Education Controversies: God's Place in Homeschooling
When God is removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, we are left with one nation under nothing. When God is removed from the classroom, we are left with a nation of children who have little direction, a skewed sense of history, and low hopes. Many homeschooling parents recognize society's error in refusing to allow religion in public education environments, and therefore turn to homeschooling in order to provide their children with a functional knowledge of God to allow them to make educated decisions. Though religion is not the only, or even the primary, reason parents choose to homeschool their children, it is one of the deciding factors for many.
Children who incorporate Christianity into the learning process, such as many homeschooling parents choose to do, often perform better academically than those who are effectively banned from learning about God. According to many top educators, the basic tools of scholarship can be found in the Bible, and this is what public schools lack. Parents who homeschool often embrace Biblical principles and impart Christian ethics and morals to their children. Homeschooled students respond with a greater sense of character and stronger inclinations to perform at high levels in every aspect. Generally, students in a homeschool environment achieve academic results that are equivalent to or better than their publicly-educated peers. Many homeschooling parents attribute part of this achievement to the incorporation of Christianity into their children's daily lives.
Public schools are forced to concentrate their efforts on “teaching to the test” and enable students to pass standardized tests to avoid loss of federal and state funding. Thus, children are being taught to react instead of reason. Rote memorization is the norm in public schools, and many students don't retain what they learn longer than they have to in order to pass a test. Homeschooled students, on the other hand, receive learning that lasts a lifetime. The homeschool environment emphasizes reason over reaction, equipping children with the necessary skills to think for themselves. Homeschooling can provide an exceptional environment free from the rigidity of political correctness public schools must enforce.
When homeschooling parents incorporate Biblical principles into the lessons, children respond with enthusiasm and an increased desire for knowledge. Many parents who homeschool use the “Principle Approach:” a principle that is derived from the Bible and based on seven principles of government and American Christian history. These principles deal with such issues as self-government, character, conscience, individuality, and political union. Thus they instill homeschooled students with the ability to reason and apply their knowledge in practical situations.
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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 Daily Education News Blog contains feature stories on alternatives in education.