I have been meditating on these things lately and then my sister in law wrote this wonderful article that inspired me to create a challenge for my family….starting with me, of course! There are a few bad attitudes, negative behaviors that have subtly crept in. They’re ugly, selfish, and sinful. And I’ve declared war on anything that robs my home of God’s very best! The first one we are attacking this year as a family is raising our voices at each other. Sometimes it’s out of frustration. I know I’ve been guilty of this when certain children do not focus during school. It’s a tone of voice that we use. And that tone is anything but patient, kind and understanding. Sometimes it’s from anger. Angry that a mistake has been made that (in our opinion) shouldn’t have happened. These are just a couple of our issues.

So I have created a simple chart and it hangs on our bulletin board. We get a tick mark each time we raise our voice because we are not walking in love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

We will be graded at the end of each day as well as at the end of the week. There are rewards for positive change as God Himself is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! Whoever gets the fewest tick marks earns a special reward at the end of each day. But whoever does the best all week gets the Grand Prize! Something all three are VERY excited about!! (And I might add that none of the prizes cost me anything!)

So I challenge you. What can YOU do to make your home a more delightful place? I would love to hear your ideas!!

Laura is in her 7th year as a single homeschool mom to 3 beautiful daughters. Currently they are in the 7th, 6th, and 3rd grades. She enjoys growing and learning along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. She hopes to bring encouragement and hope to women who find themselves in difficult situations. You are invited to follow her homeschooling adventures at www.pillarsinherfathershouse.blogspot.com.

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I started attending our local homeschool conference when my oldest child was 22 months old, and I am so glad I did! At that point, my husband and I were not looking for information on the nuts and bolts of teaching different subjects, but rather inspiration on the visionary aspects of homeschooling – the big picture.

Our firstborn is “one smart cookie”. At 22 months, he knew the alphabet backward and forward, could count to some fairly large number, and talked like a five year old. I was understandably proud of my little genius and was constantly looking for ways to increase his scholastic abilities.

That first homeschool greatly changed my focus. I attended a workshop by Marilyn Boyer, and she described her firstborn just as mine was. She then went on to explain how important it is to take advantage of those formative years to fill their little hearts and minds with Scripture, rather than being so concerned about cramming in “academics”. And she gave many practical examples of how to do this, which you can check out through the link on her name.

I went home pumped! I taught my little 22 month old his first Bible verse – 1 John 4:16 “God is love”. And we began to memorize a Bible verse just about every week. I am SO thankful that we changed our main focus early on! Now, six years later, our children have stored up so much of God’s Word in their little hearts, and He promises that His Word will not return void!

Here are some ways that we have made the Bible a priority for our homeschool.

As soon as they are old enough to repeat words, we begin teaching them to memorize Scripture. We start with little verses like 1 John 4:16, and Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Another one they learn as soon as possible is Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

In order to facilitate this learning process for the littlest ones, I like to take a piece of construction paper and write the verse faintly in pencil, then help them trace over the words with a marker. I say each letter as we trace it, so they are actually learning “academics” while focusing on God’s Word! We decorate their construction paper and hang it on the bedroom wall. Their bedroom wall is now wallpapered with God’s Word! It is great! It may not be your idea of classy interior decorating, but I love having it always visible and available for constant review. Often, before bed, we choose a few verses to go over. And if any of the children are afraid at night, I encourage them to look at the verses on their wall and think about them instead of thinking about whatever is making them afraid. It works like a charm!

Another thing I have done that makes memorizing the Bible super easy for children and adults alike is to put the verse to music. I often use simple tunes from other songs, like the verse “God is Love”, I put to the tune of “He is Lord”. Sometimes I make up a simple tune that fits the verse. If I can’t think of any tune, I ask the Lord to help me think of one, and He does! I am no musician by any stretch of the imagination, but I believe the Lord has helped me think of a tune in order to facilitate the teaching of His Word to my children. I also include the reference inside the song so that in future years they will be able to call to mind not only the content of the verse, but also where to find it. I know that as a child, I memorized a lot of verses, but I often have a hard time recalling the reference!

