BJU Press Blog

Successful Learning

You want your children to succeed in their education. We do too. We offer practical tips for teaching your children math, science, writing, and more! These tips can be applied to any homeschool curriculum. There are also highlights of our new textbooks with examples of how our curriculum trains your children to have success in their learning.

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Celebrating 12 Days of Christmas!

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Want to know how the books for the 12 Days of Christmas sale were chosen? We asked different employees to choose a book that has special meaning to them. In the list below you will find links to several of their stories.

 

Chickadee Winter

Escape to Liechtenstein

Jenny Wren

Just a Minute

Mumsi Meets a Lion

Next Fine Day

The Princess and the Goblin

The Railway Children

Refresh Your Heart

Walking in the Spirit

What Do I Know About My God?

What’s Stopping You?

Escape to Liechtenstein

“When I was in elementary school, I was captivated by the story of these children in World War II. Their bravery in fighting against the enemy and the exciting adventures they experienced were so exciting that I felt like I was in the story with them. I struggled to put the book down, and read through all three in the series one right after the other.” —Andrew

Based on historical events, the Young Refugees Series by Ed Dunlop takes young readers to a time when fighting for your life was an everyday reality. Hans and his younger sister Gretchen risk their own safety to protect others in Nazi-occupied Europe. (ages 9–12)

Jenny Wren

“I read a lot—books of all shapes and sizes—but one of the books that I remember enjoying as a child was Jenny Wren. Looking back, I was probably intrigued by the story since Jenny’s life as an orphan was so different from my life. Hers was filled with instability and left her wary of trusting anyone, even the sweet couple that tried to offer her a safe, loving home. Now that I’m older I think about this story and see a beautiful analogy of God’s love for us woven throughout. I hope it blesses you as much as it has me.” —Carolynn

Grace, love, and forgiveness permeate this youth novel by Dawn L. Watkins. Jenny Wren, a foster child, has just moved to live with the Logans, but she does not expect to stay long. (ages 9–12)

Mumsi Meets a Lion

“I picked Mumsi Meets a Lion because it reminds me of when I was a kid imagining what it would be like if I met a lion. Would I be able to stand still? Would I run away as fast as possible or would I try to fight the lion off? I don’t know, but it sure was fun thinking about it.” —David

And that is exactly what young readers will encounter when they read Kim Stegall’s picture book—an account of a boy named Mumsi and what he does when a lion comes across his path. (picture book)

The Railway Children

“I never read The Railway Children until I was an adult. A friend recommended it to me around the time my second child was born, and I fell in love with the book immediately. Be sure to read the book aloud so that you can fully appreciate the beauty of the author’s language choices and storytelling ability. The story itself celebrates the carefree innocence of childhood and will delight your young child again and again.” —Megan

You’ll find themes of adventure, family values, and trust throughout this wonderful youth novel by Edith Nesbit. (ages 9–12)

What Do I Know About My God?

“I chose What Do I Know About My God? because it’s a book that I return to over and over again when I need to be reminded of what Scripture says about who God is and what He does. As a teenager, I first remember seeing this book at my aunt’s house and wondering if it could teach me more than I already knew about my Lord. Now having finished the book and taking up the challenge to begin my own journal, I can say that God has used this book as a tool in my life to help me grow in my relationship with Him and in my gratefulness for His words. It has also been a source of encouragement as I share the Bible truths with other women God brings into my life.“ —Meredith

This book by Mardi Collier is great for personal growth or group study. Although written for women, it presents truths about God that are valuable for all believers.

What’s Stopping You?

“What’s Stopping You? sounds like something that I could have used when I was a teenager and didn’t really understand God’s Word. It seemed that very few people had the knowledge, the patience, or the time to teach me. I believe that if I had better understood what I needed to do to become more like Christ, some of the wrong choices I made wouldn’t have affected me so much.” —Byron

Written by Nathan Thomas, this book challenges teens to pursue God with all their being.

Have you read any of these books? Share your story with us below.

