2009 June | Heart of the Matter

June 30, 2009 By admin 1 Comment

Here at Heart of the Matter, we love our readers and we love your comments! One of the greatest things about WordPress is the amazing plugins we can install on the website here. Like the comment thread, which enables all of us to have conversations with each other right in the comments. You can leave your own, or reply directly to someone else. AND (if you so choose) your pretty little face and latest blog entry appears right there in your comment!!

If you are reading Heart of the Matter through RSS or email, we would be so happy if you stopped by every once in a while to say hi and give your input.

Now, read on for a handful of insightful comments from last week! And keep ‘em coming…YOU could be in the spotlight next week!!

“Organized Relaxation?”

Lori, from All You Have to Give, says

Great neurotic minds think alike!! LOVED it and having just returned from a long trip overseas…there IS no other way!! WONDERFUL posting!! I’m a list gal and it just never stops!

“Creative Homeschooling – Week One”

Jo Bekis says

I absolutely love this homeschooling page, its so fantastic, every child loves to be creative, and parents want to do something equally creative with their kids – well its what keeps them happy. I love the animated reading article, kids do love stories, as a published author myself I’ve combined activities for parent and child within my book. Its based around fun educational story telling with an activity.

“11 Tips for Successful Family Trips”

Vicki, from the blog Victorious 1′s, says

Great tips! We like to take a cooler with fresh food along and our tip to save on buying cold ice, is to use complimentary ice while at the hotels to either re-fill or chill down your ice-packs. Saves a ton of money if you don’t have to buy ice each day.

“The Dress”

Jimmie, from the blog Jimmie’s Collage, says

What a powerfully written testimony to the power of a mother’s heart — both your own mom’s and yours! Thanks for sharing this touching anecdote. I have one child — a girl — and I am so blessed.

Beth, from the blog Pages of Our Life, says

What a special gift from your mother. I have tears in my heart after reading this. Somehow, I think you will never want to give that dress away, even after it has been used as it was intended. This was a beautiful story and I’m so glad you could share it with us.

“Creative Homeschooling: Math”

Laura Duksta, NY Times Bestselling author, says

Great Game!!! Sounds like you might enjoy my book-I Love You More–do you have it yet? One of my favorite games to play with my nieces and nephews is the “I AM” Adjective game…I Am Awesome! I Am Brilliant! I Am Courageous! You go through the alphabet using empowering adjectives…it’s amazing the magical space it creates!

“Repartee: Paying it Forward”

Chris Worthy, from ChrisWorthy.com, says

Nikowa, This is such a great reminder for me. I tend to do things like make a meal or bake a treat for someone, but my children are not involved enough in that. I need to plan around what they feel inspired to do to pay it forward. Going to ask them right now.

Sherry says

I love doing things like this. Just in the past week, I put some extra money in the parking meter for the person next to me whose time was about to expire. Last month I brought a couple of chickens I got on sale at the store to a homeschooling friend whose husband was presently out of work. We’ve also given a gas card secretly to church members whose husband was without a job. Last year we paid for someone behind us in line at the fast food restaurant. The kids love helping out and I try to explain to them that we don’t have to let someone know when we do something.

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June 30, 2009 By Renae 10 Comments

While reading Little Homeschool on the Prairie’s review of the documentary Grown Without School, a quote captured my attention:

There is a myth that through homeschooling you can achieve…more than a normal life.

I want to raise the next George Washington, Albert Einstein, or, for a current example, Ravi Zacharias. In my dream, my children are famous, and make a positive impact as salt and light in the lives of multitudes. Maybe this will happen, but, most likely, they will live a normal life.

They will grow up to be employees, business owners, parents. They will struggle when making life-altering decisions. Their clothes will get dirty, and they will experience pain. Hard work is before them.

How do I best prepare my little ones to value this earthly routine? Can a quiet life ebb with joy through the trials to come? Proverbs 4:23 admonishes,

Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.

