By T. Olsen
As the leader of our homeschool group, I am always getting calls from moms who are thinking of homeschooling their high school children. You can always tell when they are new to homeschooling. You sense their fear of the unknown. They are never quite certain they have “what it takes” to teach their teens.
Well, first let me tell you how gracious God has been toward us as homeschooling parents. He is allowing us to raise a Godly heritage for the work of the Lord. What an honor it is to be given that right. What an awesome responsibility!
Romans 8:31 says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” The “things” are the dozens of amazing proofs of God’s unfailing love listed in the preceding verses. Romans 8 contains many of the cherished verses that comfort us, such as “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (verse 1). And the one that gets us through difficult times: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (verse 28). Verse 31 of Romans 8 is a culmination of all those wonderful promises. It reminds us who God is and how He helps us. When we grasp the truth that God is for us, we have nothing to fear.
Home educators have a wealth of resources available to them, including the support of local groups and national homeschool associations, online services, workshops, seminars, conventions and curriculum fairs. Homeschool how-to books and home education magazines offer information and advice. A wide variety of excellent educational computer software is easily obtainable. There are several major homeschool curriculum publishers and full-service home education academies. The expansion of online educational services certainly has been a positive development for learning at home.
Home education is a way of life in which the home is the center of learning. Parents who homeschool are concerned for their children’s spiritual and character development as well as their social and academic welfare. Homeschooling allows parents to limit the influences of bad temptations, false teachings, and negative peer pressure. Parents can be sure their children are getting a thorough instruction in the basics without having to worry about the latest educational fad.
The individualized attention that homeschooled children receive has many advantages over the classroom where a teacher tries to meet the needs of many children at different learning levels. Since one-on-one tutoring is more efficient, it takes less time as well. There are more enrichment activities and time to do them available for home-taught students than for those in school all day. Unlimited possibilities exist for field trips, specialized classes, and private instruction in art, music, etc.
Homeschooled children develop social skills by interacting with siblings, neighbors, friends, and relatives. They learn how to cooperate with others in scouting troops, church groups, and other clubs. Numerous studies have found that home educated children are as well adjusted socially, perhaps even more than, students in conventional schools. In fact, overly extensive peer contact during childhood can cause undesirable peer dependency. Freedom from peer pressure allows children to better relate to people of all ages and encourages self-confidence and independent thinking.
Homeschooling parents of teens will tell you that homeschooled students as a group exceed national norms on standardized achievement tests. Colleges and universities accept home educated students and some even actively recruit such graduates because of their maturity, creativity, disciplined study skills, and independent thinking skills.
One thing I know after all these years of homeschooling, it doesn’t matter how educated you might be, or how many credentials you might have; nobody has “what it takes” to homeschool. Your strength must not be in your own ability. God is the one who called you to be the parents of the “gifts” He has given you. When God calls you, He equips you with what is necessary to fulfill that which He has called you to do. God wants us to prosper in our homeschooling efforts. Continue to trust in Him. Make Him your only priority.
