Yearly Archives: 2005

Graduations

By | |
Comments Off on Graduations

Do you have a few graduations coming up? Are you like us and you think, “We don’t know anyone this year who’s graduating,” but then the mailbox fills up with 3 or 4, or more invitations. I’m urged that, “This set of plates and cups would be a perfect gift, and what a great price,” or some other such thing. I’m tempted but…

I always come back to what I see as a perfect graduation gift – a gift for godly learning. Our top pick is the gift our oldest daughter received at a graduation dinner for the Youth Leaders, given by our church’s Regional Director (or something like that 🙂 It was America’s Providential History. It is the perfect gift for a home educated student with a Biblical Worldview to start their own library. But it is also the perfect gift for the government school student, who has no idea where God fits into History.
Along the way, I’ve thought of a few others that would be great library starters. Understanding the Mysteries of Creation by Dennis Petersen might be more enjoyed by the more scientific minded. And, is a good introduction for those who received their education in government schools, who have not done much study on Creation vs. Evolution.

For the student who received a good Biblical Worldview education through good learning methods, how about their own 1828 Dictionary. I know that is what our third daughter cherishes above all other books. Perhaps their own Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History and Christian History of the Constitution for a studious student.

For any Christian student, you couldn’t go wrong with their own Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, and perhaps instruction on How to Study the Bible by Chuck Missler (on tape, for on-the-go less-inclined-to-read recipients).
If the Foundations Are Destroyed is a good introduction to a Biblical view of Government. What the Bible is All About, Walk through the Bible by Chuck Missler and Learn the Bible in 24 Hours are good foundational Bible overviews. (The last 2 on tape/CD.)

Although I think books are ALWAYS the best gift 😉 there certainly isn’t a more appropriate time than that of celebrating their learning to give books to ALL your recipients.

 

Principled Math

By | |
1 Comment

Discipleship is one of the key components of Lifestyle Education through Discipleship™, which we explain as “you follow me as I follow Christ.” The Principle Approach describes it as being a “living textbook”. This concept scares the confidence out of many parents. “I don’t know/remember any of that stuff. I don’t have time to learn it. Why can’t I just hand them a self-teaching textbook/workbook?” This is especially true in two main areas, math and language. Many parents are in complete fear that they are going to totally mess their children up by not including everything, or teaching something wrong. This attitude passes on several un-Biblical thoughts toward education, implanting in our children the same humanistic philosophies of education that were implanted into us.

Which leads us to another key component of L.E.D., Renewing Your Mind. You must be transformed in your philosophies (beliefs) about education before you can pass them on to your children. You must be a Learner to be a Teacher; and being a Learner (Disciple) is something we are called to for all of our lives. We are to model Learning to our children. We are not to just learn “spiritual things” as adults, but to continue to learn in all areas of our lives, as God’s Kingdom grows within us. For His Kingdom is His Lordship over EVERY area of our lives.

So, getting to our topic, perhaps you’re saying, “What’s Christian about math? 2 + 2 = 4 for the Christian and pagan alike. It’s just facts; there’s no philosophy to it.” Ah, not so my friend. Math is what God uses to hold our orderly Universe together. In fact, math is what gives our Universe order. Math is the language of Creation. Though atheistic or humanist educators may want you to believe otherwise, there is a deep philosophy of math that only springs from the Almighty Creator God. Math shows forth the attributes of God, and is eternal and infinite, as He is. I’ll let you begin your search is Romans 1:19-20, as I just want to lay down a foundation for you to begin thinking about how you should be teaching math.

After you renew your mind, by studying out (4 R-ing, if you will) the Biblical Foundations of Math, the Vocabulary and Principles of Math, and the PIPEline of HisStory in Math, you will have a much deeper understanding AND appreciation for math. Once you begin to see God’s hand in math, you will see wonder, not boredom in it. And you will want to share that wonder with your children. Wow, Discipleship! Far different from the attidude of, “Learn this, you’ll need it someday. Well, no, I don’t remember how to do it, I never use it.” Or perhaps you remember how to do it, but don’t have a clue how to teach it, because you only learned it by rote, on a knowledge level, without understanding or wisdom. Parent, learn it! You aren’t in the grave yet. God still expects you to be learning. There are 2 VERY good reasons for YOU to (re)learn math this way, the same reasons you are going to teach your children math this way: 1)You will come to know God better, 2) you will be better equipped to make Him known to others.

