|
Intro
to Barb Shelton's
Homeschool
Course
called
"A
Season of Re-education and
Renewing
of the Mind"
(Whether
you live
in
Washington State or not,
the
info on this page could
be
very helpful for you.)
Also known as a "Season of Re-education and Renewing of the Mind,"
a "home-based ed course," and a "homeschool qualifying
course," this course designed by Barb Shelton is done entirely in your own home, at your own pace. It is
not a "quick fix." For it to be the most effective and
deep-rooting in your life, you need to plan on taking several months to
do it. If you have two or three years, all the better! Life-changing things are never quick if they are to also be
long-lasting.
However,
we know not everyone has that much time.
In fact, some are in great need of getting "qualified"
quickly due to an adverse situation with a school district. If you are
in this situation, I still don't have a "quick fix" for you,
as you are still in as much need of a thoroughly-equipping course, BUT I
would be happy to issue you a "Certificate of Course
Participation" that you would present to whomever feels they are in
need of seeing it. However, please finish reading this page, as well as
the article on "Obeying the Law, Testing..." that I'll be
linking you to in just a moment before making a decision. I just want
you to be as informed as possible so that your decision will not be rash
but thoroughly and calmly thought-out.
In
Washington State there are four different ways to "qualify" to
homeschool. (See my WA State Homeschool Law
for full info on this.) One of these is to take a "course in
home-based instruction sponsored by a post-secondary
institution." My course has been approved and is sponsored
by Triune Biblical University which is a small Bible-believing, Bible-teaching college
in Kelso, Washington. (They have small outreaches in many areas as
well.) So it will "qualify"
a parent to homeschool in Washington State.
Offered by author, speaker and 21-year homeschool veteran, Barb Shelton
~ who has graduated two of her three children, having homeschooled them
from scratch ~ this
 course
consists primarily of reading materials and a few audio tapes. (I used
to offer a course by video-correspondence, but have since discontinued
that. See item number nine for an explanation of that.) There are
no tests, no right or wrong answers; just your own processing of the
material with the aid of the Holy Spirit. In the course syllabus, you
"journal-respond" to the material in the course syllabus, recording your
own thoughts and responses. When you are all done with everything,
you send a copy of your course syllabus to us. (Specifics on all this
are in the explanation of the course that I'll link you to at the end of
this intro to my course.)
One
of the four ways to "qualify" to homeschool in Washington
State is by having one year of college. And, of course, most other
states don't even have this option. My hope is that, even ~ if not
especially if you "qualify" with a year of
college, even if you live in a state that does not require a course, you
will still take a course in homeschooling as
"school" and "homeschool" are
completely different in nature ~ unless your hope is to burn out your
children as well as yourself and miss the wonderful stuff God has for
you! The more "schooling" you have behind you, the more
you need to be "de-schooled"! I guarantee
that if you do not listen to me now, you will listen to me
later ~ after having wasted a lot of precious time and money, and with
much more to redeem and fix than if you had been willing to shed your
"school at home" mentality early on. I have been at this
for 21 years now (as of August 2003)
and couldn't even begin to count the number of people who refused to
listen to me at the beginning, but then burnt out, and came back to me
months or years later, deeply regretful that they did not have a
teachable heart much sooner.
The foundation of
my message is that we each need to seek God on HIS idea of education, and listen to His voice over the many loud voices of
the world. His burden ~ even for educating our children ~ is easy, His yoke
is light. The world's ways are heavy and ill-fitting, but it's all we know!
And until we put ourselves through a "Season of Re-education and Renewing of
the Mind" (which the Holy Spirit can lead you through even without this course!), we will continue to think we need to do it the world's way, and
spend hundreds of dollars doing so. God has something better, but it's unique
for each family. This course is designed to help increase your ability to
hear God for the education of your children, but first, the education of Mom
(and Dad)!
In fact, Marilyn Howshall has written a book on this very topic! Here
is an excerpt from it that would be well-worth your time to read.
Answers
to the common questions such as "How much does it cost?"
"How long
will it take?" "How can I make time for
this?" "What does the course consist of?"
"What order should I do this in?" "How do I get
started?" and several others begin at this
page at my Homeschool Oasis website. If you are thinking of
taking this course, please start there and read ALL of the
sections there. If you still have questions after that, please feel free
to email me. (Since I am a
homeschooling mom myself, I need to ask that you not contact me before
reading everything I have there.
Almost invariably, every
question most people have is answered somewhere in there. Our only staff
for our home-based
homeschool business/ministry is my husband and myself, so every minute
answering unnecessary questions (that we've already answered) is time
away from our family and the other things God would have us doing.)
One
last thing... I would be remiss in my moral responsibility to you
as brothers and sisters in the Lord if I presented information on my
"qualifying" course without telling you that you need to
consider the whole "render to God what is God's, and to Caesar what
is Caesar's" issue. Did you notice that every time I have
used the word "qualify(ing)" it has been in parentheses?
There is a good reason for my doing so.
For my thoughts and
convictions on this, please read my "Obeying the Law, Testing, and Qualifying to Homeschool"
article. It is long, but it is very important.
I hope you'll take some time to read that before making your decision on
taking a homeschool course ~ mine or anyone's.
OK,
so if you're still with me, still thinking this course is something that
might be a "right fit" for you, please start here at our Season of Re-education
Main Page. (Or click on birdhouse.) It will explain everything, including how to get going on
it.
Warmly,
Barb
Shelton |