If, however, you draw a blank when it comes to a tune for the verse, there are resources that have already done that job for you! Steve Greene has two CD’s (also available in DVD) called “Hide Them in Your Heart“. No Greater Joy has a CD called “ABC Bible Songs” that my children really enjoy. And I am sure there are others.

For my two older children now, rather than decorating construction paper, I have them write their verses in a copywork book and make an illustration of it. These illustrations have been so revealing of what the Lord is teaching them through the verse! I am always excited to see what they are going to come up with! Here is an example I blogged about a couple of years ago. They really take pride in their copywork books and often look back on them, which is also fabulous review! This is also their handwriting practice, so again, they are getting the “academics”, while keeping the focus where it should be – on God’s Word.

Now, beyond memorizing verses, once my children got old enough to start more formal homeschooling, we continued to strive to keep the Bible as the cornerstone of our day. One practical way to make it a priority is to make it the first thing we do each day. I want to put the MOST time and energy into teaching my children the Bible, even if nothing else gets done academically. Of course, academics are also important, don’t get me wrong. But I wish to ingrain in my children the absolute necessity of God’s Word for life.

I often tell them this as we begin, “Let’s start with Bible, because that is THE most important thing in our lives!” Or sometimes I say,

“If we didn’t eat today, our bodies would begin to feel weak, and they would begin to get sick if we went even longer without eating. That is how our spirits are too! We need to continually feed on God’s Word in order to keep our spirits strong and healthy!”

And don’t forget to make it FUN! I want to impart a LOVE for God’s Word to my children. I think more of this is caught than taught.

If your children see you loving and treasuring God’s Word, enthusiastic about reading it daily on your own, being passionate in the way you talk to them about it, and serious about living it in your personal life and in your home, they will be far more likely to love God’s Word too! I believe this is why God says in Deut 6:6-9 that God’s Word must first be in YOUR hearts (the parents), in order to be able to teach them to your children:

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (emphasis mine)

There are many good Bible curriculums out there that you can use for your homeschool. You can also put your own together with what you have available already or, like me, what you find at used curriculum sales! If you need a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing, I blogged about what we did two years ago for our Bible curriculum HERE. We wrapped up that study with a lapbook, which we still use for review too! You can see pictures of the lapbook HERE.

And this year we are doing a study of Proverbs that I put together, and we are loving it! I love that I am learning right along with the children and the Lord continues to teach me as I teach them.

Even though I blogged about it in one of the links above, I want to draw special attention to the Scripture Memory System that I learned from the Simply Charlotte Mason site. What a brilliant idea! Once you have learned quite a few verses or passages of Scripture, it is an absolute must to continue reviewing with your children in order to keep them fresh in their hearts, and yours. This is the very best way I have come across to easily and painlessly keep reviewing every single verse we have memorized once every month. I highly recommend it!

If you would like more encouragement, more vision, and more creative how-to ideas on keeping your homeschool Bible-centered, I would encourage you to procure a copy of Robin Sampson’s most excellent book, Heart of Wisdom.

So, don’t let time pass you by! Take advantage of your children’s soft hearts and malleable minds that are as absorbent as little sponges to soak up God’s Word.

Above all other scholastic studies, help them hide a treasury of God’s Word in their hearts, following Deuteronomy 6:6-9 in the most practical and literal way possible in your homeschool. It will not return void!!!

Elizabeth Tsukayama is a homeschool graduate homeschooling the next generation! She and her husband, Fabio (yes, that is his real name!), have four beautiful children ages 7 down to 1. Elizabeth enjoys many hobbies, but her favorite one is teaching her children and learning with them, especially using hands-on projects, lapbooks, notebooking and nature exploration. The Tsukayama family is currently packing up to travel to Brazil for missions. Life never ceases to be an adventure! You can check out her site at: www.mamaknowsbest.net.

