I should have done this a long time ago!

A  from-the-bottom-of-my-heart thank you to those who took the time to take my survey!  After about a hundred responses, it is time to let you know a little about what you said you needed and wanted to read about on this blog.

But before I tell you that, it is obvious from many of your comments that a  number of you are in desperate need of a bit of  motivation and encouragement.

Let me give you some.

You are doing a very. hard. but. valuable. thing. in home schooling your children.

Home schooling is NOT easy, or painless, or without major self-sacrifice.

Please stop comparing yourself with other people who make it look easy.

You know who I’m talking about.

• The denim-jumpered ladies who grind their own wheat to make whole grain bread and make all their kids’ clothes.
• The ones you run into at Wal-Mart, wearing make-up, who have nine nicely dressed, perfectly quiet children walking in a line when yours don’t have clean underwear on because you haven’t been able to do laundry* and you have bribed them to behave with the promise of a treat later backed up by several nasty looks.
• The ones who not only have a neat colored-coded schedule for every day but who actually follow it for more than a day and a half.

*true story

And realize that the advice and coaching you get from this blog comes from what we have learned from doing things wrong as well as from doing things right.

I can tell you, though, that homeschooling has been a wonderful thing for my own spiritual growth as well as that of our children.  There is nothing like seeing yourself in your kids’ less than perfect behavior to give you a picture of what our Heavenly Father so often sees in us!  Ouch!

It has been an even more wonderful thing enjoying the fruit of God’s grace and our home schooling labors in seeing children who love the Lord and are working hard to walk in His footsteps.  Home schooling  is oh, so worth it.

I am also thankful for those of you who took the time to answer the last survey question about what you are struggling with the most. Some of you really poured your heart out, and I appreciated your candidness and your trust in me. I plan to address many of those issues in the weeks and months to follow.

Survey Results

Before I give you a peek at the results, let’s look at the basics of who replied (and I’m rounding):

• 12% of you have home schooled under a year

• 24% from one to three years

• 22%  from three to five years

• 42%  for over six years

I don’t know about you, but I am encouraged that so many of you have home schooled for that long, and I hope this blog will support your efforts and give you some practical tools to keep going!

First Things First

1.  Now the interesting and inspiring part of the survey. The single, most important thing to over half of you (51%) was to read about Christian parenting – how to disciple and mentor your children.  That is SUCH an encouragement to me, as this is what we are called to do, even before academics!  And if you have read this blog for a while you know that this is a topic close to my heart!  If you are new around here, you might be encouraged to read a few of these older posts that relate to Christian parenting:

• Six Tips to Start Second Semester begins with a personal inventory – the most important place to start before we ’start on’ our kids!
• Want to be Wise? is another post written from the perspective of getting yourself in the correct frame of mind first, beginning with prayer and listing specific scripture on my prayer list as I approached the second semester of this school year.
• Using Habits in Personal Training is listed under our Charlotte Mason posts, but it describes how children need to be taught, from the beginning (!), that they are not ‘their own,’ but live under a greater Authority – what a contrast from our current child-centered culture!
• Teaching Character through Poetry Part I and Part II are two of Beth’s posts with great ideas for  incorporating character training into poetry studies.
• Cultural Creeping warns that  we need to be constantly aware of how we and our children are bombarded by our culture’s non-Christian worldview and the need to combat it.

The Rest of the Very Important Stuff

2.  How to Teach Different Subjects (44%)

3.  Teaching High Schoolers (39%)

4.  Ideas for Lesson Plans (39%)

5. Charlotte Mason Methods (38%)

6. Teaching Middle Schoolers (33%)

What You Considered Important

1. Home Schooling Support and Encouragement (47%)

2. Description of Epi Kardia Curricula (46%)

3. Planning and organization (45%)

4. Hands on Learning (44%)

5. Ideas for Lesson Plans (39%)

Lesson Plan Ideas

Because so many of you considered lesson plan ideas important, before this post gets any longer I want to list some of our pertinent posts in one place for those of you who are newer readers:

• Writing a Book Review – Writing a book review for the purpose of encouraging someone else to read a well-loved book is a lot more interesting to write than the traditional report.
• Make a Middle Ages Dictionary! will give you detailed instructions and resources to make a book, taken from our middle school lesson plans, that can be adapted for younger or older students studying this or another time period/subject.
• Make a Lapbook! Identifies the benefits of using graphic organizers and includes photos and MANY ideas and resources for making mini-books and lapbooks.
• Picture Study – Ever wondered how to incorporate the study of great art into your homeschooling? Read about this painless way to do so!
• Picture Study for Older Students -A continuation of the post above, this article contains additional ideas appropriate for your older children.
• The Question Box – This creative, hands on idea can be used to review or to incite interest in studying all kinds of topics.  The lesson example given in on the Middle Ages and can be used with students of all ages.

OK, this is WAY longer than I intended!  But I do want to assure you that I will respond to your preferences  as I plan and write this blog.  And for those of you who asked me to answer particular questions, I will address those very soon.

Many Blessings, Sisters!

P.S.  THANK YOU for some of your very encouraging comments!

The winter months can be rough for many homeschool moms.  The gray, barren days can follow one another like saltines in a box, making us feel about as drab as the view outside. If you find yourself in the midst of the winter doldrums, it might be time to do some self and school evaluation.

