Book Notes-No Perfect People Allowed-Chapter Two by John Burke

Points of Impact:

"I have since discovred that the average person has a stron perception of what Christians are against, but little of what Christians are for."

"If the church is to have an impact on society, the first task for leaders is to understand the broader cultural context."

"...do not try to change the culture, but rather contextualize the the message of Christ for each unique culture."

"We must not only understand how to draw out the timeless truths of Scripture, we must understand the times."

"Americans went out for a three decade (60s-80s) binge on self, and now our coutnry is comiting up the consequences uncontrollably."

"A world in which God is dead leads to a casting off of moral restraints.  What evolved from these generational changes can be see in retrospect as the social self-absorption of this inner-directed era at the expense of future generations and the national collective life."

"...five main sociological struggles Christian leaders now face to reach emerging generations: trust, tolerance, truth, brokeness, and aloneness."

Trust
"Trust is the cornerstone of relationship and faith.  Without it we cannot angage others or God in intimate relationship.  Trust comed from a deep conviction that I matter, that I can trust the other person because he has a genuine concern for my well being."

Tolerance
"The attitude of the church culture will either convey the person of Christ and his attitude, which was outrageously accepting of and attractive to the "sinners" of his day, or our attitudes toward others will reinforce a stereotype that does a disservice to Jesus."

"We can demonstrate to people how incredibly tolerant God is to not immediately punish all our sins and wrongs.  In his love and mercy, he willingly overlooks how different we are from him because of the cross of Christ."

Truth
"A natural survey taken by Barna Research revealed that only one-third of Americans believe moral truth is absolute and unchanging."

"Fundamentally, truth is not primarily propositional, but personal.  Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth...' the best way to help emerging generations find truth is to introduce them to Him."

"Post modern thought presents a potential greater opportunity than threat for the church, because...

1. post modern thought has made spiritual pursuit culturally acceptable
2. we can return to the Lord's plan for presenting truth.

"Post modern people can best experience Christ (the Truth), through the church,(the body of Christ)."

"Christ really does convey his truth to spiritual seekers as they encounter and experience truth in us."

Brokenness
"Nothing poses a greater challenge and opportunity to the church than the overwhelming emotional pains that drive our generation into so many addictive behaviors.  If Christian leaders do not prepare and organize and pray so that healing can occur from the wounds caused by the Postmodern Experiment (the 60s-80s movement of self), we will lose a generation.  Trust issues may make them cynical, tolerance issues may make them unwilling to listen; truth issues may confuse them, but acting out in brokenness will destroy them."

"There is nothing "Free" about the Postmodern Experiment.  It came with a huge balloon payment of broken lives for coming generations."

"If you are going to minister to emerging generations, you must create a culture where broken people are welcome and healing happens."

"...They must see the church as a lighthouse; always there to lead them into the safe harbor of God's grace."

"Can we lovingly accept them 'as is' and offer love, hope, and healing as Jesus did to "go and sin no more?"  To do this, we must begin to see how we too are broken, and in needs of a Saviour.  We must show others how our brokenness leads us to daily dependence on a mercuful Savior who brings healing for our souls and hope for our futures."

Aloneness
"We live in a highly fragmented, relationally isolated society.  People move, change jobs, get divorced, commute hours each day, travel around the country weekly, then spend all their free time surfing through 1700 cable channels and millions of Internet sites, and all at the cost of relationships."

"According to Scripture, the church is to function like family.  We are to be that supportive community that extended family to one another.  We have a tremendous opportunity to teach people how to live in healing, life-giving relationships with one another.  No one else in society can better meet this need.  I find it awe-inspiring to watch the Lord re-parent and grow people spiritually in the safe environment of the church family."

"The challenge for leaders is first to learn how ro live in community with others, and then to provide ways to ensure that nobody stands alone."

No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come as You are Culture by John Burke

This is the book our whole church is reading. 

Book Description:
This book challenges Christian leaders to engage in the messy art of creating the right culture to reach our postmodern, post-Christian society. Through real stories of God’s perfect work in the lives of imperfect people, you will experience the power of an authentic church community and learn how to deconstruct barriers and bring hope and healing to America’s most unchurched generation.

These are the points of impact for me:

• "Are we raising up a generation of leaders ready to lay down their lives to dive into the muck of cultural America?  Or are we just playing church-developing spiritual dependents who consume the goods of whatever church shelf will "feed me" or "puff me up with more knowledge" or even "feel post-modern?"
• "The harvest is great but the workers are few."
• "All life requires the right soil for healthy growth."
• "It's not the visible, but the invisible that needs attention.  It's not the candles, but community, not art, but attitude, not liturgy, but love that makes the difference in our broken world."

Chapter One Small Group Questions: (My answers are in parenthesis)

1)How would we define the "feel" and "experience" of our group? (safe, close knit, supportive, accepting, unchallenging, unpressured)
2)What is the perfect environment? (open, honest, supportive, trustin, growing, organized, accountable)
3) Look at 1 Corinthians 9:20-23
"To the Jews, I became like a Jew.  To those under the law, I became like one under the law (although myself I am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To thise not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as not to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possbile means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

Notes from the Life Application Bible regarding this verse:
-Paul gives several important principles for ministry: 1)find common ground with those you contact
2) avoid a know it all attitude 3) male others feel accepted 4)be sensitive to their needs and concerns, and 5)look for opportunities to tell them about Christ.  These principles are just as valid for us as they were for Paul.

What do you think Paul meant by "becoming all things?" (I think it means that you focus on the similarities and not the differences.  Find common ground with everyone without compromising beliefs.)

