Educated Guess

It's that time of year again. You know, the time when many of us agonize over whether we have chosen the right method of education for our childen. It seems some parents know the right thing to do from the very start. I, unfortunately, have never been one of them.

My oldest daughter started out in Christian school. After third grade, we made a change to public school because of finances. When she was a teenager she went through some rebellious years and we decided to homeschool. It was the best decision we ever made and it had a huge impact on her life (although I found it extremely difficult to homeschool someone who was accustomed to a traditional education). Academically I may not have done the best job, but the change of heart that took place in my daughter was nothing short of miraculous! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Christian school was wonderful. It was reassuring to know that the values you taught at home were being reinforced at school. The classes were small and not usually disrupted by disrespectful kids. Discipline was tighter, which resulted in an atomosphere more conducive to learning. The down side: cost, lack of equipment, fewer opportunities, lack of creativity in teaching.

Public school was convenient. Transportation comes right to your door. More programs are available and at no extra cost to you! Generally, the staff is more experienced and better equipped to handle all different types of children and learning levels. The science labs and various other educational tools are more readily available. The down side: moral decay, especially at the junior high and high school levels.

Homeschooling was an adventure! I learned a lot the few years that I tried it. I researched the different philosophies and was fascinated to discover more creative ways to teach my children. This is an excellent option, especially if your children learn better hands on. It strengthened the family and stirred up a natural curiosity and love of learning that the traditional textbook tends to squash. The down side: cost, requires a lot of preparation, can be physically and emotionally taxing on the mother.

You would think that after trying all three methods to educate my children, I could tell you exactly what to do. I should be a fountain of wisdom, right? I wish that were true, but every child is unique and no one can tell you what is right for him or her. You are the best judge of that.

I discovered that there are positive and negative aspects to any method you may choose. The key is to know what is most important for your child and how to best meet that need. Sometimes you have no choice; circumstances dictate what you are able to do. I have learned not to judge others for the decisions they make concerning their own children. Who am I to presume that I know what's best for a child more than his or her own parents?

The most important thing is that our children know they are loved and that we raise them to be honest, responsible, caring human beings. We need to teach them by example.

My youngest daughter will be a junior in public high school this year, and we are still trying to figure out what is best for her. I homeschooled her for fourth and eighth grade. My husband and I visited a Christian school several weeks ago thinking it might be time to make a change. After much discussion as a family and weighing all the pros and cons, we decided to let her finish her education at public school.

Was that the right decision? Ask me a few years from now.

Copyright © 2002 Jeanne Wing. All Rights Reserved.