Conclusion to my Philosophy of Education

These are the last two sections of my Philosophy of Education paper that I wrote for an Education class while pursuing my Bachelor's degree.  I hope that by sharing my thoughts on education that it will encourage you to sit down and write out your own philosophy of education.  Knowing what we believe about the purpose of education allows us to instruct our children consistently according to our worldview. 

Children are like soft clay.  As we teach them, we are molding and shaping their hearts and minds for a particular purpose.  As Christians, that purpose should be for the glory of the Lord.

Motivation for Learning

            I believe that children have the capacity for learning something, and that while they may be intrinsically motivated to learn, all forms of learning should be guided in one way or another.  I am not of the belief that children are born inherently good, but that their natures are totally depraved and thus the natural inclination of their will is to choose wrong over right (Romans 3:10).  Influenced by my worldview I am compelled to act as a type of shepherd to my children, guiding them in the direction that will lead them to ultimately know God.  I believe children have an inherent desire to learn, but the type of things that they learn should be appropriate and consistent with the worldview of the parents.  This is why the purpose of learning should be defined by the parents, not the government.  The Puritan poet John Milton once explained that the purpose of learning is “to repair the ruin of our first parents by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge, to love Him, to imitate Him, to be like Him” (Sproul, 2004, p.16).  When Milton uses the word God, he most emphatically meant the God of the Bible and not the generic “to whom it may concern” god of the current culture (Sproul, 2004, p.16).  As a Christian parent who holds to a firm Biblical worldview, the means by which I educate my children is also as important as the end goal desired.  This requires that; while I understand that children most certainly are hard wired to learn, what they learn is paramount to the worldview they will adopt as adults.  As it stands today, and for some time now, the corridor for which children in the public school are ushered down is one leading them to adopt moral relativism and the deal is sealed in college and university where the message that there are no absolute truths is affirmed.  As Allan Bloom wrote in his book, The Closing of the American Mind, “There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative” (Bloom, 1988, p.25).  Children are hard wired to desire learning, the objective in my teaching philosophy and methods is to shepherd my child’s motivations and will towards the end goal of knowing God and adopting a Biblical worldview.  I also want my children to not only be “educated” but I want them to be wise (Proverbs 3:13).  An underlying focus on the type of wisdom I strive to impart to my children is that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10).  

Conclusion

            A philosophy of education will reflect a worldview, and that worldview will generate a generation that will either benefit humanity or destroy it.  The worldview of secular humanists encourages knowledge for the sake of exalting man (Wayne, 2000).  The Marxist uses an education to prepare a child to serve the state (Wayne, 2000).  Within the capitalistic worldview, the adoption of “serve the State” has been incorporated for use in the free-market economy, fueling the goal of education as a means to financial prosperity (Wayne, 2000).  The worldview that I hold to and that influences my personal philosophy of education is a Christian or Biblical worldview which acknowledges that the purpose of our existence and education is to know God.  This not only is the standard by which I judge right from wrong, but the standard by which I teach my children right from wrong.  The standard used is based on my religious presuppositions derived from the Bible.  I believe that all parents should be aware of their own personal presuppositions about life, and understand what their philosophy of education is in order to make the best educational decisions for their children, rather than leaving it up to the State to decide in which moral direction all children should go.  True educational freedom comes in the form of privatized education and the best form of privatized education is that of homeschooling.  It has for generations created an atmosphere for true learning and enhanced the familial bond which will always benefit a nation.  While I understand that my philosophy of education is quite different from most, it is based on a strong conviction and belief that education isn’t merely about teaching the basic academic subjects but is intrinsically religious in nature and therefore promotes a particular worldview.  This is why privatized or a parent-led education is not only the best for America, but it strips the State from teaching any and all worldviews that would conflict or be contradictory to the worldviews of parents, who ultimately have sovereign rights over their children.  

Bloom, A. (1988). The closing of the American mind. Simon & Schuster INC, New York.

Sproul, R.C., Jr. (2004). When you rise up: a covenantal approach to homeschooling. P&R

 Publishing, NJ: Phillipsburg.

Wayne, I. (2000). Homeschooling from a biblical worldview. Wisdom’s Gate, MI: Covert.

Science, Arithmetic and Mathematics

Science is a subject that my husband has a passion for teaching correctly. When it comes to homeschooling, there is more freedom for parents to teach science truthfully.  In the following post I share my thoughts on science and the differences between arithmetic and mathematics. 

