Educating Leaders - No Conveyor Belt Education Here!
December 2, 2009 - Christmas Cards Made Quick and Easy!!
This year I'm on top of things for my Christmas cards. I am so excited because I should have all 200 of my cards mailed by the end of this week. You may be wondering how I'm doing it...since I didn't start until last weekend.
I uploaded our family pics, wrote our Christmas letter, stuffed, addressed, stamped, and mailed it as a tri-fold, personalized, color Christmas card...in less than 1 hour....all from the comfort of my own home :-) . . . and for less than $1 a card, including the pictures.
So...how did I do it?
Last week, I received a video that shows how you can get your cards done quickly & easily, too. The video is only 4 minutes long. Take a minute right now and watch it.
***There's a "SEND CARD" banner to get you started. BTW...here's the timeline I gave to some of my associates. You can follow it, too!
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1. Set my budget for cards & gifts (today)
2. Take our family pictures and create my card - by Sun, Dec 5
3. Start collecting addresses and put them in my Contact Manager in my Christmas card group- by Fri, Dec 11 4. Set up my Christmas card campaign and mail - on Sat, Dec 12
5. You can add a gift to any card by editing it before midnight the day you create it. If you want to send a gift to a few people on your list, click Main Menu and "search" on the left grey box.
And...you NEVER left your warm, cozy home!
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You're DONE! and if you followed my schedule, you have 13 more days until Christmas to enjoy receiving Christmas cards from your friends and family.
Blessings, Kerry Beck
P.S. Your family & friends will be so excited to hear from you BEFORE Christmas :-)
P.P.S. If you know someone who wants to send their Christmas cards, quickly and easily, tell them they can send a free card, too.
You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck gives free Advent calendars with daily Christmas projects to prepare you for Christmas. You will discover lots about the Christmas season with her projects.
December 1, 2009 - Ideas to Simplify Your Christmas
You are probably saying to yourself that I have lost my mind if I think I can have a Stress-Free Christmas. Well, my mind is still here, and we have had several Stress-Free Christmases in the past few years. I thought I would share some of the lessons I have learned to help reduce the stress during our holiday seasons and celebrate the origins of Christmas.
1. READ GOD'S WORD EVERY MORNING
Starting my day with God's Word seems obvious, but sometimes it gets left out. I need to hear from God and speak to Him each day so that I am strengthened and ready to be the mom He wants me to be. At breakfast, we have family devotions and can start our kids' day on the right foot as well. Each of the kids know they are to read their Bible when they wake up. Of course, some need a little more reminding than others.
2. DON'T DO EVERY ACTIVITY THAT COMES ALONG This seems quite apparent, but it took me about 10 years to learn this lesson. Actually, my wonderful husband helped me learn how to reduce the activity in our lives during the holiday season. In the past, I wanted our kids to experience everything available during this season. What was actually happening was I began to harbor stress that would usually explode around Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. (I'm sure none of you have ever experienced this :o)
3. SIMPLIFY YOUR ACTIVITIES
What works for our family is to choose 1 or 2 Christmas activities to attend outside our home. Anything else we do is done in our home. One of the best ways this reduces stress is that I am not "persuading" my husband to attend one more Christmas activity each week. He still spends all day working to provide for our family. Consequently, he is much happier going to a few activities and enjoying our family and friends at home. We enjoy having others in our home, so we capitalize on this. Our children help us clean and cook, so our work is reduced and I am not stressed when our guests arrive.
4. ENJOY YOUR HOME
I will always have more activities for us to do than we have time for. This past Thanksgiving weekend I decided which activities will wait until next year.
REMEMBER: YOU CAN’T DO EVERY THING, EVERY YEAR.
I try to choose activities that encourage my children to think of others, instead of themselves, during the holidays. One of the activities we used to do is raising money for a missionary family. My children would take orders for small loaves of pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookies. After baking and delivering the goodies, they would pay me back for the supplies. The rest was their profit which was used to buy games and toys for a missionary family friend. This year we hope to have some kids over to bake cookies so that their moms can do some Christmas shopping alone. We might host a Christmas card stamping party for younger kids. I'm still brainstorming how that will work. I have some other ideas that are included in Celebrate Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
5. MAKE CHRISTMAS YOUR SCHOOL
Drop some of your formal academics and enjoy the season. There are plenty of math, writing and reading concepts we practice as we bake, shop, and prepare for Christ's birthday. When my kids were homeschooling, we still read aloud each morning and then worked on a Christmas project. This may include handwork type crafts or other quiet projects.
