"Comprehension Skills and the Key Word Outline"

                                      by Donna Reish

                                           Fall 2004

 
In trying to help a friend of mine help her son with his Key Word Outline (KWO) and comprehension, I came up with the following suggestions for her, and I thought others might benefit from some of the ideas presented here too.
 
Keep in mind when reading this that her son can write (physical act of writing) well (and even neat, when he tries!), can spell at grade level or above grade level, can word call (decode words as in reading) above grade level, and doesn't have problems with other areas outside of comprehension.

That is why I suggested that she write for him so much (he doesn't need the writing practice, and if he is forced to do all the verbal comprehension work and write a bunch after each interchange, I thought she would lose him). In other words, I would do more writing for him in exchange for the
time that they will spend working on comprehension. She knows he can pen down the words for the KWO himself, but he needs help with comprehension.

I would focus at home on his comprehension in the following way:

1. When he is ready to do his KWO, sit down with him and do the following:
 
a. Have him read the passage to you.
b. Then take one sentence at a time and ask him if he knows what each of the questionable words means.
c.  If he doesn't know what a word means, tell him what it means (unless it's a vocabulary word)--pointing out any roots, suffixes, etc. that might help him understand it (i.e. "Uncompassionate"--do you remember what compassionate" means? If I say "untie" the dog, what am I say--the opposite of tie, right? etc. etc.).
 d. After you do that for any sentence, see if he can tell you the meaning of the sentence.
e. If he still can't, ask him what the sentence is about (i.e. Uncompassionate people, for example: people who do not show compassion or care)
 f. Then ask him what those uncompassionate people do or what the sentence says about them. (i.e. They only think of themselves.)
g. Do this for each sentence.
h. Then ask him as a whole what he thinks the whole paragraph is about.
 i. Write that on the topic line for him. (Since this will be such a laborious process, and you already know he can write on the lines himself, I would write the words he tells you on the lines for him.)
j. Now go back to the first sentence and read it to him and remind him what he told you it meant.
k. Ask him which key words in that sentence would help him remember what the sentence is about when it's time for him to rewrite it.
l. Highlight those words. (If he gets stuck on this, remind him that he told you earlier that the whole sentence was about uncompassionate people, so he should highlight that since his new sentence will also be about uncompassionate people)
m. Do this for all of the sentences and all of the paragraphs.
 
Remember, it will be that interchange of information--him telling you what he thinks something means, you giving him any info he doesn't know, etc. that will build his comprehension. Unfortunately, comprehension worksheets, etc. rarely work. Discussion, root word studies, the way the sentence flows, his input, your input, etc. are the things that build comprehension.

Don't worry about writing the words for him in his KWO. Your focus is on building comprehension skills--not the physical act of writing. You will write what he finally understands. That will make him less likely to hate this whole process. (If he has to discuss it all with you, THEN write it all out, it would get so long.) Plus, kids usually like just "talking" to their parents about things.

2. In all interactions, use anything he already knows to help build comprehension. If you are reading a book and the word "uncharactistically" comes up, ask him what character means. (Or if you always say, "Don't be characterized by selfishness" like I do, you can say, "What do I mean when I say 'Don't be characterized by selfishness' all the time?" When he say, "known for it," you can say so "characteristically" means known for it too. Do you remember that "un" means the opposite...so "uncharacteristically" means "not characterized" or  not known by it.)

I know that sounds laborious. And obviously, you don't have to do it all the time. But I would put an emphasis on it in general this year to help him build his comprehension. It's so easy to assume that the kids know what we are talking about or referring to all the time.
 

3. I would go back to reading daily with him---just the two of you. I would start off with a reader at his level (truly at his level; not "History Stories for Boys" (though I like that to read aloud to kids) that is listed in the 6th grade section but has old English-type writing in it). I would use a modern type reader like Abeka or BJU--or even something easier than his level like Creation Corner coloring book, etc. Just read a paragraph to him with him following your finger across the page (have him follow along; remember, he knows how to sound out the words; you want him to comprehend them). Then discuss it. You'll know what word he might not know, etc. Ask him any of the following questions:

a. What is this whole paragraph about?

b. What is the main subject of this sentence?
c. What is the animal doing in this sentence? etc.
d. What do you think happened before to make the animal react that way?
e. ETC....focus on high level thinking, not rote memory, and definitely not "yes" or "no" questions.

I wouldn't worry about the type of comprehension that is reading something and then remembering afterward (answering questions without the material in front of you). I would focus on comprehending the text right in front of him, pointing to sentences, words, subjects, verbs, etc. and discussing them.

