Homeschoolers?

govindarupini · January 22, 2003

Hare Krsna,

I am looking for devotees who homeschool their children and would like to discuss their homeschooling methods. I belong to some homeschooling forums but would really like to have the association of other Vaisnavas who homeschool, or even have thought about it and like to talk about it.

Is there anyone interested in starting an on-going thread about the education of our children?

Govindarupini

Jahnava Nitai Das · January 23, 2003

This message was posted in the Test forum. I moved it here so that it could get a better response.

theist · January 23, 2003

This is a very important topic. All theists should have separate schooling for their children.Irregardless of whatever religion. Hiranyaskasipu sent Prahlada to the atheist for learning but that is not the example that we should follow.

Public education is a form of hell. If we want to build a solid footing for vaisnavism it must begin with a solid foundation. That means properly educating those souls that Krsna places within our care.

Public schools are only offering courses on how to dig yourself deeper and deeper into material consciousness. What to speak of our children taking on the qualities of the other students there who are themselves drowning in sewer of Western pop culture.

I think every temple should have a school in intimate relation with it. Not controlled by the temple but in association with it.

livingentity · January 23, 2003

Parents could perhaps homeschool the younger children building a solid foundation to help them to deal with the public school system if they should decide to go.

One of many problems with the public school system is that parents expect the teachers to not only teach academics but to also teach their children moral values and etiquette.

Many teachers could care less and are just trying to get through the day. There are exceptions to this so please do not take offense.

I agree that public school is a form of hell - it has become a place of fear for one thing for many children.

Homeschooling is the best option or finding a private school that is in tune with your needs and beliefs.

Many families in my little community homeschool their children until high school. They are finding that many of the kids when they get a taste of public shool at high school choose to go back to home schooling. There is a very noticible difference in the attitudes etc between the home school teenagers and the public schooled.

Not sure how it is done in other communities but one thing that people always bring up about home schooling is missing out on the school activities - in my little town - the home schooled get to participate in the prom, homecoming etc etc. So there is no problem.

The other option my community has are three Christian Schools. This is a tiny tiny town so these Christian schools are basically one room schoolhouses with nice personal contact with each student. The graduating class for one of these schools last year was one!! A big party was thrown for the graduate - it was a very special memoriable honor that I am sure will be remembered fondly for a lifetime.

So perhaps, if there are several devotees within an area with children they could find out how to form a nice little school like the Christian schools in my town where the children could learn academics along with devotee values.

govindarupini · January 23, 2003

Not only did our Srila Prabhupada teach us this but through two years of research and reading, I have found that there are alot of parents and educators (outside of the devotee community) realizing the harm the public schools are doing to our children in general.

There is one man , John Taylor Gatto, who was a teacher in the public schools in New York for 30 years. He won awards for his teaching, the teacher of the year for the city and also for the state. He quit. And has since then wrote books, essays and spoken around the world about what he himself had learned trying to teach within the system. Very interesting reading. Two books,"Dumbing Us Down" and "The Underground History of American Education". I think anyone who would read these books would immediately pull their kids out of school.

There are so many alternatives to getting a good education outside of the government compulsory school system. But I think so many are brained washed that "if I don't get the high school diploma, I have no chance to make a decent living". There are colleges who seek out homeschoolers.

For our devotee communities to grow and become self-sufficent we have to go back to our pioneer,revolutionary spirit that the movement started out with. But the question is "do we want to just merge back into the present materialistic society? ( which I am afraid to admit alot of us have), or do we want to try and create Krsna Conscious communities, where people can come and take shelter of spiritual life and live peacfully?

I have also been studying about creating learning communities, where eveyone in the commuunity has some unique talent or knowledge to share. A community to provide learning experiences that lets the learner choose what they want to learn, and when they are ready to learn it. The commutity consciously provides learning opportunities for all. The children are able to grow according to their natures and discover their gift that they have to develope and share with others. Thus they are not caged up for 12 years of their life wasting their time on subjects that have no relevence to their real life experiences. There are many ways people are coming together to start such kinds of communities.

These are just a few of my thoughts, I am just touching the surfice of what has been brewing in my heart since my adventure with teaching my child at home has started.

Govinda

January 23, 2003

here is a good resource site for anyone interested in home schooling. It even gives a list of colleges and universities that are known for admitting home schooled children.

http://learninfreedom.org/homeschool_hotlist.html

govindarupini · January 24, 2003

We live in a very rural area where there is one public school, a small school house of two rooms, I believe. The devotee community runs a small charter school, where they have a wonderful morning spiritural program of bhajans, reading and learning verses. All the parents and children seem to love it.

