Educating Leaders - No Conveyor Belt Education Here! - Homeschool Blogger

The Meaning of The 12 Days of Christmas

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:12:00 -0600

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?

____________________

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.

Kerry Beck offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas projects to prepare you for Christmas. You will discover a lot about Epiphanythrough her projects. You can get her FREE Advent Calendar countdown at http://www.ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com.

Only 43 Spaces Left For Tonight's Webinar!

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 10:10:00 -0500

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!

http://budurl.com/rlnf

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.

You can get the full story here:
http://budurl.com/rlnf

Warmly,
Kerry Beck

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.

You can get the full story here:
http://budurl.com/rlnf

Free Homeschooling Resources So Your Kids Learn �How to Think�

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 10:55:00 -0500

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.

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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 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/.

How to Homeschool for Life

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 10:49:00 -0500

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.

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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 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.

Why Homeschool to Develop Godly Character

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 12:26:00 -0500

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‚Äôs 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‚Äôs 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.

Kerry Beck, author of Raising Leaders, Not Followers, has a free workshop about how to homeschool. You can get your workshop at http://www.raising-leaders.com/.

How to Start School Right this Year

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:23:00 -0500

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...

=================================
Start School Right This Year Webinar
Thusday, September 3, 2009 at 6pm (Pacific Time).

=================================

It's complimentary - especially for you, my customers and
subscribers.

How's that for a deal!

http://budurl.com/rlnf

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.

Claim your spot here while you can:
http://budurl.com/rlnf

Don't delay and kick yourself later.

Sincerely,

Kerry Beck

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!

http://budurl.com/rlnf

Encourage Writing using Reading Journals

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:46:00 -0500

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.
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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 enjoys helping homeschool moms and teachers with high school writing. Check out her free mini-course about Teaching Writing Easily at http://www.howtoteachwriting.com/ right now.

The Best Topic To Teach Writing

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:24:00 -0500

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!

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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 helps homeschool moms and teachers with elementary writing. Get Kerry’s free mini-course about Teaching Writing Easily at http://www.howtoteachwriting.com/ right now.

Teaching Writing Skills: (Part III)

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:08:00 -0500

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.

Kerry Beck enjoys helping homeschool moms and classroom teachers with writing lessons. Grab Kerry's free mini-course about Teaching Writing Easily at http://www.howtoteachwriting.com/ now.

How to Motivate Your Students to Write

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:40:00 -0500

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.

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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 helps homeschool moms and teachers with high school writing. Check out her free mini-course about Teaching Writing Easily at http://www.howtoteachwriting.com now.