| Recently while engaging in a routine Bible study, I | | | | in the post-home-school world. The contrary is |
| discovered a Psalm that had some foundational | | | | true also. A home-school student has the |
| truths that apply to many things, not the least of | | | | exceptional opportunity to redo work in order to |
| which is in preparing a home-school vision | | | | achieve the mastery level. Swift judgment in the |
| statement to guide and direct your home-school | | | | form of a poor grade does not have to stop at a |
| program. That isn't an unusual revelation for those | | | | task not done correctly. Allow your student to |
| who are inclined to study the Bible for truth and | | | | know the compassion of redoing his or her work |
| meaning; however, I had not previously | | | | until it is done correctly. Over time, they will learn |
| considered the points from Psalm 135 in this way | | | | that judgment and compassion are both |
| before. With particular application to a | | | | necessary and both realities of growing in stature |
| home-school program, I believe that there are | | | | and skill, as well as learn the benefits in doing their |
| several things of which home-school parents | | | | jobs well the first time. |
| should take note from this Psalm. These include | | | | In preparing your home-school vision statement, |
| preparing a heritage of learning for their children, | | | | remember that empty values lead to empty |
| demonstrating both judgment and compassion, | | | | character and ineffective leaders, another truth |
| striving for solid character first, and remembering | | | | from Psalm 135. Ineffective leaders are nothing |
| that the leaders, in this case home-school parents, | | | | more than "silver and gold" to quote the Psalm |
| are given a double exhortation. This is quite a high | | | | and they have no life and breath in them. |
| calling, but one that would not be issued to | | | | Home-school families should be striving for strong |
| home-school parents if it were not possible. | | | | moral character in their students, full of life and |
| First, home-school families must always keep their | | | | vitality, and that process begins by actively |
| focus in view. The intent, purpose, and driving | | | | cultivating students who see beyond their own |
| force behind their efforts must be to give a | | | | lives. They need to understand the connectedness |
| heritage to their children - both for learning and life | | | | to a larger world around them. The earlier that |
| application. In an academic setting however, a | | | | they learn this, the stronger that they will be. |
| home-school program must teach the behaviors | | | | Community and civic contribution should be |
| and methods, the habits and techniques in which | | | | encouraged and moral character must be trained. |
| students will thrive, not just survive. Heritage | | | | And finally, as the final verses of this Psalm point |
| implies richness and depth, and homeschooling | | | | out, these truths are about the students |
| families must ensure that they are adding depth | | | | themselves, and they focus on the people that |
| and value to their program in order to apply these | | | | your children will become as adults, but leaders, in |
| spiritual truths. Consider your home-school | | | | this case the home-school parents, are given a |
| program. Are you adding tools by which your | | | | double exhortation. Parents, these truths must |
| students, your children, will learn how to learn? | | | | begin with you. You must be focused, intentional |
| Are you challenging them to take ownership of | | | | about creating a heritage, givers of judgment and |
| their own results so that they learn at an early | | | | compassion, strong in moral character and willing |
| age that they are responsible for developing their | | | | to be a leader in your home-school program. Lead |
| God-given talents and aptitudes? If you have | | | | by example. Learn new skills, grow in wisdom, |
| relaxed in this area, or are not including this in | | | | seek new challenges and take on new tasks in an |
| your core values, stop and adjust; your children | | | | effort to show your children that learning never |
| need to value the skills that you are gifting them | | | | stops. If you have not ever created a vision |
| with academically and understand the purpose. | | | | statement for your home-school, I encourage you |
| Secondly, judgment and compassion go together. | | | | to do so. A guiding template can be found on our |
| It is not fair to a student to allow only your | | | | website for starting this process. |
| compassion to drive your home-school | | | | Setting an academic tone of vision, growth, |
| assignments and standards. Home-school families | | | | purpose, character, and high ethical standards is |
| have a high assessment of their own level of love | | | | not a calling for the faint at heart, but it is a |
| for their children, but there must be standards of | | | | worthy endeavor for those who want to apply |
| academic behavior. There must be benchmarks of | | | | these truths to their home-school program. The |
| learning and requirements to grow in wisdom. | | | | reward is limitless for what the future can hold |
| Home-school students should be held accountable | | | | for students raised in this kind of academic |
| to master material that they are learning; giving | | | | environment. This type of home-school program |
| an arbitrary "A" for a completed assignment out | | | | will produce leaders who are bold, confident, and |
| of compassion or "love" will not prepare them for | | | | caring - leaders who can effect change in any |
| the standards of achievement that they will face | | | | setting in which they find themselves. |