Homeschool Convention

Today was the first day of our local homeschool convention. I was a little disappointed. Last year it was so good but this year it seemed a little disorganized. They didn't have a main speaker as they normally do. There were fewer vendor there this time and the organizers further decided to have the used book sale later in the summer rather than during the convention. There also seemed to be fewer people there this year for some reason. On the other hand this was just the first day and the weather was bad. There may well be more people there tomorrow when the weather is better and it is Saturday.

That said, the classes were very good. I really felt lead that I was basically on the right track, which is always a good feeling. It's much better than the feeling you get when you realize that you are headed in the wrong direction. Believe me I know, I've been there before.

I did almost get side tracked this year though. There is a curriculum called Trisms that is for Jr and Sr high students. It looks really good and I've heard some good things about it. It's very research oriented which is a good thing for Students planning to go to college. As I looked at it and listened as it was explained to me, I found myself wondering if I was making a mistake with my plan for my high school aged son.

I have a rule though; I buy nothing at the curriculum fair unless I know that I will be using it and believe that the likelihood of my finding it used at a fair price is small. Anything else, I pick up catalogs and information sheets and think it over and pray about it. That is what I did this time. Then later, as I sat in a class room before a class, I sat looking over the material she had given me. That was when I began to see the weaknesses. Not that this is a week program, I think it is rather good. The problem is that it isn't quite going where I think the Lord is leading us.

As it is a high school program, I didn't expect that it would have a high school level science program, though it did have some science. I also knew that we would have to supplement Math and some English; though they have made it compatible with probably the best Writing curriculum there is. It is sound in Geography and history. They probably have a better history program in some ways than what I have planned for the next four year as it includes history for places like Asia and Africa when I do not because I don't think I have the time to do it right.

On the other hand they are not meeting my goals for American History or Government or civics, or Great Literature. I believe history is important because it shows God's over arching hand; as the founding fathers would say, the hand for Providence. It's not just a matter of learning a bunch of facts. That is nothing more that worthless facts that puff us up and make us feel superior.

I don't think that is what God wants us to take from the lessons of history. I think what He wants us to see is the dance between Himself and us. The dance that helps us to see that the rules aren't there just to make us miserable, but rather for our benefit. As Michelle Miller, the author of Truthquest says

"God's initiation and our response . . . that's history. To the degree that we choose to believe and obey truth, to that degree our lives are blessed, our nations free and healthy, our science beneficial, our laws wise, our businesses prospering and our art glorious. Each of these spheres of life cannot be understood without grasping the spiritual issues at their base. Again I say, now that's history!"

History is important because it helps us see and understand God, but it is not the only thing. If my children are to be use to God they need to be well rounded. They need to have humility and knowledgeable. Humility, to keep them from become prideful and puffed up, knowledge, to be usable. They have to be able to write and speak well to communicate. They have to have knowledge of a number of different topics so that they can speak to a number of different people. As Paul said

"To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. "

I want my boys to be able to be as ready as possible for whatever the Lord asks of them. To do that they need a well rounded education. They need me to give them, to the best of my ability, a renaissance education. I have know real knowledge of what the Lord plans are for my sons futures. I can only give them the basic tool so that the Lord can build on that. I think it is what the Lord is asking of me as their mother and teach. I am praying I get it right.