1.  How is Your Private Time with God?

If you have read this blog for very long, you have probably inferred that we think this is the place to begin any self-evaluation. How are you doing on having regular prayer and Bible study times?  If you have found yourself out of the habit after the holidays, now is a good time to get started again. Don’t wait until you have things perfectly quiet and organized before you spend some time in the Word. For inspiration, read this post about Susannah Wesley called Growing Moms.   If you need a jump start in this area, pick up a good devotional.  There are MANY wonderful ones out there.  One of my favorites is the classic My Utmost for His Highest.  If you have ever participated in the Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God Bible study, you might enjoy the devotional I am using this year called Experiencing God Day-By-Day.  I find it helpful to read the daily passage and the thoughts about it in the devotional first, then read the passage in the Bible itself (in the context of the chapter surrounding it).  Then I pray, asking God to show me what He wants me to see in that passage.  Having a journal to jot down what He tells me and other thoughts that come up is a necessity as well.  This time need not be in the morning, but I find it to be my best time before my mind is filled with my ‘to do’ list.

2.  Does Your Marriage Need Attention?

Valentines Day is right around the corner.  Instead of just stocking up on candy  for the…kids (see #3), why don’t you plan a special time to bless your husband that day?  A handmade valentine, a special dinner, or a babysitter for the kids and a bundled up stroll along the beach or a country road might be just the thing to help your husband know he is special.  Does he like to watch the game on TV, play golf, or putter around in the garage?  Maybe just sharing an activity of his choice would be appreciated.  We homeschool moms often need to work harder at getting quality husband-wife time into the schedule!

3.  Are You Paying Attention to Your Own Health?

Most moms are marvelous when it comes to keeping kids dressed warmly, drilling those math facts and doling out vitamins and vegetables.  BUT… what about ourselves?  Are you exercising regularly?  “They” say that thirty to sixty minutes most days is about the right amount of exercise, but that might be pretty difficult if you have little ones.  You can do something, even if it is popping in an exercise video during naptime.  Some virtual accountability might be in order to help you get and stay on track. My friend Cindy showed me this very handy website through Prevention magazine where you can track your exercise, everything you eat and even your mood.  Go to “My Heath Tracker” near the top right  of the page, set up a free account, plug in what you weigh and what you would like to weigh, what you have eaten that day and what you have done for exercise. It is very informative!   If you are already an exerciser,  The Daily Mile might be helpful.  It is an online social training log wherein you can find friends, log in your runs/biking/ walking miles or times, can blog about your thoughts and encourage your friends. It has Twitter and Facebook interfaces as well.  My college-aged daughter’s friends encourage each other in their exercise programs through this venue.

One other health resource I wanted to share with you:   As a 3 1/2 year cancer survivor myself, I am always reading about new ideas and research in the area of cancer prevention.  I came across this free report you might be interested in downloading and reading – it is a food guide for cancer prevention and survival.

4. Is Your House in Order?

I even hesitate to ask that question – I can hear the groans from here!  I mean in good enough order that you are able to function, and obviously we are going to have different tolerance levels here.  Personally, I find it very difficult to focus on school when the house is totally out of control.  Develop some routines and do your absolute best to stick to them.  My favorite resource for keeping the dust bunnies at bay is the Flylady routines.  She talks about controlling C.H.A.O.S. (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome ) by dividing your home into zones and cleaning a little each day in that zone as well as working on general clutter. Go to her website and click on Getting Started for more information.  Make sure your children have age appropriate chores as well! We are big on checklists at our house.  Behind children’s bedroom closet doors is a list in a page protector that says “M’s room is clean when…..1.  All clothes are picked up off the floor and either put into the laundry basket or folded neatly and put in the drawer.  2.  All school papers are punched and put into notebooks and trash is thrown in the trashcan.” etc.  Build into the day a quick pick up before Dad gets home (see #2).

5.  How Many Out-of-the-Home Activities is Too Many?

Did you really enjoy Christmas and New Year’s vacation, in part because most or all of your outside activities ceased during that period?  Did the more relaxed schedule and extra time with your dear hubby and charming children yield better relationships between all of you?  Was it easier to keep the house under control and eat healthier because you weren’t constantly running from one thing to another?   Hmmm.  Maybe this means you/your children are doing too much outside the home.  They do call it ‘home’ schooling, y’know.  Give some hard thought to evaluating each of your and your kids’ activities and consider what you can cut.  Many homeschoolers choose one activity and/or one sport per child per semester.  Husbands’ insight can be helpful here.  My friend Jennifer recently gave me some godly advice on just this subject.  She said, “Lay everything at the feet of Jesus.  Only pick up what He would have you pick up.”  (See #1)

6. Is Your School Curriculum Working for You?

This is the season when we want to forget about this school year and just start planning next year.    It isn’t a bad thing to start looking toward the coming year and making plans, but we do have to finish this year! Try to get energized about finishing this year well while you are dreaming and drooling over what you want to do next.  Getting your school records organized is a good start. I am a long time user of  Homeschool Tracker software.  They have an absolutely free basic package that you can download immediately, which I used for a few years, but if you plan on homeschooling during the high school years (and I hope you do!) spending the $49 and buying the PLUS version will enable you to keep much more detailed records, apply the weighted grading scale that we have to use in South Carolina, and use many more helpful features.  See the comparison between the free version of  Homeschool Tracker and the paid version here. If you decide you can afford the $49, that is all you will ever have to pay because they offer free upgrades. Additionally, the few times I have had questions not answered by the detailed online tutorials, their free software support has been almost immediate.  This software has been a valued tool in my family and has considerably cut down on paper, our family’s biggest nemesis.   Do me a favor and if you decide to purchase the Homeschool Tracker software, please consider typing this code in the Referral Information page of the shopping cart under “Make Selection – **Customer Referral (I have a code)”: FNZ9E .  If you do that, I will receive a small referral bonus.  I appreciate it!

