As a lead pastor and a homeschool dad, I have had a burden on my heart to make sure that our Christian faith is intricately woven into our homeschool experience both in our regular daily curriculum and our class days. It is becoming increasingly apparent that removing God from our schools has had dire consequences for our nation. We would be remiss if we neglected the very thing that makes homeschooling the more desirable option, the very thing that separates a homeschool education from public school indoctrination. One of the great blessings of homeschooling is that we have the freedom to include our faith in our teaching. Scripture reminds us to “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3). So we have a freedom to include our faith in our teaching, to make homeschooling as much about discipleship as it is about academics, but how do we do that? How do we integrate faith and discipleship into our homeschool curriculum? Here are three key ways to seeing your homeschool experience become a faith filled education.
Our class days are encouraged to have a morning chapel where Christ is at the forefront. More than just an “opening,” it is a time where Jesus is glorified and the Word is proclaimed. It sets our class day off on the right foot and each class day teacher is encouraged to open class with a prayer or even take prayer requests in class. This is not done because it is expected, but because it is vital in raising our kids with Christ at the heart of Heritage Christian School.
Unfortunately, the news has been littered lately with stories showing how divisive society is becoming. Whether it’s COVID and vaccine policies, politics, or Cancel Culture; society-at-large has no shortage of topics to disagree on. It’s easy to understand why though…people are passionate about their beliefs and want to feel like their voices are being heard. One of things I appreciate most about Heritage Christian School is the fact our Administrative Office and Board of Directors are willing and want to hear your voice.
This year our HCS theme is anchored in the word “Unity” and our 2021-2022 memory verse is Ephesians 4: 1-16. We are a unified body of Christian families who are dedicated in educating our children through the lens of a Christian perspective. Our HCS core values form the school’s bedrock and rally us behind the principles of being centered on Christ, driven by parents, united in purpose, and motivated by love. While each of these core values are important, let’s focus on the phrase “united in purpose.”
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
In this letter to the Church of Ephesus, Paul talks to us about the importance and benefits of a unified body of Christians, and he highlights some key attributes of unity. We are to be humble and think of others’ needs ahead of our own. We are also to be patient and exhibit self-control despite circumstances that might cause us to be agitated. We are to bear in love with one another meaning that we tolerate others in spite of their faults. Simply put…when we are humble, patient, and bear in love with one another; we achieve the unity that God has given us through His Holy Spirit.
Ephesians is not the only place in the Bible that Christians are taught about unity. For example, in John 17, when Jesus prayed that His followers "may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." In this instance, it is noteworthy that Jesus prayed for the disciples to be one, rather than for other things such as good health and being correct in their Bible teaching. Here, Jesus prioritizes our oneness, and His praying for our unity only further exemplifies how vitally important “unity” is to our families and our roles as Christians.
So, with everything going on in society today, can we prioritize our unity? I know it is a rhetorical question. However, I truly believe that together, we can show each other the humbleness, patience, and willingness to bear in love with each other in order to protect the Kingdom of God from being divided by the secular world we live in. Together, we can combine our talents, perspectives, and gifts to lead with one voice and have a positive influence on our children and the next generation.
Written by Ben Van Gaasbeek
HCS exists to support and encourage Christian families in the high calling of biblical discipleship through Christ-centered home education by providing administrative help, mentoring, classes, and parent-driven activities, all while honoring family sovereignty.
Why do you homeschool?
If we were to send this simple question out to the 340 families that affiliate with Heritage, we would likely receive about 340 unique responses. For a good number of you, this is your first year of homeschooling and this time last year taking this adventure was the furthest thing from your mind.
While HCS is a school, for many of us on the board and on staff, we view the biblical discipleship of our own families and of one another as more important that the education of our children. Most likely, for many of you reading this, a little red flag just popped up. I appreciate that. Personally, I went to Francis Parker, UC Irvine, and have a masters degree through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. I daily experience the importance and advantages of a rigorous and intentional academic education.
It’s just that I would give all that up in a moment for the privilege of knowing and being known by Christ and unified with the Body of Christ, the church. And, I hope that you would consider doing the same.
The statistics are staggering regarding the drifting of college age adults away from the faith of their family and youth. According to a study done by Lifeway and the Southern Baptist Convention, approximately 70% leave the church between the ages of 18 and 23. A little more than half of those do return after the age of 30. The study never landed on a conclusion as to why, other than being plugged into a church family was less important than the many other opportunities that present themselves to college age adults when they move out from their family households.