Science.  The manner in which I will present the sciences will be faithful to the centuries of discovery and research within the scientific disciplines; however I will explore and acknowledge the biases and presuppositions that underline the variety of perspectives which affect the approach to scientific inquiry.  An important factor in presenting science is being aware of its limitations of what it can appropriately explain.  The method for which science will be presented to my children will be restricted to that which is observable and repeatable.  I will discuss scientific philosophies and theories as separate from the hard sciences.  I will avoid making the mistake of attempting to explain origins by misusing scientific reason.  In regards to applied sciences I will utilize hands on experiments in order to solidify the philosophical laws of science in a way that is practical (Wayne, 2000).  Utilizing the creation museums that are being developed throughout the states will greatly benefit the curriculum I intend to use when teaching science.  The basis of the curriculum is one from a creationist’s point of view and therefore more in harmony with a Biblical worldview.

Arithmetic and Mathematics.  Thomas Aquinas, known for influencing Neo-Thomism, once said that we could “think God’s thoughts after Him, for all mathematical laws are God’s laws” (Wayne, 2000).  Mathematics can be taught in several ways through the use of workbooks, textbooks, computers, flash cards, and hands on methods or a combination of these.  I believe the manner in which math is taught will be based on the child’s maturity and willingness to learn the subject.  Within the homeschool community math manipulatives are becoming a more popular and effective way of teaching children the concepts of math (Wayne, 2000).  From my own experience with teaching my four year old basic concepts of addition and subtraction, the hands on approach works best when used in activities she is interested in, such as cooking, baking and playing with blocks.  The purpose of math from a Biblical worldview “serves at least two purposes; it gives us a logical basis for all other areas of study and it helps us to calculate and measure the effects of our decisions before we reach the point of no return” (Wayne, 2000, p.66).

The difference between mathematics and arithmetic is also of importance when teaching children.  The word arithmetic is scarcely found in textbooks today, as it has been incorporated into the term mathematics or “problem solving”.  Arithmetic is simply defined as a “counting system” and is used in everyday life (Blumenfeld, 1997).  Teaching children the proper understanding of arithmetic is the most basic skill in counting and is necessary for moving on to mathematics.  Addition is counting forward, subtraction is counting backwards, multiplication is counting forward in multiples while division is counting backwards in multiples; understanding this first is essential for any further learning in basic life skills such as balancing a check book, purchasing groceries, calculating income tax, etc. (Blumenfeld, 1997).  Mathematics is higher learning dealing with relationships and uses arithmetic calculations and symbols to carrying out various functions; however before any person can understand this they must first master arithmetic (Blumenfeld, 1997). 

Blumenfeld, S. (1997). Homeschooling: a parents guide to teaching children. Replica Books, NJ:

 Bridgewater.

Wayne, I. (2000). Homeschooling from a biblical worldview. Wisdom’s Gate, MI: Covert.

Philosohpy, Literature, and Social Studies

Have you determined how you will teach philosophy, literature and social studies to your children?  What is most important about these subjects in light of  Biblical worldview?  Here's my personal philosophy on these three subjects:

Philosophy.  Philosophy is also an important subject that I believe is a vital part of a well-rounded education.  While many Christian parents are apprehensive about teaching their children secular/humanistic philosophies and the philosophers who purposed such thought, I believe it is imperative to inform my children of competing worldviews.  Philosophy is the “love of wisdom”, and Proverbs 29:3 teaches “A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father”.  For this reason, the study of philosophy and worldviews will be a core part of the curriculum used as my children mature.  Within the realm of philosophy the approach that I will take is one of Presuppositionalism; formulated by the late Dr. Cornelius Van Til, which will presuppose aspects of reality such as the existence of God and absolute truths.  The purpose for focusing on philosophy in this manner is to instill into my children a particular worldview.  Each person has a worldview and all people have a philosophy about life.  These two things create a set of beliefs that will inevitably control or govern how we live, and each child has questions about life that must be settled in their own minds, thus, the study of philosophy and its different facets will greatly affect the end result. 