Now, start evaluating your homeschool curriculum.  Most likely you have used it for almost a half a year now.  Is it meeting the needs of your family… or is the honeymoon over? I am not suggesting that you immediately ditch whatever you are using now–just take notice of how it works with your teaching and your kids’ learning styles.  Are you enjoying it?  Are your children enthusiastic about using it?  Does it motivate them to complete their lessons, and are they retaining the information?  Do they discuss it with your husband at dinner, or want to find out more about a subject or person that they learned about during ’school’?  OR Do you have to hound them to get their work done?  Do they constantly denounce it as boring?  Are you having difficulty staying interested yourself?  Dialog with your children about what they think.  What do they like the best about school?  What do they like the least?  Why?  Children can give us some great insights if we would just ask them and really listen to their answers.  If you find that they are bored and unmotivated, adding some living books and more hands on activities might be just the thing to liven things up!  Try to hone in on their interests, as well. We have many well-written, high interest, living books listed on our Books! pages if you need some examples.  If you have a budding artist, instigate some picture study, or create a lapbook that dovetails with your studies.  Instead of your typical textbook book report, try assigning a Book Review.  Try a new, fun way to present or review material, such as the one suggested in this post, The Question Box, or this one, Make a Lapbook!

Use this opportunity to tweak things a little and you might find yourself out of those doldrums and excited once again.  Remember that Mom’s positive attitude sets the tone for everyone else.  I hope you have found some of these ideas and links helpful – I would love to hear your recommendations as well!

In His Service,

January always brings a bit of a struggle for me.  The spiritual side of me wants to spend copious quantities of time in prayer and the scriptures, searching for God’s direction, asking Him to guide me and help me focus on His priorities for my life as we tackle our last school semester of the year.

But the spiritual side has to wrestle with the “practical” side that wants to DO SOMETHING. NOW.

I want to  PLAN everything myself,  make school bigger and better, add this over here and that over there, as well as insert another activity or two in an already busy schedule.

In other words, instead of seeking what God wants to do in and through my life, our family, our homeschool – I tend to want to make MY plans and just ask God to bless them.  How wise is that to act as if I know best?

I constantly have to remind myself that it isn’t about me, and rather than making ten New Year’s Resolutions, finding the perfect planner for 2010, or setting my personal and professional goals on my own, it would be a more profitable use of my time to seek more of HIS input first.  After all, He has the big picture!  He is already working in my life and that of our family’s, and it is my place to join Him in what He is doing rather than setting off in another direction.

Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:20-21

How puny my plans must be compared with the Maker of the Universe’s!

Here are some other verses I am praying over as I seek to know His plans for our family for the coming year:

I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me. Psalm 57:2

The plans of the diligent surely lead to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.  Proverbs 21:5

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9:16

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11

Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.  Proverbs 16:3

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.  Ephesians 3:19-21

Am I the only one who struggles with this?  What do you do to keep yourself on the wise path?

God’s blessings on your New Year!

Active Ideas with Gourds!

One of the most positive ways we can celebrate Thanksgiving involves expressing our own thankfulness for all the ways that God blesses us!

1. Turkeys of Encouragement – this idea works best if you start at least a week before Thanksgiving to give everyone time to think. Make a turkey, minus the feathers, for each member of your family. Put the person’s name on the turkey body along with a favorite Bible verse. Hang the turkeys on a wall or door that is easily accessible for every family member. Cut out enough colorful feathers out of colored or construction paper to attach to each turkey. Place the feathers near the wall or door in an envelope (6×9 envelopes work well) along with a pencil or pen. Everyone, even visitors, can write reasons they’re thankful for that particular person on the feathers and then attach the feathers on the turkeys. Examples could be: I am thankful you read with me, I am thankful that you work so hard for our family, or Thank you for being obedient for mommy and daddy. You can overlap feathers, if necessary. On Thanksgiving, each person can take down their turkey and read the comments.

Many thanks to Jamie Sue Austin at freeprintablefun.org for the following turkey and feathers pattern. Right click on the image and copy into a document to print. You can use one of the feathers for a pattern to cut out colored feathers or print several sheets on different colors of paper.

2. Make it a Year of Giving – giving back to others when we have so much shouldn’t be limited to Thanksgiving and other holidays. Thanksgiving offers a wonderful time to brainstorm various ways your family can give to others in need throughout the year. Begin by brainstorming, with your children, ideas for serving other people. Be sure to allow your children to submit their ideas so they buy into the plan. You can help them focus by thinking of those who serve us or are in need. For example, sending care packages to soldiers, visiting nursing homes, supporting specific charities, inviting someone who doesn’t have a family to dinner, volunteering at an animal shelter or a hospital, collect donations to take to Goodwill, have a garage sale and donate the money to your church or a favorite charity, etc. Try to come up with enough ideas to do something once a month or so. Then take out a calendar and work with your children to schedule a way of giving each month. It’s best to schedule high exposure opportunities, such as visiting a nursing home or sending a care package to a soldier, for non-holiday months because so many people contribute during holidays and other times of the year are neglected. By your next Thanksgiving, you can delight in remembering the ways your family gave to others, being as Christ to them!

3. Cornucopia to share – sometimes children feel small or less than useful because they don’t realize all of the ways they can be helpful! Use a basket or a cornucopia and fill it with tried corn, small gourds, etc. Help your child brainstorm ways that he or she can helpful to others: praying for someone, specific cleaning ideas, sending a card, reading to a sibling, helping out a neighbor, etc. Write each of these ideas on a small pumpkin shaped (or other fall shape) piece of paper, then hole punch and tie each, using colorful fall ribbon, to one of the items in the cornucopia. Have your child select one each day to do throughout the holiday season. You can also reverse the activity by having your child select one to do and then tying it to an item in the cornucopia once it’s completed. For some children, this works better as an incentive to attach an idea to every item!

