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Why Catholic home-education?

Our children are our most precious possessions. As parents it is our primary duty to raise our children in the truths of the Faith so that they might save their souls to one day be with us in heaven for all eternity. The home, under the loving direction of the parents, is the best place to educate children in truth and virtue.

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Through Catholic home education, parents are able to:

Evangelize their children in the Faith providing both catechesis in doctrine and the development of an active spiritual and moral life based upon the sacraments, prayer and good works.

Provide their children with a challenging academic education in the liberal arts and sciences reflected in the light of Catholic teaching and perspective.

Individualize curriculum to meet the needs and goals of each child.

Personally direct and share the intellectual, spiritual, moral and emotional growth and development of their children.

Provide a loving environment which affirms the individuality of each child who is made in the image and likeness of God and which promotes the practice of virtue on a daily basis.

Fulfill the role of the family as the domestic church and predominant socializing agent of children into an authentic Catholic living of the Faith.

Protect their children from harmful influences of a secular environment, bad companions, and immoral sex education programs.

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Can I do it?

Most parents do not have teaching degrees and learn with their children. Parents often find that home education can be stimulating for them as well as their children. Motivated by love, parents are the natural educators of their children. If necessary, help in subjects such as math, science or languages can be found from friends, relatives, other home educating families, or tutors. Some high school students have successfully taken classes at community or local colleges. Lastly, we must remember that because God has made the education of children a primary responsibility of parents, He gives parents the necessary graces through the sacrament of marriage.

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How does home education affect family life?

Because home education encourages parents to talk with their children about the important issues of life, the parent-child bond is strengthened, which is especially important during teen years. By catechizing their children, parents usually find that their own faith is renewed and deepened. Parents often reflect that home schooling helps them to aspire more fervently in the acquisition of virtue since they cannot give to their children that which they themselves do not have. Patience, self discipline, etc. are suddenly practical necessities. Children and parents also need to work together in managing household tasks which develops a spirit of cooperation. Children learn generosity from the self-giving example of their parents.

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What about socialization?

Home education provides the best means for socialization - the family. Parents and older brother and sisters are usually far better role models for children than the peer group. Children of the same age, when left to themselves, often cannot provide each other with the guidance and training necessary for the development of proper behavior. The family also knows and understands the needs and personality of each child, and is, therefore, better able to guide the child in overcoming his weakness and developing his strengths. Children taught at home are free to be who they are without being critiqued by an insecure peer group whose judgment most often rests upon on such superficial matters as appearance or athletic ability. Because children in home educating families are not required to cater to the demands and tastes of the peer group in order to be accepted, they are frequently more self confident and independent than children socialized predominately by peers.

Home educated children also learn to relate and appreciate people of all ages, which more closely reflects the society in which they will live. Home educated children also have ample time to develop relationships outside the home in other activities such as sports, music, volunteer work, etc. Local Catholic support groups often plan field trips and other social activities or outings, such as picnics, plays and service projects.

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Which curriculum should I choose?

Parents can choose from among complete curriculum programs, guided curriculum programs, unit studies approach, or an eclectic program. The complete curriculum programs offer testing, lesson plans, tests, and record keeping, etc. The guided programs offer either a suggested curriculum or help in designing a curriculum, but no lesson plans or tests. Complete and guided programs offer parents some certainty that all essential material is being covered and continuity from year to year. Parents need to be aware that even the complete programs may need to be modified and adapted to meet the needs and learning style of each individual child. Unit studies cover successive topics from all aspects incorporating related history, literature, science, geography, etc. An eclectic program allows the parent to put together his own curriculum by choosing materials for each child individually. Eclectic programs offer greater flexibility but may require a greater knowledge of resources and materials. While the complete and guided curriculum programs usually require tuition payment or a service fee, the eclectic program too can be costly since inexperienced parents sometimes find themselves purchasing materials which are never used. Parents frequently choose one curriculum approach and change to another in the following years as needs change and as they begin to know themselves and their children's needs better. (See MCH Curriculum Resource Guide).

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Is it important to have a Catholic curriculum?

Yes, it is extremely important to have a Catholic curriculum in order to provide our children with a truly Catholic education which will prepare them not only for this life but for eternal life as well. Only Catholic catechisms and religion texts will teach our children the true faith. Catholic readers, and literature provide inspiration while a child is acquiring reading skills. Only Catholic history texts incorporate the live of the saints and give the unique Catholic perspective on such events as the life of Christ, the Protestant Revolution, contributions of Catholics in America, etc. Even when a Catholic text is not available for a subject in a particular grade, one should always strive to incorporate Catholic materials and ideas. For example, one should incorporate the teachings of the Church on evolution when studying high school biology.

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What about the Christian programs that are not Catholic?