We can gain some hope in the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6, “Raise a child up in the way he should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This isn’t a promise, it’s not infallible. Proverbs gives us wisdom and a majority outcome here. So, what can we do?
I know this sounds trite and like the very “Christian” answer, but first of all, pray. After reading and studying the Bible for years, the one thing I’ve discovered that we get to do that actually can make an impact is prayer. Do not neglect this powerful and important role that we get to play in the upbringing of our children. Pray that they would fall deeply in love with God on their own. Pray that they would love the Scriptures, study them, know them, apply and obey what they learn. Pray that they would fall in love with His Church, the body of believers who God has gathered to Himself for the purpose of unity and worship. Pray the prayer that Jesus prayed for his disciples and for those who would become followers given to us in John 17.
Second, fathers, heed the command Paul gives us in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in discipline and instruction in the Lord.” It is imperative and incumbent upon us, as fathers, to follow through on all three parts of that statement. Do not be so strict or legalistic that your children reject the truth due to your poor behavior. Also, be sure to not be so lax that you don’t instill discipline. Finally, you can only pass on what you, yourself, know. Spend time in the Word, model it for your children. Pass on the instruction in the Lord to your children intentionally and when the opportunity presents. Moms reading this, if your husband doesn’t usually read the stuff the school sends out, print this and staple it to his pillow if necessary. Men, we are responsible to God for the spiritual leadership of our families.
Finally, be committed to church as as whole family. Don’t buy into the lie that church involvement isn’t important. God designed the church to be the representation of his glory here on Earth in the unity expressed through his true disciples in the church. The church is not a building, it’s the people. It’s not the programs, the music, children’s ministry, the youth program, the small groups, or even the preaching*. (*caveat below) All of those things can be good – but in and of themselves, are not what make up the church.
In Acts 2, we see what was important in the first church, and what brought unity and a deep love for one another among the early believers.
Acts 2:42 (NASB)
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
At the very core of what the church is supposed to do, it’s these four things. If your church isn’t continually devoted to these things – find a church that is. We have too many churches that have made themselves spiritually weak by neglecting their most important responsibilities. Great music is nice, but not essential. A captivating preacher is nice, but only if he’s “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” The quaint 3 point highly applicable sermon doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve actually engaged with the apostles’ teaching. (Some of you who are in ministry are either agreeing with me or convicted. If you find yourself arguing against this right now – check your heart and your Bible.)
Notice that they were continually devoting themselves. It wasn’t just one hour a week, and maybe a weekly zoom call with a few other families during COVID. These were ongoing and perpetual actions. Together. The church was filled with people who were deeply connected to one another regularly and continually. John the apostle often communicates the importance and uniqueness of God’s love and the love of His people. He quotes Jesus in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This is what the church is about – the sacrificial love modeled after Jesus’ love for us. Programs and music don’t demonstrate our love for one another. If you‘re in a church that’s more about what they can give you to keep you there, but you aren’t missed when you don’t participate, you’re not actually a part of the Church. The love we are supposed to experience in the Church through our local gathering of fellow believers should be deep and real, like that we hope to experience in our own families.
Remember that red flag you felt earlier? Here’s why I stand by my statement. Everything you’ve just read briefly outlining the importance of biblical discipleship affects our eternity - the forever of our souls with God. The academic education affects our next eight decades or so, if we get that far. Check your heart for a moment and then ask yourself this, which is really most important? Does what you say you believe line up with your actions?
My goal here is not to diminish the importance of equipping our children with academic knowledge. I’m a strong believer that the education received in these years and those to come strongly impacts the opportunities open to you in this life. However, we homeschool because it provides us the greatest opportunity to make sure that we are engaging in the biblical discipleship of our children which is really what matters for eternity.
If you’re wanting to improve the biblical discipleship if your family but aren’t sure where to start of what to do, feel free to reach out to any of the board members. It would be our honor to help.
Ben Van Gaasbeek
HCS Board of Directors, Chairman
Our Unity is Essential
by Brett Burner, HCS Board Member
As we are coming off of the Thanksgiving holiday, I am appreciating the great need for Unity… in the family, at our school, at church, and in the greater Body of Christ.
In the Book of Philippians, Paul shares the importance of our unity. In Philippians 1:27-28, he tells them that the greatest thing they can do is to come together and be of one spirit, one mind… to contend together.
“Contend” is a sporting term: We are to be on one team, competing together, as a unit, driving toward the prize in a competition that has already been won. The trophy is in the case, but we are still on the playing field.