Educational

Incorporating Thanksgiving into school can add fun to the usual routine.

1. Vocabulary cup – using the pattern on page 56 in The Big Book of Books and Activities: An Illustrated Guide for Teacher, Parents, and Anyone Who Works With Kids!,  have your child fold the cup.  Have your child brainstorm Thanksgiving words that come to mind (thankful, Pilgrims, turkey, etc) and have your child write each word on a corn, leaf, turkey or other seasonal cut out. If you don’t want your child to cut out the shapes, you can find them pre-cut in school supply stores. Older children can draw the words out of the cups to write sentences and/or paragraphs.
2. Startwrite worksheets – if you recall my review of the Startwrite software, holidays are an excellent time to use them to your advantage. In the example below, the student wrote words and phrases of things for which he is thankful using the acrostic for THANKS. You can add clipart from the software or have your child illustrate the white space at the bottom of the page. This can be a writing assignment to assess the written work or you can use it as a handwriting assignment or copy work by supplying a Bible verse or a Thanksgiving poem for older children, such as the one below, Ballad of the Mayflower. Another idea to consider is using this time to have your children write “thankful for you” notes to people explaining why they’re thankful for them. You can use this time to teach the friendly letter format and use this software to create a template for your children to follow. It’s a great opportunity to teach your children to write a note even when they haven’t received a gift!

By Linda G. Paulsen

There was a ship, Mayflower by name; Hey, Ho~
Took a trip, she crossed the main; Hey, Ho~
Full of people seeking peace,
Praying for freedom to increase;
Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o! The Pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock; Hey, Ho~
Simple people, strudy stock; Hey, Ho~
To be free they crossed the sea,
Thanked the Lord on bended knee; Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o!
How when the crops were gathered in; Hey, Ho~
A dinner party did begin; Hey, Ho~
Pilgrims, Indians, pumpkin pie, Turkey, venison, corn, oh my!
Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o! Bet you thought my song was done; Hey, Ho~
But I’ve really just begun; Hey, Ho~
Ever since that autumn day,
Thanksgiving has been here to stay, Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o!

Hope you have a blessed time with these activites and ideas! May God’s blessings pour out over your entire family this Thanksgiving! Please share your favorite Thanksgiving ideas with our readers by commenting on this blog.

In Christ,

I love lists and I like that feeling of accomplishment when I complete my list. However, at the end of the day, the quality of what I accomplished always weighs more on me than how much I completed. This definitely applies to our home schooling as well.  As I have established goals for my children over the years, my focus has generally fallen on the following general categories:

• Character training – without Christian character, the academics are meaningless
• A love for learning – instilling a desire for increased knowledge and skills even outside of “school”
• A habit of thinking – emphasizing extended and organized thought, whether in or out of the box, no matter what is being studied.

Examining these categories, I easily connect how Epi Kardia curriculum reinforces character training and helps instill a love for learning. With our emphasis on strong historical characters in the books that we select and the variety of activities, relating to all of the different learning styles, those goals are achievable. What about a habit of thinking? Does our curriculum promote that as well? I hope so!

I randomly chose an Epi Kardia historical unit and grade level from our Daily Lesson Plans, Immigration in 3^rd grade, and examined the projects associated with that unit. I hope what I discovered can assist you in creating great “thinking” projects for your children!

1. A thinking project doesn’t have to be complicated – after reading the book Liberty Rising: The Story of the Statue of Liberty by Pegi Shea students are asked to design a statue that they believe represents the United States of America. This type of activity promotes thinking on at least a couple of levels. First of all, a student has to develop some picture of the U.S. in his head. What does it mean to live in the United States? What types of symbols can he develop that represent this country? This requires moving from a known symbol, the Statue of Liberty, to a new idea. The next stage of thinking occurs when the student determines how to design their symbol. Even with a simple sketch, thinking through the design and implementing it is a higher level cognitive skill.

2. A thinking project can be messy and fun – following the reading of On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House) by Laura Ingalls Wilder, students create a model dugout. With this project, creating the dugout itself doesn’t require a tremendous amount of thinking. However, mixing up a batch of mud to form the model is definitely messy and fun. The student can add sod, a window and a door to make the project more detailed. The thinking comes into play after the model is designed and you discuss what it must have been like for Laura and her family to live in such an abode. By talking through their experiences and comparing them to how he lives, your child practices his processing and evaluating skills.

3. A thinking project can train children to organize their thoughts – at Epi Kardia, we are great fans of graphic organizers and charts. We greatly appreciate such tools because they allow children to organize their thoughts in a more concrete way.  If we don’t control our thoughts and organize them in some logical way, they only become burdens, often misleading and confusing us. They float around in our head without definition or logic. It’s like cramming a bunch of documents in a file cabinet without sorting them into files. What’s the point? When you need them, they’re just a jumbled mess.  Children who utilize organizational tools starting from an early age develop the habit of organizing the information they’re processing. For example, after reading Along the Santa Fe Trail: Marion Russell’s Own Story by Marion Russell, students are asked to create a list of items they would take if they were heading on a trail out West with a wagon caravan. Now, you could have the student just make a list without any rhyme or reason, or you could suggest that the student organize his list in logical categories. So, first the student needs to determine which categories might be essential such as food and cooking supplies, animals and livestock, clothing, medicines, etc. The student also has to take into account the limited amount of space in the wagon. Assignment limitations often promote thinking skills that are very practical in real life since we all have limits placed on us when we’re trying to problem solve. This type of organizational thinking translates to many other areas of academics and to general life skills as well.

