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