Last week we started a series on “School Choice”: Homeschool and Public School, Homeschool. Today and tomorrow we’re going to hear from Amy and how they chose the path of Public School!
By: Amy Cantilina
There are many areas of life in which the Word of God gives us general principles, but the method of applying those principles can vary depending on the personal convictions of the people involved and their sense of God’s leading and direction in their lives. These are the areas of life in which my husband and I have found ourselves most reliant on prayer, counsel from those who know us well and love The Lord, and the examples and experiences of others farther along life’s path.
These are also the areas of Christian life, however, in which the greatest danger of judgmental attitudes and disunity among believers lies–something the enemy of our souls relishes. When it comes to school choice, the principal is “educate your child.” The method can vary vastly. Homeschool? Public school? Private school? What is best? Emotional stakes are high–this is your child’s education, your child’s future.
My husband and I first faced the school choice dilemma nearly 13 years ago. Those were the days when homeschooling was becoming more common, more widely accepted, and–dare I say, at least among Christian circles where we lived–more commonly expected of young Christian parents. Like other decisions of this nature, I found that there was always room for second-guessing and doubting; in the end we had to move forward with what seemed most right, ready to make course corrections along the way as needed.
After the process of much thought, prayer, and conversation, we chose to send our son to public school. Having grown up attending public schools ourselves, it was a familiar path. We did have friends and family who homeschooled and could see how wonderfully it worked for them, but we ourselves had had never felt strongly drawn to that option. For us, sending our oldest to public school felt right.
Education is ongoing, and the method may vary over time or from child to child. When we chose public school, we knew we were not closing the door or our minds to the prospect of homeschooling or private school someday if we felt called or circumstances necessitated it. Being a military family, we knew that the possibility of being stationed in a location with poor public schools was real. We had seen others make different choices to address specific educational or emotional needs with great success. Sometimes several methods are employed at once; this summer, in fact, I am homeschooling my elementary-aged children to solidify learning.
Education is also multi-faceted, and the “school day” is only a small portion of it. Some might say that, by choosing to send our children to a government-funded school, we are shirking our Deuteronomy 6 and Proverbs 22:6 duties as parents to train up and teach our children. As we see it, however, most of their teaching and training still occurs at home–where the majority of their waking hours are spent. Their participation in the public schools opens the doors for much natural parental coaching; whether it is how to manage their homework load, how to respond to different teacher’s personalities, how to handle social situations, or how to think Biblically about ideas presented in a classroom that may not necessarily jive with a Christian worldview, we strive to teach them how to respond in a way that glorifies God, and be ready to live as adults in a fallen and broken world.
AMY CANTILINA is an Air Force wife and mom to 4 precious kiddos — two conceived in her womb and two conceived in her heart, coming home to their forever family from China. She is a Jesus-lover, wannabe writer, endurance athlete, Bible study leader, and wears whatever other hats her family’s military lifestyle might bring along. She is being stretched by mothering through a wide range of ages and needs — high school through kindergarten, some with special medical needs or developmental delays.
