The ninth and last principle in Glen Shultz's book on Christian education living beyond the here and now:
"The education of children and youth must have a view of the future that includes the eternal perspective."
We live in a moment-to-moment society with drive-through access to just about everything - fast food, instant messages, on-demand television, etc. In that culture, it is difficult for young people (and us old folks, too) to have an eternal perspective and resist the urge to live for the moment. But eternity is our future, and our lives in the present are preparation for that future. Education that prepares students for their earthly futures but ignores eternity is inadequate.
For more information on homeschool curriculum or other education resources, check out my website, MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #8
Nearing the end of the list in Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his eighth principle continues the discussion of the role of a child's teachers:
"The education of children and youth results in the formation of lifestyles or worldviews that will be patterned after the belief systems or worldviews of their teachers."
Teachers, like anyone else, bring worldviews into the classroom, and students pick up on these beliefs.
For more information on homeschool curriculum or other education resources, check out my website, MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
"The education of children and youth results in the formation of lifestyles or worldviews that will be patterned after the belief systems or worldviews of their teachers."
Teachers, like anyone else, bring worldviews into the classroom, and students pick up on these beliefs.
For more information on homeschool curriculum or other education resources, check out my website, MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #7
Moving on in Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his seventh principle concerns the importance of knowing your child's teachers:
"The education of children and youth, if and when delegated to others by parents, must be done by teachers chosen with utmost care to ensure that they all follow these principles."
Having taught for more than fifteen years, I have seen and experienced the fact that teachers influence students, both through their academic content area and through their lives and lifestyles. If parents believe that the first six Kingdom Education Principles apply, then they need to know that the teachers of their children have the same goals and values.
For more information on homeschool curriculum or Christian school methodologies, check out my website, MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
"The education of children and youth, if and when delegated to others by parents, must be done by teachers chosen with utmost care to ensure that they all follow these principles."
Having taught for more than fifteen years, I have seen and experienced the fact that teachers influence students, both through their academic content area and through their lives and lifestyles. If parents believe that the first six Kingdom Education Principles apply, then they need to know that the teachers of their children have the same goals and values.
For more information on homeschool curriculum or Christian school methodologies, check out my website, MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #6
Continuing in Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his sixth principle concerns the relationship of education and the spiritual growth of children:
"The education of children and youth must not hinder the spiritual and moral development of the next generation."
Children receive mixed messages all of the time. They hear one thing at school, another thing at home, and yet another thing on television. What should they believe? The educational method chosen by the parents, whether public school, Christian school, or homeschool, needs to be consistent with the beliefs and values of the family.
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
"The education of children and youth must not hinder the spiritual and moral development of the next generation."
Children receive mixed messages all of the time. They hear one thing at school, another thing at home, and yet another thing on television. What should they believe? The educational method chosen by the parents, whether public school, Christian school, or homeschool, needs to be consistent with the beliefs and values of the family.
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #5
Midway through Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his fifth principle provides the primary focus for raising a child in the Christian faith:
"The education of children and youth must hold Christ preeminent in all of life."
We live in a world of me-first theology, where God is often thought of like Santa Claus - a nice old man in the sky who brings presents when we are good. But Christian faith is much more than that, and Christian education must serve to help young people grow in their understanding of who Jesus is.
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
"The education of children and youth must hold Christ preeminent in all of life."
We live in a world of me-first theology, where God is often thought of like Santa Claus - a nice old man in the sky who brings presents when we are good. But Christian faith is much more than that, and Christian education must serve to help young people grow in their understanding of who Jesus is.
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #4
Continuing in Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his fourth principle will likely ring true with those who choose Christian schools or homeschools:
"The education of children and youth must be based on God's Word as absolute truth."
In our postmodern society, many don't believe there is such a thing as absolute truth, but that's a bit like trying to plant your feet firmly in mid-air. Truth exists, and it's not relative. So the truth we teach in our schools ought not to be based on majority opinion.
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
"The education of children and youth must be based on God's Word as absolute truth."
In our postmodern society, many don't believe there is such a thing as absolute truth, but that's a bit like trying to plant your feet firmly in mid-air. Truth exists, and it's not relative. So the truth we teach in our schools ought not to be based on majority opinion.
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #3
Working our way through Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his third principle will probably be the first to create any controversy. Here it is:
"The education of children and youth must have as its primary goals the salvation and discipleship of the next generation."
Any thoughts? Would you say that education in our culture has these as its primary goals?
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
"The education of children and youth must have as its primary goals the salvation and discipleship of the next generation."
