Orthodox Homeschool

[isshinwhat]

It is difficult to find a complete Orthodox program. We like Our Lady of Victory's program, but given that we liked the diploma portion of it, as well, we would have to use it in its entirety and that will no longer work for us.

Catholic Home School Curriculum: Our Lady of Victory

 

[Dorothea]

It is difficult to find a complete Orthodox program. We like Our Lady of Victory's program, but given that we liked the diploma portion of it, as well, we would have to use it in its entirety and that will no longer work for us.

Catholic Home School Curriculum: Our Lady of Victory

Yeah, I'm very undisciplined and unstructured and need a teacher's manual to do homeschooling. I am not good at keeping up in a free style way. I need structure and a regimen to get through the school year. When I homeschooled a few years ago, Calvert Homeschool program (regular school curriculum, not Orthodox-centered) worked really well, but it's too expensive at this time for us.



I like the choices on Paidea Classics homeschool site. It's just combining and making a curriculum and daily school routine out of it. That would take lots of planning and work. Will have to see.

PAIDEA CLASSICS

 

[isshinwhat]

My wife just told me she's comfortable working with a curriculum and not a full program now that she's done it for a few years. I'll pass that recommendation on to her.

 

[Dorothea]

 

[Knee V]

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[Emmelia]

I just heard about this:

raphaelschoolDOTorg (I don't have enough posts to place an unbroken link)

It's not really up my alley. I'm not a fan of the "school at home" home schooling method. However, if a boxed all-in-one curriculum works best for your family, this might be a great option. They do offer courses a la carte, so I may look into it when my kiddos are middle school or high school aged for enrichment.

I generally go back and forth between Charlotte Mason approach and the Robinson Curriculum. A lot of people love the classical approach. While it is very academically rigorous, and undoubtedly gives a child a solid education, I feel it is far too Western focused and forces academics a bit too early. I'm trying to find a way to give my kids a very thorough basis in Eastern Christian thought, they will get enough of the Western mindset by living in the US, I don't need to encourage it.

I'm also a fan of delaying the start of formal education (sitting and doing bookwork) unless they request it. Statistically children who delay formal education do much better than their peers who were forced along with their class. THAT was a huge thing for me to finally swallow. I railed against it until I had the evidence plopped right down in front of me.

 

[Dorothea]

I just heard about this:

straphaelschoolDOTcom (I don't have enough posts to place an unbroken link)

It's not really up my alley. I'm not a fan of the "school at home" home schooling method. However, if a boxed all-in-one curriculum works best for your family, this might be a great option. They do offer courses a la carte, so I may look into it when my kiddos are middle school or high school aged for enrichment.

I generally go back and forth between Charlotte Mason approach and the Robinson Curriculum. A lot of people love the classical approach. While it is very academically rigorous, and undoubtedly gives a child a solid education, I feel it is far too Western focused and forces academics a bit too early. I'm trying to find a way to give my kids a very thorough basis in Eastern Christian thought, they will get enough of the Western mindset by living in the US, I don't need to encourage it.

I'm also a fan of delaying the start of formal education (sitting and doing bookwork) unless they request it. Statistically children who delay formal education do much better than their peers who were forced along with their class. THAT was a huge thing for me to finally swallow. I railed against it until I had the evidence plopped right down in front of me.

Thanks for the website. That's a Catholic curriculum. I'm not sure if that would work or not. I've never tried that. I do know when the kids were in an Anglican private school, it worked out wonderfully.

You caught my eye with the bolded section. That's my preference.

 

[Emmelia]

Thanks for the website. That's a Catholic curriculum.

Ugh. SORRY! That is not the correct link. I looked it up again.

RaphaelschoolDOTorg

It is an Orthodox online homeschooling program by the AOCA.

You caught my eye with the bolded section. That's my preference.

Hey, whatever works for your family! Right now, I can deal with slapping everything together myself. I have a five-year-old and a twenty-two-month-old. I don't have a whole lot of work to do to school them. When I have (Lord willing) 5, 7, 10, or 12 children, a boxed curriculum may be a lifesaver.