According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the Latin root of the word diligence is to love earnestly; to choose. Love takes constant effort, steady application, and exertion, but without it life is meaningless. Heroes love whether or not acknowledged by the crowds. They walk amid the common things and extraordinary events knowing that even an ordinary life is worth sacrifice.

Salt is meant to be sprinkled, not poured. Light illuminates, but even the sun does not shine everywhere at once.

Renae teaches her eleven-year-old son and two little girls at home. She has prepared lesson plans, enjoyed children’s literature, and delighted in discovery with her children for five years. By studying Principle Approach philosophy, she realized what she always suspected: the Bible lies at the heart of all subjects. Find her reflections at Life Nurturing Education.

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June 30, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 16 Comments

Our family has become quite accustomed to building our own books. We do a loose combination of all of the popular forms of booking: lapbooking, scrapbooking, notebooking, altered booking, etc. We have actually simply started calling it “heartbooking^©” since our style fits none of these exclusively and because we base the foundation of our education on God’s word which teaches us that we must examine the condition of our hearts. Studying history, science, and the especially the bible can give us the opportunity to examine our hearts and motives in certain situations.

Recently while studying about the Vietnam war my son became appalled by the fact that some soldiers were spat at upon their return from overseas. This gave me the opportunity to dig deeper into their hearts and question them as to whether or not if they were in a situation with one of their neighborhood friends and they believed that friend had done something wrong, how would they react to them? That is what heartbooking^© is about; using our current studies to build Godly character through self examination.

One of our favorite heartbooking ^© techniques is done by altering old books. We find old hardback books at thrift stores or library sales and we take them home and refurbish them with new content from whatever we are studying. We build new content on the already existing pages by simply gluing cardstock down and then adding all of our elements. We have absolutely enjoyed adding elements of a personal nature when we can. For example, when we studied the Vietnam war we were able to use some of my grandfather’s photos, paraphernalia, and documents that he had kept from the two tours he did there. We made lots of secret hiding places within the book to hold special things that belonged to my grandfather during the war.

We started the refurbishing with the cover of the book. We used sandpaper to buff off the smooth surface so that the glue would adhere properly. After that we kids filled in each page after a weeks worth of studying we were also careful to chronicle our heart lessons into the documentation. This has served us well and given our boys an amazing piece of history that is very close to their heart!

You can find basic instructions for altering books here: Amy Bayliss’ post and here: Amy Stults’ post.

Here are some photos of our Vietnam War book:

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What kinds of creative ideas does your family use when it comes to “booking” of all types? Be sure to leave links to your “booking” posts so we can check them out!

amyb Married to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

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June 29, 2009 By Marybeth 3 Comments

Welcome to Write At Home, a monthly feature here at HOTM. Marybeth Whalen will be introducing you to homeschool moms who write: curriculum authors, novelists, nonfiction writers, and popular bloggers and more. Many of us are deeply inspired by these moms who seem to “do it all.” This feature will provide you with a glimpse into their everyday lives.

This month we are featuring Christa Parrish, author of Home Another Way. I loved Home Another Way and highly recommend this excellent novel. Christa is a single mom who homeschools and writes award winning novels. We can all learn a lot from her!

Christa, you are a single mom who homeschools her son and writes. How do you balance all the demands on your time?

Honestly, my balancing act tends to be a bit wobbly, but I’m learning to be better. My two biggest challenge areas are my tendency to procrastinate, and my habit of taking too much on (i.e., an inability to say, “No!”). This year was particularly difficult, as I didn’t realize how much I would have to do with the release of one book, the deadline to write and edit another, plus the five Jr./Sr. High School-level classes I prepare for and teach outside the home during the week. Having that rather hectic experience, I’ve been able to take on less commitments, as well as focus on the ones I’m most passionate about.

What’s your best time saving tip for a busy mom?

