— On Home Education: Our Why, How, and What We're Using —
Dear friend,
August is the last month before the official re-start of our school year (we don't fully break in summer) and as I gear up to have a 4th, 2nd and preschooler, I'm often asked for homeschooling resources, links, book lists, podcasts, curriculum recs… the whole nine yards. In my past life I was a college advisor and admission counselor specializing in home education, working both for my alma mater and eventually for a large homeschool convention company as their staff college advisor. I absolutely loved my job and planned to continue in it, but God had other plans!
Even though God called me to ministry rather than furthering my career in education, I retain my passion for the topic through homeschooling my own kids. But home education has morphed over the years. Curated Instagram squares and constantly changing trends have impacted the movement, to the point some people don't even know how it started, why it matters, or why people choose to do it at all.
In this newsletter I'll share the philosophical and theological “why” of home education (and education as a whole), why avoiding schools is not motive enough for quality education, and what materials we are using this academic year.
First, let me attempt a philosophy of education in these few short paragraphs that (I hope) will adequately summarize what education is meant to be. Education is not the mere assimilation and regurgitation of disconnected facts. Performing well on tests, memorizing dates and tables – this might get you a good score in comparison to the national average, but how will it equip you for life? Education in the classical tradition had two elements that deeply appeal to me, both as a former student of them and now as a teacher and theologian. First, classical education (education by the Greeks and Romans) held that all knowledge is interconnected; nothing is just an independent, un-patterned fact. Math connects to science connects to history connects to language. Secondly, the goal of acquiring knowledge is development of virtue. Knowledge for knowledge's sake is useless. Knowledge plus good character changes the world.
Now, history tells us that the Greeks and Romans desired virtues they could not achieve. Their society crumbled under the weight of corruption and selfish gain. Christians benefit from secular Greek philosophy because they had our same vision – creative order – and our same goal – virtue – but only knew in part how to realize it. In Christ, we bring their attempts to fulfillment. Their education model is “an altar to an unknown God” (Acts 17), one that we make known, visible, and manifest through the Person of Christ. Charlotte Mason, 19th century educator who was inspired in part by the classical model, puts it this way:
“The functions which Plutarch claims for philosophy we ascribe to religion (Christianity), and by so doing, we place life on a higher level. There is this fundamental difference between the two: while philosophy instructs, religion both instructs and enables.” (Formation of Character, p. 383-88)
Mason's point is that education without religion teaches you WHAT to do (virtue) but cannot empower you to do it (Holy Spirit). This is what happened with the Greeks and Romans. The theological and philosophical goal of education is give children the BEST of what history offers us, fulfilled in the gospel of Jesus Christ, working out in a virtuous life. But today we have a new problem. As a general rule, the goal of education today is not the formation of virtue; it is the memorization and rehearsing of facts in a simulated social construct. These facts are memorized enough to score well on a test, in a synthetic social environment that is not replicated anywhere else in life or world (strict division by age group and skill level). John Dewey, who had a profound impact on the development of public/government schooling, was a pragmatist whose educational philosophy emphasized practical, useful outcomes. These ideas reflect the zeitgeist of the Industrial Revolution, an age in which efficiency was most important. Dewey was influenced by the works of both Charles Darwin and Karl Marx: “Darwin and Marx both inclined to see the social world as an epiphenomenon of fundamental material forces. Even though Darwin was the biggest influence on Dewey, Mill’s articulation of liberalism and Marx’s critique of industrial capitalism both played a large role in setting the parameters of his work." Source
In Dewey's "Pedagogic Creed" he states: “I believe that the only true education comes through the stimulation of the child's powers by the demands of the social situations in which he finds himself. Through these demands he is stimulated to act as a member of a unity, to emerge from his original narrowness of action and feeling and to conceive of himself from the standpoint of the welfare of the group to which he belongs.” Dewey's emphasis on the “welfare of the society” over the opinions (including dissenting opinions), welfare and development of the individual is intriguing to observe. Dewey's writings explain the accusation commonly hurled at us homeschoolers: “Your kids won't be socialized!"
My point in sharing all this is NOT to say “public schools are bad!” While I do believe that American public education started on the wrong philosophical foot and is reaping the material ends of that philosophy, many Christian families choose to utilize it, disciple through it, and come out on the other side with faithful, confident kids. At the same time, home education in the classical/Charlotte Mason tradition is incomparable with public education. Often times, people object to home education on grounds like socialization, teacher qualification, and curriculum. They simply do not understand that even if the public school model could be translated directly into our homes, we would reject it. Our foundation is different; our philosophy is incompatible. The socialization we are after is not the welfare of an industrial, efficient State; the qualifications we need are fitted to the curriculum we choose - one focused on the best minds of history (not just modern ideologies) and the cultivation of virtue.
But most of all, the motive of home education is time. More time with our children. More time to grant them the ability to love what is true, good and beautiful. More time to read good books, to run through the woods, to study the greatest thoughts of the greatest minds. More time without test anxiety and tight schedules and alarm bells. Simply more time.
