Classroom Based Publishers
Teacher Directed
The publishers we have classified as “classroom” fall into that category simply because the books
they publish were written with a classroom setting in mind. They assumed all children would be in a classroom,
age-segregated, and under a teacher who would not normally be their own parents. They have a textbook
for the student and a teacher’s manual for the instructor. In most cases, you cannot get full use of the
material without the teacher’s manual. With the textbook approach the parent must plan and set-up the lesson
for the student because it is teacher-driven. Keep in mind they are in the business of selling books designed
to keep 25 to 30 students busy. Your student does not necessarily need all of the busy or seat work
they have included. In other words, don’t buy everything they sell. An advantage of classroom-based books
is their wide use and acceptance. Most communities have Christian schools that use ABeka and/or Bob
Jones, the two most widely used Christian publishers. Students who may transfer into one of these schools
may choose to use the same text because no two publishers cover material the same way or in the same order.
The Christian books are readily available at used book sales and some bookstores. Many counties in
Florida are giving their used texts away, but they seldom have the teachers manual. The disadvantage is that
the student is completely dependent on the teacher. Since the book assumes the teacher is in the classroom, it
was planned for a teacher to explain the lesson and guide the student. So, Billy cannot do math until you explain
the material to him. That is why we call it “teacher-directed.”