Principles and Leading Ideas

The Educational Philosophy Chart is a place to record information as you work through the Self-Directed. When you are through the study, you should be able to look over the chart to aid in developing your personal philosophy of education. You should record actual basic definitions you have found in your studies [in the 1828 dictionary]. If God has revealed a specific principle to you in this area, record that as well. This study does reveal itself over time, so it is important that you are patient with yourself and that you approach the study with prayer asking God to reveal himself to you.

A principle is the starting point—the foundation—upon which any idea stands. It is the starting point from which ideas are derived. For example, if I say that marriage is the union of one man and one woman as ordained by God, I’ve stated a leading idea that could go back to the principle of relationship between God and man. Marriage is an example of this principle. God has used it to teach us about our relationship with him. So marriage could be a leading idea here—God’s leading idea for us to help us see what He wants in a relationship between God and man. There are character qualities in men and in women that illustrate this as well [one of the reasons God uses one man and one woman in this example].

A more practical example for school could be: God’s principle of individuality. How would we teach this to children? This principle states that we are each created uniquely for an individual purpose directly governed by God. God teaches us about his nature through this principle. For instance, in a science lesson we could lead children to this principle by studying the different types of snakes and the purpose for which God created them, the differences of clouds and the purpose for which God created them,… These ideas would then be brought back to the children through relating the idea to them personally—“If God created each thing for an individual purpose, what do you think he is trying to teach us about you?” Ans. : He is teaching me that I have a purpose for which he gave me individual gifts to fulfill. The principle is God’s principle of individuality; the leading idea is what you teach, snakes, butterflies, plants, clouds, … But the primary lesson is what God has to say about himself and how that applies directly to the child.

Hope this helps,
Michelle