Today's homeschoolers make a mistake when they lead with what they are against more than what they are for. As home education has grown we've drawn more attention – not always in a good way. The loudest, brashest voices get the most attention. The most condescending, most exclusive, most dogmatic seem to win the day. I'm here to tell you the REAL motive to quality education is not avoiding government overreach (important though that might be). Certainly we should education our children on what happens when governments do overreach and what people did to combat it; but we should also be teaching how they lived faithfully when those combats failed, and that God is still sovereign over all. We should be teaching and living the virtue we claim to uphold, the virtue the Romans were after but couldn't achieve; the virtue our Holy Spirit works in those who humbly depend upon Him.
I homeschool because I love being with my children. I love reading to them, studying with them, learning with them, and having time with them. I love seeing the patterns connect, history come alive, science become accessible, and even math become less of a drudgery. The mind I possess today is the product of an education that lifted my eyes to the good, true, and beautiful. I kept looking, and it became such a habit I never stopped seeing, even on my hardest days. And because my eyes and heart are set on the ultimate Truth, Wisdom Himself, I can continue to do what God has asked me to do when world and Church both tell me to give up. If God has called you to home education, it will be hard – but it will be 100% worth it.
Where to Find Great Books for Your Kids
Because I talk about books and reading SO much, I'm asked for places to find good book lists – and I love this question! I use several different lists and resources when compiling the books I read to my kids (and the books they read on their own). Below are some resources I recommend.
Read Aloud Revival: This is perhaps the best known podcast and community for children's literature. Sarah's book Teaching from Rest is also excellent.
Honey for a Child's Heart: This book lists out the why of good literature followed by summaries of great books for kids.
Mensa for Kids: This site has reading lists for grade level that contain many of the classic books you'll find on classical and Charlotte Mason reading lists. I like their easy printable format.
This Ambleside Online master booklist: Ambleside is a Charlotte Mason approach to education, but even if you don't use it/follow CM their book recommendations are consistently high quality. This is divided up by book and reading level ("Year 1) is equivalent to kindergarten/first grade). You can also click on the Year on Ambleside's website and click “book list” for the breakdown for each bracket.
Half a Hundred Acre Wood is the best for books related to Classical Conversations. If you're willing to do some work, you can hunt around their website by topic and find their recommendations for picture/chapter books for each topic. If you aren't in CC it may be confusing, but each cycle of CC has a specific focus – Cycle 3 is American History, so the CC Cycle 3 planner has lists of American History book recs, etc.
Logos Academy had a nice list of books by grade level here.
Our Curriculum Choices for 2024-25
Because I'm not a homeschool blogger (I'm a blogger who homeschools!) I try not to take up too much space talking about this, but I also want to serve our readers well. So here is what we are using for school this year. Remember: Classical Conversations is a group/membership/curriculum all in one.
Classical Conversations curriculum guide: We meet once a week for community day. On this day the kids learn the new information for the week, and parents take it deeper on their own the next four days. We also review everything studied thus far. CC covers history, geography, science, basic Latin, some English grammar, and art or music (whatever the focus that quarter).
Build out the CC curriculum: To build out the introduction CC provides to each topic (for instance: we might be studying Ancient Egyptians, the Levant, classifications in biology, conjugation Latin verbs, English prepositions and Beethoven) I use my book lists to pick library books for each focus area. Each day of the week has a specific “deep dive” focus. Tuesday might be Egypt, Wednesday classifications, etc.
Bible & Discipleship: We try to do this at breakfast to make room in our morning time. We keep it simple: Read one chapter of the New Testament aloud, practice 4-5 memory verses, read a section of The Kids' Theology Handbook and a Sibling Card or Prayer Card.
Morning Basket Time: A “morning basket” is a basket of materials we study all together. We usually do this between 9-10 am each morning. Morning basket includes all the memory work for CC (memorizing facts and reciting them), manners study, poetry, times tables, Bible (if we didn't do it at breakfast), hymn sing and read-alouds (including aforementioned library books). Morning time takes about an hour.
Math – Math U See: Both girls are doing Math U See for their math again this year. We do 1-2 pages a day.
Latin – Latina Christiana: While this is built into CC, it's very light, so Adeline will be doing Latina Christiana in a workbook this year (from Memoria Press). This will be one lesson a week.
Poetry - Poetry for the Grammar Stage: Last year I used The Harp and Laurel Wreath, our favorite poetry collection. We will still use this occasionally but this year we are doing Memoria's Poetry for the Grammar Stage – all of us will do the poem together, and Addie will do the worksheets herself. One lesson/poem a week.
Spelling and Phonics: I use several for this, and usually teach it right before or after morning basket with a whiteboard. Adeline is using Traditional Spelling from Memoria, and I use Sequential Spelling and Alpha Phonics for quick review. For full phonics lessons, I use All About Reading.
Nature/Science: Exploring Nature with Children is the book I use in conjunction with The Handbook of Nature Study. We typically study this on a nature walk while the girls rotate piano lessons.
Preschool: Ivan is doing my trusty Memoria Press preschool guide (falling apart, so loved!) even though it's a little under his ability level. He also does Rod and Staff 3 year old workbooks and sits in on morning time.