Christian programs are designed to raise up Protestants. Some programs, such as Abeka and Bob Jones, are at times decidedly anti-Catholic, openly attacking Catholic doctrine even in such unexpected places as science texts. Perhaps even more dangerous, however, is the integration of Protestant belief into the curriculum which unfortunately is not always recognized by Catholics. Because parents frequently are not skilled in apologetics or have been poorly educated in the Faith themselves, they are often unable to recognize subtle Protestant errors. Parents themselves find that they need the guidance of orthodox Catholic materials. Protestant programs also omit or have a different understanding of many Catholic beliefs such as the sacraments, the role of Mary, man's redemption, the Bible, the authority of the Pope, etc. Protestant history texts particularly distort and omit facts since the history of civilization is so closely intertwined with the history of the Catholic Church.

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What about secular texts?

All texts present some point of view of man and his relationship to the world. Secular texts are basically from an atheistic or, at best, indifferent viewpoint with regard to the existence of God and His role in our lives. Modern secular texts, either as a result of omission, or by direct indoctrination, promote materialism and humanism. Catholic education should integrate a Catholic perspective throughout the curriculum. Since it is the only true perspective from which to view all of life, why would we want to embrace any other? We would never knowingly teach incorrect math or science facts, so why should we knowingly distort reality for our children by omitting God from life? Using Catholic materials helps our children to see the Faith as part of our daily life. Stories of great Catholic men and women and their accomplishments in various fields help to inspire our children and create a Catholic outlook with regard to all avenues of life. Most importantly, Catholic texts and programs help parents and older students learn to evaluate the classical, secular works of literature, history etc. in the light of Catholic teaching. All of the content of our curriculum and our daily life should be evaluated from a Catholic perspective.

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Do colleges accept home-educated children?

Yes. Some colleges will require a diploma which is provided to a student enrolled in a complete and guided program. Students not enrolled in such programs can take the GED which is easily passed by most home educated students. Colleges recognize that there is a great deal of discrepancy between academic standards of various high schools. They rely on the students scores on the ACT and SAT college entrance tests as an indicator of the student's ability to succeed in college. Most home school students score very well on these exams. Colleges also look to see if students have taken academic subjects rather than a vocationally geared program. Because students who are home educated usually have developed good study habits and are accustomed to working independently, they quickly adjust to and function well in the college setting.

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Does the church approve of home education?

The Church has always affirmed the primary right and duty of parents to educate their children. The new Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) makes the following statements:

#2221 The right and the duty of parents to educate their children is primordial and inalienable.

#2223 Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.

#2225 Through the sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children.

#2229 As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental.

The Charter rights of the Family issued by the Vatican in 1983 makes this statement: "Since they have conferred life on their children, parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them; hence they must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Pope John Paul II in his Letter to Families for the International Year of the Family in February 1994 makes this statement: Parents are the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area: They are educators because they are parents. Additional documentation of the Church's consistent support and recognition of parental rights with regard to the education of their children can be found in the documents of Vatican II and numerous encyclicals.

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Is home-education legal?

Yes. In 1996, the Michigan legislature passed amendment (f) to the compulsory school attendance law specifically exempting home educating families. Previously, home educating families had been classified as part of the nonpublic school system and exempt under amendment (a). Home-educating families now may choose exemption under (a) or (f) or both. Families choosing to operate under exemption (a) may register with the Michigan Department of Education, although the law does not require registration with the state. Families home schooling under exemption (a) fall under the jurisdiction of the local school district. The law does not require families to notify the local school district.

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Must I be a certified teacher?

There are no requirements made of parents claiming exemption under the new home school amendment (f). It was established by the courts that parents of home-educating families claiming exemption under the nonpublic school amendment (a) do not need to be certified teachers if the family has a religious objection to certification. Families not claiming the religious exemption to certification may satisfy the certified teacher requirement with as little as two hours consultation per year with a certified teacher since the public school code makes no day or hour specification in this regard.

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What is HSLDA?

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a Christian organization which offers experienced legal counsel and representation by qualified attorneys to every member family who is challenged by government officials in the area of home schooling. All attorney fees and costs are paid in full directly by the association. HSLDA fee is $100 per year. Members of Michigan Catholic Home-Educators are eligible for a $15 discount off the HSLDA membership fee. More information and applications are available from MCH.

MCH offers information about HSLDA as an option for those who are interested. MCH does not necessarily agree with all policies or view points of HSLDA. The address for HSLDA is:
HSLDA,
P.O. Box 159
Paeonian Spring, VA 20129.
540-338-5600

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Is support available?

Michigan Catholic Home-Educators (MCH) is a state wide association of Catholic home-educating families whose purpose is to support and promote Catholic home-education. Networking with Catholic support groups located throughout the state, MCH is able to direct families to local Catholic support groups. These groups often plan educational and social activities and provide a means for families to exchange information, share concerns, and learn from one another's experiences. In addition, MCH provides an annual home-education conference and book fair specifically addressing the needs of Catholic home educating families. MCH members also receive a quarterly newsletter,

Opus Gloriae. MCH membership is $15 per year.

Michigan Catholic Home- Educators
P.O. Box 534
Dearborn Heights, MI 48127

email: mch001@juno.com

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