May Kindergarten Update

Well, we're just plugging right along here. Luke is doing well with everything we have thrown at him (the latest being piano lessons), and is always hungry for more learning. I love it. James keeps him motivated too. Today we were driving and Luke read, "Restaurant" on a building. James said, "Did you sound that out?" and Luke was able to reply, "No". James then had to inform the rest of us, "Luke read 'Restaurant' and he didn't even have to sound it out!" He (J) was quite impressed!

As far as math goes, I've felt quite strongly that this year is for learning basic addition and subtraction facts. We've added in some money counting, skip counting and basic fractions, but have tried to focus on the basics. I just read an article today that confirmed what I already thought (due to my own struggles with math all my life). The author goes through her 3 areas to focus on, so that your child has a chance at math, and can actually succeed at it. She's taught math herself for 30 years, so here's what she has to say.

1) Neatness - This is partly because if you aren't neat, your numbers won't line up, but also because math is orderly and logical, both of which are necessary when becoming good at math. Insist on neatness.

2) Step by Step - Math is a ladder subject, and if you move ahead before previous skills are mastered, your child will fall further and further behind. I feel this is what happened to me. I never learned my math basics (and still don't know them as well as I should), thus struggling my whole life with math. I also failed to be neat, which probably led to my downfall in math.

3) Math Facts - If your child is always having to stop to recall math facts, they will struggle with any math problem because of having to stop and start so many times. The author recommended that addition, subtraction and multiplication tables/facts should be recalled as quickly as your child is able to say their name. And don't move ahead until they can do them all in any given order. She claims that you should be able to wake your child from a deep sleep and ask them what is 7 x 4 and they should be able to mumble 28. That is mastery! She says to spend 10-15 min per day working on these with flashcards and various other manipulatives and make it fun, not drudgery.

-paraphrased from Your Child Can Be Good at Math by Deborah Reed in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Spring 2011

The only way I even passed high school math was because my best friend was a math whiz (she's now an accountant) and the two students who sat behind and in front of me (we had the same kids in our class all through high school and sat alphabetically) were also both great at math and helped me along. (one is now an engineer and the other a teacher) I think my greatest failure was not learning my addition and subtraction good enough in the beginning. I did learn my multiplication tables well, but that was in 4th grade where I had that awesome teacher that I excelled for. I hope for better for my own kids, and try to daily show them how necessary math is in life. In my nursing career it was very necessary, as well as in Greg's machining career, and so many other fields out there in some way or another. Also in budgeting your money and balancing your checkbook. I can't tell you how many times my checkbook hasn't balanced and it's been because I was sloppy and calculated the wrong numbers, or put them in the wrong column. Dumb mistakes, but mistakes (and time consuming ones) none the less!

Another tidbit of advice from my cousin who is a veteran homeschooling mom: Never skip math. You can skip every other subject now and then, and then catch up, but math doesn't catch up. You need to practice it all the time.

Homeschooling: Living Out a Christian Worldview

I subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse magazine, and this past issue had a wonderful article called Homeschooling: Living out a Christian Worldview by Deborah Wuehler. It is rather lengthy, but well worth your time to read. Last year we watched the series The Truth Project, and this goes hand in hand with what they taught. The core of the Christian family is God, and the core of our country is the family. Tear down the family, and you will tear down the country (which is just what the devil is succeeding doing in so many families today).

"Homeschooling: Living Out a Christian Worldview
Dr. Deborah Wuehler, Senior Editor

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

“Homeschooling is most likely the best option for your family, but we don’t feel that God has called us to homeschool.” I’ve heard this from many Christians. I’m sure you have heard it as well. How do you respond to a statement that sounds so spiritual?

If we are not thinking Biblically, we might make the mistake of passing that statement off as a good reason not to educate our children at home. However, we are aware of God’s principles related to the instruction of our children, which are recorded in His Word, then we know that this statement does not and cannot stand.

So, what exactly has God “called” us to do? He has called us to live a life of obedience. (See Deut 6:4-7 and Ephesians 6:4)

In simple terms, living a life of obedience to God means living out a Biblical worldview. It means that we are to obey God’s commands, principles, and precepts taught in the Word of God as they relate to our lives- on a daily basis. But when the rubber hits the personal preference road, many of us either forget or don’t take the time to find out what that worldview should be.

The worldview of many Christians is so broad that it covers only the big picture. They believe in Jesus, go to church, and pray when they need to…Many, however, do not live out a Biblical worldview on a daily, more personal level, making every life decision based on Biblical principles. Decisions about marriage, family, finances, entertainment, and education are often made without even a thought as to what is laid out in Scripture on the matter, and therefore such Christians unknowingly adopt the cultural, hence secular, worldview.

