Amen and amen and amen! We are Christians who prefer secular curriculum for our homeschool. We are also left of center but prefer curriculum that allows our children to learn the facts and think for themselves. Our kiddos are so little, and we really appreciate all the work you more seasoned mamas have done to find resources that let our children actually think!
So many good points here... We're a non-Christian religious family... It's not that I don't value Christian homeschoolers or Christian curriculum, but sometimes I really feel excluded... Or like I'm not really wanted at the party anyway... Whether it's a misrepresentation of my religion or values directly in their texts, loyalty statements as part of attending their conferences, or deeply hurtful statements in the most benign of chat forums... You begin to take the hint. That said, I've made real connections with wonderful Christian and non-religious homeschoolers. I just feel the polarization of everything these days, even homeschooling. So when I'm feeling excluded at the grand level, I have to remind myself of all the small, local connections I've made that are really quite wonderful.
And it also puts me in an awkward position... Because we are also conservative... But I love the diversity of voices that I can choose from. So I find myself welcoming the influx of materials that are now available but having to be incredibly careful and cautious when using them.
Thank you! I thought we were the only secular-but-conservative homeschoolers! We still might be the only ones in our city, but at least we're not alone in the world!
Melody, your video resonated with me deeply! I can't thank you enough for addressing this topic. Your ability to articulate the issue is truly impressive. I find myself in the exact same situation and have been wrestling with this challenge endlessly. At times, I wondered if I was being overly critical or simply not grasping the nuances. Just to provide a bit of context, I'm originally from Germany, and I made the decision to homeschool my daughter even before she was born. Your insights mean a lot to me.
I am a firm middle on most things. I don’t agree with all of your viewpoints but I absolutely don’t need to. We can all be grown. We can all be kind. We can all peacefully coexist and even enjoy each other. I am a proud subscriber of “you do you.”
I don't know why this popped into my feed, but it was fascinating to watch! I never considered this, as we don't homeschool, and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. I would say this is an EXCELLENT business opportunity for you to fill a huge void, although I'm sure with the demands of homeschooling/raising a family you probably have zero time for that, but something to consider! Great video :-)
I 100% agree with you that as long as we share the values of kindness and treating every human being with dignity, we can totally get along. I was more progressive in my younger years, but have gotten closer and closer to the middle as I get older. We are Christian, but more progressive Christians, which balances out to somewhere in the middle. We too use secular curriculum. I find some subjects like math and grammar don't have a whole lot of bias. Math is math, and grammar is grammar. But when you get into LA, social studies, and science, it gets much more tricky. Great video! The tribalism on both sides of the aisle is problematic. I find that when it comes down to it, most moderate people are pretty nuanced and their beliefs don't toe the line of any political party, and can even be all over the map when it comes to different issues. I would say I have more center left leanings on some issues, and more center right leanings on other issues.
My Daughter is using Oak Meadow's High School Biology and World History. She's enjoying it. It's nice to know that I am not the only one who feels this way!
Some curricula that come to mind (but it's possible they're not, so Internet please correct me!): Curiosity Chronicles, critical thinking co, bravewriter, iew structure and style (they have some religious but majority is not), fixit grammar, moving beyond the page, blossom and root, oak meadow, fallacy detective, build your library
I am secular but i watch non secular homeschooling families on youtube. There really is so much we can learn from each other. Occasionally Ill let an eyeroll escape😅 but i truly treasure all the youtubers who are secular and non secular homeschooling putting information out there that is helping me better my childs future and broaden his educational options. I definitely appreciate your channel, you talk and think so much like i do. Its hard to find anyone close who says what they mean and means what they say. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts; this is clearly an area that you feel really strongly about and I'm glad you've opened up space for folks to talk about it! I agree with most of the things you said. I think we would best be served in a pluralistic society. Right now, though, I think the possibility of this society actually becoming a reality greatly depends on where you live (in the US at least). For example: I live in a very rural town in the South. The vast majority of the homeschool resources around me (co-ops, parent groups, etc) are conservative and Christian, so unless I am okay with my kids being required to memorize Bible verses as part of their participation in these groups, we can't really be involved in them. I live in a state that has actively passed laws that have outlawed abortion and drag shows. "Conservative" in my state is synonymous with Christian lawmakers being VERY involved in our public and private lives, so I think it's very different than what you mean by "conservative" (if I am understanding you correctly).