How is the culture around us similar to or different than the culture of Corinth?
From the Life Application Bible:
Corinth was a major cosmopolitan city, a seaport and major trade center-the most inportant cit in Achaia.  It was also filled with idolatry and immorality.  The church was largely made up of Gentiles.  Paul had established this church on his second missionary journey.
(I think our current culture is very similar to Corinth.  We are a large city with a diverse population of lifestyles and beliefs.  There is idolatry inform of worshiping material wealth, social advancement, media influence.  Immorality with overt media depicting s$x and violence, etc.

What are some ways we can be "all things" to the surrounding culture without compromising following Christ?
(Do not force others to your beliefs.  Be the example, but don't judge.  That's not my job.)

Yay!  This is the last book from the homeschool course!

Now, all I have to do it submit my notes and I will be "certified" to homeschool in Washington state!

Description from the back of the book:

This book provides an introduciton to the Lifestyle of Learning message.  It outlinves three goals and prepares the reader for the message presetned in 'Wisom's way of Learning'.  It is a tool for the education of concerned parents who are in the beginning stages of seeking for a better way to educate their families.  It also gives the new homeschooler practical guidance and words of wisdom for the first year.

THE LIFESTYLE OF LEARNING-AN INTRODUCTION

Points of impact:

·          Let us for a moment consider the challenges and problems confronting us as Christian homeschoolers.  We come from a generation that was not taught how to learn.  Few Christians know how to access the Word of God themselves and fewer still know how to access the Lord themselves in an intimate way.  Many parents were, themselves, not given a love of learning as children and are now lacking in purpose and training their own children in the same way.  Complacency toward these unhealthy conditions is a disease of the soul that has its solution only in God as He is allowed to become Lord.

·          In our traditional education system, the activity of “learning” has been distorted from its true nature to look like something many of us would want to have as little to do with as possible.

·          Parents must become honest about their own educations and commit to acquiring a self-disciplined education, in order to model and lead their own children in the same way.

·          Parents must commit to a steady increase in the quality of their family’s lifestyle activities.  When you upgrade the quality of your lifestyle activities, you open the door for learning opportunities to come into your home.

·          What produces differing results between traditional education in the home and a lifestyle of learning?-biblical principles for living, learning and the training and discipling of children.

·          Developing a family business or parents apprenticing their own children, wherever possible, are new and exciting options to consider.  The added benefit of the family’s centralized purpose, from which all academic disciplines flow, makes possible a much more efficient use of the time allotted for the education of children.  In addition, it helps to maintain a high level of learning interest over the long term which keeps boredom and burnout out of the home.

·          Our desire is that a lifestyle of learning will disciple children to Jesus and prepare them for an individual definable life purpose, by God’s design for the,. While they are young and before graduation.  This ideal already departs from the norm where children grow up through adolescence without knowing what they are doing with their lives.

Description from homeschooloasis.com

Reb says: "Need we fear the loss of our teenagers to the world? Must they fall victim to the s_xual pressures they will face? Not at all! Regretfully, I believe that most Christian parents hurt instead of help their children's chances for chastity, usually unknowingly. This 7-CD series will expose for parents how they accidentally lead their children into s_xual impurity, and will equip them with a plan for shaping their children's values from the time they are toddlers." Anyone with children (even in utero!) needs to hear this timely message! Especially good for parents with young children who still have time to start implementing these values early on, but it was still very helpful for our "late start" when ours were in their early-mid teens.

My comment:

I listened to these in the car.  I am so grateful that I was able to hear these while my boys are young , instead of backtracking when teens.  I also listened to these after reading the book by the Ludy’s.  It was a great combination to see this process applied to a real couple.  This is the kind of pure, God-ordained love I pray for my children.  The level of self discipline and conviction is new to me; it’s hard to fully grasp.  But, what a concept!

description from homeschooloasis.com

Have you asked these questions: Can children obey when spoken to calmly and only one time? What is a child-run home? Can different children be held to the same standard? How can a parent know if a toddler understands simple directions? What are the characteristics of rebellion? What exactly is "sass" and how can it be stopped? Should children be required to eat and accept thankfully foods they don't enjoy? How can parents help children skip the "terrible two's," the "trying three's," and "rebellious teens"? Pastor Reb Bradley answers all these questions and more with God's heart and godly advice (not always synonymous!) in this excellent book!

My points of impact:

• Raising and training are not the same.  Scripture calls us to do both.
• Define a goal of what you want your child to be and make a plan.
• Goal one:  Bring them to salvation.
• Goal two: Bring them to maturity: self control, wisdom, responsibility
• A child who learns to deny his own desires and submits to his parent's controls gains his own inner control.
• Training is a consciuos effort of intstilling instruction, discipline, and modeling.
• To become an effective child trianer requires that a parent understand exactly what God expects and how they are to achieve those results.
• Out children must be prepared in their youth for the challenges they will find in life.  They must learn that they cannot have everyhting they want, and that they can endure quite well with less than they hoped for.
• To mature properly, children must learn when they are still toddlers-to obey their parents quickly and withough resistence and to endure hard situations.
• Humbly, with their parent's help, thay can learn as early as possible to die to themselves, preparing them to live for Christ.  Otherwise, as teenagers, they will remain self consumes, rebellious, and far from God.
• Asking "why" after a comment shows resistence to parental authority and delays immediate obedience.  It is disrespectful.  (I am not sure if I agree with this;  maybe age-dependent?)

Description from homeschooloasis.com

The authors show how to acquire and maintain fellowship with your child, spank less, and get total obedience.

Quotes: "Training is a technique that always works on every child. To neglect training is to create miserable circumstances for yourself and your child. Many have bypassed the training and expected the discipline alone to effect proper behavior... Disciplinary actions can become excessive and oppressive when the tool of training is set aside and one looks to discipline alone to do the training."

