Important Christ-Centered Curriculum Information

Codes:
used in the Phonics Instruction Guides and Math Guides suggested daily schedules:

  • K3 (three-year-old) no workbooks but oral instruction using Phonics Lessons for Flashcards 1-32
  • K4 (four-year-old) start in Student Kit A, Phonics Workbook A:1. Use also with immature fives demonstrating little co-ordination or desire to read. On Completion of A2 a child can be reading at a kindergarten level. Use Math A.
  • K5 (average to advanced five-year-old) start in Student Kit B, Phonics Workbook B:1. Use Math A & B.
  • B1 (beginning 1st grader) start in Student Kit B, Phonics Workbook B:1. On Completion of B1, 2 & 3 the child can be reading and spelling at grade four level, depending on practice. If just beginning to use CCC, use Math A & B. If child has mastered basic counting and adding, review Math A or just proceed to Math B.
  • A1st/2nd (advanced 1st/2nd grader) begin in Student Kit C, Phonics Workbook C:1. Prerequisite: Level B or being a strong reader but needing to build foundations in advanced phonics skills and grammar skills. (see "Older Children" note below). For Math instruction we recommend beginning with Level 1 of "Professor B Math". On Completion of C1, C2, and C3 the child can be reading and possibly spelling at approximately grade 9 level, depending on practice but not necessarily comprehending at this level.

Older children:
We personally feel most children aged six or seven, and reading delayed eight-year-olds will benefit greatly from the Biblical/academic foundations laid in Level B. Level C begins with a review of vowels for ten lessons, then the lessons move along very quickly in advancing difficulty. Many coming out of the school system at grades four and five with little or no phonics/spelling instruction benefit from Level B. If you start an older child in level C and meet with discouragement, do not hesitate to go to Level B!

Non-graded material:
Do not refer to the books by grade, but by level. For instance, if your six-year-old is beginning with Level B, do not refer to the books as being for kindergarten or five-year-olds. If your 10-year-old would benefit from Level B or C, do not tell him he is using books designed for grades one and two! The truth of the matter is, on completion of Level C, any child at whatever age can be reading at about a grade nine level or higher, although their reading comprehension may not be that high. You can place a seven-year-old who has completed Level C directly into grade four of most curriculums and Level 3 of Climbing to Good English. They are reading at a higher level, but grade four is recommended due to age and emotional development. Completion of Math Level B prepares the student for grade three or four math, depending on the curriculum chosen, or Level 1 of Professor B.

Time Spent in instruction:
Follow the guides in the instruction manuals. Brief, informative instruction and practice times will net more learning comprehension than hours of mind numbing instruction and practice. 1 ½ hours per day maximum will cover phonics and math, with less time needed for younger children. Consider having brief "drill work" sessions throughout the day as you work around the house (include these sessions in your total time spent). You can teach much of the lesson simultaneously to several children at different levels. The laid out schedule will take one school year to complete each level, ie. Level B, including workbooks B1, B2 and B3. You can take longer but should not take longer than 1 ½ years as the child could get bored and bogged down.

Teach each child according to their own level. Do not hold a younger child back just because that child might surpass an older child. Teach your children that God gave each one differing abilities and time tables for learning. Each child, with perseverance and diligence will in time learn what God has for them to learn on their own timetable. We are not in a race or competition. Each person is strong in different areas and can help a sibling or friend in areas where they are weak. The person thus helped will in turn use their strength in another area to assist their sibling who may be weaker. We work as a team, not as competitors.

Older children can teach younger siblings as much as they are able. For instance, your five-year-old can easily instruct your two and your three-year-old orally. This serves to reinforce the lesson in the older child and encourage team work, as well as benefiting the younger child. Twos and threes learn much just by listening in and observing!

Readers:
By the beginning of Phonics Workbook B:2 you should provide readers and possibly comprehension workbooks for your child's reading development. We at JOY Center of Learning (JCL) recommend Pathway Readers (available from us). Each Pathway story contains strong moral lessons and Biblical teaching and are not frivolous or nonsensical in nature. They are worth reading and rereading and will build a wonderful family library. The accompanying workbooks reinforce reading comprehension and build on the grammar/spelling skills learned in the CCC. Progress through the Pathway readers beginning with First Steps at a speed appropriate to the child's ability. Very economical. The Rod & Staff readers are also good and the stories retell Bible accounts of history and people. Christian Light readers are also good.

Reading Practice:
We sell the Bible Wise and Bible Time books and the Rod and Staff Little Jewel books – all excellent! (These are not graded readers). It is important to read daily to your children all types of books with substance.

Additional Grammar/Spelling:
If you really want to zero in on grammar/spelling instruction and practice, the curriculum called Climbing to Good English (CGE) is superb and works beautifully along with the Christ-Centered Curriculum. We at JCL recommend starting with the grade one level when the child begins the B2 or B3 CCC workbooks. Proceed at a pace comfortable for the child. Older children could start with Level 2 and complete it within two months at five pages per day if you are going at a quick pace. CGE is included in our graded Language Arts Kits.

Recommendation:
Start with just math and English and lay those foundations for a few months with older children before adding any other subjects. Most young children, until about age ten or eleven, will be served well by focusing their academic study on Biblical principles, phonics, reading, spelling, grammar skills and math. Spend the balance of the day developing life skills and character. In all formal or informal lessons, be sure to make the connection between the lesson at hand and God's principles and design. We recommend concentrating on laying scriptural foundations and building the character of your children.

SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES:
Some Boards of Education require a science/social studies curriculum for children age six or older. Suggestions: Come Sit By Me by Cyndy Regeling is a Canadian curriculum similar to Five in a Row, but using Canadian books. Five in a Row—a gentle, relaxed study of science and social studies, with a Christian supplemental guide. The books read and studied in these two curriculums will enhance your child's love of reading and knowledge in science, social studies, art, and more. Available from many suppliers. From the Institute in Basic Life Principles, three volumes entitled "Character Sketches." These are superb for science and Bible history.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CONSIDER from JOY Center of Learning:

  1. Christ-Centered Animal Stories CD: Contains the animal stories, scriptures, and songs from the backs of the Math Flashcards. Terrific for audio learners and children at any time.
  2. Professor B Math: for when you have completed CCC Math B. About 20 - 30 minutes a day; for children to grade six or seven or as remedial work for older children.
  3. A Guide to Teaching Printing With Character, and My Character Printing Workbook for beginners. A simplified method of teaching printing that dovetails in philosophy beautifully with CCC, and a method that is more readily grasped by some students than the traditional "stick and ball" method of instruction.
  4. My Keepsake Book, for older children – a beautiful keepsake book of your child's character development and printing or cursive writing skills.
  5. Songs of Virtue book and cassette set – containing the beautiful hymns and many scripture verses referred to in the CCC.
  6. Preschool ABC Series – This set of books teach pre-kindergarten and kindergarten/grade one pre-reading skills and concepts including colours, sequencing, following instructions & more.
  7. Doorposts character resources - Plants Grown Up, Polished Cornerstones, For Instruction in Righteousness.
  8. The Home Schooling Toolbox book will give you guidance on choosing a curriculum when you need it after completion of the CCC. A valuable resource to get you started, encourage you, and keep you going in home education.
  9. Family Buried Alive...Help on the Way! – teach your family to work together as a team. This is a terrific resource book for any family. Designed not just to be read, but to be worked through.



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JOY Center of Learning
Box 788, Shelburne, Ontario, Canada, L0N 1S0
(519) 925-9721 - Phone/Fax: 519-925-0560
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Email: mail@joycenter.on.ca