Have you taken a Foundations Course?
Attend the Principle Approach® Commonwealth teacher training courses this summer and fall!
Equip yourself to draw out the gifts and talents God has placed in your students—
October 21–24, 2008Foundations CourseFoundation for American Christian EducationWilliamsburg, Virginia
Equipping Administrators, Teachers, Home Educators, & parents!
Foundations Courses 2008
June 2-6, 2008 Foundations CourseTrinity Christian SchoolWilliston, North Dakota
June 9-13, 2008Foundations CourseTampa Study CenterTampa, Florida
June 24-27, 2008 Foundations CourseSummit County Christian SchoolSilverthorne, Colorado
July 15-18, 2008Foundations CourseStoneBridge School Chesapeake, Virginia
July 23-25, 2008 Applications CourseReading & HistoryStoneBridge SchoolChesapeake, Virginia
July 21-23, 2008 Applications CourseMath & EnglishStoneBridge SchoolChesapeake, Virginia
August 4-8, 2008Foundations CourseAmerican Heritage AcademyLas Vegas, Nevada
August 11-15, 2008Foundations CourseHeritage Christian AcademyNorth Branch, Michigan
The Noah Plan Self-Directed Study in the Principle ApproachBook with CD $37.95
This in-depth study, a succinct overview of the basic method and philosophy of the Principle Approach, is fundamental in preparing you to teach and leads you to a refreshing new perspective on learning and reasoning. Throughout the study you will be reading sections of the Foundational Books, vital tools for teaching and learning the Principle Approach for all ages, in all subjects.
Do you need the Foundational Books that accompany this study? Use coupon code EH48 to receive the whole set at a savings of $25! Order now. This offer expires on June 30, 2008.
American Dictionary of the English Language$56.95
The Christian History of the Constitution of the United States of America, Vol.I:Christian Self-Government,Founders Edition$42.95
Teaching and LearningAmerica’s Christian History: The Principle Approach$42.95
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Should I Start with Everything or a Little Bit at a Time?
The following was in answer to some emailed questions, but beneficial for everyone:
The difference between the lesson books and the overviews: The lesson books actually contain weekly plans for instruction. The overviews are simply overviews for each subject by grade level—like a year long syllabus, or what are we going to study this year. The lesson books contain the overviews AND the overviews (with the exception of mathematics; the Foundation recommends working with RightStart mathematics found at http://www.alabacus.com/ as a program that works well within the Principle Approach, but other programs work well too. We’re talking about a method--more than a program--with Principle Approach. Mathematics for the older boys would be handled differently. I can help with that as well unless you’ve already got a plan).
So the answer to your first question really depends on how comfortable you are with the method. There are those that just purchase the curriculum guides because they have the philosophical discussions and the overviews and sample work for grades K-12 (but no lesson plans). There are those who simply purchase the overviews. People who choose from these two options would be comfortable planning lessons with biblical reasoning already and not feel too much need for coaching.
The lesson plan books provide an actual weekly plan (almost like having a master PA teacher at your elbow). They should be used as a launching point. Once you understand how to put the lessons together yourself, you can use the lesson plans in the books as templates for planning other lessons for your family. In the meantime you can use the plans in the book to instruct your children. Every family is individual and although we all have similar concepts to cover, God may have a unique way to speak to your family through different activities than those covered in the book. You should feel comfortable to teach subjects that may not be in the book or concepts that may not be in the book that are unique to your family. But the lesson plans help to show how another teacher planned a year at a specific grade level along with the activities she chose.
So which you purchase really depends on where you are and your comfort level with planning.
And yes, it is possible to teach from any of the books. The most recommended is the 3rd grade edition, but you could probably use 1st or 2nd. If I were making the choice, I would choose the 3rd grade edition and get the literature lists for the other grades (I think I could get that for you, but you could also look at the grade level kits at http://www.facebookstore.net/ to see that). The reading program requires different Bible versions which can also be discovered at facebookstore. You would be using Spalding (or something similar) for spelling because of the wholistic nature of the method. The Reading curriculum guide is indispensible, and it will explain your methodology choices. I am using Spalding and can help a bit with that if you choose to go that direction. There is a link to Spalding’s website from my website if you want to speak with someone directly from the program.
And then what to start with: Again this depends on you. It is recommended to not bite off more that you can chew. If you are the amazing Proverbs 31 woman in the flesh, and won’t kill yourself doing everything and you have sufficient background with this sort of reasoning then go for it. If you need to take it a step at a time, as most people do, I have this suggestion:
For your younger students, I would without fail start them in the recommended Bible as Reader (BAR) program as stated in the Reading Curriculum Guide, using Spalding as your spelling supplement. Reading is so important—too important to backtrack and start a different method later. There will be an example BAR lesson guide in your Lesson Plan book anyway. The only additional purchase for this program would be a specific type of composition book (available from Spalding…very inexpensive…under $5) for each student taking spelling, red Ticonderoga pencils, a Spalding 6-inch ruler, and The Writing Road to Reading. You can get the book from Spalding new or order it used—either way it’s not an expensive book, and you really don’t need a new one. This book (along with How to Spell, available from facebookstore) will be all you need for your entire spelling program at all grade levels. [I’m still working at integrating the How to Spell and Spalding. We can learn together.]
I would also start your younger students with the RightStart mathematics program. Those lessons are already planned for you. You would not have to worry about how to plan principles and leading ideas with math the first year. You could add this later, but it is a different approach to learning math and easier to use the younger the students start with it. They have a transitions book that comes with each kit for each grade for students who started mathematics in another program. In ordering RightStart, you do have to order a kit, but what comes in the kit is used for most grade levels. So if you purchased Level A’s kit, and it was determined your third grader needed Level C, then you could order the entire kit for Level A and the book and worksheets for Level C, plus whatever additional items were not included in the Level A kit. For me this has meant I had to order two folding meter sticks for my older son last year along with the lesson book and worksheets for his level. Then as your children progress you will still have the lesson books for the upcoming levels they need. The folks at RightStart can help you in leveling your children (http://www.alabacus.com/). Just do the lessons the first year, and decide when you want to work with teaching God’s nature through mathematics by incorporating the Principle Approach in subsequent years.
So start with BAR and History/Geography. Use the lesson plan book as a guide to help you learn to reason using the Principle Approach. Definitely go through The Self-Directed Study in the Principle Approach this summer. That’s the best place. If you think you can handle more, add another subject…maybe choose literature or science (science is an easy add because a great portion of it deals with history; literature deals with character issues and are great examples to extract the 7 Principles of Civil Government). Move when and where God tells you to move.
Happy planning,
Michelle
The difference between the lesson books and the overviews: The lesson books actually contain weekly plans for instruction. The overviews are simply overviews for each subject by grade level—like a year long syllabus, or what are we going to study this year. The lesson books contain the overviews AND the overviews (with the exception of mathematics; the Foundation recommends working with RightStart mathematics found at http://www.alabacus.com/ as a program that works well within the Principle Approach, but other programs work well too. We’re talking about a method--more than a program--with Principle Approach. Mathematics for the older boys would be handled differently. I can help with that as well unless you’ve already got a plan).
So the answer to your first question really depends on how comfortable you are with the method. There are those that just purchase the curriculum guides because they have the philosophical discussions and the overviews and sample work for grades K-12 (but no lesson plans). There are those who simply purchase the overviews. People who choose from these two options would be comfortable planning lessons with biblical reasoning already and not feel too much need for coaching.
