Introductions Thread (Come say hi.)

Welcome @Alkemita Micheal, good to have you here! The homeschool forum could use a little more action, so don’t be shy about starting a new thread if you find something itching to be discussed in your perusal of BioLogos materials. :slight_smile:

1 Like

Hi Michael,

Let me add another warm welcome to the forum! There are not a lot of homeschooling dads who have contributed here, so I was excited to see your note. I’m also one who does more reading than writing on this forum—more because of time constraints than anything else.

I gather from your message that you’ll be taking an active role in teaching your kids. If you’re willing to share, I’d love to learn how you and your wife are going to approach things. I sometimes ask dads from homeschooling families what role they take in their kids’ education, and quite often the answer is essentially “not much.” That’s not to be critical of such families, but only to say that I feel like I’ve found a kindred spirit when I come across a father who wants to be directly involved in educating his children.

This was one of the key things that steered my wife and me to homeschooling as well. In case you’re interested, there was also some discussion about reasons people chose homeschooling in this thread: Reasons to homeschool?.

May God guide, empower, and reward you and your family along this homeschooling journey.

Bruce

G’Day Bruce,

firstly apologies for the late reply. It’s the old cliche - life happens.

I gather from your message that you’ll be taking an active role in teaching your kids. If you’re willing to share, I’d love to learn how you and your wife are going to approach things. I sometimes ask dads from homeschooling families what role they take in their kids’ education, and quite often the answer is essentially “not much.” That’s not to be critical of such families, but only to say that I feel like I’ve found a kindred spirit when I come across a father who wants to be directly involved in educating his children.

To be honest, Bruce, I’m about as involved in the day-to-day teaching as those other fathers you’ve talked to. I’ve taught exactly one lesson in the past month.

What my wife and I did was to work out our strategy together, before the year started. That was (is) my main contribution. We’re still getting our act together big time. We didn’t get as much accomplished in our first month as we hoped, and we just had a discussion about ways I can help our daughter practice her math so that she gets more time there. Beyond that, every second night, I work through a devotions book with my daughter, and I try to make sure she understands the important lessons in that.

My personal plan is that as the kids get a bit older, I will contribute more by helping in the application of what they have learned. We’ve talked about summer projects that make use of what they’ve been taught during the year. I also hope to exercise their reasoning, debate and critical thinking skills when they are older by posing topics for discussion. I’m not good with kids this young - I need God’s grace and mercy daily to make it through.

At the last homeschooling convention we were at, they had a speaker named Israel Wayne who gave a talk for the men. He said that he tells people that “I homeschool, and my wife helps,” even though she does the bulk of the day-to-day teaching. His point, I believe, was that we fathers need to be actively supportive and set the overall direction, even if we can’t teach every lesson. I think he had a good point, even if I didn’t like the specific wording he used, which is why I say that “we” homeschool - perhaps that was what gave you the idea that I would be right in there in the classroom.

I hope that was a little clearer, and I feel I could ask the same questions of you - we are neophytes on this journey, and I am always on the look out for ways to do things better.

God Bless

1 Like

Hello everyone. My name is Cynthia and I live in Baton Rouge, LA with my husband and our 5 children whom I teach at home.

I decided to homeschool because I thought it would be the best way for me to disciple my children- teaching them wisdom in all areas of life. We take it one year at a time, but for now are content in the journey. Our children are 12, 11, 10, 7 and 4 and in grades 6, 5, 3, 2 and Pre-K respectively.

I discovered BioLogos through Tremper Longman, a theologian whom I deeply respect. My family attended the conference this past year in Houston.

I am on my 7th year homeschooling and we have been with Classical Conversations from the beginning. My background is in theology and psychology, but have since earned an honorary doctorate (given by mysself- ha!) in English grammar as I teach English and Writing at our co-op.

We have loved the classical conversations model up to this point; however, starting 7th grade (next year for us) the program uses Apologia literature for science- a posture of Science in which we strongly disagree! For now, the plan is to enroll our oldest while switching out the science material at home with Novare literature. Any encouragement or advice in this matter would be welcomed! We love our community but are not oblivious to our theological differences when it comes to evolution. It’s great to find a forum with like-minded people!

1 Like

Welcome, Cynthia!
I’ve linked some conversations specific to the CC question below. Feel free to continue any of these threads or start a new one. Or, you can use the PM system to send a private message to any user about something in particular. (Click on any avatar and then use the “send message” button, or click on your own avatar in the upper right and click on the envelope icon and type in the users you would like to contact.)

Glad you are here!

1 Like

Hi Cynthia,

Welcome to the Forum! I enjoyed learning a bit about your family and your homeschooling story.