I know most of you are thinking, “But math is hard; I don’t have time;” ad nauseum (whoops, sorry). You’d be surprised at how little time you could learn the foundations to get started in this. Or maybe you’re one of the rare few that is saying, “I know and understand math. I didn’t have this way of instruction and it’s got me where I need to go in the world.” Remember, we are not educating for this world alone. We are educating for Wisdom, not just knowledge.

Let’s take a look at how we can, in Freedom & Simplicity, transform our math Learning and Teaching. A Guide to American Christian Education is probably my foundational resource for developing a Foundational Biblical Worldview of Math. A section is devoted to Arithmetic. In these 20 pages you will probably learn more about math and teaching math than all your years in school taught you; for you will be learning from whole to parts; wisdom, understanding and knowledge. You will see the interconnectedness, the Big Picture; which doesn’t look near as scarey as looking at all those unending disconnected pieces we were taught by. This along with your own Biblical study will take you through many years of teaching beginning math.

Although we also like Ruth Haycock’s Encyclopedia of Bible Truths, and The Noah Plan Mathematics Curriculum Guide, I did not find near as much Foundational and easy to use and understand information in either of those as in the A.C.E. Guide. They are both good for further study, but not necessary at first. Another facinating book, again for later as you have time, not absolutely necessary for beginning, is James Nickel’s Mathematics: Is God Silent?

In teaching you will lay the same Foundation for your children that you learned; teaching them the Biblical Foundations, Source, and Purpose for Math first. Just present what you have learned, on their level. The foundation of HisStory of Math can be presented easily, as the basics of its origin in Asia, development in Europe, and liberty in America; gradually adding more details year by year. You will lay down Foundational Vocabulary & Principles, and again, add to them as you progress. Your beginning child will have the seed that contains the whole, on their own level. And have a Biblical Understanding of Math beyond what you probably had when you began this study.
At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa
P.S. More on Principled Math, like how to actually teach it and what resources to use are in our Lifestyle Education through Discipleship: Freedom & Simplicity in Math book. (In process of being written – in pdf format for electronic purchase.)

 

Why we weep

By | |
Comments Off on Why we weep

Christian parents, the suffering and death of Terri Schaivo has given us much to contemplate. Though it is sad that the concensus of our nation no longer values life, it is far worse that the people of God do not. The majority of “Evangelical Christians” evidently have no Biblical premises for their views of life, as evidenced by the supposed over half of evangelical Christians that felt Terri should be starved to death (according to a poll by “Time”). They have bought into the anti-Biblical, humanistic view that her life wasn’t worth living, and that starvation was an acceptable way to murder her, and that civil courts had the jurisdiction to enforce this murder.

It is only further evidence of what the Barna Research Group discovered, as “Beyond Belief” published in 2002, that a very low percentage of American’s that consider themselves “Evangelical Christians” actually believe what the Bible teaches, moral absolutes, and fewer still are insuring that their children are taught them.

Christian parents, we must take seriously our Biblical duty to instruct our children in the Word and the ways of God, as THE One True Way, THE Absolute Truth, the foundation for all their life, in every area. We must not let their instruction and doctrines of life come from the anti-God, and at odds with His Word, views of reletevistic humanists. God has commanded that we, parents instruct our children and our children’s children; we are commanded to instruct them all throughout every day, of all the mighty works and Words of God. Such a national tragedy as this, nor Roe v. Wade, would have ever happened if the Christian majority of this nation had lived and voted what their Bible, the Word of their God, teaches.

 

in Memory of Terri

By | |
Comments Off on in Memory of Terri

I just heard that Terri Schindler-Shaivo died this morning. Though of course, we didn’t know her personally, she profoundly touched our hearts and our lives. She taught us much about life, death, and the injustices of our nation – just how far it has fallen from its original intent.

Though we didn’t know her personally, God did. He created her in His image, with a divine purpose for her life, whether man valued it or not. It mattered not whether her husband or parents or courts felt they had the right to choose whether she was to live or die. Nor whether she herself would have not wanted to live. There is no such thing Biblically as the ‘right to die”. Though it is obvious that her parents would care for her, and her husband would not. True love is that which would lay down its own life for the life of another. It is obvious that her husband had long ago broken his vows to love and cherish and care for her, forsaking all others. But the world says, “He can love two women.” By killing one and committing adultary with the other. The sanctity of that marriage was thrown away many years ago.

