The next few posts we’re going to look at school choice! We will hear from a mom who send all her kids to public school, one who homeschools her children, one who isn’t decided yet. Today we’ll hear from Heidi who does a hybrid model of education: public school and homeschool! We hope our posts help as you may be wrestling with what educational choice is best for you and your family!
By Heidi Jo Falk
Never, ever, ever, schmever would I have fathomed the hours of conversation, contemplation, and prayer that have gone and will go into schooling decisions. And I was a teacher!! The options, the environments, the practicalities. The educational points, the spiritual ramifications, the home/life effects. All of that and more race through my brain and heart as my husband and I make school decisions. But hallelujah, we don’t serve a God who has left us out in the cold as we sort through all of this!
We’ve learned two critical things as we’ve made school decisions. The first is that, for the most part, home trumps. What I mean by this is, wherever and however our children receive their schooling, their education and rearing is rooted in our home and family—which for us is based on faith in God and His Word. Even if we send them outside the home to a public or Christian school, my husband and I are still the primary educators for our kids. So we’ll be resolute in monitoring what they learn and either confirm and enforce or point out errors and reteach. As we seek to model, teach, and live out a biblical worldview, no matter where our kids go to school, Lord willing, they will have a strong foundation and a pair of “Bible glasses”. They just may use them differently depending on their school environment.
So here is where our family has landed—for now. The “for now” is the second critical thing we’ve learned. We must make the best decision for each child for now. It doesn’t mean we’re locked in forever. While we seek consistency, we also don’t believe the decision we make for preschool has to stay exactly the same until their Senior year.
Homeschool—This past year, I homeschooled my older son (our third child) for his Kindergarten year—our family’s first homeschool experience. We came to this decision when we learned the class size for Kindergarten at our public school would be near 30 with no aide in the midst of the district going to a full day program for the first time. While certainly there were some tough and tedious days, I can truly say that our year was a real joy for both of us. (The “proof” is pictured below in this surprise card from my boy J) We also plan on homeschooling our youngest son this coming year for preschool and the next year for Kindergarten.
Public—For the most part, public school has been the “for now” choice for our daughters (our two oldest) and our older son will go this coming year. The girls began their schooling while we were living in the South in a district that had a strong reputation, reasonable class sizes, and the girls had wonderful teachers. When we moved back North to Michigan two years ago, we carefully considered where we chose a house to buy including the environment, town culture, and educational strength of the schools. Thus far, our girls have had a positive experience.
Private/Christian—Both our girls and our older son went to a two-day-a-week preschool at a church for their pre-K year. We also have an excellent Christian school at our church that is an option in the future. However, tuition for that school would require me to work outside the home, which for now is not the choice God has for us.
In a nutshell, for our family, hybrid is it. We’re prayerfully striving to make the best decision for each child while maintaining how God wants us to live as a family seeking Him. No matter what, each Mom and Dad is responsible to the Lord for their children’s education on every level. I’m praying for you as you seek to figure out how He wants you to do it!
HEIDI JO FULK is passionate about encouraging woman and girls to love and live God’s word. She is wife to her high school sweetheart, Dan, and mom to their four young children — Emma Jo, Gretchen, Tucker and Brock. Heidi leads a women’s Bible study and an elementary girls’ ministry at her church.
