Why I use Weaver- confirmation once again
I have posted on here before about Weaver. I have such a calling to use it, although sometimes I fight it.
It is not the easiest program sometimes, but I have to say WITHOUT A DOUBT it bears the MOST fruit.
I have been thinking about the necessity of doing history chronologically, and what that means, and IF following Weaver's BIBLE history chronologically is enough, or even going to give my kids a good BASE of History.
Well I did some research and I have to also add, most of these comments come from MOMS with kids in COLLEGE and doing quite well also. The mom I know personally that uses Weaver too has had 3 children so far through college using Weaver and they had no gaps that hindered their further education.
So I just want to share here-- and document for others and myself later on-- WHY Weaver IS the choice for OUR FAMILY.....
Most of these quotes come from the Weaver yahoo group.
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"But with a unit based approach there are sometimes gaps that we don't realize."
Let me just add that ANY CURRICULUM will have gaps. What I want my child to learn, and what the curriculum actually teaches, are often two different things. That's why WE, as the teachers, MUST DECIDE what we want our children to learn/know, and we must impart that knowledge to them REGARDLESS of what curriculum we are using.
Ladies, I highly encourage you to sit down with your husbands and pray about what your goals are for educating your children. Write up long-term goals stating what you want them to know by the time they graduate. Write up short-term goals stating how you will reach those long-term goals. Do you desire them to know Classic Literature? Which books do you want them to read? Start a list, get them reading and check things off! Do you want them to have a thorough understanding of American History? How "early" (far back) and how much "outside influence" do you want them aware of? Do you want them well-versed in the Bible, and able to apply it to their life? Make sure they see YOU reading your Bible, so they understand the importance!
Like many of you, I chose Weaver because I want my children to have a firm foundation in Bible--from an early age. History, science, literature... all of those are nice, but once my children reach the age of deciding what to do with their lives, they will pick up whatever subject they need to reach that goal. I can teach all the history I want to a 10yo, but if they are not interested, they won't remember--that causes gaps! You wouldn't believe the gaps I have in MY education and I went to public school!
Please... forget about the idea of gaps and take control of your child's education. The best way to have gaps is to constantly switch curricula each year because you're looking for "the right one" yet you don't have a clue what you want it to teach. (One curricula will teach state history in 4th grade, another in 5th--if you switch at the wrong time, your child may completely miss state history...unless you decide to teach it when you feel they need it.) The best way to avoid gaps is to have a plan.
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There is so much information about history it is impossible to cover the right information for someone's test. They have to tell you what is in the test or they have to teach to the test. There is not one time line, or history text that covers the exact information and so they all have gaps. Actually, a lot of history is speculation even and it all depends on who we choose to believe.
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reminding me that one of the main concepts with Weaver is that all social studies / science topics are used to enhance our understanding of Scripture. The Bible is not just sprinkles on top (ex: in a detailed study of our city, we mention that --oh by the way, Jesus talked about a city on a hill), nor is it simply the jumping off point (ex: we don't study Gen. 11 so that we can learn about cities and architecture and language; we study cities, architecture and language to aid our understanding of Gen. 11).
As I considered this, it struck me how indoctrinated I am with the idea that while the Bible is valuable --as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path-- it's not a complete education. Real education includes chronological history and all the branches of science -- right?! I began to find it so ludicrous that I don't think the Bible is enough. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, not classical literature, advanced algebra, or knowledge of the War of 1812. It isn't our high school transcript that we present for entrance into eternal life with Christ. So what are our true goals and motivations?
In light of that, I was struck by this excerpt (of a radio program) recently published in the AiG Update.
The Bible -- Disconnected
Did you know there's a very serious problem happening in churches today, and it's occurring right across the board in Bible-believing congregations?
The majority of Christians today see the Bible as only a book of religion--a book about salvation and other theological matters. While that's vital, of course, people don't accept that God's Word is also a history book.
Christianity is based in real history. If the events of Jesus Christ's birth, death, and resurrection didn't happen 2,000 years ago, then how can we be saved? Also, if all people aren't descended from Adam (who rebelled in the Garden), why are we sinners?
When Christians read the Bible as a history book, they'll find that it touches on biology, geology, astronomy, etc. The book of Genesis connects to dinosaurs, rocks, the creation of the universe, in fact, everything. Dinosaurs lived with people (Gen. 2:19) ...a global Flood formed most of the fossils in the ground (Gen. 7:19) ...and the big bang is wrong (Gen. 1--which teaches that the earth was created before the sun, in total contradiction to the big bang idea).