DO YOU FEEL STRESSED DURING THE HOLIDAYS?
Take a moment right now and prioritize all the activities available to your family. Choose only 1 or 2 activities that the entire family can enjoy and pass on the rest. Enjoy your family being at home. Have another family over to roast marshmallows and enjoy the fellowship. Most of all, keep your eyes focused on Jesus Christ. Without His love for the world, you would not be celebrating the true reason for Christmas:
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. ~Ephesians 2:8
Blessings,
Kerry Beck
P.S. If you want to receive more ideas about celebrating Advent and Christmas "Simply" at home with your family, go to this website: http://budurl.com/christmascelebration
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck gives free Advent calendars with daily Christmas projects to prepare you for Christmas. You will discover lots about the the symbols of Christmas with her projects.
November 30, 2009 - Our 1-Week Sale - CHECK IT OUT!!!
How was your Thanksgiving weekend? We had a great time with my family at my parents' farm. Steve took Ashley & Jesse (our future son-in-law) deer hunting, so there was a lot of commotion Thanksgiving morning after the hunt.
For the past few years, we've re-launched my Christmas Celebration Ideas package the week after Thanksgiving with a live webinar...and it's been alot of work! This year, I'm doing things a bit differently so that I can have more time with my family.
Each year at this time, I realize how we get further away from the real meaning of Christmas, the celebration of Jesus' birth. We get caught up in the hectic pace of trying to do every Christmas activity available when we should be slowing down to enjoy our friends & family. That's where the true celebration of Christmas is. So, I'm slowing down and you get to benefit.
Here's how it works:
1. "The 5 Secrets to Rekindling the True Spirit of Christmas" FREE Workshop
Instead of doing a live webinar, you can watch a replay. This will save me time and you get to watch it at your own leisure. Here's where you can grab "The 5 Secrets to Rekindling the True Spirit of Christmas." I'll show you some examples of commercialism in America's Christmas and then provide some examples of families who have successfully overcome America's crass commercialism.
When you sign up for the webinar, you automatically receive my 25 day Advent Countdown. You'll get an email each day giving you ideas on celebrating Advent & Christmas. They are short, sweet, and to the point!
When you sign up for the Rekindling Spirit of Christmas webinar & Advent Countdown, you have the opportunity to save 82% on our huge Christmas Celebration Ideas package. You read that right. You get an 82% discount this week...until Friday, Dec 4th. Your low investment is $27 and it includes:
-- My Star of Bethlehem Family Study Guide - You can even print out as many copies of the study guide as you need for your entire family.
-- Celebrate Advent, Christmas & Epiphany.
-- 6 recipe books (Quick & Easy Christmas Dinner, Homemade Christmas, Christmas Candy, Desserts, Crockpot, Thanksgiving)
-- Gift making idea book
-- Preparing for Christmas audio workshop
-- 1 month of our Christian Parenting & Family 12-month course.
It's less than the cost of a large pizza delivered to your door!
November 28, 2009 - Advent Activities To Celebrate the Holiday Season
Advent is the time period from December 1st to December 24th that identifies the days and weeks that come before Christmas. An Advent calendar or wreath is used to track the season, which represents "coming" as a derivative of the Latin word adventus. This time period celebrates the period leading up to the birth of Christ.
The most common form of preparation for Advent is the Advent calendar. Created a wide variety of different ways, this device is used to track the progress of the days that make up the Advent season.
The typical way the calendar is made is by the use of Advent candles. There are 24 candles used to signify the 24 days that precede Christmas, from December 1st to December 24th. When a new day arrives, the family gathers around the Advent calendar and lights a candle to signify the progression of the Advent season.
There are a wide variety of designs that make up an Advent calendar. Calendars are most commonly used by children to track the days of the period. One example of an Advent calendar design is a Christmas tree that has 24 candles on different branches of the tree.
Another Advent calendar design is a candy holder calendar. The candy holder calendar includes 24 pockets that are filled with candy. As each day arrives in the holiday season, someone, usually a child, takes the candy out of the holder and eats it.