Tags: ABC Bible Songs, Bible, bible lesson plans, Bible verse memorization, Copywork, God's Word, Heart of Wisdom, Hide Them in Your Heart, homeschool conference, Marilyn Boyer, Robin Sampson, Scripture Memory System, Simply Charlotte Mason, songs about the bible, Steve Greene, teaching preschoolers, women of the Bible

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Expanding the Options for Home Schooled High School Students: Dare to Compare High School Diploma Programs from Excellent Colleges and Universities Nationwide

Students can broaden their prospects of acceptance into college after graduation from high school through support available from the National College Counseling Center and earn their high school diploma from a regionally accredited college or university.

Home schooling of children has occurred since this nation first began, yet has become a growing practice over the past few years to levels never before seen in America. Societal acceptance of home schooling has also increased, as it has become more common for people with children in public or private school settings to have friends, co-workers, or others in their congregation in church that home school their children. There are many reasons why parents choose to home school their children: For some, it is because of their remote location, especially in remote farm areas. Others who live in heavily populated areas realize that their children are not getting the attention that they need in overcrowded classrooms where the student-to-teacher ratios essentially eliminate any possibility of individual support to students. In other cases, it is to provide a safer environment for their children, Regardless of the reasons, students typically do quite well in academic achievement when taught in a home school environment. Most states require that students take standardized academic achievement tests to ensure they are meeting or exceeding the expectations for the grade levels completed. Research in the past revealed that home school students scored exceptionally high (in the 70th to 80th percentile) on standardized academic achievement testing and that 25% of home school students were enrolled in courses one or more grades above their age-associated public and private school peers. What an excellent testimony to the success of home schooling in this nation. However, some high school graduates who were home schooled face obstacles in entering into the college or university of their choice – barriers that can be easily overcome, as will be described in this article.

Let’s face it … the entire nation is currently facing economically difficult times, which is impacting both large and small businesses, as well as government agencies. Anyone who has watched the news this past year has seen the reverberations of the economic downturn; however, what many do not realize is how this is impacting higher education across this nation. Education and employment are intrinsically related – the more education one has attained, the better the prospects of employment, retention, and promotion in the workplace. Enrollment at degree-granting institutions has actually increased over the past few years, even in these tough times. For example, the State of Tennessee reports that they have experienced a 6 percent increase in enrollments at State Colleges and a 15 percent increase at Community Colleges for Fall Semester of 2009. Although it may at first seem illogical, when the economy turns downward, enrollment in degree granting institutions turns upward. Similar results to the example in Tennessee can be seen across the nation. When economic downturns occur, as we have experienced over the past year, many organizations downsize and those employees remaining may need to sharpen their skills academically to carry the additional workload. Many are seeking to earn a degree when they are away from work in case they do later become a casualty of the downsizing and closures that have been all too common in America this past year or more. Take a look at the nationwide results that are reflected on this graph:

Notice the sharp upward line that presents the unprecedented growth in attendance at degree-granting institutions that has occurred over the past five years. As you can see by the lower green line, when the Department of Education projected growth over a ten-year period from 2002-2012, they expected an additional 900,000 to 1 million students to be attending college at the half-way point. When they received the statistics from the mid-point, the 2007-2008 academic year, they discovered a growth rate 5 times that which they had previously forecast. We now have more than 18.2 million students pursuing degrees in America.

What does this have to do with High School students? It means that the competition is tougher than ever to get into the college or university of their choice, as institutions of higher learning are being stretched to the limits with the new students seeking enrollment. How can high school students, particularly those that are home schooled, sharpen their competitive edge to help them get into the college or university of their choice after graduation? By not getting a home school high school diploma. Whoa, now! Don’t stop reading.

We’re not saying high school students should stop being homeschooled. On the contrary, the superior academic achievement of home schooled students testifies to the effectiveness of the process, as we stated in the beginning of this article. What we are saying is that high school students may be better served when they have their high school diploma is conferred from a regionally accredited college or university, rather than through their home school program of study, if they intend to compete for acceptance in top ranked colleges and universities across the nation. Read on to find out how easy this can be:

Although research has shown that home school students typically outperform students at public and private schools across the nation, many colleges and universities are hesitant to accept a home schooled high school graduate into their student body, even though academic achievement tests are required by most states throughout their secondary education. Some institutions of higher learning even require home schooled high school graduates to pass a GED for admission into their college. This can be very discouraging to students and can place students at a competitive disadvantage when seeking admission into a very selective college or university. There are numerous regionally accredited high school programs offered at a distance from higher education institutions across the nation. These include the University of Nebraska, the University of Alabama, Indiana University at Bloomington, the University of Missouri and many more. Students are typically required to complete just a few courses from the institution online to meet their academic residency requirement. The remaining credit may be completed through the student’s home school program of study, as long as it aligns with the curriculum requirements of their high school diploma program. The National College Counseling Center has created the most technologically advanced degree exploration program in the nation, Degree Quest, which, in addition to thousands of degrees from hundreds of colleges, also includes the curricula of high school programs of study from regionally accredited institutions of higher learning. They are able to empower students and their parents to compare where the student should stand toward these programs of study and provide them with a detailed plan to take them from where they currently are to the finish line – graduation and conferral of the high school diploma from one of the participating colleges or universities.

Take for example, Anna R. – a high school student in Central Georgia who aspired to attend the university in another state that her father graduated from many years ago: After reviewing several high school plans created in Degree Quest by the National College Counseling Center, Anna selected the University of Oklahoma to earn her high school diploma through. The university required her to complete five courses through them online, allowing the rest to be completed through the home school program taught by her mother using A Beka courses that aligned with their curriculum requirements. When she graduated from high school, she actually received her high school diploma from the University of Oklahoma, which helped fast-track her into the university she desired to enter to pursue her degree.

Parents of home schooled high school students are encouraged to check into these excellent opportunities for their children to earn a high school diploma from regionally accredited colleges and universities nationwide, especially with the support of the National College Counseling Center serving as advocates for their students. These opportunities also can serve as a means of having experts provide instruction in those subjects in which the parent feels least prepared to teach their high school student, while allowing them the liberty of teaching the other subjects they enjoy sharing with their children as they follow their trek to high school completion. In addition, the National College Counseling Center provides students with access to their student support website, HERC – the Higher Education Resource Connection. On HERC, students will be able to access hundreds and hundreds of resources to help them succeed in their educational endeavors, including nearly 300 semester hours of tuition-free college courses that may be used to prepare them for national college examinations. These may not only be used to help students complete requirements for their high school diploma, but can also give them a jump-start on earning a college degree.

The upward trend in college enrollments is not expected to subside, so the time to sharpen the competitive edge of your high school student is now. As we pointed out above, the surge in attendance that occurred between 2002 and 2008 is continuing, as evidenced in the 6 to 15 percent increase in enrollments that occurred in this 2009-2010 academic year. The National College Counseling Center can provide assistance to home schooled high school students across the nation and offers a significant discount on their one-time administrative fee to home school families.

(This article was presented by Tim N. Scoggins, a retired Lieutenant Commander and former head of the US Coast Guard Voluntary Education Programs from 1994 to 1998, and the founder and president of the National College Counseling Center.)

*Visit www.NC3degrees.info or call 850-819-3891 and use the support code: Tango35 if you decide to register! My family who is enrolled gets referral credit!*

Tracy is first and foremost a Christian, a military wife and mother. She grew up as a military brat all over the USA and is married to her Air Force, pastor husband of 15 years. They have 2 beautiful teenage children that they home school. She is photographer, and owns Shots From the Heart Photography and loves to do what she calls “Capturing the Fingerprints of God!” in her images. Tracy also created a workshop called Mommytography, where she teaches Mom’s how to take better pictures. You can visit her at her blog: Lighthouse Academy Home & School

Tags: Homeschool College, homeschool diploma, Lighthouse Academy

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Hoping you aren’t suffering from the winter blues or cabin fever! See you next week.

Cassandra Simpson is a homeschooling wife and mother of four children, ages 1, 8, 9, and 12. She is starting her 6th year of home educating in Indiana and uses a “Classically Eclectic” teaching approach. Cassandra is the Assistant Lead Moderator for HOTM’s forum and loves talking homeschool with anyone who will listen! Her hobbies are reading, blogging, sewing, and cooking. You can check out her family’s blog at In His Image.

