While not all home schooling families are Christians, many Christians are turning to home schooling for their education choice. What is the draw of the Christian home school? If you feel this is the best venue for you, what resources are there for Christians who choose to home school their children?
So why is Christian home school so appealing to many Christian families? What is the problem with the traditional public school system? Many Christian families are concerned with the liberal bent they see in the philosophy of the public schools. While there are excellent educators in the public school system, many of whom care deeply for their students, the over all worldview of the public school is more liberal than most Christians are comfortable with. In the public school system, children are exposed to reproductive education, evolutionist teaching, and humanistic philosophy on a daily basis. Many Christian parents are concerned with the long-term impact this type of education will have on their children’s religious and moral development.
Another concern that causes many parents to seek more information about Christian home school is the safety of their children. Today’s public school is filled with promiscuity, drugs, and violence. While teachers and staff do what they can to limit these problems, no school can be considered perfectly safe. Even elementary students are exposed to these types of vices. In many places, children must enter their schools through metal detectors because of the prevalence of weapons in the schools. Police officers patrol the hallways in an effort to keep another Columbine from happening. Even with these precautions in place, children are still killed in their schools every year, often by fellow classmates. Many parents choose to keep their children safe by schooling them at home.
Drugs are another common problem in the public school sector. The school age years are a time when peer pressure is one of the most effective motivators for children. When children are presented with drugs and alcohol by their friends, saying no is extremely difficult. Children who are faced with this temptation must be very strong to resist it. Many parents choose Christian home school in an effort to limit the amount of temptation their children face.
Of course, many Christian families choose to put their children in private education. While this is an excellent option, there are some drawbacks to private Christian education. Finding a quality school in some areas of the country is difficult. Also, the expense of tuition is impossible for some families to pay, particularly in those areas of the country with a high cost of living.
The homeschool world is full of resources for the Christian home school family. Most of the major Christian school publishers have a version of their curriculum designed specifically for home schooling families. Many of these curriculum options come with video lessons for more difficult subjects, such as high school math and science. When using a Bible based curriculum, the Christian home schoolers can be sure that the education they are giving their children comes from a biblical world view.
Also, the internet is full of resources for the Christian family who chooses to home school. There are Christian home school support groups, online chat groups, and even curriculum exchanges geared specifically for Christian families. Many churches organize Christian home schooling co-ops for Christian families in their community. These co-ops give families the opportunity to come together for field trips, arts and crafts, home economics, shop class, and other activities that are better done in a group. They present the home school kids with an opportunity to socialize with other kids their own ages. Many churches open up these groups to families from other churches as well.
With all of the dangers in the public school environment, and the excellent resources available for a family who chooses Christian home school, it is no wonder that so many parents are choosing to educate their kids at home! If you are considering this option, rest assured that your children can and will receive an excellent education from you at home. After all, who cares most about how your children learn? You, as their parents, do!
