Parent to Parent Workshop

 “While You Were Sleeping”

Are you aware of the issues plaguing our government schools?

Are you a concerned parent or citizen who would like to better understand these issues and know how to counter them?

Would you like to know your educational options?
(There are more out there than you may realize!)

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then this workshop is for you!

Parents and families will be informed about the current state of our schools as well as be empowered with educational options to best meet the needs of their children. 

This workshop is excellent for grandparents, too!

Choose from any of the times below.
(Same material will be presented at each workshop.)

Thursday, July 21- 5 pm

Friday, July 22 - 10 am

Friday, August 12 - 10 am

Thursday, August 18 - 6:30 pm

Sunday, August 21 - 2 pm

This workshop is in Fort Worth. 

Contact me to

 RSVP for the day you've selected and 

to receive the location information.

Reclaiming Our Children's Education

The Lord put it on my heart back in 2016 to be a resource to students and families who are considering homeschooling for their children's education. I re-read my first post (simply titled "Welcome") when I created this blog and as I read the three points listed in that post, it really struck me how the call I felt back then is exactly the same I still feel today. I was surprised that this is still my focus and my passion even after so much time as passed.

So I thought I'd start by first posting those three points again and then will give a bit of clarification on a couple points. I think it helps to know where my heart lies before I start sharing information and ideas about homeschooling.

Here are the points from that original blog post:

• Help guide and educate families on the wealth of educational opportunities (other than public school*) that are out there, specifically in the Dallas / Fort Worth area.
  
  
• To share what I've learned over the years from being in both public school and now having been a home educator for 4+ years (updated: now that's 9+ years!).
  
  
• Share my story with as many families as I can. I tolerated and even worked in a broken system for years in hopes of change. I finally came to the realization that the system will not change but families can**. 

*It may sound like I'm omitting public school as an option for parents and families and that's not my intent here. Let me clarify. Public school is an option for families but many families already have a knowledge of their local public schools and the educational and extracurricular opportunities they offer. So, my time and focus is spent on those educational opportunities you may not know about - those like co-ops, university model schools, Thomas Jefferson Education, classical education, support groups, field trip groups, homeschool classes, traveling homeschool groups, and so much more!

**Families can change. By this I mean that families can change their ideas of what education is and what education is supposed to look like. When I taught in public school, education looked like desks in rows (kids trying to sit still and listen), kids reading textbooks and working on either worksheets or workbooks, walking in lines to and from other classes, classes grouped by age categories and, me, as their teacher trying to impart some knowledge from my mind (based on the curriculum guides) to the students. This type of educational model is not effective and it does not foster a love of learning. That's where the freedom and benefits of homeschooling come in! But it starts with a change in the family's definition of education and realizing up front that education at home will not look anything like that in a traditional school setting (and that's a great thing!).

There are a few foundational ideas that we, as parents and families, would do well to claim and believe once again. (This is the start of the change in our thinking that I mentioned earlier.)

1. You have choices in your child's education.
   If what you try one year doesn't work, try something else. Do not feel obligated to stick with a system just because that's what you're used to or what you feel you're supposed to do. Change it up! You have a choice.
   
   
2. As the parent, you are your child's first and most important teacher.
   No one can take the place of being your child's advocate in their education no matter what educational environment you choose to put your child in (public school, charter school, private school, etc.). Parents MUST be involved and any school that is not supportive of parents and 100% transparent with them is not a school you want to be involved in. I was sharing this idea with a friend and they said, "If I was going to have to be THAT involved, I'd just homeschool my children." She made my point for me. We need to have this mindset that we HAVE TO be involved and be in constant communication with the school.
   
   Personally, I was that parent. I was very involved when my kids were in public school and, unfortunately, for us it wasn't enough. (Read our story here.)
   
   
3. Homeschooling is not about you having to impart some knowledge from your brain to your child's brain. Homeschooling is about learning TOGETHER. When I don't have the answers, we look it up together. We learn together. I didn't know how to teach calculus but guess what? I can either learn it with my daughter, find a tutor or enroll her in a homeschool class. Together we find the resources so we can learn how to learn. I don't have to have all the knowledge in the world. I just have to be willing to find it with and for my child.
   
