Youth who are not sure about tomorrow may want to follow these suggestions: 

1.      Define your dream.

·      Ask “If I knew I could not fail, what career would I pursue?”

2.      Discover and acquire the skills you need in order to “work out” your dream.

·      College catalogs, job descriptions, interviews, etc.

3.      Design a specific plan to complete the training you will need after high school:

·      Apprenticeship, short term course, long term college, internship. Prepare to become a valuable asset for an employer.

4.      Discipline yourself to practice a positive life style that will enhance prospects for fulfilling your dream:

a.      Embrace core values based on Judeo-Christian virtues

b.      Practice personal integrity: never take advantage of a weaker person for personal or selfish desires. At every encounter, purpose to leave the meeting with a clear conscience that you helped the other person move closer to his/her dream.

c.       Spend time daily to read literature or listen to audio presentations on subjects and topics that conform your mind to anticipate walking out your dream. Old Testament: Psalms, Proverbs. New Testament: Gospel of John and Epistles. Authors such as Max Lucado, Tony Dungy, Tim Tebow, Beth Moore, Peggy Joyce Ruth.

If you don’t know where you’re going, culture will drag you where you don’t want to go. Dream-driven people more easily resist the current of negative culture. Dreamers may glance at temptations, but they shake off the enticing allurement and refocus on their dreams.

Dreamless people tend to drift along with whatever/whoever exerts influence or pressure “to be like everyone else,” to be mediocre, normal, or average. Don’t drift! Head toward a noble goal!

d.      Avoid media, personal relationships, music, or activities that have the potential of cluttering your mind, and thereby causing you to drift or fall suddenly off your path to dream fulfillment.

·      CAUTION: One hasty word or act of passion can change your life or delay attainment of your dream. 25% of your generation does not profess interest in religious issues or concern for eternity. Consequently, one-fourth of the people from whom you might select a prospective spouse will likely be guided by behavior that will abuse you. Many Generation X or Y (millennials) are narcissistic, “me first” people who habitually use other people to experience sensual satisfaction with little or no regard for consequences. They shrug and say, “It was consensual; she didn’t have to let me have my way.”

Avoid such persons as if they have the black plague! He or she will not make a good husband, wife, or parent. In fact, they will eventually trample and leave you bruised and broken.

e.      Walk alone or with people who know where they are going in life – people with a dream, plan, and integrity. Bad companions corrupt good manners and derail dreamers. You are better off walking alone toward a dream, than in bad company going nowhere fast. Consider marriage only with someone who has integrity, is currently pursuing a dream, is employed in a legitimate job, respects and protects your purity, and knows and cherishes your spiritual gifts and interests. If he or she uses God’s name only in profanity, look for someone else with whom to share your life. Find someone who cares about your dream.

5.      Discard your past damaging experiences and habits that were/are negative energy drains on you: alcohol, drugs, tobacco, pornography, and relationship abuses. These are major dream-killers because such experiences attack the body, mind, and soul – cluttering mental abilities, damaging vital body organs, and stealing financial resources needed to pursue your dream. Don’t let your past destroy your dreams. Someone stated, “When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future in Hades.” The beauty of forgiveness is that it sets you free to soar!

6.      Dress for a noble dream. People who deliberately wear seductive attire to arouse sensual desire in admirers usually cut off noble dreams for themselves and their victims. Your dress reflects your aspirations and moral integrity. People who are “dreamless” often dress for narcissistic reasons – “look at my body to desire me and give me your full attention so I can feel important.” Such shallow self-focus motivation usually reflects persons who are not happy with themselves. So, they seek false fulfillment in lustful admiration from others, rather than in a noble dream.

7.      Dare to stand apart from the crowd. Listen to a different drumbeat than the music or sounds of “dreamless” people. Don’t be snobbish, aloof, arrogant, or hypocritical. Just be an humble dreamer who knows where he/she is going in life! Follow the sound that leads you clearly to some place noble and fulfilling. Let others of like mind tag along, but don’t allow followers to pull you down or away from your purpose-driven dream! Stand tall, walk straight, look sharp, think virtuously, as if you have already reached your dream. Others will recognize your confidence and admire you for knowing where you are going. Go there! Pursue your dream! Be somebody grand!

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, and internationally-recognized educator.  He welcomes correspondence from readers.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com or P.O. Box 810  Zephyr, Texas 76890.

