During the Covid-19 period of emergency home-schooling, Christina Eastwood and I put together several months of free lessons for Christian home-educators. As these were well received, we thought that we would make them available permanently, and add to them (D.V.) until we have a free lesson for every day of the year. The result is a new website: |
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones as preached in 1956, (Taken from: Saved by Grace Alone, The Banner of Truth Trust, 2018, p.156)
Should we be concerned - or is this people just being people and never being satisfied?
I would suggest to you that a brief look back at past O level papers and even the education of youngsters back in history will show that our expectations of young people are very low. One hears of young children in days gone by, being fluent in several languages at an early age. Children were taught and expected to learn. Of course, this is a very general summary and you will always find exceptions, but I think it is fair to say that we have lost the rigours of teaching and learning that marked former years. The GCSE English Language exam syllabi are written expecting our young people to have done little other than watch TV, visit the theatre/theme parks, game, go to pop concerts and read low-level trivial books. The exam boards are proud of their courses that prepare youths for the modern world. Need I say any more?
Dr. Robinson
Why do we have low educational standards?
Not least, they have encouraged us to please ourselves. This is endemic throughout all society as we bear the fruit of several decades of such teaching that life centres around 'me'! Sadly the fact that it doesn't and that we all have responsibilities towards God and others has been left unsaid. However, it has left a spiritual vacuum, a devastating trail of low educational standards, low levels of attainment along with low morals. Even more sadly, most parents and teachers these days are products themselves of a humanistic education and do not recognize it in themselves. They seem content with the low standards (which they consider to be high), and may even think that because of society's seeming 'intelligence', with information available so easily on tap through the internet, that there is no problem.
We live in an entertainment driven society
When it comes to education, children's educational materials these days (we are told) must be:
- fun
- not too demanding
- centred around the child's interests
- good-feeling orientated
Correction is seen as damaging
Bad behavior does not need discipline we are told, but rather encouraging and guiding.
Yes there is room for both of these sometimes, but the biblical pattern is that children do need disciplining:
Entertainment style education does not encourage children to think - to grapple with a subject
The trouble is - if we know nothing, how will we know if what we are being told is true or not? This is not the route for the God-fearing to take. The Christian must know what God's Word says. He must study it diligently. This requires time, commitment and self-denial. Are we training our children towards these things by allowing them to have easy access to computers, mobiles and games?
I strongly advise against the use of television/computers/apps/games, even for educational purposes for as along as you can hold off of them. It needs to be the parents decision as to when they are allowed, if ever, in the home or used by children. Let children see you using technology profitably and not for entertainment, for example for accounts, writing, research, business.
Are our children less intelligent now?
We think it's cute and our children 'bright' when they can do remarkable things on our mobiles at a young age. However, we do not generally expect much of them when it comes to academic ability.
Young children are capable of amazing things. The Robinson Curriculum expects them to learn all of their number bonds, for all four operations to 12x12 by the age of seven - as normal This is more than possible - I proved it - even with a child with a severe language delay. It wasn't easy - it required daily practice and yes, sometimes it was boring. But we seem these days to buy into the thought that all education needs to be entertaining. This is of course - the natural fruit of a child-centred philosophy - which sadly, many Christian parents do not recognise. We are apt to blindly follow the world as long as they don't try and teach our children evolution.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones as preached in 1956, (Taken from: Saved by Grace Alone, The Banner of Truth Trust, 2018, p.155)
Should I make my child do something boring?
Obviously our teaching must be sensitive to the pupil, that is, appropriate to his/her stage of development. The good teacher will try and make the subject come alive, but this is not always possible: routine drill for reading/spelling/handwriting and maths is hard work, and often boring. Later it's revision for exams. We need to instill good habits from day one.
We must be aware of our child's moods and temperament and seek to train them to do work first time of asking and willingly. It is as much 'education' to address these issues as it is to address academic learning.
Proverbs 1:7
How do we raise educational standards?
Four markers
- A good environment free from distractions and with good role-models.
- The instilling of good habits
- A good course of study
- High quality books
- pleasure
- least effort
- no correction
1. Parents set the home-school 'tone'
How do we spend our time?
The desire for activity is echoed in our home life with constant social engagements and cries of 'I'm too busy', because actually - it makes us feel important to be busy. How the devil deceives! Even as home-educators we can convince ourselves that we need to be taking our children to social engagements frequently, giving them plenty of 'fun'. Or maybe we are tempted to give our children's computer games, thinking they will encourage them to think. Be not deceived - computer games are a snare to the mind and soul and are best avoided by all. They are addictive time and brain wasting activities.
As Christian mothers, we are to be home based. We will want to encourage our daughters to be home-based too - not flitting here, there and everywhere seeking entertainment - or 'out of the home' on social media or anything else. We will want our young men to be responsible men - ready to take on the leadership of a family and to be home to support his wife and take an interest in his children whenever he can. And then to be leadership material for church responsibilities.
2. Character traits to instill if we want high standards
- obedience to parents - first time of asking and cheerfully with no back chat - the pre-cursor to obedience to God and authority in general. Parents we cannot fall short on this one!
- the desire/willingness to grapple with something - even when it's hard going - until you reach the conclusion. This will include both perseverance and diligence.
- a sense of 'seriousness': a sense that learning is serious, leading to a sense of responsibility.