Literature.  Home-based education allows for much variety in the choosing of which types of literature a child will be exposed to.  Authors, whether they write fiction or non-fiction intend to convey a message, and in most cases reveal in some way their own personal worldview through their writings.  For this reason, literature is carefully and thoughtfully chosen based on a Biblical worldview.  While many of the “classics” are quite enjoyable to read, they may not be suitable for all ages, thus the literature chosen is age appropriate and can be read aloud as a family.  In taking advantage of family reading time, different components of the literature can be discussed and explained, such as discussing the different characters, moral implications, and definitions of new vocabulary words (Wayne, 2000).  

Social Studies.  The instruction of social studies as it pertains to culture greatly affects one’s worldview.  A term that comes to mind which describes the method for which I teach my children in regards to culture is to be “counter cultural”.  Israel Wayne explains the three different general categories of culture that have been labeled by sociologists and cultural critics which help in understanding the different expressions of culture and worldviews; High Culture, Folk Culture, and Popular Culture (2000).  High Culture comes from the Renaissance era leading into the Victorian era, summarized by a culture of wealthy elitists who dictated their policies on the lower cultures or classes (Wayne, 2000).  However, it would appear now that high culture gets their cues from popular culture through the ever changing fads, fashions and current trends (Wayne, 2000).  Folk culture is known for passing down values from one generation to another, primarily expressed through the lower middle-class families who preferred family togetherness as a form of relaxation and entertainment (Wayne, 2000).  Within American folk culture, Biblical principles influenced the manner in which families conducted their daily lives, seeing God, country and family as the most valuable aspects of life (Wayne, 2000).  Popular culture seems to have elevated to the top in the 1950s when materialism became the prominent drive of the cultural consciousness (Wayne, 2000).  From this point on a breakdown of family and traditional values began to disintegrate, making way for new standards of living that were motivated by trends in Hollywood.  By taking a more counter cultural position in regards to the method for which I choose to teach social studies, I hope to impart to my children the need for absolute truths, specifically moral absolutes, and that merely seeking after new methods of entertainment cannot and will not ultimately bring gratification to their lives.  The “law of non-contradiction” will be taught in order to convey this message.

Wayne, I. (2000). Homeschooling from a biblical worldview. Wisdom’s Gate, MI: Covert.

My Philosophy of Education - Reading and Language Arts

When choosing your curriculum do you teach every subject with Christ and His Gospel in mind?  Why is teaching our children to read important?  Do we merely want them to know how to read for the sake of reading, or is there a greater purpose for reading?

In the next part of my Philosophy of Education paper I address the subjects of reading and language arts and how I view these subjects in light of a Biblical Worldview.

*I highly recommend the resources I cite in this section.

Reading. The very first thing that must be taught correctly to children is how to read by enabling them to “develop a phonetic reflex – the ability to automatically associate letters with sounds” (Blumenfeld, 1997, p.16).  Samuel Blumenfeld created the Alpha-Phonics method of teaching children to read by encouraging children to develop a phonetic reflex which in turn allows the child to enjoy reading by reading easily, accurately, and fluently (1997).  He stresses that each child is different and the appropriate time to begin instruction in this area will vary from child to child, and that the very first step is teaching the child the alphabet letters, then the letter sounds, and letter combinations as simply and directly as possible (Blumenfeld, 1997).  Blumenfeld also warns against what he calls “The Dr. Seuss Trap”, where a child is taught to read before learning the alphabet letters and their appropriate sounds.  The Dr. Seuss method teaches the child to develop a sight vocabulary before ever being taught to read using the “whole-word”, “whole-language” or “look-say” method (Blumenfeld, 1997).  This method was developed in order to throw out the phonetic reading method during the Dewey revolt in the 1920s (Blumenfeld, 1997).  Dr. Suess candidly admits during an interview in Arizona magazine in 1981 that “killing phonics was one of the greatest causes of illiteracy in the country” (Blumenfeld, 1997, p.19).  His book The Cat in the Hat was born out of this new movement of sight vocabulary.  Thus the method that I use to teach reading closely relates to Blumenfeld’s methods of teaching a child to read by first developing the phonetic reflex which involves explaining that words are made up of letters and each letter stands for a sound, and that sounding out each letter creates the words.  Given the particular worldview that I subscribe to reading is of paramount importance as it will equip my children to read the Bible for the purpose of learning why they and the entire world exist.