Homeschool is more than an academic issue. It is a matter of conscience. The critical question is: “Who will train your children – you or other sources?” Parents have two basic choices: 1.) To be responsible for who shapes and guards the values, virtues, principles, and character of children, or 2.) to delegate responsibility to other sources, such as public or private school teachers, print, and electronic media, peers, and associates. Persons who read this blog have probably already assumed responsibility to homeschool their children.

Moreover, such parents have friends or relatives who have not yet been persuaded that child training is among parents’ most critical issues. Those people deserve prompting to consider the serious issues associated with shaping the character, aspirations, and intellectual prowness of their children. Those parents are likely allowing family economics and other priorities to detract from the decision to homeschool. Many parents simple so not put their children first in things that matter most. Desire for “the good life” urges both parents to work outside the house in order to earn paychecks sufficient to live fashionably. In other words, some parents prefer to impress relatives, strangers, and neighbors with material evidence of wealth – luxury vehicles, clothes, iPads, riding lawnmowers, boats, etc. Or, those parents simply prefer to focus on what they want to do in life, rather than “give up self” in order to meet the needs of their children. Even so, those parents are often troubled and concerned about the type of education provided or neglected by secular government schools.

The following questions are designed to help parents evaluate whether they are ready to make the tough decisions about who should be shaping their childrens’ hearts and minds.

Ask your childrens’ public school teachers to answer the following questions. The answers should guide you to decide who is likely to train your children to embrace or reject a Biblical world view.

Dear Teacher:

Please answer the following questions to help me clearly understand your perspective on issues of interest to our family:

1. I support ___ oppose ___ implementing National Core Curriculum Standards in my classroom.
2. I support___ oppose ___ implementing C-SCOPE curriculum in my classroom.
3. I encourage___ oppose ___ students to pray and read the Bible in my classroom if doing so does not interrupt the educational process.
4. I implement ___ oppose ___ curriculum or teacher-led discussions that endorse same-sex marriage.
5. I incorporate___ oppose ___ teaching of traditional Judeo-Christian virtues in curriculum and discussions in my classroom.
6. I support ___ oppose ___ school choice options (such as individualized learning ___, vouchers ___, tuition tax credits ___, charters), for students with special academic or personal needs.
7. I support ___ oppose ___ the presence of trained and armed security forces on campus.
8. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching of various strengths and weaknesses of theories of the origin of mankind, including alternatives to Darwinian evolution.
9. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching about the benefits of capitalism and free enterprise in my classroom.
10. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching about the historical Christian heritage of America.
11. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching of sexual abstinence until marriage between a man and woman.
12. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching that God created the universe.
13. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching that Islamic terrorism is a real threat to America.
14. I emphasize___ oppose ___ teaching that children belong to their parents, rather than to government agencies, and that parents should have the ultimate authority to decide what is best for their children.

Please complete this questionnaire and return it to me.

Respectfully,

_________________________

Parent

PH: (___) ___ ___

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, and internationally-recognized educator.  He welcomes correspondence from readers.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com or P.O. Box 810  Zephyr, Texas 76890. You can learn more at www.pacworks.com or www.paradigmvirtualacademy.com .

How much do you really know about the technology which your children use?

Do your children know more about social media than you know? Probably!

According to the results of a recent study conducted by the New York Times, the average child spends seven and a half hours a day using technology. Generally, we can divide this into three main sources – television, computer, and cell phone. However, the problem is not the device, but rather, the use of the device. Consider the following examples. A cell phone can contact 911, or a child predator. A television contains both news channels and raunchy, late night commercials. A computer can help youth solve algebra problems, or make bombs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to acquaint parents, teachers, children, and teenagers with the negative and positive aspects of technology, as well as how to use it effectively to protect your children.

This information is especially valuable to parents of home school students, who have unsupervised access to electronic media. As a former home school student, I experienced not only the distractions, but also the dangers inherent with computers, television, and cell phones. Fortunately, my computer-literate Dad sheltered me from the negative influences, which could easily have invaded our home through technology. It’s one thing to respect your child’s privacy; it’s another to protect them. Not convinced? Keep reading.

The Dark Side

Social blogging websites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Instagram, Pintrest, Tumblr, etc. have given strangers easy access to your child’s “likes and dislikes”. Unfortunately, global positioning systems allow child predators to locate your children every time they update their Facebook status. If you think that security settings and privacy policies are enough to keep your child safe, try telling that to the 55% of teenagers who have given out personal information, including photos and physical descriptions, to strangers. While you are at it, you might want to consider the 7.5 million Facebook users in the U.S. who are under the age of 13, violating Facebook’s user policies. These websites are not responsible for the safety your children; you are.