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The Holy Spirit penetrated my lotus-loving heart with those words to show me something amiss in my own life. I was eating the fruit of the lotus. My modern-day lotus kept me from the chores of my home. It made it easy to ignore the cares within my world and tune out my family, all while sitting and dreaming happy dreams. My personal lotus was the Internet.

I’m not writing to warn you of the perils of the Internet. I’m a fan (although one who must beware). This piercing reminder led me to examine my own life for things that wasted my time and energy. Things that turned my desires from God’s best to the world’s cheap imitations. For me, this is the Internet, but what about you? Is there a lotus in your life leading you astray? A ‘fruit’ whose sweetness pulls you away from the very home and family that should be the focus of your journey.

Often this is something that starts out in balance, but when it falls out of balance it pulls us in the wrong direction. Perhaps its the television, a hobby, a friendship, a computer game, Facebook, a great fiction book, a job, a message board or even a ministry. Any number of things, even good things, can lead us astray.

The Lord was showing me a pattern in my life where I was looking for escape on the Internet. Whether it was reading an inspiring blog (albeit a Christian one), researching homeschool curricula and ideas, or finding a great deal online, I was spending more time ’searching’ online than I was implementing the great things I found. I was Googling more ways to do my job of mom, homeschooler, wife, homemaker and money saver than I was praying to the Lord to show my His ways to do my job. The Internet is a great tool when kept in check, but the distortion of its place in my life led to its sweet tasting fruit zapping my desire for home and family, and ultimately the Lord.

It’s ironic that time wasters abound in our ever-efficient age. But it’s really a matter of the heart that allows us to slip under the power of something that will ultimately rob us of our time, energy and focus. I’ve found it’s easiest to get ‘lost in the lotus’ when I’m not steadfast in my vision of the Lord’s priorities for my life. After the Lord revealed this to my heart, I knew my vision was what needed to get back on track. Proverbs 29:18 says it best, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

So I made it a priority to set my alarm (instead of waking whenever) and spend time praying and reading my Bible BEFORE chaos awoke in my home. I made it a point to talk to God all day long about all my concerns, both big and small, instead of looking for answers outside of Him.

I also forced myself to get to work on the work of my home. Whether it’s the kitchen piled high with dishes or the discipline issues I see in my children, I stopped trying to ignore it and look past it (not like this was an effective technique anyway). The more attentive and intentional I was in my home and with my family the less I had need of escape.

I also knew that for a time, I needed to take a break from my Internet indulgence. I had to stop eating the lotus, if you will. Or as Hebrews 12:1b puts it “…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.” I needed to strip from my life that which was slowing me down and hindering my progress. No getting lost online before my day starts. No searching without purpose. No blog hopping for me.

So I pulled back until I felt the pull lessen. I can’t live life without the Internet, but I know I have to keep it in check. Accountability in this area can really help. Whatever your struggle, share it with someone who can help you stay on track and will encourage you along the way. Change up your routine and your habits. It takes time to break old habits and more time to start new ones, but these changes can help tremendously.

As a Christian, I know I have the power of the Holy Spirit at work in my heart and my life, but it was funny (yet comforting) to me that the Lord used the tale of the mythical lotus-eaters to grab my attention. I think of Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Even our Greek mythology read aloud.

Melissa Morgner is a happy wife of 16 years to her college sweetheart and mother to six loud, but lovable children ranging in age from twelve to one. After eight years of homeschooling and sampling way too much curriculum, she takes an eclectic approach in their little schoolroom, choosing resources that best suit the children and the teacher. Her busy household puts her gifts of juggling and winging it to the test each day. She steals moments here and there to write on her blog, Day In Day Out, about the lessons she’s learning from the Lord in the routine but privileged tasks of mothering and homeschooling.

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To receive your FREE copy of A Peek at Poetry, simply enter your name and email address into the form on the top of our sidebar or into the form at the bottom of this page, confirm your subscription, and then you’ll automatically receive your lapbook within a day or two. If you have already subscribed to our newsletter, you will receive your free e-book sometime between February 8-10.

