Comments on: Homeschooling, Election Injustice, News from the Hill

By: Walter Jeffries

Walter Jeffries — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 23:24:00 +0000

We homeschool and love it. School is always in session. Life is learning. We wake early, do chores (maintenance), then construction in the morning light. During the heat of the day when the sun is high we are inside for book work, paper work and computer work. Some of that is business, some is educational. Everyday everyone gets some educational time. The kids learn more in less time than would be wasted in a public school assembly line education. After the heat of the day we get to go outside again. This works great for our family and we have built our lives around being able to do that together.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 19:47:00 +0000

I didn’t see it mentioned but we loved and still reference “Teaching the Trivium” by the Bluedorns. They explain why and how to use the trivium (classical education) from a Biblical worldview. You shouldn’t pass this up in your research, IMHO.
Enjoy reading your blog,
Mandy

By: reformed farmer

reformed farmer — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 16:08:00 +0000

Thank you all for the comments. Heidi, I value your opinion a great deal. I will study the clasical education some more.

By: abigail

abigail — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 02:04:00 +0000

Well-written, Puritan Mama.

I do not believe that the classical method’s goal of giving children the tools and training to think and critically evaluate, by virtue of valuing the intellect, devalues our Creator. He is the Giver of intellect, no matter the variance of individual capabilities, and our children should see their capacity for learning as a gift from Him, which can be used in worship of Him first and foremost, in speaking to the unsaved about Him, and in enjoying all the good that He has given us. That having been said, it can certainly be (and has been, I’m sure) valued more than things of utmost value.

Teaching our children about our Lord, His word, and His Bride should be central to their schooling, no matter what the method one chooses, and it’s neat to see Scott’s readers in agreement on that most important truth even though the external trappings and methodology may vary!

By: Puritan Mama

Puritan Mama — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 23:06:00 +0000

Well, Scott, we classically educate, and it’s SOLIDLY Biblically-centered. Right now we use Tapestry of Grace, and we add to that the catechism, hymn-learning and scripture memory. Veritas Press is another solidly reformed, Biblical classical system.
For us, the difference between a “regular” education and a “classical education” is that the first teaches you what to think, and the latter teaches you how to think. Although teaching children what to think (indoctrination) is very important, at some point they WILL be out of our grasp and our home and we don’t want them to believe just any old thing because we’re not there to help them identify faulty logic.
And because a classical education focuses strongly on history, we’re able to show our children, from creation till now, the revealing of God’s Word to us and how he used the pagan nations to bring Himself glory and the redemption of the chosen to pass. Me, I was public schooled and missed out on HUGE chunks of history, periods when I could have been learning about God’s way of bringing all nations and peoples under His dominion for His own glory.
You don’t have to teach latin unless you want to, that’s the beauty of homeschooling

By: The Jersey Homesteader

The Jersey Homesteader — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 19:52:00 +0000

I will have to comment on the subject of homeschooling. First I really love to home educate with the classical mind. I watched my oldest fall in the public education system. Through the past 10 years of homeschooling I found out how it can help your child. These are my own experiences, and with God he helped my family with this choice.

By: abigail

abigail — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 02:28:00 +0000

That’s some fine-lookin’ jam.

You know I’m prone to spewing out a flood of words in blog discussions, so I’ll cut this quick. On our next journey to Nanticoke, I would enjoy talking to you and Leah about the ideas you’re starting to shape for future schooling. (As you know, John and I plan to use the Trivium as a framework, but I’d love to hear what you plan to implement. One of the many good things about home-schooling is its flexibility, and I’ll gleefully snatch any good ideas that can be successfully sewn together.)

By: Mrs. Cumbee

Mrs. Cumbee — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 04:10:00 +0000

My thoughts on this tend to run on at length, so I posted them at my blog.

By: reformed farmer

reformed farmer — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 01:13:00 +0000

Jon

I agree. I would never put them in a school anyhow. Glad to see your blog up and running!

Milkmaid

Thanks for the input. I tend to agree with you on the whole thing.

Dave

Your welcome. Think nothing of it, thats what friends are for. You folks are top notch, I look forward to many years of fellowship.

By: dandmelbram

dandmelbram — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:50:00 +0000

Scott,

Just a quick note to say thanks for all your help in putting our roof on this past weekend. You and your family have been a real blessing to our family. Praise God.

Dave