Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

    You're absolutely right!  The Principle Approach as well as the guide, "The Noah Plan", are definitely about not being bound to a curriculum.  Well, after reading the summaries on the principles, it certainly sounds like a curriculum, doesn't it?

     As I'm learning "The Principle Approach", I try to remember that if I do not understand anything else, I must realize that my goal is to personally learn the principles and then, as the Lord leads, pass that along to my children.  He knows me and He knows my children.  He can best lead me on how to pass on His godly principles.

      This idea was put very eloquently by the writers of "The Noah Plan" (Foundation for American Education).  I happened to be reading the following one morning in the newer grade level lesson plans for Kindergarten for my youngest ds.  In the introductory pages I ran across a wonderful explanation of how "The Principle Approach", "The Noah Plan", and curriculum all relate to each other. Here's the quote...

"THE IDEAL: The Principle Approach was practiced in classrooms and home schools before The Noah Plan for decades. The Principle Approach can be taught directly using the "red books", the Webster's 1828 Dictionary, the Bible, and a good library. The ideal is that every individual teacher develops the specific curriculum for his/her own setting.

THE POTENTIAL: The Noah Plan offers a complete kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum [guide] as it is employed in the demonstration school. The nature of the Principle Approach dictates that The Noah Plan or any other model of the Prinicple Approach curriculum be an offering, not a mandate. The teacher should select from it or use it as a guide from which to design an individual program for his/her class or family. The teacher who begins with The Noah Plan gets a 'jump-start' in the Principle Approach for immediate help, which, over time, will give way to the teacher's own research and writing as he/she internalizes the methodology and is inspired to go beyond The Noah Plan.  The potential is for the user to become a master teacher." [The Noah Plan Lessons Kindergarten, 2003, pg. xi]

I believe this is what freedom in education is all about.

Staying faithful,

Karen

PS:  If you feel intrigued and feel the Lord is possibly leading you in this direction, please go to "The Principle Approach: Self-Directed Study" under "Categories"; and, hopefully, you will find more information to lead you on this incredible journey that the Lord is directing you in.  May He bless you richly.

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

Where have we been...

1. PA is uniquely Christ-centered—all things of redeeming value originate in Him.
2. Jesus Christ is the focal point of history—all human history is consummated in Christ.
3. There is value to having a Christ-centered education across the curriculum.
4. There is value to teaching “whole to parts” education.
5. PA offers freedom in education; our reliance being on God’s leading as it relates to our particular families.
6. God’s hand in history—God’s plan for redemption of mankind and this earth is revealed in the study of all of history.
7. PA uniquely identifies the continent of Asia as the Continent of Origins, the continent of Europe as the Continent of Development, and America as the Most Complete Expression of Christian Civilization. 
8. PA’s approach in history is to all of history, focusing on our Christian heritage.
9. American history is taught based on this country’s Christian heritage and how to train ourselves as well as our children to live and act under the principles of Biblical self-government, exemplified by the Pilgrims and founding fathers.
10. Another very important aspect of PA is learning how to use the Bible as a political textbook, where all things are compared to God’s Word, also exemplified by the Pilgrims and many of our founding fathers and mothers.
11. A providential view of history is seeing how God’s hand moves throughout history as He provides for our future.  We do this all the time in our Christian walk.  We look for God’s providential care of us throughout our life.
12. The Chain of Christianity highlights 10 key links following our Christian Heritage throughout history.  All periods & dates are compared with those 10 links providing “mental pegs” for children to organize world events as they relate to our Christian heritage.
13. The westward movement of the Gospel is revealed to us as we study God’s hand in history as His spirit washes across the continents.
14. The Seven Principles of America’s Christian History and Government are the crème del la crème of The Principle Approach.  They represent fundamental truths embraced by the Pilgrims and our founding fathers at God’s leading that resulted in the most complete expression of Christian civilization.  These Christian truths of Biblical civilization are important for us and our children to learn in order that our lives will conform to God’s plan on how we are to function individually, how we are to lead our families, and how we are to live in Christian civilization in conformity with God’s Word. 

 Staying faithful,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

What are the four steps of learning incorporated in the Word Study Format?