Taking a few moments to plan ahead a little can make life easier. You’re all laughing at me now – of course that’s true! But I tend to be the laid back, “go with the flow” type gal, so things like remembering to take out something for dinner in the morning, or stacking all the things I need to bring with me for the day near the front door, that helps.

How did you get started writing?

I always wrote, though I never imagined myself a writer. It was something I loved, along with acting, about which I was told, “You’ll never be able to make a living doing that!” After college, however, I felt the pull to explore some more creative outlets, working in various capacities at a theater company, and with a newspaper. After my son was born, I left journalism to stay home with him. When Jacob was about three, the idea for Home Another Way came to me. I had done very little writing in the years before

How did you get started homeschooling?

I always intended to homeschool, from before I had children. I had a good public school experience, but knew I wanted to give my children things the public school simply can’t offer – individual attention, an ability to focus on areas of interest, flexibility in moving between skill levels, and a wealth of experiences beyond the classroom.

What advice would you give a homeschool mom who wants to write?

Have realistic expectations. Homeschooling is your primary ministry, and may not leave much time (okay, probably won’t leave much time) for writing, especially if you have younger children. But, if you can carve out for yourself an hour a day, or even three times a week, you will eventually see the fruit of that bit of time.

Also, find a writing time and style that works for you. At the beginning of my writing journey, I read so much about getting up early to write, putting in two or three hours before the kids wake, disciplining myself to write every day. I tried all that advice from seasoned authors – and more! – and only became discouraged as I couldn’t be consistent in any of it. But that’s not me. I’m not a morning person; I write better in the late morning and early afternoon (which rarely happens because of homeschooling or teaching), or late at night (after 10 p.m.). I’m also a streaky writer; it’s stressful for me to write every day, to sit down and pound out words when I’m not sure where the story is going, or things simply aren’t falling onto the page the way I hear them in my head. Once I was able to get into a groove that worked for my natural style, the process became somewhat smoother. You’re unique! Write like it.

Your novel, Home Another Way, was a finalist for the ECPA Book Of The Year. Where were you when you found out and what did you do?

I was home; my editor called to tell me the news. I called my mother and my agent to tell them. And then I scrubbed cat vomit.

Yes, cat vomit.

One of my most fervent prayers since I received my three-book contract with Bethany House is for God to do whatever is necessary to keep me humble. And He has a sense of humor, I tell you. Not five minutes after I hung up with my agent – I’d been on the phone with him for about 35 minutes, all the while him telling me how important this award was, how unusual it was for a first-time novelist to be nominated, how it would make other publishers stand up and notice, and help my career – Jacob yelled, “Mom, there’s cat puke all over the bathroom floor!” And as I wiped up the mess, I laughed and praised the Lord. How could I not be humble on my knees, a foul-smelling blob of vomit in front of me?

Describe your typical day.

I don’t have one! With my teaching schedule, each day is a bit different. But most mornings begin with personal devotional time (for both Jacob and I), chores, answering email, and some school. After that, we go where the Lord blows us.

What is your favorite thing about homeschooling?

Seeing Jacob grow and change every day; hearing him excited about the things he’s learning; watching him become more independent, more compassionate, more like Jesus. Sharing the journey with him. I can’t imagine missing those moments.

Thanks Christa for stopping by today to share with us. We know you are busy working on your second novel and I can’t wait to read it!

Marybeth Whalen is homeschooling mom to six children ranging in age from teen to toddler, as well as a speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries. In her writings, she addresses things like burnout, dealing with interruptions, and handling homeschooling from a very practical perspective. Be sure to visit her blog, Cheaper by the Half Dozen.

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June 29, 2009 By admin 2 Comments

I spy with my little eye….

…a future Picasso

…a foolproof and yummy recipe

…a fun feathered frenzy

…fabulous festivities for the July 4th

…a way for a wife to love her husband

…leafy lapbook learning

…a perfect way to plan and prepare for the new school year

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June 28, 2009 By Robin 6 Comments

Are you constantly worried about your homeschooling? Do you fretfully ask questions such as “Am I doing enough?” “What about…?” “What if…?”

