Home-style learning

A wonderful homeschool room

We have an official "school room" in our garden-level basement. It is very pleasant, with a window facing the South. Besides containing two file cabinets, there is a round table with comfortable chairs, a wipe-off board, and walls full of educational posters, most of which were placed there some nine years ago, ones, which, for that matter, are no more noticed than the pattern in the wallpaper. There is an exception to this; a huge map of Oregon shows wear from being examined by a number of hands and eyes. We seldom use this room. I guess we are too busy learning all over everywhere else.

A craft time for Faith

Learning has never before had the same definition it does today. Life and learning are now in their own completely separate compartments and rarely ever touch each other. 

Modern schooling is to learning what plastic is to wood. No matter how you texture or color it, it is still "fake" feeling, looking and smelling. It just doesn't matter how we try and repackage modern education, children can tell when it's not the genuine article. The more we try to make it "fun", the more it loses its authenticity, and the more it becomes unacceptable.

But when life and learning come together, in a natural marriage, props are not necessary. The learners of the past; Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, never saw an "educational" poster or played an "educational" game. Every lesson was educational, and every game taught something about life.

Ryan working on a project

These days we are not concerned with whether or not Johnny knows how to live capably. We are more worried about how he "stacks up" on the tests and on how he fits into the social strata among his classmates. We wonder how well he has swallowed the lie that following social and school protocols will automatically bring him success.

What happens when Johnny has to make moral decisions that will affect the rest of his life? Will he understand the consequences and their ultimate price? Johnny might be able to jump through all of the hoops to enter into college, but does he comprehend how long he will have to work to pay for it? Will his spouse realize her college education promises to make it impossible for her to stay home with the children that she will one day love more than her dream of a "career"?

Study time!

Why does homeschooling work so well? Homeschooling parents don't spend years learning how to teach. Less than $1,000 a year is spent on each student learning at home, compared with the $8,000 a year spent on the average public-schooled student.

Homeschooling is successful because it has taken back learning from "education". 

As God originally intended, learning at home is done under the auspices of nurturing and committed parents; just as it was in the time of the founding fathers. 

When parents are involved, learning happens 24/7. In actuality, life is learning and learning is life. Parents have the contact hours necessary to ensure that their children are being encouraged and "schooled" (in the old sense). Parents help their children complete the connection between gaining knowledge from books and the practicality of how it is walked out in daily living.

Parents are the ultimate, the original FACILITATORS!

Love and togetherness!

That is why children at home don't need a collection of gaudy posters, each one showing only a thimbleful of information. They don't need to be teased, entertained or coerced into learning; they were born with a natural desire to learn. Just watch them for a little while—they love discovering new and exciting things. 

We supply some structure, discipline, and the necessary materials. 

Oh, and we also add love, interest and inspiration—items never found for sale in a school supply catalog!