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The subject that has my stomach in knots every time is Maths. I remember at secondary school we had the Maths teacher that nobody wanted, to teach us for GCSE. It was definitely enough to put you off the subject for ever. I also know that our primary school never taught us our times tables and I'm ashamed to admit I still struggle with them now. What ever the cause of my phobia it still has an effect on how I teach my children Maths.
We all have stories to tell of childhood experiences that have affected our likes and dislikes. Or we just have preferences that would pull us in one direction or another with regards to what subjects we like to spend more time on. I'm a History and English kind of gal who also for some bizare reason loved Physics. I wasn't so keen on languages and I didn't "do" Art. So I guess now that I have taken on the responsibilty to teach my own little brood I can often feel myself veering to my own favourite subjects.
My oldest daughter really enjoys all things scientific ( oh boy!) and my four year old is showing a distinct liking for numbers ( oh double boy!). So the teacher in our family needs to do some revision, don't you think?
This is where finding a good curriculum comes in. Our children need to have a good all round education even in the early stages of their learning. Primarily I think so that we can discover what they really love to do and what they are not so strong on. For the areas that we find a bit tougher a curriculum will support and enable us to get across the subject in a way that doesn't leave us feeling anxious and worn out. Good workbooks can also be a valuable tool, as can the computer.
We are all human and I'm sure there are very few people who are wizards at all subjects. What would be great is as you read todays blog you may like to leave some good recommendations as comments so that others who may be struggling with certain subjects can benefit from some great teaching ideas.
Deb |
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One of the inevitable questions you get asked as a homeschooler is, "How do you do science???" It does make me smile when this one is thrown my way, as you just know the person has visions of state school being a virtual space station with a galaxy of equipment and understanding not available to mere mortals. The reality, is that a sound foundation in the sciences is entirely accessible for a homeschooler.
Here are a few ideas:
*For the basics for younger children, get hold of a good science experiment book such as 'Kitchen Science' by Dorling Kindersley. It's amazing what concepts can be fathomed with everyday experiments.
*Let 'inquiry and evaluation' be the flavour of your conversations. Developing the discipline of a scientific mind is an important part of a rounded education.It flows naturally from curiosity; just keep the stimulating talk going.
* This is NOT a subject to waffle your way through. Get hold of books/resources - from the Library if you have to. A number of national curriculum workbooks are available from bookstores.
*Get "hands on" with this subject. I mean really hands on. Get a few insect containers and see what you can find. Measure, estimate, analyse anything that comes your way.
*Get a pet. Animals hold a natural curiosity for children and are a great starting place for biology. We recently bred my boys' hamsters (eeek!) The boys researched breeding endlessly before hand and built the 'breeding cage'. Low and behold, 16 days later (shortest gestation of any mammal) 10, inch long little hammies were born. It was totally awe inspiring. They are now 5 week old, little fluffballs (looking for a home if you're interested in one!).
*Seize opportunities. I read of a homeschooling family who take roadkill home to dissect. Yup, squirrels, badgers and the like. I confess I'm too squeamish, but credit to them!
*Get the foundations right. "How did the world start? What's life all about?" are questions your children might ask when you're in the middle of defrosting the freezer or something. For me, the starting place is Genesis 1. God indeed did create this world and his touch can be seen in every flower, tree and baby hamster. Again the company 'Answers in Genesis' provides great kids resources for the curious child.
* Be brave and consider the long term. Whatever your child wants to do in adulthood, science GCSE's are a good foundation. We owe it to our children not to limit their career choices. Who knows? Your child may one day be a doctor, vet or astronomer.
*Enjoy! Jane
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Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
This is my favourite poem. The American poet sets out the choices that we all have to make in many aspects of our lives. With regard to homeschooling, it is certainly the path less traveled by. There are times when it will seem lonely, like there is nobody who understands what on earth we are doing with our children. There will be times when we will feel uncertain, probably even frustrated. We learn to be very grateful for other travelling companions that we happen to meet along the way. But "ages and ages hence," we will be able to say that the decisions we have made for the sake of our children and their future "has made all the difference."
