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When I started homeschooling, I didn’t even know what a worldview was. Subsequently, I had no idea how my worldview would affect my homeschooling. But the fact of the matter is, you don’t need to know you have a worldview to have that worldview affect everything you do.
When I started homeschooling 9 years ago, my worldview was focused on my belief that academics were the reason I homeschooled and those subjects I taught were fully separate from Christ. I had what is called a secular vs. sacred worldview in which I believed there were two different realms of study – the things of God and the things of man.
This type of thinking will say “full-time ministry” only pertains to pastors, missionaries, and the like. “God’s work” is only that which is done during church hours or in a specific ministry of the church.
And in our homeschool, it would mean Bible is separate of every other subject. Because of this thinking, I looked only to my children’s grades as the measure of my success as a homeschool mom.
So, things like my two oldest being gifted, or my daughter having Aspergers characteristics, or my son being interested in science stressed me out. I didn’t know how I could possibly be everything to everybody and get each child what they needed in the way of academics. It seemed impossible.
And it IS impossible when you view your world as a place where academics are based on man’s approval and wisdom rather than a world based on God’s approval and wisdom. There can be no separation of sacred and secular. ALL must be sacred. Yes, even math and science and grammar.
Resources not listed in the ebook:
Movies like The Children of Caesar: The State of American Education.
Books like Assumptions that Affect Our Lives (set for re-release soon, so do not buy it at this price!), All the Way Home: Power for Your Family to Be Its Best, and The Socialization Trap all helped to chip away at what we believed and set our feet on the path of God’s Truth.
Lisa~ says
Thanks for the ebook information. Insomnia has its privileges….I got the book this morning. 🙂 Lisa~
alicia says
Amy, I love the way you described “Chrisitan worldview.” Put succinct & clear words on the way we’ve been thinking…now I have a little easier time putting it in words of my own too! Thank you!
jillian says
“you don’t need to know you have a worldview to have that worldview affect everything you do.” LOVE that! ; )
Blessings,
Jill
Hope says
Great post, Amy! I am curious if you could possibly do a post at some point that gives an example of how you deal with the character issues like you mentioned, what sort of language do you use, what actions would you take, etc. Thanks!
Amy says
Hope,
I’ll think on that. Sometimes I hate to use specifics b/c every family is so very different and things on the internet can easily be taken out of context. But surely I can find a way to explain some of the things we do and say without needing too much clarification! 😉
Sandi says
I’m on this path too. Really re-thinking many things. I am done trying to fit a square peg in a round hole so to speak with my Aspie kiddo. he just learns at his pace and I need to focus on his character and keeping him happily learning instead of keeping him on “grade level”. I find letting academics go when you have such a gap between the kids hard. What worked with one doesn’t with another.
Thanks for sharing! Great thoughts helping me take one more step toward where I need to go.
Amy says
Livin’ it with you, Sandi…
so difficult, though, isn’t it? 😉
Amy says
GREAT article!! Just what I needed!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I continue to be very blessed by your words!!
Amy says
Thank you, Amy! 🙂
Amy S. says
Hello! I loved this post and printed it to have as we put our school year together. I do have a question for you… above you state, “No academics or work or earthly relationship comes before turning their hearts toward Christ and discipling them in His ways.” Could you give some examples of this? I just want to be sure that I have my brain wrapped around all this correctly. I also do better with specific examples… it’s just how my brain works! Thanks so much for all you share through your blog!!
Amy says
So glad you were blessed by this, Amy! Let me see if I can give some examples…
If my child is fighting with a sibling over a toy, but I can see it is more of a heart attitude than a surface issue between siblings, then I am going to spend my efforts pointing them toward God’s Word (which will help the earthly relationship as well) than I will spend trying to get them to apologize or give up the toy or whatever.
OR
Suppose my child has an opportunity to take a job outside the home. However, if I do not see proof of godly character and integrity and a heart for the Lord, I would really have to pray over allowing them to take that opportunity since they might be more apt to compromise if they do not have the firm foundation Christ gives them.
OR
If my child is struggling in math and struggling with having a right relationship w/ the Lord, I am going to concentrate on Bible more than math because in the end knowing the Lord is more important than knowing math. 😉
Does that help?
Bethany says
What a great looking game! I love Math games!