The Family / Children of God

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From high school to college in one simple step
By Charity (28), India
       Education has always been a big deal for me, ever since I was young. My parents and a couple that lived with us during most of my primary education years were faithful to teach us, but our education was quite unconventional, with very little "class time" and workbook work. All four of them were great at turning every opportunity into a learning experience, whether it was spelling words as we drove along in the car, or writing an essay or short story on the latest new village or city we'd visited.
       I did attend System school for close to three years, but it was in another language (Turkish), and I was still receiving English education while at home. The main thing that Dad and Mom instilled in me as a child was a love for learning.
       As I grew into my teens I spent a lot of time educating myself via reading Family publications, watching documentaries, and studying any resource material I could get my hands on. The amount of this resource material depended on which country we were in at the time, because we moved a lot.
       Once I turned 16 I stopped having any kind of bookwork at all, as I was a full-time teacher of toddlers, and then moved into doing office work. I did continue to read a fair amount, though, and if I didn't know something I made an effort to ask or research and learn about it.
       Then I went back to the U.S. at the age of 21. I was anxious to get my GED, but honestly was a little unsure whether I'd pass or not, as I wasn't sure if what I'd learned was actually what I needed to know for this test. GED provides testing centers where you can go in for a pretest. This test is the equivalent of one third of the final GED test, but they test you in the same atmosphere, with the same rules, etc. So I went in for this test (this was before I even took a look at a GED prep book) and scored very, very high. The officials told me I could go ahead and immediately take the GED, but I ended up waiting a couple more months, as I wanted to brush up on math. But taking the pre-test encouraged me to see that what I'd been taught was more than sufficient to meet the GED requirements and even the SAT/ACT requirements (which were tests I took privately later on).
       After taking my GED and scoring in the top 10 percent in Maryland's GED scores, I was offered a limited-funding scholarship to be used at any university I wanted to study at within the state. I ended up not availing myself of this offer, as it applied only to Maryland universities, and I was accepted into a Massachusetts distance-learning institution, as it was offering the courses I wanted at the most reasonable price with a flexible study schedule.
       I spent some time considering schooling options, as I wanted to receive more academic training and certification, but also needed it to fit into my rather tight schedule. At the time I was quite involved in helping our Media and Public Relations Office in the U.S. doing office work and research, so I decided to study something along those lines. Since I'm a single mother and my job was of course full-time, I chose a distance-learning center called "Harcourt Learning Center" and took a course in paralegal studies.
       I had no problem applying and being accepted, and completed and passed the course with honors in about half the allotted time. This course gave me a number of CECs (Continuing Education Credits), which go towards any degree I might want to receive in the future. I received a lot of encouragement and support from my Home members who helped to plan a payment program and encouraged me in my studies.
       Overall, it's quite simple to apply for and pass your GED, as well as to continue your education if you're interested in going past high school. It just takes a bit of determination and stick-to-itiveness, as well as willingness to work hard and study.
       Many of us may not have had the most conventional education, but when you take the time to evaluate and certificate your accomplishments and studies, you'll realize just how blessed we've been to experience the learning opportunities we have. Our education is well rounded and covers more aspects than most kids who've studied in a classroom setting all their lives.

[BOX SECTION:]
Youth Apprenticeship
By Chloe, WS
       It can appear to be a distinctly Family phenomenon to begin working in a ministry at 14 or 15, yet this is the educational program chosen in several European countries, used to start people on work as part of their education. I spent several years in Europe before joining WS, and met quite a few people who had trained as apprentices in their current trade.
       At this age, students choose the "pathway" they wish to pursue, and in some careers this involves apprenticeship. The manager of a publishing company I worked with was in his early 20s, having started early at the company as an apprentice and gaining much experience and responsibility along the way. With this approach, young people can assume much responsibility in their late teens or early 20s, as many of our Family young people have done. Educators outside Europe are considering adding apprenticeship to their program, as the article below explains.

Youth Apprenticeship
       By "On Purpose Associates," Funderstanding Web site (http://www.funderstanding.com/youth_apprenticeship.cfm)
       Youth apprenticeship is a learning system that prepares students for work by giving them a combination of classroom instruction and paid on-the-job training. In this education model, students obtain a set of well-defined occupational abilities by learning concepts in the classroom and applications in a work setting.
       Youth apprenticeship systems in the U.S. have been influenced by successful apprenticeship models in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and Austria. About 66% of the youth in these European countries use an apprenticeship system to prepare for the workforce.
       Programs begin accepting youth at age 15 or 16 (once they have finished their requisite education), and run for three to four years. Assessment in the academic classrooms has traditionally relied on tests and grades. In the occupational laboratories, however, assessment includes a combination of traditional testing and project completion. At the workplace, assessment is generally authentic and includes feedback from supervisors, mentors, and co-workers. Since students are working while learning, there is continual feedback on the quality of their efforts.

(Note from WS CVC department: On-the-job practical vocational training programs similar in approach to the CVC program that boast of combining hands-on experience and training leading to vocational qualifications are becoming common in the UK and U.S. They commonly appear associated with all sorts of catchy labels and promotional phrases like "cooperative education," "learning in the workplace," "modern apprenticeships," "earn while you learn," "learn by doing," "living classrooms," "work-based training," "life skills development," etc.)
[END OF BOX SECTION]

