Avoid Using Christian Textbooks…

. . .exclusively.

Just because the word Christian appears in the title of a textbook, you have no guarantee that the content is educationally sound or developmentally appropriate. It’s not a guarantee that the textbook follows a proven teaching method, or that the lessons are sequenced correctly.

I’ve evaluated text books from “Christian” publishers in which the readability of the student texts were so far above grade level that many children attempting to use them found them inaccessible.

Some spelling workbooks I’ve seen from “Christian” publishers have seemingly followed the same “harder is better” philosophy and were packed with words that were hardly relevant or useful to the students they were designed to serve.

Tests designed to be used with science and history texts majored heavily on what could be called the upload-download method of measuring learning. That is, stuff your brain with hundreds of facts and remember them just long enough to pass the test.

While there are some excellent textbooks written and published by Christians, avoid choosing them over secular ones simply on the basis of a profession of faith.

That’s the tip of the week!

Curt

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