In verse 28, he says that our unity, our standing firm together, becomes a sign to others that they are lost. Our unity will show that we have HOPE and that no matter what they do to us, they can’t take that away from us. And they will understand that they don’t have that kind of hope.
For a world that is without hope, they should see a unified hope in the lives of Christians… they should see trust and confidence and assurance among the church. And ideally, this will resonate to the unbeliever.
But if we are not unified…they will not have a sign! If we can’t stand together, what motivation is there in the unsaved to think that there is any Salvation or Transformation to be found by becoming a part of the body of Christ?
Our unity is essential to a dying world.
Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of family, a time where we can come together and put aside our differences and enjoy good food, good memories, and thankfulness for the things we have. But for some of us, Thanksgiving doesn’t represent that. Some of us dread getting together with family, because it's just a matter of time before someone gets upset, or someone says something rude or condescending. We think, I would rather be anywhere but here with these people.
Have you ever been to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving? You’re away from home, or a family gathering is not an option… So you spend time with another family. Inevitably you consider the closeness of the family. You think: “Wow, I wish my family got along like this…” or you think, “I miss home! These people are crazy!”
We want people on the outside of the church to feel: “I wish my family got along like this. I wish I could be a part of that family. They have something I want.” Our unity, regardless of circumstances, proves that we are part of God’s family, that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, sons and daughters of the living God, his holy people.
Moving In To 2021
by Leo Acosta, HCS Board Member
2021 has come with a lot of unanswered questions for the world. When we reflect and look back at the beginning of the year 2020, many of us had a lot of hopes and dreams. Over the last 10 months, we have faced new and different challenges in so many areas as a country, a church, and even as individuals.
The only thing we know for sure and the one thing we can find hope, peace, and rest in is that God is in control of it all. Our job is to put our complete trust in God and obey the leadings of His word and the Holy Spirit.
Our pastor gave us a great word of encouragement this last Sunday and I would like to share some of the things he talked about. As we move forward into the new year, it is important not to focus on regrets from last year. It is easy to dwell on our mistakes and failures, especially when so many challenges were placed in our path this year. I challenge you to look at your life the way God does, and start this year (and every day) with a clean slate, not dwelling on your past failures. In the same way, let us not dwell on the successes from last year. Doing that can lead to false pride and can prevent God from doing His work in and through you. In Philippians 3:13, Paul writes, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” As we move into 2021, we can be grateful for the successes and failures that have taken place during this past year, but I encourage you to look forward to the new things that God is doing in us and through us.
Along with letting go of our failures, and releasing our successes, it is important that we prioritize progress. We can do this by making small improvements daily in all of the important areas in our lives. Some of these areas include our physical health, our finances, and our relationships. What areas do you want to improve in? If we make small improvements every day, this will add up and by the end of the year, think of how far we will have come!
As we grow in the important areas of our lives, our pastor encouraged us to raise the excellence bar. PhiIippians 3:12 says, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” As we make daily improvements, God has given us the power and the strength to achieve great things. Let our lives be a reflection of his greatness!
Rising from Mothballs
by Marc Crawford, HCS Board Member
Did you know after World War II, the United States Navy maintained over 2,000 ships that made up our “Mothball Fleet”? Today, the Navy maintains approximately 100 ships in their “Mothball Fleet.” They are anchored in various harbors around the country and receive regular maintenance (to minimize rust) which allows them to be available in times of need such as a crisis or war. However, these ships are just “sitting there” so to speak, while the Navy continues to invest significant amounts of money into them. Coincidentally, many are anchored in Pearl Harbor; when I was stationed there, I would drive by them every day. It always struck me as a little sad to see the “Mothball Fleet” wasting away in the beautiful backdrop of Oahu.
I don’t know about you, but for me, 2020 seemed like a year in which COVID-19 caused us to be somewhat “mothballed.” Not due to any fault of our own, but rather, our state and county governments insisted on it. We were not allowed to worship like normal, and our kids were not able learn in person with friends at class days and at the Academy. At times, it even felt like the enemy was using COVID-19 as a means of isolating God’s people in an effort to weaken our faith.
Similarly, if you ask most pastors about their frustrations in ministry, they often mention there are too many in their congregation who are “mothballed.” Since Christ saved us from our sins, then out of love, we should be zealous to serve Him. As Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) If we are striving to be like Jesus, our focus should be to serve Him, and we can do so by serving others.