Lead him through it. If he says the whole sentence is about the cave, but it's really about the bears in the cave, ask him what the cave is doing. He will realize that the cave isn't doing anything. The bear is doing something in the cave, etc.

There are several ways to increase comprehension, and none of them comes from circling the main idea in a worksheet page or answering "memory questions" about the passage after you read it. They come from the following:

1. Vocabulary development--Root words, relating words to something you already know, figuring out words in context, etc. all build comprehension. If you don't know what the word "Uncompassionate" means, you can't possibly know that the paragraph is about "people who do not show they care."  Comprehension first hinges on vocabulary.

2. Discussion about higher level materials read--There are two ways to determine readability:

       a. Difficulty of the words as far as pronouncing/sounding them out
       b. Comprehension of what he reads

Some students can word call anything put in front of them (much like reading "There's a Wocket in My Pocket"!). In these cases, to say a student can "read anything" simply isn't true. Yes, he can "word call" anything, but if he does not comprehend the words he is calling, the material really isn't "at his reading level"---it is just at his "word call level."

Thus, the gap between his "word call" level and his "comprehension" level needs to be bridged. This can be done by discussing the higher level material. It really doesn't matter whether you read it, he reads it to you, or you listen to it together (in the case of a talking book)--unless he is an extremely visual learner and comprehension doesn't take place unless he sees the text; I have a couple of students like this, and it is very different from my auditory learners. What matters is that discussion take place over this "higher level" material and thus, comprehension takes place.

I have come to the conclusion that this is why my kids love having Kayla for a big sister. She increases their comprehension of everything. Today is her first day at Huntington College (she's commuting as a senior in high school), and everyone here is having Kayla-withdrawal! In the first three hours she was gone, each of them said independently something like this: "I have all of my biology done except for one section; I need to wait and have Kayla help me on that," "I don't understand this US Government; when Kayla gets home, she can explain it to me," "Mom, this is serious. We can't function with her away all day. I NEED Kayla!"  (Wait a minute, why don't they say that if I'm gone for the day!!! ????? tee hee)

Anyway, it's the discussions she has with them about EVERYTHING that increases their comprehension. (In fairness to me and Ray, we do the same things; we just don't talk about such "heady" things as US Gov and Biology with them!) It takes a lot of time to explain everything all the time, but that is how they learn. Ray is a master at this (and probably why Kayla naturally does it too). Everytime I'm trying to talk to him in the van, he holds up a finger to me to wait a second while he explains to the kids something along the road, in the ditch, on the highway, etc.--a building project, the meaning of this particular flashing light, how a nature scene reminds him of a Scripture, what material the pipes they are putting in the ground is made of, etc. That builds comprehension.
 
I know these types of activities will increase his comprehension, which will carry over to all of his subjects. Comprehension of information is the groundwork for all learning--oral, written, or auditory.

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The post below is from four years ago (from our e newsletter at www.tfths.com). However, we have been using this method more and more to insure that we have ready foods available to cut down on "take out" and more expensive but quick foods--with the rising grocery prices. I thought maybe others could benefit from this approach as well.

*Children Help in “Cooking Ahead” (Summer 2004)

This summer I really got serious and began typing up simple recipes and steps for even my third grade son to be able to follow directions to “take a cooking night.” We have done “mega cooking” around here for fourteen years now, but in the past few years, my freezers have gone from always having between one hundred and two hundred entrees in them to being filled with frozen pizzas and pot pies! Thus, it was time to get serious about teaching the younger children to cook.

One of the first things I did to “take back my kitchen”—which is still somewhat surrendered to Sam’s  Club freezer section---is to teach everyone to at least get three basic meats into a useable form. This meant cooking large quantities of meat and freezing it to be ready to use in entrees. Anyone (even a third grader!) can do this, and it makes a big difference in mealtime preparation. The remainder of this section will detail how we do that.

