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Jenny Steinman ED-658 Monmouth University Master of Education Candidate

Fundamental Evangelical Curriculum vs. Secular Curriculum, a Comparison of ideology

Objective The objective of this page is to compare and contrast fundamental evangelical curriculum to the secular curriculum that is being used in public schools. The recent events in the Texas educational system are also investigated as to how these changes in that states curriculum will influence it for the future.

A Beka Books

History

A Beka Books is a publishing company that was founded in 1954 by Dr. Arlin Horton, who is also the president and founder of Pensacola Christian College which was founded in 1974. Dr. Horton and his wife are partners in the company with Mrs. Beka Horton acting as vice president and editor for most of the materials that are published by the company. The company’s purpose is, “to build the content of every text book on the foundation of God’s Word” (A Beka Book, 2010).

General Goal

All learning is based on a clear understanding of the Bible.

Subject Specific Goals

1. Reading is taught with the main purpose of learning to comprehend the Bible.

2. Students are taught History and Government based on Biblical ideology.

3. Science is taught from a Biblical perspective, with God being the ultimate supreme Creator of the universe. Students are also taught how to refute evolutionary thought by formulating arguments that refute circular reasoning and Darwinian Theory.

4. English is taught so that students can articulate the spread and defense of Biblical truths.

5. The subject of Bible is taught in each grade to ensure that students are aware of the tenants of the Scriptures. This instruction begins with the basic tenants of the Bible for the younger grades, and increases in specificity throughout the higher grades (A Beka, 2010).

Teaching practice The teacher instruction manual is a preformed, directed way of instruction which includes the objectives of the lesson, how to teach the material, and what the student is expected to learn. Biblical precepts are expected to be an integral part of the teaching process as the curriculum distinctive states, “The lessons flow from the Word of God, through the heart of the teacher, to the heart of the student” (A Beka, 2010). Lesson plan The lesson plan is very specific and is designed so the teacher can instruct directly from the plan. Assessments are already prepared in a test and quiz booklet, the progress report is also pre-planned, as well as transparencies that can be used for instruction. Daily pacing of material and notes are prepared in the teacher instruction manual so that all of the material in the text can be covered in the allotted time of a normal school year. The teacher is expected to cover all of the material in the lesson plan within the school year so that the student will be ready to advance to the next grade. The curriculum reviews the material that was taught the year before, and builds on that material in the beginning of the next grade level (A Beka, 2010).

Bob Jones University Press

History

Bob Jones University Press was founded in the early 1970’s by Dr. Bob Jones III when he was impressed by God to provide a Bible based curriculum for Christian schools. George Mulfinger and Emmett Williams wrote the first physical science textbook in 1974 that was published by BJU Press, which was followed by many other educational publications (BJU Press, 2010).

General Goal

The goal of BJU curriculum is to present the truth in facts with a fundamental Christian world view. The overarching goal is for students to be able to respond to any issue with godly thinking while learning how to live a life that is pleasing to Christ (BJU, 2010).

Subject Specific Goals

Each subject, math, reading, English, science and history is taught by incorporating facts with analytical thinking skills and biblical truth. The subject of Bible is taught in each grade. The relevance of the scriptures in every aspect of life, and in every school subject is emphasized without apology (BJU, 2010).

Teaching Practice

BJU press promotes the importance of the teacher over the textbook. The lesson plan gives examples of various approaches for each topic so the instructor may be able to address particular needs that are present in the classroom. The autonomy of the instructor is approved as long as continuity is consistent and progressive (BJU, 2010).

Lesson Plan

The lesson plan is very specific and the instructions state that teachers should also have accompanied curricular components along with the instructional guide so that students can fully benefit from the purpose of the lesson. The lesson plan gives specific questions to ask, what answers to expect as well as how to keep the verbal exchange between student and teacher on target for the learner outcome (BJU Press, 2010). BJU Press also has a website that gives teachers ways in which to increase the analytical thinking skills of students by using Biblical logic and reasoning, as well as articles that promote, without apology, an exclusivist method of instruction that censors information from students that is profane, scatologically real (references to excrement), erotic realism, sexual perversion, fiercely violent, that which deals with the Satanic occult, and unnatural religious and philosophical assumptions that are un-Biblical (Horton, 1992).