We are not part of the charter school this year because my son has a different learning style, where he has a hard time concentrating in a room with lots of different activities and noises going on at once. He also had been diagnosed as dyslexic. So we try to make it to the morning program when possible and he follows a self-directed learning program at home with help from a teacher of a private long distance homeschooling umbrella school. The teachers from our devotee school try and envolve him in any extra activities that they do outside of the academic learning schedule.

Homeschooling gives the child the freedom, time , and opportunities to discover for themsevles what is important to them personally in their growth as an individual human being. There isn't the artificial peer pressure to follow all the whimsical fads and distructive habits that come along with being with people of the same age group day after day. There is so much more of an advantage when they can associate with people of all ages, younger and older, and actually get involved in community activities that broaden their life experience.

Especially in their teenage years I think it is important to let them know that we as their parents trust them to make decisions for themselves in their learning and growing. My boy is only 13 but has always had that determination to be himself. For many years it was like trying to force a round peg into a square hole. It was not going to happen and caused alot of pain and resentment. He is slowly healing from years of trying to force the artificial government standards of his age group on to him.

Everyone learns at their own rate and style. This is something the school systems of today will not recognize. Thus you have the "learning disabled" and "gifted" The problem comes what to do with the misfits from both sides. My son was evaluated as being above average in intellegence, but because of his different learning style he would be labled "learning disabled". So we did away with the labels and let him learn in his own way and to begin to find learning as an exciting adventure like it is for every child before they are forced into a 12 year life of imprisonment.

Yes, I am afraid I am pushing a learning style that is new to alot of peolple, but acturally was the norm before the onslaught of forced compulsory govenment run schooling took over.

Sorry , enough of my rambling, but I have been looking for some devotees in the Vaisnava community to share these ideas with for along time now. Most I have talked to locally (but not all) can't relate in the least. Just looking for some one with an open mind amd is interested in investigating the possibilities that I have been discovering in learning and creating real varnasrama

communities by letting our children be brought up as vaisnavas and being the best they can be in contributing to our communities, instead of to the economic goals of the society around us.

Govindarupini

Thanks for taking the time to read the posts.

govindarupini · January 24, 2003

Yes, that is a very interesting site. I have been there. In my search for what to do for my boy I think I have been to just about most homeschooling sites. That one is listed in my favorites. I have got a long------ list of homeschooling and learning in freedon sites book marked.

Govindarupini

paul108 · January 24, 2003

My wife and I are homeschooling our daughters. Our oldest is 6 years old; the next is 2 1/2, and the youngest is 7 months old.

One challenge has been sorting through what to teach. I have a lot of science education, and have a talent for math, but I have different goals for our kids. I want them to serve Krishna and to rely on Him for their maintenance. It's a pretty big challenge overcoming my own education. Mostly I've been teaching from my heart, but also the basic subjects like reading, math, and what little Sanskrit I know. My main concern is that our children learn about Krishna.

I don't see much good in the way things are going in the world, and I don't want our kids to get mixed up in it. It reminds me of the Isopanisad verse that says that cultivation of nescience is bad, but cultivation of so-called knowledge is worse. Everything they learn about Krishna is real knowledge, but what kids learn in school is worse than learning nothing.

Right now we live 80 miles from the Gita-nagari farm community, and we're looking for a house as close to the community as possible. My employment situation should make for a fairly easy move to that area, if Krishna is favorable to that. Living there should make for a very good situation for our kids, since there are many kids around our daughters ages, and some of the parents there are also interested in homeschooling.

Hare Krishna

theist · January 24, 2003

Biology and all science subjects can be taught, just show how they all are expressions of Krsna's intelligence. Krsna is everywhere and within everthing. Everything in nature points to Krsna in some way.

We need standardized Krsna school books. Everything can be taught from the KC angle of perception. Archeaology with a focus on Krsna temples or sites dedicated to God from all the worlds lands.

Neuroscience with an emphasis on how the self remains aloof from all the explorative attempts to find it in the brain.

Drama and poetry are obvious as is music. but it doesn't all have to be traditional Indian styles. let the children develop their own creative sense just direct it all to Krsna.

Really onjective comparative religion classes.

It's endless really. we just need to stretch our brains a little more.

mark · January 24, 2003

Thanks, Govinda. It was interesting reading this thread. I am actually thinking about homeschooling my son now also. I've been getting a lot of negative feedback from the public school he attends. He's in kindergarten and I'm one of only three parents in a very very large school district in Kansas city that has decided to send my son only for half days instead of full days. They don't seem to like that. Also, every morning I walk him to class and give him a big hug and kiss at his classroom door and say goodbye. I like doing it. I don't think it's harmful in any way but his teacher has been really stressing to me that he needs to walk to class by himself. What's the big deal about me walking him to class? It's not like he's 16. He just turned 6! It's as if they don't want me there. I know that there is a school here in Kansas City for Brahmacaris (sp?) but I don't think they do anything with younger children. Besides, they are very bad at returning any email inquiries I have. Anyway, you're not alone in your disgust at the public school system. hang in there.