This doesn't mean no fun. It means that hard work is expected, even when it isn't fun. We should not encourage our children to give up when the 'fun' of starting something turns into the inevitable 'hard-work' stage. However 'fun' you dress up learning, it can't go on long before the child ceases to find it fun and wants to give up. This is true of activities such as learning to play an instrument, or any other aspect of life. All too often parents let the child give up. Think hard before you let your child start something, and make it hard for him/her to give up: you decide, not him/her. Obviously there are always going to be times when we make mistakes - we realise our child really does hate piano lessons (and has low talent) and we make them continue a while until we choose for them to stop - not let him/her stop the minute s/he complains. It means having confidence in a maths curriculum and making it work for your child, rather than buying a new one the minute the child says that it is 'boring'.
3. A good course of study
See this post for how to choose a home-school curiculum and this one to see the choice of best curriculums available.
It is best if we use a curriculum that is God-centred. I do not recommend using books written for the National Curriculum as they are based on humanistic ideas - even the methodology of teaching Maths and English.
4 High quality books
Parents - let us not take these things lightly
Let us pray for each other and for Christian families that they may be built up in the faith.
collossians 2:7
In this post we will explore the main change that took place in education in the early 1900's and that is still rampant in schools today. I briefly made mention of this in this post, but will look in further detail here. It has far reaching consequences.
Changing educational aims and objectives
Traditional teaching v. progressive
Progressivism has invaded all government departments and authorities. They give lip-service to ‘traditionalist methods’ to appease public opinion, but however much things seem to be swinging towards a more traditional approach (as they keep saying is so in the UK at present), the truth is the opposite. At its core, education (and society) is still very much progressive.
What is 'traditional' education?
What is 'progressive' education?
Progressive education is based around the perceived needs of the child and individual learning styles. It was brought in gradually as a result of findings by psychologists. For example, Friederich Froebel (1782–1852) believed that the teacher's role was not to indoctrinate but to encourage self-expression through play. It was not so much what a child 'ought' to know, but what would a child like to know. Instruction was seen as interfering with a child's development.
It brought about a new way of teaching. Instead of traditional forms of education which involved a teacher teaching, it introduced (among others) the use of techniques such as problem solving and experiental learning.
Making the world a better place
Educational reformers claimed that a natural educational methodology could free humanity by creating a better world. It was seen as a means by which humans, using reason and science, could shape their environment (Gerald Gutek, A History of the Western Educational Experience, p. 486)
According to John Dewey (1859 -1952) education is the "participation of the individual in the social consciousness of the race" (Dewey, 1897, para. 1). He saw education as being concerned with the psychological and social aspects of a child, with psychology at the base. For him, education was better if it focused on the child's powers and natural interests.
And so we see that the aim of those who shaped progressive education, was the reconstruction of society.
Other names of those who form part of the history of this movement include: Rudolf Steiner and even Baden Powell and Charlotte Mason and Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori is a little of an exception, as although classed by many as being progressive, she was rejected by the progressives who did not agree with some of her more formal methods of teaching.
As far as I can see it is fair to say that progressive educators see the child as innately perfect and see outside influences as damaging. When progressivism took off, of course, Darwin's evolutionary theories were just beginning to gain ground and were having a huge impact on how people thought and acted.
An on going battle
An example - Reading:
For example, the government has introduced phonics as the main means by which reading must be taught in schools. Now phonics is a traditional method; the progressive teachers favour ‘Look and say’ and ‘Whole Word methods’ or better still ‘Natural language’ methods which is a nice way to put the previous two! Phonics works with the brain – we build up skills gradually from the bottom, letters to words to sentences, whereas progressive methods work backwards against the brain. Imagine being given a book and being asked to read it when you couldn’t read a single word: what would do? You would start to look at the pictures for clues. This is what ‘real books’ are like. Children are expected to learnt to read by acting as a reader, using context to guess words and picture cues and these are all labelled legitimate ‘reading strategies’.
Facts v. feelings
The process matters more that the product, assessment replaces testing and group work replaces competition. Entitlement replaces choice.
Teachers or social workers?
Many 'social work' activities in school are justified as being in the children's best interests; to help them cope in the present age. It has always been the way - break it, and then suggest measures to help cope with the damage, but with no intention to 'fix-it'!
Cognitive v. Affective
Psychological techniques and peer pressure
Make parents feel inferior
No absolute values
The value of circle time in modern education
So where does circle time fits into all this? Well, you may have seen for yourself by now! It is merely one of the many techniques used by progressives to imbibe their values in children. It is usually directed at children in preschool and 5 to 11. The teacher should be in the circle too, and in theory, no-one's beliefs or values should be more important than anyone else’s. It sounds nice, doesn’t it? Cosy even – all sitting in a circle. It sounds appealing: to be accepting of all, everyone matters, everyone’s views count. Mrs Mosely (a leading proponent of circle time) admits that it is a form of therapy intended to promote change and make children ‘powerful’. It is often promoted as a way of dealing with deviant behaviour. Circles are powerful! Teachers very often do not know why they do it. It is sold to them as the way to teach and manage children's behaviour. This is not however the same as getting children into a circle to teach them – as a way to make sure each child can see the teacher and has a good space to sit in. Circle Time sessions are planned sessions – the teacher has a focus for the session - so that circle time is not ‘valueless’ despite the claims to be neutral. Nothing is neutral – ever. God did not make our world that way.
The fruit of progressive methods
- They bring about low academic standards.
- There is no rigour, or competition to improve oneself.
- All are brought to the same level. All must have prizes.
- Sadly, despite the appearance of being tolerant, progressives are anything but – they will be very ruthless to any who oppose them. Tolerance is fine until you suggest something they don't agree with. Then they reserve the right to be intolerant. You however have no right to intolerance - only to do as you are told. Rememeber - children are being brought up as progressive - and have been for many years and these methods now permeate our society.