Secular Curriculum

McGraw Hill Publishing

In 1909, two publishing companies merged to form the McGraw Hill Book Company. James H. McGraw who founded the McGraw Publishing Company and John A. Hill who founded the Hill Publishing Company formed an alliance based on mutual interests in technology and science. The company had published several books for college level classes by the middle 1930’s, as well as becoming a leader in primary and secondary education in the 1950’s. In addition to becoming the prominent leader in text book publishing, McGraw Hill has become a leader in educational assessment and training for vocational careers (McGraw Hill, 2010).

General Goal

The mission of McGraw Hill is to provide educational materials to students that are effective and that enhance the educational process by “changing the way that people learn” (McGraw Hill, 2010). McGraw hill promotes accuracy and quality in their curriculum by updating and correcting information in their textbooks and has an open door policy for those who may find errors so that corrections can be submitted. Teaching Practice McGraw Hill promotes a student directed form of learning, where the teacher guides the student into understanding the material that is necessary for a particular subject by asking pertinent questions, as well as learning how to use analytical and critical thinking skills in the classroom. Teacher guides for instruction include ways in which the instructor can facilitate student learning such as requiring the student to record regular entries in an analytical journal, asking open ended questions and what responses to expect, as well as internet sources that can be accessed in a student computer lab. The way in which students learn is hands on and exploratory so that students can understand the material in a way that can lead to better student retention (Brinkley, 2007).

Lesson Plan

McGraw Hill has several interactive web sites that the teacher can access and use as a part of instruction in the class room that also include helpful hints and ideas for student success. The web site called Teaching Today includes helpful articles for assessment, lesson planning and ways to increase student achievement. The web site also encourages the use of student portfolios which includes academic work that the student has completed in each grade so that each teacher that is involved in the education of the student is aware of strengths and weaknesses. The lesson plans that are suggested by McGraw Hill are easily manipulated so the instructor can formulate a lesson plan that is geared to the current class of students (McGraw Hill Teaching Today, 2010). The teacher guide that accompanies the text book is specific in which direction the teacher should lead the students and suggests what type of responses to expect from open ended questions and how to guide students into the area of most importance (Brinkley, 2007).

Recent Curriculum Changes in Texas

On March 12, 2010, major changes were made to textbooks in Texas. The overall goal was to improve the perspective of the republican political agenda throughout curriculum, to question the intent of the founding fathers as to the interpretation of the separation of church and state, and to promote American capitalism. These changes include incorporating intelligent design, Republican support for controversial political issues such as civil rights and the growing support for fundamentalism that began in the 1980’s which has continued into the present. Supporters of the religious right such as Phyllis Schlafly, the founder of Eagle Forum, Jerry Falwell, the founder of Moral Majority, and the National Rifle Association as well as others (McKinley, 2010). Other changes include the exclusion of the word capitalism which is replaced by the words “free enterprise system” so that there are no negative connotations associated, as well as personal accountability for choices that are made in life in regards to health and sexuality, drug use, teenage suicide and domestic abuse in dating. There have also been changes to the history curriculum which includes removing Thomas Jefferson from the list of inspirational revolutionary writers and replacing him with John Calvin, a traveling preacher known for founding the religious exclusionary sect of Calvinists, and William Blackstone who was the author of the pre-revolutionary source of common law. Most of the amendments that democratic board of education members made to the curriculum changes were defeated (McKinley, 2010). The word slavery was replaced with the words “trans-Atlantic slave trade” so that it has more of a business propositional context (Moore, 2010). These changes are more in line with evangelical fundamental curriculum as well as putting conservative republican political agenda in a more positive context.