Poetry is a feeling or story told in rhythmic verse and a good poet uses words to remind us of similar events or feelings in our own lives. A Peek into Poetry and Poets Project Pack from In the Hands of a Child gives students the tools to complete a lapbook about poetry and the poets who write it.

This 53-page pack includes an 11-page Research Guide and 15 hands-on activities plus 1 bonus activity to help your student complete a poetry and poets lapbook. This pack gives students a peek at poetry structure, forms of poetry, famous poets, and how to get started writing poetry.

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However, another mom remarked that she read to her kids too, but none of them like to read, which made me ponder this question further.

What causes one child to love reading while another considers it a chore? Does the parent instill the love of reading, or is this something a child develops on his or her own?

Photo Credit: Marsha, Other Such Happenings

I believe there are steps a parent can take to encourage a love of reading in a child, but ultimately it is up to the child to devour the books, newspapers, and magazines that we provide for them.

Techniques we’ve used to encourage reading in our home include:

• Read aloud to your kids when they are little and continue when they can read on their own. Jim Trelease’s Read-Aloud Handbook is an excellent resource on this topic. Children can understand a higher level of reading than what they can read for themselves.

• Have the kids read aloud to you, especially in the elementary years. This develops their speech as well as their reading skills.

• Have the children read silently while you read too. After breakfast each morning, our two boys and I silently read a chapter from the Bible according to our own Bible reading schedules. Sometime we’ll write down a verse that we read that day and share it with a family member via email.

• Have lots of books, magazines, and newspapers on hand. We visit the library weekly and stock up on books the kids are interested in. These include science and social studies topics such as the planets, presidents, and Landmark history books. Our kids have subscriptions to Clubhouse Magazine, National Geographic, and Lego Magazine. We also subscribe to the Wall Street Journal and our local paper.

• Invest in quality, educational books. A few years ago, my friends started consulting for Usborne Books. By hosting parties, I’ve obtained boxes of Usborne titles for free or half-price. These truly are the books kids love to read.

• Since we’ve been married, we have never had cable TV. Thus, we only have access to a handful of channels. We keep the TV in the basement, so we’re not tempted to watch it excessively. Our boys generally don’t watch TV on the weekdays, though we enjoy watching football as a family on the weekends.

• Limit the children’s screen time, whether that be TV, computer, or video games. Our boys’ doctor recommended no more than one hour of screen time a day. It seems many children are plugged in 24/7, which can diminish the joy of reading a good book.

Our boys both started reading at the age of 6. Last year when they were 8 and 11, I tested their reading level and discovered they both read at a high school level.

The above ideas have worked for us. Please share your thoughts for encouraging a love of reading in your home.

Lisa (aka Morning Rose) has been teaching her two elementary-aged sons for four years and incorporating study, work, service, and play into their homeschooling days. She enjoys reading, writing, and photography and blogs publicly at Pockets of Time and privately at Scooter and B.

Tags: encouraging the love of literature, Jim Trelease, read alouds, reading, Usborne Books

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My son’s teenage friend asked my husband for assistance in designing a business card for a new entrepreneurial pursuit that he is initiating. Ben is very talented in photography and video-taping. He has proven himself capable in the recent filming of weddings and church functions. As a current high school graduate, he is setting himself up to be self-employed in a side business of his expertise.

Since my husband’s career is in the field of design, he is familiar with the various computer programs. So last night my loving spouse stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, doing layout, imaging, font size and background in an attempt to visually tell a story of Ben’s business abilities and the services that he offers – all on a little 2 x 3 ½ inch card.

What I was intrigued with is that my 19 year-old daughter and 15 year-old son stayed up with him, giving advice and opinions on visual appeal, and sorting through their own digital pictures for use. In so doing, they had a personal introduction to design, and learned valuable skills. It helped that they had an interest in this occupational field – just like their father. What a coincidence!

One of my favorite past times is to watch a group of unknown people and try to match children with their parents. Similarities like noses, foreheads, eye slants, hair color, and chins often make it easy. Sometimes it only takes observing similar height, strides, and gaits in teenagers to see that they belong to a particular “tribe”.