You can also track the holiday season by using an Advent wreath. An Advent wreath includes 4 candles to track the weeks of Advent. You light a candle on each week of Advent to track the progression of the holiday season.
In preparing and celebrating the Advent holiday days and weeks, celebrants engage in a wide variety of activities. From a religious standpoint, this is a time period where there is much prayer and even fasting in some cases. Priests and pastors tailor their teachings and sermons to focus on the coming of Christ and what the Christmas holiday is all about. Some worshipers may even decide to sacrifice certain activities such as watching television, listening to certain types of music, etc.
Families celebrating Advent at home have a number of options available to them as well. One of the most common activities that a family can engage in together is to come together and either create or go shopping for an advent calendar that they can display and use together in the house. Families may also create certain Advent-themed games as well.
The Advent holiday season is a time of reflection, celebration, and rededication for the millions of individuals that celebrate it worldwide. As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can choose to celebrate the holiday. You can use the suggestions and examples that we give in this article or you can use them as a starting point to come up with your own ideas. The choice is completely up to you.
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck offers free Advent calendarswith daily Christmas activities to prepare you for Christmas. You will learn more about the origins of Christmas with many of her activities.
November 24, 2009 - Do You Have Your Advent Calendar Yet?
I have been quite concerned with the way America is taking Christ out of Christmas. I'm working on editing a video about what's really happening to Christmas these days. I'll be sharing some of my findings next week, along with solutions you can use with your family this Christmas season. Watch your email for more details.
In the meantime, I already have our Advent Countdown up & running.
What's an Advent Countdown?
I've created 25 daily emails that give you ideas on how to put Christ back into your Christmas celebration as you prepare for Christmas. The season of Advent is upon us, usually beginning the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I want you to be ready so grab your Advent Countdown right here.
November 19, 2009 - The Meaning of The 12 Days of Christmas
At Christmas time, people sing the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but few know of the rich Christmas symbols behind the words of the song. They often think that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as the days preceding the Christmas holiday. In reality, Epiphany is the time of the Christian celebration that starts December 25 and lasts until January 6, a duration of 12 days. This marks the Church's celebration of Jesus as the Light of the world and its remembrance of the pilgrimage of the three wise men.
Beginning December 25 until January 6, each day was a part of the Christmas celebration. As a time to show mercy and compassion, each day was spent by doing selfless acts of giving and loving generosity. Other cultures show that gift giving was not entirely done on a single day, but in fact, as the carol goes, spread throughout the entire Christmas season. The Church in England was prohibited from practicing their faith openly or in private from 1558 until 1829. It was then that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song was written to be sung in public without fear of imprisonment. It became a type of catechism. The words to the song are an allegory with two meanings: the literal meaning and the figurative meaning known only to Christian followers.
Each word in the song represents something in a religious context. God is represented as "true love." "Me" symbolizes the members called upon to receive these gifts as a Christian. The partridge in a pear tree given on the first day as a symbol of Jesus Christ coming to save mankind.
Try and discover the meaning of the remaining days as you go over the words to the song:
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
How did you do?
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Copyright Stephen Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.
September 3, 2009 - Only 43 Spaces Left For Tonight's Webinar!
As of this morning, only 43 spaces remain for tonight's COMPLIMENTARY
webinar about "Start School Right This Year!"
I've been helping parents develop a love of learning & a firm foundation of Biblical character in their children for years. I want to share these ideas with you so your school year gets off to the right start.
That is why I am hosting a FREE, LIVE WEBINAR called
"Start School Right This Year", TONIGHT at 6pm Pacific
During tonight's webinar, I will reveal how you can use classics to mentor your kids and develop godly leaders for the future . . . strategies that you can take and use IMMEDIATELY after the webinar!
This WEBINAR is absolutely free. You will be able to see and hear me on your computer, but you must register NOW to lock-in your spot!
Here are just a few secrets I will be revealing...
How to make this school year different & BETTER from all the years in the past ...
How to develop a LOVE of LEARNING in your kids ... at all ages!
3 ways you can instill leadership characteristics before the age of 10
A SPECIFIC strategy you can use at home to encourage a LOVE of learning in your own family.
How you can use classics with your kids and develop critical thinking skills
How & why a Biblical worldview is imperative to give your own students.
How to transition from teacher-directed homeschool to a more independent student-directed homeschool
Bottom Line...
