PRESCHOOLERS' "LIVING CURRICULUM" SPREADS BIBLE-BASED EDUCATION

A BIBLE-BASED preschool curriculum developed to meet a local need has spread to more than 50 countries - where children from Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu homes are among the pupils.

The material, A Biblical Foundation for Early Childhood Education, was originally created for children at a small preschool run by Youth With A Mission workers at the organization's University of the Nations campus in Kona, Hawaii.

But as requests from other parts of the world for copies of the materials continued to increase, staff decided to prepare a professional package for wider distribution. Launched three years ago, the curriculum is now being used by Christian preschools and home schooling families in 55 countries.

"In some places it has to be kept quiet, of course, and cannot be advertised that they have a biblically based approach," said Barb Nizza, the curriculum project manager. "But where teachers come in and serve the families by caring for their children, they often are able to share the gospel more openly."

In some places, non-Christian parents have brought their children because "they know their kids will be loved and cared for, and that they will receive a good preparation for their future education," Nizza added. "I have had Muslim mothers tell me they wish all their children could have gone to this school."

The curriculum emphasizes character as well as content. Lessons aim to nurture young children in their relationship with God by offering biblical principles for knowing him. The curriculum also emphasizes that teachers using the materials are "living curriculum - meaning they apply God's way to their own lives first."

The seven-part curriculum package includes a teachers' guide, lesson planning manuals, a biblical discipleship guide, music cassettes and posters. Biblical principles are woven into each topic - such as in science, when each lesson starts with a reminder of how God is creator.

The materials were intentionally developed so that they could be used in many different parts of the world. Although currently only available in English, eight translations - among them Norwegian, Chinese, Korean, Mongolian and Arabic - are being negotiated, with requests for three more.

"It is perhaps more cross-cultural than other programs," said Nizza, "because there was more input from, and use by, many other nations and cultures while in the development stages."

"It is such a blessing to hear them quoting the word of the Lord at such a young age," said Magnus Ekvall, who uses the materials at home with his three-year-old and five-year-old children in Sweden. "I believe it is so crucial and important to give the children this excellent foundation at a young age. The whole curriculum gives them a biblical Christian world view. It is teaching and equipping them."

- reported by Rose Yoon

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