Don’t get me wrong…I’ve enjoyed being able to spend extra time with my family, and I feel we have grown closer this past year as a result. However, lately, I have heard God speaking to me and letting me know that now is a time for us to start looking outward instead of inward. Perhaps He has been telling you this too? I was reminded of what Paul wrote, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6: 9-10)
God wants all whom He has saved to serve Him wherever He places us. As homeschooling families, one way we choose to serve God is through our involvement in our children’s education. As we slowly transition back to a more socially active life; let’s do so, mindfully, looking for areas to volunteer and/or serve. One of the great aspects about Heritage Christian School is the variety of opportunities we have to get involved. As a parent; you can help out with a club or parent committee, be a club leader or coach, lead or assist at a class day, or attend one of the many seminars our school puts on to benefit our families. While this is not all inclusive, it provides ample opportunities to be further involved in our children’s education.
Understandably, our schedules can be a little overwhelming during this transition stage. We all feel it…after being home for such a long time, it’s hard to jump back into a busy schedule! Just as it took time to get used to staying home last spring, it’s only natural that it will be an adjustment as we return to some sense of normalcy. Still, I’d like to encourage our HCS families….as we carefully pull ourselves out of “mothballs,” to have a ministry mindset with your church family, your HCS family and your own family.
Be A Voice
by Brett Burner, HCS Board Member
In John 1, when John the Baptist is being asked by the Jewish leaders, “Who are you?” he declares: “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness…” (Isaiah 40:3).
John the Baptist knew exactly who he was:
He knew that he was the fulfillment of prophecy, but he knew that Jesus was to ultimate fulfillment of God’s greater plan.
He knew that even though his cousin was younger than him, that in truth, Jesus was eternal.
He knew that even though God had spoken to him to teach and to baptize, he wasn’t worthy to untie the sandals of the messiah who was the living God.
He knew that even though he was the baptizer, there was one with greater power and authority who should baptize him.
At the end of the day, who are you? Who am I? Like John the Baptist:
“I am a voice.”
“I am a testifier.”
“I am one who brings testimony about God’s chosen one.”
For every one of us who calls Jesus Lord, we bring testimony to the world about Jesus—good or bad, whether we mean to or not. Our lives, our words, say what we believe about Jesus. It is so easy to take this for granted.
If we can maintain the humility of John the Baptist, we never have to imagine that we have any other calling more important than to testify about Jesus Christ.
Social media has convinced us all that we need to be entertainers and have followings in the thousands and millions. To be influencers. World changers.
Do you want to be a world changer? Start by changing the world for one person. To help them believe and have eternal life (John 20:31).
Never mind how everyone else says to be…just be a voice. That IS your ministry. A testifier. A testimony giver.
You can go overseas, or into the jungle, or across borders to do it. But if you don’t do it in your own loving room…what makes you think it will happen anywhere else?
So be a voice. Testify at home. And if everyone already believes there, so what? Testify some more, and be filled with his presence!
Give testimony in your neighborhood. Be a voice at work. Not an arguer or a debater…just a testifier. “Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).
Be a voice of one crying out in the wilderness. The wilderness—that’s this world. We are not in our own country. We are out in the world, sojourners, people of another land, another king. We are ambassadors of his kingdom. Your life is the embassy. Our goal is to invite anyone who would come into new citizenship. We have an open immigration policy.
We are the Jesus that people will not otherwise see. So we tell with our words and we show with our actions — we love one another, by which “everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
He has Risen! He has Risen Indeed!
by Brian Stoddard, HCS Board Vice Chairman
For many, Easter Sunday 2021 was a lot different than last year.
This past year was full of uncertainty, fear, and a lot of questions. Who can we trust, where do we find the truth…we need something stable and true that we can anchor our lives to, someone who we can take our stand in, someone we can cling to, and someone true we can trust.
Sometimes it’s easy to fall into that trap of putting our trust and hope into those in power: Politicians, athletes, entertainers, doctors and those in the media. They all seem to have the answers. Many times their answers are solely meant to create confusion and division. Paul encourages us to be on guard; “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them,” (Romans 16:17).
Heritage is a community of Christian homeschoolers. We are to love, care, and support each other in homeschooling our children. The world is full of so much confusion and division. The enemy wants to use anything to try to divide our community.
