True biblical education

For a long time I've been pondering what homeschooling biblically really means. I have used many different curricula, and several different approaches. I've used Charlotte Mason, classical, and traditional textbooks. I've also used a mix of these. Somehow, though, something has been missing.
Why did I begin the homeschool journey? What are my goals? I'm not sure I ever wrote them down. I've often heard that it is important to write down the vision for your homeschool. After all we've all heard the first half of Proverbs 29:18 about perishing when there is a lack of vision. But have we forgotten the second part of the verse?
Prov 29:18 - Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
What should your vision be? Keeping God's commandments, seeking after righteousness, studying to show yourself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 timothy 2:15

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt 6:33

Are our children doing that each day? Maybe they are, or maybe they are doing math, history, reading, writing, and so on, and there doesn't seem to be enough time to do the "one thing that's needful'?(Luke 10:42)

These are the things that I've been pondering over the last few years, and as of late I have felt it pressing upon me. I have 5 children now, so if 3 of them are doing all the subjects, say about 6 each then I'm grading and trying to teach 18 subjects per week, several times over, plus teach a toddler, and catch a crawling baby? Really, that seems absurd to me and it's just not working.

So slowly I have moved over to more of a one room school house approach, doing some unit studies and I'm going to do more of a Charlotte Mason method. But that aside, what about the bible? Well, most homeschool curriculum has bible verses throughout, but are they teaching my children about their christian heritage? Are they explaining the history of the church, the era in which Jesus lived, how to pray, how to live by faith? I know, I'm teaching that at home, by example, and with family devotions.
But am I really? Are you? Having a devotional time as a family is wonderful and important, but what am I doing with the homeschool part of my day? Why am I segmenting out christian teaching and replacing it with academics? Am I making sense?

What has been on my heart is this; can I teach my children about Jesus, how to live as christians, etc...while doing academics? I believe I can and I believe most curriculum does not do that. There are a few, but on the whole, they separate God from academics...just like schools do in essence...that's not what I signed up for.

After doing some reading I've come across a few interesting things. First, I have always felt uneasy about classical education. Now before you tear me apart, just read on. Did you ever hear Jesus quote from Plato, or Homer? Did he ever refer to Archimedes? No, he referred to the scriptures. All His wisdom came from there, and can wisdom come from worldly men, and especially idolatrous men? What do the scriptures say, because that's the only source of wisdom I'm willing to quote.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 tells us that "...all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works"
Further, we are told in Philippians 4:8 to think on good things. Things that are just, pure, virtuous, praiseworthy etc...

Hebrew education is very different from Greek education. I don't want to go into all the particulars, but you can find two good websites that explain the differences. The first is the Heart of Wisdom website, and the second is an article written by Paul Shutte. Generation Cedar also has a good article here. As homeschoolers, we must understand what we are doing, where it comes from, if it pleases the Lord, if it's praiseworthy, and if it will produce godly children. Heart of Wisdom has done a great job researching this. It's well worth a look.

Hebrew education focuses on relationship. Relationship with God, and familial relationships particularly. So far, I have found that Charlotte Masons' method most closely matches hebraic education. Since we are Abraham's children, I suspect that we ought to learn what Hebrew education looks like. We still have to teach academics, but I want to teach them so that my children can use them as tools to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. How I'm going to do that, I'm not sure yet. One thing I do know, I will begin by centering our schooling around the word. Since I already have school books for this year, I'll continue with those, but Heart of Wisdom has several free bible unit studies that I can use. It's a great website. This lady has been homeschooling for over 20 years, with 11 children.
I'm still learning...figuring things out...but I know this; I want my children to study the Word of God as their foundation and do our academics from there, not the other way around.