4R-ing

Research:  Searching the vocabulary of the subject being studied for its source and purpose.  {Word Study Format}

Reason:  Reasoning from Biblical truths and identifying them in the form of principles to the subject being studied.  Reasoning builds upon truth already researched.  {Process of thinking how the subject relates to God’s word and identifying Biblical principles}

Relate:  Applying Biblical truth individually:  {Personal application}

Record:  The learner’s written record of the study and application of Biblical truth.  {Notebooking/Lapbooking/etc.}  

Notebooking

            Notebooking is simply a written record of one’s study, “and the more detailed and exacting the record, the greater the mastery attained. {Self-Directed Study, 1997, pg. 27}  This can be as unique as the individual. 

            “In the elementary classroom, students learn to record simple notes from the chalkboard written by the teacher in complete sentences in outline form, or from charts that summarize information and ideas.  T-charts relieve the tedium of excessive writing for young students.”  {The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide, pg.100}

                       The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide provides a detailed list on their recommended way to set up a notebook on page 101.  I haven’t gotten that detailed yet.  I’ve just gotten separate notebooks for my subjects that I’m PA’ing.  Each year you add to the subject notebooks.  One thing you realize when you set up notebooks is how often you repeat your subject material but in a different light.  It helps you see where you've been and where you're going.  Of course, the kids eventually begin to see this picture as well.

 Staying faithful,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

Word Study Format

            The Word Study Format incorporates the 1828 Dictionary.  However, the Word Study Format is “much more than going to a dictionary simply to define a word”.  It “provides the pathway of reflective thinking and deductive reasoning derived from the revelation of Scripture.” 

The process of the Word Study Format:

• The word is defined from the 1828 Dictionary and key words underlined within the definition
• Relevant Scriptures are recorded
• Personal definitions written within our own words or our children’s words

     This was my study of “History” based on the Word Study Format.  But please know, this was for my study of an entire subject and not something you would do on every word you look up.  Who wants to be in school all day?  However, it may give a good example of an exhaustive approach.  Everything that I've done from here is certainly less.  Also, my older kids were in Jr. High when we went over these notes. J

History

Key Word Defined:               

History is…

1. An account of facts, particularly of facts respecting nations or states; a narration of events in the order in which they happened, with their causes and effects; and/or an account of the origin, life and actions of an individual person.
2. Narration; verbal relation of facts or events; story.
3. Description; an account of things that exist.
4. Knowledge of facts and events.

 Key words in definition defined:

Narration:  The act of telling or relating the particulars of an event;

                Account:  Narrative; relation; statement of facts; recital of particular transactions and events, verbal or written; as an account of the revolution in France.

                Facts:  Any thing done, or that comes to pass; an act; a deed; an effect produced or achieved; an event.

            Events:  That which comes, arrives or happens; that which falls out; any incident good or bad

                Order:  Regular disposition or methodical arrangement of things; a word of extensive application; as the order of troops or parade, etc.  Good order is the foundation of all good things.

                Cause:  That which produces an effect; that which impels into existence, or by its agency or operation produces what did not before exist; that by virtue of which any thing is done; that from which any thing proceeds, and without which it would not exist.

Effect:  That which is produced by an agent or cause; as the effect of luxury; the effect of intemperance. Poverty, disease, and disgrace are the natural effects of dissipation.

                Story:  An oral or written narrative of a series of facts or events. 

Relevant Scriptures recorded:

                For God has allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this:  He purposed long ago in His sovereign will that all human history should be consummated (completed) in Christ..  (Ephesians 1:9-10--Phillips) 

                The creation waits in eager expectation…that the creation itself will be liberated…and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:19-22) 

Personal Definitions:

            History is a narration of events in the order in which they happened, with their causes and effects.  History is also the details of the life and actions of individual persons. 

§         Narration—The act of telling or relating the details of an event.

§         Event—That which happens

§         Causes—That which makes something happen

§         Effect—That which is produced by a cause.  {For example, death and disease are natural effects of sin.}

Biblical Principles: 

1. Jesus Christ is the focal point of all history.
2. He is our redemption for sin.
3. Creation also waits for Jesus’ redemption 

Note:  It’s a lot easier to do the Word Study Format using the on-line 1828 Dictionary—just cut and paste definitions.  The only things you’re typing out are your personal reflections/definitions.

