The chart given on our home page is a "typical" four year cycle, but you can start anywhere! The important thing is that history and science are being taught in a thorough, systematic fashion. This year we happen to be on Year 1, ancient history and biology, but no matter where you begin or the ages of your child(ren) they will love this approach to learning! Feel free to jump in with us and enjoy the journey. No matter where you start, your student will benefit from a cyclical, systematic, and thorough study of history and science.
Will Mosaic provide other educational opportunities for my children like field trips?
We love to plan educational field trips that complement what we are learning in our Mosaic classes...and maybe just a fun trip here and there as well. :) In the second semester, we have a science fair and host a field day! As a Mosaic parent, you will be given a chance to sign up to plan and organize an event if you are able. When we all work together we can accomplish much.
I would like for my children to be involved in this type of learning community but am unsure of my abilities to teach in a classroom. I enjoy teaching my own children at home but a classroom setting seems like it might be different. Also, I don't have a particular area of expertise/knowledge in any of the classes offered at Mosaic.
If either or both parts of this part of this (unsure of teaching in a classroom setting or not having an area of expertise in one of our classes) describe how you are feeling but you are otherwise interested, please send us an email and set up a time to talk to one of our directors.
Here are some things to know:
- A coordinator is assigned to each subject area to help us plan out the school year. These coordinators work year-round to help our teachers with lesson planning and to help them become confident in the learning objectives and materials.
- We do a teacher training at the start of each semester to equip our teachers with tools to help make their time in the classroom successful for all.
- You will have a teacher's manual for the class you teach and we will work together to provide you a syllabus to guide you as well. The syllabus will help you pace the class knowing what to teach when.
- The directors are always available to support you with creative teaching ideas, learning strategies, classroom management techniques and much, much more.
- We are all moms working together to provide great learning experiences and community for our kids. Most of us are not trained educators. We will learn together; we will learn from each other. We will be a team.
Can you tell me a little bit more about Biblioplan?
While not completely monolithic, the church throughout its existence has essentially affirmed one perspective on world history. Canaan was a land. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon, England. George Washington was the first President of the United States of America. However, the same cannot be said about the church’s view on science. For example, over the last two millennia, Bible-believing, gospel-centered, God-honoring evangelical Christians have held different views on the Creation account found in Genesis. For example, here are four basic views of Genesis 1-2:
- Classic Creationism interprets the Genesis 1-2 literally. God created the universe in six 24-hour days just as described in Genesis 1. Therefore the earth is much younger than what modern science suggests—about 6,000 to 10,000 years old. Fossil records and geological phenomena were created as a result of the flood. They argue that either current dating methods are incorrect or that God created the earth, like Adam and Eve, with the appearance of age.
- Historical Creationism is a more recent interpretation of the creation account. Like Classic Creationism, Historical Creationism believes that the six days of creation are literal 24-hour days. Where this view is unique is its interpretation of Genesis 1:1. Based on linguistic analysis the phrase, “In the beginning,” is not a point in time, but rather a period of time—a period that could perhaps be billions of years. It was “in the beginning” period that God created “the heavens and earth”—which should be understood as “the entirety of the universe,” including the sun, moon, stars, land, sea, plants, and animals. The six days of creation came after that period of time (without any “gaps”) when God went on to prepare the “land” as a special place for humans to dwell.
- The Day-Age View recognizes that the Hebrew word for “day” is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to a literal 24-hour day as well as a longer, indeterminate amount of time (i.e. “an age”). Therefore the six days of creation in Genesis are not intended to be understood as literal 24-hour days, but rather six long periods of time, perhaps millions of years. It was during this extended period of six “ages” that God created the universe as described in Genesis 1. This view finds agreement with scientific data that suggests that the earth is 4.5 billion years old.
- The Framework View (also known as Literary Framework View) argues the six days of creation are not intended as a chronological sequence, but rather a literary “framework” that Moses uses in order to communicate God’s creation of the universe. When looking at what God created each of the six days, one notices that there is a striking parallel between the first three days and the second three days. Genesis 1:2 says that the earth was “without form and void.” In days 1-3, God is creating “habitats” (i.e. forming what was “without form”). In days 4-6, God is creating things to occupy those habitats (i.e. filling what was “void”). The “days” are not 24-hours nor are they “ages.” Moses uses the six “days” as a literary device to give the reader six “pictures” in order to communicate that God created everything. Proponents also note that God used a literary structure common to Moses’ day in order to communicate truth to people in a way they could best receive it.
While there are other views Christians have held about the Genesis creation account (e.g., Gap View), it is clear that in her history, the church has allowed more than one interpretive position concerning the creation account with respect to what is considered orthodox, evangelical Christianity.
What has this to do with a homeschool cooperative? Well, each creation view leaves its adherents with different conclusions about scientific questions. For example, how old is the earth? A “Day-Age” Christian believes it to be 4.5 billion years old while the “Classic Creationist” Christian holds to a planet that is no more than 10,000 years old. Again, evangelicals take up space in both camps. Now the challenge becomes how the earth’s age should be taught to a class mixed with children belonging to “Young Earth” parents and “Old Earth” parents? Do you teach the earth is young or old? Some parents would not suffer their children to hear another view while others would present all the views while still teaching their kids to embrace to one particular stance, others might present the different views without drawing a circle around any particular one stressing that the nature of the Genesis account is not scientific but theological.
It is for reasons like those that Mosaic has intentionally chosen not to adopt any science curriculum with a specific interpretive view in mind. We do not want to burden the conscience of any parent by teaching as dogmatic a view to which they do not subscribe. We believe the parent should dictate which focus is best for their child concerning these interpretive options. In other words, Mosaic chooses to let these decisions rest in the hands the parent and not the cooperative. So we will continue to teach that Canaan was a land, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon, England, and George Washington was the first President of the United States of America. We also will teach that the Bible is true, God is sovereign, and he created all things for his glory. However, as to the scientific specifics of his most glorious creation, we will leave that for mom and dad to teach their own children.
