ApricotPie, here it... comes! The most fitting essay topic for ApricotPie! ;)
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Normally when someone asks, "What school do you attend?” they expect a reply similar to “I go to P.S. 103” or “I attend Maple Grove Christian School.” They do not, in most cases, expect the response “I’m homeschooled.” In fact, for the few non-homeschoolers who have heard of homeschooling, some consider it as a cult. Despite this, every Christian parent should prayerfully consider homeschooling their children.
True, most homeschoolers do not socialize as much as children who attend school outside the home do. But because homeschooling is so flexible, if the parents want the children to socialize more, they can. Others say, “Only qualified teachers can teach.” While that is not necessarily true, many schools offer science labs for homeschoolers, and many clubs, classes, and camps teach writing, art, music, history, and much more. Parents can also hire tutors or switch curricula.
But that is often not the problem with homeschooling because the educational approach of homeschooling is flexible. The child who grasps concepts quickly can study at a more advanced level. If a child has trouble learning quickly, the child can learn more slowly. For the child who enjoys English more than Mathematics, the child can concentrate on that which he prefers. Some parents send their child to public school but also want to be more involved in their child’s education. For example, not everything that the government schools teach is biblically correct. So, Christian parents wonder how to teach their child biblical truths—and homeschooling can solve that problem.
Not only will the child learn from textbooks, but from what life gives him. We all know that each home has important responsibilities. In homeschooling, the child will have more opportunities to apply practical home-making skills. Changing diapers, mopping floors, and washing dishes all practically aid busy moms. Over time, as the child learns to be more independent in their schooling, seeing that these types of skills will benefit them when they live by themselves.
Furthermore, homeschoolers have a number of privileges that public-schoolers might not have. The child can spend more time with his family. Others influence a child the most in his youth. By homeschooling, parents have much more opportunity to devote their energy, love, and time to their child who will be the next generation.
Most importantly, parents must be involved their child’s life to affect him spiritually. Dropping their children off at school or daycare—even if the teachers are Christians, is not enough. The parents should be the ones teaching their children, not teachers or peers. Most children, sometimes even unconsciously, look up to their parents. They hunger for their love and for their devotion. They need someone to teach them what is right and what is wrong – they desperately need someone to raise them. Homeschooling parents can truly say that they have raised their children in the most intimate way.
Of course, there are situations where parents cannot homeschool, but when homeschooling is possible, every Christian parent should pray for God’s direction to homeschool. Homeschool will allow their child to learn at his own pace, be a blessing to his family, and learn from his parents.
Therefore, homeschooling is an important privilege to consider because every child is a gift from God—it is the parents’ huge responsibility to ‘Train up a child in the way he should go:’. And as God promises, ‘… when he is old, he will not depart from it.’
Comments
This seemed like a very
This seemed like a very concise essay. I do agree with Homey about making it more personal. I personally disagree with quite a few of the points, but you phrased your points in a clear manner. I am not a Christian, and so I don't believe that religion is the primary reason that children should homeschool. That's interesting that people are so baffled by homeschooling in New York (that's where you're from, right?). It's pretty normal in Texas, since our system for homeschooling is very relaxed. There are tons of homeschoolers here, so not many people are weirded out.
"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond
Ditto
Ditto.
I agree with both Erin and Homey, I'm not Christian, and I did feel like this needed more emotion. It's very, very well-written, and I can see how religion could be a very huge factor for families, like yours, that's why homeschooling is so great for diversity, and independence; in public school it's harder to find unique, diverse, and individual people. With homeschooling you have the freedom to be an individual, to be unique, and diverse in your studies, beliefs and style ;) And I'm sure that's what you mean, that with homeschooling you have freedom.
Well-written, wording and precision. Keep it up!
"Here's looking at you, Kid"
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Write On!
:)
Thank you for commenting and not being afraid to criticize.
I will pray that you all will come to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior Who is always with you through everything. ~ Megan
"It is not the length of life, but the depth of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson
I enjoyed reading this.
I enjoyed reading this. Especially your emphasis on the key reason for homeschooling. However, on this point, I did have a couple of questions. What did you mean by "teach their child biblical truths"? Are you focusing on family discipleship or simply teaching truths from the Bible?
I also had some confusion over the third to last paragraph. Your opening statement for this paragraph spoke of affecting children spiritually. This immediately led me to think that you would talk about the parents guiding the children in their spiritual growth. However, the rest of the paragraph didn't seem to match this idea.
