Controversies: A Growing Rift in Home Schooling

A Growing Rift in Home Schooling
Authored By Mimi Rothschild
Posted By Bobby Cole

There is a chasm growing in the world of the home school. Home school used to be almost exclusively for religious people who didn't want their children in traditional school so they could focus more and more on bible studies. As home school grows in popularity, more and more non-religious people are starting to utilize home school for their own children. Like in many areas, the fundamental rift between religious home school parents and secular home school parents is starting to cause some problems throughout the country in home school support groups and other home school businesses and associations.

The question is what, if anything, can be done to mend this rift in home school philosophy. The answer to that question is probably not much. Just like in public life, secular and religious people have basic fundamental differences which can make it difficult to work together on many issues. However, the fact that there is growing diversity in views among the home school set indicates that the field is growing in prestige and vitality.

Although conflict might be difficult, it can also pave the way for advancement. Religiously oriented home school parents may balk at the notion, but the growing number of secular parents may help them out substantially. Having lots of non-religious home school parents means that the government is less likely to take action or persecute a religious group of home school families. Religious home school families can use their secular counterparts as a buffer against undue government intrusion. On the flip side, secular home school families have benefited greatly from the ground work religious home school families have laid in the area of home schooling, both in terms of curriculum and the law. The rise in the total number of home school families benefits both groups because it means that there are more resources available to home school families of all stripes.

Perhaps the best that home school families can hope for then is a sort of truce. As home school rises in popularity, it will most likely be the case that there will be religious and secular curriculums, support groups and other resources divided on the basis of religion. The one thing all home school families agree on is that traditional school is not for their children. However, this is not going to be enough to bridge the gap between the secular and religious home school camps.

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Develop Good Morals At Home

Christianity & Home School: Develop Good Morals At Home
Authored By Mimi Rothschild
Posted By Bobby Cole

As a home school parent, you're aware of just what a hard job parenting can be. You seek to help your home school child develop into a well-rounded individual, both educated and of high moral character. Perhaps you have the educational part covered, but would like a little help on the morality issue.

Often, home school children hear about the importance of being moral. Many are told they should be moral because that's the way God wants it. Many are raised to believe they should behave and live in moral ways without fully understanding why. Still others believe the reason lies simply in the fact that their parents wish it. Though it is undeniably important to endeavor to live up to the expectations of God and parents, home school children must develop their own sense of morality. They must discover right from wrong and build moral conviction, starting with a firm foundation of parental and religious guidance. With this guidance, the home school student can begin to develop a firm sense of moral self, making the right choices and decisions without supervision and guidance.

To help your home school child filter out all the negativity the world offers to develop a good, strong, moral character, start with prayer. Spend part of your day in prayer and reflection, determining your values for everything. Reflect on things from the basics, like television watching, to major things, like telling lies. When you have a firm hold on your core values, you are better equipped to impart them to your home school child.

Become a model of moral behavior. All too often parents, including those who home school, say one thing, yet do the other. Avoid telling your child that lying is wrong while asking her to tell the person on the phone that you're not home. Children often pay much more attention to actions than words. Since you home school, your child will spend more time with you than if she attended school. Use this extra time to show her, by example, how to live a moral life. Don't, however, beat yourself up when you make mistakes. Remember, perfection is not a realistic expectation.

Let your home school child see that you are human. Tell him stories about yourself as a child or young adult. Let him in on your moral failures. Children really listen to and learn from these types of stories. Also, this type of discussion may open the door for your home school student to feel confident about confiding in you.

Talk about consequences. In addition to biblical and moral reasons for avoiding certain things, there are very real consequences to face when you stray off moral paths. For instance, having sex outside of marriage can lead to unplanned pregnancy and serious disease. Likewise, smoking can lead to life-threatening health problems. Talk to your home school children about these consequences.

Always keep the lines of communication open with your home school child. The most effective tool a home school parent has in raising moral children is communication. Never stop talking to your children, even when you feel they're not listening. They actually absorb more than you might think. Most of all, listen when they talk back.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling parent, author, children's rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of almost 3 decades reside with their 8 children in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rothschild co-founded Learning By Grace, Inc. because "our current system of education has broken its promise..." Learning By Grace, Inc. delivers Internet-based multimedia education to PreK-12 children in the United States and throughout the world.

Rothschild has authored a number of books about education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Home Education News Blog contains feature stories on alternatives in education.

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