homeschool

The First Fourth

July 1, 2014 by BJU Press Writer

How do you make the Fourth of July come alive for your students? Try letting them experience the exciting events of the first Independence Day through the journal entries of fictional character David Thackeray, the fourteen-year-old son of a Philadelphia storekeeper.

July 2, 1776

All of Philadelphia is in a fervor of nervous anticipation. The Continental Congress has been in session these many months, and we have yet to hear the outcome of their decision. While many colonists still speak of making peace with England, my father says the king made that impossible by declaring us—England’s sons and daughters—enemies. But the people who come into my father’s shop say that even now the men of Congress are deciding the colonies’ future. “Nay,” my father tells them, “our future is in the hands of the Almighty God, and no king or colonial leaders will change that.” I am glad to think the king cannot control us, but I will confess that I am more than a little scared of his troops!

July 4, 1776

It is decided. The colonies have chosen to seek independence no matter what they lose in the attempt. I heard the town crier in the city square near my father’s shop: the Declaration of Independence will be read for all to hear in four days’ time. For now, the excitement of the people congratulating each other in the streets is enough to cause my father to shake his head in wonder. “You would think they are joyful to bear arms against those who have been their brothers!” Father’s eyes grow weary when he speaks of the war, but my friends and I love to watch the minutemen practice on the village green. We cannot wait until we are allowed to enlist! Mother gets quite irritated when I come home covered in the black smoke of gunpowder, but the smell excites me more than even that of her best fresh bread.

July 8, 1776

Father closed the shop early so that he and I might hear the reading of the great Declaration in the town square this even. The square was packed with people from all over the city. Men talked among themselves—some waving their arms wildly—as they shared news trickling in from all over the colonies: accounts of the patriots’ defeat in Quebec, details of the battle at Sullivan’s Island, and even more recent tales of another British naval defeat at Fort Moultrie.

“Hear ye, hear ye!” began the town crier. “By order of the Continental Congress, I hereby proclaim this Declaration of Independence in the hearing of all present, that the country of England may witness the Colonies’ firm determination to stand against all unjust attempts to claim authority over their God-given rights and free will.” I never knew a crowd of so many people could become so suddenly, absolutely silent and still. “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. . . .”* The crier’s voice rang out over our heads and seemed to penetrate my very heart.

The list of the colonists’ grievances against England and her king were long, but never will I forget the words that followed: “We, therefore . . . solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States . . . . And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”* When the crier finished, there was the faintest pause as the enormity of this Declaration sank in. Then the crowd erupted in a roar of cheering.

The future lies in a cloudy haze before our colonies, but to the bottom of my heart I am certain of this: I will know no other home than my United States of America.

*quotation from Declaration of Independence

Read the entire Declaration of Independence

View a Timeline of the American Revolutionary War

Ready, Set, Read! (Part 3)

June 12, 2014 by Megan

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been sharing portions of an interview with Nancy Lohr, author and acquisitions editor for JourneyForth. In the first part of the interview, Nancy explained how the BJU Press Summer Reading Program works and gave a few tips on how to encourage reluctant readers. During the second part, she discussed how children with special needs can participate in the program. Nancy also shared some suggestions for choosing reading materials for children. Below is the final part of our interview.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with objectionable content in children’s literature?

It is no secret that there are plenty of books published for children and teens that do not have a biblical worldview in either the philosophical foundation of the story or in the language and actions of the characters. So what are parents to do? One approach is to pre-read all of the books children read with the goal of presenting material that has no “warts,” but that can consume so much time that children will be waiting for you.

Another approach is to choose books carefully but be prepared to discuss the content when your children encounter something in print that doesn’t square with Scripture and the direction of your home. Children in my library loved to recognize statements in books about dinosaurs that didn’t square with the creation account in Genesis 1. Depending on the age and skill of your reader, you might want to purposely read a book from a different perspective to open discussions. Armed with a trustworthy anthology, search for books from authors and publishers that are a good fit for your family. Read the annotations and discuss with your child what kinds of concerns he or she might find in a given book, and then ask your child to share a sentence or paragraph with you that matches your concern. Make these talking points, and . . . well, talk.