By the way, monitoring your child’s Facebook address is no assurance that you know your child’s friends. Most teenagers can access other people through software apps that “hide” alternatives to Facebook. Some teens look their parent in the eye and say, “Would you monitor my Facebook friends to make sure I stay straight?” while knowing that they are texting via hidden alternative software downloaded online or at a local source.

Here are more recommendations:

1. Do not allow electronic media in secluded places, including bedrooms.
2. Position all computer, DVD player, and television screens so that parents have consistent line-of-sight vision
3. Collect cell phones, iPods, and laptops before bedtime. (And don’t be intimidated by “Don’t you trust me?”)

Questionable content can be anything from a suggestive-dressed male or female model to soft or hardcore child pornography. The darkest corners of the Internet contain content that should concern every parent. No parents should ever allow their children to view videos of terroristic decapitations or gang rapes, yet such graphics can be downloaded instantly with one click on the wrong link. Many of us, as adults, have stumbled across sexual and horrific images that have permanently scarred our minds. Consider the negative effects that inhumane images could have on your child.

Texting poses threats that make the risks of social blogging websites and questionable content seem miniscule. Most people won’t post suggestive photos on their blog or even post crude comments, however at least 20% of teenagers have shared nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves. 39% have sent sexually suggestive messages. This practice is called sexting; 44% of teenagers acknowledge that more eyes than those of the recipient will likely view their “sexts”. A rocket scientist isn’t needed to predict the potential consequence if a child predator pretends to be your child’s friend. Texting while driving, leads to 23% of car accidents – equal to 1.3 million wrecks annually. Every day, texting takes the lives of 11 teenagers, because their eyes were on their phone, when they should have been on the road. They failed to realize that texting and driving end up killing people.

Obesity affects 10 percent of preschool age children and 15 percent of 6 to 19 year olds. Twice as many youth are approaching obesity from lack of exercise. Parents are subjecting their technologically-addicted children to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health conditions that accompany obesity. Seven and a half hours per day spent watching television, playing video games, surfing the web, or texting friends, especially combined with three or four hours spent sitting through school, is literally killing American children. Not only should parents be paying attention to how their kids are using technology, but also to how much they are using it.

The media uses technology as a car to drive all kinds of ideas into the minds of youth. Approximately, 20-25 violent acts are shown in children’s television programs per hour! News broadcasts and commercials tell your kids what to think. Parents are responsible to teach their children how to think. If you don’t teach your children how to act, dress, and talk, you can be certain that movies, music, and video games will do it for you. Sex between unmarried partners is shown 24 times more often than sex between spouses, while sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies are rarely mentioned. Parents who don’t take the appropriate action to shelter their teenage daughter from media influences and talk to her about the consequences, shouldn’t be surprised if she joins the rising statistic of pregnant, unmarried teenage mothers.

Parents need to understand the cause and effect of unrestricted teenage access to media.

Peer pressure plays an obvious role in the decision-making process of any adolescent. The outcome depends on the character of your child just as much, if not more so, than the character of the peer. Children with low self-esteem are more vulnerable to negative peer pressure than those with self-confidence.  Low self-esteem is often a result of negative input and/or lack of positive affirmation from parents. When the desire to fit in is not met at home, kids look elsewhere for acceptance and will do just about anything to obtain it, making them vulnerable to bad peer influences.

Boredom, in this context, could accurately be defined as the “lack of something for which to live”. When children have no interests, hobbies, or extracurricular activities to keep them occupied, they have plenty of time to find trouble and vice versa. It is vitally important to fulfill their natural desire for fun and adventure, or else they will seek opportunities for themselves, and more than likely find them with the wrong peers, in wrong places. A child who is involved in a team sports or other wholesome group activities, has access to teammates who protect from strangers. Whereas, a child with no friends will welcome unsavory company. Teenagers with “plenty to do” will likely be so busy with character building practices and skills, to engage in promiscuity or “sexting”.

Curiosity killed the cat, states an old adage. It can also quite literally kill your sons and daughters if left unattended.Children of the Information Age have legitimate questions. They want to know why they can’t do something and what will happen if they do. If you don’t provide answers, youth will find out one way or another. You can’t honestly expect Google to provide answers acceptable to you. Spend sufficient face-to-face time to satisfy curiosity about sex, clothing, God, and the other hundred questions on the minds of your children.