I thought my education was average-testing showed otherwise
By Steve (20), Argentina
       I was born and raised in the Family, for which I am very grateful. The Family is what I love and it is where I plan to raise my children (I already have one child of my own), at least until the time when they are old enough to choose for themselves.
       It's a bit difficult for me to compare our education with society's in general terms, because I haven't been in every place or situation. I can speak of what I've lived and seen to be true. However, statistically speaking and judging by what I've heard, the vast majority of children who have been raised in the Family have had absolutely no difficulty measuring up to, if not surpassing society's educational standards. I have had many friends who have taken high school exams and passed with flying colors. Many of these were surprised at how easily they passed, as they were truly convinced that they were below par.
       Scholastically the Family has made available all the material necessary for giving a child a proper education. There have been so many publications, and so much emphasis has been placed on child raising, that it's hard to imagine how anyone could complain. And then there are the homeschooling programs like CLE, A Beka, etc., which are usually fairly easy to get ahold of. It must be remembered that whether this material is properly put to use is as much dependent on the parent's will to teach as it is on the child's will to learn.
       I went through a stage were I fell behind in my schooling, but again it was because I had absolutely no desire to study. When I realized the importance of having a basic education, I caught up quickly. I have never thought of myself as brilliant, but I took the GED high school exam and not only passed it, but made the highest GED score in Canada listed for the past five years. I received a scholarship offer with my diploma, and many other possibilities for scholarships if that had been what I wanted to do with my life.
       I personally spent most of my childhood at school. My life was a school, as aside from the hours of actual "school," we were constantly being taught all sorts of practical things, which is more than I can say for a great many people I've met out there. I've come into contact with many people my age who couldn't sweep a floor if you paid them! Heck, some of 'em don't even know what a broom looks like! I think people tend to underestimate this sort of practical training, which is also key in the building of character. Having a slight sense of responsibility at a young age sure did me a lot of good, as it helped teach me patience and perseverance.
       Another great advantage in our homeschooling is the peaceful and stable environment of our Homes, which gives the children a peace of mind, in turn making it easier for them to concentrate on what they are being taught. As a child I was never made to deal with problems such as arguing and fighting between parents, excessive drinking, a poor relationship with the rest of my family, or the fear that I could get shot dead in the classroom. And even though I am an only child, I was never alone, as there were always plenty of other children living with us. I was blessed with the love of not only my parents, but also of many others who cared for me as if I was their own. Schooling was always given in a very personal way and I always felt that the teacher was actually concerned that I was learning properly.
       Due to the variety of people and personalities that we learn to relate to and deal with, most children raised in the Family have well-developed people skills. We also lead a very healthy life, both physically and spiritually, which is conducive to healthy and strong minds.
       Last of all, I would like to say that the key to the success of our education is due to our faith in the Lord, Who cares for us, gives us strength when we're weak, gives us answers when we're clueless, gives us the faith to believe that we can make it, provides us with a positive outlook on life, and gives us a reason for living.

[SET OFF IN A BOX:]
The reason for it all
       (Jesus speaking:) Family education is a matter of religious conviction. It is not simply how to get the best schooling; it is how to get the best schooling that prepares you for your life as a missionary.
       You can get a good education in the System if you apply yourself and diligently search out good schools and good teaching methods. You can get an even better education if homeschooled by dedicated parents and teachers. But the point of Family education is not just head knowledge, or book knowledge. You are also being trained in the Word and as missionaries-as world changers! And this reaches far beyond and covers a much more widespread area than simple book learning. Family education trains the whole person, and doesn't stop with only the mind.
       What I have ordained and what I wish is for you to prepare yourselves as missionaries, as those who will not only change the world with My love, but who will be leaders of many, many of My children during the Endtime. Through not just your studies, but your experiences, your environment, your interactions, your personal time with Me in the Word and prayer, I am teaching you and preparing you for taking a role of leadership on a worldwide scale in the years to come.
       This is not fantasy! This is coming! And I need you to be prepared all around-morally, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally.-All this is part of your education, as you learn wisdom and not just knowledge. I need for you to have the experiences to fall back on of trying and proving My Word. I need you to be practiced in hearing from Me and being led by Me. I need for you to be willing, adaptable, flexible, loving disciples. I need for you to learn My ways above all.
       So the decision to follow the path of Family education is a personal and religious one. It has to do with your convictions, your calling, and your desire to follow Me. Your training as My servants, My tools, My missionaries, My representatives, and My ambassadors is vital, for I wish for you to be prepared for the mighty deeds and great works and big responsibilities that await you in the future. (End of message.)
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The value of a Family education
By Joseph (FGA), U.S.
       There are some who question the value of the homeschooling we give our children, implying that our standards do not equal a System education. I can tell you that this is true. Our education exceeds the standards of those in the System!
       Let me give some background on my situation. I was imprisoned, along with Simon (also an FGA U.S. national), for five months in Mexico during the persecution in 2000. The Lord used this for many victories. I believe one of these is to show the value of our educational policies.
       While I was in prison, my daughter Ruth (11 at the time) was placed in the custodial care of my sister who is not in the Family. My sister worried that Ruth's education was lacking because of homeschooling. Ruth took a placement test for the Memphis school system [in Tennessee, U.S.] and was rated as having the equivalent of an 11th-grade education. There was talk of putting her in 7th or 8th grade rather than the 6th grade she was due to enter (the normal grade for her age, as well as the next grade in her homeschooling progression).
       My sister took custody of Ruth and entered her in school in September. Simon and I were not released until November 2000. I then had to go through the court system to regain custody of Ruth, even though my sister was not opposed to her returning to me. Thus, Ruth had to remain in the Memphis school system until the legalities were resolved. She did exceptionally well, thank the Lord! Her grade averages for the school year were all above 93%. Here are the teacher comments from her report cards:
       "Veronica [Ruth's birth name] is a very responsible, hard worker. She's a delightful addition to my class!"
       "Veronica continues to be a dedicated student."
       "Veronica, you are a wonderful student-a great asset to our class!"
       At the end of March of 2001, we were to be joined as father and daughter once again. The courts returned custody of Ruth to me. We were then able to re-enter a Family Home here in the States, and Ruth is presently using the CLE program.
       Ruth is proof that our children are well educated. Our homeschooling ranks with System education. As a matter of fact, it surpasses System education! The children receive more personal instruction; the greater personal attention serves as a motivator to learn. Finally, we have Jesus in the midst of the classroom. What could make for a greater education?