What is not obvious to the world, and sadly not obvious to all that proclaim to be the church of God, is that all life has intrinsic value, not based on its mental or physical capabilities, but just because it is human life, created in the image of God. That what makes us “human” is not our “self-awareness”, nor level of brain function, but the fact that we have a living eternal soul, made in the image of God. What is no longer evident in our country is that civil government is ordained by God for two purposes (and it is God who ordained it), to protect life and property of its citizens, and to punish evil doers. It obviously is doing neither in this case. Terri’s suffering and death have amplified the message that our government no longer operates on the checks and balances provided for by the Constitution in our government of three branches, two of them made up of elected officials, so that the tyranny of an oppressive oligarchy, such as our judicial system has become, would never have this power it has taken to itself.

It is a travesty that not only was an innocent woman sentenced to the death penalty, because some deemed her life “not worth living”, but that she was sentenced to a cruel torturous prolonged murder, a method of killing that has people in our country sitting in jail for inflicting it upon animals. It is a travesty that the medical community, that swears to “do no harm” has murdered this innocent woman. It is a abomination that our civil government, that is to protect life and liberty, ordered the murder of an innocent one, while those that are Biblically required to receive the death penalty, will be protected from it by that same government.

God help us as a nation. May we repent for the sins of our nation, committed against the Almighty God and His Word, against the innocent, against those that are unable to speak for themselves. Their blood, that of those incapacitated and those yet unborn, cries out for justice, to a Higher Court than that of our nation, to the Just Court of God, who will judge all in His timing.

Our only prayer now can be that Terri’s death will not be in vain. That she will be as a seed, planted dead in the ground, that brings forth new life. That multiplies its effect for Life a hundred-fold. Our hope is that Terri is no longer suffering, but found her way to the Savior’s arms. Our grief mourns for both Terri and for our nation. Our condolences go out to her parents and siblings, and other family and friends who loved her, and knew her as we never could.

 

Puzzled About Home Education?

By | | ,
Comments Off on Puzzled About Home Education?

Puzzled about Home Education?

Imagine a pile of puzzle pieces all scattered on the table. Do they all fit together? Do they all make one picture? Perhaps if we squish and bend these random pieces from different puzzles, we can make them all fit into one picture. We all know that isn’t the way to put a puzzle together. The way we put together a puzzle is to look at the completed picture first. To study what it is supposed to look like. We throw out the pieces that belong, that don’t fit, and are designed to make a different picture. Then we can spend our time knowing we are working with the right pieces to make the picture we want to see. First we build the frame, then we gather all the various sections together, the blue pieces for the sky here, the green for the grass there, and the brown for the trees there. All the while we are looking at the Big Picture on the box, as we start fitting in the individual pieces, and locking them together, to create an image after the Big Picture given to us by the Creator of the Puzzle.

Many Christian parents try to put together their children’s education in the same backwards way as building a puzzle by randomly choosing pieces and trying to force them together to form some sort of picture. Then they wonder why it is so frustrating. But God’s Word never tells us Knowledge is the most important thing, the thing we start with. In fact, it tells us, “Knowledge puffs up”. God tells us, “Wisdom is the Principal thing.” He tells us to seek diligently for it. It is to be our foundation. And He gives us this model in Proverbs 24 to build by. In Lifestyle Education through Discipleship we follow this model, beginning by developing a Biblical Philosophy of Education. Then we add methods of Freedom & Simplicity that fit within that framework and are family-friendly. From there we apply these to develop a personalized curriculum, built on Wisdom’s 7 Pillars, as we are LED by the Holy Spirit.

To develop that personalized curriculum for your family, you will follow these same steps we teach you. You will seek God and His Word to see the Big Picture and build a framework of the Biblical Principles, then you will study them through the Freedom & Simplicity methods, as you apply them to the Knowledge of God’s HisStory throughout all Creation.

We’d love to be a “helper of your joy” for you and your friends in these ways of Proverbs 24:3-4. On May 21st we will be holding our Freedom & Simplicity of Lifestyle Education through Discipleship seminar in North Platte, NE. We invite you to join us.

Teaching Civil Government

By | |
Comments Off on Teaching Civil Government

We’ve done it. Finally! We’ve completed (for now, this aspect of) our study of Civil Government. It’s been a pretty drawn out study, but fruitful. And truth be told, we’re still finishing up our “Family Read-Aloud” of Abigail Adams’ biography. But it’s purely for pleasure, no assignments or “studies” remain on my “really want to do” list. Most importantly I’m pleased at the children’s understanding of the Biblical Principles we have learned – and the Notebooks they have produced.