My points of impact:

• Watch your tone and sound level.
• Training is not discipline.  Training is the conditioning of the child's mind before the crisis arises.
• Establish a vocal pattern to be used the rest of his youth.
• All children are trained by the responses and actions- or lack of them-of their principal caretakers.
• Homeproof your child, not childproof your home.
• During the years before the child is capable of self-motivated restraint, parents thoughtlessly assist the child's self indulgence by providing an environment where little is expected.
• Be proactive; create a plan with spouse before event occurs
• Be consistent
• No more chances; they will always take that second chance if they know they will get away with it.

This book introduces spanking as a form of training.  Although, I don't necessarily disagree or agree with it, this was not how I was raised and the concept was foreign to me.  I know that there are strong advocates and strong detractors for the stance on spanking.  I am neutral on it and honor each parent's position on how they choose to discipline their child.  Please, no comments to spark a debate.  I am just posting what I have learned from this book.

From moorefoundation.com:

Booklet written by Dr. Moore on the research of educating young children. Topics include: Educational Faux Pas; Institutionalizing young children; Cognitive development; Neurophysiology; Social and emotional development; School entrance age; Parent attitudes and potential and The home as school. Fully documented.

My points of impact:

• A decreased work ethic-replaced with a narcissistic climate (sports, amusement, diversion)
• Bigness in schools does not equal goodness
• From conception to age four, child will develop 50% of his mature intelligence (this does not mean spped up learning)
• Children should be taught to read with understanding, not simply to repeat words.  This requires cognitive readiness-ability to reason from cause to effect-around age 7 and up.
• Children learn easily, but it is by rote and imitation rather than by rule and reason.  It is not the kind which formal learning should be based.
• decreased maternal care = decrease social and emotional development
• On average, a relatively bad home is generally better than a good institution.
• The child who feels needed, wanted, and depended on at home, sharing responsibilities and chores, is much more likely to develop a sense of self worth and a stable value system, which is a basic ingredient for positive sociability.
• In contrast, is the negative sociability that develops when a child surrenders to his peers
• Children who enter school later excel in achievement, adjustment, etc.
• 20 minutes play with mom=3 hours in lass
• Warm, consistent, responsive environment

Description from homeschooloasis.com

This 2-hour seminar is on tape and comes complete with a 52-page set of handouts, complete with reproducible masters and filled-in samples!
Covers 10 reasons for record keeping and a chart to help you determine your own needs so you don't do any more or less than is optimally beneficial to you. Forms for minimal planning, organizing of your children and their jobs and minimal "table time" work, reading with Mom, various ways to make it look official - which it is! - I just help you translate your "real life learning" into "academicese."

My points of impact:

• God has an individual plan for each of us, so don't compare.
• Scholarships look for service.  Document how your child is involved in service to others.
• Balance privilege with responsibility; gentle "accountability"
• Don't sacrifice your time with your kids to keep records
• Create a booklet-form on right side, explanation on left side
• 8 day lesson plan-2x4 days=2 weeks, but it could go up to one month, depending on field trips and other activities.  Just good to have a plan on what to do next.
• School district 'Instructional Objectives'-tells what objectives per grade. 
• Be careful about introducing things too early.
• Create lesson plans Sunday afternoon while still in spiritual afterglow of church
• Lesson plan take about 45 minutes to create.
• In High School-'War report'-look up all wars and document
• Daily Report, Job Chart and checkpoints/point allotment and accumulation (privilege w/ responsibility)
• Make a sign for the door for neighbor kids to know not to knock when kids are unavailable.
• 'The great American Bathroom Book'-terrific to whet the appetite for English Lit.
• Have family create a Family Newsletter/Newspaper
• Have school colors, name-create vision and unity
• Permanent Record-Immunization records, certificates of promotion, report cards, test scores, awards of merit and accomplishment

Description from homeschooloasis.com

This is an easy-to-use tool for creative, hands-on learning in many subjects! One homeschool mom said: "I've enjoyed working with your books and the kids. My son has written a few books now and finishing them up on the computer has helped him to enjoy writing even more. Thanks for the vehicle to making writing and homeschooling easier."
Ted Wade, (author of The Homeschooling Manual) says of the book: "Young hands need to be active, but they are often given only busywork. This idea combines activity with creativity for meaningful, delight-directed learning." It's geared for 'just- starting-to-read-n-write-ers' up through about age 12. It has over 35 different reproducible masters, each one being a hands-on project in itself!
This is what Teresa Ward, one of Barb's List Shepherdesses and Online Secretaries has to say about this book:
"This book is more than just masters for the pages of the booklets your kids will love making, it is full of ideas to embellish the booklets, to make them truly unique & personal. Making booklets is a fabulous, real-life way of collecting, organizing, & diplaying your child's learning. They are useful for developing language & communication skills without the dreary drudgery of worksheets! These pages matter!!!!!!!!! Barb also shares many ideas for binding your children's works of heart."
Mom just copies the ones she wants to use (children can go through and select the ones they are interested in!) It includes complete directions and ideas for forming them into a "make-my-own" booklets like "Buds-to-Blossoms Book"; "Grandparent Book"; "Around My Town Book"; "Days of Creation"; "Planets"; "A Week in My Life," and "Tree 'n' Leaf Book." This book is part of Barb's answer to "What did you do with your kids *before* they got to senior high?"

My points of impact:

• In terms of writing, as the ability increases, so will the quantity.
• Trade back and forth between projects to stimulate inspiration/life-relational
• Modify for PreK, with the intention to move into independent booklet building at the appropriate time.
  
  

Description from homeschooloasis.com

These books reflects the real-life, delight-directed interests of Marilyn’s children. It is not the actual notebooks that they created but is a report of the notebook projects. It consists of a detailed outline of contents and a thorough presentation of what the actual notebooks consists of, including: how it was laid out, length of season to complete it, the extent of mom’s involvement, and so forth...