4. A thinking activity can promote further questioning and thoughts leading to more thinking! With all of our Daily Lesson Plans, we include comprehension questions for history and science. Our goal with these questions are twofold: firstly, lead the student to focusing on the most important aspects of the book and secondly, require him to think about what he has read. Too often children are asked to read material, but are never required to work through the process of thinking about it and evaluating what they’ve read. For example, questions from the 3^rd grade Immigration curriculum following the reading of Just So Stories, Illustrated Edition (Yesterday’s Classics) by Rudyard Kipling include:

• Do you think curiosity is a good thing?
• Is there a time when it could be negative?

Note how we start out with a seemingly simple question. The first answer could be a simple “yes” or “no.” If we stopped there, very little thinking or evaluation would take place. However, the second question requires more advanced thinking because it’s an open ended question. This style of question requires thought rather than just regurgitation of facts or a “yes” or “no.”

Another example may be derived from On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House). The questions related to chapters 23-24 are as follows:

• How was the country party different than the town party?
• How did Laura’s church compare to your church?
• Why did Pa not get new boots?

The first and second questions require that your child compare and contrast. Comparing and contrasting require higher level thinking skills. Also, note that the third question begins with “why” which usually indicates that deeper thinking is involved to give a complete answer.

There are many other opportunities to train our children to think from puzzles to analogies to problem solving sets. With such a variety of options, we can work on these skills without having to focus on one type of activity or project.

Things We Do That Prevent Our Children From Becoming Thinkers

While none of us want to consider that we might have habits preventing our children from becoming strong thinkers, we very well may. By looking at our own habits, and reforming some of them, we can promote stronger thinking skills in ourselves and our children.

1. We don’t give our children time to think. When I was an education intern, I had a teacher who truly loved to teach. I was so blessed by the time I spent with her. She had a habit of counting to 30 slowly after she asked a question, whether it was addressed to the entire class or just one student. She explained that adults often do not give children enough time to think through answers and children develop the habit of hesitating, knowing that the adult will eventually give them the answer. Also, in a classroom setting or even with two or three children, the extra time allows for more students to think through a response. If one of your children is really quick and another requires more time to process, that second child often doesn’t get to think through the process and provide an answer. He may very well rely on the quicker child.

TEACHING TIP: If you have a student who really struggles and needs more time, give him the project directions, questions, etc in advance and let him mentally process what you’re requiring before you become involved.

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: Provide more time for your child to think through problems and projects by being patient.

2.  We don’t  follow through on projects and activities. It’s easy to assign a hands-on project or an activity, especially with older children, and walk away. When the project is done, you give a grade or make a comment and move on. With this habit, you’re missing on the most important part of the process…what was discovered or learned. If you don’t discuss the thinking behind the activity or inquire about the thought involved, then you are basically grading your child on his ability to follow directions.

TEACHING TIP: Before assigning a project or activity, develop a few questions or discussion topics to go along with the assignment. Also, understanding what you expect as outcomes, setting educational objectives, will be an enormous help. This does not have to be complicated or detailed. You can note one or two essential objectives or you could set up a rubric (for more information about rubrics, see the Epi Kardia Parents Manual) in a matter of minutes. Rubrics also reveal your expectations for your children, helping them better understand the significance of a project or activity.

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: Don’t assign a project or activity without thinking through what you want your child to think about in the process.

3.  We have too low or too high of expectations. Sometimes we underestimate our children and don’t challenge them enough. At other times, we have enormous expectations that greatly exceed their abilities. If you notice that school bores your child or he is continually flying through his reading, writing and other assignments, it may be that he is just not being challenged. This same child may also be a behavior problem or he may drive you crazy because he has too much time on his hands. He isn’t learning to think because his work is too easy. Other times, we seriously frustrate our children because we expect them to be like us or other people’s children, when we really just need to give them work on their level. Work that is on the correct level for a child requires some measure of challenge without pushing him into frustration.

TEACHING TIP: Pay attention to how your child responds to projects and assignments. Note if there’s a specific type of activity that causes him more difficulty than others. Avoid taking the easy road by making assignments too simple, but pay attention if you find that he is getting seriously frustrated.

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: Take time to regularly communicate with your child about his work. Most children will tell you if something feels impossible to them or if they think it’s just plain boring. There are so many different ways to instill skills, adapting to your child’s level of learning is certainly possible.

4. We get stuck in ruts. Sometimes we teach our children the way we liked to be taught. For example, comprehension questions really appeal to certain types of people because they simply have to answer them and move on. Some moms love doing hands on projects and they become so involved in the process that they forget the purpose. Using a variety of activities and projects allows your child to think in different ways and situations. If you’re always doing the same type of activity and evaluation, your child will struggle when life throws him a different type of problem to solve.

TEACHING TIP: Definitely use your personal gifts when teaching your children, but don’t just rely on those gifts. If you never step out of your comfort zone, how can you expect your child to do so?

REFORMING YOUR HABITS: If you have an area that you know is a weakness, such as hands-on projects or maybe you don’t love reading, let your children see you working on them. Discuss how you struggle with these types of assignments, but point out that you’re not ending your education with adulthood. This type of situation is ideal for teaching your child about lifelong learning!

Hopefully, this blog has given you plenty to think about! I would love to hear how you train your children to think. Maybe you’ve overcome a habit in teaching and we could all benefit from that encouragement!

