Comments on: Homeschooler, Justify Thyself! http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/ - maximizing students' potential so they can change the world Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:04:30 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Grace McKearin http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-34 Grace McKearin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:33:17 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-34 I finally got around to reading Micah's post on homeschooling and loved it! All of these reasons apply and now that they are fresh in my mind, I will be prepared the next time someone asks why we do this. I always have enjoyed school and after 14 years of homeschooling, I feel like I actually have learned something on the journey! I finally got around to reading Micah’s post on homeschooling and loved it! All of these reasons apply and now that they are fresh in my mind, I will be prepared the next time someone asks why we do this. I always have enjoyed school and after 14 years of homeschooling, I feel like I actually have learned something on the journey!

]]> By: Lisa Schea http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-25 Lisa Schea Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:44:36 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-25 Your reasons sound much more responsible than mine - when someone asks me why we've been doing this for almost 20 years, I tell them it is because I'll do anything to avoid getting up early in the morning. On a more serious note, I've never seen myself as a teacher, and don't think I've got the spiritual gift for it or a talent. However, I AM firmly convinced that God has called me to raise the children he has entrusted to my care. He uses the gifts he HAS given me to do that, thought at times I must admit to feeling intimidated by women who have been blessed with that particular spiritual gift! Learning new things and discovering more of the world has been the icing on the cake for me, an additional blessing beyond discovering what God could accomplish through us when we let him set the course. If my sons live their lives walking with God as he leads, then its all good. Not to mention that they wind up academically better equipped than their peers! Your reasons sound much more responsible than mine – when someone asks me why we’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, I tell them it is because I’ll do anything to avoid getting up early in the morning.

On a more serious note, I’ve never seen myself as a teacher, and don’t think I’ve got the spiritual gift for it or a talent. However, I AM firmly convinced that God has called me to raise the children he has entrusted to my care. He uses the gifts he HAS given me to do that, thought at times I must admit to feeling intimidated by women who have been blessed with that particular spiritual gift!

Learning new things and discovering more of the world has been the icing on the cake for me, an additional blessing beyond discovering what God could accomplish through us when we let him set the course.

If my sons live their lives walking with God as he leads, then its all good. Not to mention that they wind up academically better equipped than their peers!

]]> By: Mrs T http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-24 Mrs T Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:15:34 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-24 Dr. Chase is one of the reasons I believe in Christian colleges. The wonderful mentoring that he invested in Micah made a mom's heart glad. Dr. Chase is one of the reasons I believe in Christian colleges. The wonderful mentoring that he invested in Micah made a mom’s heart glad.

]]> By: Gene Chase http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-23 Gene Chase Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:25:51 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-23 I heartily believe in public education. Two of my children became mathematics teachers. At Messiah College I profess mathematics and computer science. (Truth in advertising: I tried to teach Micah.) I heartily believe in home schooling. At home, I helped to home-school my sons in some grades (8th, 10th-12th), never more than one at a time; my daughter wasn't wired to be able to take instruction from parents, because she is a perfectionist who didn't want to disappoint us. The best instruction is the Socratic method, with teacher at one end of a log and student on the other end. Home schooling is effective in inverse proportion to the number of children home schooled and their range of ages. A harried mother (isn't it usually the mother!) of seven is not going to do as good a job as a public school or private school, all other things being equal--which they never are. I agree with Micah's five reasons for home schooling. But now that the secret of how much fun it is is out, we're gonna have to kill him for divulging this arcane knowledge of our secret society. I heartily believe in public education. Two of my children became mathematics teachers. At Messiah College I profess mathematics and computer science. (Truth in advertising: I tried to teach Micah.)

I heartily believe in home schooling. At home, I helped to home-school my sons in some grades (8th, 10th-12th), never more than one at a time; my daughter wasn’t wired to be able to take instruction from parents, because she is a perfectionist who didn’t want to disappoint us.

The best instruction is the Socratic method, with teacher at one end of a log and student on the other end.

Home schooling is effective in inverse proportion to the number of children home schooled and their range of ages. A harried mother (isn’t it usually the mother!) of seven is not going to do as good a job as a public school or private school, all other things being equal–which they never are.

I agree with Micah’s five reasons for home schooling.

But now that the secret of how much fun it is is out, we’re gonna have to kill him for divulging this arcane knowledge of our secret society.

]]> By: Sabrina Justison http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-22 Sabrina Justison Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:16:00 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-22 I think you got inside my brain when you wrote this one, Micah. I seriously considered the idea of becoming a teacher when I started college, and then my interests went elsewhere and my life took turns that made getting my ed degree impractical. I LOVE it that I get to be a teacher anyway, that I get to have the re-learning experience you talked about, and that I have a "career" that is vastly more fulfilling for me than when I worked in the business world pre-homeschooling. Good stuff at the start of a new year! I think you got inside my brain when you wrote this one, Micah. I seriously considered the idea of becoming a teacher when I started college, and then my interests went elsewhere and my life took turns that made getting my ed degree impractical. I LOVE it that I get to be a teacher anyway, that I get to have the re-learning experience you talked about, and that I have a “career” that is vastly more fulfilling for me than when I worked in the business world pre-homeschooling. Good stuff at the start of a new year!

]]> By: joanna http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-21 joanna Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:52:00 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-21 Good one. I definitely get a more solid grasp on subjects as I teach about them. And I've always kind of liked studying, but even the "boring" subjects are more fun to study now. Weird. Maybe because it forces you to search for the interesting parts. Or maybe it's sheer will power, because I'm always thinking that if I don't think something is cool then my students definitely won't, and then class will be a total drag. Good one. I definitely get a more solid grasp on subjects as I teach about them. And I’ve always kind of liked studying, but even the “boring” subjects are more fun to study now. Weird. Maybe because it forces you to search for the interesting parts. Or maybe it’s sheer will power, because I’m always thinking that if I don’t think something is cool then my students definitely won’t, and then class will be a total drag.

]]> By: Mrs T http://mtsophiaideas.com/homeschooler-justify-thyself/#comment-20 Mrs T Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:29:06 +0000 http://mtsophiaideas.com/?p=54#comment-20 Micah is right, you know. I homeschool as much for me as I do for my kids. I mean, besides the marvelous education I have been getting over the past 18 years- I homeschool my kids because I like the other moms who homeschool their kids and I want to have an excuse to hang out with them. Micah is right, you know. I homeschool as much for me as I do for my kids. I mean, besides the marvelous education I have been getting over the past 18 years- I homeschool my kids because I like the other moms who homeschool their kids and I want to have an excuse to hang out with them.

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