- Despite aiming to improve society, by removing the imparting of knowledge, mankind has been left to work it out for himself, with tragic consequences to our nation. The mess we are currently in stems from the disregard for God's truths. True knowledge imparted from above has gradually been replaced over the years with man's wisdom.
Where does the Christian stand?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10
As followers of Christ, we will want our children to learn facts - first of all facts about God, from His word, then fact about the world He has made - His Word helps us to interpret the world around us, not our ideas shaping the world. Absolute truths that are not dependent upon man's feelings. Things that need learing whether we feel like it or not. Lessons that do not pander to the sinful nature. We know that our children need teaching, and that truth is not in them just needing to be encouraged out. We know that without teaching they will not discover God's ways for themselves. Similarly, left to themselves, they will not learn the essential things that are needed for life.
You musn't say people are sinful
A new gospel
The fruit of God's wisdom
Jeremiah 6:16
In conclusion - do we need to abandon all modern methods?
I think that we need to evaluate the materials and methods that we use to educate our children and make sure that we agree with the philosophy behind them/it - including IGCSE/A level courses. We can no longer say 'This is Christian, it must be OK.' Much of what goes for Christian these days, has been influenced by a progressive mindset. Having said that - most standard Christian homeschool curriculums appear to be based on a traditional style of education -though that per-se does not make them 'good'. They still need evaluating carefully against your family's aims for your child.
IGCSE/GCSE curriculums are the end goal of a mainly progressive education. We may need to use them - but use them with your eyes open wide so that you can make sure that your children learn the truth and much more than is contained in these very narrow curriculums.
Individual Learning styles
I would be wary of overly worrying about my child's learning style - these are linked to a progressive outlook. It is true that how learning is presented to a child can make a great difference to whether the child learns or not, but that is not the same as needing to overly concern ourselves with how the child learns best. What more is needed is intuitive parents, who watch the child's response to each lesson carefully and ask 'How can I help this child learn this?' What is needed will vary from day to day according to what is needed to be learned.
Values Education: a brief guide for Parents, Teachers and Policy Makers, Nick Seaton, 2001
On this page I list the main curriculums used by Christian home-educating families in the UK, however they do not all have a Christian ethos (warning given). The totally Christian curriculums all come under the heading of 'Traditional'. You need to make sure that you understand these different types and be happy with the philosophy behind each before buying a curriculum - or the end product may not be what you expected! Please do your home-work and make sure you are happy before you purchase.
In my opinion it is best to base your childrens' education around books rather than digital books/use of computer materials if you want the best education for your child, however I recognise that for some parents that may be the best/only way to go.
There are several curriculums available and there is no 'one-size-fits-all'. Do your home-work, check them all out: check your budget - how many children to home-school? Do your maths as you don't want to start a curriculum and then find you can't afford it.
One of the cheapest is the Robinson Curriculum (see below). We also consider it one of the best; it suited out family perfectly, but you need to find one to suit your family. Another extremely good value, effective, time-tested curriculum for ages 0 to 12 is The Mother's companion (see below). It's best if you can stick with one, as no two ever perfectly fit together, but some people change at age 11/12. Try to avoid the temptation to chop and change as it can prove expensive and more importantly, children thrive best with continuity and consistency.
So choose carefully!
Of course, you do not need to buy a set curriculum covering all subjects - you could just buy books as and when you need them, from differing sources. We will cover some of these in a later post.
See also my our post on educating in the the early years - as you do not need to spend lots of money on a young child, teaching every subject through desk work.
Traditional style home-education curriculums
ROBINSON CURRICULUM - 5 to 18
http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/
An Excellent K-12 Home School Curriculum
Developed by a scientist and his six children
You pay for a box of discs which contain books, which are formatted ready to print, as well as a lot of helpful advice and supporting materials. You basically do Reading, Writing and Maths every day and that's it. The reading is directed by the parent for an age appropriate amount of time.
A good high yield b/w printer will give years of service. You will need to purchase a maths scheme - preferably one that your child can use to self-teach. The recommended scheme is Saxon (starting with book 54), but that is harder to get now in the UK. You may need to supplement with a good writing programme - initially to help with reading and spelling and then with essay writing.
Pros:
- It is rigorous, aiming at an excellent education and it works!!
- It is cheap to buy and can be used for multiple children.
- It fits well with a Classical approach.
- The main beauty of it is that mum/dad does not have hours of preparing school work for each child each night, particularly good for large families, but suitable for all.
- It frees the child to have more time to take an interest in the world around him/her.
- School becomes less of a chore and in later years, the parent can work alongside the child - even in self-employment.
- The discs contain books for all ages from early readers to 18+ formatted to be printed out easily.
- Children do copywork until age 10 - so writing is easy and it's great for those with special needs as the pressure to compose before this age is taken away.
Cons:
- Bear in mind the books on the discs are American mainly so you may want to supplement with British books of similar quality - see our reading list.
- After the age of 10 there is not much support for the 'essay writing' so depending on your expertise in this area, you may need to add in a writing programme.
It is not essential to buy the curriculum/follow it precisely to achieve good results (though they cannot be guaranteed unless you follow it properly), but the principles must be understood; read the information on the site to understand what it is all about. Keep it simple (preferably just Reading, Writing and Arithmetic each day); the best literature (ideally pre-1960's); no TV (Keep entertainment of any sort limited); No sugar (hard, so many don't achieve this, but worth reducing as much as you can). Stand back and watch what happens!
From our own experience, it achieves amazing results. We liked the philosophy, and the idea of just focusing our 'school' time on reading, writing and maths. Read our story here.
