Year-Round Home Schooling
As we have continued to evaluate our yearly school schedule in light of the biblical Hebrew model of child discipling, we have recognized an inconsistency. This problem and its solution first appeared as an article by the author in The Teaching Home magazine, June 1987. That teaching is the substance of this paper.
THE PROBLEM
When home schooling has turned from a joy into a burden, then we may be sure that we are doing something amiss. There is a problem that needs to be solved "lest we become weary and loose heart in doing good" (Galatians 6:9). No, I am not for a moment suggesting that home schooling itself is the problem. God's pattern for child discipling is indisputably clear (Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Psalms 78:1-8). But, because of the continuing influence of the world on our thinking, perhaps we have sought to do the right thing in the wrong way. The blessings of home schooling can then degenerate into frustration and even hopelessness.
When we find ourselves struggling in our efforts to successfully school our children, we must be careful to discern the real cause of the problem rather than "throw in the towel" altogether or even throw out unoffending components. According to a leading home-schooling proponent, fully forty percent of home schoolers "throw in the towel." Another author suggests that the figure is closer to fifty percent. Such an alarming dropout rate is telltale that something is tragically wrong. But what?
Some have chosen to continue home schooling but to remove the burden and struggle by just "hanging loose." They think that the problem is too much structure and too much to do. Nothing could be further from the truth! Orderliness is a Christ like character trait and is commanded by God (1 Corinthians 14:40) because it is indispensable for success in any endeavor. Although orderliness certainly allows for flexibility and creativity, it cannot endure an attitude of "doing what I feel like, when I feel like it." Ultimately, such a carefree (and careless) approach will only compound one's frustration, adding to it guilt and regret. And the poor quality of schooling in these homes leaves a bad reputation for the rest of us to live down.
At the opposite end of the spectrum are struggling parents who add more (rather than less) to their schedule in an attempt to be successful in home schooling. They slowly and subtly begin to rob themselves and their children of much-needed rest and relaxation which our Lord Himself recognized as both necessary and proper (Mark 6:30-32). We must regularly refresh ourselves from our labors in order that we may wholeheartedly devote ourselves to our work. Yet, these already burdened parents lengthen the school week by working their children after normal school hours and on weekends. Then they begin to peck away at vacation days during the school year. All of this is done in an attempt to cram a year's worth of education into the traditional nine-month school calendar. When it just won't fit, there is the temptation to eliminate some valuable elements of their children's schooling program. But after evaluating the worth of each component and including only what is essential for success, there is still too much to fit in.
THE SOLUTION
Yes, home schooling can be overwhelming. But God has already given us His solution to this problem, and it is two-pronged. First, we may be overwhelmed because we are trying to do it ALONE. "Isolated" home schooling ignores the built-in encouragement and assistance of local church gifting and body life, as well as accountability and protection through local church leadership. Christ has designed His body to be interdependent. Until church leadership has caught the vision of assisting home schoolers, a non-church-related support group is unquestionably helpful and needful. Still, it is a second-best attempt to meet this problem outside of God's design for the local church. Ultimately, the answer can best be found in the umbrella home-school ministry of the local church. But it is the second prong of God's solution that we want to deal with here--namely, the issue of year-round schooling.
Most Christians who are involved in personally discipling their children at home already recognize that, biblically speaking, there should be no "school" at all, only schooling. The word "school" occurs only once in the Bible (Acts 19:9), where it speaks of a Greek, not a Christian, school. And the Greek concept of "school" is rooted in a fragmented view of life and reality. Just as the Greeks erroneously divided "sacred" from "secular," so also they divorced learning from doing. Learning became merely the accumulation of facts and knowledge, rather than training in character and wisdom. And school was the primary place where such information was transferred. Thus, in Greek thinking, "school" was separated from life in general.
In stark contrast, the Hebrew concept of "schooling" is grounded in a unified and coherent view of life and reality. All of life is a sacred, spiritual, interrelated whole with God at the center. From a Hebrew perspective, knowledge was inseparable from doing. In fact, the doing of something qualified one to say that he "knew" it. Education involved training in character, not merely preparing for a career--striving to be "wise," not just aspiring to be "smart." Learning was always related to life and lifestyle. "Schooling" occurred every waking hour of every living day during all twelve months each year (Deuteronomy 6:7). Although Hebrew education included both formal and informal teaching times, basically life was school and school was life.