   
4. You are not alone on this journey.
   Don't try to do it all by yourself. That's a sure-fire way to burn yourself out and guarantee you'll throw in the towel on homeschooling. Life is not meant to be lived in isolation and neither is homeschooling. We need a group willing to go through it with us. That's why co-ops, play groups, homeschool groups and clubs are so important. 
   
   
5. Re-imagine what education can look like.
   Don't set up your living room with desks in rows and workbooks on the shelf. Homeschooling allows for much more freedom, creativity and uniqueness than that. It's a hard mold to break, I know. I'm a product of public school and I taught in public school for 6 years and it took me years of homeschooling to break out of this mindset. Education, to me, now looks like: field trips to the nature center, doing nature drawings, staying up late to look at the stars through a telescope in the night sky, going to an event to see an eclipse (I did this with my kids), reading books out loud as a family, writing pen pal letters to far-away friends, listening to books on audio, discussing great books, putting on plays, playing music and so much more!

Now on to the resources and educational options! That's why you've read down this far in this post, isn't it? I've created a Database of Resources page and if you'd like, you can jump in and take a look at all the different options out there (the different options I've compiled at least). **Please note: all resources are Christ centered and most are in the Fort Worth or surrounding areas unless otherwise noted.

However, it might be best to take a short inventory of your families' wants and needs that will help whittle down the options. Start by asking yourself the following questions:

• Does my schedule allow for the kids to be home a couple days during the week? If I'm not available, is there a friend, family member, or grandparent who can help out a couple days during the week? If so, the options below might be a good fit for you.
  
  
• University model school: In this model, students attend class two or three days a week (depending on the program) and then they do the work at home on the other days. Your in charge of helping them with their work at home. Examples: Christian Life Prepatory School, Legacy Christian Academy, The Oaks Tutorials, Coram Deo Academy (Collin County, Dallas, Flower Mound) and Pinnacle Christian School, Mosaic Academ, Matthew Road Academy, and an online university model option - Christian Cottage Prep. For high school, Worldview Studies is an excellent program that meets once a week.
  
  
• Co-ops: Co-ops generally meet once-a-week and each participating parent usually teaches a class (class topics and ages vary). Examples: WACHE (Westside Area Christian Home Educators), LIFT Schoolhouse, Arlington Liber Academy, Gracewood Academy, Northpoint Christian Academy
  
  
• Another option is Classical Conversations. This option has a reasonable tuition cost and they are more structured than most co-ops. They offer a full pre-set curriculum that parents follow and most CC communities meet once-a-week. The student follows their guide at home and it spells out the work they need to complete each day. They pay their class instructors / mentors. The CC model is very clear that parents are their child's first and most important teacher. Many parents sign up to teach the classes to help offset the tuition cost. They give you all the curriculum, training and guidance.
  
  
• Do I need at least a 4 days-a-week schooling option? Is there a friend, family member or grandparent that I can ask to help out one day a week? If so, these options may work for you:
• Cooper Christian Academy is in Crowley and they meet Monday through Thursday. Cost is very reasonable.
• Pinnacle Christian Academy
• Legacy Christian Academy of Granbury (they offer up to 4 days a week; Tuesday through Friday)
  
  
• Do I simply want to outsource a few classes or enrich my homeschooling with extracurricular activities? These options may be just the fit! These options can very easily become 2 to 4 days a week worth of schooling, too!
  
  
• Center for Home Education: In addition to offering classes for PreK - high school, they also support for homeschooling parents and have an onsite cafe / bookstore.
• Travis Academy of Fine Arts and Science Etc. - both offer a wide variety of classes.

Please reach out to me if you need help, suggestions or just want guidance in this search. I want to be a resource to you and your family!

I hope you can hear my heart for your family and children! Each child is so unique and their education should be as well. We personally found out that a one-size-fits-all idea of school did not work for us and it's because of what we went through and learned that I want to share, encourage, support and resource families who are just venturing out and dipping their toes into this amazing adventure of home educating!