My points of impact:

• Collecting, recording, projects and study.
• Student assumes the responsibility for their education
• Projects offer a tangible direction and focus on the student's delight directed learning pursuits
• Projects can take years to complete
• Initially establish 'minimum requirements' for time
• Do not try this with younger children, or you will be doing it on your own. (Best for adolescents)
• Create a season for writing.  Chronicle the projects.
• OK to initiate and partially guide, if necessary.

Description from Amazon.com

Role models for a generation of homeschoolers, David and Micki Colfax are teachers turned ranchers who taught their four sons at home in the 1970s and '80s and schooled three of them into Harvard. The Colfaxes don't purport to be experts; they don't prescribe a formula for their success. Rather, their experience is described as a trial-and-error effort, with some of their mistakes offered up as lessons for others.  The couple closes the book with an appendix of suggested references for building a family library and a delightful list of their children's favorite books. --Jodi Mailander Farrell

My points of impact:

• All parents, after all, are teachers, and it is only the formal education in out children that most of us entrust to "experts".
• Homeschooling, unlike other methods, allows parents and children to exercise control-over content, methods, timings, and personnel.
• What most educationists refuse to acknowledge is that real learning, in and out of the classroom, varies along community, cultural, and class lines, and from place to place and from era to era.
• The child who attends public school typically spends approximately 1,100 hours a year there, but only twenty percent of these-220-are spent, as the educators say, "on task".  Nearly 900 hours, or eighty percent are squandered on what are essentially organizational matters.  In contrast, the homeschooled child who spends only two hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, on basics alone, logs over three times as many hours "on task" in a given year than does his public school counterpart.
• Most children learn nearly half of all they will ever learn by the time they are four or five years old.
• "Real things"-tools, building materials, musical instruments, art supplies, and such-have a greater appeal to children than do the various kits and miniaturizations that are so frequently given to them simply because it is assumed that children are unable to appreciate or use the general article.
• Parents would do better, it appears, not to concern themselves with the acquisition of reading skills, but to endeavor to provide their children with an appreciation for reading.
• For children to become more anmore independent and educationally self-sufficient as they grow older, resources such as a good home library, art supplies, musical instruments, lab equipment, and hardware of various kinds facilitate exploration, creativity, and autonomy.
• More than "children's books" should be included in the library early on, so that the read-to-aloud child can begin to understand that books are tools as well as sources of entertainment.
• Enyclopedias-The real test of an encylopedia is not how nice it looks on a shelf, but how much it is used.
• As the home library is being assembled, parents will find that books that they feel are important are being rejected by their children.  Though disconcerting, at least initially,it should be viewed as evidence that the children are developing tastes and interests on their own-and something that should be encouraged.
• Expose children to as wide a range of books as possible.
• Special interest periodicals are another rich source of learning materials.
• Provide the child with examples, opportunities and incentive to write.  Have them keep a daily journal from the time they can hold a pencil.  Have the young ones draw a picture and title it.  Expand writing entries as they become more articulate: weather reports, goals for the day, visits from friends, fragments of conversations, etc.  This is objective and not intended for private thoughts (like a diary.)
• Letter and note-writing. 
• In the early years when the basics (3 R's) are being laid down, it is more important to provide the child with a sense of accomplishment and to build self-esteem than to overload him or her with exercises that very well may provide "the basics", but make it all but impossible for him or her to put them to good use later on.
• Children should be exposed to math very early and very gently.
• Too mush of what is imposed upon a child in schools in the name of teaching him or her basics is in fact a mechanism for sorting children into organizationally manageable categories-the "bright", "average", and "slow", "gifted", or "special education,"
• Once reading, writing, and computational skills are in place-around age 10 or 12, the child is ready for new challenges. (Grammar, composition, upper math, science, history and government, literature, foreign languages,.
• Goal-educate our children, to facilitate the development of intellect and character, and not merely to prepare them for college or a career.
• A homeschooled student who does reasonably well on a few standardized tests can make a case for himself or herself, will have little difficulty attracting the attention of admission directors of most good colleges.
• Children who are given to understand that standardized tests are not necessarily valid measures of worth or competence will not be much intimidated by them when they come up against them.

From homeschooloasis.com

19 years ago this book took me from being a total skeptic about homeschooling (I thought it was about the silliest idea I'd ever heard of!), to being totally sold on homeschooling, even though I didn't want to do it! Every doubt and question I had at the time ended up being addressed in this book! It presents sound advice and many practical how-to's for starting to homeschool in a non-stressful way!...

On the back of the book: "Do you want to really enjoy your child? Do you want him or her to have the best possible teacher and go to the best possible school? According to [the authors] that teacher is you, the parent, and that school can be your home." If you don't want to find out the truth about preschool and its supposed advantages, then do NOT read this book!