Any thoughts? Would you say that education in our culture has these as its primary goals?
While you're here, check out MooreMath.com and send me your suggestions. Thanks!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #2
Continuing the discussion from Glen Shultz's book on Christian education, his second principle is this:
"The education of children and youth is a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week process that must take place from birth through maturity."
We often think of education as just going to school, but everything we do influences us and is a part of our education. Academic instruction can take place in a school building, at home, in a library, at the zoo, or most anywhere else; the important thing is that wherever it is occurring, this instruction is developing the overall person and guiding the student toward right beliefs and good decisions.
"The education of children and youth is a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week process that must take place from birth through maturity."
We often think of education as just going to school, but everything we do influences us and is a part of our education. Academic instruction can take place in a school building, at home, in a library, at the zoo, or most anywhere else; the important thing is that wherever it is occurring, this instruction is developing the overall person and guiding the student toward right beliefs and good decisions.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Kingdom Education Principle #1
Glen Schultz wrote a book called Kingdom Education (his reference to Christian education) that I am reading in my doctoral course. He lists 9 Biblical principles for this realm of education. For purposes of discussion, I'll share these principles one at a time. I'm interested to know if others agree or disagree with this perspective on education...
Principle #1: The education of children and youth is the primary responsibility of parents.
Principle #1: The education of children and youth is the primary responsibility of parents.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Math and Music Relationships
There are some amazing relationships between math and music. Here are some excerpts from one of my favorite books - Mathematics: Is God Silent? by James Nickel.
The basic structure of a piano keyboard consists of an octave of 13 notes, 8 of which are white and 5 of which are black. The black keys come in groups of 2 and 3. As in many other applications, these numbers are part of the amazing Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89…).
Pythagoras’ (572-492 BC) discovery of counting number ratios in musical notes served to intensify his conviction that “all is number.” He is said to have discovered that the fifth and the octave of a note can be produced on the same string by stopping 2/3 and 1/2 of its length. He also believed that musical proportions governed the motion of the planets, hence the phrase “harmony of the spheres.”
Every note of the musical scale has an exact frequency; each note vibrates a certain number of times per second. The frequency doubles every octave, and musical intervals depend upon simple arithmetical ratios. Sounds that are pleasing to the ear will display a graph that reflects order and regularity. This can be described mathematically as the summation of sine functions. To fully comprehend the wondrous order and complexity in music involves a thorough knowledge of trigonometry.
The order and harmony of true music will create order and harmony in those who listen to it and play it. Those sounds that are not pleasing to the ear we call noise. Noise and dissonant music do not display regularity. The disorder of noise, and much of the popular “rock music” of today could be proved mathematically to be noise, will create disorder in those who listen to it and play it.
The basic structure of a piano keyboard consists of an octave of 13 notes, 8 of which are white and 5 of which are black. The black keys come in groups of 2 and 3. As in many other applications, these numbers are part of the amazing Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89…).
Pythagoras’ (572-492 BC) discovery of counting number ratios in musical notes served to intensify his conviction that “all is number.” He is said to have discovered that the fifth and the octave of a note can be produced on the same string by stopping 2/3 and 1/2 of its length. He also believed that musical proportions governed the motion of the planets, hence the phrase “harmony of the spheres.”
Every note of the musical scale has an exact frequency; each note vibrates a certain number of times per second. The frequency doubles every octave, and musical intervals depend upon simple arithmetical ratios. Sounds that are pleasing to the ear will display a graph that reflects order and regularity. This can be described mathematically as the summation of sine functions. To fully comprehend the wondrous order and complexity in music involves a thorough knowledge of trigonometry.
The order and harmony of true music will create order and harmony in those who listen to it and play it. Those sounds that are not pleasing to the ear we call noise. Noise and dissonant music do not display regularity. The disorder of noise, and much of the popular “rock music” of today could be proved mathematically to be noise, will create disorder in those who listen to it and play it.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
I love cribbage....
A few years ago, my seven-year-old nephew taught me how to play cribbage. I've loved it ever since. As a math teacher, I must say that a night of cribbage is a great way to practice mental math while having a lot of fun. Any other cribbage fans out there??
Monday, August 23, 2010
The state of Christian education
Much has been said and written about the state of public education in recent years. But what about our Christian schools? Many parents send their children to Christian schools because they believe they provide a safe place to learn, a nurturing environment, and high academic standards. How do you think our Christian schools are doing? What should be the primary goals and priorities of Christian schools?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)