For those of you who are homeschooling, be encouraged! The benefits continue to increase as you see your children develop and grow. For those of you who may be considering home education, be encouraged! The path may look fairly empty, but the adventure is worth the risk! We are faced with some serious choices for our children these days, but being willing to travel the seemingly empty path will bring rewards of an eternal nature. And, by the way, more people are finding this rather obscure path all the time!
Bruce Garrison |
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Conversation certainly gets the brain cells moving, don't you think?
Such a conversation took place recently. We were discussing whether it is necessary to assess how well our children are doing academically and to what do we look to help us to do this. In a homeschooling environment is it necessary to compare our children to find out their level of ability?
I know the opinion on this is going to be very varied. Wherever you fit on the spectrum of opinion, I think we all want to feel satisfied that our children are reaching their full potential. The law that enables us to educate our own children at home is clear that all children should receive an education that is suitable for their age and ability. The question is: How do we go about it?
The school system is predominately target-orientated; teachers spend endless amounts of time filling in forms that are supposed to enable them to assess a child's progress. Children from reception up are tested to some degree or another, and these children spend a great deal of time sitting exams that hopefully show the knowledge they have attained. Then the right box can be ticked.
As homeschoolers, many of us feel that in some way we need to emulate how they assess children in schools. I know for certain things I closely follow National Curriculum guidelines for the year groups of my children. I have in the past bought SATs practice papers for my oldest to do. I use a National Curriculum based Maths course.
I suppose what I am getting at is whether or not the way we assess our childrens' progress is based on how confident we feel to teach them. Does other peoples' negativity about home schooling affect our confidence? I think it is important to know how well our children are doing, and we need to find a good way of doing this. We don't want to lose the fact that we can treat our children as unique individuals and not shuffle them all into a box called "sameness".
Deb |
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Homeschooled UK teenager Lewi Firth Bolton has turned down his dream job with the Oscar-winning creators of Wallace and Gromit - because he is only 14. Inspired by the animation series, the teenager started making films in his bedroom three years ago. He recently submitted examples of his work to world renowned Aardman Animation who were so impressed that they offered him a job. Check out Lewi Firth Boltons's inspiring story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/6048312.stm
Homeschooling gives opportunity for initiative to flourish. A large proportion of homeschool graduates start their own business, I guess they get a taste for being self starters! My eldest son was particularly inspired by Lewi Firth Bolton's story. My son does stop motion animation in his bedroom too. You don't need much more than plasticine; spotlights; camcorder; basic software...and of course LOTS of patience!
What inspires your children? Their interest may be the seed to an exciting career for them. Jane (Living Heritage managing editor)
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We live in a society that constantly sends contradictory signals. We are repeatedly told that what we watch, what we listen to, and what we look at has no effect on our minds or the minds of our children. At the same time, companies and manufacturers are willing to spend hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of pounds to buy 30 seconds of time on Saturday night TV to be sure that you look at and hear about their products. Perhaps they think that it does matter what we look at after all.
There is a concerted effort to "dumb down" virtually every aspect of life. We are confronted by an unending row of "celebrities" whose primary claim to fame is that they didn't have anything else better to do for nine weeks. Most of them are forgotten in less time than it took to make them "famous". Children walk around with earplugs seemingly imbedded into their heads listening to a steady stream of lyrics, most of which could have been penned by a competent eight year old (apart from the growing suggestiveness of many of them). Minds are not challenged, stretched, or exercised in positive ways.
Charlotte Mason always maintained that if you want your child to develop a great mind, you must be willing to let them dialogue with the great minds of history. That's why her reading lists included Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Plutarch, and the Venerable Bede, and many others--and that for children from the age of 7 or 8 and up. She also highly recommended that children be immersed in the biographies of individuals who had proved their spiritual, moral, and intellectual stature in some significant way. By reading the exploits of a David Livingstone, William Wilberforce, Florence Nightingale, or Amy Carmichael, children have their visions expanded to see what just one life can mean to humanity and in the eternal scheme of things.
We are in a battle for the mind. The Christian author A.W. Tozer once said, "In order to act rightly, we must first think rightly." When we take a moment to look at the mental diet that most children feed on these days, is it any wonder that their actions and behaviour are what they are? We are given a wonderful opportunity to help shape the mind and actions of our children. If we can help our children develop their thinking skills and their understanding of our world and how it works, so that they are able to navigate their way through the morass of ideas and concepts that are rapidly rising on all sides, and become people who are glorifying to their Creator and helpful to their fellow-humans, then we will have succeeded greatly.