ACE CURRICULUM
https://www.aceministries.com/curriculum/
On the surface, most schools look alike—buildings, personnel, curriculum, and budgets. The A.C.E. program is different. For over 40 years, it has been the trendsetter in Biblical educational reform. Its philosophy is built on basic principles of the Word of God. Students are taught to see life from God’s point of view, to take responsibility for their own learning, and to walk in Godly wisdom and character. Accelerated Christian Education® is not just a publisher but a comprehensive Bible-based program that serves both the campus-based school and the homeschool..
This curriculum is expensive and many families save money by only purchasing it for the secondary school years as it leads to accreditation.
Not all universities may accept the accreditation, so it is wise to think about where your child is heading before purchasing.
Children complete PACES daily for the given subjects for their stage of learning. Some children love them, others find them very tedious and boring. There are families on both side of the fence - those who love it and those who hated it - the choice is yours!!!
Teach
www.teach-at-home.org
We seek to provide a wide range of resources which will help parents to raise their children in accordance with God's Word.
We can provide a full curriculum (excluding music and Modern Foreign Languages) for children from Preschool (KS0) to KS2.
Maths and Science are covered for KS3, KS4 and to iGCSE standard.
All this is underpinned and driven by a sound Christian ethos.
We also have high quality, educational products available to purchase and can offer Maths coaching for all ages using the latest web technologies.
Whether you are simply looking for more resources to supplement and complement your child in school, or you are lready home educating or considering it, VCSO can help
https://www.classicalconversations.co.uk/challenge/
A classical education recognizes that we learn anything by going through three distinct phases: learning the words and basic facts associated with the subject, sorting, understanding, and practicing using those words and facts, and finally, using the information by teaching the subject to someone else, writing original essays on the subject or solving problems with the information.
These three phases are called, respectively, grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric.
MOTHERS' COMPANION - For children 0 to 12
www.motherscompanion.weebly.com
To order email: [email protected]
For more information and to view sample pages visit https://motherscompanion.weebly.com
For a quick overview of the contents see here.
Note, the flashdrive contains both volumes of the Story of God's dealings with our Nation by C. Eastwood amongst much, much, more.
REVIEWS:
- "Thank you very much... I have been very excited by the things I have looked at already and just know we are going to have fun doing new things together." (Z.H)
- "Most helpful... wonderful! It is so helpful to know that we are on the right track, and the ideas and resources are excellent." (R.R.)
It is not just a list of resources but a vast collection of material in PDF format for you to print yourself and use as you need it.
There are hundreds and hundreds of pages of traditional English, maths, history, geography, art, music, Latin, speech, handwriting, Bible lessons, projects and much more with audio files to support music and language learning.
The contents are sorted into volumes of approximately a year's work so you can quickly find your child's level in any subject. The Diary sections show you exactly how you can use the materials with your child by means of examples. There are enough textbooks and worksheets to keep you going day after day at your own child's pace. This is a traditional classical Christian curriculum
using tried and tested materials from the past. Some of the materials are also specially designed for children of different ages to work together – a boon for your growing family.
Children differ so much in what they need. Having all the resources on a flashdrive means that you can print only what you need when you need it and at your own child’s pace.
CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PRESS
http://www.shopchristianliberty.com/
Personal note: a good supplier of Godly reading material. Some of their books are stocked by Conquest Books.
Curriculum materials that are rooted in the Word of God and express a biblical worldview.
A simple plan.
The tools you need.
Time well spent
Charlotte Mason
https://www.amblesideonline.org/
Old fashioned, Bible based and many good instructions on the life and needs of the child.
Do bear in mind that Miss Mason was living in a time when the current prevailing educational scene saw 50 upwards small children cram -packed into a small classroom, unable to move around much all day. Miss Mason's ideas were revolutionary against this back-drop, however, she was also a follower of the teachings of Rousseau and Plato whose beliefs that a child was only made evil by external influences was becoming more widely accepted, as evolutionary thinking took root.
Be careful to grasp a true interpretation of her teaching on the subject of child discipline as since we live in a day when evolutionary beliefs about sin underpin all aspects of society, it would be easy to conclude from her writings that all that is needed is to change what we do as parents in order to solve all of a child's problems. Although due consideration of this is essential, it would not necessarily solve all problems.
In addition, obviously, this would not be biblical thinking.
Aids to learning
DREAMING SPIRES HOME LEARNING 12+
This option is like having subject experts come to your own home and teach your children as one of their own, "beaming" to you from the internet into your own lounge. Dr Kat Patrick created the venture for her own children when they were ready for higher and deeper levels of enquiry once they hit secondary school, and she has been growing the subjects on offer year-on-year. The tutorial team members are hand-picked home-educating parents whose expertise and experience motivate and inspire students for any future exams by teaching above and beyond a narrow syllabus (my emphasis). Current options include English, Ancient History, Biology, and Spanish. At their foundation is the Charlotte Mason method and its focus on living books, and using the tools of narration, copywork, and discussion - plus a truly global clientele - Dreaming Spires' courses will open up a whole new world for your secondary student.
You can find more information about the courses as well as their helpful home-educating high school blog at: www.dreamingspireshomelearning.co.uk
-- on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreamingspireshomelearning/
-- on Instagram: dreaming_spires_home_learning
|
|
|
Elementary education is a race between the biological development of a child’s mind and the learning of skills and information required for the optimum use of that mind. Facts and information are important, but even more important are skills that must be developed early in life for optimum mental development. Some such skills, such as mathematics and writing, are also an integral part of the factual information. Other skills are a part of the organization of the school itself and consist of a collection of mental habits and attitudes.
In designing homeschool curricula for our children, we should, therefore, ask ourselves several important questions:Ultimately, no authority can answer these questions. Parents know their child best, and it is their responsibility to answer these questions for their family. Parents should realize, however, the importance of these questions.
