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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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.

Count Your Blessings

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Encourage children to count their blessings and share them with others by making these simple table decorations for Thanksgiving.

Materials Needed

The same materials can be used for both table decorations.

  • Patterns:  (centerpiece) double turkey; (placemat) leaves or single turkey
  • Markers, crayons, color pencils
  • Pencil or pen
  • Scissors
  • Glue (glue stick works best)
  • Construction paper (optional for centerpiece)
  • Clear contact paper (optional for centerpiece)

Thankful Turkeys Centerpiece

  1. Download and print out the double turkey pattern.
  2. Have the kids write out what they are thankful for on the turkey’s four feathers. (They can write the same or different things on both sides.)
  3. Let the kids decorate their turkeys by coloring in the body and feathers. (If you decide not to use contact paper, adding feathers, sequins, and fabric to the turkeys might be fun.)
  4. Make sure the kids follow the dotted lines to cut out the turkeys. (If you want to leave the legs, don’t forget to trace and cut around them!)
  5. Finally, have them fold the printout on the solid black line and set it on the table. (Tips: For added firmness glue the printout to a piece of construction paper before folding it; or cut out the optional bottom piece, fold on the solid black lines, and glue the flaps to both sides of the printout. For added protection trace over the dotted lines on both burkeys. Next, lay a piece of contact paper on the front side of the printout. The contact paper should overlap the edge of the printout by half an inch. Cut out the turkeys and fold the printout on the solid black line.)

Blessings Falling Down Placemat

  1. Download and print out the leaves pattern.
  2. Have the kids write out a blessing on each leaf.
  3. Let the kids color the leaves. (The kids only need to color the side they wrote on.)
  4. Make sure the kids follow the dotted lines as they cut out each leaf.
  5. Encourage the kids to write a title for their placemat on the piece of construction paper. (For example: “I am thankful for . . . ” or “My Blessings”)
  6. Have the kids glue the leaves to either side of  the construction paper. (Preferred paper size is 9×12.)
  7. Cut out a piece of contact paper so that it overlaps the edge of the construction paper by half an inch. Place the construction paper onto the contact paper. Repeat the process so that both sides of the construction paper are covered and the contact paper is sealed; then trim the edges. (Optional: A placemat can also be made using the single turkey pattern.)

I hope you enjoy making these crafts. Making placemats was one of my favorite activities to do while growing up. In fact, I still use placemats, notepad paper, and 3×5 cards to help me reflect on the goodness of God. Teaching children to thank God for all things prepares them to trust Him in the future.

How do you encourage children to express thankfulness?

Write a Novel in a Month?!

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Looking to inspire those budding novelists under your tutelage?

November is the perfect opportunity to get them to stretch those creative muscles. By introducing them to National Novel Writing Month, you just might see even timid and procrastinating writers start baby-stepping their way to literary greatness.

 

While the average novel is around 100,000 words, National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo as it is called) cuts that requirement in half, asking writers to produce a 50,000-word short novel in thirty days. By producing a shorter work, your writers are being trained to make it “meatier”—with no droning on about superfluous details or patience-testing fillers. This project calls for cutting to the chase, keeping things moving, and only letting in the important stuff. NaNoWriMo is all about getting a story on paper and worrying about fine-tuning it later.

Writers are also forced to map their strategy and organize their time. We all have other stuff to do, especially during the holiday season. Not many of us would choose to skip Thanksgiving dinner to write. So your writers will have to divide the number of words they need by the number of days they will actually be writing throughout November. A realistic goal would probably be a chapter a week.

Needless to say, having a firm grasp of the basics of fiction writing will go a long way toward your students’ success with this project. A review of plot, characterization, description,and so on before plunging forward will give added direction and confidence. Who knows where the journey will lead, once the first step is taken? NaNoWriMo mini-novel today, best-seller tomorrow.

NaNoWriMo Writing Project Tips

      1. Decide on the required number of words. Your students have other classes and projects, so you may need to make your minimum word count smaller than 50,000.
      2. Choose the start and end dates for the project. You can go with the traditional month of November time frame, or you can have it go shorter or longer if you need to. Whatever you decide, make sure it’s a reasonable period of time to meet your word-count requirements.
      3. Determine the grading criteria. Will you grade based on completion only or will you also check the quality of writing—sentence structure, spelling/grammar, and such? Be sure to let your students know this at the beginning of the project. (NaNoWriMo is typically focused on completing a rough draft.)
      4. Implement weekly (or other periodic) checks. If left alone, some of your students will fall behind in their writing. Help them out by giving occasional due dates and telling them what you will be looking for in those checks.

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Rebecca is a work-at-home freelance writer, novelist, wife, and the mom of two bright-eyed little ones. She credits her success in writing and her love of books to her own mom, who homeschooled three kids from pre-K through high school.

Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo or adapted it for your students? Tell us about your experience in a comment.

Don’t Celebrate Columbus Day?

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Columbus was only one of many famous explorers, and he never actually got to the North American continent. So, why celebrate Columbus?

Christopher Columbus arrives in America
Christopher Columbus arrives in America by L. Prang & Co., Boston/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

As early as 1792, there were official celebrations of Columbus’s voyage. In 1934, in response to lobbying by Italian immigrants, Congress passed a resolution asking the president to designate October 12 as Columbus Day. President Roosevelt signed a proclamation in 1937, but it was still not a federal holiday. In 1968, in honor of Columbus as an example of the courage and determination of all immigrants who have come to America,  Congress decided to create a legal public holiday to be celebrated on the second Monday of October each year.

But Columbus’s arrival in the New World actually opened the door for major changes no one wants to celebrate. Europeans brought enslavement and death to thousands of people in the Americas. If humans were simply advanced primates, perhaps these acts could be explained as necessary for the survival of the fittest. But human beings are image-bearers of God (Genesis 1:27), and the Bible teaches that that people are to love their neighbors (Mark 12:31). A Christian cannot please God by celebrating or even by ignoring the death or mistreatment of other people.

The real question is whether you can celebrate the good that someone does without talking about the evil that he does. The Bible gives us guidance on that. As the Old Testament accounts show, God used people like Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and David despite their failings and sins. But God does not whitewash their history. In each case He details both their successes and their failures to love God and their neighbors. However, God does not always feel compelled to give both sides. In Hebrews 11 there is a list of heroes of faith. God mentions Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and David, but not their failures. The list even includes Rahab, Samson, and Jephthah, all of whom  were conspicuous for sinfulness! Why are they in this chapter? It’s not that the failures don’t matter. God spent a lot of time talking about their failures in other places. It’s just that a person is not simply the sum of his failures; he is also a product of grace working in his life.

When  historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto took up the question of whether Columbus was a saint or criminal, he concluded on the five-hundredth anniversary of his famous voyage that “the real Columbus was a mixture of virtues and vices like the rest of us, not conspicuously good or just, but generally well-intentioned, who grappled creditably with intractable problems.”

So what can you celebrate on Columbus Day? Celebrate the truth. Remember that early explorers such as Columbus courageously faced enormous obstacles and persevered. Acknowledge the fact that many also sinned against their fellow human beings. Recognize that in spite of man’s sinfulness, God is gracious. Thank God for the good, and learn from the bad. For Christians, Columbus is a reminder that we are all sinners desperately in need of the grace of God.