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Philosophy of Education

Unlike the Scholastics who settled for secondary commentaries of great works or the designers of Back-to-Basics textbooks who provide only a glimpse of great literary works,  A Word in Season curriculum chronologically guides students through the history of  ideas by searching primary sources Western culture. The goal is to evaluate man’s ideas on the basis of accurate information rather than to evaluate it on the basis of misunderstanding stemming from prejudice and fear of opposition.

Effective communication requires willingness to learn, proper instruction, and plenty of practice. A Word in Season study units teach a specific thought process in relation to writing:

(1) Gather information
(2) Interpret, consider, comprehend, discover the  meaning of information gathered
(3) Formulate a response that expresses their conclusions
(4) Compare sources
(5) Discern what is truth from opposing views
(6) Compose an orderly thought
(7) Refine their expressions for publication
(8) Respond in truth with grace

The purposes of A Word in Season unit studies are multiple. One is to teach young people how to discern the truth (to separate truth from error) so that they may stand firm when they must stand alone against opposition.

Many young people on college campuses have become casualties of war and have not been able to stand their ground and be adults who are not “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.” Their minds have fallen into the hands of the enemy. Hence, a second purpose of the study units is to acquaint students with the western cultural heritage so that they are better able to evaluate the present-day philosophies which rest upon the traditions of the ages.

A third purpose for the study units is to train students to be able to “speak the truth in love.” Young people are at an advantage if they learn how to express their views in ways which courteously show their understanding of their opponent’s views and which properly address the weaknesses in their opponent’s point-of-view. To perform these skills, a student must be able to understand the content of the argument, evaluate it in the light of Scripture, and present their evaluation in a way which opens the hearts of their audience rather than in a way which turns the hearts of their audience away from the truth.

What are the Humanities?

Humanities are the branches of learning concerned with human thought and relations, in contrast to the sciences. Such disciplines included in studying humanities are such subjects as art appreciation and history, music appreciation and history, philosophy, religion, history, languages, education, government, psychology, and sociology. In order to address issues within our time, students do well to know something of these subjects because they provide insight into the ways we relate to one another as civilized men and women. This liberal arts approach prepares students for studying professional and specialized fields. Humanities has been a part of education since ancient times.