Bible & Spiritual growth
Family Discipleship
Deut. 6 says, ''These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up...''
Doesn't sound like setting your child in front of a program and letting them self-teach, does it? Just what does it mean to ''teach diligently''? To me that means it must be my number one priority.
When I share this idea, there seems to be a general glazing over of the eyes of some listeners. It is critical that your eyes remain wide open about this. The enemy of your children's soul is waiting for you to be just a little off-guard so he can get a toe-hold, then a foot-hold, then an all out strong-hold on your children.
Here's a very simple plan. This method uses the couch, a Bible, hot-drinks on cold days/cold drinks on hot days, your love for your children and your love for the Word of God.
Intentionally schedule a time. I recomment first or second thing in the morning. Sit together on the couch. Read a chapter or more each day, starting with Genesis. As you read, things might come to your mind that happened recently that perfectly illustrates the principle in the text you are reading. Stop and discuss it. Ask questions. See what your kids are thinking. Address the issues of life that come up. This is heart-time. This is when you get to reach them. You build relationship. You train them up in the way they should go.
Go straight through the Bible. Don't avoid those major or minor prophets. Don't be afraid of what you do not know. You can learn along with! It may take a number of years to get through the Bible all the way; that's ok. It is too valuable to miss. Provide specific quiet activities that can be done by wigglers like coloring.
The foundation of Truth that is sown into those lives will bear fruit. God promises His Word will never fail to be effective. | | dasnyder78 |
| | Logic & Rhetoric
Results
I think everyone should include speech and debate training in their homeschooling....at least one year and it must include one competitive event. Here's why.
This past weekend my youngest was home from college and squeezed in a bit of time to work on a paper. As we chatted about the topic, it occurred to me that we had succeeded in teaching him how to learn. Writing was always our weakest subject. Competitive speaking came to the rescue. What he learned by preparing and presenting filled in the holes in his education in many subjects, but most dramatically in his writing skills.
One of the most significant results of good composition training is the discipline of the mind--learning how to communicate in an orderly manner. Speech writing does that, too. He has used skills from that experience repeatedly as he writes in college. He recognizes non-topical ideas when they creep in or weak ideas that need strengthening. And when preparing for a competition, he learned about hard deadlines, presentation preparation, memorization, audience, blocking a speech, planning, responsibility and winsomeness.
Yes. The most significant academic thing we did in our home educating was competitive speech and debate.
Check it out for your home education program. Here are links to two homeschool leagues. You may also be able to find a club near you. If not, learn all about it and start your own. You can do it.
www.stoausa.org
www.ncfca.org | | dasnyder78 |
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