Example is an effective teacher. Parents expect their kids to make good decisions; kids expect nothing less of their parents, their heroes. When your teenagers act as if they don’t care, they do. As soon as they become adults and have their own kids, they will thank you for the example that you set, and will compare their parenting skills to yours every day for the rest of their lives. When they see you, as an adult, restricting yourself from the negative effects of technology, they, too, will be more accepting of the personal restrictions you place upon social media.

The Bright Side

Communication

The best way to protect your kids is to keep open communication with them. Talk with them about the dangers mentioned in this article, and discuss the necessary precautions. If you truly have an open relationship with your children, they will understand that your media policies are needed. If they don’t have anything to hide from you, they shouldn’t be offended. Even if you feel that you can trust your teenagers, the fact is, you would be negligent to trust their hormones or their inexperienced judgment. There is a time to be a friend and a time to be a parent. Media content requires responsible parenting.

Limitations

Considering all of the aforementioned hazards, technology obviously works best when used responsibly. For instance, the more time children spend online, the more likely they are to meet a child predator. Similarly, the longer they sit on the couch with eyes glued to the television and cheeks stuffed with Pizza Rolls, the more weight they will gain. By setting a time limit on such activities, you are decreasing the obvious detrimental risks. Another restriction to acknowledge would be that of content. When your teenage boy, or girl, is comfortable “shooting people” with an Xbox or PS3 controller, he or she becomes insensitive to blood and gore, and is influenced to tolerate violent and aggressive behavior. By controlling their access to negative entertainment, you are doing the world, and your children, a great service.

Filters

Communication doesn’t always work. That is where filters are recommended. Hopefully, your tweens and teens will come to you if they become the victim of a cyber predator. But what if they don’t? The harder something is to talk about, the less likely your child will talk with you about it. Yes, it’s good to talk with your children about the websites they visit, the text messages they send, and the television programs they watch. It’s even better to be on the safe side, to prevent a kidnapping, rape, pregnancy, or sexually transmitted disease before it happens. If your kids know you are paying attention, they will keep on their toes and keep their toes in the right direction. Filters are available on the Internet. Wise parents use them.

Following is a list of several alternative forms of technology that will ensure the safety of your children.

Internet

AVG Family Safety® uses advanced keystroke technology to monitor your child’s online activities in chat-rooms and on social networking sites. If it spots words, phrases or language that could possibly be used to victimize children online, AVG Family Saefty will notify you immediately via SMS or email. It also allows you to:

• Protect your children from inappropriate content by enabling 58 categories of protection spanning over 60 million websites
• Filter and even restrict access to chat rooms and social networking sites
• View every page, image, and word typed
• Limit their time online, and control their Internet activity from your cell phone

It is well worth the investment of about $50 per one-year subscription.

Cell Phones

Kajeet – www.kajeet.com - is an alternative cell phone company that puts the parent in control with features that allow you to set time limits, locate your child, block unwanted calls, prevent unsafe website access, and much more.

Mobile Spy – www.mobile-spy.com – Mobile Spy takes cell phone security to the next level by offering features that let parents record every text message (sent or received), log all calls (inbound and outbound), capture every photo or video that is viewed (including those from Gmail and YouTube), block apps, and know exactly where your child is at all times.

Social Blogging Websites

Grom Social was created “by kids for kids,” and targets users among the 6 -15 year range. Grom users over sixteen years old are identified as adults on the site, and must be approved by a parent of an existing member. Among other things, the site has strict policy against cursing and bullying.

While acknowledging that no site can be completely protected from undesirable users, Grom requires a valid e-mail address, home address and phone number to join, as well as approval from an existing parent AND child member.

Yoursphere was created with the direct input and involvement of young people around the world. Yoursphere authentically represents the voice, interests, talents and aspirations of young people. This global community is a platform that allows youth to create, connect and share their thoughts, ideas, social interactions, friendships and interests with the world through “spheres”.

Members’ online safety and privacy are a key priority through the application of common sense safeguards. Yoursphere adheres to the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and is approved by the Privacy Vaults Online Safe Harbor of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

References:

Social Blogging

http://www.webwisekids.org/programs-facts-statistics-beseen.html

Sexting

http://www.guardchild.com/teenage-sexting-statistics/

Negative Impact of Technology

http://www.personal.psu.edu/djw5068/assignment%205.html

Texting and Driving

http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/

www.itcanwait.com

Obesity

http://www.livestrong.com/article/46320-obesity-children-technology/

Media

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792691/

American Family Online Filtering

http://www.myafo.net/contact.php 

Vipre Internet Security

http://www.vipreantivirus.com/ 

Cherish Bessent is secretary to the President of Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum and helps produce “Doc’s Blog”. Reader comments are welcome at learn@pacworks.com.

