Same with Language Arts or History or Science… In the past two years though I sort of settled.  I have used CLP for their Math and Language Arts workbooks mostly because I wanted to make sure that my children got all the basics well covered.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t “edit” the plan if something seems overwhelming or really picky.  I didn’t learn to diagram sentences when I was a child and I manage to keep my subjects and predicates straight.  So we skip teaching that part.

And another thing is that years ago I read Ruth Beechick’s books on how to teach the 3 R’s.  So her voice is always there to encourage me.  Her words remind me that education is for the whole child not just the math facts and writing tools.

You see, I think we tend to get lost in the details and maybe lose sight of what we are after when teaching our children.  For example, as a Christian, I want my children to know the Savior but they are going to get exposed to someone else’s idea of what that means in some predigested book on doctrine or even in a reading or science book.  So, my goal is that they will learn to read and discern so that they will know who He is and make their own decisions on why they love and follow Him.

So much of what is in any ready made text and workbook is tainted with opinions and doctrines of the author or publisher.   It doesn’t matter if it is a Christian publisher or a secular one, they all contain someone’s worldview that may or may not agree with ours.  So, we always discuss the many ideas that come up.

But in our earlier home school years, I never used to even think of bringing in anything secular into our home.  But over time I realized that by completely filtering our books and curricula, I was depriving our family of the opportunity to exercise our faith.  “Clean” books would be like feeding my kids baby food all their lives.  Sooner or later they need to get some more meaty stuff with a bit of bone and gristle that they need to discard.

Now, for the first years we do feed baby food, as it were.  But over time we introduce secular items and we talk about what is going on.  We leave some of the “bones and gristle” in the books so they can exercise discernment and wisdom.

So as you can see, home schooling isn’t just for the children – it’s almost more for me.  Lots of growing and expanding  and reassessing ideals and values.  Some might say we have compromised our values.  I say we came to realize what truly is valuable – a heart truly turned toward God.  And that doesn’t come by forcing a growing soul into a box but guiding that soul to respect boundaries; to meet the Lovely face to face in everyday situations; facing the ugly side of life with discernment and wisdom.

I’d say that the day I stopped trying to teach my kids in stuffed up boring curricula and decided to walk with them daily was a most freeing day.  We talk, argue, research, and discover together.  That is true learning.

I have schooled the children at home since my oldest was in first grade and the report card on homeschooling is in for us.  While I don’t have any rocket scientists amongst my progeny, I am happy to say that all the older students are excellent readers and can hold their own in math.  They each have excelled in their chosen fields.

What is more, though, they have something public schooled students don’t have.  The ability to learn – anything!  That counts for more than any 12 year imprisonment just to keep kids out of employment and off the streets.  My kids may not have all their geographical terms down or know all the names of the US Presidents in order (well, my son, Matt, does and knows their wives, when they served, and whether they take milk in their tea!)  But they know how to find out!!  My kids can converse with the elderly in a friendly, cheerful way as they can with little kids.

You know what my kids missed not going to public school?  They missed trying to slide by the smokers who stand at the school gates.  They missed being taunted and teased for being different.  My daughters and sons missed taking showers in PE and how demeaning it is to be smaller, bigger, fatter, skinnier than the other kids.  They missed feeling left out because the guy/girl they liked didn’t choose them for the dance.

Well, I don’t apologize for that. Their dad and I didn’t purpose to raise them to be street wise but God-wise.  There is time enough to get wise to the world.  Innocence once lost is gone.  Sure it is awkward  or uncool to not know who Britney Spears is (I still don’t know or CARE!) when you are hanging out with people that spend all their free time zoned out in front of a video game with rock music thrumming in the background.

Homeschooling is becoming more and more the choice of parents, Christian or otherwise.  Parents are realizing that their kids will get better learning at home with close to one on one training in the 3 Rs PLUS lifestyle learning: planning meals, repairing tools, fixing a car, balancing a budget, dealing with peers and non-peers alike, …

Yes, the report card is in and as a choice for educating young people to become solid adults – it gets all A’s.