Secular or Faith-based Textbooks/Curriculum

[KatieMae]

I'm reading a book about homeschooling right now that strongly suggests using faith-based curriculum or textbooks (from Christian publishing houses) rather than material that is secular, as she sees that as being anti-religion rather than simply non-religious. If anyone has read Diane Ravitch's book "The Language Police" then you probably know what I'm talking about IRT how secular books are forced to have feminist roles & stories about women (read: non-traditional & anti-family - a ps textbook will not show a woman as a homemaker, nor will it show only men as doctors or lawyers) just to name one example, her book goes into far more detail than I could do justice to in a brief post. Secular texts are also required to be a-moral, teaching no ultimate truths or right vs. wrong, only the humanist POV that right is relative to your situation and that you are the best judge of what the correct choice will be (as it ends in your happiness.)

I wondered what the concensus view - if there is one - on here might be. I know a lot of you use MFW or HOD for your littles, but was this a conscious choice of religion over non-religion, or did you simply like that material better?

Personally I don't plan to use curriculum for anything outside of math & science, so this becomes complicated when thinking about what books to use for reading, spelling, vocab, etc. I was planning to use Classics - well-written, moral-of-the-story type of books - but do they need to be so explicitly based on our faith & framed entirely, and written literally, around God? Is it not enough to discuss the role of faith or God in a story during the discussion following the story? Will I be doing my children a disservice by limiting their points of view to only a world-view framed within our faith?

[MomtoJGJ]

I did not pick HOD because of the religious aspect, but I was going to teach our views to our children anyway, and HOD is pretty close to our views, so that is nice.

For me, the type of curriculum will not matter because I'm going to teach them our views/religion/etc. and once they are firmly grounded in our views but before the teen years I'm going to teach other views and religions... right now we are even starting some of that by "yes, so and so's family does things that way, but we do not because that is not what we believe is right" most of the time now it involves clothes because I don't allow them to wear skirts without shorts underneath or dresses that aren't well below the knee or shorts that are so short you can see everything. So no, the curriculum we use will not matter to me as far as religion or beliefs go.

[AmyDoll]

I've found Christian texts to be oversimplistic & moderately strange, at least in the preschool/very early elem. years. For example: Little Hearts for His Glory (HOD) has this quote "History is the true story about God's plan for this our world. It began when God created all things. God is in charge of history. It is "His Story.""

That's not how I would define history or begin a study of history - even with a 5/6 year old.

[Joyful Mommy]

I've found Christian texts to be oversimplistic & moderately strange, at least in the preschool/very early elem. years. For example: Little Hearts for His Glory (HOD) has this quote "History is the true story about God's plan for this our world. It began when God created all things. God is in charge of history. It is "His Story.""

That's not how I would define history or begin a study of history - even with a 5/6 year old.


I remember being told that in Christian school.

[AmyDoll]

Yea I think its typical and not really *wrong* - it's just weird to me. It's a truth in our family that God made the world. I think the Christian curriculums make it feel forced? IDK :shrug

[Leslie]

Everything you said about textbooks is why I often prefer old books from an era when a general Christian worldview was the default and didn't have to be proved. These days, the choice can sometimes be between a book that pushes a politically correct worldview, or a forced, reactionary Christian worldview - take your pick. Everyone has an agenda. Nobody seems content to just present the facts and let them speak for themselves.

[michelle]

My feelings are that there are a lot of great secular books (Little Bear, Franklin, Little House,...) but you have to seek and find them and screen them. On the other hand there are some questionable Christian books (possible some romance novels, and "what I consider weird Christian/cultish books") so you also have to screen for those also. Good luck on your curriculum choices. I would go with what ever books you have pre read and feel your child is able to handle.

Personally, I want my children to read books by Hitler, Aristotle, Plato, and possibly even the Koran as they become older so they know that there are many views in the world. I would rather examine these books together in my home when I feel my children are able to handle these themes (more like 16+ years of age). Under my guidance we can talk about these issues, questions, debates, arguements while reflecting on what the bible says. For right now as my children are still wee little ones I still prescreen their books and I still talk about dragons, witches, ghosts, etc, these things spark great conversations on how your children view life.

As for Christian verses secular textbooks again I like a mix because it gives a more balanced view (again preread textbooks for wrong info). I prefer a more neutral approach one that is not necessarily purely Christian or purely secular but gives good conversation to glorify great works done through faith and also shows the downfall and evil of humankind. For instance in math both Christians and nonChristians have developed theories, I would like to present it in a way to glorify God for giving man wisdom. This is the same approach I would like to use for science and scientists, historical societies, musicians, artists and other great heroes. I gett why some publishers choose purely Christian points of view but I plan on being very involved in the homeschooling process so I would like a little bit of secular views thrown in so they can be debated. I hope this helps :shrug3

[mamahammer]

My issues finding Christian textbooks (mainly science) is that I simply don't agree with their theological conclusions. I'm having a heck of a time finding a science curriculum that is Christian but doesn't presume Young Earth creationism, for example. I'm not interested in reading materials that paint being solely a homemaker as the only God-rodained role for women. A great choice? Absolutely. God's only choice? Nope. And so much of the Christian reading is very ppunitive in nature, which again, I'm not interested in. So, sometimes, the best I can do is go non-religious and add in my views. Other times I'll pick a Christian title but then refute what I believe to be inaccurate. It really boils down to which is more pervasive and which is more easily overriden in that particular text, kwim?

[The Tickle Momster]

I chose MFW because is is layed out for me and includes a solid biblical education. I did not grow up in a christian home and have no idea how/what to teach kids. I need the crutch of a pre-done curriculum.