Sounds like it. I live in a state that is very “liberal”, but in a small community that is very Christian and we have the same problem with finding homeschool groups.
Thank you for sharing this. I also fall into this idea you were sharing. My plan for at least history is to teach my kids about biases and how to analyze text even if it’s a textbook and read and watch material from different perspectives, then we will analyze biases.
I think the problem you’re having is conservative and Christianity are often seen as two sides of the same coin. Many conservative values are deeply rooted in religious foundations and biblical teachings. With secular curriculum being the absence of religious materials, you’re going to see a more progressive viewpoint as it’s based on acceptance. Conservative curriculum is based on tolerance. Tolerance is focused on setting yourself apart from the group. That’s fine for your family but not ok in my house. Acceptance is about respecting and recognizing the difference of each individual and by doing so recognizing how those differences impact how an individual is treated. You see more secular curriculum leaning liberal because it focuses on sharing many viewpoints while conservative based curriculum is more about sharing the same viewpoint in different ways. As far as the negative comments from liberals over conservatives. Why would conservatives comment negatively when you’re enforcing their conservative ideals? As someone who has stepped on the other side and shared many liberal views, I have to say conservatives can equally be just as mean and judgmental in the comment section.
I wish people on both sides would work towards kindness. Your description of conservative has not been my experience nor is it how I would describe things, but I appreciate you sharing your perspective. It’s useful to better understand different perspectives. My point overall is we don’t have to agree to learn from one another. We can have different perspectives and still be good people striving to learn. Neither “side” holds the standard on objectivity or inclusion.
I would add that conservative and Christian are no longer (and maybe never have been) synonymous. Either can be had without the other. That being said: in my experience conservatives are tolerant, accepting, and open minded. Conversely: liberals say that they are these things, yet respond with aggression and hate toward anyone that chooses to live life differently than them. This is of course a generalization and not true of all liberals, but the idea that conservatives aren’t open to many viewpoints or that I myself don’t share varying viewpoints is categorically incorrect.
@@HomeschoolHappyHour I agree they can be separate. Just like secular curriculum doesn’t always mean liberal agenda. We come from very different viewpoints and I think fundamentally as a conservative and libertarian you will always lean towards individualism and personal liberty. I as a liberal will always lean towards civil liberties.
@michellegf may I ask how you delineate between the two? I see personal liberty and civil liberty as interdependent. If we have one without the other, we have fallen short. I actually question if it’s even possible to do so
I personally have made the decision long ago not to fit into any boxes- I kind of go against the grain in my geographical area in many respects. We are trying to raise good, caring, kind and hard working individuals as well that can contribute to society as a whole. We live in a very blue state that has made many school based decisions that we do not agree with which made this pandemic homeschooler very happy for my choice to pull my kids out. I am also teaching my girls the beauty in aging gracefully and dressing appropriately. I would say its "old fashioned" values I am trying to instill in them- think Little House on the Prairie (minus the prairie dresses lol- we do have chickens!) We too are secular and I struggle at times to find good material especially for my 10th grader. I have used religious resources and my trusty black permanent marker to remove any information I feel unnecessary or indoctrinating. Please keep us posted if people have good secular more conservative suggestions!
❤ my husband is more conservative and I'm more liberal, in the end both of us are moderates (yes we still exist). I know its a shock that we are happily married after 17 yrs together but we know where we can agree to disagree and where we do agree. For example i dont agree with some of the messaging in tuttle twins but i appreciate your reviews of the tuttle twins and your review of the history curriculum was great and i am considering it.
As a religious homeschooling parent, I was forced to separate the hard sciences from the soft sciences. For example: physics is a hard science, while political science is a soft science--despite the token label. As I went down the road of hard science subjects, there were no religious curriculums available. Not a problem, it was completely unimportant, because two plus two is four whether you are Catholic or atheist. Stick with hard science programs that provide the quickest delivery system your kids can manage. The sooner your kids master the hard sciences, they can move on to whatever they find fascinating. And by the way, I'm a writer. I love the soft sciences (writing), but writing, art, philosophy, religion, rests on the foundation of hard science.
Off the top of my head, I can think of Corps (core?) Knowledge, several of the Tuttle Twins resources, several of the Prager U resources are secular and are now being used in public scholols in several states, I think that Guest Holllow can easily be used secular, obviously Lightning Literature…. Hmm……I feel like I’m missing a big one.