I have strong-ish opinions for my kids because I know how I learn, how my husband learns, and I have a good idea of how my kiddos learn. I have also schooled many children, many different ways. I was a long-term nanny for several large families who home schooled (I was the primary teacher) and I have done stints with severely autistic children and their siblings. I have a pretty large cross section of teaching styles, and I have found what I prefer already. We'll see how well my children like it.

 

[Zoness]

I'm curious. Do Orthodox homeschoolers teach young Earth Creationism? I know Baptist homeschools (which seem like the majority) almost exclusively teach as such because... "something something science is evil" or whatevs.

I'm assuming the Orthodox don't hold the same opinion? Or am I wrong?

Thanks for answering.

 

[rusmeister]

I'm curious. Do Orthodox homeschoolers teach young Earth Creationism? I know Baptist homeschools (which seem like the majority) almost exclusively teach as such because... "something something science is evil" or whatevs.

I'm assuming the Orthodox don't hold the same opinion? Or am I wrong?

Thanks for answering.

I don't think there's anything wrong in teaching what most scientists today believe to be true - I would only object to teaching scientific theories as unquestionable truth. Scientific theories come and go over time.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

It would depend on the convictions of the parents. Some Orthodox, just like any other Christian group, hold to YEC, many don't. There's no dogma on it.

 

[Dorothea]

Ugh. SORRY! That is not the correct link. I looked it up again.

RaphaelschoolDOTorg

It is an Orthodox online homeschooling program by the AOCA.

oh, ok! I'll check it out! Thanks.

Hey, whatever works for your family! Right now, I can deal with slapping everything together myself. I have a five-year-old and a twenty-two-month-old. I don't have a whole lot of work to do to school them. When I have (Lord willing) 5, 7, 10, or 12 children, a boxed curriculum may be a lifesaver.

I have strong-ish opinions for my kids because I know how I learn, how my husband learns, and I have a good idea of how my kiddos learn. I have also schooled many children, many different ways. I was a long-term nanny for several large families who home schooled (I was the primary teacher) and I have done stints with severely autistic children and their siblings. I have a pretty large cross section of teaching styles, and I have found what I prefer already. We'll see how well my children like it.

Wow. That's awesome. Sounds like you're a expert, so to speak, in homeschooling. I've done a year of homeschooling a few years ago and used Calvert's Homeschooling curriculum and really liked it.

 

[Zoness]

I don't think there's anything wrong in teaching what most scientists today believe to be true - I would only object to teaching scientific theories as unquestionable truth. Scientific theories come and go over time.

The reason I ask is because I've known several parents who said things to the effect of "government schools teach evolution and that's evil so I took my kids out". But then again, those people also looked down on "government school kids" because we are evil Atheists.

I was just curious if that opinion was dominant in homeschooling circles, Orthodox or not.

 

[rusmeister]

The reason I ask is because I've known several parents who said things to the effect of "government schools teach evolution and that's evil so I took my kids out". But then again, those people also looked down on "government school kids" because we are evil Atheists.

I was just curious if that opinion was dominant in homeschooling circles, Orthodox or not.

Evolutionary theory in general is not "evil". But as a UNIVERSAL theory, and especially as applied to humans it does have terrible implications for theology.

The thing about scientific theories is that they are theories, yet are taught as facts. All my life we were taught that Pluto is a planet; everyone basked confidently in this knowledge. Now scientists tell us they were wrong. Newtonian theory was law... until Einstein showed how it wasn't. Now Einstein has, to an extent, been dethroned. The ancients believed in the four elements; that's what their science knew, but we "know better".

We don't think children who are the products of government schools are "evil atheists". Most actually hold at least some nominal belief, though I think that skepticism in absolute truth (in practical terms) is effectively taught to most. It is those who find serious faith who are cured of that.

There IS a dominant ideology in the government schools, that is not formally taught, named or identified, but permeates the entire public education system in the form of requirements for teachers and staff, and the rules, regulations and laws that govern public education, which does in fact create an atmosphere hostile to Christian truth while pretending that they teach tolerance towards all, and the idea of evolutionary theory is firmly linked to the idea that humans evolved by themselves out of nothing, leaving believers dealing with contradictions between their theology and the current pseudo-scientic fad that takes genuine cases of evolution and twists it into a universal theory of being which expands beyond the bounds of natural science into assumptions about the supernatural.