This was the outline of “History” I put together for my kids outline copywork…

History 

I.  History is Christ, His Story. {HiStory}

a.       “For God has allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this:  He purposed long ago in His sovereign will that all human history should be consummated (completed) in Christ. —Ephesians 1:9-10 (Phillips)

II.                Jesus Christ is the focal point of all human history.

a.       He is our redemption for sin.

                                                                          i.      Redemption means Jesus bought us back from the consequences of sin—separation from God.

b.      Ancient history looked forward to the coming of Christ.

c.       Modern history looks backward upon Calvary.

d.      Creation also waits for Jesus’ redemption

                                                                          i.      “The creation waits in eager expectation…that the creation itself will be liberated…and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:19-22)

III.             History is a narration of events in the order in which they happened, with their causes and effects.  History is also the details of the life and actions of individual persons.

a.       Narration—The act of telling or relating the details of an event.

b.      Event—That which happens

c.       Causes—That which makes something happen

d.      Effect—That which is produced by a cause.  {For example, death and disease are natural effects of sin.}

IV.              History is the autobiography of God—His Story of Love, Mercy, and Redemption.

V.                 History is providential showing the hand of God in history as he provides for our future.

 ****************

The same thing can be done by a lapbook, oral discussion and you write down their thoughts, or any method that works for your family.  There is no one right way.  Your child’s retention is what matters.  My thoughts are to set reasonable goals for recording and simply work through it quarter by quarter.

Staying faithful,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

Tools of Christian Scholarship

 

American Dictionary of the English Language

Noah Webster, 1828

            The 1828 Dictionary is the only dictionary where words are defined using the Bible, and Scripture is referenced throughout.  As America separated from England, elements of their language became unique.  Noah Webster put together the first American dictionary.  Of course, the Webster dictionary of today is nothing like the 1828 dictionary.  The below is an example of how the 1828 Dictionary defines the word “child”…  I’ve placed in bold biblical references and especially take note of the reference, “One who is born again, spiritually renewed and adopted; as a child of God.”  Can you imagine that in today’s dictionary?

CHILD, n.

1. A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the first degree; the immediate progeny of parents; applied to the human race, and chiefly to a person when young. The term is applied to infants from their birth; but the time when they cease ordinarily to be so called, is not defined by custom. In strictness, a child is the shoot, issue or produce of the parents, and a person of any age, in respect to the parents, is a child.

An infant.

Hagar cast the child under one of the shrubs. Gen. 21.

It signifies also a person of more advanced years.

Jephthas daughter was his only child. Judges 11.

The child shall behave himself proudly. Is. 3.

A curse will be on those who corrupt the morals of their children.

The application of child to a female in opposition to a male, as in Shakspeare, is not legitimate.

2. One weak in knowledge, experience, judgment or attainments; as, he is a mere child.

Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. Jer. 1.

3. One young in grace. 1 John 2.

One who is unfixed in principles. Eph. 4.

4. One who is born again, spiritually renewed and adopted; as a child of God.

5. One who is the product of another; or whose principles and morals are the product of another.

Thou child of the devil. Acts 13.

That which is the product or effect of something else.

This noble passion, child of integrity.

6. In the plural, the descendants of a man however remote; as the children of Israel; the children of Edom.

7. The inhabitants of a country; as the children of Seir. 2 Chron. 25.

To be with child, to be pregnant. Gen. 16:11, Gen. 29:36.

 Other aspects of the 1828 Dictionary are as follows:

¨      Etymology—for each word, the root from the original language

¨      Comprehensive definitions

¨      Quotes from classic literature and the Bible

¨      Biography of Noah Webster by Rosalie June Slater

¨      English Grammar by Noah Webster 

Note:  The importance here is to understand the words that we are using.  Sometimes when we look a word up, it doesn’t necessarily shed a lot of light because we had a good handle on the word.  But you’d be amazed at how often defining the word sheds a great deal of light on a word in ways that we wouldn’t have guessed.  The bottom line is we need to understand the full meaning of words we are using in scholarship; which includes a Biblical scope.

I prefer to first look up Websters 1828 definition of any word so that I can get the full meaning of the word before our dictionaries were stripped of everything godly.  However, having said that, I do use another dictionary for an updated more technical breakdown of a word...namely, Websters New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition.  Not necessary, but I have recently gotten my hands on The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, the Origins of American English Words by Robert K. Barnheart for when my kids are a little older.