My points of impact:

• Integrated Maturity Level (IML)-the optimum time to begin school.  Academic, sensory, and motor coordination combined.
• Mixed age and culture socialization vs. peer dependency (student competes for teacher's attention and time)
• Sir James Jeans: "Evolutions theory of the 'accidental' development of the universe and its human beings is about as likely as the formation of an unabridged dictionary from a print shop explosion."
• Martin Engel"  "Even the best, most humane and personalized daycare environment cannot compensate for the feelings of rejection which the young child unconsciously senses."
• Rule of thumb for a birthday party- # of guests= age of child (4 guests for a four year old).
• It is futile to expect a child under the age of three to grasp the concept of sharing.
• If your child will be placed in a position where s/he will need to share, prepare him/her ahead of time.
• Create a regular schedule
• Always use correct speech around your children.
• Work together/build on skills
• Story time-tell true stories, repetition, tell stories about your life.  Tell stories while doing chores.
• Not toys-life tools
• Daily Schedule
  • Before school-chores: make bed, clean room, help with breakfast and clean up
  • Flag salute, patriotic song, prayer
  • Spiritual song, Bible story, repetition.  Sometimes, let child tell the story.
  • Active time-dancing, hopping, skipping
  • Nature Study
  • A five year old should know their full name, address, phone number, birth date, parent's names, left and right hand, days of the week, months of the year.  How to skip and swing.
  • First priority is outdoor activities
  • Indoor-chalk, crayons, paints, large paper, fingerpaint
  • Music-sing, create
  • Kitchen skills
  • Kitchen garden
• Moore Formula
  • Study 30-180mins a day
  • Work 30-minutes/chores or home industries
  • Service-variable-community or personal

Description from homeschooloasis.com

Quoting from the book:) "Do we use the preschool primarily as a convenience for our own freedom, or do we view it as vital to our children? Are we determined to solve the problems of our children on the basis of scientific evidence? Or do we prefer to operate by social pressure and shaky intuition? In short, are we willing to re-examine our traditional ideas and to make difficult changes involving long-range sacrifices if they mean the eventual enrichment of the lives or our children and our society? ...

From our research and studies, we have concluded that: the home is the primary (and best) institution for young children; we doubt the need for preschool for the larger segment of our population; we see the home as potentially more cost effective than the school for developing young children.

If you are more interested in your personal 'freedoms' than you are in your children, this book may make you uncomfortable. On the other hand, if you are (wanting to be) involved in the education of your children... then this book should be helpful."

My personal points of impact

• The Integrated Maturity Level:  Taking all developmental areas into account (vision, hearing, socio-emotional progress and the activities of the central nervous system) and making sure that the child is mature enough in all these areas before considering school.
• The IML is typically not prior to age eight.
• The first eight years are crucial to a child's development of self worth and security.
• Do not assume learning disabilities prior to 8-10 years of age.
• Even if a child starts later, place him/her in the same class as his/her peers (do not begin in kindergarten) and h/she will catch up.
• Younger children learn best though play.

Book Description from Homeschooloasis.com

This book will change your perspective on and perception of early childhood education. What you think school will do for and in your child may be exactly opposite from your heart's desires. Appearances are deceiving, and that includes the colorful trappings of early childhood education.

My points of impact:

This was on of the most important books I read for the course.  It embodies the Charlotte Mason method.  I had heard of Charlotte Mason many times in other materials, but did not know what it was about.  After reading this, I was able to develop what I believe to be a strong vision for our homeschool future, using CM as the foundation, with the Sonlight curriculum, (etc.) building on it.