I have to say, I also want to hear different opinions and learn from folks unlike myself. I'm secular, but liberal. It was disappointing to hear you describe conservative values like being a good neighbor as though that isn't a universal value. Or that sex education with a liberal bent is hyper sexualized. It seems like you're less open than you suggest and rather, have a negative bias that makes me feel less like a welcome guest and more like I'm expected to give 'your side' my attention, while keeping 'my side' a silent observer.
Sorry to disappoint. I’ve come to accept that no matter how I word things, someone will be offended or disappointed. It’s not my goal, but I simply can’t make everyone happy. You’re under no obligation to give ‘my side’ any attention whatsoever and have I have no interest in silencing anyone. If you or anyone else has a side to share and can do so respectfully: please speak up. Let’s talk about it. We might surprise ourselves and find that we have more in common than we realize when if we only focus on how we are different.
Hi Melody, agree with your post here. Unfortunately, the UA-cam(Alphabet) platform has been quite a bit left leaning in general. (Censoring homestead channels on canning now?) So expect to see the very left leaning/cancel culture trolling in the comments if they don't 100% agree with anything you may say. We're a Christian homeschool family, but so what? We enjoy your content and are happy to get your tips and input on homeschooling. You do what works for you & your family, and we do what works for us. It is all good. 👍
I love this! Respect, helpfulness,and no pressure to follow any one path. Thank you!
Amen and amen and amen! We are Christians who prefer secular curriculum for our homeschool. We are also left of center but prefer curriculum that allows our children to learn the facts and think for themselves. Our kiddos are so little, and we really appreciate all the work you more seasoned mamas have done to find resources that let our children actually think!
Same camp here! We are also Christians who are left of center who prefer secular curriculum. I feel like we are such a rare breed. 😆
So many good points here... We're a non-Christian religious family... It's not that I don't value Christian homeschoolers or Christian curriculum, but sometimes I really feel excluded... Or like I'm not really wanted at the party anyway... Whether it's a misrepresentation of my religion or values directly in their texts, loyalty statements as part of attending their conferences, or deeply hurtful statements in the most benign of chat forums... You begin to take the hint. That said, I've made real connections with wonderful Christian and non-religious homeschoolers. I just feel the polarization of everything these days, even homeschooling. So when I'm feeling excluded at the grand level, I have to remind myself of all the small, local connections I've made that are really quite wonderful.
And it also puts me in an awkward position... Because we are also conservative... But I love the diversity of voices that I can choose from. So I find myself welcoming the influx of materials that are now available but having to be incredibly careful and cautious when using them.
Thank you! I thought we were the only secular-but-conservative homeschoolers! We still might be the only ones in our city, but at least we're not alone in the world!
Based on the comments, my guess is there’s more of us out there than either of us realized ❤️ I just wish I could make some in person connections 😏
Same here ❤️
I completely agree! Love this! Just subscribed!
Welcome 🤗
Melody, your video resonated with me deeply! I can't thank you enough for addressing this topic. Your ability to articulate the issue is truly impressive. I find myself in the exact same situation and have been wrestling with this challenge endlessly. At times, I wondered if I was being overly critical or simply not grasping the nuances. Just to provide a bit of context, I'm originally from Germany, and I made the decision to homeschool my daughter even before she was born. Your insights mean a lot to me.
Thank you for the positive feedback. It’s so nice to know I’m not alone in this. Living outside the box can be lonely.
I am a firm middle on most things. I don’t agree with all of your viewpoints but I absolutely don’t need to. We can all be grown. We can all be kind. We can all peacefully coexist and even enjoy each other. I am a proud subscriber of “you do you.”
Yes!!
Thank you for this great video! I suddenly feel less alone in the homeschool community!
Fantastic!
I don't know why this popped into my feed, but it was fascinating to watch! I never considered this, as we don't homeschool, and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. I would say this is an EXCELLENT business opportunity for you to fill a huge void, although I'm sure with the demands of homeschooling/raising a family you probably have zero time for that, but something to consider! Great video :-)
Thank you! Yes- time is at a premium 😂
I 100% agree with you that as long as we share the values of kindness and treating every human being with dignity, we can totally get along. I was more progressive in my younger years, but have gotten closer and closer to the middle as I get older. We are Christian, but more progressive Christians, which balances out to somewhere in the middle. We too use secular curriculum. I find some subjects like math and grammar don't have a whole lot of bias. Math is math, and grammar is grammar. But when you get into LA, social studies, and science, it gets much more tricky. Great video!
