Are you christian, doing homeschooling?What's your philosophy of character education?How do you practice it?

Question

I am studying Master Course of Education in Japan.My research is about Character education of American Christian Home-school.You know Japan is a rich country in economical, but poor in mental nowadays, and get worse and worse. The key to solve the problem, I think is character education of the youngers. I cannot see any hope from school education, I think I can find the hope from Homeschooling, especially in Chritian Homeschooling. But I know nothing about character education in American christian homeschooling. So I want do a research on how American christians homeschool their children in character education.

There are other quesetions I want to ask.

2.What goals do you have for your child's character education?3.Do you use curriculum to homeschool your children in character education?If so,what curriculum and what books do you use?If not, in what ways do you help your children grow in character?Thanks.

Answer 1

WOW tough questions!

I am a Christian home schooling my kids and like you I don't see much in Character development in the public system here. The first thing we do every morning is PRAY! Then we spend time in devotional reading and worship in God Almighty. We begin our day with Jesus first. To help develop their characters they are involved with the community as much as their ages allow. My kids are 9, 5, and 19 months. My oldest volunteers to help our neighbors with what ever work they need done, she helps in the church nursery when I am working in it, and she watches her sister for me while I have to work. I work from home so it's not like I leave her unattended. i just have to spend 1 day a week concentrating on filing reports for my job. I have not seen a curriculum for character development for home schoolers. I have seen one for public school kids. My father gave me one and everything in it was designed to be done with 15 or more kids. I have 3 so it was not very useful to me. We help our kids grow in character by  simply setting the proper example for them. Granted the proper example is different for everyone but we do what we feel is best.

The goals are simple for us. We want our kids to grow into the leaders of our society. For them to do that they need a strong sense of self. We foster that in the work they do for school and in the world around them. We start by teaching the lessons and then letting them do the work. We set the example of what to do and how to do it and then let them go for it. We let them have the answer then trust that they will do it without looking. We simply allow them to grow in an atmosphere free from judgment. Allowing them to grow without harsh criticism allows the sense of self worth to grow. I'm not saying we don't punish our kids when they do something wrong but we do allow them to mess up. When they do they are punished but the punishment hopefully fits the crime. Not only that but it isn't held over their heads for years to come. We forgive and move on. When God forgives it is sent to the sea of forgetfulness. Our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. As a Christian parent I try to follow that. I know I can't completely forget but I can consciously never bring it up again.

I hope this helps you a little bit. Good luck on your research and God Bless!

Answer 2

I'm sorry I can't really help you with your question.

I'm not a parent; I'm not American; My family are not christians; and we don't use a curriculum. My siblings and I are all homeschooled though; we're unschoolers hence we don't use any sort of curriculum, syllabus, etc. I'm 15 and Australian.

I did just want to say "Thank You!!" though; thanks for posting such a well thought out and interesting question! Makes a huge change from the usual rehashed "does anyone have the answers to such and such an exam" - type dross some of my...umm...fellow teenagers like to use this board for.

Answer 3

Homeschooling can be more than simply a replica of the conventional school in which children of the same age are collected for graded academic levels of knowledge in which bits of information are spoon-fed over the course of years.  Homeschool can be a lifestyle.  We choose, in our family, homeschool as a lifestyle and character education naturally flows throughout our daily lives.  We do use curricula and books that teach character.  We use a unit study (also known as a thematic study) called Weaver; study of the bible and good moral charater naturally intertwine with academic studies.  The intertwining of academics and biblical training also incorporates the emotional growth of the child. All three are taught together, often with such a flow as to be unable to separate one from the other.  

We stop to individually address any character flaws as they arise.  We take the opportunity to use any materials (books, movies or audio tapes) that teach Christian morals but we also selectively utilize some materials that show the wrong way to behave and follow that with much more discussion.  Sometimes we take off academic studies to deal with serious issues but much of the time the academics mingle with the emotional and spiritual training our childn receive. We compare and we discuss what we hear and view and the discussion is at all times of the day.  The older children begin t have separate chats with their father at higher levels when they are at the age of eeding more.  We chat as we drive to the gym, store or church.  The discussions vary, depending on which child is in the van at the time.  The topic may be  people we know who are facing tough times due to past choices or in regard to a certain theological viewpoint a child brings to the discussion or we may simply sing a song about patience as the children all wait until lunch is served.  The songs and discussions may also be regarding the words in a sign we passed on the road or the song may be about the multiples of nine.  Whatever questions the children ask, are readily answered, though my husband and I often bring up topics of greatest need.  This, too, is a more biblcal way of approaching the whole education of the child.  In about the 6th chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, the Isrealites are commanded to teach their children about God at various times and throughout the day: while siting, while standing, while walking about and so forth.   God is all-wise and, therefore, His method should be highly considered since it is best.

