The History and Agenda Behind Modern Schooling
TRUTH CARRIERS EDUCATION SYSTEM
Homeschool Foundation Series - Adult/Teen Level
Modern compulsory education is less than 200 years old. For most of human history, parents were responsible for educating their own children—as Scripture commands.
This workbook examines:
Purpose: To understand WHY we homeschool and the foundations of our educational calling.
The first compulsory education law in America was passed in in .
Prior to 1852:
Compulsory schooling was NOT created because people were uneducated. It was created to standardize what children were taught and to reduce parental/church influence.
1. The first U.S. compulsory education law was in:
○ A) Virginia, 1776
○ B) Massachusetts, 1852
○ C) New York, 1900
○ D) California, 1920
2. Before compulsory schooling, literacy rates were:
○ A) Very low (under 30%)
○ B) Moderate (50%)
○ C) Already high (over 90%)
○ D) Unknown
Write: When/where first compulsory law passed. Three stated rationales. Pre-compulsory literacy rates.
"And you shall teach them diligently unto your children..."
A system of standardized, state-controlled education developed in (Germany) designed to create obedient citizens and soldiers.
Horace Mann visited Prussia in and returned to lobby for importing this model to Massachusetts—and eventually all of America.
1. The Prussian model was designed to create:
○ A) Independent thinkers
○ B) Obedient citizens
○ C) Religious leaders
○ D) Scientists
2. Horace Mann visited Prussia in:
○ A) 1776
○ B) 1837
○ C) 1900
○ D) 1950
Write: Five features of the Prussian model. Who imported it to America and when.
Explain to someone where the modern school system came from and what it was designed to produce.
Person taught: Date:
John Dewey (1859-1952) was a philosopher known as the "father of Education."
Dewey shifted education's focus from:
| Classical Education | Progressive Education |
|---|---|
| Memorization, logic | Experience-based learning |
| Great books, history | Social relevance |
| Absolute truth | (truth is relative) |
| Individual excellence | Democratic cooperation |
1. John Dewey is known as the father of:
○ A) Classical education
○ B) Progressive education
○ C) Homeschooling
○ D) University education
2. Dewey believed schools should be instruments of:
○ A) Religious instruction
○ B) Social change
○ C) Military training
○ D) Parental values
Write: Who John Dewey was. How he shifted education's focus. Impact of progressive education.
The U.S. Department of Education was created in under President Jimmy Carter.
| Metric | 1970 | 2018 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-pupil spending (inflation-adjusted) | ~$5,000 | ~$13,000 | +156% |
| NAEP Reading scores (17-year-olds) | 285 | 287 | +0.7% |
| NAEP Math scores (17-year-olds) | 304 | 306 | +0.7% |
Spending increased 156%.
Test scores remained essentially flat.
Question: Has increased federal involvement in education improved outcomes?
1. The U.S. Department of Education was created in:
○ A) 1852
○ B) 1900
○ C) 1979
○ D) 2000
2. Since 1970, per-pupil spending has:
○ A) Decreased 50%
○ B) Stayed flat
○ C) Increased 156%
○ D) Tripled
3. Since 1970, test scores have:
○ A) Increased dramatically
○ B) Remained essentially flat
○ C) Decreased 50%
○ D) Tripled
Write: When Dept of Education created. Spending change vs. score change. Literacy trend.
Peer-reviewed research consistently shows homeschoolers score to percentile points higher than public school students.
| Test | Homeschool Average | Public School Average |
|---|---|---|
| SAT | 1190 | 1060 |
| ACT | 26.5 | 21 |
| Achievement Tests | 65th-80th percentile | 50th percentile |
National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) analyzed 14 peer-reviewed studies; % showed statistically significant positive outcomes for homeschoolers.
1. Homeschoolers typically score how much higher on standardized tests?
○ A) 5-10 percentile points
○ B) 15-30 percentile points
○ C) 50+ percentile points
○ D) The same
2. The average homeschool SAT score is approximately:
○ A) 900
○ B) 1060
○ C) 1190
○ D) 1400
Write: Three statistics showing homeschool academic advantage.
"But what about ?" - The most frequent objection to homeschooling.
A review of peer-reviewed literature found that % of studies showed homeschooled students performed significantly better on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development.
Homeschoolers socialize through:
Scripture never commands children to be "socialized" with age-segregated peers. It commands parents to train children in Yahuah's ways.
