How can homeschooling today give children an advantage as they emerge into a world that is more connected, more culturally globalized, and more conflicted than the one their parents emerged into?
To address this question, first I need to express that my philosophies differ greatly from many -- not all, thankfully -- homeschooling families I am in contact with or know of. My general philosophy is one of MORE. More cultural connections, more history, more scientific knowledge, more language, more understanding of the world. We are dedicated Christians, but unlike many families, this was not a factor in our homeschooling decision.
The public schools in our community tend to fall flat in three areas. History, arts, and foreign languages. Above all, if our children will be able to exist and thrive in a global culture, these studies should instead be paramount. How will they understand a person from another culture if they are unaware what shaped that culture? The history, the religion, the triumphs and the tragedies of that part of the world? The language, also, helps to shape how people think.
Our curriculum starts with history. We build literature, art, and music studies around the culture and era that we are studying. I find that this approach works extremely well when combining ages -- the sixth grader has been through Ancient History before, for example, and is taking from this year a far deeper understanding than the kindergartner who is seeing the sights for the first time, but they both enjoy the trip.
Science, of course, has its own timeline, however studying the inventors, scientists, and philosophers of the historical eras helps to understand the current science we study as well.
Foreign Language. Currently my family seriously studies two: Spanish because we live in a part of California that was recently Mexico, and it seems only fair to study the language. Mandarin because it is the major commerce and scientific language of the Eastern world, as English is in the west. I am operating on the idea that whatever field they choose, knowing English and Mandarin will serve as life insurance.
It is well documented that music study, particularly piano, makes connections in the brain that are a significant help to math, science, and language skills. Add to the the tremendous enrichment and enjoyment that the arts bring to both cultural and individual life and the need for arts education becomes apparent. We study classical piano and singing, and other forms of art in connection with history.
Will all this enable them to function in a global culture? I hope so. At least they will grow up with a profound respect not only for other cultures but for their own. That respect could lead to greater understanding and a greater chance for a peaceful world for their children to emerge into. That's all I can hope for.
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