  While I do not intend to say that homeschooling is the only biblical way to teach children, frankly, homeschooling lends itself quite easily to this type of on-going teaching.  I personally prefer what is easiest for me as well as the child.  Homeschooling as a lifestyle allows the topic in question to be taught when it is most needed by the child and, therefore, statistically most likely to be assimilated with the least effort by the child.  When an American child is in a conventional school and at extra-curricular activities for eight hours a day (I understand that the time is far longer in Japan) there is actually very little time for that child to interact with the parents about daily issues like how to relate to a bully or how to have a character that shines in spite of situations and conditions around him/her.  In fact, there is often more school work left to be done when the child comes home from his long day at the conventional school, spearating the child from experienced adult contact even longer.  A national poll made a few years ago found that the average public school teacher spent only seven minutes per week in one-on-one contact with each child in his or her care!  This lack of interaction with adults creates, in my humble opinion, a society of children who are extrememly peer-dependant.  I can think of nothing that a Kindergarten child could teach another same-aged child that would be meaningful in developing a good character. The abiblity simply does not exist in most cases at that age.  Therefore, publically-taught children attach themselves, for the most part, to other Hedonistic children who are just as inept at moral understanding and proceed to shut out advice from adults (there is no better example than the teenage culture) who are more experienced.  This can and does even happen in private Christian schools since there is still far less one-on-one time with adults in private schools than in a homeschooling situation where the student-teacher ratio is much lower.  Character education is not a topic that is best taught in a classroom environment of same-aged children with little interaction between adults and children.

    The facts are clear;  a good character, whether biblically referenced or not, is still most easily assimilated into the life of the child when taught through experience by individuals who are older and wiser and as the situations arise naturally in life.  Homeschooling provides more time in the young child's life to naturally teach good character than would be available for the conventionally-schooled child.  When homeschooling is viewed and lived out as a lifestyle and not merely an educational option, it is a superior platform for educating the whole child: academically, emotionally and spiritually!

Answer 4

Our goal is for our children to be honest, caring, giving, loving, hard working, and be the best they can be in whatever they choose to do in life.

We hope to achieve this by setting the example; and sometimes we also fail; by showing them how to make better choices; for this purpose, and many others the Bible is a great; our only; instruction book.

A young persons character is molded, and develops over time, even the parents; ourselves included; are often a work in progress, all we can do is our best to live according to Christs teachings, this too is a life long project.

As parents we also have to be mindful of the priorities we teach our children, and not allow negative cultural influences to take over.

We need to teach them the pros an cons so they can discern what is a positive addition to their lives, and what is not.

This is probably one of the harder tasks parent face.

We do use some books to re-enforce our teachings, these are available to everyone, not just home school families.

http://www.positiveaction.org/

Check on a book  by them called The Inner Man.

There are many more, like Wisdom and the Millers for younger children (Proverbs for children) by Mildred A. Martin.

Most importantly the best way to teach your children is to try to be the best role model possible, and teach them by example daily.

They can even learn from our mistakes, and how we deal with such.

Ultimately, with Gods help,  as parents we can only do our best, and no matter how well, or poorly a person was raised never underestimate a persons power of *choice*.

Answer 5

I do homeschool.

I am not Christian.

     I do not use any text books to aid in character development. This is an organic process. I demonstrate the values I want to see reflected in my child. That is the beauty of homeschool. You do not have to tell your child what behavior is expected, you can model the behavior that is expected. The child will naturally catch on. Children are excellent mimics. When an issue requires more information than might come up in our daily activities, we talk about it.  We talk openly about everything from phone manners to s*x. (All things being age appropriate, of course.) I believe all manners and responsibilities are connected. I don't think a child who has never learned to care for her own toys or make her own bed is likely to grasp more complex issues of responsibility as an adult. I treat every value like a muscle. It has to be exercised to grow strong. We do read stories and watch movies, then discuss the actions of the characters. Some, like Hans Christian Anderson's stories are morality tales. I do this because I want her to have a deep appreciation of a good story more than out of an attempt to teach character. Still, I think that evaluation of the words and deeds of fictional characters is good practice for examining her own words and deeds.

I hope that helped you with your paper, even if it is not from a Christian homeschooler.

Answer 6

As a father, I actively use a book called "Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood."

The book is from a decidedly Christian perspective but the lessons could be applied by anyone regardless of religious views.

Among other things the book provides "a vision for manhood" that includes items such as rejecting passivity and accepting responsibility.  

It also has a code of conduct which includes:

Loyalty

Servant-Leadership

Kindness

Humility

Purity

Honesty

Self-discipline

Excellence

Integrity

Perseverance

Following this book "requires" a father to "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk."  In other words, a father is often the most important role model in a boys life and should set the example.

*** UPDATE:

You might consider writing an analogous book for the Japanese market: "Raising a Modern Day Samurai!"

Answer 7

Hi, we're new to homeschooling.  My goals are the same as most other parents...to have a polite, caring, self-assured child grow into a respectable adult that can contribute to society...etc.  As far as Character education, we're going to use a Konos Curriculum (the 3 book series) as well as the bible and go from there.    With luck, our child will also have good role model/parents to learn first hand from!  

Hope this helps.