- Are the facts we teach fundamental information of primary importance to productive thought?
- Are the study habits and attitudes we teach suitable for the adult that our child will become?
- Are these things acquired in such a way and with sufficient mastery that the child will develop self-confidence in his independent individual abilities?
Dr Robinson
Your choice of curriculum will depend largely on the age of your child/ren. Secondly, it will depend on your educational philosophy. Now, you may not have thought much about a 'philosophy' but I can assure you that you have one even if you don't think you have. It may be based on your own education, or you may know already that you want your children to have a better education than you had yourself. If you have taken them out of mainstream school then there will be a reason why you have done so - you want to do better for your child yourself.
An educational philosphy
Have you ever thought about what you are aiming for in your children when they finish their 'education'. Who should educate - what does the Bible say? What is education concerned with? How is education best achieved? These are all necessary questions that need to be thought about before you embark on what will probably be your most important career - educating your children.
Here is not the place to do an in-depth Bible study of what God has to say about the education of our children, but suffice to say, we should not be unequally yoked with the world when it comes to intimate things - and after marriage, our children are our next major concern and their souls should be of great intimate concern to us.
To help you, I think it would be good to understand the modern educational scene. What determines how and what is taught in schools today and what goes into the text books of non-Christian school books, and sadly into the I/GCSE/A level curriculums as well. Then you will be in a better position to evaluate what you use in your home-school and to work out a course of study for your child/ren.
The History Behind Modern Education
The type of education that you and I received at school is very different to that of 100 or even 150 years earlier. Education today is vastly different to the one we received even. Changes happen all the time, and not all change is bad. Pictures of many tiny children crammed into Victorian classrooms, taught by officious looking teachers, make us thankful for our bright, modern classrooms and freer methods, brought to us as a result of the research into how children learn in previous eras. However, underlying any form of education is a belief as to what and how you would like pupil/s to learn. So here I attempt to very briefly explain the underlying beliefs of the modern education system.
The subjects may all seem the same throughout the ages: Maths, English, History and Geography and languages and so on, but the educational pedagogy has rapidly changed, especially since the first half of the 20th Century. What has changed? It is particularly the idea of child-centered learning introduced by the likes of Sigmund Freud (1856-1923), Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 -1778) and John Dewey (1859 - 1952). Freud's theories about the unconscious shattered parental confidence. Parents were led to believe that the way they handled their children could cripple their personalities for life. John Dewey laid the foundations for the 'child-centered-learning' theories that have been responsible for destroying both American and UK education. He based a lot of his thinking on the work of Jacques Rousseau, who believed that children are innately good and had to be protected from adult influence which could only corrupt them. Dewey carried this thought on and building on Freud's work pushed forward the shift of power from adults to children. Teachers became more and more 'facilitators' rather than teachers - the idea being that children simply needed guiding to learn rather than teaching. 'Keep the child happy' became the mantra, never minding if what the child wanted was good for him/her or not.
This guiding rather than teaching can sound good, and there are times when it can be helpful, but used as it has been, it has led to the shift from parents and teachers handing down values and instruction, to concentrating more on their mental health. Hence schools nowadays are not so much educational establishments, but social ones. Subjects are no longer academic subjects imparting knowledge and truth, but rather centered around the personal lives of the students. This paved the way for new subjects such as Personal and social Health Education (PSHE), sex education and Citizenship education, but it has also impacted how all subjects are taught and what is taught.
It changed subjects like history and geography from being factual subjects to 'social' subjects: opinions rather than facts are now taught in history - in fact, facts are no longer 'facts', but opinions, and truth went out of the window with the facts. Students are now asked for their opinions on history and how they think people in those days 'felt'. Geography became more interested in tracking social issues - birth control and the effects of flooding, and imparting political values and social skills rather than studying the earth. * Of course, the advent of Charles Darwin's (1809-1882) evolutionary theories added fuel to this raging fire as well, changing the sciences and religious instruction completely.
Art has become a vehicle for expressing oneself - rather than a medium for portraying the beauty of God's world - anything now goes and is called 'art'. Music has also been affected: the skill of composers in days gone by to compose music that is in harmony with creation (yes, creation has harmony!) has been replaced by back-beats and dissonance, with its culture of promiscuity, drugs and rebellion. Do what you please, as you please, is the message of modern music - including soft rock. And sadly this is no longer something the 'world' does, as soft rock and rock are in our churches too. Many Christians are ignorant of 'why' and the message rock music carries. The message of bad music will always override the message of the words, however good.
Of course, this is a simplified overview of education over the last 100+ years, but if you have followed me so far, you will hopefully begin to see the general thrust of modern education. Different Governments come and go and each tweaks the curriculum (again and again), but we still have a foundational mindset that children must lead the way - unhampered by adult 'interference'. Self is at the core. Imparting information from teacher to child has gone, which means that truth has gone. The child has become the centre of his/her own learning - as if a young child has sufficient maturity and knowledge to decide what is good for him/her to know. Much modern learning is based around 'problem-solving' and 'investigation', which, although having their place should never form the back-bone of a curriculum as they do. Academic rigour has been sacrificed for rights without responsibilities and the imparting of a politically correct agenda.
What is very sad, is that most of us under the age of 70 are so used to these ideas - after all - it is how we have been taught - that we don't see anything wrong with them.
We are also suffering the end result of this idea now with maths currciulums that frown on rote learning of facts, rather wasting the child's time by expecting young children to 're-invent the wheel' as it were by spending hours finding different methods to compute. It's a bit like expecting children to bake a cake without giving them a recipe. 'Here's the equipment - now bake a cake'. It sounds stupid, but this is what is underpinning methods of teaching in maths currently taught in schools. This is why so many parents can't understand the way their children are being taught maths. Basically - they are not being taught!! There is a place for experimentation and problem-solving, but children should first be taught a method that works, so that they are equipped with an efficient method of calculating/spelling/reading. More able ones will be able to think of alternative methods, but all will be able then to access the basic curriculum.
