Of utmost concern to most families is quality education for their children. Many choose to home-school their children for a variety of reasons. About three percent of students in the U.S. are home-schooled.
Michael Courtney is the guest on Shaping Families beginning June 18. She will speak on her family’s experiences home schooling four children ages six to 11.
Courtney and her husband Jeremy Nafziger, members of Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Va., use the classical model of education called the trivium as explained in a book, The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Bauer. In the elementary years, children learn lots of facts; during the middle school years, they pose questions and explore what they’ve learned; during the high school years they learn how to convey their thoughts through writing, public speaking and debating. Courtney also introduces Christian faith and religion in the context of world history.
The weekly 15-minute Shaping Families program discusses a variety of topics facing families. A study guide and podcast for each program is available from the website, www.ShapingFamilies.com. The program, produced by Third Way Media on behalf of Mennonite Churches through Mennonite Mission Network, airs each weekend on 17 local stations.