On this 70-minute Webinar, you'll discover how to give your kids the tools of learning so they can think Biblically & critically as a leader of tomorrow.
P.S. - I have never taught this updated information to the general public before. I wanted you to be the first to hear one of the biggest education secrets!
P.S.S. - I have something VERY special cooked up for those who attend the webinar LIVE. It will be worth your while to be on.
September 2, 2009 - Free Homeschooling Resources So Your Kids Learn “How to Think”
Leadership training and education is one of several instructional strategies that help raise your children to be leaders of the future, entrepreneurs in business, elders/deacons in the church, statesmen in the community - who do the right thing. These are the leaders who will make a change in our society. My plan is to use home schooling curriculum so my own children will be excellent leaders of the future.
You may wonder why one child gets an education to become a leader and someone else receives training to follow. It really depends on the instructional strategies that are used in your home schooling curriculum. A child who learns “how to think” will become the leader of tomorrow. When a young man or woman can think outside the box, when they can think on their own, and apply their knowledge to real life situations, then he or she will become the leaders of tomorrow, rising to do what is right thing.
How do you train children to think? What homeschooling resources can you use. . . for free?
Andrew Kern, of Circe Institute, says the quality of questions you ask determines the quality of your life. Leaders have been brought up learning to ask the right questions. They do not simply think on literal terms; they think beyond the literal, evaluating and analyzing issues.
Asking questions of your students is free and easy, as well as extremely effective instructional strategy. What a terrific homeschooling resource! Questions should allow your children time to think and ponder. Your responsibility is deciding which question are the best ones to ask and leading a discussion with your students.
When questions are asked, decisions must be made. As your students answer questions, they develop the habit of making good decisions. Sometimes good decisions must be made with the mentor’s guidance. Therefore, give your students plenty of practice answering questions with you at their side. Classics are a great place to start your questioning.
Choose a classic book on your students’ reading level. Have them read the book daily and write down their thoughts about the book. Once or twice a week you, as the teacher and mentor, lead a Socratic discussion. Begin by asking simple, literal questions to give your students confidence in participating.
Once you set the stage with simple questions, start asking questions of comparison. Compare two different characters or settings. List the ideas on the board to generate more discussion. Most of all, be careful that you, as the mentor, do not answer your own questions. When there is no answer for your question, rephrase your question and wait for your students to respond. Silence is great at allowing our children to think on their own.
Leadership training is absolutely necessary as one of today’s instructional strategies. Questions and discussions are the beginning point of educating our children to be leaders who can think on their own.
------ Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck is the author of Raising Leaders, Not Followers and Teach Your Children “How to Think” with Mentoring, which outlines ways you can lead profitable, Socratic discussions and mentor your children to become a leader who rules wisely. She would like to give you a free report & workshop about Home Schooling Curriculum at http://www.raising-leaders.com/.
Education is a life-long activity. To become an excellent leader, your children must always learn new ideas and concepts. These formidable years in your home are a wonderful and exciting time to provide a love of life-long learning. Use these learning strategies as you discover better ways how to homeschool.
Not only does an early love of learning prepare your children for future leadership, it also prepares them for independent studies in their near future. Those students who enjoy learning are one step ahead with studying on their own. Since independent studies are a major goal in leadership education, you must provide the pre-requisite while your children are young. Do you children love to learn?
Providing an environment that encourages education is the first step to building a pattern of lifetime learning. As a way of forming that environment, your home schooling curriculum should include plenty of books, arts & crafts supplies, science kits, and educational games. Of course, these items should be easily accessible to your children so that learning is part of playing.
A learning-friendly environment also includes time to enjoy reading, creating, playing and dreaming. Your schedule should allow time to develop character through work, but also include time for learning. Find a balance in your daily schedule between the development of character and a love of learning.
One of the best ways to develop a strong desire for lifetime education is reading aloud as a family. Choose a quality classic your children will enjoy and read it aloud everyday. In the beginning, simply read for pleasure. Allow your children the opportunity to interact with excellent books. Once your children see pleasure in books, you should discuss the ideas found within the story. Not only will your children start to learn from read alouds, they will also grow in wisdom as they contemplate the questions you pose.
Building a love of learning is essential to prepare your children for life-long learning and to become wise leaders. Your home schooling curriculum should utilize teaching techniques that encourage a love for learning.
