Landry lab intensives---how religious?

[KarenNC]

Can anyone give me an idea of what the Landry site means by "Christ-centered" 2 day lab intensives? Is it just something like they open with a prayer, say grace before eating, and don't talk about evolution in the bio ones? Given all they plan to cover in that time period, I can't imagine there's a lot of time for sermonizing.

 

I'm considering the chem and advanced chem or bio intensives as part of high school planning, to possibly go along with the virtual labs in the Kolbe Academy courses (used secularly), as well as looking for other hands-on opportunities in the area (and some simple ones at home). We would be highly unlikely to do the bio/anatomy one because I simply can't see my daughter being willing to dissect a cat under any circumstances. We're more likely to stick with virtual dissections (not on cats) or do something like a fish from the grocery. The intensives are appealing to me because it looks like I wouldn't have to invest heavily in a lot of lab equipment for home (only one child, so can't spread the cost over several kids).

 

Also, does the advanced bio one need to be done with AP-level biology, or would it work with a regular text like Miller/Levine?

[gingersmom]

:bigear:

[Murphy101]

My two boys say the biology intensive started the first day with a quick generic prayer. The building they met at was off a tiny little baptist church, but the church was empty except for the class.

 

That's it.

[Starr]

We met in a secular building and ds said they mentioned how perfectly the body systems are designed by God. But they really focused on the labs. Ds says if you are a Christian you won't disagree with their mention of God and if you aren't you'll just keep on. He thinks it may depend on the teacher. The labs don't give much time for theology. If you don't want God's name mentioned, at all, then don't take the class. They are clear that they are Christian. It was a good class for ds.

[katilac]

My guess is that it's code for 'no evolution.'

[chirowife]

My daughter took the bio lab. It was in a church in Pittsburgh. You can opt out of the cat - it is the very last thing they do in the lab. My daughter loved it and she will be doing the chem one in Philly in October. She never mentioned anything about prayer/evolution, etc. I really don't think it would be an issue as previously stated there isn't really much time for anything other then the lab!

[KarenNC]

Thanks for the replies. Looking at what was to be covered, it didn't seem that there would be much room for active proselytizing (I don't equate a mention of God here and there to be such). I have zero concerns about the building :001_smile: . She currently takes a writing class in which several of the students choose Christian-specific topics for their presentations, and which is held in a church building.

 

Thanks very much for the info on opting out of the cat!

[chirowife]

my daughter's friend who went with us actually did opt out of the cat - she was not the only one and it was no big deal...

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

My understanding was that they come from a young earth perspective, so therefore any of the science involving evolution/age of earth etc would differ significantly from a secular course. I could be mistaken. I didn't think there would be much sermonizing in the intensives.

[KarenNC]

My understanding was that they come from a young earth perspective, so therefore any of the science involving evolution/age of earth etc would differ significantly from a secular course. I could be mistaken. I didn't think there would be much sermonizing in the intensives.

 

I think you are correct about the courses, which I know won't work for us. I was puzzled by how one would do "Christ-centered" labs for something like chemistry (especially in the time frame allowed for the amount of work), but, given the way math books have been written from that perspective, I no longer make assumptions about what one can do to homeschool material based on what seems obvious to me ;) . One review on their website http://landryacademy.com/lab-intensives.htm mentioned Landry's " real life lessons" talk during the bio one, which had me a bit concerned.

[Murphy101]

"We would be highly unlikely to do the bio/anatomy one because I simply can't see my daughter being willing to dissect a cat under any circumstances. "

 

They also dissect a sheep uterus with a fetal lamb in it. So FYI on that one too I suppose.

 

My sons' group had one kid who left very early in, but everyone else stayed the duration iirc.

[dirty ethel rackham]

My 16yo son, the skeptic, did the Physics intensive. I knew he would be very upset with a class that had religious content, let alone, a young earth bent. He was very satisified with the course and had no complaints. So, I can infer that there wasn't much religious content there.