Ground Beef

1. Defrost up to twenty pounds of ground beef.
2. Get two huge skillets (and I do mean huge!) filled with some of this meat.
3. Fry each skilletful until browned completely.
4. Drain the meat in colander, while starting another load in each skillet.
5. While next batch is frying, bag partially cooled meat in colander into freezer bags you have labeled: Pre Fried Ground Beef; 2 pounds (5 cups); date.
6. Continue until all meat is fried, drained, bagged, and ready to freeze.
7. Freeze bags of meat flat on freezer shelves.
8. Clean up your mess! J

Beef Roasts

1. Defrost up to twelve pounds of beef roasts. (We usually use three of four 3-pound roasts.)
2. Get out the following ingredients: coffee (any unflavored type), fresh garlic, minced onion, beef base (or use beefy onion soup in place of minced onion and beef base), huge oven cooking bags, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
3. Rub each roast on both sides with all seasonings (including coffee) except bay leaves; use 1 tsp of peppercorn and garlic; use 1 TBSP of onion and beef base or 1 packet of beefy onion soup per each roast, depending on size. (I usually help them with the seasonings.)
4. Place roasts in however many oven cooking bags it takes and either poor one huge can of cream of mushroom soup or ½ cup of beef broth per roast into the bags. Drop three or four bay leaves into each bag.
5. Tie bags, place them in foil roasting pans, and make four or five slits in the top of each bag.
6. Bake in preheated 200’ convection (250’ regular) oven for six hours or so, until done but still tender.
7. When beef is cooled, freeze three pounds or so (along with its “gravy” or “juices”) in one gallon freezer bag, labeled as follows: Pre Cooked Beef Roasts; 3 pounds; date.
8. Freeze bags of meat flat on freezer shelves.
9. Clean up your mess! J

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Pieces

1. Defrost up to twenty pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs (or one or the other, depending on what we have on hand).
2. Get out the following ingredients: fresh garlic, minced onion, chicken base (or use boulion), huge oven cooking bags, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
3. Rub chicken pieces with all seasonings except bay leaves; for each three pounds of meat use 1 tsp of peppercorn and garlic, and use 1 TBSP of onion and chicken base. (I usually help them with the seasonings.)
4. Place chicken pieces in however many oven cooking bags it takes and either poor one huge can of cream of chicken soup or ½ cup of chicken broth per every three pounds into the bags. Drop three or four bay leaves into each bag.
5. Tie bags, place them in foil roasting pans, and make four or five slits in the top of each bag.
6. Bake in preheated 200’ convection (250’ regular) oven for six hours or so, until done but still tender.
7. When chicken is cooled, freeze around three pounds (along with its “gravy” or “juices”) in one gallon freezer bag, labeled as follows: Pre Cooked Chicken; 3 pounds; date.
8. Freeze bags of meat flat on freezer shelves.
9. Clean up your mess! J

Uses for Pre-Cooked Meats

The uses for these meats are endless. I will enumerate a few below, but I’m sure you have ideas of your own!

*Ground beef ideas:

1. Tacos, taco salads, nacho supremes, beef enchiladas, beef burritos, beef and bean burritos, etc.
2. Spaghetti with meat sauce (one of our quickest favorites)
3. Layered casseroles, such as tator tot casserole, spaghetti casseroles, shipwreck casserole
4. Lasagna, Mexican lasagna, etc.
5. Chili soup
6. Hamburger stew
7. Sloppy joes or other sandwich fillings
8. Pizza and mini pizza topping
9. Mexican pizzas, "biscuit pizzas," and sub fillings
10. Dips for carrying in---layered Mexican dip, Hot Mexican dip, etc.
11. Hamburger stroganoff (or variations of Hamburger Helpers)
12. Hamburger gravy

*Beef Roast ideas (some use juices; some separate juices and do not use them):

1.     Beef and noodles or dumplings with beef

2.     Vegetable beef soup

3.     Beef stew

4.     Mexican dishes like shredded beef tacos, Mexican beef casseroles, shredded beef burritos, etc.

5.     Beef pot pies

6.     BBQ beef

7.     Serve as is with gravy, rice, noodles, etc.

8.     Beef stroganoff

*Chicken ideas:

1. Chicken and noodles or chicken and dumplings
2. Soups: white bean, chicken noodle soup, chicken rice, chicken tortilla
3. Chicken stew
4. Mexican dishes like in beef roast ideas
5. Chicken pot pies
6. BBQ chicken sandwich filling
7. Serve as is with gravy, rice, noodles, etc.
8. Chicken a la king
9. Chicken Mexican casseroles
10. Chicken lasagna
11. Hot chicken sandwiches

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Question: How can I learn to be a better CQLA teacher?

First of all, I want to encourage you that once you "learn the ropes," you will always have the same format, the same order, the same style of lessons, etc. in all CQLA’s for all levels! Thus, trying to stick with it during the learning curve can be very valuable for home schooling moms. I will enumerate some answers below.