[QUOTE IN A BOX:]
       God called us a new nation! That means a whole new culture, a whole new way of life, a brand new people! We're a totally new nation spiritually, in faith and practice, and really in method and message too, although the message has have been preached to some extent, but never practiced as radically as we are doing! ("We Are It!" ML #2222:40)
[END OF BOX SECTION]

Another route possible?
My siblings' success stories
By Amanda, WS
       The temptation to think that our Family education isn't sufficient or that it doesn't prepare us for the "real world" is one of the Devil's favorites, but I believe that it just isn't true! Everything I've seen has proven to me the complete opposite.
       Almost all of my brothers and sisters have chosen to leave the Family, and have pursued various careers or courses of study. None of them received funding from my parents, who had spent the majority of their lives in the Family and therefore didn't have that kind of money to give their children. But that hasn't hindered my siblings from getting their education and pursuing worthwhile careers.
       To give you a little glimpse of what I'm talking about, here's a rundown on all of my brothers and sisters who are no longer in the Family and what they're doing. They're each as successful in their careers as they have chosen to be, and none have had trouble adjusting to secular life or being accepted into the workplace, high school, college, or other educational programs they have pursued.
       When my oldest brother (29) left the Family a number of years ago, he took a five-year architectural design course, while at the same time working as a chef to pay for his studies. He is now an architectural engineer.
       My stepsister (24) paid her own way through school by working on the side as well. She studied law, and graduated a few months ago from her university with honors. She received a scholarship to a very prestigious college for post-graduate studies.
       My younger sister (19) recently got her first job as a secretary in a large real estate firm in Sydney.
       My younger brother (21) went straight from his Family education into the secular school system, and fit right in with no problems. He's in university now, studying criminal justice, and is well on his way to becoming a member of the Australian Federal Police, Australia's equivalent of the FBI in the United States.
       My older brother (26) has held well-paying jobs since he left the Family. He quickly discovered that his leadership, communication abilities, and people-handling skills were highly sought after in the workplace. He never got a high school diploma or the equivalent, but he has never had trouble finding lucrative jobs. Each boss he has worked for has insisted on promoting him and giving him more responsibility, but this has often caused him to quit his jobs, because he didn't want the pressure of responsibility and management that his bosses always wanted to give him.
       My second oldest brother (28), while presently working as second-chef at a classy àla carte restaurant by the beach (he never received secular chef training), is studying professional landscape photography. After just one year of training, his photographs are selling for AUD$700 or more apiece-and that's with no advertising or promotion, simply after becoming known by word of mouth.
       When I was 16, I held a job in sales at a home décor store in Australia in order to raise funds to go overseas. I didn't have accreditation for my education at the time, but it didn't stop the store management from giving me the job, glowing references, and an offer of promotion when I chose to quit.
       No one can convince me that Family education isn't sufficient. Those who leave the Family, who choose to learn a profession and to diligently apply themselves to their goals can become a success. The good training received while in the Family assists them.

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       (Mama:)As I'm sure you've discovered in your witnessing, you young people in particular are miles ahead of your System peers when it comes to communication skills, being able to relate to people and understand them, etc. Some of the most sought-after skills by many employers in the System are being able to relate well to others and communicate well. There's hardly anywhere you can get better training for that than in the Family, because of our communal lifestyle and our outreach ministries. Not only do we have all the good training and advice in the Word, but we get to practice and learn and grow in this area on a daily basis in our interaction with each other in our Homes, and in our witnessing" (ML #3172:81; GN 777).

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It happened to me

Far from inadequate
By Nick (24, of Sherry), ABM, NACRO
       (Editor's note: Following is a reprint of Nick's testimony written in 1995, with updates added by him throughout.)
       I've heard it is being said that there are young people in the Family battling with the thought that the education we've received in the Family is inadequate. From my viewpoint and from what I have personally experienced, I would have to say that this is far from the truth.
       I was born into the Family in 1978. Like many others in the Family, my parents moved around a lot, and we found ourselves in many new and different situations every year. The one thing that we always had in every situation, though, was the Word and all the materials for learning supplied by the Family.
       The Word played an important role in the course of our schooling, and my mom placed the greatest emphasis on strong reading skills so that we would be able to feed ourselves from the Word. Like most Family kids, my sister and I were reading well at the ages of four and five.
       A head start, I would say, on your average school kid. Most kids in the public education system don't really start to read well until the first or second grade (age six or seven), and nowadays they are having a problem with kids graduating from high school not reading proficiently or some not at all. This is not farfetched; I actually met a few people who could barely read in the high school I wound up attending.
       It was from the Word and using Family publications and schooling materials that I received all the education I needed to prepare me for what lay ahead.
       Of the ten years of schooling required by some countries' educational standards, my sister and I have only attended a total of two years of secular school. Even at that, those two years were scattered over a ten-year period. We spent a month or two in kindergarten, a couple of months in first grade, a month or two in third grade, and a few months in fifth grade, and so forth. Due to our family's travels as missionaries, we would drop in to a local school system for a short time and then drop right back out when we needed to move on. But each time we were temporarily placed in secular school, we were always way ahead of the other kids, academically and socially.
       Why was that? Was it because we were extraordinary, gifted, highly intelligent, mega-smart kids with enlarged brains? No! To the contrary, we were just your normal, average Family kids, raised with a Family education.
       In 1990 my parents became Fellow members, and we began living on our own rather than full time in a [CM] Family Home. While this did not necessarily change our day-to-day living, it was still a time of adjustment for us. After years of homeschooling, we decided to try the local public high school.
       So in September of 1992, my parents enrolled my older sister and me in a high school in California. When we first started school there, they gave us a hard time because we had no school records from secular schools. They didn't quite know how to handle our "files"! Ha! The high school counselor who helped us schedule our classes was "very concerned" that since we had been homeschooled our whole lives, we wouldn't be able to adapt "socially." He also wondered if we were capable of coping with schoolwork at the high school level, since in his eyes we had no "formal education."
       Throughout the school year they continued to hassle us about the fact we had been homeschooled. At one point they even threatened that we wouldn't be able to officially graduate because of the lack of necessary credits from attending public schools.
       The Lord got a real victory out of this whole situation, though, and proved that what they were saying about our previous education was untrue. This was the first time we had attended a full year of secular school, and in the end we came out with straight A's-a grade point average of 4.0-which in the States are the highest marks you can get. Every semester there was an honor roll and students had to have good "attitudes and behavior" as well as good grades to be placed on it. My sister and I were consistently on the honor roll. There is also a ranking for all the students in each class at the end of the year, and I ranked number one out of all my freshman class (9th grade, usually age 14) of 467 kids. Overall, it was a great testimony and victory!
       Am I boasting? Yes, for sure, about our supposedly inadequate Family education! Am I exaggerating? No, I still have the high school report cards and student transcript to prove it.
       Shortly after my high school experience, the Lord opened the door for me to rejoin the CM Family and I've had the blessing and privilege of serving Him full time in this wonderful Family for the past several years. I am now 24 years old, married, have a child, and am working at the NA Activated desk as well as doing the Home's finances and the ABM work for the west of the U.S.
       Through my opportunity to experience formal education firsthand, I know and can say with full conviction that the education we have received in the Family is truly one of the best you could get. I have confidence that for either serving the Lord in the Family or living a secular life, our education is more than adequate. If you, too, find yourself enrolled in one of the schools of the world or attending some form of the public education system, you will find that they have nothing more to offer than to prove this point! I honestly feel you couldn't pay enough to receive the type of education we have received in the Family.