Seek the Lord first for answers, hope, and trust. He knows the the hearts of all. He will lead and guide us. He will break down the walls of division within the body. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
As this school year is quickly coming to and end, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the families that make up HCS. Thank you for your hard work and patience through these difficult and trying times. I want to thank all of the teachers and volunteers that make Heritage such a success. I want to thank the HCS administration and office staff for everything they do (Vicki, Jane Tracy, Kim, Melinda and Lilia). I don't think that most people realize how much they do for the families of HCS. I want to thank those who throughout the year who have come to me directly with questions, concerns, and complaints. I greatly appreciate it. I want to thank my fellow board members for the countless volunteer hours spent on meetings, calls, and prayer to help guide HCS. Thank you to our wives for the support and prayer. Sometimes being the wife of a board member can be challenging. Most of all, I want to thank the Lord for the opportunity to serve the HCS as a board member. It is my prayer that in all our various ways of serving and living in the HCS community, we avoid division by growing in unity and leaning on Him for wisdom and direction in all we do.
Excerpt from the HCS homeschool training manual, A Vision For Excellence, 2004
by HCS founders Donnie and Becky Winn
There are important steps, often overlooked, to "fail‑proof" your homeschooling family. These 8 measures can help you to succeed through the tough spots.
Determine Your Priorities
Home education is a deliberate lifestyle of returning all of life to its God-ordained jurisdiction - of regaining for the family that which God gave to the family. Let's not sabotage our own efforts by being out of order!
Consider your priorities carefully. I suggest the following:
The Biblical pattern in the book of Titus calls for devoting oneself to family, then hospitality and good works, then teaching. So secure your home base and reach out as you are able.
The most valuable word for protecting your priorities is "No!" Think twice about extra time commitments like skating lessons, drama classes, etc. Cut back to what you can handle honorably, and then add carefully. Especially watch the two terrible time traps ‑ television and telephone [and now Internet!]
Schedule Your Time
Use a schedule to put action to your priorities. If you don't, someone or something else will steal your valuable time.
Plan not only your school day, but also laundry, shopping, meals, housework, hospitality, family outings, nights out, library and errand trips, etc. If it needs doing, make a time for it. If it is important to you, put it in. Plus, leave catch‑-up and free time.
Budget time like money: Fixed expenses, Discretionary items.
The larger your family or the more crowded your life, the more careful your planning must be. All this scheduling may seem excessive, but if you suffer from the nagging feeling that you could do better if only you managed your time more wisely, it will be very helpful to get everything on paper at once. Of course, life will not always follow your schedule. Still, remember that a schedule altered is flexibility, while a schedule absent is chaos.
Organize your Space
First, de‑junk! Get some boxes and markers, pick a starting place, and work systematically around. Get rid of all clutter; keep only the good and useful. Be ruthless! Get help from a heartless friend. Then, do it again...Throw away, Give Away, Put Away.
Find or make a sensible place for everything, and teach everybody where things belong. Especially organize your kitchen and laundry areas. Provide enough wastebaskets and hampers, and use labeled containers or Ziplocs for things with small pieces. Set up an efficient system for mail and paperwork, and keep all school supplies together.
Train Your Children
Many parents who choose home education become occupied with academics and forget that the primary purpose of home education is child training. More than mere teaching, the term "training" implies that consistent progress is being demonstrated in the areas of disciplined behavior, godly character, and successful life skills. A well‑taught child might recite multiplication tables and write a cogent paragraph, but a well‑trained child will also keep his room clean, obey his parents, and treat others with respect. A person who is well‑educated in the traditional sense may still fail in life, but one who has been trained in life and godliness will succeed.
Parents who cannot control their children cannot teach them either. Thus, the greatest cause of frustration and ineffectiveness for the home school family is inadequate child training. In fact, parents who give up on home schooling do so primarily because of discipline problems. Therefore, the single most important factor in building a home education program that really works is to establish consistent Biblical discipline.
Godly Character
Another key area of child training is the deliberate development of godly character and attitudes. A good education in a highly disciplined individual could still be put to the wrong use without the motivating factor of a heart after God. Through an emphasis on Scripture and an effort to put it into practice in your home, you can raise up young people who are a joy to be around and who walk rightly with the Lord from their youth.
Life Skills.
Finally, do not neglect to take advantage of the opportunity that home education provides for practical living skills.This includes good manners, household skills, work habits, money sense, and more. Since you are investing so much time and energy into training your children, it is both fair to you and good for them to learn to clean, cook, do laundry, care for the baby, shop, do yard work, etc. In this way, your home will function more smoothly and your children will be prepared for adult life.
What do you wish you had known (or your spouse had known) before you settled down to raise a family?
Add a Life Skills column to your lesson plans.