Language Arts.  Language is also a fundamental subject that must be taught properly because the words we speak most certainly have meaning and whether we agree or not transmit information that is expected to be understood.  The method by which each person teaches language arts will also vary depending on their worldview.  John Locke once said “He who defines the terms, rules the world”; this statement is most definitely true today.  One of the theories that has permeated through modern education is postmodernism, which begins with the presupposition that language is incapable of rendering truths about the world objectively, which would require transcendent truths (Wayne, 2000).  In a Biblical worldview, encouragement and instruction in the proper and clear use of language in its written and verbal form reflects the nature of God, as He chooses His words carefully (Wayne, 2000).  One facet of language arts is the written word which is intended to “inform, convince, persuade, encourage or challenge others”, and to write without an intended message is pointless (Wayne, 2000, p.69).  The art of expression through writing is an invaluable tool that will most certainly benefit a child’s future, and as a Christian the ability to communicate ideas effectively can impact the world.  The foundation or purpose for which I believe teaching children to effectively communicate through the written or spoken word comes from 1 Peter 3:15-16; “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame”.  To achieve this goal, grammar, logic, and rhetoric must be taught.  This allows the student to eliminate fallacies, understand where their convictions come from, and to effectively defend his beliefs (Wayne, 2000). 

One way, that I am convinced, will greatly benefit my children in regards to effective communication with the written word is handwriting skills.  While most communication is done using computers and cell phones, the ability to write thoughts fluently on paper has in many cases become a lost art.  Francis Bacon wrote centuries ago: “Reading maketh a full man…and writing an exact man” (Blumenfeld, 1997, p.24).  Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin, and writing, especially in cursive, forces the child to think clearly about what message they are intending to convey to the audience.  The process of teaching a child to write begins with instruction on how to hold the writing utensil properly.  Throughout the education system today proper penmanship and writing skills have been under-emphasized due to technology and the assumption that the aforementioned skills are obsolete or archaic forms of communication.  The major problem I believe this poses to children and generations to come is that the future is often unpredictable, and while teaching children to use certain technologies is beneficial, the skill of penmanship can remain with the child for their entire life, even in the world of ever changing technology.  We cannot know the exact demands that our children will meet in the future, and we should be careful not to deprive them of this beneficial skill simply because information technology continues to advance.  Cursive writing specifically aids in teaching the child how to read because cursive letters are distinctively different from one another as opposed to letters written in print.  This forces the child to write from left to right in order to join the letters together in proper sequence (Blumenfeld, 1997).  This form of writing allows the child to learn spatial discipline and gives them greater control over how the letters are formed and spaced (Blumenfeld, 1997).  Cursive writing also teaches the child to spell correctly because they learn spelling patterns through repeating certain hand movements, this is the same technique seen with a pianist or typist.  Each child is different and the time in which a child is ready to learn cursive will vary, but I believe this skill should be taught around the first grade level, and taught before print.  In the 1930s cursive was the first form of handwriting taught and began in the first grade in all schools, however, with the progressive agenda’s implementation of curriculum that was more focused on social skills, cursive writing fell by the wayside (Blumenfeld, 1997).  Homechooling allows for me to put an emphasis on writing skills which develop optimal academic and intellectual skills.  

Blumenfeld, S. (1997). Homeschooling: a parents guide to teaching children. Replica Books, NJ:

 Bridgewater.

 Wayne, I. (2000). Homeschooling from a biblical worldview. Wisdom’s Gate, MI: Covert.

My Role as the Teacher

If you have chosen to educate your children at home, what do you believe your role is as a teacher?  Do you merely go through the motions of following a prescribed set of course work for the curriculum you've chosen? What made you choose one curriculum over another?

When we have determined our philosophy of education, we must then decide exactly what our role is as our child's primary academic instructor.  I've learned over the past several years that compartmentalizing "school" from "real life" isn't reality. As Christians we don't take off our "Christian-ness" when we leave church, so as the primary educator of our children we never step out of the "educator" role.  It just continues on regardless of where we find ourselves at any given moment.  Even when our children are grown with children of their own, we still maintain a unique role as "teacher" as we advise them on different aspects of parenting or marriage. 

If you are a parent then you are a teacher, no special certification required.

This next part, I am sharing with you what I believe my role is as the "Teacher".  In the posts to follow I will break down my beliefs on each subject within the aspects of curriculum.  

My Role as the Teacher

My role as the primary teacher to my children is to create an environment for learning and package the information in a manner which they can comprehend.  I will be instructing my children in all subjects and through all grade levels, which will allow me to personally know each of their different learning styles, their strengths and their weaknesses. 