That is the trouble with modern science and its scientists. They forget its limits and make philosophical assumptions and pronouncements that are wholly outside its sphere. Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins are perfect examples of this.

 

[Zoness]

The nice thing about science, though, is that when data is proven wrong via empirical collection and rational resolution, is peer reviewed and found to be wrong it is replaced with a new theory. Such a concept doesn't exist in religion, there is zero room for descent.

But that subject is neither here nor there, I'd teach me kids tolerance for others regardless of religion but it seems that the vast majority of home schoolers do seem to possess many of the stereotypes associated. Mind you, my best friend was home schooled and a staunch Baptist and now he basically started the underground rave and electro party scene and central Illinois and produces some wicked dubstep and dnb tracks...you'd never know that he "fit the stereotype", as it were.

Thanks for your input.

 

[rusmeister]

The nice thing about science, though, is that when data is proven wrong via empirical collection and rational resolution, is peer reviewed and found to be wrong it is replaced with a new theory. Such a concept doesn't exist in religion, there is zero room for descent.

But that subject is neither here nor there, I'd teach me kids tolerance for others regardless of religion but it seems that the vast majority of home schoolers do seem to possess many of the stereotypes associated. Mind you, my best friend was home schooled and a staunch Baptist and now he basically started the underground rave and electro party scene and central Illinois and produces some wicked dubstep and dnb tracks...you'd never know that he "fit the stereotype", as it were.

Thanks for your input.

No problem.

Science is about facts, religion is about truth.
Science is about cosmic laws, religion (or irreligion) is about cosmic philosophies.

The one thing you cannot call an education is a schooling that tries to exclude its cosmic philosophy. There actually is no such thing; all schooling transmits some kind of world view, even when it pretends to tolerate all, something that is actually possible only by teaching that the question of truth does not matter, is personal and unimportant, something which the ancient Christian faith is certainly opposed to.

 

[Zoness]

Of course, I'd say the default philosophy of most school systems is Secular Humanism. Personally, its not a philosophy I directly oppose so I am not afraid of it. But yes, all systems have an ideology of sorts.

 

[rusmeister]

Of course, I'd say the default philosophy of most school systems is Secular Humanism. Personally, its not a philosophy I directly oppose so I am not afraid of it. But yes, all systems have an ideology of sorts.

Philosophies are not to be feared, but to be determined true or false. We should ALL oppose false philosophy, and secular humanism is decidedly false.

 

[Zoness]

Philosophies are not to be feared, but to be determined true or false. We should ALL oppose false philosophy, and secular humanism is decidedly false.

No comment as my opinion on the subject is against the rules of this forum.

 

[Zoness]

The philosophy or life stance secular humanism (alternatively known by some adherents as Humanism, specifically with a capital H to distinguish it from other forms of humanism) embraces human reason, ethics, social justice and philosophical naturalism, whilst specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, pseudoscience or superstition as the basis of morality and decision making.

It posits that human beings are capable of being ethical and moral without religion or a god. It does not, however, assume that humans are either inherently evil or innately good, nor does it present humans as being superior to nature. Rather, the humanist life stance emphasizes the unique responsibility facing humanity and the ethical consequences of human decisions. Fundamental to the concept of secular humanism is the strongly held viewpoint that ideology—be it religious or political—must be thoroughly examined by each individual and not simply accepted or rejected on faith. Along with this, an essential part of secular humanism is a continually adapting search for truth, primarily through science and philosophy. Many Humanists derive their moral codes from a philosophy of utilitarianism, ethical naturalism or evolutionary ethics, and some advocate a science of morality.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) is the world union of more than one hundred Humanist, rationalist, irreligious, atheistic, Bright, secular, Ethical Culture, and freethought organizations in more than 40 countries. The "Happy Human" is the official symbol of the IHEU as well as being regarded as a universally recognised symbol for those who call themselves Humanists. Secular humanist organizations are found in all parts of the world. Those who call themselves humanists are estimated to number between four and five million people worldwide.

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Thanks for this post, since most people are unclear about what Secular Humanism refers to.