The best place to start is to raise their sights by introducing them to "living books," as Charlotte Mason called them, and helping them to stay away from the mindless "twaddle" (another Mason term) that seems to be everywhere these days. For a few practical suggestions, you could start by taking a look at two great online reading lists. You can find them at: amblesideonline (this gives a thorough year by year reading list for all subjects, and it is a "twaddle-free" zone) and the Great Books Academy (look for the Good Books List under the Books section).
The resources are out there. It's up to us to take the initiative and say we're going to do it "for the sake of the children."
Bruce Garrison
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Yesterday my second oldest announced that she would like to give school a try! Help, mild panic attack, guilt and a bit more guilt. I suffered many unpleasant feelings in those few minutes before I gathered enough sense to do the best thing I could and ring hubby.
I am sure that every home schooling mum and dad have had to face this not so great issue. Why on earth would one of our beloved children want to go to school? What can be so attractive about it? Where have I gone wrong?
Hannah at 6 is pretty articulate about her feelings, and it didn't take very long to discover her reasons for mentioning the dreaded "S" word! She wants to have more friends, simple as that. She wants to have other children to play with every day other than her siblings, she just wants to spread her social wings. Hannah is definitely the kind of child that likes to be around people; she loves to have fun and doesn't really take many things seriously.
The big question is, what do we do with children like this? How do we meet their needs as home schooling families when other children can often be thin on the ground? How do we explain to them that providing them with playmates every day just can't be done? How can we convince them that their siblings can be their best friends?
Whatever a child's character, they do need to have opportunities to mix with other children, and there are so many things they can learn from these times and so much fun to be had. As parents we need to make sure they have plenty of opportunities to spread their wings and gain in independence. As local home schooling communities, I do think we should make lots of effort to get together.
It's always good to recognise and deal with these new issues as they arise and not let them send us cascading into feelings of failure and guilt. I have to admit I indulged in them for a little while until I pulled myself up short and gave myself a good telling off. If you, like me, believe God has called you to home schooling, then He will sort out all these little hiccups and put our minds at rest about the wellbeing of our children.
Deb
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Every autumn I get caught short. The wind picks up, the leaves fall and there are huge puddles begging to be jumped in. My problem is that last year's wellies are now too small for the kids and I've not got round to buying new ones. SO, the kids go jumping and sploshing in their trainers. Inevitably I find myself on my knees with a scrubbing brush trying to bring their trainers back to their former glory (ahem). It happens every year. (Note to self: BUY WELLIES)
There I was, mid-scrub of a resistant pink trainer that refused to return to anything resembling Strawberry Shortcake footwear, and I realised something...Better to be muddy and knee deep in your kid's world, than to avoid puddles and tip toe around the edge. Homeschooling is a rocky, muddy, glorious, magical affair. One things for sure, it's not half measures .
Outsourcing parenthood by simply shipping them off to the local learning insitution each day, is a less messy way of doing life. Others get to deal with the 9-3 mess. That's the bulk of the day's messy parenting out of the way. All that's left is to deal with any fall out from the child's experiences of the day, and a couple of snatched hours before bed. Hands-off parenting is presented as giving children 'independence'. True independence is actually gained when a child is well rooted in family, secure in self belief and equipped and mature to succeed in the adult world. Hands-off parenting actually stunts the growth of a child's self belief and character.
Do you know what? I want to be knee deep in the adventure that is raising my kids. Not a token gesture, neat little slot at the end of each day. I homeschool not just for education reasons, but also for he delight of building character and family. Sure it can be messy, and I keep forgetting to buy wellies. Yet, this rocky journey is the time of my life. Don't give up friend! Jane ps I have the Winter issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine. Boy is it good. Check out their website www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com |
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Lately I have been reading a book by the Christian Swiss psychologist, Paul Tournier. A couple of days ago I came across an interesting section on "the inner conflict of modern man." Here is an excerpt from the book:
"Jean Piaget has shown the considerable role that symbolism plays in the child... People in the infancy of their culture make use of symbols as much as or even more than children themselves. If we reflect upon this hunger for symbols in the child, this yearning for poetry, we understand why it is that the modern school, which is directed wholly toward the world of facts (even in literature, which has become nothing more than philology), corresponds rather poorly to the child's real needs; and also very poorly to the needs of the masses of people who, though they are filled with popularised knowledge, have a secret nostalgia for that which would set their souls to vibrating.