A booklet, Three R’s And A Big Hug (by Economics Press in 1976), included the statement, “Children do not belong to government; they belong to parents.” That sentence evoked a vitriolic backlash against the author – a public school principal – from other government school educators, including university professors, who demanded that the author’s state educational credentials be revoked for denying that government does not have jurisdiction over children.

Government school critics expressed astonishment that a fellow educator would dare challenge the assertion that all children are wards of the state, and that parents are tasked to provide only clothing, shelter, and food for school-age children.  Unfortunately, that ill-perceived assertion still prevails today among most status quo educators.

During a recent conversation with a public school superintendent, our discussion turned to the topic of school choice.  I stated that school choice is a hot topic and is escalating among families who are distraught over local public school academic performance and hostility against Judeo-Christian principles in curriculum and classroom discussions.  The superintendent’s voice rose to a strained pitch as he declared, “I am a democrat; I am against school choice.  It is taking money from our public schools! School choice people are trying to shut down public education!”

There it was; the basic reason public school people are against school choice is fear – fear that they will lose control over their captive audiences of children, whose classroom attendance  generates  revenue for staff salaries.

Across America, public school educators are horrified that their jobs will be endangered if school choice provides options for parents.  And that is likely to happen if public schools continue to emphasize such topics as Common Core standards, social justice, alternative lifestyles, progressive economics, Darwinism, and group conformity, while opposing Judeo-Christian lifestyles, careers that do not require university training, capitalism, and assertive individualism.

Ironically, most public school educators join the chorus of misguided pundits who clamor for parents to surrender their children to secular educational programs. Most government school teachers presume that their personal values and classroom practices are good.  Therefore, the teachers believe that parental demands for school choice are unfounded, mean, and irrational.

Perhaps, unintentionally, most public school educators operate under the false belief that all children belong to and must adhere to government-assumed jurisdiction over children.  That is, until individual teachers, administrators, and board members are asked, “Do your children and grandchildren belong to government agencies?”  Most public school staff would raise their eyebrows, arch their backs, and declare, “No!”

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, and internationally-recognized educator.  He welcomes correspondence from readers.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com or P.O. Box 810  Zephyr, Texas 76890.

An attorney recently commented, “I never expected that I would see in my lifetime the loss of our freedoms at the hands of elected officials who promote Marxism.”  A highly respected businessman observed, “Recent decisions by federal officials have overreached the Constitution to strip us of our freedom under the cloak of national security.” A grandparent expressed alarm that her grandchildren will likely be persecuted by federal agencies, simply because the children are home-educated with Judeo-Christian beliefs, and their parents own guns.

Those remarks may seem far-fetched to people who have not paid attention to recent news reports.  On April 11, a Fox reporter revealed that a New York man was commanded by a bureaucrat to surrender his guns to local law enforcement officials on the allegation that because the man was a registered concealed weapon carrier, and because he had previously used federal Medicare funds to purchase a prescription drug with possible side effects that could cause unstable behavior, the government agent assumed authority to apply federal regulations to label the man as a possible danger to himself and others.  The agent wrote a letter to the citizen to command him to deliver his weapons to local law enforcement officials, or face arrest.

The law-abiding citizen surrendered his guns. Then, he contacted his lawyer to investigate the matter.  The attorney discovered that the bureaucrat had not only tagged the wrong citizen; the accused had never been a danger to himself or his neighbors, nor did he have a criminal history. 

According to a related Fox report about over-reaching federal action, the IRS has assumed authority to monitor E-Mails and cell phones to identify people who might have filed false income tax reports.  The IRS action is ostensibly needed to curb illegal drug and gun traffic, and to identify businessmen who allegedly falsify tax reports.  These “Big Brother” actions are evidence that the current attitude of some government agencies is that citizens are subject to search and seizure upon the whim of federal agents who simply dislike the beliefs and practices of certain citizens.

An additional issue that raises alarm over the loss of freedom is the recent US Justice Dept. declaration that children do not belong to parents; but rather, they belong to the government, and that a German family may not qualify for US protective asylum because the parents home-educate their children.

