Idol of School
It seems that when it comes to kids, so much conversation centers around their schooling, including: achievements, success, challenges, and interventions. We all seem so concerned about measuring our kids, that I have to ask: IS OUR FOCUS ON SCHOOL HEALTHY?
I intentionally used the word “school” for our discussion rather than “education.” I’m using “education” more synonymously with learning. By “school,” I mean the government schooling model of the public school with state standards, standardized tests, academic merit awards/scholarships, labels of advanced and behind, grading system primarily based on testing. While I certainly think education can become an idol, I want to stick to how we all battle the school idol in our lives.
An idol is something we begin to worship, often at the detriment of everything else. As a Christian, whenever we allow one of God’s gifts to trump our allegiance to God himself, an idol is born. Idols have come up often in the Bible and in life when evaluating my relationship with God. Christians and Non-Christians alike are no strangers to the reality of how easy it is to allow something to run our lives.
How often do we look at our children’s education in terms of “schooling” - where they are in academic achievement, how they measure up to their peers? How often do we take pride in their accomplishments or feel guilt/shame in their shortcomings?
If we take away “schooling” as the measuring stick and consider each child’s individual educational growth - do we still feel the same way?
Coming from public schools and having earned college degrees, it can be very difficult for us to view education separately from schooling.
How to Determine if School is an Idol
Are you willing to compromise your beliefs or values for the academic achievement of your child?
Do you get angry if your child doesn’t meet your expectations or falls behind state standards?
Do you value your child’s schooling over people?
Does schooling your child pull you farther away from God (or the things you value - family, relationships, character, etc)?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be letting school rule your life to the point of it controlling your actions and reactions. This can be particularly concerning for us homeschoolers considering the amount of time we spend with our children and the influence we have over how they view education.
What Happens When We Let School Become an Idol?
Feelings of dissatisfaction begin to creep in, like nothing you do is good enough. We begin to sacrifice other things in our lives in order to pursue more schooling or better schooling outcomes. Next comes worry and anxiety over our children’s schooling, grades, test scores, and how they compare to peers. Finally, our identity starts to become centered around our children’s schooling, grades, and academic achievements. We let our worth and value get caught up in schooling!
What Can We Do?
Luckily, if you can see that you have let school become an idol, you can work to fix it. Here’s what we recommend:
Evaluate your educational goals and philosophies: What is the purpose of education? How does schooling and academics help my child achieve an education? Are there other ways?
Reassess your values and where schooling fits into them
Find your identity as a homeschool parent - Episode 50: Identity
Create a homeschooling Mission Statement - Step 1 of Homeschool Starter Pack V1 & Blog Post - Mission Possible
Check in often asking yourself the 4 questions from earlier or whether you are living your mission statement
If our goal for education our children is to encourage them to be life long learners and to pursue their interests and passions, we need to make sure we set no false idols in the way - including “school.”