"True, there are still poets and artists, but, like the philosophers, they stand outside of society. Poetry is relegated to the role of a means of diversion. Children are no longer told the legends that are filled with eternal truths; they are given 'factual instruction' on how oil is extracted from the earth. Children are no longer required to learn poems by heart; they are taught the history of literature. And at night they read the poets, in secret. And yet man's need for the mysterious is so great that we now are seeing the trashy symbols replacing the ancient symbols. We no longer speak of the Christmas angels singing to the wondering shepherds; we talk about Christmas trees and Santa Claus. And this humanity which believes that it has outgrown the age of naive credulity swallows journals of astrology and acclaims the heroes of sport or the dictators."
In his classic work, Brave New World, Aldous Huxley said that the Brave New World had "gone a long way to shift the emphasis from truth and beauty to comfort and happiness." It is our responsibility as parents to give our children opportunities to embrace the beauty of truth, to wonder at the symbolism of a great poem or a lovely work of art, to acknowledge the creative splendour of a sunset or the song of a robin. (Charlotte Mason's educational principles gives all kinds of help in each of these areas.) In doing this, we awaken the spiritual dimension of their lives and allow them to understand the power, beauty, and value of ultimate truth.
Bruce Garrison |
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Our family Bible time this morning was from 1 Samuel ch 8 v19-22. The Israelites are demanding Samuel find them a King so that they could be like all the other nations. They no longer wanted the Real King to rule over them and protect them, they wanted a man. How foolish they sound when they say;
"No! We want a King to rule over us. Then we can be the same as all the other nations. Our King will judge us. He will go with us and fight our battles."
They are so blinded by the need to fit in and compromise, they want to reject God for a very inadequate human king. They had totally lost sight of the fact that they were not supposed to be like the other nations; God was their king. The other nations were supposed to see that the Israelites were different so that the other nations could recognise that God was the real King.
How important it is to apply this to our lives, especially in the world we now live in. It's not enough to tell people we are different; more importantly we have to show it. What is the point of shouting it from the roof tops that we are Christians if we do not conduct ourselves in a Godly manner, if our children are disrespectful, naughty, selfish and unkind? We are called to be different so that others can see Jesus in us.
In a world where manners, respect, gentleness, kindness, fear of God and morals have been thrown out of the window, we as a homeschooling community have a wonderful opportunity to show how different we are and that we serve the Real King!
Deb |
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I just wanted to share something that works really well in our little homeschool. Every morning, after the 'Read Alouds', the boys copy a poem into their workbooks. They study a chosen poem each week and write it out each day. This simple idea, gleaned from Charlotte Mason approach to homeschooling, is fantastic in a number of ways...
Poetry enables the child to become familiar with the rich ebb and flow of language. The repetition of writing means that words are learned in context, rather than by random spelling lists. Poems also 'switch on' a child's imagination, and this can benefit the whole day's work. Poetry is adaptable to all ages, even my four year old wrote the first line of a caterpillar poem today. Finally, poetry is emotive and often brings to the surface thoughts, fears and dreams that would otherwise be buried.
Poetry compilation books are in all libraries, and main bookstores. Go on, dive in! Here is the poem my 10 year old is studying this week:
The Eagle
He clasps the crag with crooked hands;. Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.
The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; He watches freom his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls.
(Tennyson)
Jane |
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It seems that almost every day there is another article or news story featuring a deteriorating aspect of the moral trainwreck that is British society. We have Europe's biggest debt per person, the most binge drinkers, the most teenage pregnancies, the highest rate of obesity, spiraling rates of violence and bullying, growing numbers of failing marriages, etc., etc., etc. It seems that much of Great Britain has cast off all restraint. People justify themselves with comments like, "I can't help the way I feel; I didn't mean to fall in love with someone else," or "What can I say, I just love my food," or perhaps, "Whatever little Johnny wants, little Johnny gets, no matter what it costs." Teenagers are taught, don't say "no" to sex, just be sure you are responsible and do whatever necessary to make sure there are no negative consequences with your instant gratification. In short, we no longer consider SELF CONTROL to be a necessary part of the human character.
