principle approach Archives

Homeschooling with the Principle Approach an Overview

I’ve been homeschooling my four children since 1997. My youngest child will graduate next year. Over the years I’ve seen many homeschooling methods rise. Homeschoolers are smart cookies and tend to seek the best for their families.

A little of my story…

My oldest child had been in a private Christian school, classical in nature. He would come home in the evenings with homework that consisted of repetitious parotting. The idea was learning took place by rote memorization. It made sense at the time, but I did feel strongly we could do just as well at home without the private school price tag.

We got a copy of World Magazine in the mail and ran across an ad for the Noah Plan. It’s idea of appealing to Scripture as our source of reasoning spoke to my heart. We ordered the Plan.

The plan came and I sat on the floor surrounded by a giant dictionary and big red books. And I cried! I was overwhelmed! My own re-education was about to begin. And that’s where we’ll begin today, with a little education. 😉

I’ll share the rest of my story another day.

Defining the Principle Approach

So, what IS the Principle Approach? It’s the re-discovery and re-statement of the historic truths or principles of God’s Word on which the character of our American founding was built. It’s the Christian method of reasoning from the Bible and from it how to comprehend all subjects. Yes, all.

Seven Key Principles of America’s Christian History and Government

There are seven key principles that were identified and restored by Verna Hall and Rosalie Slater.

God’s Principle of Individuality
Christian Principle of Self-government
America’s Heritage of Christian Character
Conscience is the most sacred of all property.
Christian form of American Government
How the Seed of Local Self-government is Planted
Christian Principle of American Political Union

What the Principle Approach Can Accomplish

A Principle is “the source, origin, or cause of a thing; that from which a thing proceeds.” – Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Did you know our nation had a Gospel purpose? Read the Mayflower Compact and discover for yourself. The Principle Approach can restore this by the radical idea that a new civilization is built upon a new man (Christ, the new Adam) through regeneration and the resulting liberty of the Christian individual extends to the civil sphere.

Do you know what it means to think governmentally? We do it everyday. It’s simply asking “who or what is in control”, who is doing the directing or regulating. Think about a self-governed person, one who has been redeemed and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This individual might extend Biblical principles in his home, church, and civil sphere.

The 4 R’s of the Principle Approach

Children (and teacher!) are taught a method of learning to uncover universal principles and how to apply them. This is called 4 R’ing.

Research- studying God’s word to identify basic principles of live and living
Reason-reasoning from the principles identified and applying them to homeschool subjects (or any subject)
Relate- expounding the principles and relating the truths to individual Christian character
Record- the use of writing to create a written record of the way in which the principles are applied. A notebook (sometimes called the Notebooking Method) is the tool used.

The Distinctives of the Principle Approach

Demonstrates that the history of Christianity and the history of America can’t be separated
Restores our heritage of Christian scholarship
Brings both student and subject into harmony with the Word of God
Brings a unity of subject through a diversity of teachers and subjects
Recovers the Biblical origin and purpose of each subject by copious use of defining our terms
Unifies Biblical principles with supportive ideas and facts
Produces Christian scholarship and character necessary to supporting our families, churches, and nation

Feeling overwhelmed with that information? Don’t worry! We just needed a big picture to start. I’m confident anyone can learn the Principle Approach. I did. My four children have. I’ve taught numerous moms. You can do it!

Additional resources:

Education methods: The Principle Approach https://ultimateradioshow.com/education-methods-principle-approach/

Make Your Homeschool One-of-a-Kind https://ultimateradioshow.com/making-your-homeschool-one-of-a-kind/

Mighty Works of God http://pilgriminstitute.org/?option=com_content&view=article&id=267&Itemid=19

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