This study was quite different from the last time our family went through this study. I was teaching primarily to teens then, now I have primarily young children again. I knew adjustments would have to be made. Gary DeMar’s God and Government series, Steven McDowell’s Liberating the Nations, Slater & Hall’s Rudiments of American Christian History and Government, and Clarence Carson’s American Government would be way over their heads. But there were many concepts within these books and many others that I wanted to incorporate, on their level. F.A.C.E.’s Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History, and Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide helped give me some ideas to bring it down to their level.

I based this study on 7 Biblical Principles of Civil Government, that we worked through, with plenty of “enrichment” added in, mostly in the form of biographies and projects related to them. Our HisStory focus for this study was the Constitutional Convention and first years as a nation (thus the Abigail Adams book – our oldest is also finishing up a biography of John Adams). We also read about and studied Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, and read several short biographical sketches of other men from the Convention.

The 7 Principles we studied were:
1) Civil government exists to protect its citizens and punish evildoers.

2) God establishes thrones and rulers, no matter what type of human government is in place. (covered various types of governments)

3) Godly government is based on Biblical Principles of Law & Liberty. (looked at Federal Christian Constitutional Republic)

4) God’s Story of Liberty & Law follows the PIPEline of HisStory westward. (looked at the history of government and liberty as it led up to this point – Declaration and War for Independence)

5) The first and fullest expression of Christian Civil Government was established in the United States – “One Nation Under God”. (studied the Constitution itself, and 3 Biblical aspects of our government: Principle of Representation, Separation of Powers, and Dual Natural /Federal – State)

6) If Principles of Godly government are not guarded & protected, they will be lost. (looked at the decline of our nation & 3 things needed to guard and protect liberty: prayer, education, and action)

7) It only takes a remnant & God to restore the foundations. Me and the Future – regaining “One Nation Under God” (looked at: My duties as a Christian – (commanded in scripture) pray, obey the law, pay taxes (and when not to, to obey God first) and My duties as a citizen – vote, jury duty, fight, petition/write civil officials.

Each of these was based on Scripture, and supporting Scriptures were added to many. Each Principle also branched out into studies in other areas. Our study of Ben Franklin led to my daughter’s discovery of his invention, the Glass Armonica, which she fell in love with and had to find and buy a music CD of.

Now for a couple of days of relaxing, before I put my head back in the books to discover the next place God desires to lead us in discovering His Principles, His Hand, and His Plan in His big, wide world. To Life and Learning! God is Good!

 

Gleaning Principles

By | |
Comments Off on Gleaning Principles

Principles. When it comes to education, what are they? Where do they come from? How do you get them? “I’m totally confused. This is nothing like we learned.”

Ever feel that way? It is so hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Now, I’m not calling you names; just pointing out that old habits die hard. But we must not conform to the pattern of the world (even if that is the pattern we were raised in and the only one we know.) It’s true, this isn’t the way we learned. Most of us learned to memorize facts for a test. But, in addition to not conforming, we are also not to “reform” the world’s way (by tacking Scripture meaninglessly on to our lesson pages or adding a separate “Bible” class to the typical “scool curriculum”). But we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that is being formed to only His Word! Yes, at times transformation can seem confusing. You know you aren’t what you were, but you aren’t quite sure what you are becoming. But remember, He is not the author of confusion. He is bringing you from glory to glory.

When it comes to learning Biblical Principles, many people want the 1, 2, 3 steps, and make it snappy. Not going to happen. Renewing the mind takes time, and it doesn’t come through a formula. There is only one way to get the Wisdom of God, ask Him. He tells us that’s the way to get it, and even tells us He’ll give it to us. How? Well, most reliably, through His Word – the only place that we can be 100% positive that it is none other than His voice. So what’s this got to do with finding Biblical Principles?

Biblical Principles, which is what Wisdom is – call it “God’s Way” or perspective, even a Biblical Worldview, – can only be seen by the mind that is renewed by the Word. The better you know the Word, the easier it will be to see Biblical Principles that apply to all of Life. There is no getting around spending much time in God’s Word and asking His Holy Spirit to speak to your heart through it, and to renew your mind by it.