The response of Bob Jones to Secular Curriculum

Bob Jones University exposes the texts used in public schools by pointing out factual flaws and errors that are duplicated from year to year. They also state that secular texts have an overflowing amount of unnecessary entertaining graphs, pictures and charts that are meant to fill up space, rather than having useful, practical information that students really need to understand the material (BJU, 2010). The report that BJU cites concerning the many errors of secular text books is an evaluation that was made by Educational Research Analysts which is a conservative Christian organization that is dedicated to secular text book reviews. The website for the organization has many detailed charts as to how each publishing company faired according to their rigorous fundamental standards. Glencoe / McGraw Hill (Glencoe is McGraw Hill’s secondary school publisher) received a consistent rating of either first or second place in the areas of biology and science, with first place being fair and second place being poor due to the theory of evolution being presented as fact. They were rated fifth and sixth place in math, with fifth place being poor, and sixth place being “non-conforming” – meaning the math text only met 64.10% of the Texas 6th grade math standards. The non – conforming column of the “very poor” section states that there were too many group activities which dismiss the importance of independent student work (Educational Research Analysts, 2010). This same text book review website also has reviews for the Christian school curriculum of Bob Jones University Press and A Beka Books. History, Economics and Government are the text books that have been reviewed with the main criticism being the absence of underlying Biblical principles for a “Christocentric”, sovereign, “Trinitarian” government and that both Christian publishers merely apply brief Biblical concepts to secular history and government practice. The Christocentric theory of government is one that promotes the Trinity, that being God the Son, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, as being the head of all government. The separation of powers in the United States Constitution is a more Biblical way of government instead of the Declaration of Independence which gives the states the power to be federal dualists, coexisting with the federal government instead of sharing the authority of government as one sovereign power. There is only a mention of the science texts from both of these publishers which states that both are lacking in challenging material which is the same as that of secular curriculum (Education Research Analysts, 2010).