Here's to reclaiming our children's education!

High School Speech Club is Coming!

High School Students:

Overcome your fear of speaking in public!

Build confidence through interactive (and fun!) speaking opportunities in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Register Here

You'll have several speaking opportunities during the year (Ice Breaker, Object Speech, Impromptu, Table Topics Questions, MC, Evaluator, etc.). You will also take part in various activities to help you conquer your fear of speaking in front of a group and build confidence as you do!

When: We will meet for four classes in the fall and four classes in the spring from 7 pm until 8:30 pm.

Fall:

October 6

October 20

November 17

December 15

Spring: January 26 February 23 March 23 April 27

Where: West Fort Worth (contact me directly for location address)

Cost: $80 for the year ($40 for each semester; payment due at the time of registration)

Contact: support@nexusfamilyministries.com or beckc@rocketmail.com

Get signed up today!

REGISTER HERE

High School Christian Worldview Class is Coming!

This class will give high school students a deeper understanding on how biblical principles apply to all areas of life. Beginning with an evaluation of the student's worldview, instructors will guide and teach what the Bible has to say about such issues as theology, philosophy, politics, law, economics, history and more. Students will have the opportunity to discuss current event topics to practice evaluating the worldviews of modern culture and develop their own ideas based on the Word of God. This will give them confidence in defending their faith.

Target Student Ages: 
High School
14 - 18 year olds

Location:
West Fort Worth
(contact me directly for location address)

We will have an online option available (via Webex) for out of town students (a link will also be given to any student who primarily attends in person but is out due to illness).

Day / Time:

Two Tuesdays each month (Sept - Dec)
1 pm until 3 pm
See schedule below.

Course Cost:
$120 per semester ($15 per class)
8 classes in the fall and 8 classes in the spring

Required Text:
Thinking Like a Christian by Dr. David Noebel. A used copy will suffice. The accompanying CD-ROM is not required for this class. (A used copy should be around $20 or less.)

Coursework:
Students will be expected to read the assigned chapter from the book prior to attending each class.
They may also be asked to bring in an article on a current cultural topic.
 

What to Bring to Class:
Bible
Notebook (or loose leaf paper)
Pen

Fall 2020 Schedule	Spring 2021 Schedule
September 15	January 5
September 22	January 19
October 13	February 2
October 27	February 16
November 10	March 2
November 17	March 9
December 1	March 23
December 15	April 6

Ready to Register?

Follow these easy steps:

• Fill out the Registration Form (Google Form) here.
  
  
• The instructor will contact you directly for payment. Fall payment ($120) is due prior to the first class on September 15. Payment options: check or PayPal.
  
  
• Purchase the book Thinking Like a Christian by Dr. David Noebel. A used copy will suffice. The accompanying CD-ROM is not required for this class. (A used copy should be around $20 or less.) Your student will need to read Chapter 1 prior to class on September 15.

Meet Your Instructors

Paul Carby

Paul Carby has spent over eleven years in youth and college ministry. The Texas native spent his school years in Mississippi and eventually Alabama where he and his wife, Sammi, welcomed their daughter Cate in 2009. Prior to attending seminary, Paul pursued a major in Poetry and Film at the University of Southern Mississippi before moving to Fort Worth in 2015 to finish a Masters of Divinity with an emphasis in Philosophy and Apologetics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently working on a Ph.D in Philosophy (minor Patristics) at SWBTS, with his research in the works of Boethius on Divine Timelessness. Paul has a desire and calling to enter into an academic setting to teach and equip Christians to engage worldviews and defend their faith in real and practical ways. He now serves on staff at Gambrell Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth as the Minister to College and Young Adults and director of the Trellis Collegiate Ministry. When he has free time, Paul enjoys archery, writing, discussing philosophy and comics and playing board games with his family.

Mr. Carby will be teaching the fall classes.

-------------------------------

Christi Beck

Christi Beck is a graduate of Texas Christian University where she received her degree in Education. She is a certified teacher in Texas who taught in the public school system for six years before staying home to raise her family and home educate her two children. In May of 2020, Christi received her commissioning as a Colson Fellow, an intensive 10 month Christian worldview training program. Her goal is to help educate students and families in understanding what a Christian worldview is and how we, as Christians, need to live it out in all areas of our lives.