Then as you read and study elsewhere, do it with the same reliance on the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher. Look for Biblical Truths throughout. God has applied His principles to His Creation and His Story, to give us Real Life examples! Look to see God’s hand at work – His Providence displayed throughout the lives of People – Individuals and Nations. The problem sometimes comes when trying to see these things in the writings of others, especially those that don’t hold to this view. If they don’t believe that there are absolute Biblical Truths or God’s Providence, then those parts of the stories or evidence will be left out, as it is unimportant to them. That’s why it is important to use Primary Source Documents; and when using other resources, to look for those that do acknowledge Biblical Truth and Providence so those things won’t be edited out.

God has retained a remnant for Himself that would preserve HisStory. Even in our Post-Christian society, there are those that continue to stand for Biblical Truth and Providence. They have done the research, poured over the Primary Source Documents, and made them available to us. There are those who have searched out the Truths and hand of Providence. We can learn from them. Not just what they have learned, but how to learn more ourselves.

The Word of God is inexhaustable. It is written so very condensed that though you spend a lifetime searching it, you will always find something new to you. There are not just a handful of principles that someone has already gleaned and set in stone. God is Infinite and so are His Truths.

So, whether you begin with applying the Prinicples others have found, or God leads you to others through your own studies, matters not. As there is no “right” set of Biblical Priniciples that exclude or supercede others. They all build upon one another. They all show different aspects of our multi-faceted God who made a multi-faceted Creation. We can look at it through many various angles, but as long as we’re looking through the eyes of Faith, we will always see God, His Hand and His Plan at the core.

Some resources that will help you see God’s Principles, Truths and Providence are:
1) any publications by the Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE) and its authors, Verna Hall, Rosalie Slater, Carol Adams, Elizabeth Youmans, and more. Click here for our link to purchase their resources.

2) resources written by Steven McDowell, Mark Beliles, Marshall Foster, Mary-Elaine Swanson, James Rose, K. Alan Snyder, ….. These are just a few authors that write educational resources specifically from these point of view. I could not begin to list ALL such authors. Many Christian authors write fromsuch a viewpoint. Sadly, many also do not. It is disheartening, but all too common to pick up a “Christian” book that has a humanistic rather than Biblical worldview. Some of these authors can be found on our home ed catalog webpage.

3) Encyclopedia of Bible Truths by Ruth Haycock. This resource goes through typical “school subjects”, outlines them according to Biblical concepts and shows Scriptures to correlate with them. This is very helpful in planning studies. Even if you have a fairly well developed Biblical Worldview, Mrs. Haycock has probably gleaned a few different things than you have thought of so far. Remember, no one person can learn all there is to God and His ways.

Just a very few of the Biblical Principles we have found and applied in our studies- just to show you how easy it is:
Governments Foundations:
1) God is the Sovereign Ruler over ALL!
2) All (human) government begins with me (self-government).
3) God ordains human realms of government to control sinful mankind. (family, church, civil)

Creation Foundations – just a couple to get you started:
1) God is the Creator of ALL!
2) Creation consists of a tri-unity to reflect the Nature of the Creator. (Time, Space, Matter – Each of these three is also triune in itself.)

 

Teaching Self-Government – by the Mashal

By | | ,
Comments Off on Teaching Self-Government – by the Mashal

As I’ve indicated before, the Mashal is a Hebrew way of teaching by parable, proverb, story – an analogy, metphor – relating what you are teaching to something the disciple already knows. Here’s an illustration of a recent Mashallic teaching I did for our children.

We were (are) studying Governments. I wanted to illustrate to them that the more they are self-governed under God, the less they need to be governed by others.

I took an empty glass and an empty balloon, and put the balloon in the glass. I explained that the balloon is them, the glass is like all the government over their life, and the space between the glass and balloon is external government – people that have to control them. The air inside the balloon is internal government, when there is very little or no air in the balloon, they have very little of the Holy Spirit controlling their life and need much external government – A LOT of control, represented by a lot of air in the glass.

Then I blew the balloon up into the glass. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit (the breath of God) we walk in self-control/ self-government under God, and do not need much external control. There is very little space in the glass around the balloon.

We memorized Galatians 5:22-23. Simple but effective. Better than the little circles drawn in the curriculum.