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It's all in your presentation
By Christy (24, of Isaac and Ruth), Thailand
       (Editor's note: Christy and Jonas have received a lot of media attention as a result of their lukthoong singing ministry. Here Christy explains how they answer questions about their education.)
       With both local and foreign media, as well as individuals of the educated or upper class, a question that often comes up is, "What kind of an education do you have?" or "What kind of college degree do you have?" This isn't always the easiest question to deal with, especially if you're an SGA who, out of necessity (and with a cheerful heart, of course), was involved full time helping in the Home or out singing and witnessing.
       Mama and Peter have shared with us that they feel that we have a wonderful education and nothing to be ashamed of or feel intimidated about. That's so true and I feel the same way. But you've got to know how to explain that wonderful education to the general public, and especially to upper-class people, in a way that they can relate to and understand so that they will be better able to receive and accept you and what you have to say to them.
       I'm not so familiar with the way it is in the West, but I know that here in Asia, education is a big deal-and I mean a really big deal! It's what people hinge their lives, their success, and their future on. In many cases, whether they're going to listen to you or accept you and what you have to say hinges on the impression they have about your education. A lot of us in the Family are very successful, even by System standards, and we certainly have a lot to say that people need to listen to and accept, but the education issue can be an easy one to get stuck on, and in some cases, our answers-or lack thereof-can have a negative effect.
       When Jonas and I first started to go more public with our singing ministry, we had to actually stop, sit down, talk out, and list the different aspects of our education-what we've done and learned-and then translate it into understandable terms for the general public. As I said, we have learned lots of things and can do lots of things, but we just don't know how to properly explain that to someone in GP terms. You can't really say, "Praise the Lord, I had a wonderful education. I traveled constantly my entire childhood from place to place and I was able to meet lots of people and learn about different cultures and foods and people and I feel that was my education. Anyway, it was super duper fun!" That might in fact be part of your answer, but perhaps a slight alteration in presentation would be helpful.
       In my case, my parents now run their own international kindergarten, hold seminars, and advise parents on their children's education and care. When you think about it, a lot of our parents are similar to us SGAs in that they too dropped out of school to serve the Lord (or to become hippies and then serve the Lord). I read testimonies all the time about our Family FGAs who are running this or that major project and are considered experts in this or that field, just like my parents. They're far more qualified than a lot of non-Family members their age who have received a formal education and all sorts of degrees, because they have experience (and the Lord's anointing!).
       Jonas and I listed all the different things we know how to do or have learned or have CVC diplomas in-which have been a real help and blessing, even in just being able to answer this question with conviction. Everyone has different things they've done and learned, and thus the answers would vary accordingly. But for my part, when I'm asked what my education was like, here's what I say:

My parents were teachers and are educational consultants and experts in the field of education, which made for a wonderful education for me. So even though my family traveled a fair bit and I grew up in countries where the local languages were not my first language, I was able to keep up with my education using courses that I could follow with private tutoring at home. I feel very privileged, also, as I feel that my education was enriched by being able to partake of and learn about so many different countries and beautiful cultures and peoples, as well as come in contact with people from many different walks of life. In addition to my education, my parents also gave us children a great gift in allowing us to be involved in their volunteer projects and to join them in helping and encouraging others, whether it was the underprivileged, or the elderly, or other children our own age, or anyone. This made a huge impression on me, and is one of the things that influenced my life and caused me-when it came time for me to choose my own profession and way of life-to follow in their footsteps and do what I am doing today.

This is a lengthier answer that may not be necessary, but something like this may be what you'd choose to say if you're being interviewed or are in a situation where you have the opportunity to get in a bit of a witness or sample. But for the short version, you could consider using just the first part of the answer, however you choose to word it.
       When asked about my college education, I simply state the following:

These are the subjects that I took, and I have diplomas in this, this and this field (and you could list the subjects that you have CVC diplomas in, whether it's performing arts, public relations, teaching English as a second language, etc.). I chose these subjects because I felt that they best suited my chosen line of work. They were subjects that I thought would be the most useful to me, as they have proved to be (and I try to give examples of this point).