Mrs. Beck will be teaching the worldview topics of biology, psychology, ethics and sociology.

------------------------

Jeff Kurland

Jeff Kurland is a licensed CPA and earned his MBA from the University of Minnesota. He is currently the Director of Research Finance at Cook Children’s Hospital. While at the University of MN, he participated with a campus Christian ministry to disciple and train students, including internationals, in the Word of God and in a Christian worldview. As a home-educator, Jeff and his wife are lead-learners and influencers to their active and joyful children.

Mr. Kurland will be teaching the worldview topics of law, politics, and economics.

Testimony from Past Family 

After class my daughter would share with me what she learned and then couldn't wait to speak with her father when he made it home concerning the class. In her speech class she picked the topic of apologetics to discuss and this class was just the icing on the cake. Mr. Carby was able to engage the kids in an in-depth conversation about the Lord and other topics that pulled the teens into the study. Kayla is often quiet in class but he was able to make her comfortable enough to communicate her views. I like that he would ask them to bring an actual Bible to class instead of just using their phones. This approach teaches them to find scripture and learn where the books of the Bible are. She already had some knowledge about the Bible but this class took her faith to another level. If you want your teen to have a deeper understanding of the scripture and real life topics, I would advise you to join this class.

Danielle Hudson

Unsure About the 2020 - 2021 School Year?

We are living in such a different world right now ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. When schools closed, parents were thrown into the world of helping finish out their child's school year from home. Whereas many people said they were now homeschooling, I called it 'crisis schooling' and it's WAY harder than actual homeschooling. Trust me.

It was hard enough on me and my family when we chose to leave public school to home educate, but the thought of having to figure it out in the span of a couple weeks (some only a couple of days) must have seemed very daunting and overwhelming for many families, teachers and staff. My hats go off to all these parents!

School is just now finishing up for many students (whew!) but now families are already faced with the question about what school will look like in the fall. Based on a variety of articles (like this one from WFAA) and the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control, school will not look like school any more I'm afraid. (See the Texas Education Agency's ideas in this Powerpoint presentation for the upcoming school year calendar.)

When I first read the CDC's recommendations, about the 2020 - 2021 school year, my heart sank both for the teachers and the students. How can schools implement such recommendations without completely changing what makes school, school?

I remember the school days of eating lunch with my friends in the cafeteria, playing outside at recess, playing dodge ball in PE, talking in the hall with friends around my locker, being in classes with different people and having a variety of different teachers. According to their recommendations, none of those things can happen. Maybe it will only be for a year but the likelihood of it ever going back 'to the way it was' is very slim.

This image I found on Facebook sums up what the CDC is recommending:

This type of environment may seem "safe", depending on your definition of the word, but is this really a healthy learning environment for our children?

Now more than ever, families need to know they have choices in how educate their children in a healthy and individualized way. And, it may look very different (but in a good way!) than what you think.

When I first starting teaching public school, I thought the only choices in education were private school or public school. Then when public school didn't work out for us (you can read our full story here) and we couldn't afford private school, I realized there had to be other options. And guess what? There are! There are a ton of options! And, you as the parent get to find the option that best fits your child. It's an individualized education just for them. 

Does it take some work? Yes! Does it take creativity and 'outside the box' thinking to make it work? Yes! It is all worth it and so are your kids!

I've come up with a few suggestions if you're interested in at least dipping your toe in to see what's out there:

• There are a lot of myths out there about homeschooling (like homeschoolers don't socialize, they don't learn as much as public school children, they don't go to college, parents are qualified to teach, etc.). I encourage you to do research about the facts of homeschooling and don't buy into these myths. A short but informative article that addresses some of these myths can be found here.
  