A Case Study – Evangelical Fundamental Curriculum vs. Secular Curriculum Thirteen years of instruction in two fundamental, evangelical, Christian private schools with fundamental evangelical curriculum from A Beka Books and Bob Jones University Press helped to mold and form my personal and world philosophy. I have often heard the phrase “Education is indoctrination” from many Christians over the years, and have often pondered how my education has programmed my response to the world in general. Until a few years ago, I accepted the many years of fundamental teachings as being the best way in which I could have received educational instruction. While I questioned the fundamental methodology and practice quietly throughout the years and wondered if secular ideology had any speck or grain of truth to which I could give validity, there was always the recorded surveillant voice in my head that warned against secular humanism and propaganda in the educational arena. I attended a secular university many years later majoring in biology and was astounded at the many references to evolution with no reference to the Biblical account of creation. Evolution was taught as the only way in which the origin of man could be considered and all other theories were considered myth and not able to be proved. When I proceeded to ask questions about this evolutionary perspective I was generally given an answer that scoffed at such religious mentality and was told to “rethink” my argument. I followed the advice of my secular professors, and found that there were indeed lapses in my argument that only credited my ignorance of the subject from the secular perspective. I needed to put on the mindset of the secular left in order to understand how to build a more substantial defense. I wanted to be taken seriously, as well as fulfilling the cause of fighting for the philosophy of life and world view of which I had been indoctrinated since kindergarten. I can remember feeling an overwhelming anxiety when I was confronted by the reasoning of secular professors; to the point to where I remained quiet when a controversial topic would arise for fear that I would not be able to argue my position. Was this an indicator of my inadequate debating skills or was this an indicator of something much deeper – so deep that the very anxiety I was experiencing was like a rope that was strangling the very foundation of that which I had been taught as absolute truth? I transferred to a fundamental, evangelical, accredited university mainly because the tuition was much cheaper but perhaps this was also a form of self preservation so that my preformed way of indoctrinated thinking would somehow be kept safe and not threatened. The Biblical teaching continued throughout the college level studies of all subjects from Biology to Psychology with more forcible arguments being offered to derail secular leftist agenda and reasoning. I continued to have a “wandering heart” as the fundamentalists would say, for I engaged in conversations with those who were supporters of other ideology and found their arguments to be most intriguing. I heard scientific and historical facts and information that I had not heard in my many years of Christian education. I was astonished to know that not all of the founding fathers were Christian, and that Thomas Jefferson had an affair with a female slave. I was also surprised to know that the “homespun” that the founding fathers were often seen smoking was actually marijuana. The Christian principles upon which this country was supposedly founded are shrouded in secrecy and hypocrisy by those who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and by America’s first presidents. (Secrets about our founding fathers from the complex mad blog, 2008, History Channel: Secrets of our founding fathers, 2009). I can see how the practice of exclusionary education has affected my personal world view. Would my perspective have changed if I had been allowed to understand history in its entirety and not just that which promotes Biblical truth? - Absolutely. I cannot help but feel as if I have been shorted an enormous wealth of information for the sake of religious, self righteous, narrow mindedness in the name of upholding the banner for the fundamental cause. I have heard many sermons that would often sound like this: “The Bible should be the standard by which all men should live and those who choose not to abide by its precepts are doomed to live an unfulfilled life because man in his depravity is continually seeking for that which satisfies. God’s ways are not our ways, and some things are not for us to understand. While man continually places himself on the same level as God by committing to the spread of secular humanism he is separating himself from the only One who can be his Savior in this world and into the next.” I do not know of one fundamentalist who would argue against this absolutism, however, this ideology, at least in my life, has not bread happiness, nor has it contributed to the abundant life which Christ stated that followers of him would live. I gave the fundamental right 36 years of my life. Not only was I taught in fundamental Christian schools for 17 years, but for 18 years I was the wife of a minister. I lived in misery for many years quietly begging and asking God to help me to understand why I was so unhappy and trying to rise above the many difficult years of fundamental isolation. Christ was not the famous preacher of a church, nor was he a chancellor of a famous fundamental Bible college. Christ did not condone religion and on many occasions he spoke against it such as when he states in Matthew 23:13-14 – “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” The Pharisees were pious religious Jewish sects that were known for praying out loud in the Temple so that people could hear them. Luke 18:11 states, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican” (King James, 1611). As one who was immersed in the fundamental realm for most of my life I fail to understand how fundamental believers call themselves the “elite” when there is a world of people who are hurting on every corner and in every facet of life. How can born again believers enter the diligently sustained building called the “house of God” for worship and maintain their personal isolation from the culture that is around them with a haughty look, proudly holding the banner of the elect? How can children be completely educated in a realm of isolated ideas and teacher centered classrooms that are inflexible to new ways of methodological pedagogy? Exclusionary education and indoctrination will take place, and ignorance and apathy will be maintained as habitual responses for fear of challenging fundamental authority.

References

A Beka (2010). A Beka Book Distinctives. Retrieved from http://www.abeka.com/Distinctives.html.

Brinkley, A. (2007). AP Teacher’s instruction manual to accompany American history. New York, New York: McGraw Hill Publishing.

History Channel: Secrets of our founding fathers. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_9J52hSTPc

Horton, R.A. (1992). Christian education: Its mandate and mission. Greenville, South Carolina: Bob Jones University Press.

McGraw Hill education history. (2010). Retrieved from 	http://www.mheducation.com/aboutus/history.shtml

McKinley J.C. (2010). Texas conservatives win curriculum change. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html

Moore, B. (2010, May 24). How Texas’ school board tried to pretend slavery never happened and why your kids school may be next. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bryan-monroe/how-texas-school-board-tr_b_586633.html

O’sh. (2008, August 4). Secrets about our founding fathers from the complex mad blog. Retrieved from: http://vibesource.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/secrets-about-our-founding-fathers-from-the-	complex- mag-blog/

Teaching today, lesson plans and more. (2010). Retrieved from http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/

The Mel Gablers’ Educational Research Analysts. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.textbookreviews.org/