DIY Homeschooler

One approach to homeschooling is to look at each subject from a Christian worldview. This involves four possible elements:

• Research.
• Recording in a notebook.
• Reasoning from the word of God.
• Responding.

Think of what we are referring to as an “inductive” approach to learning.

To develop a Biblical worldview, we need to learn to search the Bible for answers to all areas of life, and exercise discernment in the application.

Here are outstanding ideas that can be used no matter what method of education you settle on:

Biblical Foundation

Those of us who attended public schools may have grown up with a separation of the sacred and the secular. We have to remember that we are teaching a whole person.  Everything we need to know about how to live is contained within the pages of Scripture. We don’t want our children to be blown about by every wind that passes their way. We want our children to be able to take every thought captive, and to understand that God is active in each area of life today.

Further Reading

• A Biblical Home Education by Ruth Beechick
  A book by a favorite mentor that will challenge your thinking! Read our full review.
• Encyclopedia of Bible Truths for School Subjects by Ruth Haycock
  If you need help, this very thick and heavy book has the answers.

Notebook Development

Rather than “fill-in-the-blank”-type work we are big advocates of notebooking. Each student can create his own textbook by completing a notebook. The notebook can include vocabulary and applicable Biblical principles along with the student’s thoughts and meditations. This is truly individualized learning!

Further Reading

• Notebooking
  From a scrapbook to save those precious homeschooling moments to a personalized “textbook,” there are many ways to incorporate this unique method of making lasting impressions into your homeschool days.
• 10 Ways to Use Notebooking {Complete Series}
  Practical help for each subject … and more!

4-R

The 4-R method of study can be applied by anyone wishing to study any topic in depth:

• Researching God’s Word to identify His thoughts on a topic.
• Reasoning from cause to effect in applying the principles found to the subject at hand.
• Relating the applications to the student.
• Recording the individual applications.

Further Reading

• Research
  Practical helps.

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Additional Resources

The Mighty Works of God
Review by Cathy Duffy of a newer offering from Pilgrim Institute.

Research Tips
Notebooking and “4-R”-ing explained by Lori Harris.