The lesson plan books provide an actual weekly plan (almost like having a master PA teacher at your elbow). They should be used as a launching point. Once you understand how to put the lessons together yourself, you can use the lesson plans in the books as templates for planning other lessons for your family. In the meantime you can use the plans in the book to instruct your children. Every family is individual and although we all have similar concepts to cover, God may have a unique way to speak to your family through different activities than those covered in the book. You should feel comfortable to teach subjects that may not be in the book or concepts that may not be in the book that are unique to your family. But the lesson plans help to show how another teacher planned a year at a specific grade level along with the activities she chose.
So which you purchase really depends on where you are and your comfort level with planning.
And yes, it is possible to teach from any of the books. The most recommended is the 3rd grade edition, but you could probably use 1st or 2nd. If I were making the choice, I would choose the 3rd grade edition and get the literature lists for the other grades (I think I could get that for you, but you could also look at the grade level kits at http://www.facebookstore.net/ to see that). The reading program requires different Bible versions which can also be discovered at facebookstore. You would be using Spalding (or something similar) for spelling because of the wholistic nature of the method. The Reading curriculum guide is indispensible, and it will explain your methodology choices. I am using Spalding and can help a bit with that if you choose to go that direction. There is a link to Spalding’s website from my website if you want to speak with someone directly from the program.
And then what to start with: Again this depends on you. It is recommended to not bite off more that you can chew. If you are the amazing Proverbs 31 woman in the flesh, and won’t kill yourself doing everything and you have sufficient background with this sort of reasoning then go for it. If you need to take it a step at a time, as most people do, I have this suggestion:
For your younger students, I would without fail start them in the recommended Bible as Reader (BAR) program as stated in the Reading Curriculum Guide, using Spalding as your spelling supplement. Reading is so important—too important to backtrack and start a different method later. There will be an example BAR lesson guide in your Lesson Plan book anyway. The only additional purchase for this program would be a specific type of composition book (available from Spalding…very inexpensive…under $5) for each student taking spelling, red Ticonderoga pencils, a Spalding 6-inch ruler, and The Writing Road to Reading. You can get the book from Spalding new or order it used—either way it’s not an expensive book, and you really don’t need a new one. This book (along with How to Spell, available from facebookstore) will be all you need for your entire spelling program at all grade levels. [I’m still working at integrating the How to Spell and Spalding. We can learn together.]
I would also start your younger students with the RightStart mathematics program. Those lessons are already planned for you. You would not have to worry about how to plan principles and leading ideas with math the first year. You could add this later, but it is a different approach to learning math and easier to use the younger the students start with it. They have a transitions book that comes with each kit for each grade for students who started mathematics in another program. In ordering RightStart, you do have to order a kit, but what comes in the kit is used for most grade levels. So if you purchased Level A’s kit, and it was determined your third grader needed Level C, then you could order the entire kit for Level A and the book and worksheets for Level C, plus whatever additional items were not included in the Level A kit. For me this has meant I had to order two folding meter sticks for my older son last year along with the lesson book and worksheets for his level. Then as your children progress you will still have the lesson books for the upcoming levels they need. The folks at RightStart can help you in leveling your children (http://www.alabacus.com/). Just do the lessons the first year, and decide when you want to work with teaching God’s nature through mathematics by incorporating the Principle Approach in subsequent years.
So start with BAR and History/Geography. Use the lesson plan book as a guide to help you learn to reason using the Principle Approach. Definitely go through The Self-Directed Study in the Principle Approach this summer. That’s the best place. If you think you can handle more, add another subject…maybe choose literature or science (science is an easy add because a great portion of it deals with history; literature deals with character issues and are great examples to extract the 7 Principles of Civil Government). Move when and where God tells you to move.
Happy planning,
Michelle
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Planning for Multiple Children
This is in answer to a letter from a mom starting with 6 boys. Units can be combined and older children can help with the teaching. This is an introductory letter and there may be more entries on this topic coming soon. If you are a parent/educator of more than one child, don't hesitate to add your ideas to this conversation. We can all learn from one another.
