Changing Curriculum Again?

Last week, I suggested that based on your child’s achievement test report, it might be time to change up the curriculum you’re using.  If you liked my suggestion and plan to do this, it’s likely that sometime in the first month of new school year you’ll be second guessing yourself about your new purchase.

Here’s why.

Within every textbook is a bias, one or more perspectives that sooner or later will rub you the wrong way.  Every author writes from a worldview.

•  The science book you’re using may present the “fact” that global warming is myth. You’re not so sure.
•  The history book you’re using may cast certain denominations as the “good guys” and others as the “bad guys.”  Your church is in the “bad guys” camp and you’re not planning on leaving anytime soon.
•  The Bible study curriculum you’re using makes “life applications” you’re uncomfortable with.
•  The government text you’re using implies that if you’re not a flag-waving, NRA member, Republican, back-to-the-gold standard kind of person, you’re misinformed, unpatriotic, or worse, just stupid.
•  The personal finance course you’re using leaves you feeling guilty if you have any kind of debt. You already feel guilty about enough things without wondering if refinancing your home was the right move.

I think you get the idea.

So, what do you do?  Return the books and just use the Bible and Saxon math?  Some home-school pundits have suggested such a narrow approach.

I’d like to suggest a different solution.

Years ago, I raised the question of what to do with textbooks with questionable content with a mentor friend who was also a leader in the Christian school movement.  I think he gave me some good advice which I’d like to pass on to you.   Our conversation went something like this:

“Do you eat fish?”

“Ocasionally.”

“What about the bones, you don’t eat them do you”

“Of course not”

“Sometimes you need to fillet a fish. You don’t let a few bones keep you from getting the value, satisfaction, and benefit from it.”

So, what should you do if you find something objectionable in the textbook you’re using?

My friend would say, “Just ‘spit out’ the objectionable material.  Don’t let it ruin the good things to be gained from the text.”

Thanks for Reading!

Curt Bumcrot, MRE

Achievement tests may point out deficiencies in the curriculum we’re using. Be sure to sign up to have your child tested.