• If you want an overview of the entire program, I recommend that you get the Teacher’s Guide with accompanying cd/cassette. This now-nearly 300 page book will teach you everything you need to know about using CQLA. However, it is much more than a “CQLA-How to” book. It is a grammar handbook and writing handbook, as well. Even if you do not use CQLA, this TG is a book you can use in all of your language arts teaching. Besides the CQLA helps (overview charts, Scope and Sequence, how to use CQLA, etc.), it also contains a Master Checklist Challenge, all Grammar Cards in alphabetical order, and many “how to” chapters, such as how to do a Key Word Outline, how to do the Checklist Challenge, how to cite sources in reports, and much more.
• If you want to learn more about what a weekly lesson should look like, you may want to order the CQLA demonstration video from Training for Triumph for $15.00. It shows me teaching two of my Level B students one entire weekly lesson (in a very fast forty-five minutes!). With the video, you get the weekly lesson that correlates, so you can follow along with me and my students. I think just seeing it in action helps tremendously and answers so many of the beginning questions (including "Which passage?").
• We have a three-tape cassette series entitled The Almost Three R’s in which I describe how to teach spelling, grammar, and composition. This cassette series is available for $12.00 and comes in a three-cavity cassette holder. It is unrelated to CQLA in that it does not reference the program, but many of the concepts CQLA ascribes to are elaborated on in it.
• We are developing all day language arts workshops in which I describe how to use CQLA, give Moms a “Grammar 101” lesson, teach editing and revising strategies, and have editing/revising sessions with small groups. This workshop will be appropriate for CQLA and non-CQLA users, so you would be able to bring friends along who are not using CQLA too. Contact us to set up a workshop in your area.

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Organizing Tip: Get Our Helps for Homeschooling Moms Tape Set!!

There are some topics the Reishes just can’t keep quiet about. The first one is home schooling! I like to consider myself a “home school cheerleader.” We first learned of home schooling twenty-one years ago when our oldest child was a baby. Once I read Dr. Moore’s books, compared them to what I was learning as a senior in “teacher’s college” (I was learning the same thing at school about readiness, boys vs. girls, etc.!), I was sold. Ray and I began an aggressive campaign to get everyone we knew to home school. (I’m really kind of embarrassed about this now; we were so zealous, we must have driven everyone we knew crazy!)  Anyway, we began hosting Saturday brunches in which we would feed parents brunch then give them handouts, excerpts, etc. to try to convert them to home schooling! I spoke for an hour or so (and knew so little twenty-one years ago!), then we answered questions.

What does this have to do with our “Helps for Home School Moms” tapes? Well, I feel a similar zeal and urgency to help families learn to prioritize, choose the best over the good, teach children to be responsible and diligent, and more. Much of this is covered in my three-cassette series entitled “Helps for Home School Moms.”

This tape set consists of three cassettes that build upon each other: Prioritizing Your Life, School, and Home; Organizing Your Life, School, and Home; and Scheduling Your Life, School, and Home.  They are jam packed (I can talk really fast when I have something important to say!) with tips and techniques we have used in our twenty years of home schooling. Even more importantly than those helps, they are jam-packed with philosophies of parenting, home management, child training, home schooling, and more.

Prioritizing Your Life, School, and Home deals with determining priorities, utilizing your skills and talents fully, being consistent in maintaining your priorities, learning to say “yes” to the best things and “no” to the good, and more. In it, I explain our long journey to seeking God’s priorities for our family—and how each couple can and should do this to be effective for the Lord and in our families.

Organizing Your Life, School, and Home deals with more than just “Better Homes and Garden” storage tips. It continues the prioritizing message by helping you teach your children to be responsible, working together as a family, the importance of chore times and schedules, and more.

Scheduling Your Life, School, and Home helps you put it all together. Once you have prioritized and organized, how do you keep on track to fulfill God’s calling for you and your family? By scheduling and organizing your days! This tape deals specifically with scheduling your school day to get the most out of it. Whether you have seven children twelve and under or three teens, “scheduling” gives many tips and solutions that have worked for us throughout the years.

“Helps for Home School Moms” tapes are available from Training for Triumph in a three-cassette holder for $12.00 or individually for $5.00 each. They are described at our website, or you may order them by calling Jonathan at 260-597-7415.

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Tiffini, a new CQLA User, recently posted the following testimony on the CQLA User Group:

I have two children doing Pre-A (dd - 7, ds - 7) and one child doing
A (dd - 10). Every day, they would argue over who got to go first
with LA. My husband would ask for a report in the evening and the
words my son would use was "great", "amazing", "wonderful",
and "fun"! Again, he is the one I was most worried about because of
how much he resists change and he had begged me not to change the LA
program we had been using (although it was quite boring to him).