Make Up Your Mind to Make It Work
Like marriage or the Christian life, home education is not something to try for a few months to see if it works out. If quitting is an option, circumstances will usually conspire to induce giving up. Instead, make a firm commitment and give it every chance to succeed.
Look for solutions instead of excuses, and work at it until it works. Ask for help when you need it. Don't quit!
When teaching the children at home exposes weaknesses in them, or in you, rise to the challenge and address the situation head on. When changes have to be made, make them!
Encourage yourself in the Lord when you grow weary, and draw continually upon His strength. When you really want to, you will grow with the task. There are many valid reasons to begin home education, but it takes conviction and commitment to make it through the hard times. You can do it if you don't give up!
Written by Janet Morris
Published: 23 May 2020
One of the best parts about being your child’s teacher is being able to help them love to learn.
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, many families got an unexpected “free 3 month trial” of homeschooling this year. In my opinion, however, the four best elements of teaching your students at home were missing from the quarantine imposed version. After teaching our two children at home for the past 14 years, I would love to encourage those who are intrigued by homeschooling with what I have learned and why I think it can be the best education option for your students.
Learning Style Focus
This gift will enable them to pursue a lifetime of learning, not just the ability to earn grades. You were your child’s first teacher. You taught them how to brush their tiny little teeth, how to tie shoes, how to be careful in a parking lot… you know them and how they learn better than anyone else.
For younger children, you probably already know how to express something they need to know in order for them to truly grasp it, whether that be by repetition, song, activity, or pictures.
For older students, there are tests available online which help them identify what kind of learning suits them best. For every age, this enables them to learn new things quickly and without frustration, for the most part, because it suits them.
A teacher with many students can not tailor lessons for each child. And remote learning is even more limited in this regard. Imagine taking the subject your child is least fond of and making it less painful. What if they find out they actually love math, but they didn’t know it because the way it was being taught was not how they learn best? I have watched my daughter take this knowledge about herself and her learning style to college with her. It’s a huge asset to have in that environment.
Freedom to Choose
Another gift for the homeschooling family is being able to choose not only what curriculum you want to use to suit your student, but also what extras will best round off that teaching. You get to pick which museums, field trips, and subjects you want to dig into and when. Sometimes the best field trips and subjects are offered to very young students in traditional schools, long before they are ready to enjoy what they are seeing and learning. As the teacher, you can decide what will suit them. I can’t tell you how many young children I have watched be paraded through a museum, hot little hands gripped to a rope, not hearing a word from the docent at the front of the line, and not caring. As the teacher, you can stop where they want to stop and move on where they want to move on. How many schools will even be able to participate in these extensions of learning in the coming year? Homeschoolers can choose to see what is available and when.
Unplugged Learning
Many teachers have done an amazing job of keeping children moving forward via online tools in these past months. It’s been near heroic if you ask me. But it’s not ideal for anyone to be tied to a screen for long periods of time, especially younger students. As the homeschool teacher you can decide how much online learning suits your students. When the virus hit, because I was already my child’s main teacher, not a lot had to change. We do have a couple of classes that he takes with other teachers that moved online, but it wasn’t overwhelming for our son. His Sophomore year of high school can be completed as if the virus hadn’t come. If it had happened when my children were elementary ages, there wouldn’t have been any need to be online at all. Good books, puzzles, hands-on projects, dancing, artwork, music, science projects, and all that we did during the week would have continued without interruption if that was my desire.
Biblical Integration
Lastly, as a Christian parent, one of the parts about teaching at home that I cherish the most is being able to teach from a biblical worldview. You are able to make studying God’s Word the first part of every day, not rushed or squished in. As the teacher, you can stop and talk longer about something that your student wants to know about God and His Word. When something comes up in the day, you can talk about it from a spiritual perspective and guide your students into a personal relationship with Christ. If you homeschool with Heritage Christian School you have the prayers and support of the other parents as well. The classes they take at class day will be from a Christian perspective and with other believers to help bring seeds of faith to maturity.
I hope you will prayerfully consider my favorite parts about homeschooling and ask other experienced parents what they love about it. Just like a good recipe, we each make it our own for the benefit of our families. If God is leading you onto this path, He will provide all that you need to accomplish it.
About the Author: Janet Morris has home-taught for all of her children’s lives, from tooth brushing to SATs. She and her husband Wes have two children: Kaylee, a Biola University student, and Garrett, a soon to be high school junior. They have utilized Heritage Christain School for 14 years and counting.