Another point is that I know of many colleges that rate you on a point basis, not just by your classroom or "on paper" work. With this rating system, you get your diploma based also on actual points and quality of and time in fieldwork, etc. This is where our vocational training and experience is a very big plus, because you can get a very decent education just from that. This is another approach we've found helpful in explaining our education.
       When you talk about it that way, people don't question your education and it is easy for them to understand and relate to. A large part of your presentation is personally having faith and confidence and being very matter of fact in the way that you explain it, as it helps people to accept it when they see that you really believe in what you're saying and are full of your subject.
       In going over your answers, it helps to try to relate them to the upper class and think about how they would think and see things. We really don't have to feel intimidated or inferior. We can have faith and confidence in what we know and have learned and can do, and that what Mama and Peter have said about the education of our Family young people is true of us as well. But if we're not very convinced ourselves and are somewhat namby-pamby about it, then we're certainly not going to convince anyone else or give a very good impression to the general public or to those who are interested and asking us about it.
       I wasn't always very convinced myself, but I've seen more and more how true it is that our Family education has value. I heard the testimony of one of the SGAs in Indonesia (Rejoice, of John M.) who had gone to a school to set up an educational seminar or activity of some kind. As she was doing so, the school psychologist came and started questioning her about her qualifications. He said he was responsible to make sure that no one came into the school who would cause harm to the children or who wasn't competent in that field or who didn't know what they were talking about. He wanted to know what her authority was and why she felt she was qualified to be there. She very politely but matter-of-factly and with conviction told him that she felt she was very qualified to be there, as she had this and this and this and this-six different college diplomas in the field of education and early learning, all of which were the CVC diplomas she had received. The man was speechless; he had nothing more to say. Rejoice went on to organize and lead her seminar, and proved that she had the abilities and the experience to back up her qualifications.
       Not long ago on a trip to the U.S., we were eating dinner with a young but very wealthy, influential couple and one of their friends, all of whom have bachelor's degrees and more than one also have master's degrees. They are considered real intellectuals-your typical educated, successful types. We had been staying with this couple for a few days and had had lengthy conversations on all sorts of subjects, from world politics to the financial markets to child training to Asian culture to spiritual well-being, and so on and so forth.
       In the course of our dinner conversation, the friend said to me, "We were discussing last night how your intelligence and education level is way above that of an average 24-year-old (and they were probably thinking, "and especially for a singer," ha!), and how incredibly well versed and knowledgeable you are on so many subjects. We realized that you've never said anything about your education. (Ha! Like I was gonna bring it up!) So we were wondering about your bachelor's and master's. What subjects did you take and where?"
       Well, guess what I thought just then? Oh, wow! Mama and Peter were right about our Family education! Yeah, I know I was a bit slow in figuring that one out (just shows how intelligent I really am), but honestly, that dinner conversation was a major breakthrough for me. Compared to the average 24-year-old, or even 20-year-old in the Family, I'm very, very average (yes, you're right, probably even below average). And the comments of these people were proof to me that we in the Family-no matter what preconceived or tainted ideas some of us may have about ourselves-have received a very good education, in fact, above average. We ought not to feel intimidated or inferior or worried about having to talk about or explain it. Rather, we ought to be proud of it, and then build on it, and use it to the best of our ability for the Lord and the furtherance of His work.

[IN A BOX:]
       We would like to gather more evidence in favor of the education the Lord has given us in the Family, so if YOU have a testimony about how your education has been accredited, recognized, or used in an official sense when needed, please send it in. You may also know of young people who have left the Family whose training or education helped them get a good start in the professions they chose-this would be helpful to hear as well. Let's spread the good news! Tx!
[END OF BOX]

* * *

News briefs On the Value of Homeschooling
       (For the complete articles that these quotes and excerpts were taken from, and for more news articles on the GED and the value of homeschooling, see the complete compilation of "News Articles on the Value of Homeschooling" on the MO site.)

According to The Wall Street Journal, "Evidence is mounting that home-schooling, once confined to the political and religious fringe, has achieved results not only on par with public education, but in some ways surpassing it" ("School's Out" by Daniel H. Pink, Reason magazine, 2001).

* * *

Albert Einstein, winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics: "It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry."

* * *

New York State 1991 teacher of the year John Taylor Gatto said in Philadelphia, "The WORST homeschoolers are doing better than I ever did in all my years of teaching."

* * *

The trump card the educational establishment used to play against homeschooling is socialization, but the notion that homeschoolers are misfits has been struck a death blow by a young man named Larry Shyers. Dr. Shyers recently completed a doctoral dissertation in which he challenged the myth that youngsters schooled at home "lag" in social development. In his study, eight- to ten-year-old children were videotaped at play. Their behavior was observed by trained counselors who did not know which children went to regular schools and which were homeschooled. Their conclusion: "The study found no big difference between the two groups of children in self-concept or assertiveness, which was measured by their social development tests. But the videotapes showed that youngsters who were taught at home by their parents had consistently fewer behavioral problems."
       (AP, 1994)

* * *

In 1992 psychotherapist Larry Shyers did a study while at the University of Florida in which he closely examined the behavior of 35 home schoolers and 35 public schoolers. He found that home schoolers were generally more patient and less competitive. They tended to introduce themselves to one another more; they didn't fight as much. And the home schoolers were much more prone to exchange addresses and phone numbers. In short, they behaved like miniature adults.
       ("Home Sweet School," John Cloud and Jodie Morse, Time magazine, August 2001)

* * *

In a 1998 study by Dr. Lawrence Rudner of the University of Maryland, over 20,000 home-schooled students took standardized tests and completed other questionnaires. The study concluded that "in every subject and at every grade level of the [tests], home-schooled students scored significantly higher than their public and private school counterparts." Furthermore, the study shows that home-schooled children had average scores that fell between the 82nd and the 92nd percentile in reading and reached the 85th percentile in math. By the eighth grade, the average home-schooled student is performing four grade levels above the national average.
       (Dr. Isabel Lyman, Cato Commentaries)

* * *

"Home schoolers bring certain skills-motivation, curiosity, the capacity to be responsible for their education-that high schools don't induce very well," a Stanford University admissions officer told The Wall Street Journal ("An A for Home Schooling," Brian C. Anderson, City Journal, Summer 2000)

* * *

More than two-thirds of American colleges now accept [home schoolers'] transcripts, though some require home-schooled applicants to submit a GED or additional subject exams, and home schoolers now attend 900 colleges of all descriptions. Harvard accepts approximately ten every year. Oglethorpe in Atlanta actively recruits home schoolers.
       (Brian C. Anderson, City Journal, Summer 2000)

