[CS-FSLUG] OT: Home Schooling

[sjm]

On 10/19/2011 02:37 PM, Mark Clayton wrote:
> I now struggle with the idea of home schooling. In the past I was an
> advocate of it. I love that I can control what, how and when my kids will
> learn. But I am very uncomfortable with the isolation it encourages. There
> are so may opportunities for me, my wife and my kids to be salt and light
> via public schooling. But for the record I don't have kids yet, but we're
> working on it!

Let me start out that my wife and I have discussed homeschooling at 
various times.  Our school age children have attended missionary schools 
and are now in public school.  We have quite a few good friends that are 
home schooling their kids and are strong advocates of it.

Having thought about it a bit from both sides, I'll provide a 
counterpoint to the discussion so far.  I don't want to get in a great 
debate and much less an argument, but feel it worth it to raise some 
other issues to be thought about for those trying to form an opinion in 
the matter.

There is a tendency for home schooling to take you "out of the loop" so 
to speak.  While there are many opportunities for social interaction as 
already mentioned, how many of those are within the circle of other home 
school families?  How much does the family "withdraw" from society?  In 
the families we know, there are various levels of this.  Some have 
basically gone off to a commune to live with others.  It seems others 
only are active within their home school group or church.

It was mentioned that the schools have your kids 5-6 hours a day.  The 
family actually has the kids more.  The key is involvement in the kids 
lives.  Obviously home schooling requires involvement, but there can be 
almost as much involvement with kids going to other schools too.  It was 
mentioned that "contrasting the incorrect with the correct is an 
important element of education."  If the parents are involved, they can 
extend the education by showing the differences from what they hear at 
school.  And, if it really is an "important element of education" there 
actually might be more chances of this with the kids going to public school.

I, personally, am glad that God didn't "home school" and keep his kid at 
home.  He sent his Son into a hostile environment (Earth) amongst 
hostile people (us humans) to bring his light and love amongst us.  Are 
we not called to do the same?  To take us the cross and follow him? 
Could part of the "cross" be to forgo home schooling to build 
relationships/bridges to the lost and hurting of this world?

Each one will have to answer that and reconcile it with how God has 
called them to live while on this world.

One might even be able to say that this screwed-up, messed-up world is 
our training ground for the future heaven and earth.  Are we called to 
"home school" withdrawing from this training ground (this world) in 
order to prepare for the future with God or are we called to the "public 
schools" of the world's environment for that training?

In the end, I'm not going to be one to judge whether one should home 
school or not.  I think the key ingredient is involvement in your kids' 
education in either case.  It's up to each family before God to decide 
whether to home school or not.   But I do think it should be done BEFORE 
GOD and seeking him on the matter and not just following social pressure 
from either side of the debate.

A few thoughts, anyway.

sjm