My 10 yo dd would wait for her turn and say, "When is it my turn for
the fun-ness?"

I did the four day week schedule and told them after finishing on
Thursday that they could take the day off of LA for Friday. I truly
thought they would be happy about that because we spent a lot of
time on it daily this week. My son said, "But I WANT to do LA
tomorrow, Mom!" Wow!! My 7 yo dd was very disappointed as well.

I am amazed that all three of my children are enjoying this so much
since they are all so different from each other. Proof to me that
this works for all learning styles. I thought for sure one of them
would not like it.

I can not believe the finished product that my 10 yo dd produced
this week. I never knew you could learn this much about writing in
such a short period of time. The book asked her to do 3 paragraphs,
but since it was our first week, I just had her do one as I thought
the passage was pretty difficult to begin with. We spent a lot of
time working on it this week, so I thought she would be pretty worn
out. However, after she gleefully typed up her final copy of the
paragraph she composed, she asked, "Can I do all three paragraphs
next week?"

Yes, I know this all sounds made up, but it's true! The only
downside to me was the amount of time it took. I worked individually
with all three all week and it took a lot of time. But I really do
think that it is worth it and I can already see that once we get the
hang of it, it will not be nearly as time-intensive. My 10 yo will
be doing much of it independently before too long.

Well, if you're still reading, I hope you are encouraged! We sure
are! One last thing - this has been an incredibly difficult week on
a personal front with several situations that have been going on and
I didn't know if we could do this, but my kids' amazing attitudes
kept me going. What a gift!

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    What advice do you have for someone beginning CQLA?

The best advice I have for someone just beginning CQLA is to move slowly in the beginning. One of the biggest difficulties people have with CQLA is starting! (Isn't it like that for everything??) It is especially true when facing seventy to one hundred pages that are to be done in one month's time - and many blanks to be filled in, essays to write, etc.

I remind families over and over again that CQLA is at least comprised of four different curricula: vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and composition. Of course, it also contains comprehension, editing, copying, and dictation, too. If you were to stack a curriculum for each of these four areas-plus up beside a year's worth of CQLA, you would see that CQLA is not that overwhelming after all.

While it is true that CQLA is at least four curricula in one, it is also true that many people normally only do one or two of those at a time, and seldom do all four at once. CQLA wants to change all of that! Comprehension is too linked to vocabulary not to do them together; spelling is too linked to copying not to do those together; grammar is definitely too linked to composition not to do those together.

So..my first bit of advice in beginning CQLA is to move slowly. The first week only do vocabulary, copying, spelling, and one grammar assignment. Next week do that, plus the Key Word Outline and rough draft. The next week, when it's time to start the two-week essay, do everything except one grammar lesson. And so forth.

Or, you could take six to eight weeks to do the first CQLA and spread each "one week" lesson out over two weeks.

Lastly, you could just do the first two weeks of the unit over the first month, and the next month just do the last two weeks of the unit. With this method, you would be familiar with all four weeks of a CQLA booklet, but it would be spread out over two months. This would be a gentle introduction that even younger students could probably handle.

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Question: How can I learn to be a better CQLA teacher?

First of all, I want to encourage you that once you "learn the ropes," you will always have the same format, the same order, the same style of lessons, etc. in all CQLA’s for all levels! Thus, trying to stick with it during the learning curve can be very valuable for home schooling moms. I will enumerate some answers below.

• If you want an overview of the entire program, I recommend that you get the Teacher’s Guide with accompanying cd/cassette. This now-nearly 300 page book will teach you everything you need to know about using CQLA. However, it is much more than a “CQLA-How to” book. It is a grammar handbook and writing handbook, as well. Even if you do not use CQLA, this TG is a book you can use in all of your language arts teaching. Besides the CQLA helps (overview charts, Scope and Sequence, how to use CQLA, etc.), it also contains a Master Checklist Challenge, all Grammar Cards in alphabetical order, and many “how to” chapters, such as how to do a Key Word Outline, how to do the Checklist Challenge, how to cite sources in reports, and much more.
• If you want to learn more about what a weekly lesson should look like, you may want to order the CQLA demonstration video from Training for Triumph for $15.00. It shows me teaching two of my Level B students one entire weekly lesson (in a very fast forty-five minutes!). With the video, you get the weekly lesson that correlates, so you can follow along with me and my students. I think just seeing it in action helps tremendously and answers so many of the beginning questions (including "Which passage?").
• We have a three-tape cassette series entitled The Almost Three R’s in which I describe how to teach spelling, grammar, and composition. This cassette series is available for $12.00 and comes in a three-cavity cassette holder. It is unrelated to CQLA in that it does not reference the program, but many of the concepts CQLA ascribes to are elaborated on in it.
• We are developing all day language arts workshops in which I describe how to use CQLA, give Moms a “Grammar 101” lesson, teach editing and revising strategies, and have editing/revising sessions with small groups. This workshop will be appropriate for CQLA and non-CQLA users, so you would be able to bring friends along who are not using CQLA too. Contact us to set up a workshop in your area.

