Sometimes we can become stuck in what our state regulations require of us to the point where we skip over what's truly important.  Don't get so bogged down in a high school textbook or course description, that you miss out on spending time in current events!  The war in Iraq, what's going on in Afghanistan, what missionaries are doing throughout the world, are all things that should be looked at on a regular basis.  How do the daily headlines line up with Bible prophecy?  These are areas that are of such importance.  I have watched these studies make my teens' faith come alive.

Daily, in the media, are opportunities to use critical thinking.  Grab those opportunities.  You can take just about any article, and investigate it.  Well written or poorly written, the point is to ask questions of it.  Most often, sweeping generalizations will be made, or unsubstantiated statements.  These are perfect opportunities to find out just where these statements come from.  Fact or fiction. 

When Arafat signed the peace treaty (which he won the Nobel Peace Prize for!), he made a statement that basically said "This treaty means to us what Mohommad's treaty with his Quarish tribe meant to him."  The world  was fooled by him, as they didn't know the history he spoke of.  Mohommad had made a truce with the Quarish tribe, which was supposed to be for 10 years.  After only 2 years, he went back on his truce and slaughtered them.  Arafat was speaking out of both sides of his mouth and he knew exactly what he was saying. 

Science articles do the same thing.  They make unsubstantiated statements all the time.  Doesn't it just drive you crazy when you read about millions of years, and there's been no real proof?  Do you know the flaws in carbon dating?  Need some help?  Do a search on Answers in Genesis to help your teen answer some of these creation/evolution issues.

Here was an article that I examined, for example, from the scientific community.  Here's another example.  It really does not take a rocket scientist to take these apart trying to find the proof for their so called established claims.  The proof is not there.

Critical thinking is not taught in our public schools.  From what I can see, people (for the most part) take to heart what is written down an an official looking piece of paper.  It doesn't even have to be official looking.  Words on paper.  It must be true, right?  Take the opportunity you have while homeschooling to look at current events and examine them in the light of truth.  It is a most important skill - more important than accomplishing "the whole textbook" just so you can write it into your report for the year.

Deb Turner (Homeschooling from the Heart)
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
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