*****************************************************

 Staying faithful,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

 love the outlines and guidelines, but now what?

            This is where Christian Scholarship comes in.  The outline merely acts as a roadmap or as guideposts of where you want to go.  You do not have to cover every point.  Again, this is where freedom in education comes into play, which allows you to cover items reflected in your study.  Of course, we cannot expect our children to practice Christian Scholarship until we do so ourselves, which is a lot of what the Self-Directed Study encompasses. 

            Among other aspects, Christian Scholarship includes Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the Word Study Format, 4R-ing and Notebooking.  Bear with me as I go through these items, and then we’ll take a hands-on approach with the first week of the history outlines in my K-4 outlines… “Introduction to History as Christ, His Story”. 

Christian Scholarship

            Back to philosophy…just briefly… 

“American Christian scholarship has its seedbed in the colonial period which began with the arrival of the Pilgrims in 1620 and produced the highest rate of literacy in America the world has ever enjoyed!  Several Pilgrim fathers were Cambridge-educated.  However, William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Plantation for nearly four decades, was a self-taught man who learned several languages including Hebrew and Greek so he could better understand the Scriptures.  He brought his library with him on the “Mayflower”, and when he died it was a collection of many volumes.

            The average colonial was a man or woman of ennobled Christian character who could reason Biblically and apply those principles to all areas of life to such a degree that when the Europeans read the American State Papers, Moses Coit Tyler, historian of American literature, indicates that ‘they were found to contain nearly every quality indicative of personal and national greatness.  The colonists’ familiarity with history, extensive legal learning…and lucid exposition of Constitutional principles, showed, indeed, that somehow, out into the American wilderness had been carried, the very accent of cosmopolitan thought and speech.’  Parents, pastors, and patriots alike played a great role in the education of our distinguished forefathers and all without state-of-the-art computer labs!  Such is the urgent need of modern America!”

The Noah Plan History & Geography Curriculum Guide, pg. 99

            What should our goal be in education as Homeschool parents…the same as for the average colonial…that our children will be men and women “of ennobled Christian character who could reason Biblically and apply those principles to all areas of life”.   

Christian Scholarship includes:

¨      Effectively articulating and implementing knowledge in the family, workplace, and civil government

¨      Reason from “cause to effect” with the revelation of Scripture

¨      Personal research from primary sources, reflection, and lucid writing

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Staying faithful,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

The Christian Principle of American Political Union

¨      “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…”  Ephesians 4:13  

The four layers of expansion {leading ideas} for grades K-12 recommended for The Christian Principle of American Political Union are as follows:

1.       Boston Patriots and the Tea Act

2.      Boston Port is Closed—Day of Fasting and Prayer, June 1, 1774

3.      The Cement of American Union

4.      American Unity is Christian Unity

     In The Noah Plan this principle is first introduced at the elementary level in 5^th grade (4^th quarter) in its first layer.  

     The following is the description provided by The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide, p. 68.

The Christian Principle of American Political Union

“Internal agreement or unity, which is invisible, produces an external union, which is visible in the spheres of government, economics, and home and community life.  Before two or more individuals can act effectively together, they must first be united in spirit in their purposes and convictions.

 

The entire program of teaching and learning America’s Christian history and form of government is to encourage families and schools to teach with a positive emphasis upon what is right, true, and changeless.  The purpose is to provide young people with a clearly defined American Christian standard of reference for every situation.  This is ‘built-in’ Christian self-government predicated upon the Word of God.  This enables you to extend your influence and example into the lives of our children when we are not with them to guide and counsel.

 

Educators are encouraged to take the time to define foundations clearly—Christian principles which changelessly turn to the compass-point regardless of which direction the individual faces.  This will require vision, and a sacrifice of time, to think though the lessons which you will teach, and the principles which you must define and re-define by many illustrations and personal example.”

Staying faithful,

Karen

 

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

¨     “The government of the United States is acknowledged by the wise and good of other nations, to be the most free, impartial, and righteous government of the world; but all agree, that for such a government to be sustained many years, the principles of truth and righteousness, taught in the Holy Scriptures, must be practiced.  The rulers must govern in the fear of God, and the people obey the laws.”  Emma Willard, 1843

 

The four layers of expansion {leading ideas} for grades K-12 recommended for How the Seed of Local Self-Government are as follows:

1.       Samuel Adams – Christian Patriot

2.      Patriotic Letters—Committees of Correspondence

3.      The American Colonies Practice Self-Government for 150 Years

4.      “Liberty Under Law”

       In The Noah Plan this principle is first introduced at the elementary level in 4^th grade (1^st quarter) in its first layer.