These illustrations should cause every parent to consider the perilous conditions emerging in our nation. Alarmed citizens should ask elected officials to take immediate action to curb the assumed authority of zealous bureaucrats, who use their govt. offices to persecute persons assumed to be dangerous.  Ironically, the above-listed bureaucratic tactics were prevalent in Nazi Germany and Marxist Russia.  Unfortunately, most pastors and citizens assumed that they would not be affected.  Tragically, several million were incarcerated and/or murdered by government officials simply because the lifestyle of Jews and Christians was offensive to Nazi or Marxist government agents. 

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, and internationally-recognized educator.  He welcomes correspondence from readers.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com , P.O. Box 810, Zephyr, Texas 76890, or PH: 325-649-0976.

During the 1980s, Dr. Tim LaHaye wrote two powerful, thought-provoking books: Battle For the Schools and Battle For The Mind.  Dr. Bill Bennett wrote The Book of Virtues. Both authors pointed out relentless secular attacks on application of Bible-based virtues and principles in the public arena. Dr. LaHaye’s motive was to inform and admonish parents to take special, pointed effort, to make sure that their children were taught how to discern and resist subtle and overt efforts to disparage believe in God and the Bible.  Dr. Bennett provided examples of the type of virtues which children need to learn in school.  Several thousand Christian parents responded by transferring their children from government (public) schools to sectarian schools or home school, where Bible values were prominent.

During the 1970s and 80s, half a dozen Christian publishing companies emerged to train multiple thousands of children in Biblically-based textbooks.  However, multiple millions of school-age children remained in predominately secular public schools where Biblical precepts were excluded from curriculum.  Consequently, most American children graduated from high school virtually ignorant of Biblical principles which are foundational to the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution.  Moreover, those millions of children were subjected to anti-Biblical slurs, innuendoes, and biases.  Those public school graduates became voters who placed in public office an army of persons who gradually stripped Biblical values from the public arena.

In 1992, William Kilpatrick published the eye-opening best seller, Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right From Wrong.  His motive was to bring into clear focus the fact that most public school textbooks not only omitted Biblical values, the curriculum actually ridiculed and “belittled” people who expressed belief in “old fashioned” traditional values.  Kilpatrick concluded that the consequence was that American public schools were guilty of producing a nation of graduates who were desperately ignorant of values needed to define sensible society and resist evil.

In 2004, two other books were published to awaken Americans to the devastating damage secular educational programs are inflicting on our nation: The Harsh Truth About Public Schools by Bruce Short, and Leaving School: Finding Education, by Jon Wiles and John Lundt.  These research-based publications absolutely demolished arguments that public schools are safe and excellent institutions.  Both authors documented their perspective that public schools are guilty of undermining the foundational beliefs that built the United States into the prominent leader of democracy and application of free enterprise.

In 2011, Dr. Ed Young published the clearly presented book, Healing Broken America.  That publication offered a precise formula designed to put America back on track to preserve freedom and enhance efforts to prepare children to be responsible adults equipped to preserve traditional Biblical values.  He challenged parents to become involved aggressively in their childrens’ education.

The evidence provided by the above (and other authors) motivated men like Dr. James Dobson (Focus on the Family), Dr. Donald Howard (Eagle Project), Robert Dreyfus (Exodus Project), and others to advise Christian parents to remove their children from government-operated public schools.  Those insightful men were concerned not only with the damage being inflicted on children by secular curriculum, but they were also alarmed over public educational programs that omit the teaching of values considered essential to produce a nation of civil people.  Many parents responded by exercising school choice options to local public schools.

Even though more than 12% of US school-age children are currently enrolled in non-public schools; the vast majority of America’s children are still being “processed” by secular educators.  Sadly, between 33% and 50% of children who remain in public schools eventually drop out before earning a high school diploma.  Those under-served children are voting with their feet to express dislike of public school programs.  Even though most of the dropouts may not embrace traditional values, they perceive that the public school system simply does not know how to address the basic emotional, social, and academic needs of half of America’s school-age students.

That is why thousands of parents are currently exercising their option to select schools of choice: charter, contract, virtual, private, and home school.  Most states have authorized operation of charter schools, in which an estimated three million students are enrolled.  An estimated one million children are enrolled in home education programs directed by parents.  Those children learn from both print and virtual (internet) curriculum.  Multiple thousands of students are enrolled in distant-learning educational programs based in living rooms, kitchens, and job sites (apprenticeships).

More than 11 states have enacted various forms of education vouchers that allow parents of children enrolled in under-performing public schools to receive tax-supported financial subsidies to enroll their children in private schools (sectarian or secular).  Numerous states also allow parents to home-educate their children with curriculum of choice, subsidized with tax-generated revenue, provided that the instructional materials are not distinctively sectarian.