------------------------------------- Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck helps parents develop a love of learning in their kids as she teaches how to homeschool. She has a free workshop with learning strategies you can use at this link http://www.Raising-Leaders.com.
September 1, 2009 - Why Homeschool to Develop Godly Character
Before I can develop leadership in my own children, I needed to evaluate their character. Character is foundational to be a wise leader and that answers the question "why homeschool" in our family. Wisdom and virtue are absolute necessities for leaders who change the world in a positive manner. Perseverance and a healthy work ethic must be in place for your children to think and study on their own. These must be evident in your home schooling curriculum too.
I have always wanted my children to have strong character in the Lord. My desire to raise leaders for the future encouraged me to re-evaluate my children’s strengths and weaknesses.
Take a look at your own children and determine what should be furthered in their character development and what needs to be weeded out. Begin to push your children to persevere in the face of adversity. Taking small steps now with integrity, dignity, and honesty lays a foundation for adult life.
Last, but not certainly not least, is the development of wisdom. One of the best ways to develop wisdom is to ask questions on a regular basis. Questions about your family’s readings are a fantastic place to start. As you ask questions and provide opportunities to think, your children start walking down the road to wisdom. Wisdom must be cultivated and you are the perfect one to do this for your child.
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
August 31, 2009 - How to Start School Right this Year
I love the start of a new school year. It is a great time to really think through
and evaluate how I want this year to be better for my kids than last year.
I also love helping parents to overcome problems homeschoolers face
each year and showing them how to start school on the
right foot...so this year is the best year ever.
I'd like to invite you to a LIVE webinar
I am holding THIS Thusday, September 3...
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Start School Right This Year Webinar
Thusday, September 3, 2009 at 6pm (Pacific Time).
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It's complimentary - especially for you, my customers and
subscribers.
On this groundbreaking free event, using the latest webinar
technology, I will reveal tips & strategies to give your
kids a superior education where they will learn how to think
critically & Biblically . . . for life.
I will be sharing tips that you can take and use
IMMEDIATELY after the webinar!
BUT, most importantly...I will reveal how you can use
a love of learning, mentoring and classics to train your kids
to become leaders of tomorrow - Godly leaders who will change
the world!
Plus not only will you be able to HEAR me, but you'll also SEE
and WATCH it happening in real time on your computer screen,
complete with real examples! (And it doesn't
matter what connection speed you have or even if you have a PC or
Mac.)
In case you may be wondering what a webinar is or why you
should join me on my " Start School Right "
webinar Thursday night, let me assure you it is simply a complimentary
class that you watch on your computer....at no cost to you!
Your children deserve more, so take it a step further this year and give
them the ability to lead others well and make wise decisions as a
mom/dad, husband/wife, employee, entrepreneur, church member, or
neighbor
I only have 400 spots for this event. So it's a SURE BET this
webinar will FILL completely.
P.S. - I have never taught this updated class before. I am adding
new information from the last 2 years of homeschooling.
P.S.S. - I have something VERY special cooked up for those who
attend the webinar LIVE. It will be worth your while to be on
this webinar, I guarantee it!
July 31, 2009 - Encourage Writing using Reading Journals
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
Reading journals are a powerful tool to help your students learn.
Journal writing lessons are a great way for children to improve their writing while encouraging their learning through readings. It works for any child, regardless of age. All they need to do is write about what they have read and learned.
Over the past year, my teenagers tracked their literature reading assignments in a reading journal. When we began, they wrote about events happening in the story. As time progressed, they became more engrossed in the task, writing about lessons learned or the actions of the characters in the story. Now, at the end of the year, they are writing informal essays in their reading journals that delve deeply into the story, rather than simply re-telling it.
Here’s a video review of some of our writing products, “US History Based Writing Lessons - Volume 1.”
This year, my twelve-year-old son is starting his reading journal. Each day, he writes an entry on what he learned. We've found this helpful with Bible readings and devotionals - a great way to reinforce important lessons!
If you have younger children, write their journal entry for them as they narrate it. They can re-write the narrative, using their best handwriting, into their journal on the next day.
I don't think that these journals are teaching tools themselves, but they have helped my children write better. It does, however, help them to retain what they have learned while looking for ways to incorporate those lessons into daily life. I use Teaching Writing: Structure & Style. __________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
Despite all the articles I wrote to teach kids to write, the children often teach me more than I teach them. Thanks to my son, I learned another powerful lesson, one that makes me a better teacher while helping him become a better writer. Here's what happened.