* * *

This year, home-schooled kids swept the top three places on the National Spelling Bee, and Stanford accepted 27 percent of its home-schooled applicants, nearly twice its average acceptance rate (Brian C. Anderson, City Journal, Summer 2000)

* * *

William Bennett used to be the U.S. Secretary of Education, but today he travels the nation to preach the home-school gospel. Working himself up to promote K12, his slick, new, for-profit online school for home schoolers, Bennett even suggested that "maybe we should subcontract all of public education to home schoolers." It was strange to watch a man once responsible for federal aid to public schools urge people to desert them.
       ("Home Sweet School," John Cloud and Jodie Morse, Time magazine, August 2001)

* * *

Leo Damrosch, a Harvard English professor began home schooling his sons, 10 and 13, in part because "the two writers I've studied most intensively for many years, William Blake and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, were both geniuses of astounding originality, and neither of them went to school for a single day."
       ("Home Sweet School," John Cloud and Jodie Morse, Time magazine, August 2001)

* * *

John Taylor Gatto was an award-winning junior high school teacher for 30 years in Manhattan's public schools, and yet he gave it all up abruptly in 1991, resigning very publicly on the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal. He said he could no longer remain in a system that trained children merely to obey orders, where curiosity was stamped out, and where attempts at reform were fruitless.
       "Government schooling is the most radical adventure in history. It kills the family by monopolizing the best times of childhood and by teaching disrespect for home and parents."-From John Taylor Gatto's resignation statement (Wall Street Journal, July 25, 1991)

* * *

By the time my high school class graduates, I will have my Associate of Arts degree and be on my way to a university as a junior. And it is hard to imagine all the life experiences I will have by then. I can do anything and there are no words to describe how great that feels.-PNS Commentator Megan Moss, 15. Megan is currently homeschooling and attending Chabot Community College in Hayward, CA.
       ("Home Schooling: A Happy Exit from High School," Megan Moss, Pacific News Service, 2001)

* * *

"I think one of the obvious benefits of a home-school education versus any other trend is you can focus on specific needs and interests in your education," said Paige Kimble, director of the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee. "Children in other types of schooling follow a set program regardless of whether they are interested or need that program."
       ("Home-schoolers find vindication in contests," Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah, Chicago Tribune, 2001)

* * *

What effect does homeschooling have on the kids themselves? Are they less social or more social? Do they become misfits in society? Barb Lundgren, who homeschooled her three children in the "Unschooling" manner advocated by educational philosopher John Holt, states, "I have found that homeschooled kids are quite different from 'normal' kids. All ages and abilities can play and work together without prejudice. The degree of natural compatibility, the ability to cooperate and share that homeschooled children show is remarkable. There are no words in our language to describe such children. … It's through their interactions with other people that you really step back and say, 'Wow, these are really different kids."' If I had to describe them, I guess 'extraordinary' is the most useful nutshell sort of word. Extremely mature, responsible. Passionate, sensitive, careful, respectful."
       (Samuel L. Blumenfeld, WorldNetDaily.com)

* * *

"Our home-schoolers often have a lot of initiative," said Anne Sjostrom, assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Duke University. "They're operating on a high level that makes them comparable with people from a background of high-level classes."
       ("Home-schoolers find their options abundant," Yonat Shimron, Charlotte News and Observer, 2000)

* * *

College Admissions Adapts to Students Taught at Home
By Julie Blair, Education Weekly
       Many colleges and universities that once viewed home-schooled applicants with skepticism have recently begun to change that outlook, a new survey suggests, with some even going so far as to craft special admissions policies to simplify the assessment process for students who have been taught at home.
       In the past, many colleges required that home-schooled students take a barrage of standardized tests and earn the General Educational Development credential in lieu of a high school diploma before applying for admission.
       A majority of institutions responding to the survey now consider the use of portfolios, a parent's transcript, and SAT and ACT results as legitimate methods of assessing such students' preparation, the report says.
       College-admissions counselors are generally supportive of home-schooled students and want to find ways to help them apply to college, said Irene M. Prue, the assistant director of admissions at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga., who has studied the issue.

* * *

What's Going on Behind School Walls?
Or, perhaps more important, what is not going on?
Graeme Hunter, National Post (Canada)
       I teach at the top end of the public system, in the university. Every year I have students who come to talk to me about a terrible discovery they have made. It is always the same discovery. They find they have wasted the first 20 years of their lives. They are angry at a school system that relentlessly told them they were banqueting, but left them empty; that praised their beauty, while disfiguring their souls; that told them of their rights, while disregarding its own responsibilities.
       By the time I meet them there is no perfect remedy. But I tell them to be thankful that at least they were not among those who ran amok on a shooting rampage. And I suggest they consider homeschooling their children.
       Graeme Hunter homeschools in Ottawa and is a professor of philosophy at the University of Ottawa.

* * *

School's Out Forever
By Kathy Evans, The Age, Melbourne
       Jeff Richardson, a lecturer in education at Monash University who has spent the last seven years researching home education, says: "The evidence shows overwhelmingly that these children perform extremely well, above average, when they re-enter formal education. "That appears to be across the board, whether they sat at home and had formal lessons from the Oral Roberts School of Fundamental Christians or whether they were up-a-tree hippies who had no formal learning pattern. On any measure you like, socially or academically, they will do better.
       "Anybody who cares enough about the education of their children, who turns around and says I don't trust the authorities to do as good a job as I can, is virtually guaranteed to succeed."