The most important task as the primary educator to my children is to impart to them a Biblical worldview.  This worldview “teaches that the real purpose for our existence is to know God” and that the “purpose of an education is to know our Creator better” (Wayne, 2000, p.16).  In the context of this form of education comes a high responsibility to ensure that all subjects are taught from a Christian perspective.  

Curriculum and Instruction

The ideal curriculum, in my opinion, is one that is intellectual, moral, and religious.  Education is inherently religious and therefore all curriculum will be based on some form of religion.  The curriculum I choose to use is based on Reformed Christian Theology, which is greatly influenced by theologians such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Dr. Cornelius Van Til, and the like.  Character building will be taught from a Biblical perspective, emphasizing how to love and obey God, and then to love and serve other people with their knowledge and skills.  The concepts I teach are applicable and practical for real life skills because “theory doesn’t do us much good until we have learned to apply it to the tasks of everyday life” (Wayne, 2000, p.28).

Wayne, I. (2000). Homeschooling from a biblical worldview. Wisdom’s Gate, MI: Covert.

My Educational Philosophy

Do you know what your personal philosophy of education is?  Have you ever considered sitting down and writing it out?  I’m so thankful that I had to do this for a class because it forced me to look at every aspect of education and decide what I believed about it and what things are most important. 

The Westminster Catechism’s very first question is:

“What is the chief end of man?”

The answer – and what we teach our children:

 Man's chief end is to glorify God, [a] and to enjoy him forever. [b] 

[a]. Ps. 86:9; Isa. 60:21; Rom. 11:36; I Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rev. 4:11

[b]. Ps. 16:5-11; 144:15; Isa. 12:2; Luke 2:10; Phil. 4:4; Rev. 21:3-4

This should, if I’m consistent in my convictions, flow into my philosophy of education when homeschooling my little ones.  The chief end of Christian education is to glorify the God.  This means that an education which reflects a Biblical worldview will be of greatest importance. 

My Educational Philosophy

My personal philosophy of education in some ways reflects that of an idealist because I believe that education should stress that morals and values are universally absolute (Webb, Metha, & Jordan, 2010).  Neo-Thomism appears to compliment the idealist position on education in that I believe that absolutes come from God, and that He alone gives purpose to mankind and the universe (Webb, Metha, & Jordan, 2010).  This relates to my belief that the purpose of educating my children is to serve and obey God through discipleship in a Biblical worldview.  The method for which this goal can be guided is through the ecclesiastical perennialist philosophy, which believes that Christian doctrine as revealed in scripture is one of the most important parts of the curriculum (Webb, Metha, & Jordan, 2010).  The theologians of the Protestant Reformation, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, would agree that the scriptures were a vital part of the instruction of Christian children.  Martin Luther once said “I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the hearts of the youth”.  While he was specifically speaking of the universities of his day, he would most certainly and emphatically stand by this statement in regards to all schools that have the responsibility of training the minds and hearts of children.  While it is contended that both Martin Luther and John Calvin supported State funded compulsory education, it must be kept in mind that both men did not view the State and Church as mutually exclusive institutions as we see them today in America.  Calvin elevated the importance of civil government in his writings. However, instead of treating it as an institution off by itself he viewed it as the natural extension of religious government, so much so that he considered a government which neglected to incorporate the Laws of God as shameful, indolent, and preposterous (Calvin, 1960).  It is only from being granted the incorporation of Christianity into civil government that Calvin argues for universal state sponsored education.  The form of civil government and public education that John Calvin envisioned was to be grounded in Christian principles. 

John Calvin did receive an early humanistic education; however after his conversion from Roman Catholicism he adopted Reformed Theology.  It should also be noted that the form of humanism taught during the time of Calvin was not secular humanism as is the case today.  The Reformed view elevated God alone as sovereign and it was from his newly found theocentric worldview that he produced the works which he is famous for.  Even though Calvin was formally trained in law, after his conversion he stated that “laws are absurd which disregard the rights of God, and consult only for men” (Calvin, 1960, p.1485).

Calvin, J. (1960). The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Ford Lewis Battles, Trans.).

  Westminster John Knox Press, KY: Louisville.

Webb, L., Metha, A., & Jordan, K. (2010). Foundations of American education (6^th Ed.). Merrill,

 NJ: Upper Saddle River.