Posted in The Principle Approach: Self-Directed Study

 Welcome to "The Curriculum"... 

Week 15—Assignment

• Lesson 7
  • The Curriculum [and The Methods]
• Supplemental Resources:  
  • T&L pgs. 102-112
• Assignments:  Define teacher, student, curriculum (and others); Work on 5^th, 6^th, 7^th & 8^throws of Chart on “The Teacher”; “The Student”, “Curriculum” and “The Methods".

Lesson 7—The Curriculum

            In this lesson, we are working on the 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, & 8^th rows of the chart.  Actually, this will take longer than this week.  I originally had the 7^th row (Curriculum) and 8^th row (The Method) set for next week, but this week we are going over curriculum and methods.  However you proceed and however long it takes, just do it at your pace.  Feel free to save the 7^th & 8^th rows until next week or whenever it works best for you.  We love “freedom” in education!

            Let’s see…where have we been?  We’ve studied “Gaining the Mind of Christ”; “The Notebook Approach”; “Education, A Whole View”; “Our Heritage of Christian Education”, “Gaining a Providential View of History”; and a detailed review of the 7 principles.

            Now how about that “curriculum”?  Haven’t we been saying all along that PA is not a curriculum?  Well, it is not a curriculum in the sense that we understand curriculum—with all lessons being prepared and provided by an outside source with little input by ourselves—and if you don’t get to the end…we’ve failed.  J

            This lesson helps us understand how “curriculum” can truly be unique to each family as the Lord so leads.  It shows how curriculum is really about (1) subjects, (2) scope & sequence, and (3) methods and tools with the goal being “effective growth in understanding and character”.  Again, a Christ-centered education is about instilling God’s principles through the use of information while a man-centered education is simply information driven.  Here are some of the highlights.

• Curriculum is subjects (whole body of knowledge taught); scope and sequence (how it is ordered); and methods & tools (means of teaching).
• Christian education requires a living curriculum—“one that inspires and nourishes the inner man, one rooted in Divine revelation.”
• In the Principle Approach, “subjects are unified Biblically, historically, and governmentally.”  How subjects are governmental is a another whole study.  The Judah Bible Curriculum (JBC) and A Guide to American Christian Education (GACE) are excellent resources in learning how to think governmentally.
• The Noah Plan doesn’t recommend or provide secular textbooks, student workbooks, or teacher manuals with all lessons prepared.
• The Noah Plan does provide a (1) scope and sequence, (2) subject guidelines, (3) course overviews, (4) directed courses of study, and (5) Christian methods of study.  The following is a quote from one of NP’s lesson plans…"The model set here in the Noah Plan Lessons should be seen only as a point of reference for the individual teacher or parent. The goal is not to do as much as you can. The goal is to practice the methodology at the pace that is practical and effective in the particular application. How much of the curriculum (The Noah Plan Guides) you cover is a matter of individual need, practicality, and conscience.  The key word for Noah Plan users is Liberty!"  [The Noah Plan Lessons Kindergarten, 2003, pg. xvii]
• The Noah Plan is Biblical, historical, and classical.
• Don’t forget to review “Teaching Methodology Demonstrated in the Bible noting the Bible’s use of “principles”, “providential history”, and “individual character”.
• Also, of interest, note the “Curriculum Scope and Sequence” for all grades and, what I’ve found most helpful, “Designing Curriculum Using the Four R’s”.

 Karen