There are several of us around here with similar tales of loving much about CC but being troubled by the anti-evolution ideology. I know that Lisa @Lstrite has been able to opt out of having her child read It Couldn’t Just Happen this year, but I expect there is a lot of variance in terms of how accommodating tutors are to such things.

My situation is complicated by the fact that my wife and I aren’t in accord on our thinking about science education. I’ve written a good bit about it on other threads, which you can read as you have time and interest.

Have you used any Novare texts yet? I bought the Earth Science text two years ago when it was first published, but my son hasn’t made much progress through it. I’m really going to push for him to do that this semester.

If you’ve never looked into Schole Groups, I recommend doing so. According to their Find a Group Near You page, there is someone in Baton Rogue looking to start a group.

I’ll try to write more before long, but I typically end up responding to about 10% of what I wish I had time to on this forum.

Best wishes to you and your family,
Bruce

Hello @Homeschool_Forum ! I can’t begin to explain how excited I am to be part of this forum! I believed in YEC for most of my life–that’s almost 50 years! I only recently had a drastic change of heart, mind, and faith that moved me toward evolutionary science, et. al. I have been home schooling my children since 2003 (I mean really since 1994 when my first child was born, but officially since 2003). I currently have 5 children. My oldest is a Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force, she will be 24 this May. My next is 19 and she has a full time job at the local Walmart. My soon-to-be 17 year old is attending public school (that’s another story all together, lol). Next, I have a dino-enthusiast 11, soon to be 12 year old daughter and boy can she tell you a thing or two about dinosaurs! My youngest is our only boy and he is 2 1/2. He is our foster son through a kinship placement (another story!). Can I ask if anyone else is “new” to evolution thinking? I’d like to ask if you struggled with the transformation of thought? I felt so overwhelmingly guilty for having taught my kids incorrectly for so many years–I asked their forgiveness, naturally they forgave me, but it’s a struggle to “undo” all that teaching. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Anyway, if anyone is interested in my other “stories”, I’d be glad to share–the one from YEC to evolution is a whopper too. Hello to all and I look forward to some amazing discussions!!

1 Like

We are in Mid-Missouri-literally. Warrensburg, MO, home of University of Central Missouri

2 Likes

Thanks for stopping by, Melissa :wink:
Your insights as to how you feel and how the transition is going are welcome, and I am sure would be helpful to others going through the same thought process. I would not be too hard on yourself for past lessons, after all my profs always said that half of what they were teaching was wrong, they just didn’t know which half.

1 Like

Welcome, Melissa. Glad you found us. I’m going to split your question off into it’s own thread because it’s a really good one.

1 Like

Mine started around 3 years old and is now 11. She wants to be a paleontologist or archaeologist or some kind of “old stuff” ologist, lol. I’m glad I now know and can tell her the truth, being only recently “converted” from YEC.

2 Likes

Then here’s an “ology” site for your kids: OLOGY: A Science Web Site for Kids

2 Likes

Hi. I’m an evangelical pastor. I don’t believe in YEC, but I’m not sure which model of creation is true. I have three little ones. My eldest daughter is about to start kindergarten. We’ve decided to homeschool through a Sonlight co-op. I hesitated about homeschooling because I don’t want my kids to learn about people riding dinosaurs. But I do want them to have a Biblical worldview.

I’m on the lookout for science-related materials from a more old-earth or TE interpretation of origins. Now that I’m reading through homeschool curriculum for the first time, looking for the right materials for my kids, they seem very easy to write. I have an illustration and writing background. If I don’t find any good elementary-level books, I was thinking of writing some materials myself. But I’d like to partner with someone who has a science degree.

Hi Shawn, welcome to the forum!

I’ve used Sonlight science through third grade and hardly any of the materials are from a YEC or ID perspective, most of them are from secular education publishers. The IGs specifically talk about three Christian perspectives (YEC, OEC, TE/EC) and say it’s the parents’ job to communicate their preferred view.

Since TE/EC accepts mainstream scientific consensus, there isn’t really that much need to have special science materials written from their perspective. The science is the same as “regular” science. The areas of discussion come up when you are studying the Bible and theology, and most of us don’t bring up those specific science/faith issues until kids are older. There are plenty of nice elementary level science resources, so you wouldn’t need to reinvent the wheel there. What there is probably a market for is Bible study materials/devotionals for elementary kids that deal with Genesis in a science-friendly (or at least science neutral) way, since many of the homeschool materials that talk about Genesis presume a YEC science understanding. For example, if there were pretty books that brought down some of the ANE context stuff you find in commentaries to an elementary level, I would buy that.

A lot of OECs reject common descent, so maybe they have their own materials when it comes to teaching about evolution. Reasons to Believe has a recommended resources list for homeschoolers on their website, if you want OEC endorsed materials.

