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When Christian families first begin the homeschooling journey,
they often rely on the advice of other Christian friends about
which homeschooling curriculum they should use. The majority of
Christian
homeschoolers rely on a few select Christian publishers for
their curriculum needs. Companies such as Bob Jones, Abeka, and
Alpha Omega are familiar names among the homeschooling community
because they have a reputation for reliable, structured, and Biblically
sound materials.
The downside of these
companies is that they are somewhat geared to a one-size-fits-all
approach to teaching. The average Christian student will probably
do just fine with one of these programs, but just how many of
us have "average" children? I myself have struggled
to fit into an average person's skin, with somewhat disastrous
results. Being "average" just doesn't work for me as
a Christian. I've written about this in my article "A
Different Drum."
"I
have learned over time that the kingdom of God is certainly an
upside-down kingdom, and that swimming against the current is
actually inevitable. Praying for my enemies, returning kindness
for evil, and forgiving those who are beyond forgiveness are part
of the inverted life I've been asked to lead. So, I shouldn't
be all that surprised that my leaf takes a few hits as it heads
downstream. The image I see in my mirror each day looks different
from any other image I see in the world around me because God
has asked me to model a life that is far from average. In fact,
I think God delights in the fact that I am abnormal . . . unusual
. . . exceptional. "
The purpose of Christian
homeschool curriculum is to educate a child within the framework
of a Christian worldview. This is an incredibly noble goal for
a publishing company, and we as Christians respond with gratitude
and support for their efforts. But if all our focus is on the
curriculum or the theology behind it, our children's educational
needs can often get lost in the process. God created each of our
children with incredibly unique bodies, minds, and spirits, and
one of our jobs as parents is to guide our children into the one-of-a-kind
people they are meant to be.
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So,
in making curriculum choices, we must take many things,
beside just our child's spiritual growth, into account.
Things such as . . .
· What type of learning do they most enjoy?
· What style of learner are they?
· Do they have any special learning needs?
· What reasons made you start homeschooling your
child, and why do you continue?
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The answers to these
questions can and should greatly influence your curriculum choices.
For instance, if your child is a visual learner, he may do poorly
with a workbook-style curriculum. If your daughter learns best
by demonstration and hands-on involvement, she will probably not
excel with a video-based curriculum. If your child enjoys delving
deeply into subjects that interest him, he might find unit study
curriculum much more helpful than a simple textbook overview.
And what if your child
struggles or excels in a given subject? Most standard Christian
curriculums don't make allowances for varying achievement levels
within subjects. Does your child work a couple grades ahead in
math? Has he or she been diagnosed with dyslexia
or another learning disorder? In those instances, an eclectic
choice of curriculum can make the difference between homeschool
frustration and homeschool success. Fortunately, there are an
incredible array of well-designed, educationally sound, and interesting
secular curricula for both the gifted
student and the struggling learner. Companies such as Time4Learning,
3D Learning, and Don Johnston have made it their business to meet
the needs of the exceptional homeschool student.
If your main objective
when choosing to homeschool your children was to instill a Christian
worldview into their lives, there are so many opportunities beyond
math and science to do that. Opening up your homeschool day with
prayer, discussing how the stories you are reading together demonstrate
or contradict biblical principles, and leaving time in your homeschool
schedule for ministry to others are all wonderful ways of educating
your children in a Christian manner. Whether or not you are using
a specifically Christian curriculum for every subject, each homeschool
day will present new opportunities for modeling the love of Christ.
One thing for sure
about your child's homeschool
curriculum - - it can either enhance or dampen their love
of learning. Therefore, it is a choice of great importance in
the long run. By opening up to the idea of using secular curricula
when necessary, you are opening up new possibilities of exploration
and individuality for your child. You are allowing them to become
the unique person God created them to be!!
By Kerry
Jones, Time4Learning - Interactive
Homeschool Curricula
Questions/Comments?
E-mail the Site Administrator
Copyright
April 7, 2007 © Homeschool Christian.com and Time4Learning
Web Design & Maintenance: Argiope Web Systems
Articles
written by guest authors may or may not reflect the opinions
of the management of HomeschoolChristian.com.
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