God is sufficient for every situation we will ever encounter. Because of His abundant goodness, kindness, and love for us, we do not have to be anxious or worry.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-8)

Fear comes from trusting in your own ability. God has called you to homeschool and He will direct your paths. Instead of trusting yourself your focus and dependence should be on God’s promises and ability.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith… James 1:5-6)

When you delight yourself in Him, He will direct your paths. God guarantees His Word and fulfills His promises. It is when we remind ourselves of all He has done, and recognize all He is doing in our lives, that our faith grows.

Fear and faith cannot operate at the same time

Fear and faith cannot operate at the same time—they are mutually exclusive. You cannot wait on God to direct your path and then sit around and worry that He won’t.

Three Steps to Building Homeschool Confidence

Believe God’s promise
Use sound strategy
Call on the Lord in prayer

These three steps come from the book of Joshua, the story of how God led the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan.

The lessons in Joshua explain how choosing obedience brings victory and blessing, and how disobedience brings defeat. Joshua was commanded to rid the land of the Canaanites. After the battle of Jericho, the Israelites defeated Ai.

The news of Joshua’s victories reached the Gibeonites. In their fear, the Gibeonites came up with a plan. They pretended that they came from a far away place (outside of Canaan) and wanted to make peace with the children of Israel. Joshua and his men believed them because of the way they looked (walking by sight/in the flesh), and because they did not ask for God’s advice—two big mistakes.

Joshua made a treaty with the Gibeonites and then had to keep his promise to not kill the Gibeonites (once an oath was taken, it could not be revoked). However, he made them slaves. Adonizedec, a Canaan king, heard that the Gibeonites had made peace with Joshua; so he sent word to the other kings and asked for help to kill the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua to deliver them from Adonizecec (Joshua 10:6–10). God reassured Joshua that He was with him and the Israelites would win (Joshua 10:7–8).

When the battle began, God sent hail stones to fall on their enemies. He granted Joshua’s request, and the sun stood still until they had defeated their enemies!

Joshua’s Plan for Success
Three elements combined to give Joshua success in this battle in Joshua 10.

Believing God’s promise (v.
Using sound strategy (v. 9)
Calling on the Lord in prayer (vv. 10–15)

1. Believing God’s Promise

The Israelites didn’t have to be afraid because God had already promised them victory—and you don’t have to fear either, because God has promised to direct your paths. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5–6). When we live by faith in God and in His promises, we can expect to receive God’s help.

2. Using Sound Strategy

I’m not suggesting that you run your homeschool on a whim, but to create your plan with prayer and submission to God.

Leaning on God does not negate self-discipline or forming good habits. God has always been working in your life, from before the time you were first formed in your mother’s womb. He has been preparing you, just as Joshua was prepared many years for what would belong to him. You will need to plan, but allow time for a variety of unplanned activities; keep some flexible time in your schedule to meet your children’s needs and delights; in other words, schedule by faith.

I use the Heart of Wisdom plan that includes a framework and objectives with structure and flexibility. This four-year plan is a framework you can use as a guide as you schedule your curriculum and time by faith. There are other plans and frameworks available or you can create your own. Just remember the Lord wants us to be dependent upon Him not on a homeschool method or program.

3. Calling on the Lord in Prayer

D. L. Moody said, “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” Prayer is your first step in planning and the first step in daily Bible study. Use Colossians 1:9–12 as a guide. Ask God:

To fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and
understanding;
That you would bear fruit in every good work;
That you would grow in the knowledge of God;
That you would be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience; and
That you would joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Faith begets more faith.

Developing faith is much like developing muscles; our muscles grow stronger as we use them, and become weaker when we don’t use them. Faith comes from prayer and learning about God’s ways through studying and obeying His Word; it is through these exercises that we receive the confidence and peace that God gives when we trust Him.

