wow yesterday sure was an interesting day.
First: this boy, a friend of my son's, was here while we did Unit 5 day 1 in our Beyond Lesson Plans and he was all wow your day is so easy. I reminded him that he is going into 7th grade and DS is in 2nd, well 1.5 at the moment. I also told him that 2 public school teachers in our metro area informed me that of the 7 hours a child is at elementary school, only about 3 of those hours are actual learning and they did tell me that is for a room full of students and me with just one to teach, of course shouldn't take that long. I also told this boy that even with his 50 minute classes in middle school that the teacher had to take time to check attendance, then collect homework and/or grade it in class, then they may teach something new, then give an assignment and out the door to the next class...so what maybe 20 minutes of actual learning .... sure you have to sit there the whole hour but it's not that hard. We educate year round at this age so we only need to do a little bit every day and so my son doesn't need to have his skills refreshed as the children who attend an institutional school do. I was told by said public school teachers that the first 9 weeks of the school year is a built in review of skills from the previous grade level....that's 1/4 of the school year spent in review --- NO thanks.
Second: I hate the "what church do you attend" question. nuf said
Third: a friend recommended another weblog and that lady whoa pms or is she always so bent against homeschoolers and pro-children's playchurch? and yes if you home educate and attend a church with a pastor who is against it --- run away and find a pastor who supports homeschooling!
Also is the church becoming so like the world in order to "reach it" that the church is actually being lost to the world? deep topic
here are some online post that are good:
The History of Public Education
Public School, Christians, and the Annonymous Commentor
The Alternative is Scary
Professional Educators
Are Your Kids Safe in Christian School
Children in Church - Is it beneficial?
letter to concerned relatives
A World Without Public Schools
Uncle Sam Wants Your Child on his National Database
you don't have to register your child at any school in our state --
please consider before doing so.
an excellent book ((it's available at the library if you can't buy it right now))
The How and Why of Home Education by Ray E. Ballmann
go and read it now!
ps for any new readers: I don't attend an ag furch anymore. I didn't want to be made to stick my son in children's church, which as I've said was a joke. I went to it when my son was 2-4 years old and it was just songs and games, no meat or even milk for that matter. let the reader understand the reference. also there was no way i was letting my boy attend royal rangers there. I'd seen the young "men" that placed produced and heard all the gross campout stories -- not for my son. thankyouverymuch.
we'll be doing this at home together and of course he will get trained to read his Torah portion in Hebrew and have a Bar Mitzvah now instead of a golden trinket.
7 comments:
I am sorry that you had a bad experience with children's church at your old church. I can assure you, if your kids came to my church, they would experience an actual SERVICE - just at a kid's level of learning. If I was expected to be a "babysitter," I would just go work in a daycare center!
I am assuming that you are referring to my blog, and no, I am not against homeschoolers, nor is my senior pastor (and I do not have PMS, although, now that I think about it, I may have been experiencing it when I wrote the blog, lol!).
I think that it is a perfectly valid educational choice, and if parents are doing it properly (i.e. not handing their kids a book to read and spending the day day doing what they want, and calling it "homeschooling," which, sadly, I've seen), then go for it!
What I do have a problem with is when people make sweeping generalizations about what children's ministry is or is not. I'm sure that you, as a home educator, can appreciate that sentiment, considering the stereotypes that abound concerning the homeschooling community.
My blog was just me, wondering aloud, why people choose to invest so much of their time in a church whose vision is not the same as theirs. Homeschoolers are more than welcome at our church - and if they feel that their kids belong in the adult service with them, no one is going to force them to go to kids' church.
This is the first ministry I've been a part of where I've interacted with this particular community, and I'm still trying to figure it out. At my previous church, I dealt with families at the other extreme - parents who preferred to stay home and take drugs rather than come and see their kids perform in the Christmas program...so this has been a HUGE culture shock for me.
I am sorry if you felt personally offended by my blog - it was not my intent. Have a nice day :o).