A week ago my son listened to IEW Student Writing DVD for his writing assignment. His lesson was on writing a biographical sketch in a 5-paragraph paper. In the back of my mind I thought it would be great if he wrote about one of the early church fathers. We were studying the end of the Roman civilization and it would help him remember one of them. Besides, he could read one of the books that we did not have time to read in history. Of course, he was not very interested in those men.
As we spoke, I could see the disinterest reflected in his eyes. Once the conversation turned to baseball, his demeanor changed. He had just finished reading a book on baseball player Derek Jeter, and was fascinated, eager to learn more. When I suggested that he write his biography on Jeter instead, my son's eyes lit up with excitement. had to use at least three sources for his biography, only one of which could be from the internet. Before our talk was through, he already had two other possible sources lined up.
We decided that he would write about Derek Jeter, rather than church fathers.
Here’s a video review of one of our writing products,
“Student Writing Intensive.”
Over the past week, he has been hard at work researching Mr. Jeter's life and collecting information. Today's assignment was to narrow the facts down to three, keeping his paper from becoming a full book. From this point, he will work on an effective outline and begin to write.
Believe me, I have a much happier son because he is writing about someone he likes, not someone Mom told him to research. I know his paper will be much better, just because he has an interest in his topic.
Do you let your kids take leadership, and ownership, in their writing topics? If not, why not? Next week, discuss an assignment and then let your kids choose their own topic. They will be so glad you did and you will be glad when you read their finished paper!
__________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
July 28, 2009 - Teaching Writing Skills: (Part III)
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
Teaching children how to write is a challenge. By using the methods we have outlined in this three-part series, you can make this process easier for yourself and your students. Using predictable books to teach writing skills will increase your success. By now, you have completed a simple story outline. Over the next two days, your child will complete this exercise while strengthening his writing skills.
Here’s a video review of some of our writing products, "US History Based Writing, Volume 2."
Day 2
Gather your outline, some blank paper, and a pen or pencil. Your child can re-tell the story (out loud!) to refresh his memory - let him use the outline to stay on track.
Next, your child will write a sentence for each line of his outline. The sentence does not need to be an exact replica of the original paragraph. In fact, your child may improve on what was originally written. When he finishes each line of the outline, he will have a completed paragraph.
If your child is young, you might let him tell you each sentence while you write it down for him. At this point, you (the teacher or parent) should edit the paragraph for spelling and punctuation. Notice I did not say rewrite the sentences or add words. Let this be your child's writing, not yours.
If you have older students who can edit their own work, have them correct their own spelling and punctuation on day three.
DAY 3
On the final day your child will copy his completed paragraph making any of your changes for spelling and punctuation. Of course, there are places you will see that need improving, but you can teach those concepts in a later lesson. This is an activity to help your students see they can write something on their own. They does not have to worry about "what" to write any more because you will give him a source text from which to start.
Repeat this simple activity several times. Your students will become more skilled in outlining and rewriting paragraphs. Choose paragraphs from several sources, depending on your child's interests and studies.
This is a wonderful way to teach your students how to write! __________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
July 28, 2009 - How to Motivate Your Students to Write
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
The most common complaint I hear from parents has to do with their child's approach to writing. It's quite normal for children to resist writing assignments. I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way. By providing your child with a clear purpose for their writing lessons, you will boost their motivation and encourage them to do their best work. Through the process of writing format through publishing, my kids do better work, and are happier about it, too!
A few years ago, all three of my children wrote books which are now available for purchase. My son worked for an entire year studying about the jungle and choosing just the right animal or plant to include in his ABC Jungle Book. After making these choices, he wrote a paragraph about each one, using a writing stylistic checklist.
You must be realistic and know that he did not write or research every day for the past year. He took breaks from this project which was completed at the beginning of June.
He was highly motivated for a couple of reasons. First, he chose the topic of jungles himself so he was quite interested in the topic from the beginning. Secondly, the idea of making money from his writing project and publishing a book was exciting. This project gave him a purpose for writing. Not every writing project will end in a money-making project, but each writing assignment should have a purpose.