 

The 3 StAges of Learning

By | |
Comments Off on The 3 StAges of Learning

Since I really can’t use the same name for 2 different aspects of Lifestyle Education through Discipleship, even though it is the best description for both, I call this aspect the 3 StAges of Learning – take your pick, Stages or Ages 🙂

If you were to ask my children what “grade” they were in, they’d probably give you a blank stare. They are not being disrespectful nor shy. But it isn’t a term we use in our home education. They know what it means, but it might take them a while to figure out how to give you the type of answer you are looking for. If you didn’t know it, “grade levels” are not Bible-based nor God-ordained. My children are where they are in learning, line-upon-line. My job as their parent – ordained by God to educate them – is to lead them to continue on this path, progressing to the best of their ability, until they are mature enough to continue on their own, in their lifelong journey of learning.

We have found it helpful, though, to plan our teaching around 3 Biblical Seasons of human growth: Childhood, Youth, and Adult. We term these the “Wonder StAge”, the “Why? StAge”, and the “Wisdom StAge”.

The Wonder StAge is the years of Childhood, up to about puberty. There is much change and growth during this StAge, but these years are all characterized by taking in the Wonder of all of Life around the child. Learning what is out there. This is the StAge of curiosity, of wanting to know and learn – as long as we don’t kill that curiousity with an over-regimented, lock-step, dull, and lifeless, “letter of the Law” type of education. As Christians, we don’t just expose our children to the World of God, but primarily to the Word of God. We set a foundation of knowing God, then knowing His Creation through Him and His Word. We don’t pour tidbits and facts into them, but soak them in God’s ways and His Word and explore all of Life through that. This StAge is best spent in leading our Children to Biblical Principles that they will be able to learn to apply to their lives, throughout their whole lives; and in providing them the foundational Principles of the 7 Pillars of Wisdom. The Principle Approach terms this as preparing the seed. We aren’t trying to “choke a horse” giving them more than they can swallow, but rather planting a seed within them, that has all the potential of a full and fruitful life within its tiny germ, and with nourishing will grow to fruition. During the Wonder StAge we teach our children informally as we give them a sense of the Big Picture of Life. We focus on their Development of Relationships – with God, us and others, as well as with God’s Creation, – through the Word, being “with them”, character and service training, reading and exploration.

The Why? StAge is the years of Youth, puberty through late teens – if they are properly led through this StAge. This is the StAge of questioning (and wanting straight, True answers), to make learning their own, if the love of learning has been nurtured through Childhood, and not been snuffed out. In this StAge they gain Understanding of the Principles. Those seeds planted in Childhood have germinated and are beginning to grow and will put down strong roots in the Why? StAge, if not uprooted by confusing, conflicting authorities choking them out. We lead them to build upon those Principles, to create a framework in their minds to hook all new learning on. They are able to think more abstractly now, so we can lead them to comprehend the underlying causes, and to see “behind the scenes”. Things begin to make sense to them. This is the StAge to lead them in Deepening Relationships, and gaining an Understanding of all of Life – Understanding God and their Faith in Him, Understanding their Relationships with others, Understanding their own lives and purpose, and Understanding the connection of Creation and HisStory – God’s plan for His Creation and how it all inter-relates. We also want to lead beyond just Understanding those relationships, to forging them, both with God and others. Sending down the strong roots needed for those relationships to grow and flourish. This is also the StAge of their Formal Lessons. These Study years are filled with Reading & Research, Recording the information, Ruminating – thinking about it, Relating & Reasoning – coming to Truthful conclusions, Responding to the material and Releasing those conclusions. What does all of that mean? Basically that they will do a lot of reading, discussing, and essay writing.

The Wisdom StAge is to begin as Youth are becoming Young Adults, and continue through Adulthood as they become able to apply their Understanding not only in situations they see and read about, but to their own lives as well, and beyond, to encouraging others in their lives. In this StAge we release them to their own journey of Lifelong Learning. Obviously, not all teens and twenties enter this StAge. Many adults have never entered the Wisdom StAge; some never progressed very far into the Why? StAge. But this is where God would like all of us. This is the StAge of fruition; the seeds have sent down strong roots, and have grown strong branches, reaching out the fruit they bear to others; as they become able to not only live wisely, but also give godly counsel. This is the StAge of maturity where they “rightly divide the Word of Truth”. They are able to take the Principles and make application through His Word and His ways to all the details and “facts” in life. In the Wisdom StAge they are Designing Relationships by leading others into the Truths they have learned. They are not only able to learn, but also to teach. This is the StAge of releasing their Life Message, going forward in their God given purpose, taking their place in His Plan.

