Why Are We Learning This?

Every parent goes through moments when they are faced with educational challenges with their children. What should I teach them? When is it time to learn something new? How should I teach them? These are all common and perfectly normal questions. In fact, I would say that if you aren't asking yourself these questions you may be doing your children a disservice.

Every child is different and requires specific attention to their interests and learning styles. For our oldest we have choosen a Catholic School. It best fits her needs right now. But for some children this may not be the best option. We try and take it year by year. Similar to Individual Educational Plan evaluations in public schools, we re-evaluate her academic, spiritual, social, and emotional needs each spring. We model self-evaluation at home and try to show how love of learning and the continuation of learning throughout life is the healthiest option. When we show how we use the information that children learn, then there are less questions about why they are learning certain concepts as they get older. It's all in the application of Faith and knowledge.

Catholic education whether at home or in a classroom setting is peaceful, loving, nuturing, and academically challeging. It helped me gain a greater understanding of my Faith, not as a subject to be taken during the school day or on Sunday mornings, but as a foundation on which we build our lives. There is no equivalent. If the goal is to raise children that are peaceful, nuturing, and faithfilled then we, as parents, have to look carefully at the educational methods that we use to convey those ideals.

How do you continue your education? How do you foster Catholic education in others?