May God give you a spirit of joy, a compassionate heart and a mind that dwells on His glory!

In Him,

Greetings!

Let me preface this post by saying that we don’t feel you are evil, lost, derelict parents if you have put one or more of your children into public school.  There are    many reasons why parents choose to do this and although we have made other decisions for our families, we do not have the right to make that decision for YOUR  kids.  However, we are concerned, as you are, about the gay agenda that is promoted these days in many public schools.  Hence we thought this might be helpful and welcome information for some of you—or if not for you, perhaps for a concerned neighbor or other relative.  Please forward as you see fit!

As many Christian students are beginning public school this week, we came across a timely video that might be helpful to some parents, grandparents or others who care about them and are concerned about promotion of the gay agenda in public schools.

In this informative video, Education Analyst Candi Cushman gives  helpful advice to Stuart Shephard in this Focus Action Update sponsored by Focus on the Family. In it she describes several ways  to investigate special school programs, curriculum and even school libraries to evaluate whether or not they subtly (or not so subtly!) promote a gay agenda.  Candi exhorts us, not only as parents, but also as concerned citizens, to take the time to find out what possibly destructive agendas are promoted by our school system.

Additionally, she has  put together a website of materials created by Focus on the Family, Exodus International and the Allied Defense Fund called True Tolerance, based upon the legal right that we have as Christians to have our viewpoint aired as well as the liberal one in the public school setting.  This website provides downloadable packages containing legal information written to the school system.  All you have to do is download it and send it to the school(s) in your community.

If you have a child in public school, I exhort you to take the time to check out what he or she is ‘learning’ along with the three  “r’s!”

In His Grace,

Hello All!

Just wanted to send you a quick note to thank those of you who prayed for my daughter’s mission trip!  She is now back safely from the Amazon.  We have been enthralled with her stories and pictures and are thrilled to have her home again for a few days, at least, until she leaves for college on Friday.

A Yagua Family

It was amazing that this student team was able to live and work beside a people who had only seen Americans one time  previous to this team’s arrival.  It was even more amazing that they ate the local food and swam in a river with piranhas with no illnesses or injuries!  If you would like to hear details about how God worked on her trip and see  more pictures please read her prayer blog.

Thank you again for your prayers!

In His Grace,

As many of us are beginning the new school year in the days and weeks to come, let us commit to being aware of our thoughts and to reframe them as necessary to help us be calm, patient and positive teacher-mentors to our kids.

Is the glass half empty or is it half full? It seems that everyone has a natural bent to view circumstances in life one way or the other. Although we don’t often take the time to think about it, we know that our thoughts influence our attitudes and our attitudes, our behavior. Those of us who have had difficult or even tragic circumstances during childhood have more baggage to deal with and often have more of a set predisposition toward the negative. Many times in these situations, psychological and spiritual intervention may be necessary to deal with the pain and move on to a more balanced outlook.

For the rest of us, though, keeping a handle on our thoughts is, or should be, a daily discipline. The first step is often the awareness of what we are thinking and how it influences us. If you aren’t sure how this works, remember the last time a loved one came home after having a difficult day at work or elsewhere and chewed on you a little bit?

–What did you think?

• “He/she doesn’t have the right to treat me that way!”
• “If I was a better wife/mother, she wouldn’t talk to me like that!”
• “He/she doesn’t love me!”

–What did you do? Get depressed? Chew back? Cry? Kick the dog? Swallow your words but then find yourself being overly critical with your kids or others?

Frequently we don’t even need an antagonist to hijack our attitudes – we do it all by ourselves! For example, perhaps you can remember a time, especially when you were beginning homeschooling, when you thought something like; “I don’t know what I am doing.” If you dwelt on that thought, it was probably followed by,

• “I am not going to be a very good teacher.”
• “My relatives/in-laws/neighbors/friends are right, I have no business trying to home school.”
• “My kids are not going to learn anything.”

You know what I mean. If left to our own devices, those thoughts tend to spiral downward, and so do our attitudes and behavior! 

Maybe this year you are starting to feel a little overwhelmed at school beginning. It would be a great time to get out of the house, perhaps with your spouse, and talk through what worked last year and what didn’t work. For the things that didn’t work so well, brainstorm ways to approach things differently. Try to take areas one at a time. Maybe more than one session of this nature is necessary. Don’t rush back into school until you are ready.

When negative thoughts occur, stop and think through to what the root is of the thought is instead of allowing the ‘downward spiral.’ Alternatively, try to reframe the thought into a positive action.

For example:

Instead of thinking: I have so much to do planning six subjects!

Reframe that thought into: How can I break this planning up into smaller pieces? I think I will spend a few hours a day on one class/subject at a time.

Instead of dwelling on: Once school starts I’m going to be so overwhelmed!

Reframe that thought into: How can I be better this year with taking regular time for myself? I could get up 15 minutes earlier to have a quiet time. I could trade off child watching with a neighbor and take an afternoon walk a few times a week. I could plan in a quarterly teacher work-day and get someone to watch the kids elsewhere so I can stay home and get organized. I can meet a friend for breakfast Saturday mornings when my husband can watch the kids.

Instead of dwelling on: I get so mad at my student when s/he doesn’t finish his work! I dread battling over writing again this year!

Reframe that thought into: It is normal to loose my temper sometimes, but what can I do to keep in control? I could walk away until I calmed down. I can sit down when I am not angry and calmly but firmly talk over the situation with my child. Instead of fighting over writing, I’m going to ask my friend Sally to teach my son writing and maybe I can teach hers math.

You get the idea.

