Understanding is one of the missing elements of our modern world. There is an ever increasing quantity of information and ‘big data’, but an increasing shallowness of understanding in a growing trail of publications—hardcopy and digital.

‘Of the making of books there is no end.’ (Ecclesiastes 12:12) This verse surely foretold the exponential growth we can now see on the internet. Aside from what is being added to the pile, there is the problem of filtering. Godly discretion (noted in Proverbs 2:11) should be deployed to find godly and wholesome content, and yet, never has there been a greater danger of truth being filtered out before we see it! No longer does one see the book-burning of medieval—or Nazi—times, because secular humanist algorithms and search engines do the job without any need for a match! Daniel was warned, ‘At the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.’ (Daniel 12 :4) But such knowledge does not equate to understanding and wisdom. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Cor 8:1).

At the dawn of time Adam and Eve were deceived by the Serpent, whilst the warnings—and promises—of God were still ringing in their ears. How much more should we be on our guard when distortions, deceptions and the mocking of God’s Word saturate the digital world! The Word of God was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation (Samuel 3:1). How much more so today! The National Viewers and Listeners Association founded by Mary Whitehouse in the 1960s to protect children from perversions on TV is never more needed than today. A small book, written many years ago, entitled ‘Turn Off the Evil’ sums up what is needed. If we want to gain understanding and wisdom, we need discretion to spiritually filter what is being fed into our minds and the minds of our children from this world.

If we want to hear God’s voice, we must listen with unmuffled spiritual ears. And then speak to God with the understanding He has conveyed to us. We love God because He first loved us. And we can be confident that God hears and understands us from the depth of His wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33).

If you have already decided to join TEACH, but want a bit more insight into what you have signed up for and some tips to help you out, the next bit of information is for you:

Introducing home education to the family life can be a mountain of a prospect, but TEACH is here to help you conquer that mountain! You don’t have to have all the information in your brain all at once, but we’ve highlighted some of the key things you should prioritise on as you take your journey through homeschooling.

1.  THE REWARDS OF TRAINING:

2.  DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY IS KEY:

3.  ONE POWERFUL RECORD-KEEPING TOOL!:

4.  PREVENT DISCOURAGEMENT WITH ACHIEVABLE GOALS:

5.  SCORING IS NOT BORING: 

A unique element within the use of the ACE curriculum is the self-scoring method. Under supervision of a responsible adult, students mark their own PACE questions, correct any wrong answers, and then check them again, until they have mastered each and every question. Not only does this methodology help a student truly understand what they are learning, it’s a great life lesson -- even though mistakes are sure to happen, we can learn from them and then move forward, growing in knowledge and wisdom. Take time to make sure that students are scoring correctly and honestly. Don’t leave space for cheating or copying. In the long run, cheating only weakens the academic experience and can have debilitating outcomes. 

Remember: Only the PACEs are self-scored by the students; the PACE Tests must be scored by the responsible adult. Both Score Keys and Test Keys (the answer books) must be kept in a secure place away from the students, and Score Keys must only be used by the student with permission from the parent.

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These are 5 really important groundwork practices to focus on if you are just starting out (or need a refresher). Christian Education and TEACH are looking forward to supporting you and your family in 20/21 and hope you will find homeschooling to be a rewarding and blessed venture.

In the upcoming weeks we will be giving all our TEACH members the option to receive a TEACH Tips email. If you would like to sign up for this email, click the link below!

Change is, as the saying goes, inevitable.

Circumstances change. Seasons come and go. Government leaders step up and stand down. Schools open and close. People in our lives move on. And we ourselves change… we grow, we move, we adapt.

BUT in all this change – some of which can be scary – we can be at peace and be assured of this: that God never changes (Malachi 3:6), and His Word remains forever (1 Peter 1:25). It might be helpful in these ever-changing times to remind ourselves of some of the attributes of God:

• God is eternal. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17)
• God is omnipresent (everywhere, all the time). Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? ... you are there! (Psalm 139:7-8)
• God is wise. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Rom.11:33)
• God is good. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)
• God is merciful. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
• God is holy. There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)
• God is faithful. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
• God is STEADFAST! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Interestingly, not only is God steadfast, but He calls us to be steadfast too.