How does your 9th grader feel about this change? Does he share your mission? If so, it may help to include him as a co-teacher for the younger children. What an opportunity it would be for him to be an example to his younger brothers, and his learning would increase exponentially as well (you may also want to include your 8th grader in this mission also). If they are willing, you might want to include them (and your husband) in a summer study of the Noah Plan Self-Directed Study in the Principle Approach available from www.facebookstore.com . The best way to learn is to teach, and as your two older sons and your husband learn to study according to the Principle Approach, imagine the unity God will give you as you work together toward a common purpose.
Your 8th and 9th graders will need to study Rudiments of America’s Christian History also available from www.facebookstore.com; they will also need the “Red Books” for this study and the American Dictionary of the English Language 1828 edition. They can do this together as you work with your younger children on another course of history study. The Rudiments study handbook will guide your students through their notebook work. You will want to make time to complete this study for yourself if it’s possible, or if time constrains, read through the lessons prior to your boys doing the work so you know what to expect from them. Their notebooks will be very important to this study as well as their other studies.
While your two older students are working together on Rudiments, your can work with the younger children on another history/geography study. Do you have an opportunity to explore the K-3 Lesson Plan books from the Noah Plan? [Let me know your answer to this and we can discuss your options]. The key is while the work may be similar your going to require a bit more the older the students get. The first grader may color a picture and write a verse depending on the time of year. The 5th grader would have a more in-depth assignment. But the actual stories in the lesson would be the same and could be discussed together. You can, again, incorporate your older students as they study some of the same events to find creative ways to share their research with your younger students. This will cement the learning of the older boys and create a strong bond between all the boys. The subject matter is the same; the depth of the assignments varies according to age.
When you study literature, where appropriate read the same selections to them all again varying the assignments according to age and ability. Have the older ones read some of the younger selections like Pinocchio to their younger siblings and help them with their notebook assignments. (If you are like me, you will want to read some of those for the young ones as well, but it will help the older ones and your sanity to include their help in this).
How does your 9th grader feel about this change? Does he share your mission? If so, it may help to include him as a co-teacher for the younger children. What an opportunity it would be for him to be an example to his younger brothers, and his learning would increase exponentially as well (you may also want to include your 8th grader in this mission also). If they are willing, you might want to include them (and your husband) in a summer study of the Noah Plan Self-Directed Study in the Principle Approach available from www.facebookstore.com . The best way to learn is to teach, and as your two older sons and your husband learn to study according to the Principle Approach, imagine the unity God will give you as you work together toward a common purpose.
Your 8th and 9th graders will need to study Rudiments of America’s Christian History also available from www.facebookstore.com; they will also need the “Red Books” for this study and the American Dictionary of the English Language 1828 edition. They can do this together as you work with your younger children on another course of history study. The Rudiments study handbook will guide your students through their notebook work. You will want to make time to complete this study for yourself if it’s possible, or if time constrains, read through the lessons prior to your boys doing the work so you know what to expect from them. Their notebooks will be very important to this study as well as their other studies.
While your two older students are working together on Rudiments, your can work with the younger children on another history/geography study. Do you have an opportunity to explore the K-3 Lesson Plan books from the Noah Plan? [Let me know your answer to this and we can discuss your options]. The key is while the work may be similar your going to require a bit more the older the students get. The first grader may color a picture and write a verse depending on the time of year. The 5th grader would have a more in-depth assignment. But the actual stories in the lesson would be the same and could be discussed together. You can, again, incorporate your older students as they study some of the same events to find creative ways to share their research with your younger students. This will cement the learning of the older boys and create a strong bond between all the boys. The subject matter is the same; the depth of the assignments varies according to age.
When you study literature, where appropriate read the same selections to them all again varying the assignments according to age and ability. Have the older ones read some of the younger selections like Pinocchio to their younger siblings and help them with their notebook assignments. (If you are like me, you will want to read some of those for the young ones as well, but it will help the older ones and your sanity to include their help in this).
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