      The following is the description provided by The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide, p. 68.

How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

“Christian self-government begins with salvation and education in God’s Law and Love, and flows in governing oneself, one’s home, church, and community.  The Chain of Christianity is made up of individual links.  The “mass mind” and the “common man” are empty words; for collectivism is defeated when each individual learns to see himself as God sees him.  Even in the family group or the classroom, individuals must take responsibility or blame, in order to discover and correct errors…” (Sam Adams, Father of the American Revolution)

Next time...

• The 7 Principles on which PA is based 
  • Principle 7: The Christian Principle of American Political Union

Staying faithful,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

The Christian Form of Our Government

¨      “As men we have God for our King, and are under the Law of Reason: as Christian, we have Jesus the Messiah for our King, and are under the Law revealed by him in the Gospel…” The Reasonableness of Christianity, John Locke, 1695

The four layers of expansion {leading ideas} for grades K-12 recommended for The Christian Form of Our Government are as follows:

1.       The Christian Idea of Man and Government-Representation 3 Branches of Dual Form

2.      The Law and the Gospel as the Basis of Our Government—Christianity and Education

3.      “A government Resting on Moral Principles” Christian Morality in Leadership

4.      The Pulpit and American Indepdendence

In The Noah Plan this principle is first introduced at the elementary level in 5^th grade (1^st quarter) in its first layer.

The following is the description provided by The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide, p. 68.

The Christian Form of Our Government

“America’s unique form of civil government flows through the Holy Spirit’s power and force operating through self-governing individuals, whose God-given rights are protected by laws established by their elected representatives.  Proper government requires a balance of internal power and its external form as seen in the separation of powers and its dual form with checks and balances.  The Christian form of our government finds it source in “the American political text-book”—the Holy Bible, and its principles embody both the law and the Gospel.  To make Christian constitutional government effective, the power of government—sovereignty—must be restored to the individual.  How important then, to accustom our young children to think of the importance of individual action and influence.”  

Next time...

• The 7 Principles of American Christian Education
  • Principle 6: How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

Serving faithfully,

Karen

Posted in The Principle Approach: A Summary

Conscience is the Most Sacred of All Property

¨      “For men being the Workmanship of One Omnipotent, and infinitely wise Maker: All the Servants of one Sovereign Master, sent into the World by his Order, and about his Business, they are his Property, whose Workmanship they are, made to last during his, not one another’s Pleasure…”  “Of Civil-Government”  John Locke, 1689

      In The Noah Plan, the four layers of expansion {leading ideas} for grades K-12 recommended for “Conscience is the Most Sacred of All Property” are as follows:

1.       Man is God’s Property

2.      “Of Property” John Locke Foundation Title to Property

3.      “Life, Liberty, and Property” Boston Platform of Christian Civil Rights 1772

4.      “No Taxation Without Representation” Property Rights

In The Noah Plan this principle is first introduced at the primary level in Kindergarten (3^rd quarter) in its first layer, more ideally described for children as knowing “right from wrong”. 

The following is the description provided by The Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide, p. 68.

“Conscience is the Most Sacred of All Property”

James Madison

 

“God requires faithful stewardship of all His gifts, especially the internal property of conscience.  This is a tool for self-government as each child learns the revelation of consent.  Each individual governs his life through the voluntary consent to do right or wrong.

 

It means to value your Christian conviction and conscience above all external possessions, even life itself, as did the first-century Christian martyrs.  We learn from our Founding Fathers that property begins with individual responsibility and productivity—stewardship first, then ownership.

 

In the home or school setting, property is learned as being both internal and external.  Not only convictions, but also possessions need to be protected and safeguarded.  Property is an individual responsibility and an individual stewardship.  Only as it is learned individually will it be mutually valued.  How much can you teach of this important principle at home and in the classroom?”

Next time...

• The 7 Principles of American Christian Education
  • Principle 5: The Christian Form of Our Government

Serving faithfully,

Karen