The tribalism on both sides of the aisle is problematic. I find that when it comes down to it, most moderate people are pretty nuanced and their beliefs don't toe the line of any political party, and can even be all over the map when it comes to different issues. I would say I have more center left leanings on some issues, and more center right leanings on other issues.
Same!
Love this! And you are definitely my homeschool twin 👯♀️
I always wanted a twin. Look out world!!
My Daughter is using Oak Meadow's High School Biology and World History. She's enjoying it. It's nice to know that I am not the only one who feels this way!
Some curricula that come to mind (but it's possible they're not, so Internet please correct me!):
Curiosity Chronicles, critical thinking co, bravewriter, iew structure and style (they have some religious but majority is not), fixit grammar, moving beyond the page, blossom and root, oak meadow, fallacy detective, build your library
Thank you for the great suggestions
I am secular but i watch non secular homeschooling families on youtube. There really is so much we can learn from each other. Occasionally Ill let an eyeroll escape😅 but i truly treasure all the youtubers who are secular and non secular homeschooling putting information out there that is helping me better my childs future and broaden his educational options. I definitely appreciate your channel, you talk and think so much like i do. Its hard to find anyone close who says what they mean and means what they say. Thank you!
Thank you 😊
Thank you for sharing your thoughts; this is clearly an area that you feel really strongly about and I'm glad you've opened up space for folks to talk about it! I agree with most of the things you said. I think we would best be served in a pluralistic society. Right now, though, I think the possibility of this society actually becoming a reality greatly depends on where you live (in the US at least). For example: I live in a very rural town in the South. The vast majority of the homeschool resources around me (co-ops, parent groups, etc) are conservative and Christian, so unless I am okay with my kids being required to memorize Bible verses as part of their participation in these groups, we can't really be involved in them. I live in a state that has actively passed laws that have outlawed abortion and drag shows. "Conservative" in my state is synonymous with Christian lawmakers being VERY involved in our public and private lives, so I think it's very different than what you mean by "conservative" (if I am understanding you correctly).
Sounds like it. I live in a state that is very “liberal”, but in a small community that is very Christian and we have the same problem with finding homeschool groups.
Thank you for sharing this. I also fall into this idea you were sharing. My plan for at least history is to teach my kids about biases and how to analyze text even if it’s a textbook and read and watch material from different perspectives, then we will analyze biases.
Such an important skill!
If ever there was a call for a non-religious amen, it's now. 😂 Sing it, sister!
I love this comment!
Yes - I agree. It seems like a it’s one extreme or the other. I have yet to find a sex ed curriculum Im comfortable teaching my kids
That can be a particularly tough subject to find a good balance with
I prefer to use the term traditional, although your traditions may not be the same as mine. Live and let live.
That’s a good way to describe it as well
I think the problem you’re having is conservative and Christianity are often seen as two sides of the same coin. Many conservative values are deeply rooted in religious foundations and biblical teachings. With secular curriculum being the absence of religious materials, you’re going to see a more progressive viewpoint as it’s based on acceptance. Conservative curriculum is based on tolerance. Tolerance is focused on setting yourself apart from the group. That’s fine for your family but not ok in my house. Acceptance is about respecting and recognizing the difference of each individual and by doing so recognizing how those differences impact how an individual is treated. You see more secular curriculum leaning liberal because it focuses on sharing many viewpoints while conservative based curriculum is more about sharing the same viewpoint in different ways.
As far as the negative comments from liberals over conservatives. Why would conservatives comment negatively when you’re enforcing their conservative ideals? As someone who has stepped on the other side and shared many liberal views, I have to say conservatives can equally be just as mean and judgmental in the comment section.
I wish people on both sides would work towards kindness. Your description of conservative has not been my experience nor is it how I would describe things, but I appreciate you sharing your perspective. It’s useful to better understand different perspectives. My point overall is we don’t have to agree to learn from one another. We can have different perspectives and still be good people striving to learn. Neither “side” holds the standard on objectivity or inclusion.
💯 Michelle!