Of course, most writing assignments aren't done for monetary gain. There are other motivators besides money. For example, you can encourage your child to write letters to friends and relatives; write a story or poem to enter in a contest; write a news article for the family newsletter; relate a funny story on something that happened to them - practically any clear purpose can make writing assignments more enjoyable and effective.
Here’s a video review of some of our writing products, “Medieval History Based Writing.”
Once your child has a purpose for writing, he needs to put his ideas down on paper in a thoughtful, cohesive manner. There are many writing programs on the market, but best source I have found to teach your child "how" to write is Excellence in Writing. This course deals with the "hows" of writing instead of "what" to write about.
You can give your child(ren) a great reason for writing when you use the process of writing format through publishing. Try to integrate writing into any subject you are studying with your child. Writing should never be treated as a separate topic, since it is a valuable skill that transcends the subject material. By encouraging your child to write on a range of topics, he (or she!) will understand the purpose that writing has in all aspects of life.
__________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
July 27, 2009 - How Will You Teach Writing? Part 3
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
Teaching children how to write is a challenge. By using the methods we have outlined in this three-part series, you can make this process easier for yourself and your students. Using predictable books to teach writing skills will increase your success. By now, you have completed a simple story outline. Over the next two days, your child will complete this exercise while strengthening his writing skills.
Day 2
To begin, gather some blank paper, a pen or pencil, and the outline which you completed in part two. Encourage your child to tell the story again, using the outline to keep them on track.
For each line of the outline, have your child write a new sentence based on the keywords he chose. Remember, we are not trying to teach your child to recite the story verbatim. Your child will use his own words to retell the story, often making the tale even more interesting. Continue until you have a new sentence for each line of the outline.
If your children are very young, you may want to write the sentences as they dictate them. Once this is complete, check each sentence to make sure that spelling and punctuation are correct. Do not change the words or rewrite the sentences - let it be your child's writing, in his own voice.
Older students who are capable of editing their own work for spelling and punctuation should do so on day three.
Here’s a video review of some of our writing products, "US History Based Writing, Volume 2."
DAY 3
This is the final day for this lesson. Have your child copy out his completed paragraph or story, in his own words. Make sure that younger children incorporate spelling and punctuation changes; older children can make these changes on their own. Don't be surprised if you see areas which need improvement - that is perfectly natural, and those concepts can be added in a later lesson. Your child won't have to worry about selecting a topic, since he will be provided with a story or paragraph to start with.
You can repeat this activity as often as necessary. With practice, your child will improve his skills in outlining and writing. You can perform this exercise using paragraphs or stories from a wide range of interests - dinosaurs, fairy tales, even subjects they are learning about in class.
This is a great method to teach writing to your students! __________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
July 27, 2009 - Teaching Writing Skills: (Part III)
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
It's not always easy to teach kids how to write. The methods in this three-part series can simplify the process for both you and your students. As a writing teacher, you will have the greatest success by using predictable books to teach writing. Once you have outlined a simple story as shown in part two, follow these guidelines to complete the exercise.
Day 2
Gather your outline, some blank paper, and a pen or pencil. Your child can re-tell the story (out loud!) to refresh his memory - let him use the outline to stay on track.
Next, your child will write a sentence for each line of his outline. The sentence does not need to be an exact replica of the original paragraph. In fact, your child may improve on what was originally written. When he finishes each line of the outline, he will have a completed paragraph.
If your child is young, you might let him tell you each sentence while you write it down for him. At this point, you (the teacher or parent) should edit the paragraph for spelling and punctuation. Notice I did not say rewrite the sentences or add words. Let this be your child's writing, not yours.
If your students are older and can edit for spelling/punctuation, let them do this on Day 3.
Here’s a video review of some of our writing products, "US History Based Writing, Volume 2."
DAY 3
On the final day your child will copy his completed paragraph making any of your changes for spelling and punctuation. Of course, there are places you will see that need improving, but you can teach those concepts in a later lesson. This is an activity to help your students see they can write something on their own. They does not have to worry about "what" to write any more because you will give him a source text from which to start.
Repeat this simple activity several times. Your students will become more skilled in outlining and rewriting paragraphs. Choose paragraphs from several sources, depending on your child's interests and studies.
This is a great method to teach writing to your students!