Faith is something we must practice continuously. It is a continuing cycle. The more you turn to God, the more your faith is strengthened.

We’ll also know our dependence is on God when we trust He will bring us through difficult times with deeper intimacy and greater faith at the end.

Homeschool Prayer

Father, give me wisdom and grace to be a teacher of my children. Fill me with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding; fill my heart with Your love and Your Word. Help me daily teach by example that Your Word should be priority over the things of this world.

Give me strength according to Your glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience. Help me be diligent and wise to teach these children Your Word as You command. Help me persevere in Your ways, Your love and presence. Make my life an example, an influence as I educate these children for you. Keep my eyes on You, on Your vision, Your plans, and Your purposes for our family.

Robin Sampson has been homeschooling for 20 years. She and her husband Ronnie are blessed with a “yours, mine, and ours” blended family of eleven children (ages 6 to 34) and thirteen grandchildren (ages 1 to 12). She is actively teaching the two youngest children still at home. Robin is the author of the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach and a business owner. Please visit her at www.heartofwisdom.com.

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June 27, 2009 By Sallie 11 Comments

As more and more families across the nation decide it’s time for change and bring their children home for school, so goes the way of military families as well. There is no set number carved in stone but the numbers have risen substantially in the past few years. Many families are lost in a sea of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) memoranda and can’t tell heads or tales of the hoopla they are trying desperately to decode. I have been there and done that! Literally! We are a military family and have been in DoDEA base schools in the states, DoDDS base schools in Okinawa Japan, public schools, charter schools, and homeschool. I want to help you sort it all out as best as possible!

Let’s get on with a bit of the regulation info first.

Then we can move to some information that will help with the everyday fun stuff rather than just the nuts and bolts of it all! The Constitution of the United States puts the responsibility of education squarely on the shoulders of the states. This includes dependent children of military members, too. Sometimes it gets confusing with home of record, state of residence, and so forth but simply put, you home educate your children according to the regulations to the actual state you live in. Here is a bit of what the DoDEA website says:

It is DoDEA policy neither to encourage nor discourage DoD sponsors from home schooling their minor dependents. DoDEA recognizes that home schooling is a sponsor’s right and can be a legitimate alternative form of education for the sponsor’s dependents.

A host nation, state, commonwealth, or territory where a DoD sponsor is stationed may impose legal requirements on home schooling practices. DoDEA encourages DoD sponsors who wish to home school their dependents to communicate their desire to their commanders to determine if there are any command policies or other rules ensuring that home schooling practices meet host nation, state, commonwealth, or territory requirements. Sponsors are responsible for complying with applicable local requirements.

DoDEA-run schools on bases within the United States are becoming a rather rare site in recent years due to the cost effectiveness of sending military dependents off base to the local community schools. As a matter of fact, there are only 7 states currently that have these schools within their bases. This may be confusing to many people as many bases still have schools aboard the installation but they are completely run by a local authority. This happens to be the case where I live here in Arizona. A local call to the school should clear the confusion right away if you aren’t sure.

Bases with DoDEA-run Schools

If you happen to be assigned to a base that does still have a DoDEA-run school, and live on installation in base housing, then you have options available to you that you may want to consider. You are allowed to use both auxiliary services as well as academic resources equal to what a child enrolled in the school would receive. Auxiliary services include access to the school library, after hours use of school facilities (comparative to what other enrolled students are allowed), and participation in music, sports, and other extracurricular and interscholastic activities. Academic resources include the loaning of textbooks, workbooks, library books, scheduled standardized tests, software, and so forth. DoDEA schools also offer a wide range of extracurricular activities which vary from school to school. Possible activities include drama, public speaking, Model United Nations, cheerleading, music, and Future Business Leaders of America. The military sponsor should contact their local school to obtain a current listing of what is available. It is not necessary to contact your base commander but it is an option if you should choose to.