Help your child build discernment as he or she reads. This is a perfect time to develop the concept of our being in the world, but not of the world. Show how to go to Scripture to determine a biblical response. And give your child permission to stop reading if the content is not suitable, and then move on to another, better book.

How can parents provide incentives along the way during the BJU Press Summer Reading Program?

Additional encouragement through the eight-week program may be helpful if it is suited to the individual children. Perhaps your avid readers would like to shoot for a specific number during their reading time, like a large number of minutes or pages or books. These readers might like to read from a variety of categories that include their comfort zones, but stretch them into types of books they haven’t read yet.

Maybe the whole family can go to a favorite place outdoors and enjoy a “book-nic.” Take a blanket, pack a picnic basket meal, and carry along a book for everyone.

If your children like stickers or trinkets or snacks, consider awarding these at milestones during the program.

Incentives can help keep your children motivated during the program, but the best outcome any of us could hope for is that the children begin to be motivated by reading itself with no additional motivation needed. You are there when you hear, “Please, Mom, just one more chapter?”

How can parents model good reading habits for their children?

Join your children during their reading time to read material that interests you, and if what you are reading makes you laugh out loud, I can almost guarantee that you will hear, “What? What’s so funny?” Be in the habit of sharing with them from your own reading. “Hey, listen to this” ought to be a common phrase in your home. Model for them what you are asking of them.

Do you have a reading-related question that we haven’t covered? Let us know in a comment, and we’ll do our best to answer.

Why Attend a Homeschool Convention?

May 20, 2014 by Megan

In March, I had the opportunity to attend the 2014 SOUTHEAST Homeschool Convention in Greenville, South Carolina, which was sponsored by Great Homeschool Conventions. I had a wonderful time attending workshops, talking to people, and exploring the exhibit hall. If you have never attended a homeschool convention, or haven’t been to one in several years, here is a list of five reasons you should go.

1) Make new friends.

It’s interesting to watch people connect at homeschool conferences. I attended a workshop about homeschooling preschoolers and had an instant connection with the women sitting near me because our kids were similar in age. When homeschooling gets tough, connections such as these can be a huge encouragement.

2) Get inspired.

Homeschool conferences have a lot of energy, and a great deal of that energy comes from the sharing of new ideas. I got really excited about little things (like learning how to make homemade silly putty) and big things (like a workshop speaker’s ideas for fostering creative writing skills in young children). I could barely wait to go home and get to work.

3) Be encouraged.

Homeschooling can be a lonely venture, and sometimes it doesn’t seem worth the effort. It’s encouraging to talk to or listen to people who have had similar struggles and found ways to overcome. It is also encouraging to be reminded of the blessings and benefits of homeschooling.

4) Explore options.

It’s a lot easier to make decisions about homeschooling curriculum when you can look at all your options at one time. Many publishers, such as BJU Press, have a display where you can interact with the materials and ask their representatives questions.

5) Enjoy a break.

Enjoy the break from the daily homeschooling routine. Even better—leave your kids with a relative or trusted friend, and enjoy a couple days away with your husband. You’ll be glad you did!

Have you attended a homeschool convention this year? What was your favorite part?

Ready, Set, Read! (Part 2)

May 12, 2014 by Megan

We hope you’ve signed up your child(ren) to be a part of the BJU Press Summer Reading Program. If you haven’t, there’s still time! Registration is open until June 17.
A few weeks ago we shared part one of our interview with JourneyForth acquisitions editor Nancy Lohr. Nancy shared with us some great information about the BJU Press Summer Reading Program and gave us some tips for encouraging reluctant readers to read this summer. Below are some more great nuggets from our conversation.

What would you say to parents of special needs children who want to participate?