Things are beginning to look a little better as society is beginning to realise that damage has been caused, but despite the reforms in the GCSE curriculum, I have to say that they are at surface level only at the moment. Child-centred learning is still deeply entrenched in the hearts of teachers and training institutions.
Implications for a Christian home-school
By now, I hope that alarm bells are ringing in your head! Children leading themselves? No facts? No truth? Teachers not able to instruct children to what is right/good? What is the outcome?
- Well - one outcome I would suggest is entertainment style learning - the easiest route (rote is particularly boring after all!). Books that are easy to read, that don't require any thought so that the child can be indoctrinated with all sorts of wrong ideas - look in your local library! A few facts are peppered here and there, but if you could see educational material for ages 5-7 in 1929, and earlier, you would be amazed at what they were teaching young children - beautiful books with beautiful pictures teaching FACTS and things that I don't know NOW! Of course, we also have computers with their fast moving pictures that make learning look like a game: don't be fooled, they can only produce a generation of children who do not know how to learn. Learning takes time, patience, endurance and concentration - and none of these are/can be taught through addictive computer games, however educational they promise to be.
- Another outcome I would suggest is emotional bondage - an education focused around the self makes one very inward looking and this can lead to all manner of mental and emotional problems - as we are seeing today. In addition it leaves you at the mercy of any who may like to take advantage of you. Knowledge (and especially TRUE knowldge from God's Word), is liberating. It helps you to be a thinker and evaluater. In days of old, education was seen as a good thing to lift people out of their current low position in life.
- Another outcome is ill-discipline. If teachers cannot dicipline children for fear of ruining the child's self-image then children are left to themselves, which as scripture tells us, leads to nothing good.
"but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Proverbs 29:15
- The worst outcome of all is that standards reach rock bottom. When teachers are not able to inspire children towards better things, then they sink to the lowest common denominator.
We must ask what we desire for our own children - mediocrity or something better than the general offering called 'education' that pervades our generation? How does the Lord require us to teach our children?
The Chrisitan Home-school Curriculum
Where does that leave Christian parents wanting a home-school curriculum?
Can we just run with the same text books and take out evolution and other bits we dont like and add in a bit of Bible study? I would suggest from the above that the answer has to be a total rethinking of how and what we teach our children. As we are starting from a different basis, that children are not born innately perfect, then what we build should be completely different and God-honouring.
So we start with a correct foundation: Romans 3 verse 23 says:
'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God'
We also know that children need instruction and that it is a parent's job to instruct their child:
'Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.' Proverbs 22:6
We know that the best way for children to learn is that parents impart knowledge (truth) to their children. Obviously the primary way we will do this is by teaching our children what God's Word says. We will want to have family Bible times where we study God's Word together and pray and sing. We will also endeavour to teach our children to read as soon as we can, so that they can start the habit of reading God's Word daily for themselves. This will help them (and us) understand who God is and how He wants us to live. It will help us all as a family to avoid making a God in our own image - an easy thing to do if we do not know what the Bible actually says.
Then we will want the books we use to teach our children to be based on truth and facts.
We will want:
- a good phonic reading, spelling programme alongside teaching our children to form letters correctly and devlop a fluid style of handwriting, that teaches the child efficiently and as quickly as possible so that further learning in all subjects is facilitated - rather than leaving our child to try and discover how our language works for him/herself so wasting years of valuable time.
- a rigorous maths curriculum that teaches number facts and gives old-fashioned (for reasons given above) drill in basic computations so that our child can quickly progress onto more advanced maths skills to use in every day life.
- to give our children the best quality books to read - you will probably find the best books printed before the child-centred/politically correct ethos really took hold - pre-1950/60.
- to teach our children to love knowledge - Firstly the knowledge of God and secondly of His world; to love to revel in finding out about it - to enjoy using their brains for God's glory.
- to remove anything in our homes that might contradict our ethos: T.V with the 'world's' unhelpful view of life portrayd every time we switch it on. How can the child of any age be expected to discern what is truth by watching the 'world'? Computer games that sap the brain's energy and which feed addictions. These are just a couple of suggestions - each family must think these things through for themselves.
- I would go further and want my child to be able to teach him/her self - not to make it up and choose whether to study or not, oh no - the opposite: we the parents decide what the child must learn, but present it in such a way the child can study it for him/herself so that s/he can learn to grapple with subjects, to think things through for themselves, to learn logic. This teaches children to be accountable, life-long learners, rather than thinking that learning stops when you leave 'school'- or that it is just to pass an exam. They become active rather than passive learners, learning early in life how to engage with their learning.
- to most importantly, teach our children to evaluate everything in life against God's Word.
I would suggest that we need to be especially careful when we start to consider exams for our children. The current exam curriculum is based on the above outlined philosophy and is very narrow and anti-God/truth. I know some parents are lost as to how to educate their teens and are glad to have the direction of an I/GCSE curriculum. However there is plenty of help available. Our next blog post will look at the best curriculums available in the UK - and many of them teach into the teen years to a far higher and better standard than the i/gcse curriculum currently does. See also our post on alternative options to I/GCSE. Why should we have taught our children to a higher standard all these years, for them to just sit the same poor exams at the end - or for that to be the sum total of their education?
Christian parents, we need to wake up: we need to be alert to what is happening. We must seek a different path - a radically different path - not just the same as the world's with the word 'Christian' added on!
