-by Pam Konnerup

Candidate school is one of the most exciting weeks at the Mission Office.  It is always fun to meet new missionaries and hear their future plans.  One of the classes I have taught for several years now deals with educating missionary kids.  Some of you may have been through this class recently, or for others it may have been several years now.  I thought I would share with you some of the main points I strive to impart to those just getting ready to go to their field.

The main idea is to plan!  Think short-term and long-range at the same time.  This will help to reduce fear and anxiety, for yourself and your children.

Keep good records of your child’s schooling history, whether it be home educating, missionary school, national school or online school.  Have a system to document what you did for each year of school, contact information for that school, and keep it in a centralized location, both digital and hard copy!

If you home school for high school, you as a parent should make a transcript for each year (or even semester) of high school for your student, showing courses studied and grades for those courses.  This will help if your child desires to attend college stateside at some point.

A few of the resources I recommend during the Educating Kids course are:

Fitted Pieces: A Guide for Parents Educating Children Overseas  Edited by Janet R. Blomberg and David F. Brooks—available from Amazon from third-party sellers.  This book is a great collection of articles from educators who have taught MKs all over the world, with lots of great insight.

The Global Nomad’s Guide to University Transition by Tina L. Quick—also available on Amazon.  This book is a practical guide to help young people who are transitioning to their passport country after growing up overseas.

A newer book I’m recommending this year is Kids on the Move—A relocation workbook by Leah Evans.  This is a great resource for families with preschool or elementary aged children who are getting ready to go to the field for the first time.

Lastly, a book that was brought to my attention by Jill Wolf, is called Swirly by Sara Saunders.  This is a cute picture book about a little girl from the “blue” country who goes to live in the “yellow” country, then the “red” country.  When she isn’t sure where she fits in, a friend comes along to help her understand there is a place she will always belong.  This book has a Christian emphasis as well.

If you ever have questions or concerns about educational issues with your children, feel free to contact me (pam@bbfimissions.com) through the Mission Office.  I will be glad to do what I can to help, or to point you to someone who can.