As we enter each progressive StAge, we are not “graduating” from one and leaving it behind. We are adding to it. God doesn’t want us to ever lose our child-like Wonder. He never wants us to stop asking and learning Why? But He does want us to become mature and Wise. He wants us to walk in His Truths, as well as know and understand them. We are to continue to learn and grow in all three StAges throughout all of Life. Many did not take their own Youth StAge seriously, or weren’t given proper opportunity, or correct answers to the questions of Life and they still struggle with Why? They still, as adults, don’t know their own purpose in Life, nor understand God’s Plan – HisStory. But, we can all go back and take the necessary steps in our own education, that we may progress in Wisdom and Understanding, and even Knowledge. And as we learn, we can take our children’s hands and lead them in God’s paths through the StAges of Learning.

 

**This is an edited repost from Oct. 2002.

 

the Principle of Individuality

By | |
Comments Off on the Principle of Individuality

This is really a carry over topic from yesterday’s muse. Today I’m reflecting on the Biblical Principle of Individuality as recognized by the Principle Approach to education.

If you are at all familiar with the Principle Approach, you probably, at first look, thought it to be quite structured, rigid, and scholarly. Perhaps that appealed to you, perhaps it sent you running the other way. Most likely, you had a mix of emotions. You were intriqued, yet skeptical. Components such as big fat books written in precise language from days past (using words you had to look up), primary documents, master teachers (who have mastered the subject they teach, through thorough study), blank notebooks just waiting to be filled (rather than pre-designed worksheets), can all appear overwhelming at first, especially the thought of those things coming into your home, where it was already a major challenge to put nutritious food on the table (serveral times, every day), clean laundry in the drawers (for everyone, everyday), supervise & train toddlers so the house wouldn’t be destroyed (every minute of everyday), nurse babies (seems like every minute of everyday sometimes) AND oversee the complete education of your older children. Perhaps you took one look at the Principle Approach and said, “I love the concept and the outcome, but I really see no way possible for me to add, to my already spilling over plate, learning a whole new way of teaching and learning, and research, plan and teach lessons for every subject, every grade level, EVERYDAY!” Perhaps you said, “The Principle Approach is for those families who have only 1 or 2 children – quiet, compliant ones at that, a husband with many hours and the interest to learn and teach right along with you, and a maid to take care of the house, meals, and laundry.” (The last two would be nice though.)

I hear you, loud and clear. I have all those things and more on my plate too. But to think the Principle Approach is not for your family, based on those givens in your family, is a faulty conclusion. F.A.C.E. may not have tailor made its materials to a mom in your situation, but they did base their philosophy on Biblical Principles; the first of which is: The Principle of Individuality.

This should be the most freeing thing you’ve heard today. This means that they recognized that God designed each of us uniquely, as individuals, families, and in our own unique situations. So each of our “Principle Approach” educational layouts will look different. That’s why no pre-written curricula was available until recently. They wanted each teacher to make it her own. They wanted Individuality to shine through. But we (home educator’s in general) took one look, and didn’t see freedom to express our own God-given design and destiny. We saw bondage to learning new ways through a hard, rigorous, pre-prescribed road. We are such creatures of the Law, aren’t we? Always seeing the letter that brings bondage and kills, rather than the spirit that brings life and liberty.

I love the Principle Approach. Yes, it took me a while to get beyond the guilt of “I know I’m not doing this the RIGHT way”, to the freedom of “God has sent those ahead of me, Master Teachers who had the time and the love, whose God given purpose was to prepare the way for me to walk on the path HE LEADS ME on.”

I know my utilization of the Principle Approach does not look anything like Stonebridge School. I know there are aspects that may seem essential to some, but we don’t use at all, or use inconsistently. I know our “style” is not “pure”. We have gleaned from several educational forerunners, as well as birthed our own unique “styles” in the spirit and prayer. But I also know we are doing exactly what God has called us to do, in the way that He has set before us. One study may pull in more aspects of the Principle Approach. Another study may pull in more aspects from another area. But ALL of it is based on Biblical Principles. All of it is designed to instill a Biblical Worldview; to produce excellence, Truth, preparedness, productivness, self-discipline, a love for learning, lifelong learners, a teaching mentality, and a host of other goals we are working toward for the Glory of God.

We are truly a Principle Approach home, for we are closely following the first Biblical Principle given – that of Individuality.