Summary
I mentioned before that this is a holistic way of looking at our children’s education. Can you see that? Aspects of learning related to Story are opportunities to see how God has moved through the saga of history; how His qualities are revealed in the world of science; how stories throughout human existence have touched on timeless themes and what God has revealed about these themes in His Word; how the songs and scribblings of the fine arts have shown the heights of God-given creativity, as well as deep depravity; and how close the search for answers in religion and philosophy has come to the truth of the Scriptures. As our children learn Skills they do so with the goal of enabling them to dig deeper into the Story and to then use that knowledge to bless others and glorify God, both through the fine or common arts, and through healthy habits and helping their family and community. And growing in the Spirit overlaps significantly with both Story and Skills.
This is why I am such a strong proponent of homeschooling, which provides a framework in which parents can really direct their children’s learning in line with what God has entrusted to us. Can parents do this while their children are in private or even public school? Of course - but it is far more difficult, especially when a large portion of a child’s education is outsourced to teachers that a parent doesn’t select using materials that (in public school at least) are not focused on pointing a child to God.
Even the “best” public schools are obligated to meet the goals of the government that funds and controls it - and these days those often have to do with preparing students to be financially independent and contribute to society in some meaningful and globally competitive way, not with growing in Christian maturity. But as we have seen here, Christian growth does not just happen in a box isolated from other learning. It all mixes together, and a Christian parent needs to stay on top of what his or her child is learning, and not learning, with great vigilance when that learning is directed by people with different goals and often different values.
Choosing a private school, even a Christian one, may or may not help accomplish our desired goal of cultivating maturity in the Lord. In fact, it can end up being more of a disappointment, as parents who would be on the alert in a public school environment may be less so in a private school setting and so could miss warning signs of an education that does not point a child to God.
Even homeschooling can be frustrating, as there is just so much out there to choose from. How do you even begin to know which is the “best” curriculum and what will help us as parents to direct our children?
First, let’s start with understanding that there are no guarantees and no one best way to teach our children. No one system, no matter how flashy the advertisement and no matter how mature their “graduates” seem to be, can be depended upon to ensure your child will enter adulthood with those BASS goals - belief in Christ, availability to the Lord, a sanctified walk, and dedicated to serving others. That is something that God will do, as you follow Him. It can happen in public school, private school, or homeschool. It can happen with or without mature Christian parents. It can happen in any continent, and any country.
No one approach or curriculum can be named the “best” for everyone. There are far too many caveats to consider, too many different ways children learn, and too many different reasons parents choose to homeschool. However, I do believe that one philosophy - classical learning - stands above others in its ability to create a learning environment in which the things we have talked about here can more easily flourish. In fact, many aspects of classical education, when understood, can enrich the Christian home learning environment, even for families who are not officially “homeschooling”. In the "About" tab, you can read more about classical educations. I have tried to explain it in a way that is more approachable, more attractive, and more realistic for those families with whom classical education resonates, as it does with me, and to share how you can use it and the other ideas here to customize your own approach to your child’s education.
Click here to see how all of this looks when you put it together.
This is why I am such a strong proponent of homeschooling, which provides a framework in which parents can really direct their children’s learning in line with what God has entrusted to us. Can parents do this while their children are in private or even public school? Of course - but it is far more difficult, especially when a large portion of a child’s education is outsourced to teachers that a parent doesn’t select using materials that (in public school at least) are not focused on pointing a child to God.
Even the “best” public schools are obligated to meet the goals of the government that funds and controls it - and these days those often have to do with preparing students to be financially independent and contribute to society in some meaningful and globally competitive way, not with growing in Christian maturity. But as we have seen here, Christian growth does not just happen in a box isolated from other learning. It all mixes together, and a Christian parent needs to stay on top of what his or her child is learning, and not learning, with great vigilance when that learning is directed by people with different goals and often different values.
Choosing a private school, even a Christian one, may or may not help accomplish our desired goal of cultivating maturity in the Lord. In fact, it can end up being more of a disappointment, as parents who would be on the alert in a public school environment may be less so in a private school setting and so could miss warning signs of an education that does not point a child to God.
Even homeschooling can be frustrating, as there is just so much out there to choose from. How do you even begin to know which is the “best” curriculum and what will help us as parents to direct our children?
First, let’s start with understanding that there are no guarantees and no one best way to teach our children. No one system, no matter how flashy the advertisement and no matter how mature their “graduates” seem to be, can be depended upon to ensure your child will enter adulthood with those BASS goals - belief in Christ, availability to the Lord, a sanctified walk, and dedicated to serving others. That is something that God will do, as you follow Him. It can happen in public school, private school, or homeschool. It can happen with or without mature Christian parents. It can happen in any continent, and any country.
No one approach or curriculum can be named the “best” for everyone. There are far too many caveats to consider, too many different ways children learn, and too many different reasons parents choose to homeschool. However, I do believe that one philosophy - classical learning - stands above others in its ability to create a learning environment in which the things we have talked about here can more easily flourish. In fact, many aspects of classical education, when understood, can enrich the Christian home learning environment, even for families who are not officially “homeschooling”. In the "About" tab, you can read more about classical educations. I have tried to explain it in a way that is more approachable, more attractive, and more realistic for those families with whom classical education resonates, as it does with me, and to share how you can use it and the other ideas here to customize your own approach to your child’s education.
Click here to see how all of this looks when you put it together.