Living Overseas

Do you live overseas? These same options and more apply to you as well though they will greatly depend on where you live. Depending on your circumstances, you will probably have one of three choices available to you for homeschooling. The first is homeschooling as a parental preference and you pay for everything out of pocket as you more than likely do already. The second option is to utilize the DOD schools as stated above just like you would if you were stateside. This only pertains to you if you are a sponsored family. That means you are on the orders with your military member and fall under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). You can borrow textbooks from the school, participate in extra activities or sports, take standardized testing, and so forth.

Worldwide IDEA Program

Lastly I want to share with you a program called Worldwide IDEA. In the past this was a program funded through grants that allowed military homeschool families to be reimbursed for their school materials. Considered an e-school, with resources for record keeping and teacher sponsorship, as well as reimbursements for materials and internet service, this was a great option for many families. Unfortunately the grant funding has been cut and the reimbursements are no longer available. However, Worldwide IDEA has not given up the fight and is working to have the DOD recognize homeschooling as a viable, legal, GOOD choice for military families and are working with the folks in Washington to make that happen. There are still pay options available for families and the peace of mind makes it well worth it!

How and what you qualify with for Worldwide IDEA will depend on several things. First, if there are DOD schools available at your base then you will have to pay for your children to be enrolled in the program as if it was a private school. However, if there are not any DOD schools available, then you qualify under the Non DoD School Program (NDSP) and can be reimbursed for your school costs if you are homeschooling your children. I encourage you to visit the Worldwide IDEA website at http://www.worldwide-idea.org/index.html to find out your eligibility status if you are in an overseas location.

Learning Opportunities

So, now that we have the basic facts out of the way, let’s move on to some fun ideas! Why not take advantage of the uniqueness of the place you live and work for everyday school learning? There are many opportunities for learning through field trips that others in your homeschool community might not have. For instance, one of our sons absolutely loves airplanes and helicopters. Dad, who just happens to be an “air-winger” worked it out through contacts on the flightline to have part of his birthday party be a tour of one of the birds. You just can’t get better than that for “cool points” with a then 6 year old! Because of that first experience of being up close and personal with a helicopter, our son was interested in furthering his learning by finding out what the call signs on a plane mean, what the different sounds are so that he can pick them out just by sound even if he can’t see them, what the shapes are and more. This is everyday learning and most importantly, it is real life learning.

Maybe you are doing a unit study on fruits and vegetables. The commissary is available for tours usually 30 minutes prior to opening. You just have to call the manager and set it up! Or maybe your child has an interest in film or journalism. Why not give the base paper, theatre, or public affairs office a call to set up an interview and tour of the process? These are all great opportunities for you to take advantage of so why not utilize them as part of your school routine?! And don’t forget your base library has free internet access on top of all the books and videos you can check out. I love that!! I saw an advertisement for a piano video online, I went to the library to see if it was there and it was. Just consider it a try before you buy opportunity.

Are you Navy or Marine Corps? How about taking a Tiger Cruise? These are space-available cruises from an outer port back to homeport for certain age groups of your family when your service member is deployed aboard ship and returning home. Imagine the excitement for a 12 year old boy (or girl) to be aboard a real naval vessel and getting to watch the ins and outs of typical navy life. Just think of the essays you will get after an experience like that!!

The opportunities for learning are all right there in front of you. You have to be willing to go search them out for your own base though. You probably aren’t going to find a list of “things to do” for homeschoolers but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. If you live overseas, learn the language, eat the food, shop in the stores, and collect the change for a coin collection. Just do stuff! I know once you realize the potential of what is there just waiting for you to reach out and grab hold of it, there will be no looking back. SMILE! ENJOY! LIVE! LEARN!

Special Thanks goes to: Tonya Brewer at WorldWide IDEA and Lorna Dennison at Department of Defense Education Activity for their help with providing the most up to date information and navigation through their respective websites.

