“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5,6
There are many wondering just what to do about the education of their children due to the turmoil produced by the coronavirus. There seems to be no end to discussion as to what is best for both the students and teachers. Perhaps the situation provides a good time to evaluate whether we should start home schooling those gifted to us by God to raise for His glory.
Having been involved in education most of my life, I presume to have some thoughts for consideration. First, public education has not been doing a great job for some time. Second, the Internet provides a wealth of information needed and is easily accessible. Third, excellent curriculum materials are now available for home schooling. Fourth, many homeschoolers are banding together for sports, music, etc. to provide for social needs.
Although there are many good public schools still available, some have become channels for propaganda and are no longer emphasizing the teaching of basic math, writing, and reading. There are many teachers, who may be in otherwise “good” schools, who are teaching with an agenda. Believe me, it is impossible to not let one’s opinion come through in teaching. It is done with selection of material to cover, tone of voice, facial expressions, etc.
Some may feel incapable of teaching needed subject matter. Never before have we had so much knowledge available for help. Almost any subject can be researched on the Internet. Some homeschoolers group together to access the talents of others where they feel inadequate. Excellent curriculum materials offer good explanations that help the parent as well as the student. A search on the Internet will reveal materials available for home schooling as well as information about home school groups in specific areas.
The old idea that home schooled children miss out on social activities no longer holds true. Not only are there many groups of homeschoolers banding together, but those who do so often have the same ideals and values. This may assure that children have a good selection of friends that can be a positive influence.
Home schooling is not for everyone, but it seems that in so many cases parents are being forced to do so using the public school curriculum. It would seem that if one has to do the teaching anyway, it might be wise to examine the curriculum of home schooling and teach at one’s own pace. Much of the curriculum is Bible-based making it a sure way to teach the Bible to our children as well as seeing they are properly educated.
It would be well for parents to pray and seek God’s will about the education of their children. The Bible tells us that children are a gift from God. We need to treat that gift as God would have us. In my opinion, homeschooling is certainly worth looking into. Ultimately, the education of children is the responsibility of the parents.