About a year and a half ago, I completed a degree in ministry and theology.

Having no immediate prospects for employment in our area, my wife and I, with prayerful consideration, made a radical decision.

I would take over homeschooling.

My wife has been an outstanding homeschooler for over four years; a successful stay-at-home mum for fifteen.

At one point, though, we realised the need to start slowly preparing for life, post- homeschool.

The problem: the potential solutions clashed with our core convictions about homeschooling.

We needed a course of action.

In the end, we were gifted with an avenue of study which allowed her to participate in homeschooling. This would also empower her to get  qualifications that would outlast homeschool. I already had the qualifications and work experience, it just made sense to step up.

In case I’m misunderstood, this was not role reversal. My wife didn’t step away from homeschooling.

I simply stepped up to volunteer and do what I presume any well-trained Pastor fresh out of theological college does.

Gain some teaching and ministry experience. The bonus was that I was able to help my wife. Besides that, what better place to start getting some teaching and ministry experience, than by facing my own five children everyday to direct their education?

Our core conviction is more a developing confession, one which acknowledges that God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the ultimate educator of humanity. He is the source of life.

We hold to the belief that God mandated the task of educating children to all parents, and that education begins with humility from both teacher and student. If we can find early success there then we are well on the way towards setting our kids up for life.

We also confess that as part of our freedom and responsibility as Christians, we are called to partner with our children in their education and life development skills.

To achieve this we are committed to leading our children through their education. Helping them to engage the world, both publicly and privately, with faith, confidence, intellect, integrity, inquiry and ultimately gratitude.

We also hold closely the truth found in the statement that says, ‘education is where we decide whether we love our children enough not to expel them from our world and leave them to their own devices.., but to prepare them in advance for the task of renewing a common world.’[i]

While it’s true that homeschooling is not for everyone. We believe in home education because it empowers parents to freely and responsibly empower their children, free from interference by, but in consultation with the state, whenever and wherever necessary.

This, for us, is homeschooling in high definition.

Dad-doing-homeschool made sense.

Granted some days it’s like Jack Black’s School-of-Rock, I take no shame in owning that. In fact, it’s that little bit of musical-crazy that makes the learning journey what it is.

Some days I teach, some days I’m the one being taught. They’re a tough crowd.

Still, for now, the arrangement fits us well.

Source:

[i] Arendt, H.1961 Between Past and Future, Penguin Classics, (p.193)