The Big Picture on Educating Your Child

"Home School" Your Child

One tremendous benefit to all the changes we see on the education landscape is a blurring between the "categories" of education. Previously, a family either home schooled or sent their children to private or public school. But today you can think of your child's education in a much broader way. Consider these suggestions for making your home a place of formal and informal learning:

1. Make education the first priority — before sports, leisure and other activities. Make sure your family schedule reflects this priority. Build the everyday activities of homework, getting ready for school, eating, sleeping, etc. around the value you place on education. Say things like "Eat a good breakfast so you can do your best in school" or "You know the rule: You don't go to baseball practice today if your homework isn't done!"

2. Incorporate informal learning into your family. Learn together with your child. Go on field trips. Pick a local spot: a museum, a nearby small town with lots of history, or an art show. Check your local city's website for fun family activities. Also, check out this website* for good ideas.

3. Make your family a place of formal learning. Some parents would like to send their child to a Christian school but cannot for a number of reasons. Why not order a Bible curriculum for your child's home studies? Or study a foreign language together? A prime opportunity comes in the preschool years, when parents can teach their children reading fundamentals by reading to them.

The key is that you directly participate by choosing to teach your child personally.

Education Options and Priorities

The education landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade. There are more options than ever. But that increase in choices has a down side. Which choice is the right one? More than ever, parents need lots of good information to make such decisions.

So it's important for you first to clarify your priorities. Then determine the constraints on your time, energy and money. Finally, evaluate all your options.

Clarifying your priorities – Ask: "What is most important to me in the education of my child?" Is the answer a Christian education? Or student activity opportunities? Or high academic challenge? Of course, there are many more priorities you may have. Examine the "Checklist for Priorities."

Determining the constraints on your time, energy and money - Ask: "What resources do I have and not have available to me?" For example, can you bear the cost of a private education? Do you have the time to drive your child across town to the charter school?

Knowing your options – Ask: "What options are available to my child?" This will take some investigative work on your part; you may be surprised that you have more options available than you thought. Places to start include:

• For information about Christian schools, visit www.acsi.org or call 1-719-528-6906 and ask for the regional office in your area.
• For information about your local public school's performance, log on to your state department of education website (which you can find through any search engine) or call your local school district and ask for "the school report card."
• For information about the options within your local school district, call your district for more details.
• For home-schooling information, see www.homeschoollearning.com for a list of home-schooling resources, national organizations and other related links.

*(Note: Referrals to Web sites not produced by Focus on the Family are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the sites' content.)

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