A familiar Biblical example of reframing our thinking is found in the book of James. In verse two of chapter one, James exhorts us to ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James is saying that even though our natural reaction to trials is to be upset, worried, fearful, etc., he wants us to choose to be joyful. If we can focus on the thought that trials will be of benefit to us, it is easier to walk through them with a better attitude.

One verse that I find very helpful with stopping negative thinking is I Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Start out this school year with a positive frame of mind; take time to recognize and identify negative thoughts, disappointments, and discouragements from last year. Ask yourself:  What can be done differently or how can I approach this situation from a different mental viewpoint? Am I practicing applying a biblical perspective to this situation or circumstance? Do not settle for mentally wrestling about the same anxieties of last year. If you need help, call upon your husband or a trusted friend.

May God bless you as He continues to conform you to His image!

P.S.  If you are from South Carolina, don’t forget that this is Sales Tax Exempt weekend and we are offering SC residents an extra 15% off all purchases over $25!  For this special pricing contact us directly at dana@epikardia.com!

In my last blog, Teaching Character Through Poetry, I generally addressed scripture and poems that you could use for discussing and implementing specific character qualities with your children. So, how exactly would you use this poetry for such a purpose? I’ve outlined below some ideas for each of the references from the last blog in hopes of assisting you in applying those previously discussed lesson possibilities. Hope you find it helpful! Please feel free to comment if you have any ideas for using these poems!

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Important Character Concepts and Activities from Psalm 1

1. Sometimes we need to understand what not to do as we develop strong, Biblical character. God often tells us not to do certain things or provides non-examples for us. In this Psalm, He is specific about the company we should not keep: “who does not walk the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”

· Character concept: Whom we associate with does have an affect on our behavior and our beliefs. We must be careful about who we choose for friends and who we allow to influence us. Additionally, note the downward spiral of sin illustrated in verse 1 by examining the verbs: “who does not WALK in the counsel of the wicked or STAND in the way of sinners or SIT in the seat of mockers. What a fitting opportunity to teach your children that sin is deceptive and progressive.

· Possible related activity: Brainstorm the qualities that we want to look for in friends such as honesty, sincerity, kindness, etc. and evaluate our current friendships to determine if we’re headed in the right direction. If you have a special friend that encourages you to have strong character, consider writing him or her a thank you note for being such a good friend.

2. Obeying God’s law is not always easy, but it does lend to a healthier character. We can only hope to obey the laws of the Lord if we spend time examining them and committing them to heart. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

· Character concept: Obedience with a right attitude. If we are sullen or disrespectful in our disobedience then we are only obeying externally rather than with our heart.

· Possible related activity: Note 2-3 areas in which you have difficulty with obedience and think about how you could improve these aspects of your character. Pray to seek God’s help, specifically asking for forgiveness and assistance with each area. This could be a written assignment for older children. For younger children, drawing or creating a mini-book might be more effective. Be sure to spend some time referring back to these assignments and praising your children as their character improves.

· Character concept: Consistency…and in this case, it’s referring to God’s Word. Healthy habits help build strong character. Having a quiet time of prayer and meditation on God’s Word daily not only builds consistency in this area, but helps children move on to other healthy habits.

· Possible related activity: Assist your child with developing a quiet time for independent prayer and Bible reading. Remember that modeling consistency is one of the best methods for instilling it in your children.

3. This Psalm tells us that the Lord not only watches over the righteous, but that the blessed man will also prosper. This is not necessarily referring to financial profit, but more importantly, spiritual prosperity.

· Character concept: Righteousness is defined as being morally upright, without sin or not being guilty. We should all long for righteousness as God holds the righteous man in such high esteem.

· Possible related activity: Research Scripture for other examples where righteousness is being discussed.

Psalm 8

¹ O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

² From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

³ When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

⁷ all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

⁸ the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹ O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Important Character Concepts and Activities from Psalm 8

When we consider the glory of God and all He created, we should be in awe and amazed just as David was when he wrote this poetry! God’s majesty lies before us in all of creation and He never lets us forget His greatness.

· Character concept: Humbleness…which us of could create an animal or put stars in the sky?

· Possible related activity: Take a nature walk and note every possible thing that could only be created by God. Discuss how we should be humbled that a God so awesome not only created us, but loves us above all of the rest of His creation.

· Character concept: God places man “a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” With this glory and honor comes responsibility and stewardship. How do you think God expects us to treat His creation?

· Possible related activity: Make a chart of the many parts of God’s creation from which man benefits. In one column, generally note the creation and then in a second column, specifically list benefits. For example:

Plants medicine, herbs, food

Ocean medicine, food, beauty and leisure

If and If for Girls

These poems are packed with character qualities to which we should ascribe. You could use each as an entire character building unit. I noted character qualities for different sections of the poems that you might consider teaching.

If

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; (steadfastness)
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too; (trustworthiness)
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, (patience)
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, (honesty)
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, (lovingkindness, compassion)
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise; (humbleness)

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; (godly focus)
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same; (steadfastness)
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, (honesty)
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools; (not materialistic, hard working, uncomplaining)

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss; (not materialistic)
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”; (persistent)

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch; (humbleness)
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much; (focused on God rather than the world or men)
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run – (not wasteful, not lazy)
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

If For Girls
by J.P. McEvoy

If you can hear the whispering about you,
And never yield to deal in whispers, too; (purity, honesty)
If you can bravely smile when loved ones doubt you,
And never doubt, in turn, what loved ones do; (confidence, encourager)
If you can keep a sweet and gentle spirit
In spite of fame or fortune, rank or place, (humbleness, sincerity)
And though you win your goal or only near it,
Can win with poise and lose with equal grace; (graciousness)