I pray that this post will be helpful in enabling you to choose a curriculum that will bring honour and glory to our dear Saviour as we seek to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
Give children access to a good study environment and the best books in the English language and then get out of their way!
Academic knowledge is in books. Each child must learn to extract and use that knowledge to the greatest extent that his or her abilities permit. This curriculum enables the student to learn these skills with very little teacher help, and it provides the student with 120,000 pages of knowledge from the greatest science, history, literature, economics, reference, and general education books in the English language.'
From the Robinson curriculum website
Overview of the Robinson curriculum
Its beauty and its success can be laid at the door of its simplicity. Simple to implement as you haven't got to spend hours preparing lessons. Simple as it doesn't take all day - a morning's work and you are through studies.
Too simple to be true? Then read on!
What I liked about the Robinson curriculum
- The concept of 'old' books, as I didn't like what I saw in the library. Pre 1950's, books for children (and adults) I knew were not so dumbed down.
- The idea of having a book list up to age 18, on a disc so I could print them out, as I was concerned how I would ever find enough good reading material.
- The idea of not having to spend hours planning. It seemed strange not to have to worry about teaching all the different subjects, and I wondered how that would work in practice, but that all seemed a long way off to me at that time.
- The idea of 'self-teaching'.
- That it was cheap. One set of discs until they were 18, plus Saxon maths once they knew all their flashcards.
- The promise that they would be cleverer than me. Not hard, but I knew I would struggle as they got older and let them down if they had to rely on me.
- The idea of freeing their minds to think by not crowding them with lots of bookwork. Do school, and then the time is their own as it were.
So we started.
No TV - No sugar!!
Dr. Robinson
Is the Robinson Curriculum an easy option?
I soon found that this curriculum was very demanding and expected high things of my children in their few short hours of schooling each day - right from the start. It certainly set the tone for our home-school. Learning was serious business.
Here is an excert, for example, of a page from a book that is for the child who has just started reading for him/herself. In fact it is Number 4 on the Robinson booklist, following 'Nursery Rhymes'. This is high expectations!!!
From the RC website
Maths and the Robinson Currciulum
We did spend ages 5-7 learning flashcards as the RC curriculum suggests, but I did break the rules of nothing else and used Christian Liberty Press work books K and A, which gave them practice at writing numbers and doing sums in books. It was not entertaining, but gave light relief from the drill. These books also helped them overcome tens and units and other basic skills, before they met them again in Saxon 5/4, which was especially helpful for my eldest who had a speech delay, and although progress in 5/4 was slow, I think it definitely helped them cope better.
We spent a long time practically learning tens and units: bundling up sticks into tens, or bricks. for example I'd give them 23 bricks. We'd make as many towers of ten as we could and see how many were left over. 2 lots of ten and 3 left over = 23, until they could see what was happening. I also made extensive use of the times test sheets in 5/4 for number bonds and didn't let them start 5/4 until they could do them in 5 minutes or less. We also did a lot of counting (everywhere) and cooking with weighing and measuring, helping to do DIY with more measuring etc.. in those early years.
This was rigorous maths - but they both managed to learn all the bonds by at least age 7, despite my eldest still struggling to speak at that age!
Once they started Saxon, Mr Robinson said they should do their maths by themselves with little help from me. Maybe that worked for his children but we struggled along. I never gave up on the aim, but reality meant that mostly in their Primary years, I would have to help a bit at least and often a lot! I had to be ready to get the practical bits out to help Son 1 especially, but also Son 2, sometimes, when his turn came to grasp the concepts. They would work by themselves, with me in the room and then we would go through it together to mark and correct. I only really let them have some responsibility for marking in the late teens as I found the temptation to cheat too strong, and it was too easy for me to take a back seat and not check! Very often we were only doing a third of a lesson a day, so progress was slow, especially through book 5/4.
…with some teacher help in learning phonics and understanding arithmetic, the student is ready for self-teaching.
|
|
|
I used phonics for both reading and spelling. I could never let them just learn spelling from copy work and reading as suggested. I knew they would need a good phonic programme to thoroughly ground them in both reading and spelling. I used my own reading programme which teaches spelling as well. We did use the Peter and Jane Ladybird reading scheme as I had not yet written my own phonic reading books. My first son finished all 12 levels by age 6 and a half and could read way better than he could speak. The second son by age 4 and three quarters. It is not a phonetic scheme, but having ensured they were having a good phonic foundation, we looked at each new word phonetically as we read through. The beauty of this scheme is the constant repetition which builds confidence. Robinson advocates the use of the McGuffey readers for their rich moral and biblical content. I personally had no experience of these when I started Robinson and they didn't fit my way of teaching phonics, but I now see their value for copy work at least.
Reading is the bedrock of all other learning. Reading must become both easy and enjoyable and a phonic system is the only way to achieve both. This curriculum as we have already seen, demands a high level of reading ability.
Reading and the Robinson Curriculum
|
|
Writing - The simplicity of copywork
Handwriting
We also used Getty and Dubay, a structured handwriting programme once I'd got them going. We only did a few books in the series and found they were enough. Alongside all of this, we did copy work and I know that it helped to cement what they had learnt in the programmes, so it was certainly valuable and it actually allowed them time and space to concentrate on the spelling and handwriting before having to compose at the same time.
Writing is a complicated business with a lot to think about all at the same time. Spelling, handwriting, grammar and punctuation as well as composing good writing. Many are destroyed along the way, especially in schools, where they are expected to be writers from the word go and not given the tools to do it well. I am very thankful to Robinson that both of my children LOVE writing!
Copywork was good for both of them despite their different styles of learning and abilities.