It is amazing what role genetics can play in personal appearance.

But genes aren’t just limited to looks. I find it interesting that my Chemical Engineer son had a grandfather who was a Mechanical Engineer, and that my Music Education daughter had a great, great uncle who was a concert pianist.

Coincidence or genetics?

My sixteen year-old son shares my love for writing. He enjoys putting words together for humor. This same son is also talented in cartooning. Could he have inherited a drawing gene from his artistic father and a gift for gab from his mother?

And just last night two of my children peered over their father’s shoulder, intently interested in computer graphics and photography. So much so, that they were willing to lose sleep to be of assistance – and LEARN!

These observations gave me much food for thought, as I made a connection with homeschooling. Many parents think that they are incapable of teaching their own children, or that their ability to home-educate plateaus at a certain grade level. Some even see their children surpassing their own abilities, and thus feel inferior. It is at this point that many quit.

Recently, I had opportunity to listen to a cassette tape of a homeschool seminar given by Dr. Jay L. Wile, author of the popular Apologia Science series. In response to the question of a parent’s ability to teach the higher sciences, his answer was very insightful:

“Your job is not to teach your child. Your job is to help them learn. That you can do! Fundamentally, if one of your kids can do something, one of the parents should be able to do it as well. Hopefully, between you and your spouse, you make up all the genetic information that is in that child. And if you expect that child to have the ability to do something, one of you ought to be able to do it, too. And that is the only thing that is required to help your child learn. And that is to learn right along with him.”

What some may see as interest or familiarity, Dr. Wile, a scientist, interprets as genes and ability.

God has a specific plan in placing YOUR child in YOUR family. He did not just randomly choose “Abby” to be your daughter, or “Jason” as your son. God has a purpose. There is something of importance that the Creator desires for you to impart to that child, something valuable for that child’s plan in life, that YOU or your husband can do best; a skill, a talent, a spiritual gift, that He wants YOU to teach, share, or encourage.

As a parent you play a vital role in accomplishing God’s Perfect Plan for your child. Don’t let Satan’s lies of feeling incapable or inferior deter you from this task. If homeschooling is what God has called you to do, then He will equip you, send the opportunities you need, and open the doors of learning that He desires for your child.

Your job is to stay the course!

Maribeth Spangenberg enjoys writing as one way to leave a spiritual legacy to her nine, totally homeschooled children, six of whom, have graduated. She and her husband, Steve, are also the proud grandparents of four. Maribeth is a frequent contributor to homeschooling websites and magazines. She has also been published in Cup of Comfort Devotional books, Hugs Bible Study for Women, Praise Reports: Real Life Stories, The Secret Place, The Spirit Led Writer, and Crosswalk. Maribeth counts it a blessing to be able to come alongside other mothers and help them catch the vision of homemaking and the calling of home-educating.

Tags: Apologia Science, Dr. Jay L. Wile, Encouragement, learning with your child, teaching, Teaching to Their Ability, teaching your child

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In our schooling, I’ve always struggled with what to require for writing. I love to write, always have, and I believe a big part of that has come from my love for reading good literature. In one sense, I want to allow that natural desire to write flow from loving the way words can be crafted in the books that my kids love.  I do, however, think there should be some guidance from me.

While I haven’t ever used a set in-depth curriculum with my children, I have tried a few books on writing and have found them each to be lacking in something, whether it’s the “coolness” factor of the assignments (which would then spark some creative genius), or the cohesiveness to develop true writing skill. Until this year I have been at a loss as to how to proceed.

This year, spurred by a good assessment in the summer, I decided to follow the advice of the woman who assessed my son. She encouraged us in our writing pursuits and basically said,

If he’s reading well (he is) and writing occasionally (including organization, first and final drafts), then that is enough.

It was a freeing idea- no writing stress! Instead of trying to follow a set schedule of writing projects (do this on day 1, this on day 2, etc.), I made up a list of writing prompts for my oldest two and require them to choose one per week.