So, as we step into this new month, a new season – and for some the start of the new academic year – let’s do it with our focus in the right place and hearts committed to being unwavering in the good works which God has called us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

During the COVID lockdown there has been some confusion over who is working, who is on furlough - who is paying for what - who is working from home, indeed what is work! Many large corporations are reassessing how work is managed. Some have said they don’t need large offices in big cities. Office staff can work more efficiently online from home etc. etc. Some have been made redundant (not a biblical term). This all seems far removed from the curse on Adam due to sin, 'by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground’ and the follow up--only slightly more positive--text in Ecclesiastes 9:10: 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going’. Through the ages work has evolved from being a curse to becoming a way of salvation. Indeed in many religious traditions good works lead to salvation of one form or another. However, the biblical teaching is that good work is evidence of the saving Grace of God in our lives. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. But then some (not all) in society argue that if you get free gifts--such as Government benefits--you are less inclined to work. Paul corrects the misapprehension of easy grace in Romans 6 and of course in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 he writes: 'For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.' Doesn’t that describe some of the problem of busybodies in society today?

Secular sociologists, historians and philosophers may see the ‘work ethic’ as a method for making money, spawning an industrial revolution or achieving protestant hegemony (as some Chinese researchers have surmised) but for Christians it is simply a matter of diligence before God as an outcome of a great salvation--not looking out for the praise of men but looking forward to the heavenly commendation, “Well done good and faithful servant."

Social media is littered with memes about ‘homeschooling during lockdown’—and most of them are not flattering! As one of these memes depicts, many parents may have started this lockdown period with the sweetness and positivity of Mary Poppins and ended up feeling like Cruella de Vil. And in the aftermath of these experiences, homeschooling is getting a bad rap.

But is ‘lockdown schooling’ a true reflection of traditional homeschooling? I think not!

Homeschooling is a choice!

For those who have made a conscious decision to home educate their children, the experience is both rewarding and a joy. This does not mean it is without its challenges (that would be a lie), but when you have chosen to do something, you are invested in that decision and therefore, usually, more motivated to persevere—and indeed thrive—in your homeschooling journey.

On the other hand, this lockdown (which is already an added stress in and of itself!) has forced many parents into something they would never have chosen to do—and they may feel trapped and ill-equipped. They push on and do the best they can, because they are concerned about their children’s education and feel they have no other choice, but it would seem (for the majority) that the opportunity holds no joy.

Preparation is key!

Perhaps the greatest stress in lockdown schooling is that parents have been ‘thrown into the deep end’, so to speak. With little notice and often minimal support, parents have become overnight educators. In addition to adjusting themselves to being confined to their homes, they are now juggling a host of new experiences—working from home, overseeing their children’s learning, lack of social interaction… the list goes on. Who wouldn’t find this stressful?

When choosing to home-educate, however, parents have time to prepare! Homeschooling should not be entered glibly but requires research and commitment. Parents are usually trained and equipped before starting their homeschooling journey and have access to regular support and events once they’ve started. Homeschooling is a focus rather than another item on the to-do list, and families find a rhythm that works for them—not one that is set by a school or teacher.

Each child is an individual!

During lockdown, teachers have been faithfully working to deliver education to their students as best they can, and they should be applauded for their efforts. However, parents should not confuse conventional school-based learning, with its generic deadlines and expectations that have been ‘translated’ into a home setting, with true homeschooling.

A significant benefit of homeschooling is the ability to adapt to each child’s needs. Children learn in different ways and at different paces; they have different strengths and weaknesses. Parents who have chosen to home educate have the advantage of choosing a structure and curriculum that fits their family’s ethos and suits their individual children. Children, therefore, flourish in their education, mastering their work and enjoying the process.

Have a network!

Another key to a successful home school is networking!

We’ve all been forced into isolation over the last few months, and the adjustment has been easier for some than others. We were not made to work in isolation but to be part of a body (1 Corinthians 12). The danger of these past months is that people could equate this forced isolation with typical homeschooling—but that’s just not the truth!

Homeschoolers are usually active in multiple clubs and social groups. Having this support network established prior to lockdown has benefitted many home-educated students, with clubs and activities switching to online platforms. And where activities can’t go on (e.g. swimming), parents have had the time (since they’re not driving around) to bring in other activities that can be done at home.

