A Thanksgiving Reading For Home Educators
In the U.S., one of the few holidays on the calendar that has not been stripped of its biblical and historical significance is Thanksgiving. It is still vital, however, for Christian home educators to continue to celebrate and promote this most excellent holiday before the face of their communities in order that this special celebration will remain centered on giving thanks to God for His manifold blessings.
The text that follows, originally written in the nineteenth century by Mr. F.W. Greenwood, would make an excellent reading for home school families during the Thanksgiving season. A true Thanksgiving celebration, after all, is not complete unless families take the time to come together, in spite of their busy schedules, to sing praises to the God of their fathers and to talk of the ways in which the Lord has blessed and moved in the past. If you are determined to make this Thanksgiving season one of genuine spiritual significance, then by all means take the time to sing praises to the God of all grace and read portions of the Holy Scripture to your family. In addition, set aside time to share readings with your children like the one listed below, so they will learn more about the faith of their pilgrim and puritan forefathers …the ones who originally established the thanksgiving tradition. Continue reading 'A Thanksgiving Reading for Home Educators'»
The home school movement in the United States is now entering its second generation phase. The pioneers who began to home school during the 1970’s are, for the most part, finished with the task of teaching their own children and are now watching them marry and have children of their own. It is entirely likely, however, that many of the parents who are just beginning their home school journey will be unaware of the significant price that was paid by home school pioneers to make home education possible. For this reason, I am concerned that home educators today may be tempted to think that the right to home school has always been easy to pursue without legal harassment. Continue reading 'The Struggle for Home School Liberty'»
A great deal has been written in recent years regarding the need to re-unite the family and the church. This plea should come as no surprise to anyone who has taken the effort to notice how much the modern church has been influenced by secular culture, and how little time is spent by parents to give young people a biblical view of the church. Leaders in the home education community such as Doug Phillips, as well as popular Christian speakers like Ken Ham, have openly addressed the fact that an unprecedented number of children from God-fearing households are electing to leave the church. The growing problem of young people from Christian homes feeling alienated from the body of Christ is indeed real, and this negative development must be addressed by parents as well as church leaders without delay. Continue reading 'Helping Children to Esteem the Church'»
It has been my observation, after working in the field of home education for over thirty years, that most fathers are not really sure how they fit in the puzzle called home schooling. In fact, a significant number of dads that I have spoken to over the years, do not appear to be persuaded that they even have a primary function in the process of home education.
Fathers who find it difficult to become fully invested in the commitment of home education, commonly struggle for the following two reasons: Continue reading 'The Father’s Role In Home Education'»
Every Lesson Needs A Target or Goal
In marksmanship training, students are commonly taught how to properly acquire their target, or to take aim. Junior marksmen also learn how to pursue every shot with care and deliberation, while they remain focused on their target. A popular saying that has been utilized by both archery and rifle instructors over the years is, “Aim small, miss small.” This old phrase is meant to remind students that if they set their sights on the smallest spot in the center of their target, they are far less likely to miss their mark by a wide margin.
The principles of marksmanship training also have relevance in the realm of education in general, as well as in home teaching in particular; for no instructor will be able to achieve excellence unless he knows how to set clear goals for each of his lessons. Teaching, after all, is never an end in itself; but always a means to the end that certain valuable skills and information can be imparted. Instructors who make the effort to clearly define the goal or goals that they have for each lesson will, therefore, be in a much better position to achieve success in the teaching process. One reason this is true, stems from the fact that when a teacher knows where he is taking his students, he is also in a much better position to intelligently arrange the means that are necessary to ensure that pupils actually comprehend each lesson. Continue reading 'Every Lesson Needs A Target or Goal'»
Hope for the Weary Home Educator
My wife and I have been teaching our children at home for over two decades. Even though we are clearly in the ranks of “seasoned” home educators, it is still common for us to question whether our efforts are truly enriching our family and forging godly character traits in our children. This self-examination process is, in our view, a necessary endeavor for the simple reason that home education is not an end in itself. In other words, we did not start our family in order to enrich a home school program; rather, we elected to pursue home schooling because we sincerely believed that it would help us to establish a Christ-honoring household by the grace of God. Continue reading 'Hope for the Weary Home Educator'»
Homeschooling Decently And In Order
The purpose of this article is to challenge parents to home school in a disciplined and orderly manner, for it is my sincere belief that only a structured approach to home schooling is consistent with biblical standards. This message is born out of a desire to see more parents prosper in their commitment to home school by adopting or maintaining approaches to learning that are true to Holy Scripture.
Continue reading 'Running the Homeschool Race'»
Establishing A Home School Routine
The task of home education presents some unique challenges to parents who are involved in the teaching process. Perhaps the most difficult part of the routine of many home educators, is the daily struggle to try to be all things to everyone who is in need. Parent educators, by the very nature of their calling, must multi-task on a regular basis for when the school bell rings there is no way for them to shut themselves off from all so-called distractions.
Continue reading 'Establishing a Home School Routine'»
Teaching Methods From Deuteronomy
One of the most frequently quoted portions of Holy Scripture among Christian home educators is Deuteronomy 6:4-9. In these verses, the Lord gives a clear command for parents to diligently teach their children the whole of God’s precepts and commandments throughout the course of each day. In particular, verses six and seven state: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
What is obvious from this passage, is that Almighty God desires for parents to diligently and regularly instruct their covenant children in the truth of God’s Word in order that they may be prepared to walk righteously as lights in a dark and fallen world. What is less obvious, however, is how God directs parents to accomplish the noble and vital task of biblical child training. The Lord simply directs parents to walk and talk with their children throughout the hours of each day in order that they may teach them how to apply the truth of God’s Word to the issues of life.
“Wait a minute!” you may say. “The greatest duty of parenting can’t be summed up that simply, … or can it?” Too often Christian parents, including those involved in home education, imagine that the process of imparting spiritual and moral truth must be accomplished in some sort of rigid manner, complete with plenty of formal classes and workbooks. Now, it is undoubtedly true that most parents will find that they can accomplish some aspects of their training more efficiently through the utilization of Bible study texts and supplemental resources such as maps, flashcards, charts, etc. The true issue or concern, however, is not about books or the value of formal class work. The point that parents need to grasp, regardless of whether they elect to use Bible study texts or classes, is that the most important aspect of biblical training was never designed by Almighty God to be limited to or governed by man-made books or study programs. The Lord, after all, gave children to parents, and it is His intention that they take an active and personal role in the spiritual development of their offspring.
Continue reading 'Teaching Methods From Deuteronomy'»
We periodically add a post that was published in a previous version of The Christian Educator, before it became a blog. The following article originally appeared in Volume 1, Issue 1 of The Christian Educator.
In early June, 2006, the United States Senate rejected a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that was designed to protect the institution of marriage by defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. This legislative proposal was put forth by politicians who were seeking to raise a standard against the growing efforts of those that are intent on redefining marriage to include “same sex” partners. The mere fact that such a bill was even deemed necessary, reveals the extent of the current crisis and further clarifies just how intent the forces of darkness are in trying to undermine the God-ordained institution of marriage.
As a Christian home school dad, I have watched the intensity of the attack upon the foundation of the family in the U.S. and abroad increase significantly in recent years and have sought the Lord’s wisdom as to how to respond. As usual, the Lord reminded me to take direction and comfort from His Word. While I believe that I do have a duty as a citizen to support political or legislative efforts designed to protect the family, the Word of God makes it clear that the Lord Himself will ultimately defend the covenant of marriage. Continue reading 'The Family’s Sure Defense'»
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