Let’s look briefly at some of these areas and identify the differences between the secular worldview and a Biblical or Christian worldview.

Marriage The world today picks a spouse like they pick their favorite ice cream or football team: they hope for compatibility, love, and loyalty but find that none of these is long-lasting. Consequently, their crumbling moral foundation, which is based on a religion of self-pleasure, brings separation and divorce to more than half of those who wed. In 2007, for every 10.9 marriages per a population of 1,000, there were 5.4 divorces. In the US alone, there were 10,6000,000 single parent households.1 Unfortunately, a comparable percentage of divorce exists within our churches. One reason may be that those in the church have followed the world’s patterns and have not lived out a Biblical worldview of full commitment to their spouses, and more importantly, to God. Therefore, their commitment wanes and ebbs in perfect sync with a lack of conviction to uphold the vows they made before God and man. Following God’s principles for marriage “until death do we part” just isn’t in their worldview.

The Biblical fact that God hates divorce is ignored while couple after couple break their vows and pastors turn their heads the other way and fail to respond with proper disciplinary measure. (See Malachi 2:13-16.) A Christian worldview of marriage upholds the Biblical principle of keeping vows made both to and before a holy God, who takes these vows much more seriously than we do, as is evident in the Church.

We do not pledge our marriage vows as an experiment that is easily turned aside when things get difficult, any more than we pledge our lives to Christ as an experiment and abandon Him when “life doesn’t work out.” As our society rejects God’s design for marriage, marriage partners end up rejecting each other. In my own personal view, this “try it on” view of marriage stems from the “try it on” view that a superficial dating system provides beforehand. No commitment necessary obviously leads to no commitment ever-at least half of the time. “Before this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5:31-33)

Finances and Entertainment Where we spend our finances and where we spend our time declares our worldview. A secular worldview spends its finances and time on self and pleasure. High-cost housing, food, clothing, and Hollywood entertainment fill a secular worldview with a motto of “Live well now!” Add to that the “what’s in it for me?” worldview and you have a formula for a society imploding in its own selfishness. This entertainment/entitlement philosophy has obviously made its way into the Church, blurring the lines between secular and sacred. This ought not to be. To stay in balance here, I’ll quote author Craig Groeschel: “God isn’t against people having money and things, but He certainly hates when money and things have His people.”2

A Biblical worldview spends its finances wisely so as to share with the poor and spread the Gospel. Those who hold to a Biblical worldview spend their time on things that are worthy of honor before God. They set no wicked thing before their eyes. They do not waste precious time on fruitless entertainment but rather deepen their relationships with God, family, neighbors, and country thereby being “entertained” with real life. (See Colossians 3:1-4)

Biblical view of finances: “And if thou draw out they soul dot the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall they light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday; And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy they soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58: 10-11)

“Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good.” (Is 55:2)

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.” (I Timothy 6:17-19)

Biblical view of your time “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” (I Peter 2:7)

Biblical view of entertainment:
“I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me; I will not know a wicked person.” (Psalms 101:2-4)

Much like the aforementioned views on marriage, family, finances, and time, our final focus on education also will prove to be insightful as it relates to our worldview.

Education
A secular worldview is normally the only worldview in our public institutions, whether in elementary or higher education. Humanism and tolerance training are inherent within the system. Even now, homosexual organizations such as GLSEN and cohorts are pushing the anti-bullying legislation for all schools. This is really not about anti-bullying at all but rather is a pro-homosexual agenda to try to control the education world and promote tolerance for all of their godless behaviors and vain philosophies. The children they are purporting to protect are actually being subjected to a far worse end scenario of godlessness. Planned Parenthood unceasingly reaches into the school system to promote their abortion agenda, and all manner of anti-God agencies come into the schools to talk to little children-with or without parental acknowledgment or permission.

Under the guise of compulsory education, the public education system has slowly and systematically taken children captive in order to teach them the philosophies of the enemy. The lie is that only the government knows how and what to teach your children. The flipside of that lie is that you know nothing about teaching. Another deception parents have bought into is the lie that public education is neutral. What parent don’t see, and may not see until their children are grown, is that they are being bought by vain philosophies and sold to ideas that contradict those of God. The truth is that the public school institution is more about indoctrination than it is about education. Everything from atheistic curricula (especially the sciences), to amoral, relativistic ethics, to tolerance of homosexuality (and every other form of sensuality), all in unison, serve as a constant drumbeat aimed at undermining our children’s Christian foundation. These are the very philosophies and “strong holds” that the Apostle Paul says we are supposed to be warring against- II Cor 10:4-5. Paul says that it’s we, the Church, that are supposed to be “pulling” and “Casting down…every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God….” How is it, then, that 80% -90% of us have our children enrolled in the very institution that opposes God on every front? We are raising our children to be disciples of Christ today, but if we don’t bring our children home, whose disciples do you suppose they will be tomorrow?