1 Like

Thanks, Christy, this is very helpful.

@MCampbell I am a fellow Missourian, but currently living in Kansas! Two things struck me while reading through the exchange concerning your regrets and relational difficulties transitioning to an EC perspective: 1. Please, please give yourself grace! and 2. I hate that for so many people Christianity itself seems to be staked on a YEC view! We almost had a friendship ruined because our friends could not reconcile the idea that we did not adhere to YEC but truly loved, believed in and were devoted to following Jesus. By God’s grace our friendship has been somewhat restored, and I pray it will continue in that direction. But I hate that this issue is so sharply divisive for some! But yes… give yourself grace. The Holy Spirit has really transformed my heart on this issue and I realized I was doing the same thing I accused YEC’ers of - staking way too much on it! Now, I never feel the need to argue or, in many cases, even reveal my beliefs on it unless explicitly pressed (which never really happens). I’m sure you have loved your kids well and you have told them about Jesus. Those truly are the most important things! Through your experience they are also learning about forgiveness and latitude in God’s grace! They are learning through you that they don’t have to fear new ideas and can trust the Holy Spirit. And that is huge.

2 Likes

In other random news, I went to the homeschool convention in Wichita this morning. I was hoping to find a science curriculum - no dice. All YEC, plus there were several workshops on defending a YEC view. @Christy, didn’t you say Sonlight was good for your family? I also want a Bible curriculum for my son. We usually just read and memorize scripture but I’d like something more systematic but don’t want something that’s going to contain YEC content. Any suggestions from anyone?

Hey! Thank you for your response! It’s been a while since I’ve been to the forum because I currently have 2 foster boys! One is 2 yo and the other is 6 mos. They are both relatives. Needless to say, they have taken up a lot of my time lately! I have had a couple conversations with people lately about my change in beliefs. The girls’ tutor accepted it well enough but is obviously not interested in the resources I’ve offered–even though she is a very intelligent woman with degrees in math, etc. Unfortunately we’ve decided to stop tutoring with her for various reasons, one of which is due to the YEC versus Biologos ideas–I don’t want her nor my daughter to feel uncomfortable or that they have to “hide” things if discussions come up. I had another conversation with my daughter’s friend because the girls are both into dinosaurs. I felt it was reasonable to tell the mom my views just in case our daughters began discussing things concerning dinosaurs. The mom was very kind and said “friends are still friends”. I haven’t really told anyone else, outside my family and I agree for the most part it will be “as necessary”. I did finally discuss it with my mother and she was shocked but accepting. I didn’t explain things very well–my heart was pounding and I was shaking and I don’t think I communicated very effectively. Nevertheless, I assured her that it didn’t change our core belief in Christ, Salvation, etc. I have also come to the conclusion it’s sort of pointless to “argue” my case until someone shows interest. I remember thinking and believing whole heartedly like YEC and I was concerned about other’s perspectives not lining up with God’s. I am beginning to realize that everyone is on their own journey toward God and He will guide them as He sees fit and if I’m a part of that, then so be it, and if I’m not, that’s fine too. I know one day we will all see Him face to face and we will all understand and none of these earthly cares will even matter any more. I can say this journey of mine has given me a wider perspective of creation, people, the universe, God, etc., and I actually feel MORE wonder and awe than I did before. Things make so much more sense–like why in the world would God make mosquitos, ticks, germs, etc?? Well, now I understand. I really like John Polkinghorn’s concept that God allowed all of creation free will to “make itself”–and this is such an amazing thing to think about!! The entire universe is amazing and beautiful and I think even God enjoys the wonders of His creation.

2 Likes

I forget how old your kids are, and I am currently sitting on my roof in a very remote village in Mexico trying to catch the smidge of internet signal I paid the snack shop down the road to use. It was really slow trying to get the rest of this thread to load and remind myself so I quit trying, but hopefully, what I’m about to type will be useful-ish. Sonlight worked for us K-3. Now Bookshark has science components, and those are “secular” so you don’t even have to weed out the couple YEC books. (Bookshark is owned and operated by the same people as Sonlight and the offer it as an option for charter schools and other people who can get reimbursed by the government for non-religious curriculum.) In 4th we use Explorations Physical Science, which my kids had fun with. It’s a project based elementary physics course.

I was really happy with the Bible curriculum put out by Peace Hill Press (available at the Well Trained Mind website). It’s called Telling God’s Story. Peter Enns wrote the first two years and Rachel Marie Stone wrote the third. A fourth was due out last fall, but I haven’t seen it for sale yet. It focuses on the Gospels and who Jesus is and what it means to follow the “Jesus Way.”

2 Likes