If  you can meet with Unbelief, believing,
And hallow in your heart a simple Creed, (faithful)
If you can meet Deception, undeceiving,
And learn to look to God for all you need; (faithful, dependent on God)
If you can be what girls should be to mothers:
Chums in joy and comrades in distress, (loyal, devoted)
And be unto others as you’d have the others
Be unto you – No more, and yet no less; (Christ-like)

If you can keep within your heart the power
To say that firm, unconquerable “No”; (self-assured, secure)
If you can brave a present shadowed hour,
Rather than yield to build a future woe; (anxious for nothing)
If you can love, yet not let loving master,
But keep yourself within your own self’s clasp, (purity)
And not let dreaming lead you to disaster,
Nor pity’s fascination loose your grasp; (focused on God rather than the world)

If you can lock your heart on confidences,
Nor ever needlessly in turn confide; (loyal, trustworthy)
If you can put behind you all pretenses
Of mock humility or foolish pride: (humbleness)
If you can keep the simple, homely virtue
Of walking right with God – then have no fear (devoted, steadfast)
That anything in all the world can hurt you-
And – which is more – you’ll be a Woman, dear.

Possible related activity: Create a lap book on the various qualities noted in the poem(s). You may want to find Scripture supporting each or even note people who demonstrate these qualities (living, from history or from the Bible) and serve as positive examples.

I hope you find these ideas helpful as you train up your children. At Epi Kardia, we feel that everything we do with our children comes back building godly character and striving to please our Lord and Savior. All academics, athletics, musical abilities and other great gifts from God are worthless without godly character to support them.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

May God bless your efforts with your children in building character that is pleasing to Him!

Beth

With all of the subjects and lessons that we want to teach our children, poetry may seem like an “extra” addition to an already busy schedule. At Epi Kardia, we have a different point of view. Poetry may be used to teach or compliment a variety of lessons. Considering that April is National Poetry Month, it seems like an ideal time to examine how homeschoolers can incorporate poetry in valuable, meaningful ways. Continue reading throughout this month as we discuss poetry for all ages and various subjects!

Character building has become a major buzzword in the homeschool community. For so many of us, our children’s character development takes priority over their academic pursuits because we realize that knowledge without morality is not only wasted, but it can also be dangerous. We live in a world where knowledge often creates evil situations even when the initial purpose was for good. The Internet is an obvious example as a tool for so many productive and healthy ideas, such as with this blog, but with a simple search, ungodly atrocities may be found. Is it any wonder that we strive to build Biblical character in our children above other things?

Using Poetry to Teach Character

Poetry offers awesome opportunities to focus on godly character and how we respond to people and events. Scripture provides an abundance of poetic beauty through the Psalms. This extraordinary book contains 150 lyric poems. Lyric poetry contains the emotional responses of the poet to someone or something. In the case of Psalms, the poets respond to God and His creation. This type of poetry allows for the opportunity to examine healthy, emotional responses. The world often demonstrates unhealthy emotions, whether it’s something like obsessive love or intense anger, while Scripture offers a more godly alternative. Some specific Psalms that may be used to directly discuss godly character include:

· Psalm 1 - describes what a godly person does not do or gives non-examples, such as “sit in the seat of scoffers” or “walk in the council of the wicked”

· Psalm 8 – emphasizes man’s accountability and responsibilities

· Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 143 – deal with David’s sins and his repentance; clearly demonstrate the harmfulness and seriousness of falling into sin.

Interestingly enough, while much of ancient pagan poetry has disappeared over the centuries, the beauty and truth of the Psalms continues to change hearts and teach many!

One of the greatest poems written for young men, If, is by Rudyard Kipling. Although not written from a Biblical perspective, it does contain some excellent moral lessons and great food for thought in growing from boyhood to manhood. As well, J.P. McEvoy wrote a version of this poem for girls that offers similar advice but with a more Biblical foundation.

If

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

If For Girls
by J.P. McEvoy

If you can hear the whispering about you,
And never yield to deal in whispers, too;
If you can bravely smile when loved ones doubt you,
And never doubt, in turn, what loved ones do;
If you can keep a sweet and gentle spirit
In spite of fame or fortune, rank or place,
And though you win your goal or only near it,
Can win with poise and lose with equal grace;

If  you can meet with Unbelief, believing,
And hallow in your heart a simple Creed,
If you can meet Deception, undeceiving,
And learn to look to God for all you need;
If you can be what girls should be to mothers:
Chums in joy and comrades in distress,
And be unto others as you’d have the others
Be unto you – No more, and yet no less;

If you can keep within your heart the power
To say that firm, unconquerable “No”;
If you can brave a present shadowed hour,
Rather than yield to build a future woe;
If you can love, yet not let loving master,
But keep yourself within your own self’s clasp,
And not let dreaming lead you to disaster,
Nor pity’s fascination loose your grasp;

If you can lock your heart on confidences,
Nor ever needlessly in turn confide;
If you can put behind you all pretenses
Of mock humility or foolish pride:
If you can keep the simple, homely virtue
Of walking right with God – then have no fear
That anything in all the world can hurt you-
And – which is more – you’ll be a Woman, dear.

Either of the above poems may be used to examine what to do and what not do when it comes to character. By their own right, each contains enough virtuous qualities to be an entire character unit!

So, the next time you have a character challenge with your child or simply want to instill more character, consider using poetry! If you have a favorite poem that you think could be used to demonstrate character, please respond to this blog and include the poem, or at least the poet’s name with the title.

God bless in both your poetic and your character-building endeavors,

Beth