We didn't just do copy work: they often wrote letters to friends/relatives instead of copywork some days.
We would also add in a little 'project work' on a Friday. We really enjoyed these days! It gave our copy work/writing a purpose and linked it to other subjects, without 'teaching' these other subjects. So a visit to a wildlife sanctuary was a chance for us to take an animal each, research it, and write about it - either through copy work or own writing. Then we made a book of our work, with photos from our visit. Other times it was a special holiday we had been on, other times we pretended we were a character in the swallows and Amazon books and wrote postcards from our destination, planned camping trips with maps etc... At one time we did Geography based projects. Son 1 explored the effects of HS2 on communities in the UK - asking other Home school families to fill in a questionnaire for him to base his study on. Son 2 did a project on a local river. Again, fun days, with excuses for trips out!
Daily essays
Like most learning, it was often one step forward and then what seemed two back. I was constantly having to say 'What do they need to help them move on?' Which book next to read? How best to approach writing, especially as they came to the essay writing years and I knew I needed help. Now it's 'Should we do GCSE's' and what next, so the questions don't stop, but we press on.
The Robinson Curriculum is a self teaching curriculum. Does this work?
Do you have to follow the Robinson Curriculum exactly to get good results?
We added in music lessons - at one time a whole day per week was spent with a retired deputy head-teacher who was also a choir master. He lovingly taught them to sing hymns and accompanied them on the piano (which he made into CD's for them to hand out) and then they would listen to classical music together. He has now passed away, but he was a very godly influence on them for which we are very thankful. We now only do piano lessons. Grandpa teaches us Greek. Son 2 adds in Apologia Science, Latin and Welsh - both of which he self-teaches.
Do you have to do the Robinson Curriculum six days a week as stated?
We always had realistic amounts of work set for each day and they were expected to do it. In that we were firm. I liked the idea of the reading time being 10 minutes for every school grade and so that has increased year on year. Maths was pretty much 2 hours (with breaks) for Son 1 once he started Saxon at age 7, as he takes a while to process information and had a tendency to day dream (which he has grown out of) and needed lots of breaks. Son 2 rarely takes more than an hour if that.
When they were little, we started work at 9am after morning chores. Dad does 'Bible time' before he goes to work at 7 am.
We would start with maths and work through the flashcards and a page of their maths book. Then we would have a break, before doing literacy. When they were 3-4, this was just working on phonics and handwriting practice. As they started to spell, then the spelling took a few minutes each day, then some days it was copy work, others handwriting and we would finish the morning with reading. One would look at books by themselves quietly, while one read to me and then they would swap. This kept a working atmosphere while I was concentrating on them individually.
Our afternoons were free.
Junior days usually took 9am though 12pm, and then as the reading increased, we have gradually worked up to 5 hours.
Son 1 (17) now works 8am through until 1 for lunch, then piano 1.30 to 2pm. Son 2 (14) works 8 am to 1. Then he is finished.
What about other subjects?
The key is to balance the reading list to reflect different subject areas. If I felt an area was lacking I would slip in a book on that subject. When they reached 13, I did buy them the Apologia Science book 'Exploring Creation with Physical Science' which they read independently for reading and we did spend some days doing experiments and wrote them up for writing that day. Again, like the projects, these were relaxed, fun sessions. Son 2 now does the Apologia Biology course as part of his reading.
What about sports?
Robinson is more than a curriculum. It is a way of life.
However I see now the fruit of the curriculum. They want to work! They don't seek entertainment. They enjoy working!
To that end we encourage them as far as we can in their chosen interests: Son 1 Transport - especially trains; Son 2, birds. We get them a subscription to the best magazines, buy them the best books on the subject and their pleasure time is spent studying, but they think it's play! We never palmed them off to Sunday school either while we stayed in the 'sermon'. They stayed too and were taught to sit quietly and join in singing and Bible reading as soon as they could read. Now they see themselves as part of the church - not just the 'Youth', expecting an entertaining service.
So back to the 'Is it easy?' No! It's self-teaching, but not 'Go get on with it yourself.' It's the parents taking the initiative, quietly encouraging, disciplining where necessary to keep that work ethos through school time. Then organising nice 'school outings' to fun places (not entertaining!) - wildlife walks, train rides to interesting places, friends to visit, us being with them, not casting them off to be entertained while we do the serious stuff.
So far we are very pleased with the results of RC. I didn't see it's full potential when we started out, but now whole heartedly agree with Dr. Robinsons outlook. It is an excellent education. How far it is removed from a State education!
Welcome!
After studying for an Early Years Specialism degree (B.Ed. Hons), and teaching in mainstream education, I home-educated my own children, after my husband and I were persuaded of the need to take responsibility for bringing up our children 'in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.' (Ephesians 6:4)
Our children are now grown and I help home-educating parents teach reading and writing, especially to those with special needs. Please contact me if you think I might be able to help you.
In addition I help my son to write the Nature Observations magazines and helping Chris Eastwood with her FREE Christian Home Education daily lessons.
This costs the purchaser nothing extra.
In this way I can continue to provide free resources.
Thank you for your support.
Here's one I heartlily reccomend for ages 10 +.
Search
All
Art
Computers
Coping With Pushback
Covid 19 Home Learning
Curriculums
Daily Routines
Educating Teens
English KS1
Exams
Extra Curricular
Geography
Godly Living
Handwriting
History
Home Educating On A Budget
Information
KS1 Reading
Maths
Music
Nature Study
P.E.
Phonics
Poetry
Primary Education
Reading
Robinson Curriculum
Science
Seasonal Activities
Secondary Education
Socialisation
Special Needs
Technology
Writing
See here
See here
See here