Traditonal Christian Home Schooling: Going Back to Basic Education

The introduction of technology into education may have been a breakthrough, but many home schoolers are choosing to redirect the focus of their schooling programs. What if we begin to question the modern way of administering "at home" education? What if we, as Christian home schoolers, decide to reject the modern way of thinking and return to "the roots" of education? Although unpopular, perhaps it is exactly what needs to be done. One could argue that by removing the bells and whistles of fancy home school curriculums, we will be able to offer our children an honest, pure, wholesome option that will provide them with an education that not only prepares their minds for the future, but their hearts for eternity as well.

Keyboarding vs. Penmanship

Clearly, the ability to use a computer is important. Without a doubt, a child can and will benefit from keyboarding training. Computers are a very important aspect of our society, just as proper penmanship once was. Drawing the comparison does bring forth a point, however. Why must we choose between the two? Isn't proper penmanship still an important skill for our children to possess? Many Christian Home schoolers believe that it is. In recent years, there has been gravitation towards the "art" of penmanship, by way of the "Spencerian Method", the slanted, proper manner in which many of us as adults were taught in school. This method was taught with grace and fluid movements, reducing frustration and encouraging patience and pride in the finished product. While some handwriting programs can run close to a hundred dollars, a well written, brilliantly designed complete Spencerian program can be purchased for less than ten dollars from Mott Publishers. I do not believe that keyboarding was meant to replace penmanship, or that penmanship training can replace keyboarding. Both are valuable skills. I do believe, however that traditional skills such as proper handwriting should not be overlooked.

Modern Math vs. Arithmetic

A friend of mine recently informed me that her children no longer bring home math textbooks. All of her children log into a program online that enables them to do their math studies. For reasons I am not sure I can articulate, this made me sad! There is just something about opening a book, using a pencil and paper, and working out the problems "the long way". I want my children's brains to be trained to function without the entertainment factor. Of course, there is a time and place for entertainment, and I definitely do what I can to make learning fun, but my goal is for my kids to be able to diligently work through something like math without the need for computer games and graphics. The math program we selected this year is "Practical Arithmetic" which is a three book set spanning several grades for less than fifty dollars. I will be able to teach all three of my elementary aged children this year with the same program. This particular program follows the same guidelines written out for some of the greatest mathematicians and scholars of our time. The very mathematical approach used to teach some of the brightest minds in the last century will be the program used around our table each day. Learning in this manner will also encourage diligence, patience, and self-control; all Biblical character traits that I strive to infuse into their days as much as possible.

Quality Literature vs. Modern Reading

One of the biggest mistakes I have made in recent parenting history is allowing my 10 year old son to read a book series about a young boy who kept a journal of his daily life. It was supposed to be funny and silly, and I figured that it couldn't be that bad. I was wrong! I'm sure plenty of kids could read these books and not have it affect their personalities, but this was not true for my son. He seemed to take on this kid's negative attitude and cynical outlook on life. It was so frustrating for me that I threw the books out and vowed to only allow true literature for a while. As Christian Home schoolers, sometimes modern chapter books just don't fit the bill. Some are entertaining and plenty appropriate for the kids, but some are just not something that our children can even relate to. If something takes place in a public school setting, for example, it may not be something I would encourage my kids to read. My children have all loved the Little House series, and I know part of the reason is that in many ways they can relate to the kids. Sure, we're not living the same struggle, but they lived a simple, Godly lifestyle that my children admire. Reading these books actually seemed to help my children strive for a more hardworking, wholesome approach to life in general. We worked through a popular unit study called "The Prairie Primer", and I will never regret that decision. Not only did we read quality books, but the entire program is very literature based and Biblically infused. After spending a year doing this unit study, my children literally went from begging for video games to asking for fishing poles and prairie dresses for Christmas. Quite the turn-around, and a welcomed one for sure!

As Christian Home schoolers taking a traditional approach to educating our children, we have a responsibility to protect our children from worldly influence and societal expectation. There is most definitely a need for balance between modern approaches and traditional guidelines, but it must be made without compromising the overall belief system. Preserving the original skills and character building opportunities found in traditional education will only serve to train up our children in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, and encouraging to those around them.