Home Again! Are you ready for a new start?

Greetings from Me and My House,

We have returned from vacation, just in time for me to get a nasty sinus infection and headache - uggh. So I'm feeling like I should post, but my brain really is not up to thinking through an article at this point. So I'll just share some basics on preparing for a new year of discipling our children at home.

Probably the most beneficial thing you can do is prepare a few foundational lessons for each area of study. Some keys I include in prepare these lessons are:
1) the Biblical perspective of the area of study
Every area of study has a Biblical philosophy behind it and can (and should in the Christian home and school) be taught based on that. Giving our children a "Christian" education does not mean just tacking Scripture verses or Bible classes onto your "normal" learning. It means studying everything from God's perspective and for His glory. A good beginning resource for this is Ruth Haycock's Encyclopedia of Bible Truths.

2) the foundational vocabulary of the area of study
It's always good to know just what you are studying. What is the big picture of it? How does it all fit together? Knowing the vocabulary is the key to taking dominion. A good resource for this is Noah Webster's original 1828 Dictionary. You can also use it for free online.

3) the source/ origin of the area of study and the purpose for studying it
Every area has a Biblical source or origin and reason for studying it. You could simply say, "It started with God." But it is good to go a bit further than that. Use an exhaustive concordance along with the terms and definitions you got from Webster's 1828 for this.

4) the rudiments of the study area
What aspects are the basic elements of the area of study? The whole of the study will expand from these - throughout all the years of study. The student that receives these seeds of each area of study will have a stong foundation for all his years of study to be built upon. Much of this too can be determined from the word studies in Webster's 1828. Further helpful information can be found in the Noah Plan Curriculum Guides and the Guide to American Christian Education for Home and School.

5) the Biblical principles of the study area
Here we look both at how the subject reveals the 7 Biblical Principles of Liberty and also the principles specific to the individual study. These will only be deduced from the above studies - reading and researching, and spending time ruminating and reflecting on the subject.

These 5 key elements form a foundation for each area of study that we can build upon each year. This year perhaps you will only scratch the surface of each, next year you can expand each area in each area.

Mom and Dad, there is only one way you can disciple your children. That is by beginning these studies yourself. You must be headed somewhere before you can lead your children there. That is what L.E.D. is all about - "you follow me, as I follow Christ".

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa @Me and My House
Blogging Here
and There
Order Christian and Home Ed Resources Here

Library Update

Greetings from Me & My House,

Here are a few more pics of our new home Library my dh is remodeling to house my books.



East wall:





South wall:





West wall:




There are 2 bookcases back to back in the middle - between the East and West walls. You can see the edge of 1 on the right edge of the West picture.

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa

School in a Box - update

Greetings from Me & My House,

Several months ago I posted my list of resources I would take along, if I was going to home educate on a remote island for a year, and my packing space had to be limited.

Recently, on another elist, a similar question was posed about very limited packing and living space. I wrote my list again, before comparing with my previous list to see if my thoughts had changed - but also specifically thinking - compact, long term, and this "hypothetical" situation did not include younger children. I don't know that the poster would think along the same lines as I do, but I did think of what I would do, if it was me in this situation.

I have a large library that I love and am very thankful for. (And very grateful to my dh for building me a library to house them in.)

Here's my list for this situation, including resources that would be foundational for teaching all upper elementary - high school for each subject. Things that you could pull out of to teach all that's "needed" for all grades. (Of course using this type of resources for all grades requires a bit more of you to present it at the appropriate level to the child.) These resources would require the child to do the work of learning - Notebooking. They would help the student to reflect and reason through the ideas, causes and effects - not just memorize facts, such as through an encyclopedia or such. I think this list should only take 1-2 storage tubs or book shelves. Also I have not included any of my own resources on this list.

Bibles for each person of course are first. I'd recommend good study Bibles - perhaps different types for each one, so you'd have several different commentaries to consult.
An exhaustive concordance so you could find Scriptures. (A Topical Bible - Nave's, if you have room.) (Personally I'd include a Complete Commentary like Matthew Henry's, and also a Systematic Theology - like Wayne Grudem's.)

Ruth Beechick's Encyclopedia of Bible Truths - outlines each "school" subject giving the Scriptures that pertain to it. It would provide the foundation for all our studies.
A comprehensive dictionary - Webster's 1828 (original).
An English Handbook - (Bob Jones' is good and thorough.) (If I had room and felt I needed the help, I'd throw in Understanding Writing which is one book for teaching writing to all ages.) (If you had little ones that needed reading and spelling, I'd include a one-stop phonics/spelling program like Writing Road to Reading.)

A comprehensive, non-consumable math program - like Ray's.

Worldview specifically on history and cultures - How Should we Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer (other worldview resources as able - Tearing Down Strongholds by RC Sproul is one short book. Understanding the Times by David Noebel is one BIGGER book.) And America's Providential History by Stephen McDowell and Mark Beliles.

A good government resource - Gary DeMar's God and Government.
Some practical self-governmental resources - dealing with relationships etc., including some biblical manhood/womanhood and Christian relationships type books - here's a few we've used in the past: Basic Life Principles, God's Priceless Woman, several "courtship" books, etc. PeaceMakers is on our list "to do".

History overview - Sketches from Church History and (not my favorite, because I like many different books by different authors for each time period - but a comprehensive coverage of all) Streams of Civilization. (You could always use Diana Waring's What in the World's Going on Here? audios though they aren't as detailed, I like them better.) I'd add in Charles Coffin's "Story of Liberty" series for more life and detail - but doesn't cover ALL of time. Our Wall Chart of World History is a must for us - a 15' timeline in a book showing the streams of history. Oh, I guess I'd need a good World Atlas and basic Geography too.

For science I'd take Character Sketches (I'd cover character and nature science with these), Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation, Master Book's Wonders of Creation series (and Exploring ..., and ...by Design series for high school,) and Field Guides appropriate to the area. Of course, you may want some kind of scientific method book too.

A good collection of poetry - like Favorite Poems Old and New. A GREAT collection of music - both to listen to and to play/sing (guitar, if electric piano wouldn't fit). And favorite literature both Christian and classical.
Classical and Christian.
Favorite literature both Christian and classical - Pilgrims Progress. some "Lamplighter" rare classics, biographies, etc.


Misc, as room allowed - more living books - such as Henty's for boys especially, Elsie Dinsmore series for girls perhaps.
Music biographies and history
Art teaching and supplies, and art reproductions and biographies for study.


*My* "other musts" would include Guide to American Christian Education - because it gives so much insight and outlines for teaching many different subjects Biblically.
And as MANY Christian "classics" as space would allow - not recent/new "Christian living" books, but excellent books (mostly from ages past) on growing in the Christian faith/theology.

Well, I may have 3 tubs full by now, so I'd better quit.

At Jesus' feet,
Lisa @Me and My House
Blogging Here
and There
Order Christian and Home Ed Resources Here