Starting with the time my oldest son was born, I began dreaming of homeschooling. I read every book I could get my hands on, poured over methods, and picked out curriculum. When we bought our first house, we didn't worry at all about the neighborhood school, because our kids wouldn't be going there.
However, the year before Micah started kindergarten, I began to feel a pull in a different direction for him. Prayerfully, trustingly, and contrary to my carefully-laid plans, God led us to enroll him in a private Christian school. Two years later, his sister joined him.
Looking back, we have wonderful and treasured memories of that school. Special friends were made and the staff welcomed parents in every aspect of learning. I felt like the teachers had a perspective on my children I didn't always see myself, and appreciated the things they saw in them and pointed out to me. The kids loved chapel, and although both professed faith in Christ during their preschool years, they remember the challenges given at chapel as special and defining moments in their Christian walk. A strong phonics and foundational math curriculum gave them a strong start in academics. Class parties and field trips welcomed all parents, and I was even able to help in the classrooms for a year. School felt like a family affair, as we participated in our children's education within the body of Christ.
There were challenges in those years as well. A tight group of girls made it hard for my less social child to fit in, leaving her vulnerable to friendship issues. Challenges are often God's way of helping us to grow, and we can look back on that time and know that hard as it was, lessons were learned that she will carry throughout her life. And of course, one of the biggest challenges of a private education is the price tag. Tuition hikes coupled with a move changed our financial situation a bit. I am still amazed we were able to swing private school tuition for two children at all, and we are simply grateful for the way the Lord provided as He directed us through those years.
Public education was the next bend in our journey. Larger classes meant more opportunities to find friends with something in common. We loved the feeling of community that school brought to our lives, of doing life alongside neighbors and then in Jr. High, with those from other areas across town. Opportunities to pursue sports, music, and other interests abounded. Many of the teachers were good if not outstanding, standards for learning were high, and there were many really nice kids.
Our children's eyes were also opened to see what it looked like to live a life apart from knowing Christ. One searched for references to God in every textbook and on every wall, and often came up empty. How she mourned to see God left out of learning! There were so many opportunities to talk and share about why we do things different than other families. Some kids from school found their way to Awana and youth group as the kids began to reach out to others. There were some scary moments, too, as we had to talk to the kids about things like attempted kidnappings at bus stops and one witnessed a fight. I kept a close eye on them and prayed often, trusting God as their protector. The world is not a safe place, and we were often reminded of what sin has done to the perfect world God had intended.
Now we have begun where we started, and returned to homeschooling. Although we're only a few weeks in, I'll admit it's my favorite way of educating by far. We love the cozy, relaxed environment where faith is considered in every subject area. It's God's world we are studying, and we love to find how He is involved in it. I can tailor education to both strengths and weaknesses. The world is our classroom, and learning doesn't stop when school hours are over.
Yet home education is not without its pitfalls. It is too easy for this introverted mom to shut the doors of my house and forget there is a world outside. I can already see how easy it would be to let life revolve around our family and our children's education. When Jesus gave His great commission, He told His disciples to "Go and make disciples of all nations" and that's hard to do if my mind, heart, and prayers do not leave my home. I pray God will give us wisdom and discernment to be about His business in the days to come and involve the kids in His work in our church, community, and around the world in a way that makes faith a living reality and not a theory imbedded in our minds.
As I look back on our educational journey, I can't feel any loss. God had lessons in each of our school choices both for my children and for me. Education is a great influence in their lives, but the gospel is the greatest power there is. The God who made my children and sent His Son to save them is the one directing their life's curriculum, and He can be trusted. I think about Moses, who was rescued from the Nile and spent the formative years of his life at his mother's side, only to then be educated in the royal courts of Egypt. God used his education as he recorded Israel's history and gave them God's laws. Yet Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father, probably received little formal education and spent most of his life under the formative influence of his mother and father. The disciples were unschooled men who spent time with Jesus, and their lives turned the world as we know it upside down. God directs families and individuals in the ways He knows are best. We can trust Him with the education of our children, however He has called!
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