Even Camels Get Tired

One of the best aspects of mentoring homeschooling moms is having the opportunity to help women who are so eager to do right by their children. Helping them become the best teachers they can be while remaining"on the job" is rewarding. I now have mentorees (is that a word?) on three continents: North America, Europe, and Africa who are actively studying biblical law and how it pertains to all areas of their lives and families.

One woman who is on the mission field with her husband and three children sent me this picture of a typical day in Mauritania.

For more information about the Chalcedon Teacher Training Institute, visit http://www.ctti.org/.

Persevere

Joe Morecraft speaking at Carroll County TEA Party from Aubrey Boles on Vimeo.

Do the Math

As a result of an excellent weekly class that I'm am taking under the direction of Mike Winther of the Institute for Principle Studies, much of my extra reading has turned to the subject of economics. A book I had heard about for years but never read through, Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? finally made it into my library. It provides an interesting perspective on "two-income" families.

Until the 1970s, most families were able to improve their standard of living with only one adult working outside the home. In the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, mothers and wives got paying jobs ususally on the assumption they were helping support their families.

Try this. Add up the total taxes your household pays: state and federal income tax, sales tax, property tax, and any others you can find (remember that many taxes are "hidden taxes" that aren't easy to identify). Compare the total taxes paid with the total wages earned.

Chance are you will find that one spouse is supporting the household, and the other is supporting the government.*

My husband and I came to the same conclusion back in 1979. When I added up the cost of putting my son in daycare, additional transportation costs travelling from my work to where he was during the day, lunches out, drycleaning bills etc., the net gain after taxes was $37.00!

Homeshooling families regularly make ends meet on just one income, or supplement it with work the mother/teacher can do from her own home while maintaining her role as her children's teacher. Sure it takes some creativity and good adminstrative skills, but the rewards of the one-on-one opportunity to train your children in the ways of the Lord is not only worth more than a paycheck, it allows you to store up treasures in heaven!

*page 85 of the 2004 edition.

His Heartbeat for Women Interview

Listen to a discussion of my newest book The Biblical Trustee Family on the podcast "His Hearthbeat for Women."

Our Systems Are Crumbling

Another clip from the INDOCTRINATION documentary. For more info, visit the website.

The Relgion of Humanism in Public Education

This is a clip for the upcoming documentary INDOCTRINATION by Colin Gunn.  You can find out more by going to the website.

Concerns & Excuses

This is the time of year when parents customarily make their education choices for the upcoming fall semester for their children. It is also the time that those considering homeschooling begin to get “concerned” about the challenges they will face if they pursue home education. Here are some of the concerns/excuses that I hear time and again, along with my answers.

Q. If I take my children out of school or don’t enroll them in a public school, I may be contacted by my school district? What do I do then?

A. Join Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and receive the benefits of expert legal advice and referrals to local homeschool leaders.

Q. With so many curriculum choices, how do I know what will be best for my children without having to spend a lot of money to find out?
A. Connect with the Christian Home Education Association (CHEA)* for your state and register for a convention in your area. Spend time in the exhibit hall and get some hands-on experience with hundreds of choices before you purchase. There are also excellent convention workshops for you to attend.

Q. I’m not sure I’m capable of teaching my children?
A. Get copies of my two books Lessons Learned from Years of Homeschooling and The Homeschool Life. They will give you perspective on what it takes to be a homeschooling parent. You can also consider a mentoring program to help assist you with “on the job” training.

Q. But what about the socialization? Won’t we be isolated from other people if we homeschool?
A. A quick internet search should put you in touch with many dedicated support groups in your area. There are also many homeschool forums where parents exchange information and ideas, not to mention many opportunities for extra curricula activities.

Q. I know homeschooling is a great choice, but I’m scared. Haven’t you read about families, in our country and internationally, who face harassment and sanctions because they teach their own children at home?
A. Surely you do not think we are the first group of believers ever to face oppression and opposition? Ask God to help you in your unbelief and trust in His provision. And, consider this passage from the Epistle to the Hebrews:

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
(Hebrews 11:23-29)

Contact me at lessons.learned@yahoo.com if your concern/excuse was not addressed in the above list.

* I will be at the April 30th/May 1st CHEA Bay Area Convention at the Chalcedon booth located immediately inside when you enter the exhibit hall.

A Call to Dunkirk

A Strong Foundation for Academic Success

Many young families are hesitant to pursue homeschooling because they feel the task is overwhelming. I regularly point out that once a child learns how to read, the rest of the education process is a matter of that child interacting with books and learning from authors worth reading. Thus, one of the most important elements in education is building a strong foundation in reading.

Over 23 years ago I came across a simple, yet highly useful phonics program that I used for both my daughters. Sam Blumenfeld’s Alpha Phonics was the no-nonsense method I implemented to build a foundation for excellent reading skills. Having utilized a number of other programs for my first child, I was looking for something without distracting bells and whistles – one that would focus on building a “reading reflex” without adding other confusing elements. Both girls ended up being very capable readers and never, ever was the refrain heard in my home that “I hate reading.” For them, that would be like saying, “I hate breathing!”

Back when I was using it with my girls I also helped a grown man who had struggled with reading since his school days. Far from being stupid, this man had practical knowledge and skills that rivaled many of his peers. Yet, he felt stupid when it came to having to read something and learn it. I had a number of sessions with him using the Alpha Phonics program and I could see the “lights go on” for him. Just recently, I re-connected with this man (via Facebook) who moved clear across the country 18 years ago. In catching up with each other, he let me know that my tutoring had served him in good stead and had provided the motivation for him to continue working at it. His “thank-you” meant the world to me.

This is the time of year when families make their choices for schooling in the fall for their little ones. For those considering homeschooling, I whole-heartedly suggest they look into this gem of a book to help build the foundation for future academic success.