Your Servant,

Mark

January 24, 2003

Haribol, we did well with our daughter, but this was in conjunction with the school district. This way, the authorities leave you alone, the materials are accessible, and there are teachers you can pick and choose. She was a kindergarten dropout, then went back in 9th grade. She graduated last year at age 18, with an AA degree from college.

We just included her in our lives. We read to her and inspired her to learn, and she did the rest. Once they read, you cannot stop the learning.

We did not overdo the religious training, either, because you may not be the person to do so. Ive seen the religious stuff pushed on the kids excessively from un fixed-up parents, only to have them hate their parent's ways. There will come a time when they ask themselves "who the hell am i", and then guru takes over. Overbearing parents are not much different that overbearing pontiffs, and only create disappointment at being unable to deliver. So, we keep the spiritual education simple, no kid rejects singing and dancing, and certainly good food is well loved. But leave out the stuff we dont understand, because we cannot make them better than we are in this field.

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

in short, by 5 they want to learn, encourage this desire to learn, everything else will follow.

also got a new one, age 3, and we go public preschool, but on our terms, if the nice schoolmarm/fascists object, she is not adverse to being a preschool dropout like her highly intelligent big sister. Main thing in going public, DO NOT RELINQUISH CONTROL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, despite the oppression you will face from CPS and other neo-fascist programs of mind control the system has in mind for allah us.

govindarupini · January 24, 2003

Making the dicision to homeschool can be a hard one, because alot of parents feel they are not qualified. There are so many resources out there. The world is our classroom. Through my research I am finding most or alot of families start out with a school at home approach. You know the textbooks, workbooks, schedules, the whole package. After awhile, due to burn out, boredom, conflict of the interest of child and parents, many are turning to a more natural approach of self-directed or interest- directed learning approach. It depends on the nature and learning style of the child and dynamics of the individual family. What works for some does not for others.

When I first started homschooling my now 13 year old boy, we bought an expensive curriculum when he was 5 years old. He did alright for awhile but after awhile we found he just wasn't geared for that kind of learning. We had a hard period of him going in and out of the devotee school for 3 years. When I finally had him evaluated for dyslexia and found out that was the problem (according to the opinion of the experts), this is when I really started my reasearch in education and how children learn. It opened a whole world of possibilities for us.

Go to the homeschooling sites and read. Read till you find what feels right for your family and child. Like I said you are not alone there are unlimited resources, and real life experiences that you all will learn from. That is one thing I am thankful for. Because of my son's individuality, I was forced to go outside of my little world and explore and learn along with him. Find the book "Dumbing Us Down" John Taylor Gatto. He also has a website, plus there are many homeschooling sites that print his articles and lectures.

Personally, I wish we as devotees would take Srila Prabhupada's words that the modern education systems are just slaughter houses for the soul,( I don't remember the exact quote) That we did not have to be convinced by others. I just have seen that it has become so easy for devotee parents to hand their children over to the demonic institutions.

Get a clue from the way your boy's teacher is treating you in your simple desire to just give a loving encourage goodbye to your boy. They do not want us involved to much. Other wise how can they do their complete job of indoctrination. I don't want to offend anyone or be overly preachy. Sorry, if I sound that way.

By the way. My husband lived in the Kansas City area for many years, Belton is where he went to school. His parents still live there and we have some devotee friends there that he has known since high school. Do you know Curt and Sally? I forget Curt's last name.

We come out to visit once in awhile, maybe we can get in touch with each other when we make it to that area again.

Good Luck to you and all my best wishes for you and your family.

Govindarupini

govindarupini · January 24, 2003

It would be wonderful to have a whole curriculm of Krsna con. text books. Prabhupada's and our previous acaryas books covers every subject matter. The more we read them we discover newer and newer knowledge to carry us through our lifes experiences. The knowledge he gives is unlimited and inspires in ways we cannot even comprehend.

It is endless. Some of our older teenagers are getting the idea that they want to become teachers. As they mature and gain knowledge, hopefully some will take on the awesome task.

My son and I are reading from the "Sri Isoponisad" how to see eveything in relation with the Supreme Lord Krsna. My husband is assigning some books that he wants my boy to read this year, That is one, another is "Life comes From Life"., because my boy seems to be interested in the scientific world.

Govindarupini

theist · January 24, 2003

Here is one quote Govindarupini.

