Following my review of the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach, a reader, Jamie asked me the following question, and so I will write my response here as she doesn’t seem to be a HSB member and might not find her way back to read my comment.

Question:
I’m so glad I found your blog! I have never used HOW before, but have looked longingly at it for the last year. I have three teens (8th/9th grade equivalent, and one in 10th and 11th this fall) and am wondering if HOW would be something I could implement with some measure of success for the remainder of my eldests homeschooling? Since it is a four year program (and cycling at that) what could you suggest for me?

Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your comment on my blog! I too, looked longingly at HoW for years before taking the plunge and buying the book and a unit study. Yet, I don’t know why I took so long. I always knew that one day I would use HoW, but the timing just didn’t seem right. I think it is because God knows all and He knew that I still had things that I had to get out of my system and let go of before wholeheartedly accepting something new (new to me- or different to my worldly goals).

What many people don’t realise is that HOWTA is not just a curriculum, it is an entire method- a way of doing things that lines up with a Biblical worldview. It isn’t just a curriculum with some Bible study tacked on for good measure…it is basically Bible study!

I think that at the ages of your children, you may not want to completely change everything and offer them a whole new scope and sequence of study. Section Three of HOWTA tells us how we can change methods and use different ones that encompass a Biblical worldview.If I were to undertake this with my older students, this is what I would do. It isn’t so much about book A or book c as much as the WHY we study certain subjects and how we learn about them.

I would suggest that pick up in the history rotation right where you are now! What era are you about to start on this new year? (It is a new school year for you shortly, isn’t it? I’m Australian and our school year runs differently) Incorporate a Bible-First educational philosophy into your home and work…even consider having your older students read through selected chapters of HOWTA for themselves!

I think that a HOWTA is suitable for anyone and everyone…but I’m biased because HOWTA espouses a Bible-First education and that is my passion. Not only did it put forth a Bible-First education but it gave me some tools to achieve that and put it nto practice.

So, in a nutshell I would suggest that you purchase the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach book and then commit your home and coming year to God, seeking Him for direction, for each child. If God directs you to use a HOW unit study then you can purchase one but if He directs you to devise your own curriculum, with a Bible-First education then you can do that. Either way, I don’t think your money would be wasted in the HOW Teaching Approach.