* * *

The New Trivial Pursuit
By John Leo, US News & World Report magazine.
       Colleges are unsure of their mission, buffeted by consumer pressures and ideological forces, and unwilling to say what a sound education might consist of.
       Pancakes 101. Hot subjects on the modern campus include witchcraft, magic, and extraterrestrial life. An even hotter craze is "food studies," which appeal strongly to students who like to eat and chat about it in classes that are hard to flunk.
       Another hot subject is "porn studies." At colleges great and small, students now read pornography and watch porn movies for credit.
       "We are being cheated," Amherst College student Yelena Malcolm wrote about her school last year. "We do not emerge from this college with the best education possible. We certainly do not emerge with anything remotely resembling a liberal arts education in the traditional sense of the word."
       The junk courses creep in because much of the professoriate now believes that nothing can truly be known, so nothing truly matters.

"People don't need to fear that if they do something off the beaten track during the high school years that they're ruling out college," says Susannah Sheffer, editor of Growing Without Schooling magazine.
       Ms. Sheffer explains that when people hear about homeschooled teens, their first question is, "Can they get into college?"
       "It's no longer an issue," she says. "Public universities, private colleges, Ivy League schools-homeschoolers are everywhere."
       "Homeschoolers can take the same steps as other students," Sheffer says. They fill out applications, write essays, and take tests. Some homeschoolers create a transcript with the help of a school. Others don't bother with a transcript at all.
       "The part that's different is where you describe what you've been doing the last four years," Sheffer says. Homeschoolers often include writing samples, examples of internships and travel experiences, and descriptions of books they have read.

* * *

Optional Reading
       Dear Family, following are previously pubbed articles about Family education and the value of CVC diplomas, compiled here for your reference.

Legality of our schooling proven
By Andrew, Mercy and Aaron, Italy (GV 76)
       Our daughter recently left the Family, as she wanted to pursue higher education in university. She had completed the academic program with CLE and therefore was accredited a high school diploma. Upon requesting admission in the university, she was asked to show her high school credits. Since she studied with a foreign school, the credits and diploma had to be verified with the Italian embassy in the U.S. The CLE supplied us with all the documentation, which we sent off to the embassy. We just received the package back from the embassy confirming the legality of the documents we submitted, as well as the high school curriculum, etc., which included the Good Thots, Memory Book and other Family-based materials. Our daughter then went to the university and submitted these documents, and they were accepted without any problems. We thought to send in this testimony as at times the "legality" of our homeschooling is questioned-but it is very much legal.

* * *

With CVC, passed as "brain child"
By Anonymous Russian (GV 73)
       Although I've been a good student all my life and never had to struggle with learning, I did drop out of high school to join the Family, which left me with no valid proof of education besides my junior high school records.-Not very impressive for a 23-year-old girl!
       When I arrived in Europe with the intention of getting a EU passport (try to get anywhere with a Russian one!) I was a bit worried. Here you are required to show your proof of education among other papers, and all I had was CVC certificates. I wasn't sure if those would do. If they wouldn't accept that, I would end up in the "second-class" group of foreigners, which would mean being put back into local high school and other courses "to catch up on missed education" before I could even dream of getting my papers done.
       Well, guess what? I just prayed and tried my best to come across official and sure of myself, and the Lord did it! The people that were interviewing me were very impressed by my "two high educations" [diplomas in two fields of study]. When they asked why the papers looked the same, I explained that I went for the "business pack" that included management, computer applications, etc., and they were perfectly fine with that.
       They also wanted to know why I, being a Russian, went to American college, so I told them that since Russia only "went into business" from the Communist regime a few years ago, there are really no schools or colleges where you can learn much about business. Since I wanted to work with foreign companies and be a translator, I enrolled in the Christian Vocational College. That was also accepted and I passed as your average "brain child," instead of a high school dropout! I was assigned to take a short language course, after which I can apply for my new passport and hopefully leave for hungrier fields!

* * *

Family education got her in
By Joy (of Paul), Australia (GV 91)
       Joyanne (Kannika) of John and Promise returned from India. She wanted to go FM as she was worried about her education. She wanted to do her HSC (high school certificate) and then go on to university.
       After visiting with some counselors at the school, they wanted more information from her. She gathered her qualifications and they were very impressed. She has her CLE marks listed in her CLE transcript, a lot of which are Family courses (Word, etc.), her CAT scores, along with a St. John's Senior Certificate in First Aid and her work with the poor in both India and Thailand. They said that she qualified to go straight into university. This is pretty good going, as here in New South Wales your HSC (high school certificate) is highly regarded. Not only is she now doing her Bachelor of Science in nursing, but the counselors even suggested medicine for her.

* * *

CVC education worth $15,000
By a Home in Italy (GV 120)
       Michael began studying with the CVC four years ago to qualify for an exemption to compulsory military service in his country. During that time, he has earned four certificates; Christian Service, Christian Leadership, English-Croatian Proficiency, and Ordination. These certificates and other CVC documents were all accepted by the military and he is starting his fifth year in the program with official exemption from military service.
       He and his wife, while on the field in Hungary, were witnessing to and became close to some American military support personnel. When they showed them his certificates, these "highly educated" Americans asked how much his studies cost, and he replied that this program was completely free for Family members. They were flabbergasted and told him that in the U.S. they'd have to spend around $15,000 for such a program. They asked if they could sign up right away.
       Michael was the first EE national to be granted a military exemption with the CVC, and we understand that there are now others in the EE doing the same. Michael is understandably very turned on to the CVC and his enthusiasm has sparked the others in our Home. Now everyone is enrolling!

* * *

Offers from top universities
By Jodie and Joy, Brazil (GV 120)
       Lisa (17) has left the Family, went to an American school and has hit the honor roll, has the best grades in her class, and already has offers from top universities (Johns Hopkins, Yale, etc.), and I keep receiving congratulations on our homeschooling. It's quite a testimony, which is remarkable for that school, which is nicknamed the "millionaire's school." Her sample has been a testimony for the Family and our children's education. They are even asking me what methods we use, which books, etc.

* * *

City office says our curriculum is "excellent"
By Jonathan, Claire, and Lydia, Japan (GV 125)
       The Board of Education from our City Office came over to check on our homeschooling and to make sure that the children were all receiving a good education. I have to say that there was a real satisfaction in seeing these officials marvel at how well the kids are doing studying at home. They right away said that they would be sending us written approval from the City Office to teach our own kids and that our curriculum was excellent.