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We are growing! Our curriculum, Character Quality Language Arts, is taking off! We are excited about its growth, but still in the "too overwhelmed with work" stage of it all. We have nearly two hundred hours  a week going into the curriculum alone (not including our kids who are taking orders, filling orders, making tapes, etc. and my husband who is doing what he can in every area--including working twenty hours of paper routes above his regular job to make enough money to pay the seven typesetters and key punchers). I am working forty plus hours  a week on the revising and editing, then we have seven key punchers and typesetters putting in the edits and revisions and editing them.

Anyway, we are implementing representatives for CQLA--people who can take it to curriculum fairs, conventions, support group meetings, and living room workshops. It is the perfect time to become a CQLA rep—The Old Schoolhouse, Timberdoodle, Cathy Duffy’s website, etc. are all doing the work for you! All you have to do is tell friends, “Yes, I sell that curriculum.” And wahla! If you would like to get in on the spring homeschool sales of CQLA—at your state convention, your local support group, your own website, or just to friends—contact us to find out more about our no-risk representative program—and get your CQLA at extremely reduced prices.

You can find out more by contacting Ray via phone or email--trainingfortriumph@mchsi.com or 260-597-7415.

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                            “Eight Daily Habits for ‘08”

                                                     Donna Reish

It’s a new year and with it comes new opportunities to do the things we want to do—and not do the things we don’t want to do, as Paul puts it. How many of us make resolutions over and over again only to fizzle out by March (or earlier)? How many of us have awesome plans in January to do more for God, train our children’s hearts more, and generally be more successful during the new year?

I used to make long, elaborate resolutions—complete with subpoints and sub-subpoints on how to achieve them! Even with all of that detail and thought, I still found myself floundering. Now I don’t make grandiose plans to be and to do every January. Instead, in January, and anytime I want to make a change, I take baby steps. Little, daily steps towards the goals I might have.

For example, instead of revamping the entire schedule, sure that next week I will start my day an hour earlier, exercise with the kids, put food in the crock pot every morning, read aloud for two hours before lunch, etc. etc., I do one of two things: (1) Start with the beginning of the day and change that according to what I think will make things run more smoothly—just one small change; or (2) Start with the most important change I want to make, and just do that item. Not long lists of dozens of improvements. Just one change; baby steps towards success. One change that I can implement today. One change only—until I have that one under control. Then, I’ve been successful already, so I know I can do another. Success breeds more success. Positive changes breed more positive changes.

Of course, I didn't come up with this idea on my own. (I am an "idea lifter"---lifting ideas from other people and using them for myself!) It actually originated with our mentors, Terry and Esa Everroad, nearly twenty-five years ago. (Boy, when I say things like "twenty years ago" and "twenty-five years ago," I feel reaaallllly old!) Terry told Ray to meet with me once a week and just listen. Ask me what was wrong, what I wanted changed, what I needed from him. Then, together, choose one thing--just one--that we would work on improving. When that was better, choose another, then another, then another. He told Ray to do this until one week he would ask me, and I would have nothing to say. Then, he told Ray, he could consider his own needs. Good selflessness advice for husbands, huh? (Well, for wives, too.)

And the same idea can be duplicated in any area of our lives--eating more healthfully, schooling better, building stronger relationships. One change at a time. Baby steps. Then another, then another. Not life remodeling all at once. Just one goal at a time.

To start out this new year, I want to give you “Eight Daily Habits for ‘08”—eight things that I have found make my day run more smoothly, create the environment I want in my home, and cause me to have success in my homeschool. These are eight things that I know help me and maybe they will help you, too. Now, there are one or two items that I have “fallen off the wagon on”—that I need to work on re-implenting myself (one at a time, of course)…but I won’t tell you which ones those are. J

I have found that it is the little things that make the difference. Spring cleaning is incredible...for a few days afterwards. However, making sure that the floors are swept, bathrooms are wiped down, and laundry is done every day is what makes me really sing. The big things will always be there--waiting to be done and waiting to be implemented, but the small things are what make each day better. The daily ins and outs. The habits that make us truly successful.

