Threats to Homeschooling [Podcast]

Michael WintherPodcast

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Mike Winther dives into homeschooling and current and future threats. He keeps his focus on biblical principles which is the basis for IPS. The focus is on teaching biblical principles of government, economics, and history. As Christians, we need to look at underlying principles when making decisions. There’s a huge difference between making decisions based on principles or practicality.

He gets into whether we homeschool for practical reasons or principled reasons. We also get a brief history lesson on churches before and after the reformation. Mike even draws a parallel between what happened during the reformation and modern homeschooling. Some threats include lack of adversity. If we’re not experiencing adversity, maybe we’re not doing it right. He also talks about the absence of a cause and how we can improve our homeschool experiences to prepare our students for the future.

You’ll Learn:

  • [02:48] We need to explore the principal questions before exploring the practical questions.
  • [03:19] Why do we homeschool?
  • [04:24] Prior to the reformation there was one church based in Rome. 
  • [13:12] Mike draws a parallel of how the homeschool movement can be similar to The Great Reformation. There will be challenges and false prophets.
  • [15:05] Potential threats to homeschooling include absence of suffering and adversity. Ease and complacency creates an environment where we don’t do our due diligence. 
  • [16:44] If we were homeschooling right, we would be a threat to non-Christian views.
  • [17:07] The absence of a cause is another threat. We need causes. As Christians, one of our multiple causes should be saving souls.
  • [18:01] Matthew 16 beginning with verse 18. Peter is the rock.
  • [19:54] Christians are to be on the offense attacking the gates from hell. 
  • [20:55] We need to make sure that we are teaching a biblical worldview in every subject.
  • [23:33] Mike shares a Martin Luther quote about being afraid of the schools being the gates of hell unless they diligently labor to explain the holy scriptures.
  • [24:37] Government infringement on homeschooling. 
  • [25:51] Mike share’s one of the biggest threats to homeschooling. 
  • [30:40] Most of America didn’t have public education until well into the mid 1800s. Public education eventually became a movement and grew to what it is today.
  • [33:42] Once we began more government education, the reading level in America actually dropped.
  • [36:04] Mike shares scary quotes from early teacher associations. 
  • [39:15] There’s no such thing as value neutral education. The biggest threat to homeschooling might be not creating the world changers that we should be creating.
  • [40:13] The 10th step in The Communist Manifesto is free education for all children in public schools.
  • [42:50] Education should be Christ-centered and private.
  • [45:51] A lot of questions in the SAT are now value-based.
  • [47:05] College choice. Be very cautious about where you send your kids to college. 
  • [53:16] The challenge we wrestle with is training our homeschoolers to become the professors that will teach based on biblical principles.
  • [57:56] What if 75% of our students don’t understand the principles of government or economics?
  • [58:26] We need to give more training on the important things that actually impact society.

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