The following information pertains to the curriculum of Grace Covenant Baptist Academy. For over forty years, schools and homeschooling families have trusted A Beka Book to provide materials using the traditional approach proven successful throughout education’s history.

 

A Beka Book provides:

  • Professionally illustrated textbooks and teaching aids
  • hands-on activities
  • challenging exercises
  • purposeful repetition
  • the reinforcement of concepts to make learning interesting and memorable

A Beka Bible Program provides:

  • the Bible in the narrative style in which it is written. Stories of the Old and New Testaments in the lower grades lead up to the profound truths of the Gospels, Epistles, and other portions of Scripture for older students. The curriculum is designed to be specifically and systematically taught so that students in the Bible Program will become thoroughly acquainted with the basic portions of Scriptures.
Bible
The foundation for all learning

The A Beka Book Bible Program presents the Bible in the narrative style in which it is written. Stories of the Old and New Testaments in the lower grades lead up to the profound truths of the Gospels, Epistles, and other portions of Scripture for older students. The curriculum is designed to be specifically and systematically taught so that students in the Bible Program will become thoroughly acquainted with the basic portions of Scriptures.

 

Reading
The means by which each person may learn

Because children become what they read, they need character-building reading materials from the very beginning. A Beka Book employs Phonics as the most logical, orderly way to introduce reading to children. Beautifully illustrated and imaginatively written, A Beka Book readers are the finest available anywhere. Stories are carefully selected for interest, readability, theme, and values, with questions throughout to guide students in comprehension of reading material and in application of valuable principles to their lives.

 

Mathematics
The study of logic to apply to life

Unlike the “modern math” theorists, who believe that mathematics is a creation of man and thus arbitrary and relative, A Beka Book teaches that the laws of mathematics are a creation of God and thus absolute. Man’s task is to search out and make use of the laws of the universe, both scientific and mathematical.

History
A realistic view of time, government, geography, and economics based on eternal truths

Ever since H. G. Wells published his Outline of History in 1920, the theme of world history texts has been man’s supposed progress from savagery toward socialism, from tribal religions toward one-world government. American history is usually presented as a series of conflicts—rich vs. poor, black vs. white, North vs. South, labor vs. management, male vs. female, etc.

 

A Beka Book history texts reject the Marxist / Hegelian conflict theory of history in favor of a truthful portrayal of peoples, lands, religions, ideals, heroes, triumphs, and setbacks. The result is positive, uplifting history texts that give students a historical perspective and instill within them an intelligent pride for their own country and a desire to help it back to its traditional values.

 

We present government as ordained by God for the maintenance of law and order, not as a cure-all for humanity’s problems. We present free-enterprise economics without apology and point out the dangers of Communism, socialism, and liberalism to the well-being of people across the globe.

 

In short, A Beka Book offers a traditional, conservative approach to the study of what man has done with the time he has been given.

A Beka Book and Common Core

A Beka Book Curriculum vs. Common Core Standards:
An Overview and Stance on Educational Trends

 

Common Core State Standards
  • CCSS are national education standards.
  • Currently, they’re only for English and math.
  • Most state education departments have adopted them.
  • Future standardized tests may align with CCSS.
  • There’s controversy over these standards due to loss of local control, national imposition, and philosophical concerns.
A Beka Book Standards
  • A Beka Book’s standards often match or surpass recommendations.
  • Compared to CCSS, A Beka Book’s language arts and math objectives meet nearly all the criteria.
  • Some differences:
    • A Beka Book covers many English standards earlier than CCSS.
    • A Beka Book’s math topics are presented in a more logical sequence than CCSS.
Educational Standards:
  • Useful for ensuring age-appropriate, sequential, and rigorous content.
  • Concern: CCSS sometimes goes beyond content, suggesting teaching methods.
  • Some of these methods don’t align with A Beka Book’s Christian approach. The choice is left to schools or individuals on their implementation.
A Beka Book’s Approach:
  • Proven academic success over decades.
  • Students perform above national averages on tests.
  • Curriculum views subjects from a traditional Christian perspective.
  • Not influenced by every new educational trend.
  • Committed to best practices for academic and personal student success.