* * *

Family education lauded by military
By Ginny, USA (GV 125)
       Although it is no victory that my son left the Family to join the Navy, in looking on the bright side, the Lord showed me that helping him to leave would provide me with information and experiences that I can help other parents with.
       I would say my son had a very typical Family education: Like many of our teens, he was schooled through the 8th-grade level using CLE materials and a little CVC. Then he went to a field Home where he spent a year and a half without anything really structured educationally, and no solid plan except to perhaps take the GED. When he had time he would study a GED study guide and math book that I sent him. I also found some math CDs, since he wanted to learn algebra, and he used those as well. Of course he did plenty of vocational-type work in the Home and learned different skills, as well as spending a little bit of time learning the local language and a lot of time being exposed to it.
       In order to join the military or go to college, a high school diploma with transcripts and course descriptions was needed. After researching it and talking with a high school counselor, I knew my son was easily on par with graduating USA high school students, so we set out to prove it by documenting it.
       It was pretty inspiring for my son to see all that he had accomplished, because at the beginning of this project, he felt because he hadn't followed a set curriculum that it meant he hadn't really done high school level work. A lot of everyday-type work or Family experiences translate into credits for academic or elective courses. We followed guidelines from the CVC and a book I found about documenting homeschooled kids educations (AndWhat About College? by Cafi Cohen). Once I got my son started, he worked on it for nearly two weeks, translating his academic and vocational experiences into "educationese" with the help of "scope and sequences" from System publishers and the CVC book. When it was done, he was so inspired to see that his education, which had seemed to him to be unorthodox compared to mainstream schooling and therefore inferior, was actually superior-and that he had done much more than the average USA public-schooled student. We gave him credits and a grade-point average, then issued him a beautiful "homeschool" high school diploma (from our computer!).
       When a Federal government educational reviewer called me a few days later to quiz me about his education, I felt a little bit nervous, knowing that they look down their noses at homeschooled students. But the first thing the lady said was, "These are the best transcripts and course descriptions I have ever received or looked at in my career. We are so impressed. Your son has had an excellent education."
       (Editor's note: If you're interested in obtaining information on how to make transcripts and course descriptions, you can contact Ginny in Indonesia. Following is the continuation of this story.)

* * *

Family-schooled young person wins Navy academic excellence award
By Ginny, USA (GV 132)
       My son did very well at boot camp and graduated as one of the best recruits out of the nearly 700 boys there. He won the academic excellence award for his division and nearly for the whole boot camp. Because of this, the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) and the Navy contacted us, wanting to publish an article on how a homeschooled guy did so well, since generally speaking the military looks down on homeschooled kids.

* * *

CVC tested in Russian regional court
By DJ (of Davida), Russia (GV 138)
       I met an American couple in our city that needed the help of an independent translator. They came to adopt two children from a local orphanage and ran into a network of corrupt officials and translators.
       After getting the okay from the Lord, and with my Home's consent, I accepted the job. But I wasn't sure about one thing-I'd joined the Family 11 years ago and thanks to the Lord, I learned to speak English, but I don't have any official diplomas. In school I studied French. When I was 17, I dropped out of university to join the Family and never received any further [formal] education. I even lost all my school and university documents in a raid during persecution seven years ago. The only papers I have are various CVC diplomas that I've earned in the last few years. But would my CVC "Oral and Written Translations Russian-English" diploma hold water with the Russian legal system?
       In Russia the red tape is very red! The officials take pleasure in giving people the maximum amount of hassle. To help this couple I would have to translate legal documents, have my translations approved by local notaries, and represent the American couple in the regional court. I told the couple that with my "little" diploma I probably would be turned down. But they insisted on trying it anyway.
       We went to two public notaries, I showed my CVC diploma, and both accepted it! The day of the court hearing came and the same thing happened-I was admitted right in, with only CVC credentials.
       Russian regional court officials are not stupid; it's one of the most legalistic systems in the world. They had my background and education checked and verified. I had to sign and bear legal and criminal responsibility if any of my translating was false.
       The end result is that this couple was able to adopt two neglected Russian toddlers. Now these children are happy, healthy, and safe, living in a nice home with caring parents. I believe that CVC played an important part in helping their lives be saved from a very dark future.
       So, please, don't tell me that my CVC diplomas aren't worth anything. I've used them and I've tried them and they're great. I don't need anything else!

* * *

Educational authority's recognition of our homeschooling
By Ben and Faithy, Russia (GV 138)
       Our daughter Fleur was homeschooled all her life, first with the help of SuperWork books, and then, from grade 8 through high school she was enrolled in the CLE full program. She obtained a CLE General High School Diploma, as well as four CVC Diplomas in childcare and computer skills. She finished high school shortly before she turned 18, and then she decided to leave the Family.
       She settled in Holland and the first step she had to take was to enroll in a school to learn Dutch, as she never lived in the Netherlands, and knew very little Dutch. She also had to have her diplomas evaluated, so the Dutch educational authorities could give her a Dutch equivalent of her diplomas, as the Dutch schooling system is much different and more sophisticated and demanding than the American school system. She submitted all her diplomas, both CVC and CLE, and the CLE Office also has sent a record of her grades directly to her school counselor. And in their stead she obtained the highest Dutch high school diploma she could possibly obtain! As you can imagine, both she and we were very happy with that, and it helped her to have confidence in her education. Besides that, she has been the top student in her Dutch language school.
       After almost a year of learning Dutch, she took entrance exams to a well-known hotel management college. There were over 200 students vying for 90 places. After the exams, which included written tests, group discussion, and interview, she thought she had little chance of passing, since she felt nervous during the exams and her Dutch wasn't completely fluent. Well, to her surprise, she passed the exams and got accepted! Once again, her Family homeschooling education proved to be excellent!

(Much of the research and statistics for this publication were compiled by Peter [YA] and Ginna [SGA], North American Media Home.)