Leanne: quick thought -- at a kids level of learning...what does that mean anyway. Children are perfectly capable of hearing the KJV read and understanding it ... even better so than we at times. the KJV is a 3rd grade reading level and it's only our being told that thee and thou are confusing that makes it so. Many times as we've read and discussed Torah, the children present have been able to simply tell us what it means and they are very profound at times.
Charlotte Mason said, "We are apt to believe that children cannot be interested in the Bible unless its pages be watered down––turned into the slipshod English we prefer to offer them. It is a mistake to use paraphrases of the text; the fine roll of Bible English appeals to children with a compelling music, and they will probably retain through life their first conception of the Bible scenes, and, also, the very words in which these scenes are portrayed."
I think children are far capable of understanding things without the need to water it down to their "level". But then again I love my son and want him to know I have faith that he is capable...so maybe that's the difference.
not implying that other parents don't love their kids.
ps xmess is a golden calf .... link on right hand side titled golden calf and Hanukkah entries for more
oh and parents who send their kids to public school also stay home and do bad things....I'm just saying. and again, sunday school and other children's programs are for the kids that have parents and/or grandparents not attending a church themselves ... it is a ministry, not for all kids. The parent first is responsible to teach their child about Yeshua and salvation and about if we love HIM HE said we would keep HIS commands and then also the 3 r's and skills to function as an adult. Sure not every parent owns up to that responsibility so in that case it's good to have those like yourself willing to. so thank you!
My parents took us out of "children's church" and we sat in the service. We learned how to search the scriptures on our own & put the pastor's words along side God's. God's Word never failed us. We didn't need an interpreter even at a young age.
I have seen how parents make the excuses of putting them in "sunday daycare" or institutional education. There are very rare times when it is used by those who really need it. Single moms, invalids, unsaved, etc.
Having been a child once (I didn't forget!), I know of what acheivements and understanding children are capable. If you surround yourself with like-minded people, you will believe like-mindedly, whether to good or evil. Yes, that is the distinction...there are no grey areas in a walk with God! Parents are solely responsible for their children and will give an account. I want to hear God say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant..."!!!
Thanks swylv! You do have the opportunity to train your son in the fear and admonition of the Lord without apology and to tell others to do better and not let Satan's lies inhabit their life!
More blessings to you always!
Mrs. C.
Swylv,
To clarify my statement, the parents that I dealt with at my previous church were most definitely NOT homeschoolers!
I was painting a picture of the culture I ministered to previously, compared to the vastly different culture I have been called to minister to now. It is a learning curve for me, and I am still learning to communicate with and understand members of the homeschooling community!
I am very thankful for parents who are involved in their kids' lives. As I have said many times, my job is NOT to usurp the parents' authority in their child's life, and the goal of the church and of children's ministry is not to raise anyone's child for them.
I am here to partner with parents and help reinforce what they are already teaching their kids at home, and to reach kids who need to hear the gospel. If you or any parent does not feel that they need me as a resource, then no hard feelings at all :o).
You and I are probably not going to change each other's minds on the issue of kids' ministry in general. And that's okay! It sounds like your son is receiving an excellent education and spiritual foundation at home, and I wish you the best as you follow the Lord in what He has called you to do, as I do the same :o).
Blessings...
I am the Director of Children's Ministry at my church. We have children from age 3 yrs thru to 2nd
grade. I think it should be for
3yrs thru kindergarden, and just maybe on kindergarden. I believe children are capable of sitting still and listening to the pastor and are capable of understanding. We have our son-6yrs- go to church, he is to write and draw a picture of what the sermon is/was about. I am constantly surprised at the results. Rejoice.
I have parents who insist their kids go to Children's Church because they will not sit still during church. Many times these are the oldest, 1st and 2nd graders. These children are the most challenging and frankly disrespecting group. I think I have to talk to parents after every service about these older students behavior, most responses from the parents are "oh well".
Our Children Church program is geared towards the very young, like 3yr-a young 5yrs. Maybe one day I will convince the church that children over 5yrs need to be in the service. This I think will be a long while.
Again love your posts. They are worthy and thought provoking.
Post a Comment