Most Bible-based textbooks used in sectarian schools do not qualify for tax-supported educational materials for home education or charters. However, Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC), laced with traditional values and principles, is currently approved for financial subsidies to home school families who receive public funds to purchase curriculum.  The unique PAC materials are available at www.pacworks.com and ParadigmVirtualAcademy.com, or through providers such as Christian Book Distributors, Rainbow Resource, Lamppost, Northeast Warehouse, and Timberdoodle.

Even though most families struggle financially to participate in schools of choice, concerned parents realize that their children deserve and need access to curriculum that supports traditional Biblically-based values and virtues.  Moreover, parents love their children too much to allow secular educators to undermine parental authority and religious beliefs.  Exercising school choice (even under financial sacrifice) enables parents to ascertain that their children receive the kind of education needed to become responsible adults who acknowledge the sovereignty of God and are equipped with knowledge and principles needed to preserve American Exceptionalism.

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, and internationally-recognized educator.  He welcomes correspondence from readers.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com , P.O. Box 810, Zephyr, Texas 76890, or PH: 325-649-0976.

Now, from April 1st – June 1st,  Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum is offering 20% on all of our Full Course Curriculum Kits! Order online at www.pacworks.biz or give us a call at 325 – 649 – 0976 to place an order by phone.

Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum is pleased to introduce Paradigm Virtual Academy. PVA is an individualized distance learning school that allows students to complete interactive courses on the Internet anytime, anywhere, at affordable prices! PVA is not like most virtual schools that provide a box of books based on teacher-led, lock-step lessons scheduled on calendar semesters. PVA is alos supported across multiple devices such as PC laptops and desktops, Mac laptops and desktops, Ipads, Iphones, and Android smart phones and tablets. Now, in honor of our recent launch of PVA, we are offering a 20% discount on all of our PVA courses. Visit www.ParadigmVirtualAcademy.com to find out more!

Parents currently have access to wonderful curriculum options. However, selecting the perfect curriculum for your family requires careful consideration of multiple factions. Here are some practical tips that will help you save money and prevent frustrations on you and your child.

1. First, decide how you want to conduct your home school.

Virtual schools (via the Internet)

Packaged programs (books in a box) from specialty vendors

Eclectic (parents pick-and-choose books from various suppliers)

Lock-step by grade levels using hardback books or software

Guided individualized learning using hardback/soft cover textbooks or software

2. Second, decide which instructional material you prefer.

Secular textbooks/software (used in public and private secular schools)

Religious textbooks/software (used in church schools)

Virtue-based books (used in religious and secular institutions)

3. Third, decide how you want to conduct your home school program (the system you will use)

Hire the services of a private organization to order your materials and keep records.

Work with a home school support group regarding procurement and records

Set up your own program in which you order materials, keep records, provide transcripts

4. Fourth, evaluate advantages and disadvantages of options available to you.

Most parents talk with friends who home educate then start with the program recommended by friends. That may or may not be good because their children, personalities, finances, and spouse support may not be a good fit for your family.

Here are some considerations:

            Do you feel confident and capable of preparing and teaching daily lessons in all subjects for all grade levels of your children? If not, select individualized material.

            Do you want to use the Internet? If so, then your child will need a computer.

            Do you want to use programmed curriculum that does not require you to plan or teach each lesson? If so, you may use the computer and/or individualized books.

            Do you plan to provide hands-on instruction for each child each morning and/or afternoon?

            Do you want/need guidelines for a daily system for providing oversight of your children? If so, you must be prepared to pay for services that are either on a one-time basis or on-going?

            Do you want/need to belong to a local home school support group that provides assistance with book procurement, tutorials, field trips, graduation ceremonies, report cards, and transcripts? If so, check the Internet for “Home School Support Group.” These are usually listed under city, county, or state classifications.

            Do you want an eclectic approach in which you provide oversight while your children read specific books, participate in field trips, engage in tutorials, take lessons from others (art, music, athletic training, etc.)? If so, be prepared to make adjustments for inefficiency, lack of self-discipline, “I’m bored,” and/or “I don’t feel like doing anything.” This approach is sometimes beneficial for specific periods of a child’s development, but if it is the primary system, it often results in students not being  prepared for the rigors of college studies; nor does it allow the student to transfer course credits to public or private schools if home education is no longer an option.

