[As I write this entry, I am putting my discoveries and thoughts into words about what I am convinced education is and I would categorize this as a seminal entry]
I am asked this question quite a lot by neighbours, friends, aquaintances...especially when they see my kids running around during hours when most children should be in school. Daniel and I have discussed about this quite a bit, I have read much about it, reasoned it much in my mind and prayed and asked the Lord what my role is to my children.
One conclusion we came to as parents of Sarah and Samuel - is that we need to take up full responsibility for
drawing up the masterplan for their education. I believe this is a responsibility that we can delegate to no one else but ourselves. But it is a humble calling because of its grave and lifelong consequences. It took a while for me to come to this conclusion as I read around homeschooling, its methods, parents' review and all....It was confusing because for all the information it offers, it was still a microscopic treatment of education. Methods, books and authors will not make sense if there is no bird's eye view of where one is heading in life. And that is inextricably linked to how one would eventually be effective for the Lord wherever He deems to place that individual.
Ironically, living in our modern and fast paced society has created sloths out of us rather than efficient creatures. Though cleverly 'knighted' as multi-taskers, we have expediently move from one task to another, one item on our checklist to another, and one phase in life to another without pausing to think, reflect and question our very existence. Our pace of life has rendered our minds lazy and invalid. Age has dictated that our toddlers head to nursery and kindergarten. Local policies have dictated that our children study a particular subject over another. Economic shifts have shortlisted job options and paved careers for our teenagers.
In essence, we have allowed the world to draw up the masterplan for our education. Our society has usurped the role of parents and children to think on their behalf. Consider it not strange why many a young adult eventually emerges out of their academic shell only to confront a working world which they are ill equipped to face and handle confidently. Because for the longest time [at least for the past 18 years], they knew not what education was and thus they never knew where they were heading with it. They have been toddling along from nursery, to kindergarten, to primary, to secondary, to JC if not poly and eventually to University local or overseas and would continue to do so until they confront the unforgiving working world. Looking back, I feel like smacking myself on the forehead for ignoring the desperate pleas of teenagers [me included] - "I don't know what I am going to work as". But of course - they and their parents never knew what education was all about - except for securing a good job in the future. I have been there and I am still reeling from the effects of a mindless education.
To even begin drawing up this masterplan requires one to begin to make sense of this world and how Christians are to live in this world. For that part, Daddy Daniel is best equipped to do so. I really thank God for Daniel because God has gifted him with a powerful mind and given him a heart to give of his mind to his family and his church. I literally sit at his feet on this. I must say, understanding and drawing up a masterplan on the contrary has given me liberty and freed me - It has given me liberty to explore all options as well as freed me to try my kids out for different training of skills.
As we reviewed our own learning processes and skills and eventually looking at how one can be of use to the Lord, we realize the earlier we train our kids in the rudiments, the more painless it is for them to pick up a useful skill. I so often enjoy listening to a musician who is so enrapt in a free expression of his skill. The ease with which he handles the instrument to me is enviable. But very often, it belies the truth that this wonderful fruit that he and his listeners enjoy comes from many years of hard rigor and discipline. We so often only covet the fruit but eschew all forms of pruning that precludes that blossoming. The greatest gift I think I can do for Sarah and Samuel is to offer them opportunities to go through the rigor in areas which they are most inclined to when they are young so that they can thoroughly enjoy the blossoming of those hard work in their young adult years [for themselves, for their families and for God].
First stage of education
Reading & Writing
1) to train Sarah and Samuel to read and eventually to write. Even in this first stage, it involves many things, learning the alphabets, phonics, putting alphabets together and getting use to seeing these individual words come together in a sentence. That is quite a bit of skill that requires consistency and creativity. Where do we hope to bring them to in this? Not literacy for literacy sake. Surely, we train our children to read and write for a reason. Dan and I believe that this rigour is essential because it will free them to read and enjoy books and begin their young minds in a world of literary creativity and more importantly, we hope to engage them in meaningful discussions and conversations about their world. It will mark the start of an expansion of the mind and its renewing thereof.
For that reason, I am slowly but surely continuing Sarah and Samuel in their exploration of phonetic combinations and exposure to words. In this area, I willingly take up the role of their educator for various reasons [another entry at another time].
