This was a question from last week and one that was answered by several people. I think it's the most important question from this reading and since we haven't started the next section yet, I thought this worth belaboring.
I was rocking Jonah to sleep tonight, just for fun, and in my mind I was thinking about this question and what I would purpose to have the education I will give him effect in him. I was thinking about the state of the world and all the unknowns. We think teaching our kids to think is important and it is, teaching them how to learn, teaching them research and writing skills so that whatever comes along later they will be able to pick up and learn on their own and explain to others - all of these are important. But I am thinking of a little bigger picture, and one that I believe a complete reading of Charlotte Mason's whole series shows is her big picture too. What if our world goes to war? What if America crumbles tomorrow and all the Christians are sent to prison camps? What if China takes over and our children are in brainwashing sessions to teach them the ways of communism? Having taught them to think well for themselves will be helpful, certainly, to help them see through the lies, but I don't think it is a sufficient goal of education. In Haiti right now, if you were a mother crushed under the rubble and realized your children would survive, would you be thinking, "I hope they know how to learn"? The reason we are homeschooling, and the reason for those who aren't but are home with their children at this point, should not be to give our children a superior education. It should be to give them a solid faith.
Deuteronomy talks about teaching the laws of God to your children when you sit down, when you rise up, when you walk by the way - that is why we are with our kids 24/7 - not because we want them to get a good SAT score or be able to pick up and learn anything they want - and it's not because we love changing diapers or find a secret thrill in getting vomited on. It's because God has given these kids specifically to us as parents and He has given them with the trust that we are going to lay our lives down to bring them to the feet of the cross.
What should our goal of education be? It's to sing the praises of the Lord to the next generation. What do we propose that education will effect in our children? The ability to sing His praises to the next generation after that. What do we propose it will effect for our children? An eternal, internal strength that will give them hope in a world of tragedy, joy in a world of sorrow, and marble faith in a triune God in a world of pluralism and heathenism. I don't really care if my children fail the SAT. I do care if they think it's okay to not give a clerk back an extra quarter.
I think most of us would agree on this as our final goal. But let's not get distracted even for a minute thinking that academics are more important. If we lose sight of our goal of helping our children be like Christ even for a couple of hours, we're in trouble. If studying so hard for a science test means Jonah starts to snap at Betsy unkindly for making noise, out the door goes the science test. If getting a good score on a paper makes my kids prideful and cocky, I won't show them their scores (I know my mom rarely did!). I'm trying to help them towards godliness, not intelligence.
So, there's my two cents. Anyone else have any thoughts?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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7 comments:
This was a great post. I agree with you that the goal of a child's education should not simply be for him to get good grades, or even to learn how to think for himself, but to develop a solid faith. This faith then prepares him for life, and should teach him to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength" and "love your neighbor as yourself." If academics interfere with that, then the first goal, the bigger picture, of education is lost.
I agree. Knowing and loving God, trusting Him above all else (even and especially more than his parents) is the #1 goal. Academics can be taught in a school.
I was private elementary, public high school, private college educated and my husband was 100% public school educated until college where he chose private. We both received great educations and learned to read, write, study, learn, etc. But, because of our parents (and to some extent our churches and other teachers) we have our background in the Bible and the truths of God. Even in a private, Christian school you can't get that the same way you get it from your family.
Regardless of what school our children do or don't eventually attend, a true knowledge of God and a reliance on Him above all else is what will carry them far beyond "traditional educational subject matter" ever could.
One point I wouldn't agree with...
I wouldn't agree that if studying for a science test makes a child snap at someone else then the science test has to go out the window. Rather, I would agree with the sentiment behind that statement. If studying is making a child snap or act out it would be important to address the issue how to properly deal with stress. Yes, maybe take a break, relax, refresh....but still study, fulfill your responsibility. There will be plenty of times in life where stressful situations can't just be thrown out the window (like the stress and sleepless nights of having a newborn). I want my children to know how to deal with those stressors in a way that continues to honor God while fulfilling their duties*.
*disclaimer - if a child is overburdened and stressed by too many activities that are unnecessary that is a different discussion and perhaps something should be thrown out the window
Ditto on disagreeing with the science test example. Also, I don't think it's fair to imply that the previous comments were just focusing on academics (especially as relates to the SAT), or that intelligence is separate from godliness. When I say I want my kids to be able to learn, think, and analyze ideas from a Christian worldview, I am presupposing that they have their theology (both faith and practice) in order. Without the knowledge (what you're calling intelligence or academics) to back up her faith, that faith will either be misguided or not able to withstand confrontation. After all, the kids won't know to give the extra quarter back to the clerk if someone doesn't teach them to count money.
