If you're thinking about homeschooling your child, the first step is to check the homeschooling laws in your state. These laws vary from state to state, and they outline the requirements that you need to follow in order to homeschool legally. Once you know the requirements in your state, you can start planning your homeschooling program. Here are five easy steps to help you get started:
1. Public schools are funded and run by local, state, or national governments. They follow a standardized curriculum that is set by the government. Parents have no control over the content of their child’s education.
While the public education is offered for free, the price for the student’s exposure to godless ideology is very high. The indoctrination of students was once subtle but has become insidious. Christian educators, like Coach John Stamper, are leaving the public education arena for this very reason.
Master Books offers homeschool curriculum that is extremely affordable and designed to offer your students a biblical worldview. The Bible is uniquely and purposefully woven into each lesson. K-12th grade students achieve academic excellence and are trained to know what they believe about God and the Bible, why they believe it, and how to defend their beliefs with sound reasoning.
2. Students in public school settings are exposed to and influenced by their peers’ choices before their brains are developed enough to think critically. Christian families who honor God by taking their children to church and discipling them at home continue to be at the mercy of very ungodly influences.
“Rather than Christian students turning the schools upside down for Jesus, what the Bible promises in Proverbs 13:20 and 1 Corinthians 15:33 has happened. These students are losing their saltiness, and the light within them is becoming darkness… Giving your children an anti-Christian education is not an expectation that Scripture puts upon parents. When Psalm 127 speaks of children as arrows in the hands of a mighty warrior, it has in mind releasing those arrows when they are prepared.” Israel Wayne in Education: Does God Have an Opinion (pages 31,33).
The Master Books method of education is based on the science of brain development and masterfully teaches your child to think critically. This effectively prepares them to defend their faith and influence the world for Christ when they are ready.
3. In homeschooling, you assume control over the content and the pace of your child’s education. You can adjust the schedule to meet your child’s attention span. You can spend more time on subjects that are challenging and less time on subjects that are not. The flexibility homeschooling families enjoy allows your students to have a very individualized education crafted by the people who care the most about their lives and eternity.
In public education, your child will learn at a pace required by the government and that takes into consideration the average student’s needs. The amount of time spent in public school is non-negotiable and does not allow your child the freedom to explore more of their special interests.
The hours needed to educate your children from home are far less than what is required in public schools. Hundreds of thousands of homeschool families successfully teach their own children and have time for family adventures, vacations, part-time, and even full-time jobs. If you have questions about the financial and time investment required for homeschooling your family, we invite you to join our online communities: Moms of Master Books Facebook group and the Master Books app. We are staffed to answer your questions and provide an encouraging setting for you to excel in your role as a Christian, homeschooling parent.
Overall, the main differences between public schools and homeschooling is control over what is being taught, your child’s vulnerability to unscriptural peer influences, and the ability to meet your child’s specific educational needs. Whomever funds your child’s education, has the most control over what they think and ultimately the adult they become. Public schools follow a standardized curriculum and are subject to government regulations, while homeschooling allows for more flexibility and parental control.
“There is almost no topic that is as relevant to the future of Christianity or as controversial as the education of children. Students in school classrooms spend thousands of hours being instructed by people who are not their parents. There is almost no way to calculate what a powerful force this is for influence.” Israel Wayne
Learn more about the biblical philosophy of education in Education: Does God Have an Opinion, published by Master Books.