So…without further ado, I give you my eight daily habits* for success in ’08, not necessarily in any certain order. You choose the one that will make tomorrow a better day for you and your family—and implement it, one baby step at a time, to reach your goals in your homeschool and in your family.

Daily habit 1:  Rise with the Lord

When people used to tell me this, I, of course (being the big thinker that I am), envisioned an hour in the early morning hours, in a prayer closet uninterrupted, worshipping, praying, and reading the Word. Because that could never happen in my life (and I can give you eight good reasons why it never did!), I never truly felt like I was ever "rising with the Lord."

Then, I happened upon some verses that I could really sink my teeth into--meeting God in the night watches (perfect for us insomniacs!); God giving me a song in the night; etc. I might not be up at the crack of dawn, but I was often up throughout the night--those night watches and songs in the night were perfect for me!

Now that I am, well, maturing, I can't stay up quite as late as I used to, but I still pray at night that God will give me a song in the night and that I will wake up with that song. And when I consistently do this, I do wake up with a song in my heart, a song that God gave me in the night. Many days, before I even open my eyes, my mind will start reciting words to a song: "Lord, you are more precious than silver"; "Be thou my vision"; "Cast me not away from your presence, Oh, Lord"; and much more. I am rising with the Lord! He is giving me a song in the night, and I am waking up with His song on my lips.

What does rising with the Lord mean to you? It could mean waking up and reading the Bible or a devotional before you do anything else. It might mean a prayer time before you start your day. However God leads you to rise with Him, make it a daily habit! Do not make it so elaborate (an hour in the Word and an hour in prayer!) that you cannot continue it your entire life, but do make it meaningful enough to have an effect on your day (which should be the result of any encounter with God).

Daily habit 2: Make a place for God before retiring

Many years ago I found myself reciting a certain verse over and over to myself: "I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I found out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob" (Psalm 132 4: & 5). I taught it to the children and then made it into a song that my girls and I enjoyed singing for some time:

                    I will not (I will not) close my eyes (close my eyes);

                    I will not (I will not) slumber (slumber).

                    Til I've made a place ('til I've made a place)...

                    For the God of Jacob (for the God of Jacob)

                    'Til I've made a place ('til I've made a place)

                    For my Lord (for my Lord).

                    Til I've made a place ('til I've made a place)...

                    For the God of Jacob (for the God of Jacob)

                    'Til I've made a place ('til I've made a place)

                    For my Lord.

Jacob was just a toddler at that time, and he, of course, thought we were singing about him--and often asked for the "Jakie song." However, for me, it became a nightly prayer/song. No matter what my day held; no matter how busy and hectic it was; no matter how I felt about this or that--I was telling the Lord that I would not go to sleep until I had cleared my mind and heart for Him.       

How can you make room for the Lord everyday? Some may feel that they are creating a place for God if they study the Bible before bed. Others might feel that they are clearing a path for him through family prayer or praying with your spouse. Regardless of what you do, do not close your eyes; do not slumber...until you've made a place for the Lord.

Daily habit 3: Teach your kids God's Word and the character of Christ before other subjects

When we start the day out with our children and God's Word, we are telling them that the Bible is the most important book to study and its truths are the most important knowledge to obtain. We decided nearly two dozen years ago that we would not teach academic subjects without teaching the Bible--and that it would be first. If we had time for the other subjects, great. If not, at least we had done the most important subject.

We have taught the Bible and character dozens of ways. There is no one "right way." Ray's favorite way is to open the Bible, read it together, and discuss it. I personally like using "programs"--reading from creation science books, character based books (like IBLP's Character Sketches), Bible story books for younger children (like our favorite, Family Bible Library--see our website for info on this), IBLP character booklets and other bulletins, etc. Ray has read through The Picture Bible with each child when each little one was between the ages of four and six. I read through the entire Family Bible Library with each child around that same time. We also enjoy reading devotional materials together: Max Lucado books, names of God books, and other "daily devotionals."

If this habit has eluded you in the past, just pick up a devotional or other "daily" type book (even if it is just a few paragraphs in length for each entry), and read it at breakfast every morning. That will get the ball rolling. From that will likely spring discussions and applications galore as you build those truths and principles into your children's lives.

Daily habit 4: Tie heart strings

We can get so caught up in work, teaching, outside demands, and physical needs (feeding and clothing) that we overlook one of the most important things that we should do each day--tie heart strings with our children. Most parents have their children's attention for eighteen years. Those are years that we can invest in them spiritually and build relationship with them.

