Home Where They Belong ~ Public Schools - A Waste of Time - A Waste of Life
1:38 AM, Nov. 7, 2007
I am reading a good book right now by John Piper called, "Don't Waste Your Life" The premise of his book is that "life ought not to be wasted" and that our lives need to count for eternity.
Considering we are not guaranteed tomorrow, what are we doing that counts for eternity today? What are we pouring into our kids that will count for eternity today? Are we teaching them not to waste their life?
If you look at our public schools today, this is exactly what is happening. We are not only wasting kids time, and not just for a short time, but for twelve years of their life - wasted! This article by Joel Turtel reveals this truth.
By the mere choice of homeschooling, we are doing our best to not waste our kids time. But is what they are doing on a daily basis at home worthy of eternity? As John Piper says, "Remember, you have one life. That's all. You were made for God. Don't waste it." Are we instilling in our children an urgency to make their life count for God's purposes? Or are we just talking about doing well and getting a good job?
One of the great advantages of home education is that we can see the areas where God has gifted our children and given them special talents and insights and abilities - what we need to remember is that God created those there to be used for His glory and for His purposes - not just to become famous or wealthy or great, but to make God famous and great.
In not wasting precious time, let's consider together what it is we are doing with our children every day that is non-essential and really focus on what is truly essential for life. A life lived for God simply because we are not our own - we've been bought with a price. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, that He has before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)
Our job, should we choose to accept it, is to find out what those good works are that our children are to be walking in and then head in that direction.
Walking in those good works is the opposite of wasting time, and glorifying God in all that we do guarantees that we will not have wasted our life.
This was very good. School was a waste of time for me. Know what I remember of English class? Learning positive thinking via "Pschyo Cybernetics." The teacher got permission to teach that instead of English. "Picture yourself making the perfect dive."
History? OK, I tried so hard to focus. I really did. The teacher lectured every day and she was so, so, so boring. I tried to study the textbook, and it seems I'd study all the wrong things and do badly on the test. They made history all about dates.
Science? Nothing. I studied for a test with a nerd and got 100 percent, but .... ?
School was prison, and I counted the years. And I counted the hours every day. And I counted the minutes in every class. And I said "Whew!" every day when it was over. It depressed me to think I had to go back the next day.
What does public school teach you for those 12 or so years?
1 How to label someone as weird if they are different than you.
2 How to appear not interested in the subject if no one else is excited.
3 How to look and act like the girl or boy in your class.
4 How to get away with talking back to your parents (one kid told me, don't you know that kids are not supposed to obey or listen to their parents).
5 How to have a boyfriend/girlfriend in 1st and 2nd grade and if you don't - why not are you weird?
6 The importance of having others like you.
7 How to pretend to be "smart" or at least smarter than the dumbest kid in class.
8 That even if you don't "understand" the lesson it is better to be lost than dumb (see the above statement).
9 That "Society" or the "class" waits for no one... if you don't understand maybe you need extra help in special classes (see last two statements).
10 How to avoid personal time or any time to develop deep thoughts of their own.
Oh and did I mention that they also teach reading, writing, arithmetic, science, social studies, health, music and Phys Ed?
Things that kids learn in homeschool every day...
1 Everyone is special and unique and loved by Jesus.
2 It is okay to jump up and down and yell out the words that you are reading when you get it right.
3 If you want to wear zebra print pajama bottems, a flowered pink shirt and three belts... awesome!
4 Children need to obey their parents...
5 What is a boyfriend... mom, can we talk about rabbits?
6 I love you mom.... I love you too.
7 Wow, you all are so smart! You did a great job doing your math worksheet quickly and with no mistakes! And you did a great job with your flashcards! What Smarties!
8 Mom, I need help.
9 Are you having trouble with addition... let's get some candy and do candy math, maybe that will help!
10 Mom, I was just thinking... do we get to wear these clothes in heaven or do we get new ones?
Oh and did I also mention... all the "real school" subjects listed above.
There are many reasons why we homeschool.... :)
Mostly, I just want to love my family for Jesus.
And time spent doing that is never wasted.
Curious about The Old Schoolhouse
Magazine but not quite ready to commit to a subscription without seeing it first?
Check it out for FREE! We're so certain you'll love our publication that we'll gladly send a FREE sample to anyone new to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine - we even cover the shipping!
Welcome to the HSB announcement blogboard from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,
LLC. We hope you will enjoy the articles posted here by the Porch Team. Please feel free to leave comments!
~ Tia Linschied, Senior Editor of HSB
Our E-Newsletters give you wonderful, informative information about homeschooling, news bits, contests and PRIZES for homeschoolers, articles to encourage you, calls for writers, free unit studies and lesson plans, and just a lot of FUN. Bring the community to your inbox, and no worries, we never sell, trade or give your email or any other information out to anyone.
Come join the homeschool party!
The Homeschool Minute is our most
popular newsletter, full of encouragement and support just for YOU!
Subscribe to *FREE* newsletters offered by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
Curious about The Old Schoolhouse
Nov. 6, 2007 - Public school **IS** a waste of time
Posted by 