For The Children’s Sake

• Some schools are stumbling blocks where the end product is neither an educated person, nor one who has had a chance as a moral and free human being.
• Parents need to determine their priorities.
• Kids need privacy and freedom.
• Galatians 6:9
• Matthew 7:7-11
• The truly educated person had only had many doors of interest opened.  He knows that life will not be long enough to follow all through fully.
• Your children are born persons.  Look at him with love and reverence.
• Do not plan their life for them; no matter how noble.
• Identify their individual needs and capacities.
• We must serve who the child is and not fit him into our agendas and schedules.
• Child’s needs: love, nourishment, unstructured play
• Children need to be outdoor to play
• Being around water is stimulating to a child.
• First half of the day, devote to lessons; second half is nature, art, play, craft, physical activity.
• Children have a voracious appetite and ability to learn in their first five years.  Having been treated as persons, they are secure.  This means they have been loved, respected, talked with, listened to, read to.
• They have shared experiences with the family, and have had freedom to play alone and with friends.
• Narration-the child tells back what he just heard.  Have him tell you the story you just read to him.
• See page 33 for a list of ‘Living Books”
• Begin with listening to carefully chosen books read out loud everyday.  The, tell back what he has just heard.  Draw a picture, or when older, write an essay.
• 6 year old-20 minutes a day on reading and writing.
• The first task of education is a moral one, with a Judeo-Christian framework giving direction.
• Establish “if/then” consequences for wrongdoing
• Make it scripture based
• Habit of obedience to positive acts
• Habit of treating others respectfully.
• Authority: A balance
• Consideration-understand your child’s needs
• Justice-Authority is based on true righteousness
• Faithfulness-Consistency.  Child needs to depend on you.
• Diversion-Divert your child from wrongdoing.
• It is wonderful for children to be trusted.  But, it should always be freedom within normal limits, both physically and morally.
• Synopsis of philosophy pages 61-64
• Teach the skills for their own sake
• Introduce a wide variety of living books
• Keep teaching time short so “real” life can be satisfied.
• The atmosphere of environment
• Habit of attention and concentration
• Begins with play (peek a book, this little piggy)
• Extend story lines, keep them engrossed.
• Habit of truthfulness
• Help children focus on the details
• Habit of self control
• Not, “What do I want”, but, “What do I think is right in this instance”.
• Habit of unselfishness
• Verbalize your desire to do something else, but it is your duty to work/chore/etc.
• Verbalize child’s little victories when child is unselfish.
• Structure and form
• Reading, writing, and math in the morning when mind is fresh
• Family meal-converse with family, talk about activities of the day
• Listen to a book in the evening, read the Bible, pray together
• Make it a priority to talk, record, relax, and work together
• Duty calls, and responsibility should be accepted habitually.  But it should be balanced with the liberty to enjoy life.
• Look at famous drawings.  Let the child point out details.
• Listen to the best music.  Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, Elgar, Mendelssohn
• Share good books with children
• Direct Bible reading
• Make nature a priority in his life.  God’s creations.
• Organized lessons in the morning, nature, play in the afternoon
• Education is a LIFE.
• Socialization-mixing with different kinds of people or experiencing different situations.
• Work
• Children should partake in real work situations
• Creativity
• Create a time and place for creativity
• Have access to paper, wood, costumes, etc.
• No coloring books.  Provide good art paper, paint, markers, etc.
• Let kids make music, stories, poetry
• Let them dictate to you if they can’t write.
• Let them work in the kitchen
• Worship
• Let your kids see you pray and worship[
• Let them hear your conversations about God
• Give straight, matter of fact answers
• Each child should have their own special Bible
• History
• In conflict, look at both sides
• Do not limit to your own country
• Do not condense it to facts and dates
• Begin with narrative history stories.  Later add literary biographies.
• Foster the connection of a world community and not in isolation from one another.
• Create a timeline with both B.C. and A.D.  As a historical narrative is read, write down events and name them in the appropriate century.
• Divide a single century into decades.
• For younger kids-make a scroll.  After reading and narration, have the child draw an illustration of what happened.
• Take the kids to places where events occurred.
• Literature
• Reading aloud as a group has a sense of communication as they share together ideas and human experiences.
• Fairy tales, fables, myths, heroics
• Balance of sharing with shielding
• Be prepared to make a mistake and learn from them.
• Morals and citizenship
• Balance of school and home life with home as the anchor.  School provides other viewpoints.
• Composition
• Various subjects are interrelated. 
• Composition hinders development.
• Narration instead-verbal first, then written
• Under age nine
• 3 years of narrating a wide variety of subjects
• Learn spelling and writing as a skill and combine when older
• Daily diet of books, well written with communication
• Start by listening.  Have kids listen!  Have teachers listen!
• Write down what the child narrates.  Child will make connection of the words and written page.
• Share books, lessons, etc. at dinner time. 
• Purchase good notebooks to write in.
• Time is unhurried and TV free
• Letter writing: Let children receive and write letters.  Once letters are written, make a copy and put in notebook.
• Languages
• Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education includes introducing the child to his possible relationships with other persons in the past, and with those who live in other places.
• Latin-sense of the flow of history and the development of language
• Fluency of a spoke language before the written is tackled.  Simple phrases need to be heard and repeated back.
• Act out fables in another language
• Nature walks where all speak the other language.
• Speak to read to formal grammar
• Art
• Children spontaneously express themselves through art.  Have good materials available at all times.
• Envelope with six reproductions by a single artist
• Look at picture-study it without words.  Turn over and let child describe what he saw.
• Next time he looks at it, he will be more observant.  He has a relationship with the picture.
• Blank piece of paper.  Have him sketch what he saw.  Do not criticize.
• Give the child his own art book to study on an artist after he is familiar with his work.  Try to take the child to see the work in person.
• Let child illustrate a story that interests them.
• Art notebook to draw nature
• Parents do art alongside the kids
• “Quiet bag” for vacation.  Art supplies to enjoy when on a trip
• Music
• The discipline of learning a musical instrument provides the foundation for enjoyments and creativity later on.
• “Suzuki Method” of learning to play.
• Play the same classical music while relaxing with the family.  Creates a fond memory tied with the music.
• Each 1/3 of the school year, each child would know the paintings of one artist and one composer.
• From 1-3^rd grade, a child would know music from 9 different composers!
• Tues: Look at art, sketch it/ Next Tues: listen to music.  Make it fun and similar
• Let kids perform for you-organize a musical evening with friends
• Science
• Time in nature
• Have kids memorize a view and talk about it later
• Adopt trees in a patch of woods
• Go to places new and familiar
• Have kids bring back specimens
• Each child has a nature notebook to paint and write descriptions
• Display the specimens on the table
• Incorporate geography.
• Study temperature throughout the day.
• Look to all four directions.  See how the sun and stars relate to these directions.
• Cloud formations, wind, water
• Geography
• Specific narrative books that keep it interesting to the reader.
• Videos as well

• Math
• Grasp in steps that are mastered before the child is moved on
• Real life skills: cooking, dressmaking, gardening, shopping
• Play math games
• Use computers to aid in repetition
• Physical Development/Handicrafts
• Spend as much time outdoors as possible
• Organized team sports are OK, but not central importance
• It is a duty, not a luxury, to be fit.
• Cook, sew, clay, wood, garden, care for animals
• CM Motto
• “I am, I can, I ought, I will”

from homeschooloasis.com

Don't have a clue as to where to start homeschooling? Or RE-start, having burned out on too much "school at home"? For either case, this 90-page book is brimming with practical help for getting your child (re-)started onto a plan of learning ~ lots of real-life learning and "ample" academics...

My points of impact:

• Before a parent ever launched unto setting up a curriculum for her child, she needs to go through a season of re-educating herself, allowing God time to "transform her ideas of education by the renewing of her mind."
• Drop the idea of "school at home."
• If you are feeling overwhelmed, consider a four day work week, with one day reserved for educational activities on the computer, reading, library, or something else.
• Approach curriculum with an 'a la carte' mentality, not 'buffet'.  Don't try to "cover" it all.
• Recognize "twaddle" early on and get rid of it.  Do not feed "empty calories."
• Create a Homeschool Planner Notebook
  • Lesson Plans
  • Daily Reports
  • Input for mom-pocket divider and notebook paper to jot down notes as you do your reading.  This can be a type of dated journal.
  • Homeschool ideas-pocketed divider and notebook paper.  Ideas for doing things with your kids.
• Homeschool Organizer File Box- A cardboard box to fit folders for kid's supplies and papers.  File folders:
  • Art (include 'color wheel')
  • Craft Ideas
  • Field Trip Reports (Store the blank ones here.  Once they are completed, they go into a notebook).
  • Finance Record and Envelopes
  • Math Papers
  • Music "Music terms" worksheet
  • Spelling Quizzes (blank quizzes)
  • "To be used later" files:
    • Booklet Building
    • Booklets in Process
• Homeschool Work File Box-20"w/ 14"high/14"deep
  • Make poster board tabbed dividers.
  • Make a sampler of the "best" of the year (pg. 31)
• Homeschool Bins-storing items that aren't flat
  • Craft Supplies
  • Math
  • Science
  • Language Arts
• 10 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week for a four year old for writing.