It is so easy to get to the end of the day and discover that we have not squeezed our special squeeze, winked our special wink, or hugged our special hug. This is especially true as our children get older and no longer cuddle in our chair with us or have "rockies."

In addition to the physical closeness that our children need, they also need our verbal affirmation and communication. My and Ray's input into our three young adult daughters' lives (ages seventeen, twenty, and twenty-one) is like a daily healing balm to them. Two of them are heavily involved in demanding ministries--to the disabled and to the Spanish community (no English spoken!). One of them is searching for her place and working hard to prepare for her future. They need to connect with us. They need for us to tell them that we are proud of them and that we support their endeavors. They need for us to hurt with them when they are hurting. They need for us to say, "So, tell me about your day," and "Give me details!"

Tying daily heart strings is more difficult than simply reading a morning devotional or being sure the laundry is done each day. It isn't usually in the schedule. It is needed at the most inopportune times. The more you give, the more they seem to need. But it is essential. Our children need to have their heart strings tied to ours so that when the storms of life roll, they will have a safe haven of love and understanding---"Jesus" with arms and words of encouragement on this earth.

If you find that each day ends with no heart strings tied, try this little tip: In the corner of each day on your planner, put a little square. At the end of each day, write the initials of the child that you connected with that day in that little square. Purpose not to end a day without being able to write one sweet child's initials in a daily square. Each week you can look back over your planner and see who missed out that week. (You know, the squeakiest wheel gets the grease!) Then next week, you will know who needs focused on more.

Or try this tip that I did for years and years when our older children were younger: have a "day" for each child. We milked this day for all it was worth. It was the child's day to help me with dinner (or fix it herself as she got older); it was the child's day to do extra chores; it was the child's day to help teach the preschooler. But it was also his day to pick two books for story time, sit in the front seat of the van if we went somewhere, and sit closest to Mom during read alouds. Heart-wise (and often unbeknownst to the child), it was his day to get a longer blessing during blessing time, to have a longer time with Dad at bedtime, and to get extra attention from Mom throughout the day. This is especially helpful for families with several children. Each child needs a day! :)

Daily habit 5: Get completely ready for each day

Years ago, when my older children were younger, I seldom "fancied up" unless I was going somewhere. I often put on sweats, took my walk, then showered and put sweats back on. I figured that if nobody was going to see me except the kids and Ray, I may as well use that time for something else (efficiency expert gone wild here!). Then I met Geney and Lilli, yes, that's you, you two. They always looked great no matter whether I dropped in unexpectedly or saw them at the skating rink. And I decided that my family deserved more than ponytails and sweatpants.

Flylady (a self-help, organizing, cleaning guru online who helps thousands of women get control of their daily lives) sends out daily email reminders early each morning that read, "Dress down to your shoes." Her premise is that if you get completely ready for the day (as though you are going somewhere), you will feel more professional and serious about what you do each day.

Now that Ray and I dance most days for exercise I don't just have to get ready down to my shoes; I actually have to get "dressed up" (well, somewhat dressed up). The studio where we dance has a "no jeans and no sweats" unwritten policy. But you know what? I like it. I have come to enjoy not being dowdy all the time! I don't panic if someone pulls in the driveway. If I have to run a quick, unexpected errand, I don't have to make excuses for my appearance to everyone I see.

Whether you get "fancy" each day or simply get clean and presentable, I think you will enjoy it too. I feel so much better coming out to teach the kids and manage the home with myself pulled together. Besides my family deserves to have a happy, glowing mommy--and wife!

Daily habit 6: Read aloud to your kids (and husband!)

We have read aloud to our kids for years and years. When our older childen were little, they would get read to by me or Ray (through Bible, unit studies, devotions, and story time) three to five hours every day. Now neither of us has time to read aloud that much with the kids (and I admit I use talking books to substitute for me quite often!), but we still enjoy reading to and with the kids every day.

You have heard it all before--if you want to raise readers, you have to read to them. Children who are read to daily are x times more likely to become readers themselves, etc. etc. Guilt trip aside, we have found that reading has built a strong educational foundation--and tied heart strings at the same time. We have so many memories of "Jack, Max, and Axle at the Acme Painting Company" and "Morris learning to count," as well as inspiring devotional materials and awesome creation science books. And, yes, we have raised several readers. Even the ones who do not read lengthy pieces of literature love to read the Bible and inspirational materials. And we