Children are usually either right or left brain-dominate, thus will learn more effectively when allowed to learn from curriculum and a system that “caters to” their dominance. Right brain students tend to do better in hands-on systems that allow variety, mobility, and freedom to set some priorities. Caution: such children tend to get side-tracked easily and often, therefore need/require parental oversight that ascertains completion of daily lessons. Left-brain dominant students usually do well with structured curriculum that allows the students to set their own daily schedules to complete prescribed academic quotas (specific pages, lessons, assignments) with minimum parental oversight. Thus one particular type of curriculum may not be adequate for all the children in the family.

These options are affected by self-discipline, character, temperament, and academic competencies of children and parents. Fortunately, parents have access to many sources of instructional materials through large, nation-wide distributors and/or single-issue suppliers whose materials are available in print catalogs or on the Internet. When searching the Internet, be sure to dig around on websites to access the full spectrum of available materials. Most suppliers have preferred vendors who get top billing in catalogs and web pages. Those preferred vendors may not be what you or your children need to experience a positive home school program. Consider your needs and look diligently for what you prefer.

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, consultant, and trainer.  He earned three degrees at the U of AZ, was a Ford Fellow, and has been a principal and superintendent.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com or P.O. Box 810 Zephyr, TX 76890.

An amazing paradox is unfolding in U.S. Academia.  On one side is the assertion that America’s strength is found in her cultural diversity – that our national uniqueness is the consequence of a melting pot population consisting of multiple skills, interests, talents, and motives that collectively produce American Exceptionalism.

On the other side is the argument that all children deserve equal access to a standardized school curriculum designed to embrace the essential academic components considered by educational experts to be necessary for successful participation in American society.  The correspondent motivating theme is that regardless of where a child lives (or moves to), he/she will be assured access to educational quality needed to engage employment or to be equipped to pursue happiness.  To that objective, the concept of a nation-wide core curriculum is promoted.

Both assumptions ride on erroneous premises: that America’s strength is based on multi-cultural diversity, and that the nation needs a standardized common core curriculum which all children should access in order to be full participants in the American dream.

Even though the melting pot perspective holds some validity (that cultural distinctiveness found in architecture, foods, attire, music are wonderful contributions to American society), the mere accumulation of various cultural entities did not produce American Exceptionalism.  In fact, American Exceptionalism is the common distinction that enables expression of cultural diversity.

The major fallacy of the Core Curriculum Standard movement is that proponents fail to grasp the truth that efforts to standardize academic pursuits actually stifle expression of collective diversity.  Educators who insist that all school programs be aligned with a national Core Curriculum fail to appreciate the fact that the melting pot concept will disappear under application of a Core Curriculum designed specifically to standardize entire generations of students.  The effect of such a national movement would kill the national individuality that produces the strengths and benefits of diversity.

Application of a nationally standardized Core Curriculum would in effect make all children alike, thereby eliminating diversity and erasing the components that created American Exceptionalism: individual personality traits, thinking skills, interests, and dreams.

Interestingly, the corporate world is composed of artists, musicians, lawyers, engineers, teachers, technicians, welders, ranchers, nurses, accountants, mechanics, beauticians, first responders, pastors, and elected officials – a collection of diversity found in the four basic personality temperaments (sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic, and choleric), intelligence variations, and life-shaping experiences in childhood, school, home, and work-place.  Most successful people and  “regular” employees did not get squeezed into a Common Core mold.  They became who they are by exercising the strengths of their individuality…essentials that made them employable.

Employment notices depict the truth that American Exceptionalism is to be found in the collective application of individuality.  A society trained in a standardized common core curriculum that defines the so-called ideal graduate will ultimately morph culture into the absence of diversity, application of individual temperaments, personal interests, and career aptitudes.  The net result would be to strip the potential workforce of the variety of people needed to perpetuate American Exceptionalism.

American industries would grind to a halt for lack of a pool of qualified employees with the scope of interests, skills, and motivation to exercise their individual strengths to keep factories, stores, and businesses humming efficiently, and societal attractions available to make America a place where people can pursue happiness.

The real need in America (and the world) is not a standardized core curriculum to which all students must conform at the threat of punishment.  Rather, the real need is unfettered pursuit of happiness through student access to various curricula and educational choice programs that enable students to be whom they were created (designed) to be…artists, engineers, nurses, musicians, welders, ranchers, farmers, etc, etc, etc.  The more educators are empowered to implement a standardized school system, the faster is lost the beauty of America’s heritage—freedom to fulfill individual dreams and meet societal needs.