2) Exposure to languages
In drawing up of the masterplan, I cannot be ignorant of a wealth of historical evidence that points to the ease of language acquisition among children. And more so when Sarah indicates that she wants to learn, "Xie Xie", her euphemism for Mandarin. That sent me on an intense search a month ago for a suitable Mandarin class for Sarah. It would be great if I spoke Mandarin freely at home. Well, I don't. So, I searched for a class. I found one that met several simple pragmatic criteria - proximity, timing and positive reviews. I am glad that she is enjoying it much.
And a firm NO , I am not sending Sarah to Mandarin Classes so that she could adapt easily to Primary School where they introduce Mandarin. That to me is a flawed goal for education and a case of enthusiasm gone wrong. On that note, there are no rewards for guessing my response to the surge in the enrollment in tuition centres that prepare primary one students for exams.
3) Music and Arts
Music and the arts is a very interesting area of study as it reveals to us much about humanity and his tendencies, his advancement, his response to God or lack thereof. This a greatly neglected area in my life and I think I am only at the tip of an iceberg of discovery in this area. For the kids, its not just the exposure to instruments that I hope to give to them but to allow them to see where in history does music and art feature.
I recently explored this area actively, because of Sarah's inclination for the instrument. Samuel says he wants to play the violin. Haha. But even so, things were complex. Many classes for Sarah's age group are exposure in nature. Tickling of the ivories, rhythm and beat etc. I felt that Sarah was kinda beyond because she is naturally gifted in rhythm and beat from a young age and she enjoys composing her own songs and she often goes to the piano and hits the notes whilst singing. You can call it a mother's instinct and insistence, but I think Sarah has a gift in this area. And again, mommy is not well equipped in this area so she went alooking for a suitable trainer for Sarah. This first piano teacher we tried out scared her. Haha...I am still exploring options in this area.
4) God's Word
Currently, Sarah and Samuel are learning God's truth through BSF kids and Sunday School. I hope to consistently teach them some simple catechism and verses alongside our prayer time and lapbook time.
5) Physical
Sarah's physical dexterity has started me on a search for a suitable rhythmic gym class. Her hula hoop skills and her own version of cartwheels and jumps have impressed us. Eventually, in their teens, we hope to give them opportunities for sailing and piloting. When we ask who wants to learn how to pilot a plane, Sammy yells, "Me". Guess what Sarah says? "I want to be an air stewardess." Haha...
What does Homeschooling mean to me?
I believe Homeschooling is much misunderstood, in spite of the sincerest of efforts. It is really not a parent [or both parents] taking on the full load of a child's education or to eschew all forms of external schooling. This misinformed restriction will only result in unnecessary stressful obligations, strained relationships and naturally a burnout in no time. Holding this definition and claiming that all parents should homeschool their children would be to put to shame the graces that God has given and place unnecessary guilt on struggling and dysfunctional families.
I believe Home Education is when parents to take full responsibility in drawing up a masterplan and charting out their children's goal and destination of education and not subjecting their children to the society's goal of education. For that, I believe that all parents can and must be involved in Home Education. Parents need to engage their minds in this area. Where time and energies and resources permit, parents can take up this teaching personally. And when resources are limited, we need to feel free to engage the help of organizations that offer effective teaching in the relevant areas. Having said this, I am prepared to embrace any forms of external schooling and leverage on the existing scaffolding only if it fits into our masterplan for our kids. And in areas where it run contrary to our goals, I would take on their training myself with gusto and a huge dose of grace!
Understanding this, I hope to bring Sarah and Samuel to this end [Romans 12:1-2]:
That through our parenthood and our God-given responsibility, we can with the mercies and grace of God, present our children as worthy instruments to Him [as a form of worship] through
- Bodies prepared [equipped through physical or skill training]
- Minds that are renewed and transformed [through the teaching & training of God's word]
- Minds that can engage and discern [through teaching and training of the disciplines of this world and its philosophies]
Having said all this, we pray that God would give all of us life to fulfill our role in this area and that in His grace and mercy would bring our kids to a true and saving knowledge of Him.