The apostle Paul predicted this hundreds of years ago: "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control...." (2 Timothy 3:1-3). Thousands of years ago, Solomon in his wisdom warned us as to what happens when self-control is no longer considered necessary: "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control" (Proverbs 25:28).
Many parents today raise their children with the attitude: "What can I do? They're going to be that way anyway." The result is that children are not taught self-discipline, and they are not trained to have self-control. The knock-on effect of this is that children are often impolite, and they have little or no regard for the needs and concerns of others. It quickly becomes "every man/child for himself." As Solomon says, the result will be like a city whose walls are broken down.
As parents we have an obligation to teach our children that there are times when they may have to wait for that next video game, that they may have to give up that extra sweet that they are quite certain they need for their very survival, that there are times when we go without so someone else can have what we want. Training our children means that we teach them to have their own system of self-regulation in regard to their needs and their wants. The most valuable method of training we have at our disposal is to teach them by example. As we live self-controlled lives, so our children will begin to follow. At our house we are currently working on the way we speak to each other--volume, tone, attitude, words, etc--and we are trying to learn the art of self-control in our language and conversation with each other. We've got a long way to go, but we're working on it.
Our world has largely lost sight of the art of spiritual discipline, self-denial, and learning to control oneself. As a suggested starting point, Dallas Willard, one of the greatest spiritual writers alive today, has written a great book called, The Spirit of the Disciplines. In this book, Willard sets out some of the forgotten practices that were a regular part of the life of Christ, and the life of believers in the early church. We owe it to ourselves and our children to take the time to be properly trained in those things that are going to lead us into a fuller, more productive spiritual life. It's time to do our part to rebuild the walls of the city.
Bruce Garrison |
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There is nowhere in the world where you can, if you truly want it, be without the internet. If you can't plug in to your phone or cable line you can "Go wireless". Even if youre not near your home or work you can use your mobiles built in modem, in the middle of the desert? No problem, just unpack the satellite phone and download your emails (even if its spam). It's so easy; its childs play and often is used as such. Children use it too (sometimes better than the adults).
The internet is becoming increasingly important in many families lives. It's never been easier to find out information, never been easier to communicate, meet people on the other side of the world without ever leaving your keyboard. You can reach any other computer on the Internet if you know its address......
But if you can reach any other computer, any other computer can reach you! You may have heard of viruses, worms, Trojans and the like. But do you take adequate precautions against them. When was the last time you did a full system scan? Can't remember? Do one now.....and make sure your firewall is on and up to date.
Why take these precautions? The original viruses etc may have damaged your hard drive or played a practical joke on your computer. Their modern counterparts are far more sinister however. They can steal your credit card information, your identity, even your image (web cams can be turned on when youre not expecting it and you can be watched).
Even if you protect your computer, what about your email inbox? You may even have one of the ubiquitous trashy spam mails waiting for you now.
I have been a little hard on the internet, but for good reason. You maybe an adult, but what stops your children going to the wrong places, chatting to the wrong people and getting inappropriate mail? The answer is simple, YOU. You should ensure that they have guidelines as to proper usage, and where accidental usage could bring them into danger, purchase software that will block the improper content.
The internet is a great tool, if used appropriately. As parents we are responsible for our childrens safety. In our modern, fast paced, technology driven society this now includes the playground that is the computer.
Mark |
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" Joseph had a dream." Genesis 37:5
Joseph was known as a man of dreams as he dreamt big things for God. If you are a Christian, you're to have a dream and vision also. The bible says that where there is no vision, the people perish.When Joseph had a dream, his brothers discouraged him, saying it was merely his own imagination. Many of us have let callings on our life pass us by, we may have been persuaded not to follow them through. The good news is that despite being discouraged, "Joseph dreamt again". Even if your original dream or calling has been fulfilled, it is time to dream again!
