Our philosophy plays an integral role in curriculum planning (design, content,
implementation, monitoring, and feedback) because it is the essence of what we believe to be
true about the world; and therefore, it directs what we emphasize to our students. It also directly
impacts the methods by which we teach. For example, if we believe that all persons possess
the imago dei and the Bible is our authority for right living, we will be compelled to treat them
with respect, dignity, and love. We will see the potential in them; and, we will move them
toward their vocational calling in Christ. Each student, faculty member, and community member
will be deemed to be an important part of the educational process. We will not mindlessly teach a
prescribed curriculum without consideration of what the Bible has to say about how we are to
live and approach life.
In this week’s assigned reading, Van Brummelen (2002) noted that there at least seven
steps to planning a curriculum. Of these seven, I believe that steps one and five are the most
significant for Christian educators. Step one suggested that educators should remember their
aims and goals. Similar to what I posited in my opening paragraph, our aims and goals are
directed by our worldviews. The Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia (1998) wrote,
“The central purpose of Christian schooling is to help students explore and experience what it
means to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in all of life” (as cited in Van Brummelen, 2002,
pp. 143-144). This directly correlates to a biblical worldview which should guide the Christian
educator’s curriculum decisions.
Step five of Van Brummelen’s (2002) steppingstones was to select suitable resources. As
such, he noted, “Textbooks do not make their philosophy explicit, yet they promote a particular
point of view” (p. 158), contributing to the potential secularization of the reader. The textbooks
from which we teach may have the intended, or unintended, consequence of promoting
modernism or postmodernism to the exclusion of a biblical worldview. Therefore, Christian
educators should give careful consideration to the inherent bias that a particular textbook, or
curriculum, may promote. Similarly, the author noted, “When textbooks control the curriculum,
the intent often becomes to move from cover to cover, with no clear overarching purpose” (p.
157). A Christian educator would know that the purpose of life is to glorify God (I. Pt. 4:11; I
Cor, 10:31). Thus, she would have a clear destination in mind with her curriculum planning.
Also, she would be mindful of how she makes use of the textbook material.
In addition, Van Brummelen (2002) delineated the role of stakeholders in the curriculum
field. This section was very significant for me because it reinforced the role of parents. Although
government at all levels (local, state, and federal) requires certain policies and programs to be
enforced, government should not do more than ensure that students are functioning normally
within society. Parents are responsible for the education that their child will receive. Parents
should work in concert with schools to ensure that their children are receiving an education that
will propel them into their vocational calling. Otherwise, the student may be meandering through
an educational process that is a road to nowhere. In this sense, parents and school leaders should
work in cooperation with one another to build a consensus of what is appropriate in the
curriculum.
Reference:
Van Brummelen, H. (2002). Steppingstones to Curriculum: A biblical path, 2nd ed. Colorado
Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications.
One of the most engaging things about being part of this program is the differing insights
we pull from the same materials. VanBrummelen’s (2002) Fifth Step in Classroom Curriculum
Goals is a perfect example. Layne (2013) presents that “he [VanBrummelen] noted, ‘Textbooks
do not make their philosophy explicit, yet they promote a particular point of view’ (p. 158),
contributing to the potential secularization of the reader.” While I agree as to the importance of
this information, I saw the critical piece of this step in the first three lines, “Resources are
valuable learning tools. The availability of resources will affect your choice of activities”
(VanBrummelen, 2002, p. 147). I believe there are resources all around us, and many are often
overlooked. VanBrummelen (2002) seemed to agree with me when he stated, “avoid using
textbooks and other resources to frame the content and structure of your curriculum” (p. 156).
Of course, all curricula require consistent evaluation and revision to stay focused on the needs of
the students and the overarching goals of their education. I love the way VanBrummelen (2002)
presents figure 6.2 showing that the progression between the steps is not linear (p. 144). In many
ways, I interpret that as the steps are merely a naming convention, and not in any way an
hierarchy.
Layne, E. (2013, Sep 26). Re: Discussion Board Forum 4 [Online Forum Comment]. Retrieved
from Liberty University Online Fall 2013 EDUC 701-B10.
Van Brummelen, H. (2002). Steppingstones to Curriculum: A biblical path, 2nd ed. Colorado
Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications.