Homeschooling

[gorion]

What is the Orthodox stance on Homeschooling? If supportive does anyone know of a resource for a curriculum?

 

[Oblio]

I've not had to research it yet as our little Anna is just 2+ mos old. But AFAIK there is no prohibition against it. I know Iacobus/Theodora (Anna's Godmother) homeschool, perhaps one of them will be by with details/resources. If we don't get a local Orthodox school up in the next 5 years we will be looking into it.

 

[gorion]

Thanks Oblio. Our oldest is 4 and my wife and I are looking for a good curriculum. I have been pretty unfruitful so far on the web. I e-mailed our parish to see if anyone might know. I have the summer to figure it out I guess

 

[The Prokeimenon!]

Ahhh!!!!! We had a discussion about this on another Ortho-board a while back, and some VERY good resources came up. I'll see if I can dig that up.

 

[gorion]

Would be much appreciated Moses.

 

[vanshan]

I plan to homeschool our two children, but I have not found any comprehensive resources from an Orthodox perspective so I will probably use other Christian resources and try to integrate Orthodox studies into it.

Here is a website that has a few links:
www.theologic.com/links/Education/Homeschool/

Basil

 

[Iacobus]

I've not had to research it yet as our little Anna is just 2+ mos old. But AFAIK there is no prohibition against it. I know Iacobus/Theodora (Anna's Godmother) homeschool, perhaps one of them will be by with details/resources. If we don't get a local Orthodox school up in the next 5 years we will be looking into it.

Yep, we have homeschooled for about the last 6 or 7 years -- since our oldest (now a junior in college) finished the 7th grade. To my knowledge, there is no prohibition on homeschooling. We have run across a number of people who homeschool their kids.

Hopefully with time, there will be Orthodox materials developed. For our part, we relied heavily on a curriculum by a company called Sonlight Curriculum. They are at www.sonlightcurriculum.com. They are heavily literature based, which was perfect for our kids. There is reading, reading and more reading. For little kids, I think they design it so that books are read aloud to the kids. They have good lesson plans and we found the whole experience pretty good.

A warning -- Sonlight is expressly and heavily Protestant and missionary in its outlook. In fact, I believe it was originally developed so that missionaries overseas could homeschool their children. You will have to make some deletions and modifications to the program. Still, having said that, I would still recommend them.

Ironically, Sonlight was responsible for a whole slew of conversions to Orthodoxy several years ago. In their 8th grade program, they concentrate on Church history. One of their books used to be Father Peter Gillquist's "Becoming Orthodox". That was our first exposure to Orthodoxy, and I bet we've run across a dozen other families who converted after using that curriculum. I think that book is now optional.

Having said all that, if we were starting over again, I would look for an Orthodox school. Few and far between, but I think it is a developing movement. There is a network of such schools in Northeast Ohio. In the Atlanta area, my priest (ACROD) and Father Jacob at St. John the Wonderworker (OCA) have a school up and running at St. John. There is talk of a second school on the north side of town, and I have heard that the Serbs have a school on the east side. You may want to check in your area and see if anything is going on that way. I wish we had that option when the kids were younger. Talk about great exposure to the life of the Church!

If you have other questions, let me know.

James

 

[Iacobus]

Just a quick note for people who don't think they can homeschool because of work obligations or other reasons -- sometimes its possible to think outside the box and find a way. The first year we homeschooled, we still had our youngest in regular school, and my wife was working full time. We "office-schooled" my oldest that year. I found her a cubby hole at my office, and before long she was just one of the crowd with all the lawyers and support staff, who all kind of adopted her. She would do her work in the morning, and then she and I would have lunch together, and talk about her work. It was tons of fun, for her and for me.

So a lot of times, it is completely impractical, but don't just automatically write it off.

James

 

[Suzannah]

Just a note to add: I have looked into homeschooling also. It doesn't seem practical for us right now, but I do want to share that my priest and his wife homeschool their son. They use the Calvert curriculum. It was developed for the dependents of US government employees assigned abroad. They are quite happy with it. here's the info:
http://www.calvertschool.org/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=CES1512

 

[gorion]

Thank you all for the information it is very helpful.

 

[Stone_Lock_Comanche]

Just use common sense there dosent have to be a strictly Orthodox Curriculm. Let your children be children. I think its very harmful for kids to be in such a structured work environment from such a young age. I am no expert, however if by the will of God I have children one day I would beggin their education at around 6 years of age. The most important things you can teach them is to know right & wrong, to follow their conciense, to have a pure heart and do everything wholeheartedly. To be christian everything else follows.

 

[Moros]

The Priest of the local Mission here sent his daughters to a Protestant private school and then to a R. Catholic one.

At least they aren't learning things such as the "rapture" any longer, but I imagine it must be hard work, having to sit down with your Orthodox kids after a day at Catholic school, finding out what they have been taught and then correcting them in the Orthodox manner.

 

[gorion]

It's not really a matter of having strict structure. We have been for about a year now looking at various christian geared curricula. I was just looking to see if there are courses that have an Orthodox theme to the christian portion of the course, so we don't have to weed out or rewrite the portions that have a protestant understanding. We of course can do this ourselves but if there are already courses available then we need not do so much weeding

 

[Oblio]

At least they aren't learning things such as the "rapture" any longer, but I imagine it must be hard work, having to sit down with your Orthodox kids after a day at Catholic school, finding out what they have been taught and then correcting them in the Orthodox manner.