A part of my homeschool course required me to think about some common questions posed to homeschoolers, and to have prepared answers:

• "Grocery Store Version" (25-50, short and sweet)
• "Over a Cup of Coffee Version" (50+ words)

1. Are you qualified to do that?

GSV: "Yes.  Any parent who wished to pursue homeshooling can easily find the necessary resources, support, and direction needed to successfully educate their children.

OCCV: In Washington, there are four different ways to be considered qualified from a legal standpoint. One is to have 45 college credits, one is to get permission from the superintendent of the school district, one is to work with a certified teacher, and one is to attend a homeschool course.   I could have relied on my college credits to qualify, but that would have been an injustice to me and my children.  God called me to go beyond the surface and delve into why I choose to homeschool and that He is blessing our family as a result.  I have already committed countless hours to my children's education and the oldest is three!  With this commitment and God's blessing, I am confident that our homeschool experience will be strong and fruitful.

2.  What about socialization?

GSV:  We will work hard to make sure that our kids are involved in activities that give them the opportunity to socialize with their peers and others.

OCCV:  Depends on how you define "socialization."  Really think about the traditional school system.  How much constructive socialization is there?  And what kind of influence is it over our children (positive and negative)?  Can these influences be found in a different structure?  What about the opportunities that can be found with people outside their age range, culture, etc.?  Which child is getting a more well-rounded social education?  Who has the better chance to be a leader?

3.  Aren't you over-protecting your children?

GSV:  Our goal is to introduce and carefully expose our children to different peoplr, cultures, ages, races, etc.  This is not something we believe can be adequately accomlished in a classroom.

OCCV:  I think that one of the myths of homeschooling is that the children are sequestered in their home with no interaction of the world. Reality is that homeschooled children are not hindered by the classroom and are able to go places and see things, guided by someone who has their best and undivided interest in mind.  Their experiences go beyond the fours wall of the classroom.

4.  How will your children ever be able to deal with the real world?

GSV:  They will be provided with all the academic, spiritual, and life skills training and education needed to successfully navigate "The real world".

OCCV:  While the classroom can only provide like-minded, same-age children, we will have the luxury of being in the real world, interacting and learning from a variety of people, with real issues and experiences.

5)  Don't the public schools need Christian kids in it?

GSV:  Each parent needs to make that decision.  We feel that God is calling us to educate ours at home.

OCCV:  I used to think this way, but I have read some material that shifted my perspective.  Jesus was in his 30's when he began evangelizing.  Until then, he was being raised at home and stayed close to home.  His parents were his primary influence.  Why should we push our kids to evangelize before their intellectual and emotional levels have reached maturity?

6)  What about a diploma?

GSV:  If our kids feel like they need a diploma, we will create one.

OCCV:  Washington state has a large homeschool community.  They have a traditional graduation ceremony at the end of the year, we could participate in.  A diploma is simply a piece of paper acknowledging the completion of 12 years of school.

7)  How will they ever get into college?

GSV:  Homeschooled children have equal opportunity to get into college, and they consistently rank high, if not higher than many traditional schooled children.

OCCV:  Our children will be able to get into any college they desire, assuming that is the direction God is calling them.  We will work hard to make sure that our children are receptive to His calling.  There are many colleges that encourage homeschool applicants, as they are good representatives of the school.

8)   I don't now how you can do it!  I can't stand having my kids at home all the time!  I can hardly wait for school to start in the fall so I can get them out of the house!

GSV:  Well, I agree that it may not be for everyone, but it is what we have deemed best for our family.

OCCV: There is so much more to consider, though.  You need to really take a look at what you want the "end result" to be of your children, and your role in it.  You need to take a look at who is educating your children and who/what are their influences.  You need to prayerfully consider what God intends for your family.

9)  What will you teach and how will you get the resources?

GSV:  It is not a matter of too little information, but more often than not, there is too much!  There are plenty of resources and support in the homeschool community, and most importantly, in God's leading.

OCCV:  There are many different methods, curricula, and philosophies available.  I have come to realize that there is no 'one way' to educate, but that it is a process that combines God's leading, our children's interests, our community, and our home life, compiled with the legal academic requirements set forth by our state.

From homeschooloasis.com

Lovingly, simply, and prayerfully woven together and presented, this book will usher you into deeper intimacy with the Lord and greater victory in your spiritual walk with Him. So much awaits us if we will but walk with Him! If you can lay down the fear of never being the same after reading it, this book will be more than a cherished treasure to you—it will be joyously and permanently life-changing! It is for those longing only for Jesus.