Routine and obligation stifles dreams and God-given callings. They can slip through our fingers if we are not wise and purposeful with our choices.
The richest place on earth is not the diamond mine of South Africa, or the oil field of the Middle East. The richest place on earth is the cemetery. In the cemetery we bury inventions never produced, ideas and dreams that never became a reality, and hopes and aspirations that were never called upon. Many take to the grave the most vibrant and explosive resource the world could ever know -- God-given dreams or visions.Vision is the ability to see God's presence, perceive God's power and focus on God's plan rather than circumstances.
Eagle-like vision must refocus our sight. The eagle has eight times as many visual cells per cubic cm than a human. This brings out amazing abilities. The eagle, flying at 600 feet can spot an object the size of a coin moving through six inches of grass. The eagle can see a three inch fish jumping in a lake five miles away. Eagle-like people can envision things that others miss.
The greats of British history are great because they took hold of the God-given vision upon their life. Now, it is our window of opportunity. Where to find vision? Read the bible, and fall on your face before the living God. He has a mighty destiny and purposes for each one of us to His glory. The time is now.
Jane
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It was stated by GCSE examiners this year that on the test papers regarding Shakespeare's classic play, "Romeo and Juliet," many students referred to the kissing scene between Romeo and Juliet in the swimming pool. This led examiners to the conclusion that many of the essays had been written according to the Hollywood movie version, starring Leonard DiCaprio, rather than the Stratford-upon-Avon bard's original work (there's no swimming pool in Shakespeare's version). In short, many students simply couldn't be bothered to read some of the most beautiful text ever written in the English language.
A few years ago Sir Peter Hall delivered a lecture at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. He was addressing the question that Shakespeare is "too difficult" for school students to understand and therefore alienating and irrelevant. Sir Peter made the point that if Shakespeare is properly spoken, the sublime words, and the even more sublime music they make, will not only be completely comprehensible, but ravishingly beautiful as well. Quite simply, when children are exposed to the musical language of Shakespeare, they are converted and exposed to the beauty and power of the English language when it is used correctly.
The same can be said for the stories of Beatrix Potter, A.A. Milne, and other writers who have mastered the intricacies of the English language. (Who can deny the pleasure of reading that "the effect of the lettuces was soporific" in Potter's story of Benjamin Bunny?) It is my contention that if we take the time to properly expose our children to the writings of the great authors, they will come to appreciate and love those authors and the language they used. Our children have been going to Shakespeare plays since they were 4 years old. I am quite certain that then they did not understand the intricacies of symbolism, irony, and everything else that goes in to a Shakespeare play, but now at the age of 10 and 12, they can make observations and comments on aspects of the meaning and depth of Shakespeare's writing.
A good place for anybody to start is the classic work by Charles and Mary Lamb, Tales from Shakespeare. This brother and sister turned some of Shakespeare's finest plays into short prose stories that make it easy for children to understand the plot and "what's actually going on" in the midst of the glorious dialogue. It has been a classic for decades and is still unsurpassed as a great introduction to Shakespeare. And if you want to take the plunge, can I suggest a fun and unusual way to introduce your children to a real, live Shakespeare play? There is a troupe called Illyria that does outdoor productions of Shakespeare every summer all over the UK. With just five people for each production, they present Shakespeare in a fast-paced way that is enjoyable and engaging, but still completely true to the text.
In these days of text messaging and a continually reduced vocabulary, take the time to expose your children to the beautiful language found in Shakespeare and others.
Bruce Garrison
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This is one of those questions that comes up once in a while in our house. Isaac my four year old is going through a phase where he plans on being a clown and a sailor at the same time. The girls change their minds a lot, but mostly it involves being in the Olympics one day.
When I was old enough to know what midwives do, that is what I wanted to be. I was like a dog at a bone and proudly announced to everyone that I was going to help women have their babies. I remember though, not long after making my announcement, people began telling me that as a midwife I was bound to become a missionary. Now to me that meant going all on my own to the remotest part of Africa and eventually being eaten by some wild animal or other. I promptly decided that I was going to be a History teacher instead. It took quite along time to put my fear to one side and go back to my original plan, and eventually I became a midwife.