__________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
In my last article I described a unique approach to teaching writing. It follows the guidelines set out by Andrew Pudewa in IEW's Teaching Writing: Structure & Style. This program spends most of it's time teaching students writing skills such as "how to write" instead of brainstorming "what to write about".
Using that model, let me share free writing lessons online that you can use with your own children this week (or the first week of school). If your older children struggle with writing, this is a great place to start. Begin by choosing a story they enjoy. This is one way of using predictable books to teach writing.
DAY 1 In order to help your children with "what" to write, you should copy a simple, one-page story, perhaps Aesop's Fables. Read the story aloud with your child. After reading the story, write an outline/structure so you can do a key word outline with your child. The structure should look something like this.
I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
You will notice that there are no letters, only numbers, on this structure. There is an excellent reason for this -- children find a numbered outline easier to follow than one that includes letters. Make sure that you have a number for each sentence in the story.
Go back to the story, and re-read the first sentence. Ask your child to choose three key words from the sentence. These words will help him to put the story in his own words, which happens later in this exercise. Underline or circle these words, and then write them beside the "I". Make sure you write them in order.
From there, read the second sentence and choose another three key words. Write those words beside 1. If your child only has a word or two, that's fine - just make sure that there are no more than three words. Your child must decide for himself which words to choose. We are not trying to force your child to remember every little detail, just the highlights so he can re-write the sentences later.
Here’s a video review of one of our writing products, “ History Based Writing Lessons.
After you have your outline completed, put away the original source. Have your child use the outline and tell back to you the paragraph. Children have a much easier time verbalizing what they have read rather than writing it down. You just finished half of the writing lesson.
With older students, be sure to have them re-tell the paragraph to you. This may seem childish to you, but it is imperative to help with older kids' thought pattern as he writes tomorrow.
Join us for the part three, which includes more free writing lessons online. Using the outline you created today, you will take the next step - teaching your children to write a story in their own words.
__________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.
When we decided to homeschool our children, we did not buy a writing curriculum. As a fifth-grade teacher with six years experience, I knew how to create a writing curriculum. Most of the homeschool writing activities I saw were like the writing curriculum in the public school system. These programs taught students what to write, not how to write.
Well, that was until I discovered Andrew Pudewa's Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW). IEW had a flagship product, Teaching Writing: Structure and Style, that intrigued me. Mr. Pudewa did not spend a lot of time brainstorming ideas for students to write. Instead he spent the bulk of his curriculum on "how to write". This was a new concept to me because the biggest problem my students had, like all other students, was what to write about.
Andrew Pudewa's approach to writing is completely different. Rather than have students decide on the topic, he tells them what to write about. Using his lesson plans for writing process, students learn a variety of "structures". These structures consist of outlines for various types of writings - essays, letters, and more. Students choose an appropriate outline depending on what kind of writing they are doing and the reasons for writing.
Teaching Writing goes beyond structure, teaching students how to develop their writing "style"; thus, the program name Teaching Writing: Structure and Style. Mr. Pudewa teaches students how to develop and vary their writing style. Students use strong action words and effective adjectives to create powerful sentences. Once students learn how to dress up their sentences, they learn various methods to open their sentences.
Here is a review of one of our writing products, "Windows To The World".
In my next article (part 2), I will share a simple activity you can use with your own children this week (or the first week of school). If your older students struggle with writing, this is a great place to start.
__________
Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
Kerry Beck encourages homeschool moms and classroom teachers with writing lessons. Go get her free mini-course about Teaching Writing Easily today.
I’ve got a couple of ideas I’m posting to my blog BUT there is so much more you can do to build anticipation for Easter than I can write on my blog.
`Yesterday I read a book by Nina Cam called “Easter Family Traditions To Honor Christ.” Nina has included so many fantastic ideas to help you elevate your celebration of Christ’s resurrection. I was encouraged how many of Nina’s ideas coincided with our own family values, as well as sooo many cool new ideas we can implement in the coming years.
You can read more about Easter Family Traditions right here:
A place to interact about teaching our kids without following the conveyor belt model of the government schools. Think outside the box and provide a leadership education for your children.
Other musings are included on a regular basis :-)
Leadership training and education is one of several instructional strategies that help raise your children to be leaders of the future, entrepreneurs in business, elders/deacons in the church, statesmen in the community - who do the right thing. These are the leaders who will make a change in our society. My plan is to use 