1. Research shows homeschoolers have:
○ A) Poor social skills
○ B) Equal or better social skills
○ C) No social skills
○ D) Unknown social skills
2. What percentage of studies showed homeschoolers performed better socially?
○ A) 10%
○ B) 30%
○ C) 64%
○ D) 90%
Write: Research findings on homeschool socialization. Five ways homeschoolers socialize.
Practice responding to "What about socialization?" using research data.
Person practiced with: Date:
This ruling affirmed that parents, not the state, have primary authority over children's education.
The key homeschool legal victory. The Court ruled that compulsory attendance laws could not override the right of parents to direct religious and educational upbringing.
Overturned a ban on teaching foreign languages, affirming parental rights in education.
Parental rights in education are recognized as fundamental rights under the 14th Amendment.
1. Pierce v. Society of Sisters established that:
○ A) The state owns children
○ B) Children are not mere creatures of the state
○ C) Parents have no rights
○ D) Public school is mandatory
2. The key homeschool legal case was:
○ A) Roe v. Wade
○ B) Wisconsin v. Yoder
○ C) Brown v. Board
○ D) Marbury v. Madison
Write: Three Supreme Court cases supporting parental rights. Key quote from each.
Research (Martin-Chang, 2011) found that homeschooling produces higher academic scores than unstructured (unschooling) methods.
| Method | Description | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Classical | Trivium: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric | Critical thinking, great books |
| Charlotte Mason | Living books, nature study, narration | Love of learning, gentle approach |
| Traditional | Textbooks, workbooks, structure | Clear progression, measurable |
| Unit Studies | Theme-based, integrating subjects | Engagement, connections |
| Eclectic | Mix of methods | Flexibility, customization |
1. Research shows which method produces higher scores?
○ A) Unschooling
○ B) Structured homeschooling
○ C) No difference
○ D) Public school style
2. The Classical method is based on:
○ A) Textbooks only
○ B) The Trivium
○ C) Nature study
○ D) Unit themes
Write: Five homeschool methods and their strengths. The 6Rs of Truth Carriers method.
Scripture assigns educational responsibility to:
1. Deuteronomy 6:7 commands parents to:
○ A) Send children to school
○ B) Teach children diligently
○ C) Let children teach themselves
○ D) Hire tutors
2. Ephesians 6:4 specifically addresses:
○ A) Mothers
○ B) Fathers
○ C) Teachers
○ D) Priests
Write: Three Scripture passages commanding parent-led education. What should be taught.
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
A child in public school from K-12 spends approximately hours in school—more time than any other influence except sleep.
Should we turn our children over to an institution that:
1. Approximately how many hours does a child spend in K-12 public school?
○ A) 5,000 hours
○ B) 8,000 hours
○ C) 14,000+ hours
○ D) 20,000 hours
2. 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns that bad company corrupts:
○ A) Intelligence
○ B) Good character/manners
○ C) Wealth
○ D) Health
Write: Five concerning trends in public education. Scripture warning about influences.
Consider and write answers to these questions:
Write a statement of why you homeschool and what you hope to accomplish:
| Topic | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| History | Compulsory schooling is recent (1852) and designed for standardization |
| Prussian Model | Designed for obedience, not critical thinking |
| John Dewey | Shifted focus from academics to social engineering |
| Spending vs. Outcomes | 156% more spending, flat results |
| Homeschool Research | 15-30 percentile points higher |
| Socialization | Homeschoolers equal or better |
| Legal Rights | Parents have fundamental constitutional rights |
| Biblical Mandate | Parents commanded to teach children |
You are not just "doing school at home." You are fulfilling the biblical mandate to raise the next generation in the fear and admonition of Yahuah. This is a sacred calling—embrace it!
Write: Eight key takeaways from this workbook. Your personal commitment as a parent-educator.
Share with another family why homeschooling matters and what the research shows.
Family shared with: Date:
| Lesson | Done | Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 7 | Day 21 | Day 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. First Compulsory Law | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. Prussian Model | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 3. John Dewey | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 4. Spending vs. Outcomes | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 5. Homeschool Research | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 6. Socialization Myth | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 7. Parental Rights | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 8. Homeschool Methods | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 9. Biblical Mandate | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 10. Dangers | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 11. Practical Vision | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 12. Summary/Calling | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Fill-ins: Massachusetts, 1852, order, values, high
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: Prussia, obedience, 1837
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: Progressive, Pragmatism, change
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: 1979, 96
MC: 1-C, 2-C, 3-B
Fill-ins: 15, 30, 78
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: socialization, 64, socializing
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: State, fundamental, fundamental
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: structured
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: teach, depart, nurture
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: 14,000, manners
MC: 1-C, 2-B
Truth Carriers Education System
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