Therefore, the real issue has nothing to do with education or schooling or academics. The real issue is DISCIPLESHIP! Even the subjects we think of in terms of strict “Academics”- even these should be taught from a Biblical perspective.

Let’s look at what the Bible says at the very beginning: Creation. God made Adam and Eve and gave them children. God taught Adam and Eve, and they taught their children. God created the family unit, and discipleship was to occur naturally within that unit. Throughout Scripture, God tells fathers (and by default, and under their authority, mothers, too) to “teach your children that they may teach their children.” [This is not just in regard to God’s ways, this is where ALL knowledge begins. Look at the context!] This is where all knowledge begins. God created the family unit so that first and foremost children might be taught and trained to embrace the wisdom and knowledge of God. Therefore, I believe home education is one piece of the big picture of walking out a Biblical worldview.

Why should we keep our children home? Because God created the sacred institution of family, with fathers and mothers as the teachers and trainers and nurturers of their own children. We must take seriously the assignment God has given us to train up generations for His glory and His purposes. To do that, we must protect them from vain philosophies. We also must disciple them-with instruction and by daily example-to follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. We must teach them to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of eternal life. Most importantly, as Deuteronomy 6:4-7 proclaims, we are to teach our children-all day long-to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. God is still looking to bless those whose hearts are fully His, “but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb 11:6)

Homeschooling ensures that our children are not left on their own to defend themselves against the attacks of the enemy, which daily are carried out through the teachings of a secular worldview. As homeschooling parents, we are right there with our children, discipling, protecting, sheltering, teaching, and training them, so that when they become older and more mature, they will be able to face the world on their own, and do so in victory. They will grow up to become true ambassadors for Christ, representing the King, because we have taught them on a daily basis to honor that King.3

“But though, O man of God, bless these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:11-12) “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…” (II Cor 5:20)

Homeschooling is living out a Christian worldview in our daily lives. It’s saying we don’t belong to this culture; we belong to God, as do our children. God rewards families that are fully His. Keep those children Home Where They Belong.

Editor’s Note: An extensive list of Scriptures that promote home education may be found at the following link: http://TheHomeschoolMagazine.com/ScripturalSupport.php

Endnotes:
1. www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s1300.pdf, accessed November 18, 2010.
2. Craig Groeschel, The Christian Theist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist, Zondervan, 2010
3. Several excerpts in this section were taken from HomeschoolBlogger.com’s Free Classes presentation of “Why Homeschool?” (http://homeschoolblogger.com/webinar/homeschooling-teaching-a-love-of-reading). Scroll down to the second presentation by Deborah Wuehler.

March update

I haven't written much here lately, because frankly, not too much exciting has changed or happened. In December we switched learning-to-read books due to the small font in the old books which was too hard for L. We are now using the 1830's McGuffey's readers (http://www.mottmedia.com/pages/publications.asp?Pub=mcguffey), and are progressing much better. He read his first book (on his own, no prompting or assisting) this week, so that's a big step forward. Although he wants to read, he also doesn't want to take the time it takes to learn. Having successes is big in boosting the motivation to keep at it. (when J sees a sign he doesn't recognize he tells L "read it to me, just SOUND IT OUT!", and usually L does fine figuring it out on his own.

Math is progressing nicely too. L is learning easily, and little brother J is right on his heels, prompting him and quizzing him (and the rest of us) all day long. He's also working on money, time, odd/evens, skip counting all of which he is catching on to.

What I did want to share, was a few Bible verses that may help parents in making the decision on how to educate their children.

"The following list is not an exhaustive one, but these Scriptures have helped form my Biblical worldview as it relates to homeschooling:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

"Learn not the way of the heathen." (Jeremiah 10:2)

"Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly . . . ." (Psalm 1:1)

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it . . . ." (Psalm 127:1)

"We will not hide them [God's words of instruction] from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength and his wonderful works that he has done." (Psalm 78:4)

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother." (Proverbs 1:7-8)

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:23-27)

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20)

"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)

"And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:5-6)

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." (1 Corinthians 15:33)

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:7-10, 14)

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." (Ephesians 5:3-12)

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17)

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all." (Philippians 2:15-17)

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:15-16)

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4)

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:15-17)

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." (3 John 1:4) "
http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/ScripturalSupport.php