November 2, 2021
This summer worry consumed my thinking as I tried to plan out my children’s curriculum for the year. Not only was I trying to pick out curriculum for this year, but I was trying to create an entire curriculum map for the rest of my children’s education with all of the books and subjects I hoped to cover (which is not a bad idea, per se).
Like most parents, I agonized over what curriculum to use, even to the point of it consuming my mental space. What reading program should I use? I want to teach my child how to read the PERFECT way. What history program should I use in 8th grade (never mind the fact that 8th grade is quite a ways off for our family). What science curriculum will most accurately convey my family’s values about creation?
My mind would not rest with all of these concerns about which curriculum to use. The Lord lovingly prompted me to contact my sister-in-law’s sister-in-law (whom I will call Sarah), a veteran homeschooler of four wonderful children. I knew that Sarah’s ideals would be similar to mine, so after overcoming my pride not to “bother” Sarah, I texted and asked about the possibility of meeting with her.
Sarah welcomed me into her home for an entire day and treated my children and me like family. She made a delicious lunch and lots of coffee and homemade whipped cream! I do not remember how many cups of her amazing coffee I downed that day while my children literally spread cookie crumbs all over her living room floor. Sarah invested greatly in my life that summer day by sharing with me her philosophy of homeschool which spills over into her curriculum choices and even how she organizes her schedule. Sarah then listened to and answered my questions, pulled out many of her resources for me to peruse, and allowed me to take pictures of many homeschool books for future ideas.
What stuck out most to me about that day was Sarah’s dependence on God regarding homeschooling. Sarah shared that she is quick to run to God with problems and needs, and she shared that God was so faithful to answer her prayers and give her the wisdom she needed for every choice and situation. God began to show me that I am not on this homeschooling journey alone, and He showed me that I desperately need to rely upon Him. I will never forget standing on the deck of my friend’s beautiful mountain home with her arm wrapped around my shoulders as she prayed for me and my new homeschool journey.
God began a work of rest in my heart about homeschool that special day at Sarah’s house, and He began to show me that the oft-quoted verses Proverbs 3:5-6 directly apply to homeschooling. I must trust God with all my heart, and this trust certainly includes homeschooling. My own understating and wisdom are not sufficient to teach and train my children, but if I seek God, He will give me the wisdom needed for every step of the journey. At every juncture of decision, I must look up to God in prayer and acknowledge His presence and humbly seek Him. God promises to direct my paths if I will acknowledge Him, and this promise for direction is one that I am desperately clinging to in my homeschooling. I know my God is faithful to keep His promises, and He promises to direct my steps if I trust and obey.
As God began this work of quiet rest in my heart about homeschooling, a quote my mother says came to my mind, “The teacher is the key to the classroom.” My mom, a veteran teacher and now Christian school administrator, uses this simple statement to help teachers understand their personal value in the classroom. The teacher is the one to wisely use the curriculum to open students’ understanding, and the teacher is the skilled and knowledgeable ambassador between the written curriculum and the impressionable minds of students.
As I thought about the statement, “The teacher is the key to the classroom” in light of my homeschooling, it finally dawned on me that I (as the primary teacher in our homeschool) am the most important element of my family’s homeschool. I do to mean this in a self-centered way insinuating that I am the fountain of all knowledge for my children; this could not be farther from the truth. But rather my surrender to God and leaning upon Him for wisdom will have the most impact on my children’s education, far more than the “perfect” curriculum. As a surrendered servant of God, I am the most valuable resource in my children’s education. God promises me His wisdom and direction if I trust Him and acknowledge Him in all my ways (Prov. 3:5-6). I do not need to fret and worry about homeschool, in fact that is sin. I need to acknowledge God in all my ways, and He will direct me. If I seek God’s wisdom, He will surely grant me wisdom for the best curriculum and the best ways to use that curriculum with my children.
You, the homeschool mom or dad, are the key to your classroom (i.e. your home). Ultimately, the curriculum is not what shapes your child, but rather you, by the grace of God, shape your child. Most homeschooling parents choose the homeschool path because they want certain influences in their children’s lives, and yet these same thoughtful parents fail to realize that they as the parents are the most valuable resources in teaching their children.
As I yield myself to God and humbly depend upon Him for wisdom, God will grant me the wisdom necessary for important educational decisions. If I am seeking God’s will regarding important questions such as “What curriculum should I use?”, God will direct my steps for He does not delight in keeping me on a dark, doubting path. God desires to make my way plain as I hold His hand and trust in Him.
I would like to reword the quote “The teacher is the key to the classroom” and bring it nearer to my heart and home as “The surrendered, God-dependent parent is the key to the homeschool environment.” God can take a humble, trusting parent and do great and mighty works in a homeschool, and God will direct every step along the way.
Though worry does still knock at the door of my heart (and probably will from time to time along my homeschooling journey), God has proven Himself to me in a special way that comforts my heart. When worry grips my heart, I am reminded how faithful God has been to direct my steps, and once again I slip my hand into God’s and look up to Him for His wisdom.
-Ashley
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