As opposed to say learning that asking their patron Saint for intercessory prayers is necromancy or that the Theotokos was just a vessel that had no choice in being a puppet in the plan of salvation. Salvation is a one time event catalysed by a quick walk down an aisle, Baptism and Communion are just symbolic and commemorative activities deviod of Grace. I'd much rather tweak Catholicism. YMMV

 

[Suzannah]

The Priest of the local Mission here sent his daughters to a Protestant private school and then to a R. Catholic one.

At least they aren't learning things such as the "rapture" any longer, but I imagine it must be hard work, having to sit down with your Orthodox kids after a day at Catholic school, finding out what they have been taught and then correcting them in the Orthodox manner.

If you think that's hard, then try de-briefing your daughter every day after American public school....You would be amazed:
1. New Age philosophy and shamanism
2. Homosexuality is all good as is transvestitism
3. Sex ed in the third grade (my Irish aunties are scandalised and pretty darn upset it is even approached, much less at this age. Needless to say my daughter was "home sick" that day.)
And this is just for starters....as for us, we decided that one of the local RC schools was perfect for our daughter...she is enrolled for next year and the school is very welcoming and respectful of the Orthodox point of view. I'm very grateful to the RC diocese here for admitting my daughter to their school and I'm confident she will obtain an excellent education from them.... After all, in the fourth grade at the RC school, they actually teach literature, writing skills, and mathematics, as well as science and social studies and she doesn't have to make shamanistic totem poles complete with "prayers"....

 

[countrymousenc]

Just use common sense there dosent have to be a strictly Orthodox Curriculm. Let your children be children. I think its very harmful for kids to be in such a structured work environment from such a young age. I am no expert, however if by the will of God I have children one day I would beggin their education at around 6 years of age. The most important things you can teach them is to know right & wrong, to follow their conciense, to have a pure heart and do everything wholeheartedly. To be christian everything else follows.

Don't wait 'til age six! It begins at the beginning, just not formally.

Imo, it's harmful to pack children together in large groups, especially when we do it from the time they're six weeks old. They really do develop a pack mentality, and I think that's part of what has led to such rampant disrespect for adults. It also hampers language development, since they're mainly learning from each other rather than from interaction with language-competent adults. My older son entered kindergarten with an amazing vocabulary, but by fourth grade he was only imitating his peers to try to fit in. Which didn't bother the school, btw; after all, schooling is more about socialization than academics. Let's see, socialization being the "interesting" words they learn on the bus and the playground, and how everyone is equally right no matter how much they disagree, except for those who are politically incorrect. Socialization is being laughed at for bowing your head before eating lunch, and having your privileges taken away when another student picks on you, because it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been enjoying the privilege. (I'm not kidding.) Socialization is not being actually given the modifications on your IEP because "it marks him out as different."

Public schooling has become a necessary evil.

 

[Oblio]

Imo, it's harmful to pack children together in large groups, especially when we do it from the time they're six weeks old. They really do develop a pack mentality, and I think that's part of what has led to such rampant disrespect for adults. It also hampers language development, since they're mainly learning from each other rather than from interaction with language-competent adults.

Fr. Dcn. Raphael at beliefnet had an interesting 5 or 6 point list of why homeshooling is better in most cases than public school. This was one of his points.

 

[Stone_Lock_Comanche]

Here let me stir up some controversy, I think public school is not necessarily worse than home schooling. Because the children are subjected to an arena where they can standout and be who they are. Teach them right and wrong before they are "thrown to the wolves" otherwise God knows what happens to such fragile souls. Struggle is good because in these days of comfort, and amusements there is nothing there to form a soul. That is why few people nowadays know who they are, Or infact who they sleep next to at night. Every man thinketh his burden is the heaviest, running away is not the answer because you cannot run away from yourself. You cannot lay in the house full of confusion. Take the little ones to church, spend time with them, pray for them, mothers nurture them fathers structure and teach them not the ways of this world, but love & sacrifice.

They say the sun isa shine for all but in somea people world it never shine at all. So much been said but so little beena done, they jus wanna be the leader ina house of the rising sun .

 

[gorion]

It's not about running away. It's about laying a proper foundation. I do not want to have to deprogram my child on a daily basis. I do not want my child imitating britney spears at the age of 7. I don't think it necessary to expose a 6 year old to teh MTV culture and have to fight that influence. I also did not start this thread to debate the validity of homeschooling. If you're all for sending your child to public school, I respect that decision. I however have the responsibility of raising my children. I will do what I think best for my children as God has commanded me to do. I do not see any reason to send my children to public school. My wife is at home and is perfectly capable of instructing them. We get to decide when our children are ready for what conversations not someone else. They are capable of having friends without having to attend public school. When learning they will be able to focus on their studies instead of focussing on whether or not they are going to get teased for what they are wearing. Or what they believe.

If you are happy having athiests teach your children then more power too you but I am not.

 

[Stone_Lock_Comanche]

It's not about running away. It's about laying a proper foundation. I do not want to have to deprogram my child on a daily basis. I do not want my child imitating britney spears at the age of 7. I don't think it necessary to expose a 6 year old to teh MTV culture and have to fight that influence. I also did not start this thread to debate the validity of homeschooling. If you're all for sending your child to public school, I respect that decision. I however have the responsibility of raising my children. I will do what I think best for my children as God has commanded me to do. I do not see any reason to send my children to public school. My wife is at home and is perfectly capable of instructing them. We get to decide when our children are ready for what conversations not someone else. They are capable of having friends without having to attend public school. When learning they will be able to focus on their studies instead of focussing on whether or not they are going to get teased for what they are wearing. Or what they believe.

If you are happy having athiests teach your children then more power too you but I am not.

I agree totaly. blessings