  Another article that I thought was insightful helps us realize that the 'crisis schooling' that many parents have had to do is not the same as homeschooling. It's actually much more difficult. Read the article here.
• Read the book So You're Thinking About Homeschooling Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It by Lisa Whelchel. This book was a huge help for me to see that homeschooling takes on many different shapes and forms. She tells of families who travel and learn together, of a family who schools in the evening when the parents get home (the kids are with their grandparents during the day), some families that educate by attending their local co-op, etc.
• Read The Little Book of Big Reasons to Homeschool by David and Kim d'Escoto. This is a quick and easy read written by a former public school teacher on the benefits that homeschooling has on the mind, body and soul.
• Look through the Database of Resources I've put together. Don't spend too much time there yet. I just want you to get a feel that there are a lot of places (online and in-person) where you can get support and find encouragement if you choose to school in a different way.
• Ask me questions! I'd be happy to help you and talk with you as you decide what educational path will work best for you and your children.

Just so you know: I do not receive any type of compensation for the book recommendations. These books are just ones that have helped me over the years and think they would be beneficial for you, too.

I hope that no matter what educational path you choose, you feel you had a choice in the matter. And, just because you chose one way this year, doesn't mean you are stuck with it forever. Every year of our homeschooling looked and felt different because my children were different, their needs were growing and changing so our education matched where they were each year.

Best wishes to you and your family on your educational journey!

-Christi

Back to Home

We are back to our studies once again looking forward to a fun year of learning, exploring, discussing, pondering and discovering! It's hard to believe that this will be our 5th year homeschooling and sometimes I feel like I have it figured out but more often than not, I feel like I don't. 

Do you ever feel that way? I think one thing this year that is different for me from the previous years is the realization that I don't have to be perfect, have the "perfect" curriculum (by the way, it doesn't exist), have the "perfect" schedule or anything else - I just need God's grace and His direction and trust that "He's got this!" I need to wake up every day and get my "marching orders" from Him. And that sometimes the distractions of our day (or things I think are distractions) are just what was planned all along. I've known this in my head for years but I've finally let it sink into my heart.

A book that has helped me come to this realization is called Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie. I started this book earlier this summer and this handy little book has helped me SO much! Whether you're new to home school or have been homeschooling for years, this is a must-read book. Mackenzie gives so much insight and truth about why we are homeschooling (raising Christ followers), who we are living and homeschooling for (Christ alone), and how we can do all that from a state of rest (Yes! It is possible with God).

So, every morning I seek Him. Every morning I surrender my plans, my agenda, my "to do" list to Him. Some days I cross off items on my list, some days (actually many days), I don't. Many days there are distractions and that's OK. I'm resting in His plan. His direction. 

So, we are back to home once again. Embarking on a new year of learning, growing and seeking. I know we'll have set backs and troubles along the way but with and through Christ we are going to have the best "Back to Home" year yet!

I wish you all the best on your Back to Home journeys! And, if you would like to start your own Back to Home educational journey, there are a ton of resources on my Database of Resources page to help get you started. It's the most rewarding, challenging and beneficial journey you'll ever take! 

Home School Benefits - Sharing My Faith

Even though sharing and teaching my faith with my children wasn't my main reason for homeschooling when we started, it sure has become my main reason for keeping them home. 

I'm thrilled with so many resources that incorporate Biblical truths into our studies - everything from our math to our history to our science curriculum and more. It was so refreshing when we were studying ancient Egypt history that the stories from the Bible were included (like Moses leading the people out of Egypt). 

I attended public school and growing up it seemed to me that I had two different sides of myself - the one at school and the one at home/church. Not that I led two completely different lives, mind you, but I learned the Bible at church and all the other subjects at school. Never did the two worlds truly meet. How sad.

Now I feel like I can share with my children the wonders all around them and discuss together how all subjects are created by our Creator God. I feel like we can live it out and talk about God in all areas of our life and learning.

I love the scripture verses from Deuteronomy 6:6-8 that say, "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

And, being at home with the kids, we do just that. The hours of time that I can "impress them on my children" at home is invaluable. I just think of the many hours of time that would be lost if they were away every day, all day at any other school. What a blessing to have them home so I can share my faith and beliefs with them - 24/7!

Happy homeschooling,
Christi