Can the old lady speak? I am coming from a totally different place and different experience from you guys, but possibly some of the history of homeschooling will help clarify things. Here is my perspective: In the early 80's, when we started to homeschool, the public schools were already entrenched in secularism. The Christian school movement had been in full swing for about a decade, but their results were not much better than the public school when it came to producing life-time faith in their students. My comtemporaries, what are often referred to as the first generation homeschoolers kind of "rediscovered" the Biblical command to "train up a child in the way he should go". Suddenly Deuteronomy 6 called us!! You can't fulfill the command to teach God's Word to your children when you sit, when you walk, when you lie down, and when you rise if your children are not with you for eight hours a day while they attend school! God had given parent's the job and the authority to teach their own children and we had "subcontracted" it out for others to do for us. Suddenly, God's plan for the family was clear to us and, even though homeschooling was still illegal in most states, we made the very difficult decision that it we had to obey God rather than man. Countless families of our generation had their children removed temporarily from their homes while they fought truancy charges in the legal system. State by state families fought for the right to keep their children home and teach them themselves because we truly believed that we could not obey God's command any other way. For Steve and I personally, we made the decision to homeschool before it became legal in Minnesota. We knew two families who were homeschooling at that time, who kept their children hidden as much as they could in order to avoid drawing any attention to themselves. When the school census taker came to our door, we refused to give them any information on how many children were living in our house. Steve and I would lie in bed at night and make escape plans if we were prosecuted. Could we send them to Christian school temporarily while we figured out how we could move out of state? Were we willing to be the ones who were dragged in to court? Fortunately for us, a family in our town was charged with truancy just as Micah reached the age of compulsory attendance. They were taken to the state supreme court and won the case. Homeschooling then became legal in Minnesota. With the legality issue solved, things were still not that easy. Funny as it seems, textbook companies were not willing to sell books to homeschoolers. Even the Christian companies weren't that keen on us. We had to "name" our school and make letterhead in order to carry on correspondence with these companies and order materials. Our school was named "Little Flock Christian School" in reference to the Bible verse that tells us to "tend to the flock that is in our care". We taught with no outside help, very little curriculum, and no real prospect of success. We were told that if we stopped homeschooling our children would be put back in kindergarten when we tried to enroll them in public school. No college anywhere was open to accepting a student that did not come with an accredited high school diploma. When we chose to homeschool, we made the decision that we were willing to have our children walk outside of the educational circles and live without the "financial" success that would bring to them. We chose Godliness and obedience to God's commands over future possibilities for our children. What transpired over the next ten years or so was amazing. It turns out that an education that focuses on the Word of God and training in godliness, performed by God's sanctioned and intended teachers, (the parents), is the perfect environment for success.
We had no intention of producing high-achievers. We were concerned about our children's souls. I think most of us thought that with our limited funds and supplies we were not going to do as good a job as the schools did, but we had decided that it would do them no good to gain the whole world if they lost their own souls, so we made the difficult choice. As the statistics began to be gathered and things became clear as the years went by, we were astounded at what had taken place. God had blessed what we were doing. We gave up everything, and He gave it all back to us. Another twenty some years have passed since then. Homeschoolers have proven themselves to be good students and have been welcomed into schools, colleges, and the military. Not only are they now allowed in, they are often sought after. It is really a miracle that it turned out that way. But corruption has come in. Those high academic scores and the success of previous home schoolers has now become a goal for parents. Often, instead of being single-minded and striving for godliness in their children, the water has gotten a little muddied with people having a desire for godliness, but at the same time having a "good education" as one of their main reasons for homeschooling. It seems very subtle, it is the tiniest shift, but if you are one degree off at the start, you will be many degrees off at the end. I can't caution you young mothers enough on this point. Many years ago Inge Cannon used to give a talk called "Tearing down the high places". I can't even retell the Bible story completely anymore, but it was when the children of Israel had done one of their "turning back to God" moves, but they still had altars to false gods in place up in the mountains. God commanded them to tear down the altars in the high places. We, especially we who have come through the education system, have "high places" in our thinking and in our desires. When we answer our child's questions while we are telling him the stories of the Bible and teaching him the songs of Christianity and spending joyful times together as a family, we are training in Godliness. When we wonder how many verses other people's children can recite, or stress that our four year old can't read, we are worshiping in the high places. I could give more examples, but these are matters of the heart. Throughout your entire parenting career, you have to be constantly on guard for motives that stray from the true goal. Godliness brings proper and God-given success with it, success does not bring Godliness with it. Never, ever let yourself compare your child with others. Does he know or do more than the others? That is so dangerous. Be faithful to your own task, prayerfully carrying out your duties each day, and pray for the success of everyone around you. I wonder if I am getting my point across. Teach your children to be good thinkers, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, because it is godly. Don't teach them to be good thinkers so they can be or do better. The HOly Spirit will teach you the difference, and you will find yourself caught in the trap many times over the years, but always be watchful. Umm. I will post this and see if I think of any more to say.
I deleted my last comment--oops! What I was saying was. . .
For the record, Mrs. V., I was under the impression that speaking up to our age group was part of your current job description, and I was waiting to hear what you had to say. :-)
Thanks for clearing the path for our generation.
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