Children are naturally wired to be playful and imaginative. Unfortunately, the busyness of daily life can also steal away their opportunities to continue enjoying these gifts. What can parents do to further encourage imagination in their children? 1) Give Them Time Unstructured time is vitally important if you are going to encourage imagination. Sometimes it takes a bit of time ...
Read More »Education & History
Teaching History Without A Textbook
When most adults think back to their history classes in school, they remember boring lectures and dry textbooks full of endless facts to be memorized for a test (and later forgotten). But history doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to depend on a textbook. There are many ways to teach history that will fully engage students and ...
Read More »Tick Tock Hear the Clock
“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 A few years ago I read an article by a writer whose stuff I have been reading for over 30 years. He has had a profound impact upon my life and thinking over these many years. Of the many, many, many ...
Read More »4 Secret Weapons Every Homeschool Mom Needs
Homeschooling is a tremendous educational choice for many families. But it also presents certain challenges. There is no substitute teacher line to call when mom needs a break. Cabin fever can set in during certain times of the year. The day-to-day grind can get tiring. Pushing through the middle of the school year can be a challenge. So, what are ...
Read More »4 Reasons Not To Use Traditional Textbooks
For the first few years of my education, my parents used an off-the-shelf, pre-packaged curriculum that relied heavily on textbooks. It was an attractive way to begin homeschooling, since a lot of the work was already done. After a few years, however, they decided that these textbooks were less than helpful, and began compiling their own more flexible curriculum. History ...
Read More »The Inescapable Religious Nature of All of Life
[quote_box name=””]“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and all those who dwell in it…” Psalm 24:1 “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘all authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me.’” Matthew 28:18 “Fear God and keep His commandments for the is the whole duty of man. For God will ...
Read More »Shortcomings of Textbooks and How to Fill in the Gaps
Textbooks offer a condensed version of history in order to include many events and people in a limited space. Because so much history needs to be covered, textbook publishers must pick and choose what to emphasize and what to eliminate. Important events are often distilled down to a few pages or even a few paragraphs. Some are removed entirely. Because ...
Read More »Setting Realistic Back to School Goals
Whether it is the freshly sharpened pencils or the pile of new notebooks, everyone feels a rush of excitement and anticipation during back to school. The year ahead is filled with possibilities and opportunities with which we fill our calendars. Unfortunately parents often overestimate what their family can handle during the school year. So how do we set realistic back ...
Read More »The Real Robert E. Lee – Part 2
For Part 1 in this fascinating series, click here. Lee’s exemplary record at West Point was the stuff of legend. One of Robert’s maxims was that “obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.” He worked hard at his studies and finished second in his class academically and took top honors in artillery and tactics. He did not ...
Read More »The Real Robert E. Lee – Part 1
I will never forget the first issue I received of Civil War Times Illustrated Magazine. Someone who knew our family and knew that I was crazy over the War Between the States told me about a magazine dedicated to the same thing I was dedicated to—reading about and studying the war. I don’t know what deals I cut with my ...
Read More »