Sallie is an off-again, on-again homeschooling mom to her 4 children, ranging from elementary to high school. In her writings, she discusses the challenges of homeschooling a child with disabilities and offers insight to those who sometimes feel all alone in a round hole world. Please visit her at Seaside Tales

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June 26, 2009 By Angela 16 Comments

Please welcome this week’s Guest Repartee Speaker: Nikowa!!

Join her as she shares a concept that is often neglected in our busy lives but is more important than any core subject we set out to teach our children.

“Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
-Romans 12:13

Look forward to your responses! As always, you have until Thursday!

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June 25, 2009 By Sallie 3 Comments

Today (the day that I am typing this) is the 15th of June. Due to time needed for editing, etcetera, our HOTM articles are due by the first of every month. Needless to say, I’m a bit late. I have been dwelling on what profound insight or encouragement I could share with you for weeks but, I’m sorry to say, I got nothing. We had a virus take over our computer about a month ago and it’s like an empty shell up there in the nether regions of my brain. All of my sensibility was lost with my old computer. On that computer, I was constantly typing out small tidbits and notes on my desktop, or in the file my husband had lovingly titled “Sallie’s junk pile”. That meant I always had a story “starter” to “finish” when I need to do an article for any of the websites I write for. I literally had hundreds of text files on it and I could just go in and grab any of them and finish them up lickety-split. Now, I feel like my brain has been turned off without those backup notes.

It’s not that there isn’t anything left in my brain to write about. Heaven’s NO!! I am a homeschooling mom, afterall, and my children give me fodder, er, uhm, brilliant specks of literary genius to write about all the time. I think the issue that has become so daunting for me is simply that I have to start something from SQUARE ONE because I don’t have my arsenal of daily tidbits of our lives built up yet on this new computer. Yikes!! Can anyone say panic attack?!

As I sit here typing, I realize homeschooling can leave you with those same daunting feelings… those “I got nothing” feelings… even for veteran homeschoolers. A move to a new house; a new family member born/adopted mid-week of your mid-term; a transition from kindergarten to elementary, or middle to high school, or any other grade level in between; a new job for mom or dad (or both in today’s economy); a new set of curriculum. All those things, and more, can throw off your groove and leave you feeling like you are flying blind. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Homeschool does not have to be the same thing as ordinary school aka public school. That is why it is extra-ordinary! That is why I love it!!

Recently I discovered the name of the homeschool approach for what I have been doing for years. I knew we weren’t Classical. I knew we weren’t Charlotte Mason. I knew we weren’t unschooling. Though, perhaps we do have a bit of each of those in our routine. We just aren’t full blown regulars to any of those learning approaches. I have always simply called our homeschooling approach Sallie’s Way and that sounded just fine by me. In all actuality, though, it does have a more specific name: Delight Directed Learning. I’m very thankful that this method of homeschooling does not leave me with feelings of being lost and flying blind. The main reason for this is because the schooling is nothing about me and how great a teacher I am, but is instead about my individual children and their interests and desires.

Our oldest son, Caleb, is nearly 15 years old, and is on the autism spectrum. He was diagnosed later than most at age nine. One of the doctors that Caleb saw early on in his diagnosis told us that homeschooling would be our best option for Caleb, and that teaching him towards his interests was the best way to prepare him for a job in the real world. We decided that made pretty good sense to us and if we were teaching him towards his interests, then it would make complete sense to teach ALL of our children towards their individual interests. Guess what?! It WORKS!!

Delight Directed Learning is NOT letting your children do whatever they please. However, it is letting your children learn through what pleases them. My children have attended DOD (Department of Defense) schools, charter schools, and public schools throughout their educational careers, before we moved over completely to the homeschool way of life. Public schools, as well as most of the other school venues we were involved in, want cookie cutter children. They start work as early as possible to strip children of their individual personalities.

