Teach all Kids

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Tapestry of Grace

An integrated, classical approach to educating your children.

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Why "Tapestry"?

Our thoughts on:

Elementary Years

Middle Years

High School Years

Grace-Centered Schooling

Who really IS the best teacher for my kids?

How do I teach all my kids at once?

Teacher Development

How will I teach all this to all my children at the same time?

While all of academic subjects are interrelated, since they all come from the hand of God, they need not all be studied at the same level at all times. God’s story is at once simple and complex. It is like an onion, constructed in layers of meaning and revelation.

Young children are capable of viewing the onion from the outside, and perhaps peeling back a layer or two.
Older children can get more of the onion exposed.
As skills grow, and as maturity increases, more and more layers are peeled away.
Even as adults, we want to be constantly learning more, seeking to peel back more layers of the onion!
This onion image can represent facts and events of history, the character of God, and the Christlikeness formed in us!

The reason that you can successfully teach all the above subjects to all of your children simultaneously is that content is not the only thing--indeed, not even the primary thing--you’re teaching. You are primarily seeking to make disciples of your children, and to give them skills that will enable them to succeed at whatever God may call them to do.

These skills are:

Biblical interpretation (2 Tim. 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.)
Analysis & synthesis (that they may be like ...men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do--200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command. 1 Chron. 12:32)
Organization (1 Cor. 14:40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.)
Gracious and winning written communication and oral articulation (1 Peter 3:15 ... Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. )
In short, we want our students to be equipped for every good work (skill) and to do that work with the right attitude (Col. 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. )

Thus, in studying history and related subjects, our children are learning God’s story, but also, they are learning about God Himself.

They are changing as they learn.
They are growing as they learn.
Under the Tapestry plan, they will study the same historical periods every four years. But, because they change and grow, as they return to the same subject matter again they will be seeing more and more layers of both God’s character and theirs reflected in, and revealed by, the deeper layers of the onion of history!
Another way to put this is to apply the terms used by proponents of the Classical Method of education: children will learn World History, Philosophy, and Theology at the "grammar," "dialectic," and "rhetoric" stages.
As they learn their history, they will sense their destiny, which is to fulfill the purposes of God in their generation and then, if they love God, to become completely changed into the very image of Christ.

Romans 8:28-30 tells us the ultimate destiny of all our saved children: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

There is too much knowledge in the world for your child to become an expert in all fields. I feel I can confidently predict that your child will not be a brain surgeon and an astronaut and the President of the United States. God has called each child for a certain role that is very specific. But daily growing in Christlikeness and a solid, classical education based on a deep, Biblically informed knowledge of history, Literature, Church History, Philosophy, and various worldviews will prepare your child best for both the present world and the world to come.

Go on to receive Biblical encouragement: YOU are the best teacher your child can have!

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