Can Homeschooling Be Missional?
PRECALCULUS TEACHER NEEDED - (NoVa Suburb - adult) - Due to serious illness of our current instructor, [Local High Powered Homeschool Co-op] seeks an instructor for Precalculus class, meeting 11:30-12:30 AM Mondays and Wednesdays now through May 20. Instructor must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, provide two references, and have a positive and supportive attitude toward homeschooling. Contact Co-op Administrator at __________.
The above notice was in the bi-monthly homeschooling newsletter I get. Do you see what the issues might be with this?
By Grace on Jan 16, 2009 | Reply
Sonja,
I’m not sure I’ve grasped the point of your question, so I’m sorry if my answer is tangential to what you might be looking for.
Homeschooling is so diverse in both the reasons that people homeschool and the way that they do it, that it is difficult to generalize.
In asking can homeschooling be missional, do you mean the parents, the teachers, the students, the process, the support organizations? In the context of one parent and their own children, whether it is missional depends on whether the parent is.
For me, as in other aspects of parenting, there is a great deal of discipleship that occurs along the way while teaching school subjects. I have the privilege of spending this time with my children. Also, there is the opportunity to teach a missional perspective, but this is something we can all do, homeschooling or not.
For us, the actual process of schooling at home doesn’t include or influence others beyond our family. This is an intentional choice to stick to the task at hand. I am sure there are ways that a person could homeschool that would be more public and more inclusive. Due to the nature of our family, business, and schedules, our school time is restricted to me, the kids, and what they are learning in specific subjects.
While some people homeschool to be intentionally separate, for us, it has simply been an educational choice. Our kids are involved in other activities and events in the broader community. How people handle this with their own children is such a personal choice. The parent is usually the one who best understands the needs and abilities of their children.
I’m still feeling like I missed the point of the question, so I’ll just quit here. In general, I don’t believe that homeschooling should be held to the same missional expectation as church. For church, it is their reason for being, not necessarily true for homeschool.
By Sonja Andrews on Jan 16, 2009 | Reply
Hi Grace …
Well … yeah … I think I mis-titled the post, mostly. Which is to say, I should not be posting after four in the afternoon as I don’t usually think very well then. Me pea brain gets addled.
But I like what you’ve said. And I really love your perspective on it … mostly because you’re several years further (or is that futher?) down the road than I am in the journey.
Here’s what I was thinking when I wrote the post … it’s that when I’m looking for a math teacher, especially at the pre-calculus level … I think I’d be more concerned that they be able to teach math (which is a real art and skill) than with their “personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” Which is not to say that’s not a valid concern, just that I found it very interesting that no where on the application did the administrator ask for a person’s qualifications in terms of being able to teach math, but were very concerned about their standing in terms of Christ. So … when you get to that point … has homeschooling crossed the line into a para-church ministry? And would/should we then be talking about a missional aspect to our life?
And I’m really just tossing this around and thinking about it. I don’t mean to hold anyone’s feet to the fire. I get a bi-monthly e-mail that has (literally) hundreds of homeschool opportunities on it for this area. This leapt out at me and made me think. This co-op operates in the next town over and I have friends who’s children participate … so I’m pretty familiar with it. I’m not dogging them as I have a high regard for the program, I just choose not to go there. It was just a quirky thing that grabbed me.