Department of Primary Education
Imago Dei - “Every child a revelation of God.”
Overview.
The Department of Primary Education at Atlas University exists to revolutionize early childhood formation.
It is not merely the first stage of schooling—it is the seedbed of personhood, where intellect, imagination, and spirit are trained to move together in harmony with divine law.
This department administers the Imago Dei Academy, the global model for covenantal primary education (ages 4–12).
Its mission is to form children in the likeness of their Creator—not as consumers of information, but as bearers of revelation.
The Imago Dei Method, developed through years of theological, psychological, and pedagogical research, rejects the industrial model of education and restores the child to wonder, rhythm, and purpose.
Every lesson—mathematical, linguistic, artistic, or scientific—is a form of worship, an act of discovery within divine creation.
Mission Statement
To restore childhood to holiness, and education to revelation.
The Department of Primary Education exists to form the whole child—mind, body, and spirit—by teaching them who they are in God and what creation means.
We believe that learning is not performance, but participation; not testing, but beholding.
Our goal is to awaken in every child the awareness that truth is personal, beauty is moral, and wisdom is relational.
Philosophical Foundation
The Imago Dei Method is the core of all primary education at Atlas.
It is both philosophy and practice—a pedagogical system built on Scripture, developmental neuroscience, and covenantal theology.
Its aim is to awaken not only intellect, but worshipful consciousness.
Five Foundational Principles
Every child is the image of God.
Education begins with dignity, not deficiency.
The teacher’s role is to mirror divine order back to the child.Learning is imitation before innovation.
Rhythm, repetition, and beauty train the mind to hold wonder.The imagination is sacred.
Story, symbol, and creation are instruments of moral formation.The body is a teacher.
Movement, fasting, silence, and art are not extras—they are forms of knowing.Truth is revealed through relationship.
Students learn in community, through love, order, and mutual respect.
The method blends ancient Christian pedagogy, classical trivium structure, and modern cognitive science into one holistic system of divine developmental education.
Academic Structure
The Department organizes primary education into three progressive formations, each reflecting stages of spiritual and neurological development.
Students advance not by age alone, but by mastery of wisdom, obedience, and curiosity.
Formation I — The Imago Stage (Ages 4–6)
“To see the world as God made it.”
Children learn through rhythm, repetition, and joy.
Education is play infused with purpose—songs, stories, gardens, and Scripture become the first language of truth.
Core Studies
Scripture stories & Psalms
Early phonics and calligraphy
Counting, rhythm, and pattern recognition
Nature study and gardening
Art, color, and sound
Prayer and manners
Goal: Cultivate awe, peace, and holy curiosity.
Formation II — The Logos Stage (Ages 7–9)
“To hear the voice of order.”
Children are ready to remember and structure knowledge.
They begin grammar, arithmetic, and early logic while maintaining a contemplative pace.
Core Studies
English, Latin, and Hebrew roots
Arithmetic and geometric form
Geography and sacred history
Music, poetry, and recitation
Copywork and journaling
Craft and design
Goal: Train attention, discipline, and linguistic clarity.
Formation III — The Sapientia Stage (Ages 10–12)
“To reason and to choose.”
The intellect awakens; curiosity becomes conscience.
Children are invited into deeper reading, argument, and creation—always within the safety of covenantal order.
Core Studies
Scripture and moral law
Classical literature and biographies of saints, scientists, and reformers
Basic algebra and measurement
Earth and life science (terrain-based)
Fine arts and design
Disputation and storytelling
Goal: Awaken judgment and humility—preparing for Grammar Formation in the Covenant Academy.
Faculty and Research
The Department’s faculty includes theologians, developmental psychologists, artists, and educators trained in the Imago Dei Method.
They serve not as instructors, but as image-bearer cultivators—mirroring divine order back to the child.
Each faculty member completes annual spiritual retreats, fasting observances, and pedagogical renewal programs to remain in alignment with the philosophy of the Academy.
Research Centers:
Imago Dei Pedagogical Institute — conducts longitudinal studies on faith-based cognitive development.
Child Terrain Laboratory — investigates diet, environment, and sensory terrain effects on learning and attention.
Atlas Institute for Play and Creation — develops art, music, and movement therapies for covenantal education.
The Department publishes The Journal of Covenant Childhood, documenting case studies, field experiments, and theological reflections on early education.
The Canon
All Imago Dei students contribute to The Canon of Childhood, a growing archive of their art, stories, prayers, and early scientific observations.
Each entry is treated as sacred record—a reflection of divine imagination through young minds.
The Canon of Childhood forms the first volume of the Atlas Canon, and many graduates return as adults to see their early creations preserved as part of the permanent intellectual and spiritual history of Atlas.
We produce our own material for children, ensuring maximum learning and moral development.
Graduation Outcomes
Graduates of the Imago Dei Academy enter the Covenant Academy (Secondary) as articulate, joyful, self-governing learners.
They read Scripture fluently, write and speak with clarity, reason with respect, and see learning as worship.
The Imago Dei graduate does not seek knowledge to gain approval; they seek knowledge to reflect glory.