I spent some time
recently thinking about how I would help someone evaluate whether public school
or homeschool is better for their family, especially coming from a perspective,
like most American Christians do, of public school being normal. In this I don’t want to be attacking public
school or defending homeschool, but this article is informed by many of my
reasons for preferring homeschool.
What are your kids getting from public school?
What useful? What positive? What harmful?
What impact do their peers have on them?
When they’re getting along?
When they’re not?
Would your kids benefit from being in a smaller class
size?
What is in the curriculum that would affect their
worldview?
What other things are they being exposed to without wise
guidance?
From peers? From libraries? From field trips?
What is the impact of being bound to a school’s schedule?
On sleep? On nutrition? On transitions between environments
and authorities? On routine?
How much of their time at school is actually being used for
education? (Why do they still have to
come home and work on their scholastic education via homework?)
Is a day structured around expectations and performance
healthy for them?
Would they benefit from more interactive education?
Do they need more time to be active?
Do they need to slow down on only one or two subjects? Could they benefit from forging ahead on a
couple of subjects?
Would you like them to learn something that is not in your
public school’s curricula? (Cooking, shop, business, Bible)
Would you like them to get a different perspective than what
is being offered?
Would you like them to learn in a different way (more
hands-on, more interactively, more self-study, more memorization, subjects
integrated with one another)?
What message does it send them to be sent away for long
parts of each day? How does your attitude impact their perception? How should parents maintain honesty (for
example, about being grateful for the break when kids go to school) with their
children, while not burdening the kids with the shortcomings of their parents?
What message would it send them to be kept at home, unlike
most of their peers?
What are they getting from time not in school?
What useful? What positive? What harmful?
Do you have enough time to give them what they need?
Do you have enough time to teach them what God has entrusted
you to teach them?
About Him? About character? About how to flourish in the
story God has given them?
Do you have enough time to build your relationships with them?
Do they get a (patient) chance to build their relationships
with their siblings?
What are your reasons for not homeschooling? Time? Focus on younger kids? Financial? Focus
on other people? Focus on personal improvement? Stress? Intimidation?
Inadequacy? Cultural normalcy? Influence culture? Perks of props and facilities
and extra-curricular activities in public schools? Child’s socialization?
Child’s practice with exposure to the world? Less strain on the mom-child
relationship (not being teacher and mom)? Incorporating other adult influences
for example and discipline? Hassle of truancy or curriculum laws?
Are your reasons based in truth, idealism, fear,
selfishness?
To God be all glory.
