What is the purpose of education?
What is the purpose of school?
What is your philosophy of education?
In other words, why do we “do school”? Why do we send our children to school? What is the reason for our education system? Most of the time, we never think about this; like much of our lives we just do what our culture does. But what is the purpose of education?
At any given time in the news, you can find stories of things going on in school systems that shock and scare you or just plain disgust you. Some of you may have just seen the debate over whether we should be able to teach from books that don’t teach evolution (click here). When our children were in public school, they were allowed to be taught about Buddha and other religions, but could not be taught Christ or anything close to that. You can see by the dropping test scores how things are going on the academic side of things. The CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program) tests are all about the importance of teaching our children and making sure they’re learning it.
What do you teach your children? What do you allow your children to be taught? Now, consider your ways. WHY DO YOU TEACH OR ALLOW THEM TO BE TAUGHT THAT?
Here is something to consider: The Bible teaches that knowledge for the sake of knowledge simply leads to pride. Knowledge without application just leads to vanity.
We have homeschooled for 13 years and are now in the final one, sad to say. We know that homeschooling may not be for everyone, but everyone ought to consider it. Why?
Because as parents, God has given us the responsibility of raising our children into adults that love and know Him. We may choose to delegate the authority of educating them to other people, but the responsibility is still ours. It is my RESPONSIBILITY to teach my children (Deut. 6:4-8). When I send my child to your class, I’m giving you the authority, but I’m still responsible to God. I’m responsible for what they learn, what they don’t learn, what they’re exposed to and what they’re protected from. My challenge for you is to think through why you do what you do. What is the purpose? What are your goals? What is the reasoning behind the system that you have chosen? What are the benefits and the costs? What are the pros and cons? Make a list and put down what you desire for your children and why. Which system of educating provides it?
Some of our reasons are and were:
- The Bible teaches my children belong to God, but I’m a temporary custodian of them. We wanted to teach them to love and honor Jesus Christ and to make sure they get to Heaven.
- We believe one of the most important things that our children could possess is a Christ-like character and Godly wisdom. These come best from parents’ example and doctrine. Keeping them at home gives you the time and ability of just being there at the ‘right’ time.
- The time with your children is very short so we wanted to maximize that opportunity to its fullest extent.
- We are charged by God to protect our children from the influences of sin until they are fully equipped. We always said we were not sending our kids out until their full armor was ready for battle so they could withstand the fiery darts of the devil.
- We wanted them to have a biblical worldview so they could make the right choices in life and eternity.
- It gives us the ability to formulate a personalized curriculum around the uniqueness of each child so that they can excel.
- Homeschooling builds a strong family with common values and goals.
- Individual tutoring is historically proven to be the best method of instruction.
- We get to teach them to be lifelong learners.
- We can adapt our schedule according to what life throws our way.
- We just make learning a way of life.
This can feel like a daunting task, but so worth the effort and time you have. Like my husband always said, no one loves your child and wants what’s best for them more than YOU! May the Lord bless your decision.
Consider your ways (Haggai 1:5)
Excerpts taken from an article by Joe Holman (Editor’s note: the original article is no longer available online, thus we were unable to link to it.)
By DeAnn Wilkie
DeAnn Wilkie lives in Denver and is a member of the Bear Valley church of Christ where her husband, Brian, serves as an elder. DeAnn is the proud mother of four children ages 16-22.
Welcome! We are so glad you stopped by. Come Fill Your Cup is a group of Christian ladies dedicated to equipping women for study and service. We know you are busy and that life’s hectic pace pulls you in so many directions, but you can’t truly be the woman God desires unless you take time to fill your own cup…not with spa days (though we love a good spa!) or the latest novel…but with God’s Holy Word. We want to help you with that! Our goal is to reach you in the midst of your busy day and give you encouragement, education, and fellowship as you strive to live the life God has laid before you. Our prayer is that we can help fill your cup so that you, in turn, can overflow to all those around you. So, as we like to say…come fill your cup, and let it overflow!
A very good article. Thank you, DeAnn for putting into words the importance of our children’s minds and souls. Our children do not need a “government nanny” to educate them. We are all up to the task, if we do not let the world scare us away. It is hard, but the blessings are ten-fold!!! I love my children and I love homeschooling them! God will bless us when we place our children’s welfare first. Happy homeschooling!
My husband and I are still trying to make a decision regarding this issue. This article helps…I still have many questions and concerns, but it is nice to hear one woman’s reasons why they decided to go with homeschooling.
Thank you for sharing this! Do you have any books or websites you would recommend for someone considering homeschooling? My daughter is only 14 months now but I’m trying to do my research now!
DeAnn says…
I know there are some good ones at chec.org or hslda.org. Also if [you] just google homeschooling, [you] will NEVER be able to find enough years to read all there is. There are some excellent magazines where you can read their articles online. One is http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/ Another is http://www.home-school.com/
HSLDA [hslda.org] is an excellent place for lots of info. They are the national legal defense for homeschoolers. For $100 a year, they’ll take your case (if you’re ever in trouble with the law over homeschooling or social services) to the supreme court [with no other charges]. They are GREAT!
As always, words of wisdom! I appreciate you so much and the proof of what you wrote can be seen in your children!
Thank you for sharing! My husband and I have always considered homeschooling our three children…it is alway at the forefront of our minds. But we live in a small community, and for now there are many good things about our school. We struggle with the fact that if we are shining lights in this dark world.. we should not hide it. We have daily discussions with our children of how Jesus would do things. We teach them about the importance of doing what is right regardless of what others do, and the consequences of sin. We get many, many comments from teachers and parents of other children about how are children stand out from others because of how they conduct themselves. They ask ” what are you doing?” We see this as a way to evangelize, and share with others why we do the things we do. So, this has been a real struggle in our minds of which road to take. Never would we compromise our childrens souls for anyone elses. I guess this would be my dilema…knowing when to make that step. I appreciate the thoughts, and am always interested in reasons why people homeschool. ~Stephani
DeAnne, I just love the bit about equiping and dressing them with the full armour of God. This is my main goal.
Stephani, I truly see your struggle because we live between to very small schools that do offer some good things. I guess I always looked at it this way..if we want to make brownies we want all fresh and wholesome ingredients. I would hate to add something corrupt to the batter. When they are older they will have to deal with enough. Therefore if they are fully equiped and wholesome I think they will shy away from wickedness moreso than if they are use to it. Like a book many homosexuals quote nowdays says, “If we are out more and more we will sooner be accepted.”
Thanks DeAnn for reminding us that as parents we have a God-given responsibility to educate and equip our children. Parenting is not for the lazy. We must remember to be putting that armor in place so that they are prepared to save souls. So whether we home school or send our children to public school, as mothers we have work to do creating soldiers/servants for the Lord.
Thanks DeAnn! Simple and to the point answer. We have enjoyed our 4 years of homeschooling, and really can’t imagine it any other way. May God Bless all parents in their desire to fulfill God’s command to raise up their children – what a responsibility!
Thank you DeAnn! Sometimes I need a good reminder of why, I am doing, what I am doing!
That was excellent. I really enjoyed homeschooling – with the exception of my junior high years, because I really though I was missing out – but I think it was the fact that my entire world revolved around my family and the church that has made me appreciate it the most. My parents and I have had an intensely close friendship aspect to our relationship that I probably would not have had if I had not been with them so much. Although I agree with Tami – I think my parents would have worked even harder to shape me spiritually every chance they got if they knew I was going to be going to a secular school everyday. The priority was to prepare us and they didn’t play around with that. Thanks again for your thoughts!