They write, I correct and suggest, they rewrite, and they’re done. Sometimes I include a report about something in our study (history, geography, science) but usually it doesn’t revolve around academics. I want them at their age to learn to love ideas, theories and events without being pushed into “research”, thereby squelching their desire to learn.

My writing list looks something like this:

• Write about a time when you felt sad (or scared, or angry).
• Write a paragraph from the perspective of a kite on a windy day.
• Write an acrostic poem about yourself using your first and last name.
• Write a fairy tale beginning with “Once upon a time…”.
• Describe what your ideal pet would be like.
• Interview someone and write about what you find out.
• Write a short play with 2-3 characters. Include the setting and any extra sounds, movements or emotions.
• Write a story about the journey of a penny throughout one full day. Use first person.
• One word prompt. (I would give them a word such as “bagel” or “desert” and have them craft a story around it.)
• Write out the directions on how to do anything you like to do. Include every little step!
• Choose a character from one of your book and write a story that fits him/her.
• Zoo story- write about a certain group of animals and an adventure at the zoo.
• Write about someone in real life who you admire.
• Write a poem about the season or month that it is now.
• Write a letter of encouragement or thanks to someone.
• Write your penpal a letter.
• Compare and contrast two characters in books you have read.
• Complete this sentence in a full paragraph: “If I could breathe underwater (or out in space), I would…”

I consider writing a worthy and exciting pastime and I want my kids to enjoy it too!

What works for you in teaching your children to write?

Christine is a Christian, homeschooling mom to three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 9 to 2 years old. She is a musician by trade, eclectic in homeschool style, and continues to grow and learn along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. Visit her blog at Fruit in Season.

Tags: creative writing, Encouraging Words for Writers, struggling writers, teaching writing, writing helps, Writing Prompts

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There are often many articles written about the benefits of homeschooling, but how many talk about the cost saving benefit of NOT having to purchase a back-to-school wardrobe?

The main requirement in our household has been to start the day dressed. We’ve bent that rule when someone is not feeling well or during the years when mom has been up with a baby all night. Most of the time the requirement is adhered to with an occasional reminder to get out of their jammies. However, the term “get dressed” has meant a variety of things through the younger years of our children which I’m reminded of regularly with our youngest who is six years old. I never know who she’ll be when she comes to the kitchen table in the mornings although it typically involves grandma’s jewelry and dress up clothes.

Through the years there’s been pirates, ballerinas, cowboys, princesses, soldiers, pioneers, and a few Disney characters that have worked on math problems, written stories, or labeled maps at the table next to me. Their dress never caused them to skip a beat in their schooling and when the last book was closed they were free to play. If anything, it most likely increased their creativity and definitely increased my sense of humor.

Although that was a season in their younger years, as they grew older I noticed the benefits in other ways. Without the typical peer pressure of fellow classmates they were allowed to become individuals with their own likes and dislikes. They grew comfortable with who they were while developing a healthy self image. The stress of having to dress a certain way, wear their hair in a certain style, have the newest and best only touched them on the edges as they came into contact with others their age. What instead became more noticeable about my children was not the outside stuff, but the inside stuff. They developed character which was often revealed with their smiles and ease of being with others.

So what’s the key? How do you go from a sparkly princess to a confident daughter of the King or from a swarthy pirate to a mighty warrior in God’s army?

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” ~ Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Keeping God’s Word ever before them in all aspects of your daily life helps your children to learn about who God is and how He worked in the lives of people. Common ordinary people filled with imperfections who were used by God for His purposes. The more they know about who God is and His principles for life, the more confident they become of His love and acceptance of who they are as individuals created by Him. They grow from being all dressed up on the outside to having a heart ready and open for Him on the inside. And really, isn’t that the Heart of the Matter?

Married in 1980 and still living in the same house in a woodsy rural setting, Tammy’s homeschooling journey began in the fall of 1987 when her oldest turned six years old. As rather new believers professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, homeschooling was a way to live out the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Through all the challenges of life Tammy has stayed the course growing to a family with nine children who presently range from preschool age to college graduates married with children. Her role has transitioned from learning everything she could about homeschooling to becoming an encourager to others coming along the way. Please visit Tammy at Garden Glimpses.

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