Because of the influence of evolutionary ideas, many Christians have relegated the Bible to just a book of religion, thus disconnecting it from the real world. Sadly, these Christians don't have answers to the world's false teachings.I, for one, want my kids to have a "complete" education. Thank you, God, for leading us to Weaver.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hope you don't mind me adding some thoughts to ponder on this issue of Classical Ed. vs. Weaver. I think that before you try to fit the Greek method of education into the Weaver, you need to look at the philosophy behind the two. I have listened to the author of the Weaver speak,(if you could find her Teacher's Training Tapes, you would hear her talk about this), and the Weaver was written with the Hebrew Method of Education in mind. There are major differences
between Greek or Classical education, and the Biblical method of teaching. The Greeks (Classical), love to compartmentalize everything into boxes or subjects, whereas the Hebrews saw life in its totality, everything touching everything else.(like unit studies, where we pull in many subjects to "touch" each other).
Please, I'm not trying to be controversial or anything, but rather, just point out that there is a difference, and I can see where you would have trouble trying to rearrange hx. to fit the Greek method of teaching. The Weaver keeps God's Word right up front where it should be. All of hx. centers on the issues presented in the Bible. Perhaps, if you have never looked into these differences,(Hebrew vs. Greek),you might like to check out some info just to compare, and see what you think. There is alot of info dealing with this on the HOW site.
You can see a simple chart with the differences here:http://homeschoolunitstudies.com/TG/Classical.htm
The major reason we chose the Weaver, 12yrs.ago, was because of this point: that of learning from Scripture first, and then the academics.
I don't want to give the impression all of a sudden that Weaver is "Hebrew"! What I was trying to say, is that on the tapes Becky did, she explained the difference is teaching methods of the Greeks vs. the Hebrews in light of education. I learned that the Greek way of teaching is to separate out all the subjects, and the Hebrews would do more like a unit study, where the study of God's Word came first, and then all of life could be studied from there.
I'll admitt that having used the Weaver for many yrs. myself, that there were times that I shook my head and wondered where the 'tie' was. This is my second time around through the Weaver vols. and I'm not having that problem. I think sometimes you will pull in a topic just because it needs to be covered and this is as good a time as any. The main point though, is that our day starts with studying Scripture, so we are 'grounded' for the rest of the day.
It is not the easiest program sometimes, but I have to say WITHOUT A DOUBT it bears the MOST fruit.
I have been thinking about the necessity of doing history chronologically, and what that means, and IF following Weaver's BIBLE history chronologically is enough, or even going to give my kids a good BASE of History.
Well I did some research and I have to also add, most of these comments come from MOMS with kids in COLLEGE and doing quite well also. The mom I know personally that uses Weaver too has had 3 children so far through college using Weaver and they had no gaps that hindered their further education.
So I just want to share here-- and document for others and myself later on-- WHY Weaver IS the choice for OUR FAMILY.....
Most of these quotes come from the Weaver yahoo group.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"But with a unit based approach there are sometimes gaps that we don't realize."
Let me just add that ANY CURRICULUM will have gaps. What I want my child to learn, and what the curriculum actually teaches, are often two different things. That's why WE, as the teachers, MUST DECIDE what we want our children to learn/know, and we must impart that knowledge to them REGARDLESS of what curriculum we are using.
Ladies, I highly encourage you to sit down with your husbands and pray about what your goals are for educating your children. Write up long-term goals stating what you want them to know by the time they graduate. Write up short-term goals stating how you will reach those long-term goals. Do you desire them to know Classic Literature? Which books do you want them to read? Start a list, get them reading and check things off! Do you want them to have a thorough understanding of American History? How "early" (far back) and how much "outside influence" do you want them aware of? Do you want them well-versed in the Bible, and able to apply it to their life? Make sure they see YOU reading your Bible, so they understand the importance!
Like many of you, I chose Weaver because I want my children to have a firm foundation in Bible--from an early age. History, science, literature... all of those are nice, but once my children reach the age of deciding what to do with their lives, they will pick up whatever subject they need to reach that goal. I can teach all the history I want to a 10yo, but if they are not interested, they won't remember--that causes gaps! You wouldn't believe the gaps I have in MY education and I went to public school!
