Homeschool FOMO - Biblical Classical Community

Fear of missing out (FOMO) can be a real issue for some homeschooling parents. This can be true regarding activities, but homeschool FOMO is also true when it comes to curriculum and methods. This article addresses some things to consider, which will help narrow down curricula and educational method options.

Learning about educational philosophies and methods either being “evolutionary/ progressive” or not is helpful. The old tried and true ways are the best. Most curricula today use stimulus-response methods and don’t help the student learn *how* to think or reason Biblically or analyze. Few help students learn how to form Biblical convictions. This doesn’t mean that education isn’t enjoyable and delightful activities can’t be done. However, depending on what the aim is for education, learning and understanding about these matters can help narrow down choices.

Darwin and the Evolution Theory

Darwin’s theory of evolution did more than affect science. Those who were influenced by Darwin’s theory went in various directions with it. Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel was such an individual:

“The theory of evolution was not discovered by Froebel, but he first made it a definite element in a system of education. He did not recognize it merely as a philosophical educational theory, he made it a practical reality. One of his distinctive characteristics is his genius for reducing philosophical and psychological principles to definite pedagogical practice . . . He gave to teachers concrete representations of education theories. He made it impossible to carry out his system without the principles involved in it, and thus made the revelation of educational concepts to the minds of teachers conform to the law of “learning by doing.”(1)

Always Changing, Never Absolute

The idea of educational methods evolving ties in with the theory of man evolving.

There’s always the “next best thing” that is supposed to “improve” education. Yet for all of the “inventiveness” and the money thrown at education, students are struggling.

Boiling It Down

There’s a plethora of curricula options available to the homeschool community. For Christians, an easy way to determine secular-humanist methods is to note if curricula has:

multiple-choice
fill-in-the-blanks
true or false

While the content may mention God and creation and have Bible verses sprinkled among it, the methods of teaching and learning may not be authentically Christian. The methods listed above are stimulus-response, rooted in secular-humanism and evolutionary educational methods. Therefore, they do not challenge the student to:

express original thought
wrestle with ideas
internalize absolute truth (which is found in God’s Word)
form Biblical convictions about an academic subject, topic, or issues of life
think through cause to effect
learn how to reflect and reason Biblically
work out his or her reasoning in an essay

All things considered, there isn’t anything to have FOMO about with such curricula.

Absolute Methods Work

If it is understood that absolute methods work, then it will be much easier to narrow down curricula. Furthermore, it will save time, money, and help bring peace of mind.

The number one tip is to go with Christian curricula that teaches a Biblical worldview in each subject. However, that’s half the matter. In addition, it’s essential to go with Biblical methods for teaching and learning:

The True, Good, and Beautiful need to be taught within a Biblical framework,
Teaching with context involves the Greater Context and Particular Contexts,
Words and worldviews are of immense importance because we need to have Biblical worldview definitions,
Reflection and Reasoning questions, like what Biblical Classical Literature studies offer, are invaluable.
Pedagogy is also worth considering.

For example: in spelling, reading, and writing, phonics is tried and true. Equally important is the need to have language taught in an organized fashion and with logic. To help parents learn how to teach phonics, see the course Good Foundations: Pre-school and Kindergarten Reading course. And to help students learn how to write, see the writing courses by Raquel Werk.

Homeschool FOMO Doesn’t Have to Happen for You

If your aim for your homeschool is to produce students who can think and reason Biblically, apply logic and Biblical principles to life, and have a character for Liberty, then meet Biblical Classical Education. Biblical Classical Community offers Parent Practicums that are self-paced and online. These aid parents in learning how to use authentic Christian education methods to Biblical worldview curricula. The richness that Biblical Classical Education has to offer will help narrow down curricula options, causing secular-humanist educational methods to fade away for you. Homeschool FOMO doesn’t have to happen for you.

Footnote 1: Hughes, James L., Froebel’s Educational Laws For All Teachers New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1897, p. 13