Prabhupada:And ...(indistinct). They don’t send because everyone knows that sending boys to the school means spoil them. That’s all. I have seen intelligent boys, they go to school and he is spoiled. Yes, spoiled. He learns how to smoke, how to have sex, how to talk nonsense, how to use knife, how to fight, these things. At least at the present moment. Yes. Simply slaughterhouse, this so-called school is called slaughterhouse. Yes, slaughterhouse.

If we can't save the world let's at least save our kids.

mark · January 26, 2003

Hi Govinda. Hare Krsna. Thanks for opening up and telling me about your experience with homeschooling. I'll certainly look into the matter more.

I don't know any devotees here in the KC area because we just moved here. We'll be here for about another year until my wife finishes up school.

Thank you too, Mahaksa, for sharing your story. I never knew you had homeschooled. By the way, I'm the same Mark from a couple years ago on the Mela.

Take care.

YS,

Mark

govindarupini · January 28, 2003

From The Freetinkers Guide to the Educational Universe site

...our schools reflect our society closely, except that they emphasise many of its worst features. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Paul Goodman

True education does not quiet things down, it stirs them up. It destroys myth. It empowers people. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

John Holt

Thank God I was never sent to school to be flog'd into following the style of a fool. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

William Blake

The supreme end of education is expert discernment in all things- the power to tell the good from the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to prefer the good and the genuine to the bad and counterfit. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Samuel Johnson

Education...has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinquish what is worth reading. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

George Macauley Trevelyan

Schools have not necessarily much to do with education...they are mainly institutions of control where certain basic habits must be instilled in the young. Education is quite different and has little place in school.

Winston Churchill

All to often, in debates about education, the basic questions are ignored in favour of mere technical issues. We should always begin by asking, "What are we educating for?" "What sort of people are we expecting to produce?" "What kind of society do we envisage?"

Clive Harber

It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry: for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom: without this it goes to wrack and ruin without fail. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Albert Einstein

Two institutions at present control our children's lives: television and schooling, in that order. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

John Taylor Gatto

It is absurd and anti-life to move from cell to cell at the sound of a gong for every day of your natural youth in an institution that allows you no privacy and even follows you into the sanctuary of your home demanding that you do its 'homework'. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

John Taylor Gatto

When you take the free will out of education, that turns it into schooling.

John Taylor Gatto

The best learning happens in real life with real problems and real people and not in classrooms. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Charles Handy

When I was teaching in school, a man came to a parents' meeting and complained about the extraordinary amount of testing we were doing. His words went right to the heart of the matter: "You're like a gardener who constantly pulls his plants up by the roots to see if they're growing." /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

John Holt

Nobody grew taller by being measured.

Philip Gammage

It is the great triumph of compulsory government monopoly mass schooling that among even the best of my fellow teachers, and among even the best of my students' parents, only a small niumber can imagine a different way to do things. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

John Taylor Gatto

Govindarupini

vbaliram · January 28, 2003

This is a very interesting topic. I don't have any kids on my own yet. However, I am contemplating on which schools to send my future kids.

The kids going to school these days have no morals whatsoever. They know nothing about "Krsna Counsiousness."

I pray that I find a good school for my kids to be.

Narayanidd · February 27, 2003

My dear vaisnavas,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

What a great topic! Our children are our future after all. I think it is wonderful that parents are seeking alternatives to public schooling.

But...what about gurukula? Now as an ex gurukula student I know first hand what a disaster many turned out to be but, is that a reason to do away with them? I feel that the Krsna conscious movement NEEDS a school system! Learning from the past what not to do we can move toward a better future. In this regard I am going to school for my teaching license in hopes of teaching in a proper, bonafide gurukula! Even if it's only a few families that get together to educate their children it is a start towards a more organized system.

Is the Krsna conscious movement doing anythng in this regard? We can't let the children fall by the wayside! "karmi" society has done that and what do we have? Generations of TV addicts that are apathetic towards the world and others, and an illiteracy rate that increases yearly.

Once again, our children are our futures they must have proper schools!!

Your servant,

Narayani d.d.

Gauracandra · February 28, 2003

Haribol. This is great that you are pursuing your teaching license. Here is a site by William Bennett, former Secretary of Education, that I would suggest any homeschooler to check out:

http://www.k12.com/

April 25, 2004

I have created a called Vaisnava Homeschoolers. If you are interested, you may go to and look in the religion category or Krishna category

April 25, 2004

Hare Krsna guest,

I went to and could not find your group named Vaisnava Homeschoolers in any category. I even typed in the name in the search and came up with nothing. /images/graemlins/confused.gif Could you tell me how to find it? I am interested. Thank you very much.