Add a Homemade Touch This Christmas

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I love decorating for Christmas! Recently (thanks to Pinterest) I’ve become more of a “do it myself” kind of guy and have enjoyed creating my own Christmas decorations.

If you’re looking for something that you and the kids can do to add a homemade touch to your Christmas décor this year, look no further. I’ve created some ornament patterns that you can download and print out for your kids to create one-of-a-kind ornaments.

Materials

  • A printout of the ornaments pdf (If you want, you can print it out on thicker paper to make them sturdier.)
  • Scissors
  • Hole punch
  • Craft supplies to decorate the ornaments (I used glitter pens and colored markers for mine.)
  • Ribbon
  • X-acto® knife (optional)

Directions

  1. Print out the ornaments and cut around each ornament on the dashed line.
  2. If you would like to, you can use the X-acto® knife to cut out the patterns within the ornaments.
  3. Once all the ornaments have been cut out, use the hole punch to make a hole at the top of each ornament.
  4. Use your craft supplies to decorate the ornaments however you like.
  5. Once all the ornaments are decorated and dry, cut some pieces of ribbon and string one through the hole at the top of each ornament.  You can staple or tape the ends of the ribbon to make a loop.
  6. Now display your homemade ornaments around the house. You can hang them on the tree or even hang them from the top of a door. Get creative and have fun!

We’d love to see your ornaments! Share a picture of your ornament creations with us on our Facebook page.

Today is Special Education Day

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image of illustrated children holding a banner that says special education day

All of us at BJU Press would like to say “thank you” to the teachers, parents, and administrators who work hard to help students with learning disabilities to reach their full potential. We interviewed Anna Hamrick, a teacher who assists struggling readers, to get her perspective on teaching. It’s my hope that her thoughts will be an encouragement as you continue helping your students.

1. How long have you been a teacher? How much of that time have you been working with students who have learning disabilities?

This is my ninth year teaching full-time. I also was a part-time substitute teacher in Greenville County for six years while I was home with young children. Thinking back, I believe I have worked with students with learning disabilities every year.

2. Where do you currently work?

I currently teach in the Learning Resource Center at Bob Jones Academy Elementary School.

3. How do you help the students at the Learning Resource Center?

I teach the third- through sixth-grade students who struggle with reading. We work on phonics, decoding, expression, comprehension, and many other reading skills. My desire is that the students will take what they learn in my class and apply it to their other reading assignments and to their recreational reading. Ultimately, I want my students to love to read!

4. How do you adapt BJU Press textbooks when teaching your special needs students?

The adaptations I make to the reading curriculum are minor. I definitely move at a slower pace. I also place a much heavier emphasis on oral reading. This gives me an opportunity to pinpoint areas of weakness in rate, decoding, punctuation, and expression. For my younger students, I often read the entire worktext page to them while allowing them to answer the questions independently.

5. Do you have any advice for teachers who teach students with learning disabilities?

Be patient and be flexible! Be prepared to adjust your plans if necessary. Sometimes learning disabled students need extra time with certain skills.

Be aware. Keep an eye on how your students are doing in all their classes. Communicate regularly with the parents and the general education teachers.

Be approachable. Make sure the teachers and parents know they can come to you for advice, help, and encouragement. Be prepared to give the general education teachers suggestions for accommodations in the regular classroom and to give parents advice for how to help at home.

 

A Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving

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When you hear the phrase “the first Thanksgiving,” what are some images that come to mind? You have probably seen enough artists’ renderings of this event to have a mental picture of fall trees, a table loaded with traditional Thanksgiving fare, and an assortment of Pilgrims and Wampanoags enjoying a peaceful meal together. A number of historians have exposed the mythical elements in scenes like that. For example, while there might have been turkey at the feast, there would not have been potatoes. The Pilgrims would have lacked sugar for sweetening cranberries and ovens for baking pumpkin pies. The menu may have even included such nontraditional items as mussels, crabs, and eels. Since furniture would have been scarce in Plymouth Colony, even the table itself is a questionable detail.