Yet, in various ways--even in home schooling--we still cling to the Greek rather than the Hebrew concept of education. For only a Greek model of education can limit teaching our children to nine months of "school" followed by "fun and games" for the summer vacation. How unrelated to the real world! What jobs are structured that way? And how inconsistent with the biblical daily and weekly work/refreshment cycles of working during daylight while resting at night and laboring six days while resting on the seventh. Likewise, how inconsistent with a biblical work ethic! Our purpose for working hard at our job or education should be to bear more and better fruit, not to "earn vacation time" (though certainly we would agree that regular breaks are essential).
"Nine-month schooling" is in conflict with the Hebrew models of education and work/refreshment on a daily and weekly basis. It is unrelated to the real world. And it encourages unscriptural work attitudes. For these reasons, the traditional school calendar appears to be biblically incongruous. But there is a more "practical" reason for suggesting change to year-round schooling--a reason which, I believe, is a direct consequence of the scriptural violations stated above. This very "practical" reason is to turn home schooling from a burden back to a joy.
For several reasons, year-round schooling lifts the "burden" of child discipling:
THE YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM
Whereas even the best-intentioned parents usually slip into haphazard schooling during the summer, a year-round program involves discipling our children during the summer (just as during the other seasons) according to a planned schedule, "decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). By utilizing the summer season for a slightly modified schooling program, time is freed up during the traditional school year for higher quality education and more frequent, much-needed breaks.
Our school year is now divided into four "quarters" coordinating approximately with the four seasons. Except for additional rest breaks (explained hereafter), the fall, winter and spring schedules remain substantially unchanged. Mornings are devoted to the academic studies. Afternoons continue to be occupied with the practical applications such as life skills, fine arts, ministry and physical education. Evenings are maintained for family character building (family devotions, etc.)
But during the "summer quarter," the regular schedule may be somewhat modified in order to make room for summer jobs and/or unique summer family activities. The yearly educational goals, however, remain unchanged. So the work is NOT being increased--it is being spread out with many refreshment breaks added for both parents and children.
Although mornings seem best for academic study, the summer hours are sufficiently flexible to work around unadjustable summer job hours or family activities. However, sufficient academic work should be accomplished during each calendar week to avoid letting pressure mount on both parents and students. Considering that we enjoy 112 waking hours each week and longer days during the summer, a minimal 15 hours of study per week still leaves 97 hours each week for summer jobs and family activities! Not a bad trade off at all for a more spiritually refreshing and educationally effective school year.
Our year's rest breaks are scheduled as follows: Every other month (October, December, February, April, June, August) school families benefit from a full week "breather." These vacations coincide nicely with the traditional holiday calendar for activities with extended family or friends. Alternate months (September, November, January, March, May, July) include one-day or two-day holidays. And each family may take a two week "floating vacation" at any time during the year. Moreover, each month the whole family may take a "personal day" whenever their schedule becomes too pressing. And if you ever become unusually stressed (death in family, moving, etc.), you can take an additional one- or two-week "emergency vacation" if necessary. Believe it or not, this refreshing schedule still provides for at least 185 school days per year as most states require, allowing us to "be at peace with all men" (Rom. 12:18).
Such a year-round program as described above seems to us to give the optimal plan for attaining spiritual, academic and practical success in discipling our children for Christ. Although there may as yet be further areas of growth as we continue to discern God's perfect pattern for schooling, we believe this year-round schedule brings us one step closer to embracing more fully the biblical model for child discipling.
WORTH REMEMBERING . . .
John Thompson is the director of Family Shepherd Ministries and a Bible teacher at Walpole Christian Assembly in Walpole, New Hampshire. John welcomes your comments and contacts. His address is 651-B Valley Road, Walpole, NH 03608. Email: JohnThompson@consultant.com. Phone: 603-445-5474.