Please... forget about the idea of gaps and take control of your child's education. The best way to have gaps is to constantly switch curricula each year because you're looking for "the right one" yet you don't have a clue what you want it to teach. (One curricula will teach state history in 4th grade, another in 5th--if you switch at the wrong time, your child may completely miss state history...unless you decide to teach it when you feel they need it.) The best way to avoid gaps is to have a plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
There is so much information about history it is impossible to cover the right information for someone's test. They have to tell you what is in the test or they have to teach to the test. There is not one time line, or history text that covers the exact information and so they all have gaps. Actually, a lot of history is speculation even and it all depends on who we choose to believe.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
reminding me that one of the main concepts with Weaver is that all social studies / science topics are used to enhance our understanding of Scripture. The Bible is not just sprinkles on top (ex: in a detailed study of our city, we mention that --oh by the way, Jesus talked about a city on a hill), nor is it simply the jumping off point (ex: we don't study Gen. 11 so that we can learn about cities and architecture and language; we study cities, architecture and language to aid our understanding of Gen. 11).
As I considered this, it struck me how indoctrinated I am with the idea that while the Bible is valuable --as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path-- it's not a complete education. Real education includes chronological history and all the branches of science -- right?! I began to find it so ludicrous that I don't think the Bible is enough. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, not classical literature, advanced algebra, or knowledge of the War of 1812. It isn't our high school transcript that we present for entrance into eternal life with Christ. So what are our true goals and motivations?
In light of that, I was struck by this excerpt (of a radio program) recently published in the AiG Update.
The Bible -- Disconnected
Did you know there's a very serious problem happening in churches today, and it's occurring right across the board in Bible-believing congregations?
The majority of Christians today see the Bible as only a book of religion--a book about salvation and other theological matters. While that's vital, of course, people don't accept that God's Word is also a history book.
Christianity is based in real history. If the events of Jesus Christ's birth, death, and resurrection didn't happen 2,000 years ago, then how can we be saved? Also, if all people aren't descended from Adam (who rebelled in the Garden), why are we sinners?
When Christians read the Bible as a history book, they'll find that it touches on biology, geology, astronomy, etc. The book of Genesis connects to dinosaurs, rocks, the creation of the universe, in fact, everything. Dinosaurs lived with people (Gen. 2:19) ...a global Flood formed most of the fossils in the ground (Gen. 7:19) ...and the big bang is wrong (Gen. 1--which teaches that the earth was created before the sun, in total contradiction to the big bang idea).
Because of the influence of evolutionary ideas, many Christians have relegated the Bible to just a book of religion, thus disconnecting it from the real world. Sadly, these Christians don't have answers to the world's false teachings.I, for one, want my kids to have a "complete" education. Thank you, God, for leading us to Weaver.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hope you don't mind me adding some thoughts to ponder on this issue of Classical Ed. vs. Weaver. I think that before you try to fit the Greek method of education into the Weaver, you need to look at the philosophy behind the two. I have listened to the author of the Weaver speak,(if you could find her Teacher's Training Tapes, you would hear her talk about this), and the Weaver was written with the Hebrew Method of Education in mind. There are major differences
between Greek or Classical education, and the Biblical method of teaching. The Greeks (Classical), love to compartmentalize everything into boxes or subjects, whereas the Hebrews saw life in its totality, everything touching everything else.(like unit studies, where we pull in many subjects to "touch" each other).
Please, I'm not trying to be controversial or anything, but rather, just point out that there is a difference, and I can see where you would have trouble trying to rearrange hx. to fit the Greek method of teaching. The Weaver keeps God's Word right up front where it should be. All of hx. centers on the issues presented in the Bible. Perhaps, if you have never looked into these differences,(Hebrew vs. Greek),you might like to check out some info just to compare, and see what you think. There is alot of info dealing with this on the HOW site.
You can see a simple chart with the differences here:http://homeschoolunitstudies.com/TG/Classical.htm
The major reason we chose the Weaver, 12yrs.ago, was because of this point: that of learning from Scripture first, and then the academics.
I don't want to give the impression all of a sudden that Weaver is "Hebrew"! What I was trying to say, is that on the tapes Becky did, she explained the difference is teaching methods of the Greeks vs. the Hebrews in light of education. I learned that the Greek way of teaching is to separate out all the subjects, and the Hebrews would do more like a unit study, where the study of God's Word came first, and then all of life could be studied from there.
I'll admitt that having used the Weaver for many yrs. myself, that there were times that I shook my head and wondered where the 'tie' was. This is my second time around through the Weaver vols. and I'm not having that problem. I think sometimes you will pull in a topic just because it needs to be covered and this is as good a time as any. The main point though, is that our day starts with studying Scripture, so we are 'grounded' for the rest of the day.
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