Schools- Public School, Home School, Private School. We have done all three
Jan 31 '01 (Updated Mar 15 '01)
The Bottom Line Every family has to do what is right for them, there are no right or wrong answers.
Schools- Public School, Homeschool, Private School. We have done all three!!!
From the time that you become pregnant with your precious little baby, you are hit with hundreds of decisions to make. What kind of birth should I have? Should I bottle of breast Feed? Should I use clothe or disposable diapers? and on and on.
Then as that child starts to get older you are faced with even more decisions. Should I work or stay home with my child? What programs should I let him watch on TV? What time should his bedtime be? Which friends should or shouldn't I let him play with? For as long as you are a parent, you are always going to be faced with such decisions. It is part of life.
But, what has become a common misconception is that anyone has the wrong or right answer to any of those decisions, except you, the parent. There are no right or wrong answers, it is what is right for your own individual family. I am sure like I have, you have been swamped with hundreds of parents who supposedly have ALL THE RIGHT answers for you when you are trying to make a decision (Or even when you are not for that matter, LOL!!!)
I still chuckle to myself when I hear someone trying to tell me what is right or wrong for one of my children. Because that person only knows what is the RIGHT or WRONG answer for themselves and for their family, not for mine. So, what they are really doing is making a fool of themselves. My basic point to saying this is to let my readers know that I write things based on my experiences and trials with my family. I like to share the outcomes I have had on things and hopefully be of encouragement to someone. I would never assume to know what is right for you and yours, that is between You, your family and the Lord.
One of the most challenging decisions that I have been faced with as a parent was deciding where I wanted my child to go to school. There were so many factors that came into play, and I wanted to make the RIGHT decision for my son. It was a long battle, but I think we have finally made our decision on where are children are to be educated.
This article is on MY experiences with my oldest son, through Public, Home and Private schools. We have done all three, and I would like to share my experiences.
Public School-
My son attended three different Public Schools during Kindergarten through the middle of the Third grade. The best experience out of attending Public school was his Kindergarten year. Now, I am not sure if that was because of the age/grade or because of that certain teacher in particular, but it was a very good and successful year. My husband and I helped out in the class twice a week and the teacher was wonderful. This was a really good year.
All the rest of our experiences in the public school system has been nothing but bad.
When my son was in the 1st grade he was told that he could not talk about his love for Jesus in school. Apparently him and another child were talking about Jesus for their show and tell (It is THEIR show and tell, right???) Well, the teacher informed them both that they were not allowed to do that in school. What??? My son can't say he loves Jesus because he attends a public school and it may offend someone??? What if my son is offended by them teaching Evolution or Homosexuality to him? Where are his rights? It sure is funny how we have free speech in our schools for everything that the BIBLE stands against, yet there is no free speech for those that LOVE the Lord. That may very well be their rules, but NO ONE is going to tell my son that he cannot share his love for our LORD, NO ONE. We went down to the school and basically got the same answer from the teacher and the principle that my son did. So, he was withdrawn from that school the next day.
Through the following years of our Public school experience we ran into everything from bad Influences to being harassed and physically hurt as well as my son coming home every day so stressed out about trying to fit in, that he had chronic stomach problems. And that is not even the academic part of it. My son was literally bored in public school. The work was too easy for him. (And let me just point out that my son is in no way gifted, he is average in his abilities, yet it was still so easy for him.) With a class room full of 25 students and 1 teacher, the teacher would teach the children something and have to go around and help each child individually while the ones that are done just sit there with nothing to do, feeling bored and therefore playing around. Public School was just not working for us. I finally had it and pulled my son out and made the decision to Homeschool.
Homeschooling-
I homeschooled my son for almost two years. I chose a Packaged Curriculum and we jumped right in. This work was a challenge for him (much more advanced than the curriculum they were teaching at the public school). He loved the challenge as well as what the curriculum taught. I chose ABEKA which is a Christian Curriculum that is used at a lot of private Christian schools. Not only was my child challenged and learning so much more, but he was also learning about the Lord. We joined a homeschool support group of 35 other Homeschooling families in our area. (which later my husband and I ended up running). We did our work at home then went to Homeschooling park days, classes and field trips with other Homeschooling families to supplement in socialization and interesting things. And all those bad habits and stresses that he took on from the public schools went away. We loved homeschooling. I could choose the people that my son would socialize with and know that he would be taught the truth and not what some school board decided was the truth based on their views. The Bible is our truth. Oh and one last thing, my son could pray in school anytime he chose. As a matter of fact, school never began without prayer.
Through the end of this last school year, our family went through many personal problems. As much as I love Homeschooling and everything that is stands for, it takes A LOT of hard and dedicated work to homeschool your children. We needed to lighten the load for a while due to some personal heath reasons. So, even though it was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make, my husband and I decided that we would send our son to a Private School this year. Then, when this year is over we will re evaluate again.
Private School-
We found a very small Private Christian School that has the same beliefs as us. We went in and talked with them, and absolutely fell in love with this small school. They are using the same curriculum that I used while we homeschooled, which means my son will continue to be challenged. He is in a class with 8 other children, which is wonderful. Perfect size for learning and getting lots of individualized attention. He is around other Christian children who have the same morals and beliefs as he does. Instead of having to try to be MEAN to fit in (Like he had to at the public schools) all he had to do was be kind and he met 4 new friends in only four days of school there. Do, you know that is more friends than he made in the 4 years he was at public schools? Amazing isn't it? I don't have to worry about him being taught evolution or alternative lifestyles in school, instead BIBLE is a subject of the day, just like Language, Science and Arithmetic. We are very happy here. He is getting the best of both worlds.
As far as what we will do next year I am still unsure. We will tackle that when we get there. But as for now, I think we have finally found what will truly be best for our son.
Deciding where your child will go school and how he/she will be educated is a very personal decision. I am not here to judge anyone or tell anyone what "I" feel they should do, because that is not my place. I just wanted to share my experiences "as a Christian Mom" and what we have learned along the way.
The final decisions for our children always lies within ourselves. We are the ones who are responsible for them and have to be accountable to how they are raised, no one else. Sometimes things aren't so cut and dry, black and white or right or wrong. But as long as you are doing what you feel is right and the best for your children and your family, then you are doing the right thing. Even if it takes us a while sometimes to find out what that right thing is.
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