That said, we have plenty of "normal" books around the house. I'm more concerned with screening out punitive parenting ideas in books at this stage than other ideas. We talk about things that don't jive with our beliefs and the kids are starting to recognize when those things come up.

I think the classics are a great way to go. They reveal historical mindset, open up discussions, are way more fun to read than text books.

What it boils down to, for me, is as long as you are involved in what is being read/taught and can make comments, have discussions, it will work out.

[teamommy]

Everything you said about textbooks is why I often prefer old books from an era when a general Christian worldview was the default and didn't have to be proved. These days, the choice can sometimes be between a book that pushes a politically correct worldview, or a forced, reactionary Christian worldview - take your pick. Everyone has an agenda. Nobody seems content to just present the facts and let them speak for themselves.


:yes I'm starting to feel that way, too.

There is an issue that comes up with this, too, though--that sometimes there are attitudes or comments about other races/ethnicities that I don't agree with, either.

This topic is why I like the SOTW history books. They are by a Christian author, but written for a secular audience. There is a bit of Christian bias, which I like, but not a lot of providential statements about what certain people see as God's hand in history.

I don't know what I will do for science once my son is reading more of it on his own and doing independent work. It is easy when you still have to read everything to them and can edit. ;) I like what I have seen of the Apologia Elementary, for example, but I noticed every page has sentences of "God designed the ____ so that......." which is fine on the surface, but gets sort of redundant after a while. I know from going to a Christian school for a few years, that having to have Bible verses on the math pages or trying to bring religion into every single subject all of the time, is a turn-off to kids of a certain age.

[WanderingJuniper]

I'm really really hesitant about christian homeschool material. I'm still not sold on our science curriculum for this year but my husband felt strongly about it. I often find it more confusing to clarify to our children what we believe versus what a christian book has said. We live and talk about our family faith and it finds its way into everything without a school book specifically addressing it when we are trying to learn about grammar or spelling. History is a really sticky area for us. :shrug3

[rootsintherock]

My issues finding Christian textbooks (mainly science) is that I simply don't agree with their theological conclusions. I'm having a heck of a time finding a science curriculum that is Christian but doesn't presume Young Earth creationism, for example. I'm not interested in reading materials that paint being solely a homemaker as the only God-rodained role for women. A great choice? Absolutely. God's only choice? Nope. And so much of the Christian reading is very ppunitive in nature, which again, I'm not interested in. So, sometimes, the best I can do is go non-religious and add in my views. Other times I'll pick a Christian title but then refute what I believe to be inaccurate. It really boils down to which is more pervasive and which is more easily overriden in that particular text, kwim?


:rockon This is how I feel as well...especially about the 'homemaker' line! :yes

[illinoismommy]

I think secular based books for the most part. I don't see a reason to have a "Christian" math curriculum, for example. But I do want Christianity to be included in our lives and thus education in the way of devotions and virtue type training. I think that makes it much more real than to have history written from a biased Christian perspective.

[HuggaBuggaMommy]

My issues finding Christian textbooks (mainly science) is that I simply don't agree with their theological conclusions. I'm having a heck of a time finding a science curriculum that is Christian but doesn't presume Young Earth creationism, for example. I'm not interested in reading materials that paint being solely a homemaker as the only God-rodained role for women. A great choice? Absolutely. God's only choice? Nope. And so much of the Christian reading is very ppunitive in nature, which again, I'm not interested in. So, sometimes, the best I can do is go non-religious and add in my views. Other times I'll pick a Christian title but then refute what I believe to be inaccurate. It really boils down to which is more pervasive and which is more easily overriden in that particular text, kwim?


:rockon This is how I feel as well...especially about the 'homemaker' line! :yes


Me, too. Not that we use a curriculum for much.

[ArmsOfLove]

I would rather have a book that is accurate than one that was written by a Christian or to try and push Christian agendas. *I* am very capable of providing the faith-based. I'm buying a curriculum because I want the content to be educationally solid.

when it comes to Science I want good, and faith-based. And when I can find a good, solid faith-based curriculum I prefer that :)

[RubySlippers]

I've used secular or faith-based materials interchangeably for most of our subjects depending on what is best for our yearly goals.
An obnoxiously pushy Christian curriculum would just annoy me, but there are many well written faith-based curricula out there that I have no problem choosing because they contain solid content.
I would never avoid a Christian curriculum because it is Christian. We are a Christian homeschool after all. ;)
As for Science, I believe in a young earth theory so I prefer Science content of that bent, which I've only found in Christian texts.
I'm actually really grateful that there is a plethora of Christian homeschool curricula to choose, most of which are as good and in some cases better than secular texts. :twocents

[CelticJourney]

I'm careful about both. I would rather my text books not offer any Christian content as opposed to presenting bad theology - it's harder to unlearn.

[Peaceful Meadows]

I have not read the replies yet but my goal for my children is to have a "well rounded" education. History is fact because people groups see it differently. Many Native people groups would (rightly) see American history as white men coming and stealing their homeland. Americans of slave heritiage would see it as their ancestors being brought here against their will. Many Christians see history as "His Story" and in believing that they believe that God is very much involved with history.

My goal is to teach my boys that God has a perfect plan for our lives and the lives of the nations but humans have a choice and we make mistakes. History is the story of God's plans and our messing them up. ;) I use a lot of books christian and secular to show the boys that the same history can seen differently depending on who is writing the books and who's eyes you are looking through. I use books old and new from the library and read them with the boys. We then discuss how the same event was seen differently by both authors.

The same with science. We believe in a young earth so I teach that to my boys but we also read secular books that we check out from the library so they learn about the old earth perspective and we discuss the differing viewpoints. :yes