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"Children have not been given to parents as
a present, which they may dispose of as they please, but as a trust, for which,
if lost through their negligence, they must render an account to God".
St. Alphonsus Ligouri
- Who is SHHE?
- Why Catholic home schooling?
- What are the benefits for parents?
- Does the Church support home schooling?
- Is home education legal?
- How will homeschooling affect our
family life?
- Can I do it?
- How do I know what to teach?
- How do I choose a Curriculum?
- What about socialization?
- Do colleges accept home educated
children?
The Sacred Heart Home Educators (SHHE) is an association of Roman Catholic
families in the state of Arizona loyal to the Holy Father and the teaching authority
of the Roman Catholic Church. It is dedicated to inspiring, guiding, and
encouraging families striving to live authentic Catholic lives through home
education. It provides member families the opportunity to participate in
various group activities as a means to this end.
- It is an independent group of lay Catholics with no formal affiliation
with the Diocese of Phoenix.
- Is is an association of the lay faithful whose works are consecrated to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Because you can! The Holy Father, in his encyclical Gravissimum
Educationis, instructs us, "The role of parents in education is of such
importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate
substitute." The new Catechism of the Catholic Church further exhorts
us, "The right and duty of parents to educate their children are primordial
and inalienable. Parents have the first responsibility for the education
of their children." (#2221-2222)
- Evangelize their children in the Faith providing both catechesis in
doctrine and the development of an active spiritual and moral life based
upon the sacraments, daily prayer, and good works.
- Provide their children with a challenging academic education in the
liberal arts and sciences reflected in the light of Catholic teaching and
perspective.
- Individualize curriculum to meet the needs and goals of each child.
- Personally direct and share in the intellectual, spiritual, moral and
emotional growth and development of their children.
- Fulfill the role of the family as the domestic church and predominant
socializing agent of children into an authentic Catholic living of the Faith.
- Protect their children from influences they deem harmful to the child's
body, mind, or soul.
- Provide a loving environment which affirms the individuality of each
child, who is made in the image and likeness of God, and which promotes the
practice of virtue on a daily basis.
- To model for our children the peace and joy that comes from service,
patience, perseverance, and hard work when it is consecrated to Our Lord and
His Blessed Mother.
- The Church has always affirmed the primary right and duty of parents to
educate their children. The new Catechism of the Catholic Church
states, "As those first responsible for the education of their
children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which
corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental."
(#2229)
- The Charter Rights of the Family issued by the Vatican in 1983 makes this
statement: "Since they have conferred life on their children,
parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them;
hence they must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their
children."
- Additional documentation of the Church's consistent support and
recognition of parental rights with regard to the education of children can
be found in the documents of Vatican II and numerous papal encyclicals.
Is home education legal?
Yes. Every homeschooling family must contact the County Superintendent
of Schools and request a registration form for each home educated child six
years of age and older. The parents must fill out the form, have it
notarized, and return it to the County Superintendent's office via U.S.
mail. This form must be filled out only once for each child. No
annual tests are required; however, should you choose to put your child in the
public school system, a standardized test will be required prior to admittance.
- There are no certification requirements for parents.
- By catechizing their children, parents usually find that their own faith
is renewed and deepened. Parents often reflect that homeschooling helps
them to aspire more fervently in the acquisition of virtue since they cannot
expect from their children that which they themselves do not practice. Patience, self-discipline, charity, etc. are suddenly practical
necessities.
- Because home education encourages parents to talk with their children
about the important issues of life, the parent-child bond is strengthened.
This is an especially crucial advantage during the teen years.
- Children and parents begin to work together in managing domestic tasks
which develops a spirit of cooperation. The children become
responsible, independent, and confident in their abilities to care for
themselves and their environment. They see themselves as vital,
contributing members of the family.
- Of course you can! Because God Himself has made the education of children
a primary responsibility of parents, He will give you the grace sufficient
to the task. In February 1994, Pope John Paul II, in his Letter to
Families, for the International Year of the Family said, "Parents are
the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also
possess a fundamental competence in this area. They are educators
because they are parents."
- Motivated by love, parents are the natural educators of their
children. Parents often find that home education can be stimulating
for them as well as for their children.
There are packaged curricula that come complete with tests, answer keys,
lesson plans, and technical support via telephone. You can build your own
curriculum, co-op classes with other families, hire tutors when necessary, or
even utilize the community colleges for high school students. Your
resources are only limited by your imagination.
- Before you can choose a curriculum, it is important to define your
family's education goals.
- Parents can choose from among complete curriculum programs, guided
curriculum programs, unit studies, or an eclectic program they design
themselves.
- The complete curriculum programs offer lesson plans, texts,
tests, answer keys, and record keeping services.
- Guided programs offer either a suggested curriculum or help
in designing a curriculum, and may or may not offer lesson plans and
texts. Both of these options provide a certainty that all essential
material is being covered an assures continuity from year to year. Parents
need be aware, however, even complete programs may have to be modified and adapted
for an individual child.
- Unit studies tend to start with a theme and then explore the
theme selected through history, literature, science, geography, art,
etc. They are generally done in co-ops with other families.
- The eclectic approach allows the parents to put together
their own curriculum by choosing materials for the child based upon an
appropriate scope and sequence for the child's grade level. This
offers the greatest flexibility, but requires a greater knowledge of the
resources and materials available, and extra time for making lesson plans.
- Parents frequently choose one curriculum approach and change to another in
the following years as circumstances change, and as they begin to know
themselves and their children's needs better.
- Upon enrollment in SHHE, you will receive a membership directory which
will give you access to veteran homeschoolers willing to share their
insights and experiences.
- Since home educated children are not restricted to socializing with
children only on their grade level, they can more readily appreciate and relate
to people of all ages which more closely reflects the society in which they
live.
- Home educated children have ample time to develop relationships and interests
outside of the home in other activities such as sports, music, volunteer
work, etc. In addition, SHHE currently has over 130 member families
many of whom come together for: Opening Mass and Pot-Luck Supper,
First Friday Masses, monthly Park Days and field trips, P.E., Speechmasters,
All Saints Party, Christmas Play, Science Fair, Art Fair, May crowning, and
more.
- The family knows and understands the personality and social needs of each
child, and is, therefore, better able to guide the child in overcoming his
faults and weaknesses while developing his strengths. This is accomplished
in the child's own time.
Absolutely! Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and the U.S. Naval Academy to name
a few of the secular schools. The University of Dallas, Thomas Aquinas
College, Ignatius Institute at USF, Franciscan University of Steubenville,
Magdalen, and Christendom college to name a few of the Catholic colleges.
They rely on student portfolios, SAT scores, and personal interviews.
Scholarships are regularly awarded to home educated students.
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