Points of impact:

• Once you are secure in the Lord, the best of what life has to offer holds little, if any, allure.
• Many have a desire to live for God and minister in His name, but most of us are not willing to pay the price necessary to acquire the wisdom and knowledge for the high purpose and calling of God.
• The biblical pattern has been set of spending time alone with God, learning His will for you, before fulfilling His will.  We must have a clear vision and be adequately prepared before acting on it.
• God has a glorious plan to learn to embrace a secret place, along with all its fears and temptations; allowing Him to become the primary source of our identity.
• If we continue in the same pattern through life doing many good things under the guise of ministry, then we never come face to face with who we really are.
• Without a season of solitude, we remain victims of a shallow Christianity that continues to govern our lives.  Be alone with Him.  We need to be well established in His love first.
• A season of staying home, or simply staying at home with a purpose, begins a lifestyle of self-discipline.  A season of solitude for the purpose of discipleship is divinely designed by God himself to draw us unti His presence where He is able to re-make us into His image for His glory, and then to send us out with strength of character, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to minister life to others.
• True ministry is born out of the fullness of compassion that comes only from the Father.  It is in solitude that we become compassionate people, deeply aware of our own sinful nature and brokenness.  It is common to underestimate how difficult it is to be compassionate.
• Compassion requires us to go to the place where another one is weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken.  Our natural response is to run from it or find a quick cure.
• I solitude, we learn that nothing which is common to human nature is alien to us.  The roots of all forms of sin are embedded deep within our own hearts.  Once this is realized, we must lay aside all judgment of others.  This is when God's grace works in and through us.
• To a lesser extent-control the extra activity outside the home and learn to turn to Jesus in our loneliness, despair, and frustration, instead of picking up the phone or finding some form of diversion.
• For every destiny, there is a discipline that must be learned.

Description from homeschooloasis.com

This audio-taped workshop will help you hold a light up to the state of learning in your child by revealing what a healthy state of learning looks like.

My points of impact:

• Natural-God's structure is organized, governing biblical principles
• Help to see child's deficiencies in free time activities-the choices he is making reflects his education
• Teach on a "need to know basis"
• Dad should spend one hour a week instilling a love of something that is of interest to him (carpentry, cars, music, etc.)
• Curriculum does not create Godly children; discipleship does.
• Dialogue with kids on how they can spend their day.  Creates self motivation.
• Sign #1: Individual
  • Distinct; one of a kind.  (Canned curriculum will violate what God has planned for your individual children.)
  • Used child's gifts, delights, interests
  • Seek God to recognize each child's individual bent.
• Sign #2: Delight-Direction
  • Passion for something will last a lifetime.
  • Dimension, substance, quality, purpose
• Sign #3: Life-Related
  • Connected to the student's life.
  • Make the things they learn relevant to what is going on in their life.
  • Ask, "Are they ready to learn this at this point?"
  • Skills need to be applied in daily related experience
• Sign #4: Valuable active
  • Being constructive v. superficial busy-ness.
  • Moderate the mindless activities.
  • Provide opportunities to show the child that God wants them to spend their time with purpose.
  • Most discipline problems have to do with the parents.
• Sign #5: Productivity
  • Bringing something into existence any constructive play time.
  • No need to produce everyday.
  • Quality control along the way.
  • Take time to process knowledge.
  • Free access to TOOLS, not TOYS
• Sign #6: Creativity
  • Create a standard of clean up after each project.  Encourage multiple projects.
  • Creativity is the seed bed of genius.
  • Temper poor choices with rich ones.  Have a list of pre-done choices.
• Sign #7: Vision
  • Inner motivation creates vision.
  • Opposite is the generic purpose for another's plan.
  • See free time as potentially educational use.
  • "Where there is no vision, the people perish"

From homeschooloasis.com

Do you wonder why it seems you can’t hear God—that ‘still small voice’ so difficult to discern? Is confusion present in your homeschool decisions? Do you want to allow the Holy Spirit to lead in this area of your life, becoming your closest friend? Do you long to be free from feelings of guilt, condemnation, inadequacy, feelings that you are not doing enough and not being good enough? Many Christians have a difficult time knowing how to hear God or follow the Spirit’s leading for their lives. Marilyn believes that if we understand God’s ways we will more easily be able to discern His voice. His ways are in opposition to the world’s ways. His way provides the only true security for our homeschool venture. He said...

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8, 9

This message addresses from various angles the opposing ways of the flesh and the Spirit. A parallel is drawn between educational choices and the Christian’s spiritual condition. It will help prepare your heart for your family’s unique lifestyle of learning. It will lead you to recognize the need to know God more intimately as Father, Jesus as Lord, and the Holy Spirit as Teacher and Guide. Many practical applications and personal homeschool examples are given to illustrate the principles throughout this message, which can be life-changing for those who are serious about allowing God full access to their decision-making process in the area of education. A Spirit-led path that will produce wonderful fruit of the Spirit awaits all those who seek the Lord.

Points of impact:

• No longer make decisions based upon our understanding.  We must allow our self to die, so that our spirit of God can accomplish the transforming work necessary for His image to be seen in us.
• Becoming built up in a lifestyle apart from becoming built up in the Lord will never bring glory to Him.
• The face of the homeschool mom should have peace and rest of the quality that comes only from Him, and true security.
• We need to recognize that everything we do in our homeschool will be a direct reflection of our relationship with God and our spiritual condition.
• Religion-when the Christian life begins an outward walk of works.
• Relationship-when the Christian life begins and inward walk of the heart.
• Security in the Spirit-led life means to ignore pressures to conform, and decisions will not stem from fear of others opinions, but rather from the conviction and leading of the Holy Spirit.
• How God gets our attention: negative judgment->crisis->fear of God->walk with God->restoration (Romans 8:1)
• THE HOME SHOULD BECOME EVERY MARRIED COUPLE'S PRIMARY MISSION FIELD
• The Holy Spirit abiding in us is the anointing for our purpose.  The anointing is the ability given by God to perform in a specific function of purpose according to God's will.  The anointing of the Spirit will teach us all we need to know.
• We have no need for anyone to teach us.  God wants us to be listening to Him and learning from Him.
• The Holy Spirit will help us and teach us all things.  Humility is a prerequisite to hearing from God.
• The Holy Spirit is always right and we can believe Him!
• When we are abiding in His teaching, we are abiding in Him.