Kimberly Hahn - Catholic Education: Homeward Bound: A Useful Guide to Catholic Home Schooling

CATHOLIC EDUCATION:
HOMEWARD BOUND

A Useful Guide to Catholic Home Schooling

by
Kimberly Hahn
and
Mary Hasson

IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO

Cover by Roxanne Mei Lum
The Hahn Family:
Photograph by Olan Mills
The Hasson Family:
Photograph by Alan Porter
Focused Images Photography, Inc.

1996 Ignatius Press, San Francisco
All rights reserved
ISBN 978-0-89870-566-9
Library of Congress catalogue number 95-78090
Printed in the United States of America

We dedicate this book first and foremost to Jesus Christ, our King, with love and gratitude for the opportunity and the strength to serve Him in this workmay all praise and honor be His;

and also

with love to Mary, His Mother, our best example as mother and teacher. In the words of John Paul II, Mary had a unique relationship with her divine Son: on the one hand she was a docile disciple, meditating on his words in the depths of her heart, on the other, as his mother and teacher, she helped his human nature to grow in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man. It is our hope that all who read this book will follow her example as disciple, mother, and teacher.

WITH DEEPEST THANKS...

to my beloved, Scott, who has fortified me with the right combination of helpful hints, hugs, and humor, for dreaming with me about the possibilities of home education and helping those dreams come true; and to our children, Michael, Gabriel, Hannah, Jeremiah, and Joseph, for your many sacrifices to complete this book, and for treasured times together each day, learning about the Lord, Latin, literature... and life.

Many thanks also to Marilyn Grodi, Michaelann Martin, and Pia Crosby for reviewing our manuscript and offering invaluable suggestions; to the members of the Heart of Mary Home School Support Group in Steubenville for their prayers and encouragement; for all of the personal support from our family members in the Hahn and Kirk clans both for this project in particular and for our home education in general; and special thanks to my sister, Kari Harrington, my constant companion on the trail of home education since our firstborns were babiescurriculum confidant, prayer partner, fellow strategist, and overall troubleshooter. Finally, heartfelt thanks for my parents, Jerry and Pat Kirk, for their consistent encouragement in our marriage and family, especially in our adventure of home education. You are a constant witness of the joy of being lifelong learners. K. K. H.

With tender love and deep gratitude, I want to thank my husband, Seamus, for all his love, his tireless patience, unfailing support, encouragement, and invaluable wisdom in helping me complete this book; to our children, Mike, Mary Kate, Jim, Brigid, and Peter (PJ), who bring joy, mischief, and wonder to our school daysyou are my motivation and inspiration. Muchas gracias!

With admiration and encouragement, I wish to thank the scores of mothers who shared their time, experiences, and wisdom to provide the concrete ideas woven throughout these chapters. I am indebted in particular to Debbie Brock, whose initial inspiration and continued support culminated in this work; to Lisanne Bales and Elizabeth Foss for their countless hours spent editing and improving our efforts; to Miki Hill for her priceless friendship and humor; to Father Richard Gill, L.C., and Father William Izquierdo, L.C., for their invaluable guidance, prayer, and insights during the peaks and valleys of the past few years; and finally, to my parents, Charles and Mary Rice, who began my own adventure in home education years ago, inspiring me to share the fun with my own children. M. R. H.

1 When It Comes to Catholic Education
Theres No Place Like Home
An Overview

2 Home Education Makes the Grade
Is Home Education Good Education ?

3 At Home with Catholic Education
Is Home Education Catholic Education ?

4 Back to the Blackboard
Basic Goals of Catholic Home Education

5 Monitoring the Playground
What about Socialization ?

6 Managing Teacher In-Service Daze
Can I Home Educate ?

7 Should Homeroom Be a Study Hall?
Should I Home Educate ?

8 How to Make Home Education a Class Act
How Do I Home Educate ?

9 Principals of Home Education
The Fathers Role

10 Eliminating the Bored of Education
Curriculum Choices

11 Adjusting the Learning Curve
Toddlers and Transition Time

12 Home: A School of Choice
Teens

13 Time Out for Assemblies
Support Groups

14 Test Questions
Short Essay Questions and Answers

17 A Mothers Guide to the Faith of Our Fathers
through Scripture and Tradition

As an avid reader, I am committed to the proposition that all books are not created equal. In this case, however, I cannot feign any neutrality or impartiality of judgment. Nevertheless, I still make bold to declare my strong conviction that Catholic Education Homeward Bound is far and away the best book on the subject of Catholic home education, and this for several reasons.

First, it is reliable as a guide for Catholic parents who want to stay close to the heart of the Church in the schooling of their children. The authors demonstrate that home schooling cannot be regarded as some sort of fringe movement on the Churchs periphery; instead, it is squarely based on Catholic teachings drawn straight from natural law, Sacred Scripture, and the writings of Doctors, saints, and popes, all of which point to the inalienable right and duty of parents to decide what is the best education for their children. As deeply committed mothers (and no, theyre not supermoms), the authorsalong with many thousands of othersshare a sense of divine calling. Moreover, they are ready and willing to learn fromand supportparish schools; at the same time, they show why Catholic home schoolers deserve respect and consideration.

Second, in its treatment of topics and resources, this book is nothing if not thorough . Indeed, you would be hard pressed to find anything more complete, especially among titles written by teachers with a daily load of lessons. Just about every angle is covered: from lesson plans and child discipline to field trips and spiritual formation.

Third, this book is balanced . In tackling controversial issues like socialization and standardized testing, or in treating practical questions like selecting curriculum material while avoiding burnout, Kimberly and Mary consistently display sanctified common sense. Indeed, readers will find here just the right combination of secular and sacred, theoretical and practical. In striking such a remarkable balance, these two full-time homemakers and teachers simply write the way they live.

Fourth, Catholic Education Homeward Bound is useful . Whether youre looking for advice and encouragement, language resources, aids for teaching the multiplication tablesor the Ten Commandmentsyoure sure to find this book to be a very functional tool. And you never get the feeling that its being handed down to you from on high by experts who never experience frustration and failure; the anecdotes they share are proof positive of that. Sure, theres a great deal of wisdom and experience between these covers; but it was acquired by Mary and Kimberly the same way it reaches most of their readers: through the home school of hard knocks. Indeed, the many truths in this book are not the only things to have been tried and tested.

Let me close by testifying to the integrity and dedication of these two womenand I speak of women deliberatelybecause they are more than simply home-schooling moms and full-time homemakers; they are faithful wives and best friends to their husbands. Rest assured, this book represents a real labor of love, one performed for thousands of present (and future) Catholic home educators; but I must bear witness to the fact that it is only one among hundreds of other labors of love that Kimberly and Mary have showered upon their husbands, children, neighbors, and friends. It seems fitting, then, for me to share the words that just came to mind as I paused, wondering how to close: A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.... She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also... (Prov 31:10-28).