I have been flicking through a book given to one of my girls for their birthday called Ten girls who made history by Irene Howat. There are some famous names in there, but some I've never heard of. What is so interesting is that many of these girls who in some way went on in their adult lives to change the world around them for God started out feeling just how I did.
Now I didn't become a missionary in some far away place, but I have become a missionary here in the UK. I am called to be a missionary to my family, friends and neighbours. I am called to raise my children to be the missionaries of the future. I think I have high aspirations for my children, and how amazing it would be if any of them represented their country at the Olympic Games, but how much greater it is to have all my children loving God and desiring to serve him in whatever walk of life they find themselves in.
We all want our children to be pioneers, trail blazers for God. We want them to be out there serving him with all their hearts. So how important it is that while they are children they firstly come to know him as Saviour and Lord, that they have a good grounding and training as children in the safe environment of home so that as adults they can be salt and light where ever God calls them to be.
Deb |
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One thing about life with kids in tow is a certainty, you never quite know what's around the corner. On one hand this can be great - the discovery of a hedgehog in the garden to be studied, or a fun time together. However, life is a rollercoaster and some days can swerve off course. On these days, homeschooling can feel like the uphill battle of your life. It's only 6 am in the morning, and already this day has had a rough start...I've been in Casualty for the last 3 hours with one of my tribe who has asthma. We've just got home, the world is waking up and I feel daunted at the task of the day that stretches before me. I also struggle when the children are bicker, and when keeping all three engaged in what we're doing seems almost impossible.
Well, here are a few nuggets of truth for the hard days, for all of us...
Each morning there is a new sunrise, a fresh start. Perseverance, hope, and cherishing are precious building blocks of family.Parents are head of the house, not the children. Routine builds security and reduces stress. Unconditional love means loving our family members, not withholding until they become the people we want them to be. Homeschooling is rooting our kids in family, unhindered by the sludge of peer pressure and releasing them to grow in independence and strength. Getting out the house for a blustery walk always blows away the cobwebs. Finally... The Lord bless you and keep you this today Jane |
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Recently a weekend London paper carried an article about the fact that GCSE English students were abandoning accurate spelling and punctuation. Examiners warned about the "endemic omission of the apostrophe" in teenagers' work, along with deterioriating handwriting and the regular use of text-message language and spelling in their exams. The examiners also claimed that capital letters at the beginning of sentences and full stops at the end are "no longer a convention observed by most of this age group." (All of this is within the context of the highest number of "A" grades and pass levels ever. Work that one out.)
It's always easy to point the finger when there are such obvious flaws in the way something is being done, but before we take the "high and mighty" road, I think we who have chosen to homeschool our children need to be sure that we are actually sufficiently training our children in the proper use and appreciation of language. (I must confess I am given to fits of grimacing and sighing when I read blogs or e-mails by homeschooling parents that are full of spelling and grammar mistakes.) Seeing weaknesses in the present school situation is not necessarily a cause for accusing, but it should be a guide for us as to what we need to be working on in our own home education situation.
It is a simple fact that the way in which our children are able to communicate in spoken and written word will be a major determining factor in how they are able to function in and contribute to their society and community. We may fill our children with all the great and good ideas and principles that the world has ever known, but if they cannot articulately communicate them to others, then the overall benefit will be rather limited.
If you're wondering where to start, or how to even approach this subject, let me make a couple of recommendations. Lynne Truss has written a superb book called Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The zero tolerance approach to punctuation. This is certainly an eye-opener for those who have never thought much about grammar and punctuation. The chapter on the apostrophe alone is worth the price of the book. Also, John Humphrys of BBC Radio 4 has written a book on the deterioriation of the English language. Lost for Words: The mangling and manipulating of the English language is a thoughtful and helpful look at the way the correct use of language is being set aside in our generation.
If you are wondering where to start with your own children, a good resource is Simply Grammar: An illustrated primer by Karen Andreola. It is based on the principles of England's homeschooling pioneer, Charlotte Mason. This is appropriate for children from 9 or 10 and up, but that's probably a good age to start seriously considering grammar. Of course, the other way to learn good English grammar is to study Latin, but that's a subject for another blog another day.
Bruce Garrison |