A Question
I am very interested in everyone’s answers to this question, even if you’re a silent reader who’s never commented or whom I’ve not met.
When you research education methods and philosophy, what weight should you give the developer’s worldview and theology? How much does it matter? If the educational expert from whom you’re receiving advice thinks all children are born good, or there is no such thing as sin, or education is salvation, or evolution is true, or that psycobabblers are experts, can you cull any worthy methodology? Is there anything worth saving or is it all tainted?
If worldview matter, where should you start when looking at methodology? Find one that appeals to you or find a person whose worldview is biblical — assume you had to choose between the two.
If you see a methodology came from a person whose worldview is totally off base, should you immediately steer clear?
I would encourage you to ask a different question which should help you think through the answer to your first question:
Just because educational material says it has a Christian worldview does that mean that everything it teaches is true?
Being the Calvinist that you are =) should bring a resounding “No!” to mind.
The bottom line is this, we can learn from Christian as well as non-christian sources. That’s why we call it “Common Grace.” Even unbelievers can teach us true things. And even Christians can teach us un-true things.
I guess, the goal of every educator should be to not be afraid of the source but to be discerning regarding what they absorb from it instead!
I don’t know if what I’ve said fully gets at what you are asking but these are the thoughts that came off the top of my head.
Grace & Peace,
BML
I agree. I’m not looking at materials so much as method/philosophy. How should we educate? When looking at hows, should one first look into the proponent’s doctrine of original sin & salvation to see if their method comes from a right understanding or look at the method and see if you like it and can work with it? Can you redeem a method that assumes children are blank slates?
If you have a book on a type of education, what should weigh more: the root (the assumptions, the presuppositions) or the plant (the practical helps and how-to)?
I agree with Brad… You can pick up discipline/training tips from a book written by people who think that children don’t sin until the age of accountability, or helpful home schooling ideas from people who have a low view of the church. I think I would want to figure out where they’re coming from initially though so you can be on the look out for those influences as you read it. For instance, the Bluedorns don’t have the same idea of the roles of the family and the church in training/raising children as I do, so I’ll be on the lookout for that influence in their book as I read it. :-)