Introduction
Introduction: God's Word tells us: "All your children shall
be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children"
(Isa. 54:13). In these tumultuous times, isn't that a truly comforting
thought? What a priceless gift to help children, beginning in their
most formative years, to be anchored in the Rock who can keep them
strong for the future! That is the driving force behind the development
of the Christ-Centered Curriculum for Early Childhood program! High
academic results from this program are simply a byproduct of teaching
to children's spirits first, then trusting God to open their intellects
according to His perfect timetable for each (Ps. 94:10; Prov. 9:10).
Because many have been misled into thinking little children aren't
"ready" for many things, some shy away from educational
programs which actually have substance. Godly pressure is therefore
often misconstrued as "pushing," and parents mistakenly
"back off" and thus shortchange God's heritage from receiving
a high quality foundation. To avoid any confusion on this issue,
it can be helpful to define the terms "pushing" and "pressure."
Pushing children's minds to strain beyond their God-given
abilities violates good pedagogy and God's law of love. Such stress
can easily provoke children to exasperation, which He forbids (Eph.
6:4). God Himself sets an example by promising to never put His
children in a situation beyond what they can handle (1 Cor. 10:13);
we ought to treat our own children likewise.
Pressure, according to Webster's 1828 dictionary,
is "a constraining force or impulse; that which urges or compels
the intellectual or moral faculties." Parents have the responsibility
to exert the kind of pressure that results from the rules or standards
for which a child is held accountable. Applying godly pressure to
exercise intellectual and moral faculties in accordance with individual
capabilities is good for children. This fits God's lesson plan for
all of His children. Pressure develops endurance, which produces
proven character and unshakable confidence in Christ (Rom. 5:3-4).
The key to achieving this goal is to have balance in what we ask
of students. We should neither push children to perform beyond God-given
capabilities, nor hold them back.
In summary, we ought to obey Christ by understanding and applying
the principle of the talents (Matt. 25:14-29) to our children's
development. Regardless of whether God has given them one, five,
or ten talents, those talents are to be multiplied for our Master's
use. This calls for an active investment of time and energy on our
part as well as our children's.
For more on this subject, go to "Seminars" and click
on Early
Childhood: To Teach or Not To Teach. An in-depth biblical analysis
of virtuous womanhood and biblical early childhood education is
in Doreen Claggett's NEVER
TOO EARLY. Click on Family
Resources; order item
100. (Note: NEVER
TOO EARLY is included in the Discounted
Teaching Packages. For testimonies from CCC users, click on
What Others
are Saying About CCC.)
On the pages of this section are descriptions of the general capabilities
of threes, fours, and fives. These are based upon the traditional
experiences of students who have been properly taught using Christ-Centered
Phonics and Math. A list of recommended materials for each age group
follows the descriptions.
Introduction
| Teaching K3 (3-year-olds)
| Teaching K4 (4-year-olds)
| Teaching K5 (5-year-olds)
|