I would add that conservative and Christian are no longer (and maybe never have been) synonymous. Either can be had without the other. That being said: in my experience conservatives are tolerant, accepting, and open minded. Conversely: liberals say that they are these things, yet respond with aggression and hate toward anyone that chooses to live life differently than them. This is of course a generalization and not true of all liberals, but the idea that conservatives aren’t open to many viewpoints or that I myself don’t share varying viewpoints is categorically incorrect.
@@HomeschoolHappyHour I agree they can be separate. Just like secular curriculum doesn’t always mean liberal agenda. We come from very different viewpoints and I think fundamentally as a conservative and libertarian you will always lean towards individualism and personal liberty. I as a liberal will always lean towards civil liberties.
@michellegf may I ask how you delineate between the two? I see personal liberty and civil liberty as interdependent. If we have one without the other, we have fallen short. I actually question if it’s even possible to do so
I personally have made the decision long ago not to fit into any boxes- I kind of go against the grain in my geographical area in many respects. We are trying to raise good, caring, kind and hard working individuals as well that can contribute to society as a whole. We live in a very blue state that has made many school based decisions that we do not agree with which made this pandemic homeschooler very happy for my choice to pull my kids out. I am also teaching my girls the beauty in aging gracefully and dressing appropriately. I would say its "old fashioned" values I am trying to instill in them- think Little House on the Prairie (minus the prairie dresses lol- we do have chickens!) We too are secular and I struggle at times to find good material especially for my 10th grader. I have used religious resources and my trusty black permanent marker to remove any information I feel unnecessary or indoctrinating. Please keep us posted if people have good secular more conservative suggestions!
❤ my husband is more conservative and I'm more liberal, in the end both of us are moderates (yes we still exist). I know its a shock that we are happily married after 17 yrs together but we know where we can agree to disagree and where we do agree. For example i dont agree with some of the messaging in tuttle twins but i appreciate your reviews of the tuttle twins and your review of the history curriculum was great and i am considering it.
I love “agree to disagree.” There are too many perspectives for us to expect uniformity
As a religious homeschooling parent, I was forced to separate the hard sciences from the soft sciences. For example: physics is a hard science, while political science is a soft science--despite the token label. As I went down the road of hard science subjects, there were no religious curriculums available. Not a problem, it was completely unimportant, because two plus two is four whether you are Catholic or atheist.
Stick with hard science programs that provide the quickest delivery system your kids can manage. The sooner your kids master the hard sciences, they can move on to whatever they find fascinating. And by the way, I'm a writer. I love the soft sciences (writing), but writing, art, philosophy, religion, rests on the foundation of hard science.
Off the top of my head, I can think of Corps (core?) Knowledge, several of the Tuttle Twins resources, several of the Prager U resources are secular and are now being used in public scholols in several states, I think that Guest Holllow can easily be used secular, obviously Lightning Literature…. Hmm……I feel like I’m missing a big one.
That’s a great list! Thank you for sharing
I have to say, I also want to hear different opinions and learn from folks unlike myself. I'm secular, but liberal. It was disappointing to hear you describe conservative values like being a good neighbor as though that isn't a universal value. Or that sex education with a liberal bent is hyper sexualized. It seems like you're less open than you suggest and rather, have a negative bias that makes me feel less like a welcome guest and more like I'm expected to give 'your side' my attention, while keeping 'my side' a silent observer.
Sorry to disappoint. I’ve come to accept that no matter how I word things, someone will be offended or disappointed. It’s not my goal, but I simply can’t make everyone happy. You’re under no obligation to give ‘my side’ any attention whatsoever and have I have no interest in silencing anyone. If you or anyone else has a side to share and can do so respectfully: please speak up. Let’s talk about it. We might surprise ourselves and find that we have more in common than we realize when if we only focus on how we are different.
Hi Melody, agree with your post here. Unfortunately, the UA-cam(Alphabet) platform has been quite a bit left leaning in general. (Censoring homestead channels on canning now?) So expect to see the very left leaning/cancel culture trolling in the comments if they don't 100% agree with anything you may say. We're a Christian homeschool family, but so what? We enjoy your content and are happy to get your tips and input on homeschooling. You do what works for you & your family, and we do what works for us. It is all good. 👍
Thank you. Agreed 100%- we each just need to do what’s best for our crew.
Love this! It’s definitely Trumps fault. 🤪😉🫶🏼🇺🇸