings and I were all homeschooled, and I loved it. We were more “school on the living room floor with your knees tucked in your pajama shirt” than “teacher at the front writing on a blackboard” though, for sure. We were pretty chill about it.
on May 15th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Great post!
on May 15th, 2008 at 10:38 am
If the Christian school that my children attend (and I work) wasn’t available, I would definitely be homeschooling. It is a scary thought though, not having that 7 hour break from the oldest ones during the day.
I congratulate you on your patience.
on May 15th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I really enjoyed reading this. Homeschooling is something my husband and I have talked a great deal about. Our 4 year old is currently in a 2 day a week Christian Pre-school and she loves it and is learning so much, but I don’t know what will happen year after next, if we’ll put her in ‘school’ or if I’ll homeschool her. Thank you for writing this. It was a wonderfully informative read.
on May 18th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Good luck Christy! I really hope it works for you. I beleive it CAN work for the right family. I really wanted it to work for us and I really tried. But now is just not that right time. I am open to someday trying again, but for now my kids need to be in school and I need to be home ALONE! I am looking forward to the summer and still think I have the homeschooling spirit, but it takes more then I can currently give. I have so much admiration and respect for the families that make it work.
on May 19th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I was homeschooled from 2nd through graduation and believe that it helped me greatly during college and even after with my organizational and time management skills (obviously not my run on sentences though!) The funny thing is that I am now an elementary teacher and have never considered homeschooling my own kids. No thanks! I guess I sort of feel that I will always be involved in my own kids education, but as a teacher I have the change to change other kids lives who do not have the support at home. Kudos to you for homeschooling. Definitley when done right it can do wonders!!
on May 19th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Wow…I can’t believe I’m about to say this…but I think I want to go find a book on homeschooling! I too have a friend who homeschools who I think is a little crazy (and a little undisciplined in her approach to it), and before reading your post would NEVER have given it a second thought. But you described me when you were talking about your own school experience (minus the SAT’s…since we don’t have them in Canada, LOL). ANd I still don’t have anything I’m passionate about…but I cam memorize with the best of them and get straight A’s no problem. Could it really be because the school system didn’t challenge me? Any recommendations for books on homeschooling? Obviosuly I have more than a few years to think about this…can’t wait to hear my hubby tell me I’m crazy
on May 27th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
[...] As for the homeschooling vs. regular schooling, when you first posed this questions I would have said 100% for sure, without-a doubt-in-my-mind regular schooling. I had absolutely zero interest in homeschooling. Why would I want to be Nate’s teacher?? I’m already his Mom and that is a hard enough job. But then Christy posted this. [...]
on May 28th, 2008 at 11:16 am
NIce post.
I will not be able to HOmeschool due to my family and working situation, BUT I am, and always will be highly involved in my child’s education. When together at home we spend time focusing on her interests, and helping her lean towards what inspires her. Parents are a child’s first and best teacher.
on May 29th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Great post! I love your honesty in saying “me” time comes naturally to you! I definitely share that feeling – I would find it so easy to fill my days with my kids in school, the knitting and scrapping and reading I could do LOL. As it is, I am finding I really enjoy the homeschooling too and it’s getting easier as we go.