Orthodox homeschoolers accompanying resurgence of conversions
The documented growth of Eastern Orthodoxy in America, with a large wave of young adults, especially men, joining the faith, is leading to a related wave of homeschooling Orthodox families, reports Jillian Hughes on the Union of Orthodox Journalists website (March 6). It is estimated that Orthodox homeschooling families make up about five percent of the overall homeschooling community in America. Two Orthodox homeschooler Facebook groups alone have a membership of 8,000 people. There are also many companies and resources that have formed to support the growing community of Orthodox homeschooling families, such as MBM Press, Saint Emmelia Ministries, and Saint Kosmas Orthodox Christian Education Association. The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America has established departments to support homeschooling families, and various Orthodox co-ops have been formed across the country.
While there are a wide variety of reasons for homeschooling, Orthodox parents show a “desire to integrate [their] faith, liturgy, and traditional values into everyday education, often as a response to the secularism of public school and to better support special needs and military families who travel often,” Hughes writes. A homeschooling publisher herself, she adds that Orthodox homeschooling “allows us to more seamlessly merge our lives into the yearly liturgical calendar of the church without the restrictions of a public school schedule, truly becoming a ‘way of life.’” Although “a Classical style education is most common amongst Orthodox homeschool families, there’s also Charlotte Mason, Box Curriculum, Montessori, Waldorf, Unschool, or mixed/eclectic... In short, as the numbers of those converting into the Orthodox faith continues to rise, the number of Orthodox families turning to homeschool is also rising in an effort to lead a life of liturgy and church traditions and protect children from secular societal values. With the growth, more companies and organizations continue to be formed to support the increase of Orthodox homeschooling families.”