I would shout, “Hurrah for you!” The fact that your child cannot lift words from the page without some help doesn’t mean his or her literary taste buds won’t enjoy the story just as much as other children. Customize this reading program to maximize its effectiveness for your child. You may need to break the reading sessions into smaller segments, or “read” audio books while following along in the print book. You can do the same kind of seeing/hearing with eBooks by using the text-to-speech function of eReaders along with the on-screen text. Some books are available in DVD format so you can watch with the closed captions turned on. The Mice of the Herring Bone DVD from ShowForth is an example of this type of book. If you have other ways that you make reading accessible to your special needs child, we’d love for you share your approach with us on the JourneyForth Facebook page.

What’s the most important thing for parents to remember when choosing reading materials for their children?

Summer reading qualifies as leisure reading, so engage your children in the selection process to find topics of interest. Let your children read the materials that they didn’t have time for during the school year. Children learn how to read in school; they learn to love reading when they are immersed in topics or stories that they enjoy.

Don’t be overly concerned about whether the material is “hard enough.” Certainly you don’t want to let a capable reader slide by and gain little, but experts agree that regular reading in materials of the child’s choice is one of the best ways to strengthen reading skills as well as to develop a love for the written word. And the children who learn to love reading are the ones who will be reading long after the last school assignment is complete.

As a librarian, I often saw children who used their summer reading time to read all of the Hardy Boys^®series—in numerical order—or some challenge of that nature. Those children did a heap of reading during the summer and had fun in the process. That’s huge motivation regardless of their skills. Reading is an accrued skill that develops as children read regularly.

What are some reading challenges that your child faces? Let us know in a comment.

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Ready, Set, Read!

April 25, 2014 by Megan

The BJU Press Summer Reading Program has begun! In celebration of its launch, we spoke with Nancy Lohr, acquisitions editor for JourneyForth, about the Summer Reading Program and topics related to reading. Nancy, an avid reader herself, has also worked as a classroom teacher and a children’s librarian in the past. Below is a portion of the interview.

What is your goal for the Summer Reading Program, or what would you say is its purpose?

The BJU Press Summer Reading Program is designed to give parents a manageable and effective way to keep their children reading through the summer months. Research shows that children can lose ground educationally during the summer months, and parents can minimize or eliminate this loss by establishing a pattern of leisure reading at home. Reading contests and programs can be notoriously difficult for the parent or teacher to execute, so we’ve designed our program to promote regular reading for children—we’re asking for reading five days a week for eight weeks during your summer—with a minimum of paperwork for Mom and Dad and taking into consideration the varying skills and interests of the children who participate. This gives families time for vacations, summer camp, and family activities while still making reading a priority, which in turn advances reading skills and fosters a love of reading.

Do you have some suggestions or encouragement for parents of reluctant readers?

If you as parents know why your child is reluctant, then you have some idea of where you need to focus your efforts.

Maybe you need to start the summer with an engaging read-aloud for your family. This could be the fanciful My Father’s Dragon or the poignant Stone Fox or . . . you get the idea.

Help your child select books appropriate to his or her skills. Scour an anthology or your library’s catalog to find something that is engaging to your child and suitable for your family, or talk with your local children’s librarian for ideas. Get recommendations from the readers in your world. Try cooperative reading with your child, taking turns with paragraphs or pages or with each of you reading the words of specific characters. Or one of you signal the other when you are ready to handoff to the other reader. Some children like to reread books; that’s just fine. Who doesn’t like to spend an afternoon with an old friend? Reading skills are strengthened even in rereading. Consider why that book is your child’s friend, and then look for books that are similar in some way.

If your child has adequate reading skills but doesn’t like to read, then it may be that he or she just hasn’t found a home-run book yet. Reading fiction may not be your child’s cup of tea, so look for nonfiction that will answer questions or deliver information. It may be that a book about combustion engines or the Smithsonian Magazine can satisfy your child’s need to know. Use the summer to find the kind of reading material that scratches the reading itch for your youngster.

Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? What have you done to motivate that child?