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Overall, parents have done their best to face the challenges of this lockdown period head-on and should be commended for it.

Some may have struggled through and be hoping they never have to do it again.

Others may have enjoyed the experience and may now be considering a permanent move to educating from home.

Whatever your stance, remember this… true homeschooling is a calling and a carefully considered choice that requires preparation and ongoing support so that you can provide the best possible education for your children.

I love apologetics.  I love defending the faith “that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).  However, I have found the most perplexing thing in all this is that I have yet to convince an unbeliever of the truth, even though all the arguments have been clearly laid out in a logical way so that they can plainly see the truth. 

I could walk away from this and say, “Apologetics doesn’t work.”  But then I would miss the truth that there is another side to this coin—apologetics is not just a powerful tool to steer the unbeliever in the right direction… it also (in my experience, more so) gives the Christian a better understanding and firmer faith in their walk with Jesus.

You see, the enemy’s oldest trick is still his most powerful… “Did God say…?”  He is like a door-to-door salesman and only needs the door opened a crack so that he can put his foot in the door and offload his lies.  Doubt does that.  Our children will leave the protection of our homes to go into a world that is full of door-to-door salesmen, looking for every opportunity to pour in their doubt and force that door open to full-blown unbelief.

It is true; I can’t say I have led a single person to Jesus because of apologetics (that I know of). And this is not for lack of trying or lack of opportunity. However, apologetics has encouraged me and built my faith to a place where I am more and more convinced of the truth of the claims in God’s Word.  Not only that, but it has given me the opportunity to solidify the faith of other Christians—by helping them to see that what we have, as Christians, is not only true, but can stand against the strongest of onslaughts/salesmen.

Now, I need to pass this onto my children. It is of little value that I am strong and solid in my faith if I have not passed this onto my children. In fact, I am more and more convinced that success in any area of my life at the failure of my family’s spiritual well-being is failure. The opposite is also true.  I may fail (in the eyes of the world) everywhere else in life, but if my family knows Jesus, and if each one is secure in their relationship with Him, I have succeeded at what matters most in life. 

To that end, working through the PACEs with my children and opening their eyes to the truth of God’s Word and how they can, not only apply it but believe in it and stand firm on it, makes more sense to me than sending them off to the government’s anti-God indoctrination centres, commonly called ‘schools.’  It has been said that we are all indoctrinated; the only question is:  What doctrine? 

Our children are second generation ‘ACE’ers’.  Each PACE that they do is a step in apologetics that will help solidify their worldview.  I’m even more excited about the specially developed Apologetics PACEs that are now available for them.  However, I never want to lose sight that the most powerful apologetic in my children’s lives is my relationship with Jesus.

My relationship is made stronger by knowing that what I believe stands up against every question (doubt) the salesmen of this world try to throw at it. I love apologetics—not only because it gives me an answer, but because it has helped to build my faith in Jesus, which in turn, helps me to build my family’s faith too.

Donovan Doyle, ACE Graduate

Human nature tends to follow the crowd. We are afraid of change – of being different or of doing things differently. But without innovation, we wouldn’t have seat belts, the heart transplant, or the internet. Innovation can be positive, and doing things differently hugely changes not only our lives but also the world around us. 

This concept applies to education, too. It’s easy to ‘go with the flow’ and send our children off to school when they are of age, entrusting them to the care of their teachers. But is this what’s best for them? Is it effectively preparing them to live and work in today’s world? Have we considered whether there is a better way?

There are alternatives that we, as parents, grandparents or carers, could – and should – consider before making a decision regarding our children’s education. Each child is an individual, and each education experience should be individualised.

So, what are the options?

1. Consider home educating

Although homeschooling sometimes gets a bad rap, many well-known people were educated at home, including Sir Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Tim Tebow, and Bethany Hamilton. The reasons to choose to home educate are varied and could include:

• Your family values or lifestyle
• A negative school experience -- e.g. bullying
• Your child not making progress in a traditional school setting
• Wanting to provide additional areas of study
• Freedom to choose a curriculum
• Living abroad
• And many more

Whatever your reason, home educating is worth consideration. Weigh up the responsibilities and benefits, and if you opt for this approach, pursue it wholeheartedly and with excellence.

It also helps to connect with a home school support service and other home-educating families. To find out more about about how Christian Education can help with this click the button below.