God did not create a cookie cutter society but instead gave each of us gifts and talents to be used according to His call on our lives.

Exodus 28 speaks of workmen whom God gave specific talents for creating the priestly garments for Aaron. Exodus 35 speaks of the men gifted with skills for building the tabernacle. We read in verses 30 and through the end of the chapter that God even specifically called the men out by name so that there was no confusion as to whom he had given certain talents to:

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers.

In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 12 gives a list of spiritual gifts and services. Verses 4-6 tells us that even though there are different gifts, and services, and workings, there is only one God who works them all in man. The chapter further tells us that we are to use our individual God-given talents and abilities to work as a unified body in Christ. In His great understanding of the human mind (He DID create it afterall), God knew that he was creating us to be different from each other and that there was a job and place for each of us in His Kingdom.

I use several translations of the Bible at home when I am doing studies and such, but I would have to say that probably my most favorite translation is the Amplified version. I truly love how indepth the translation strives to be. The Amplified gives a bit more meaning to the original translation of Proverbs 22:6 when it says:

6Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

And in keeping with his individual gift or bent. WOW! Do we strive in our day to day homeschool routine to teach our children based on our wants and desires (or individual gifts) or do we strive to teach them what God has gifted them to do? Teaching my children based on their own individual gifts from God has opened my eyes to one of the true blessings of homeschooling.

No longer do I worry if my children are where they are supposed to be educationally compared to other children. No longer do I worry whether or not they are competitive enough in the sports world. No longer do I worry if their music lessons are progressing as well as I think they should be.

Instead, I ask myself daily two questions: 1)”Are my children learning and excelling in the talent God gave them?”, and 2) “Are we giving God the glory for His work in our lives and thanking Him for it?” ( per Colossians 3:17)

As long as I can continue to answer YES to both of those questions, then I know we are on the right track for growing our children up to be the adults that God would have them be. Are you on the right track, too?

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June 24, 2009 By Nikowa Lee 24 Comments

When I was a child I was sneaky. Being an only-child and not having anyone to tell on me, I thought I could get away with more. This wasn’t always true. My mom seemed to know the truth most of the time! Did she really have eyes in the back of her head? Were there hidden cameras? How did she know? My mom used to tell me “Momma’s know” and she was right! Momma some how did know!

Well not long after we got married, Momma told me that we’d have a daughter. She often spoke of her “grandgirl” and once even gave me a whole bunch of stuff she’d been collecting & making. Dresses, booties, blankets, etc. She crocheted and crocheting for her “grandgirl” was no different. She handed it to me & told me, “This stuff is for your future daughter. Put it up.”

“Oh mom! This stuff is beautiful! WOW look at this dress. I can see a little girl wearing this dress for Christmas……But mom, you know that I just had a hysterectomy because of the cancer. Unless we adopt, and that won’t be any time soon, I won’t ever have a daughter.” I told her.

“Yes you will. Put it up.” She assured me. “Trust me, I WILL have a grandgirl.”

Thinking she’d gone crazy and not wanting to disrespect my Momma, I acquiesced and brought the stuff home-packing it away in the attic. I wanted more children, but in the back of my mind I wondered if the reason I’d gotten cervical cancer again was God’s way of ensuring that I didn’t have any more children.

the dress I prayed and prayed. In my heart, I’ve always wanted a lot of children. But ultimately, I knew my life was in God’s hands. It’s all up to Him. If and when He wanted me to have more children, the doors would open.

Well now that we are getting ready for our adoption (of up to 2 girls I might add), I’m going through some of our packed up things. And I came across the dress.

I hugged it.
I cried.
I want my Momma here with me to share in the joy of having her “grandgirl”.

How can one piece of clothing mean so much? How could she have known?

Now we are getting a daughter (or two)…and Momma knew.

Momma’s always know…

nikowa Nikowa is a 3rd year homeschooling mom to two boys. With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, and reading. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.

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