Feature Article

Pros and Cons of Educational Models

The one thing we can say about educational models today with all the certainty in the world is that they are in a state of flux. Twenty years ago schools were the norm, home schools were rare and online education was, well, unheard of. Ten years ago the internet and educational products and services were far more limited compared to now. Today a confluence of ideas and practices is occurring at a rapid pace.

There are a handful of models commonly used for education. In no particular order they are: traditional Christian schools, home schools, university model schools, co-ops, online education, and tutors. Many times a child’s education involves a combination of two or more of these models-even simultaneously. Two of my three college age children have had online classes while in college, even while living in the town where the courses were offered in a classroom setting. (Think of the irony of paying room and board for them to do that.) With our eyes open we need to consider the pros and cons of these models and the effects they have on our children.

Traditional Christian Schools are relatively easy for parents, teachers are typically well-trained experts, a good Christian community can result, extra-curriculars are generally very available, and they provide a good comparison for how a given child is doing in relation to his peers. Unfortunately, they require less parental interaction with their children, students get less individual attention, they are less efficient than some other models, children spend too much time with peers, and they are quite costly.

Home Schools involve both quality and quantity time with one’s children, can be tailored to run at the pace of the student, are quite efficient, can have a customized curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the student, are much less costly than schools, and can be flexible regarding schedule and location. Unfortunately, home schools may have parents who are inexperienced or lack teaching gifts, teachers/parents have other duties that compete for priority, can tend to isolate children and their families from building community, require students to go elsewhere for team sports and other extra-curriculars, and tend to lack accountability standards.

University Model Schools have some of the best aspects of both traditional schools and home schools. Expert teachers, extra-curriculars, good comparisons for how children are doing, and good Christian community can result. Unfortunately, they also have some of the worst attributes of both schools and home schools. They take away the flexibility of schedule and location, customizable curriculum and a student-tailored pace while being fairly costly and not as easy for parents.

Co-ops allow for expert teachers and are generally fairly inexpensive. Unfortunately, they may not deal with abnormal learning issues and disciplinary needs as well as other models, and they can be quite inefficient-especially when factoring travel time.

Online education has many of the benefits of schools without leaving home. They include well-trained experts for teachers, good comparisons for how a given student is doing, and are easy on the parent. Unfortunately, they lack extra-curriculars and, while they can be attended from any location, they are bound to a particular schedule if the class is live (synchronous). If the class they attend is recorded (asynchronous) they lack extensive interaction.

Tutors, a retro idea, help parents by providing expertise at considerable expense. This is particularly ideal for disciplines like math.

As you consider the educational options in light of your circumstances now and in the future, there are some questions that will help you decide what is best for your family at any given time.

►How hands on do you want to be in your children’s education?
►What is your family’s lifestyle?
►What are your gifts and talents?
►What can you afford?
►What is the best learning model for your children?
►Are your options limited by where you live?

And always remember: thoughtful consideration and good planning is an important part of educating your children. The time with your children will go by fast. Don’t get to the end of it and realize you didn’t accomplish what you wanted to.

–Marlin Detweiler

I think this thought was born of too much Pooh Bear and the mock sympathy Matt and I use when Ilse cries: “Oh, poor baby, no one loves you. Poor, sad baby.”

I found my $40 sunglasses that had been missing for 2 months and that I had decided to replace with my Christmas money but which now cost $50. This is good because I still need 1 more year on my $40 pair to average out my typical sunglass expenditure of $10/year. Three years ago I bought a nice pair of sunglasses instead of my usual cheap $10 WalMart pair that break within a year. So I am thrilled that I do get a chance to keep working that average cost down.

After what I thought was a comprehensive search, I decided I must have left them in Seattle at the reception hall at my cousin’s wedding, because that was the last place I wore them. Sad.

But today I was cleaning. I was cleaning with a 2-o’clock coffee high. And I was getting crazy. I was mopping the entry, and decided there was too much dust under the chest, so I moved it. I swept and mopped that, and then decided to scooch the couch just a tad and get the gunk I could see. I gave a good push and — voila! — my sunglasses, sitting unharmed on the dusty floor!

I moved the couch completely, swept and mopped, and also found 1 sword, 2 puzzle pieces, 3 army men, 4 Lego pieces, 5 bobby pins, and 10 matchbox-size cars.

And Matt is finishing up the upstairs bathroom remodel and the progress we’ve been working at all week is finally starting to be visible! Yay!

And if I am grateful for having that certainty in my vocation, should I not also be grateful for the vocation itself, for my own particular daily grind?

And if my husband is so certain of his role as provider that he will take a job quickly and work diligently at it, preferring a secure income to wandering in indecision and self-pity, shouldn’t I be grateful not only for his provision (which I most heartily am), but also for my own work? If my husband is so determined to be the sole and sufficient provider, should I not make myself worthy of that diligent provision? I do not always enjoy my daily work, but I do enjoy my job and my role. Shouldn’t that affect my attitude about the work more than it generally does? If my husband will see the advantages of his current situation and will switch his career once more, overcoming his disappointment, can’t I at least cheerfully wash the dishes and sweep the floor? If he can sit at a desk all day and do good work, even though he had imagined himself speeding with flashing lights and breaking up bar brawls and arresting felons, can’t I do laundry even though I dislike laundry? If he can switch gears so abruptly and see the positive points of experience and potential that this job brings, can’t I find the patience to consistently instruct and discipline my children whom I love?

I love my job. I love my children. I have the best job security there is. It’s time to start working as if all that is true.

God always works on many levels. He does have only one purpose in everything He does, but that one purpose works itself out in a complexity of tiny interwoven threads. You can’t point to one thing and say, “Ah, that is what God was doing in that situation.” His most important work is often most subtle.

His one purpose of course is to work salvation in His people as He sees fit for His own glory. Anything else is merely a detail on that plan. He is telling a story about Himself. That’s all that matters, and that’s where all paths lead. Living in a way that pleases Him and living in a way that reflects the point of the story is the only certain calling we have received.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Then Kennewick PD fired Matt. The law enforcement door is shut. Matt took a job yesterday as a computer programmer once more; though it is for a small company this time, it is still a contract with the DOE. In less than two weeks his world is shaken. Just as we were on the brink of beginning a new life, we’re now back to the normal world of 8-5, Monday-Friday. Just as Matt was getting excited about hitting the streets, he was escorted out the door without warning and without recourse.

‘Tis time to cling to what is certain.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Matt has walked worthy of his sure calling and has maintained his honor and integrity throughout. His vocation has changed once more, but his calling is certain.

Hans: But do I have to sleep?! I just can’t sleep at naptime!
Mom: No, you don’t have to sleep. I can’t make you sleep. No one can make you sleep; but I can make you rest.
Hans: But I don’t like to rest!
Mom: You don’t have to like it.
Hans: But, I don’t want to rest!
Mom: You don’t have to want to. You have to obey.
Hans: starts arguing with Jaeger instead