Personally (though this has nothing to do with your writing style) I would also prefer a greater emphasis on the discipleship of homeschooling.
There were some other thoughts I had, but these were minor and dealt with the content itself, rather than writing style.
Again, a very thought-provoking essay on homeschooling.
“D’ye know what Calvary was? What? What? What? It was damnation; and he took it lovingly.”
~John Duncan
Thank you! By teaching
Thank you! By teaching biblical truths, I mean teaching children the power and truth of the Word of God. By the parents staying at home, they can show the power of God through the way they train their children and the way they live.
I am understanding your confusion on the third to last paragraph. But what do you mean by discipleship on homeschooling? What exactly is that?
Thanks for commenting! :)
"It is not the length of life, but the depth of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thank you for the
Thank you for the clarification.
About family discipleship: essentially, for the Christian, homeschooling is not about the better grades, or even about protecting children. Instead, it is about discipleship, showing one's children to their inability to overcome their own sin and pointing them on every possible occasion to the One who can. The discipleship of homeschooling is the fulfillment of God's command in Deuteronomy 6. The command here is to teach your children everywhere you go, and the command is given to the parents, not to the government trained public educator. The way I see it, then, homeschooling is really just another name for family discipleship, the mandate laid down here in Deuteronomy.
Thank you for the
Thank you for the clarification.
The discipleship of homeschooling: For a Christian, the purpose of homeschooling, rather than superior education or even protection for one's children, is discipleship, teaching one's children their inability to do any good, pointing out to them their own total depravity and inability to be freed from sin, and pointing them in all things to the One who can and will provide justification. This command is summarized in Deuteronomy 6. This command is to teach the next generations at all times, and is given, not to the Jewish community as a whole, nor to any government trained teacher, but rather, to the parents. Thus, family discipleship, in my opinion, is really just another name for homeschooling. I hope that this clears it up.
“D’ye know what Calvary was? What? What? What? It was damnation; and he took it lovingly.”
~John Duncan
:)
Thank you for the explanation! I agree that for Christians, why they homeschool is more for their children's spiritual well-fare than just getting a better education.
"It is not the length of life, but the depth of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Great essay!
It makes me want to write an essay on homeschooling. :)
I'm fine with the style of writing in this essay, and I would keep it this way, but an example or two, whether personal or not would be good. Thanks for the read.
Oh, and I do agree with Benjamin, that this could have had more of the spiritual reasons, as that is the reason that we homeschool.
"My greatest wish for my writing is that it would point you to the Savior."
:)
Thank you SO much! I actually did want to make this more personal because I do have alot of stories but if I were to tell stories from my point of view, I would have had to change the tone of this to a different view, plus make it less formal. :)
"It is not the length of life, but the depth of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nice. It's very identical to
Nice. It's very identical to what my mom says about Homeschooling. Good job!
"The trip is a difficult one. I will not be myself when I reach you."-When I Reach Me.
A few comments
I think if you come back to this essay, you should decide if you want it to be a personal or persuasive essay. As it currently stands, it attempts to convince people that they should homeschool, an uncontroversial position on this site, but other audiences might need different arguments. Or you could state what advantages you've gained from homeschooling, which might stand out more.
Formerly Kestrel
This has a good base. Really,
This has a good base. Really, I love reading homeschooling essays. And although your grammar was impeccable and your wording was very formal and precise, it just didn't feel authentic enough to me.
More than anything, I love homeschooling essays with testimonials. I love emotions to come out in essays, because I really think they can, and although they're often formal pieces of writing--I don't know, I just really adore essays where people use their own experiences to illustrate the benefits/adversities of something.
This also felt like in places that you were saying, "Do this, it's the best option" without any real reason besides stating facts. I felt like this needed a more personal note to really get its point across.
I've written a homeschooling article in the past, and I feel I did something similar to this. I stated simple facts and told people it was a good route to go (it's actually on my page) but now, I don't know, I feel it lacked more personal notes. I did testify as to the various activities I was involved in, though I never got deep-down into the different emotions it brings.
Hm...perhaps I should try writing another homeschooling article? LOL! Really, I hope this doesn't sound like I was bashing this. It's a well-composed essay but it just doesn't have the genuine quality to it I think make the best homeschool articles (for instance, that your testimonial did).
Thanks!! :)
-Homey