3. How does being a Christian co-op affect classroom teaching specifically?
At Explorers, we believe that one of our greatest strengths is working together as Christians from many traditions to enrich and strengthen our home schooling!
Christian textbooks and materials are sometimes used for Explorers classes, especially in the older grades. These are often Protestant denominational texts mainly because there are very few non-denominational textbooks for core academic subjects. We do not select or approve the materials used in Explorers classes. Here are some guidelines to help you decide if specific materials may be appropriate for use in your teaching, as well as some guidelines for parents with concerns:
For instructors
o Please be sensitive to issues that may be presented in a one-sided way in a textbook (for instance, reformation history, or creationism/evolution).
o Especially for core or sequence subjects, strive to be as balanced as possible. This may be achieved by offering alternative resources to read or through guest speakers, for instance.
o If parents come to you with concerns, please be willing to alter your plans and change gears, omitting potentially offensive portions of the book/syllabus.
For parents
o Review materials and talk with teachers prior to starting the class (before signing up, if possible!) and review course outlines as soon as you receive them.
o If you encounter a problem with materials or course content, let the team leader for this class know what concerns you have and that you are planning to talk to the teacher involved.
o Discuss your issue with the teacher directly, using specific examples to show what is concerning you. It is not acceptable to merely claim a vague bias of teacher or materials. You need to give examples from the course material or the teacher that promote what you see as biased against your beliefs specifically.
o If you cannot reach an agreement that is mutually satisfying, please bring the issue to your team leader for mediation. In some cases, your student may need to drop the class.