Historical errors have also crept into the way Pilgrim clothing is depicted. Large buckles on hats and shoes were not affordable for common people, and Pilgrim men probably would not have worn them even if they had been. Written records of the Pilgrims have revealed that they wore bright-colored garments, especially for festive occasions, rather than mournful black.

It’s also possible that the presence of the Indians at the Thanksgiving feast was not entirely comfortable for the Pilgrims. No doubt there were lingering tensions on both sides, despite peaceful relations on the surface.

But perhaps the one thing most of us lack in our mental picture of this feast is an understanding of the Pilgrims’ state of bereavement. The Pilgrims were undergoing a period of deep personal grief. Only about half of their number who had voyaged on the Mayflower had survived the first winter. Nearly every family had experienced a death. Only four of the married women were still living. Most of the Pilgrims at the feast were men or children under the age of sixteen.

The exact character of the 1621 harvest feast is a subject of debate. Some scholars think it was more of a festival than a serious religious holiday. But whatever the mood of the occasion, the fact remains that even in the face of excruciating personal trials, the Pilgrims took a day to celebrate God’s goodness. The Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving teach us that giving thanks is an act of faith. A truly thankful person looks beyond the present difficulties to see God’s gracious hand opened, giving what is best. May we be reminded this Thanksgiving Day that we too are pilgrims on a journey planned and guided by an all-wise God. May we have the faith to lift our eyes above life’s barren fields to thank God for His bountiful blessings—past, present, and future.

What are you thankful for this year?

How Should I Teach My Son to Use Technology?

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Recently, my two-year-old son has developed a fascination with devices that glow and beep. And I’ve suddenly realized that I have to decide how I’m going to teach him to use the world of electronic devices that are at his fingertips. My own enjoyment of technology makes this an exciting task, but my knowledge of the pitfalls of using these tools has resulted in careful consideration of how to approach this aspect of parenting. Several ideas come to mind as I think about training my son to use technology wisely.

1. Treating People as More Important

First, I need to teach him that the people he is with are more important than whatever he can do on a screen. Christ taught the importance of other people in Luke 10. After a lawyer confirmed the law’s demand to love one’s neighbor, he asked Christ who his neighbor was. Christ clarified by telling the story of the good Samaritan, showing that our neighbors are those around us. In this area, I need to lead by example.

When I go to the park, I often see parents sitting on a bench, absorbed in their phones, while their young kids yell out, “Hey, Dad, look at me!” or “Hey, Mom, watch this!” The temptation to check my e-mail or even try to get things done just because I always have my phone with me could ruin opportunities to interact with my son or others. If he sees me focused on him or the other people around me instead of my phone, he will learn that the people around him are important.

2. Observing the Real World

I also need to teach him to learn by observing the world around him. Technology can aid in this observation. There’s an abundance of apps that allow us to learn details about the night sky and videos about fascinating aspects of nature. I can use these to assist, but I should also point him to nature off the screen as well. We could go on a nature walk or a hike. I can point out the little details I notice as we’re walking around outside or working in the yard. I can help him develop a lifelong habit of seeing God’s handiwork all around him and praising God for His great creation.

3. Using Time Wisely

Finally, I need to teach him to use his time wisely. Because he’s only two now, that probably means my regulating how much time he spends in front of a screen in comparison to playing with toys that build developmental skills or sitting in my lap reading books. As he gets older and has the ability to choose whether to read or play or use an electronic device, I plan to set some limits on how much time he spends in front of a screen. One good suggestion I’ve heard is to allow him to earn screen time by reading for a period of time; this will help him balance how he spends his free time.

I’m excited about the opportunity to teach my son how to wisely use the fascinating tools available to him. Each of us who works with children has the responsibility to help train them to use technology for the glory of God.

In your experience, what’s another lesson that’s important to teach children about using technology?

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Andrew enjoys helping others use technology in a way that glorifies God. He and his wife help with the children’s ministries at their church. Along with their three sons, they like to read together about other people’s adventures and then go out and have their own.