I was excited to find how many homeschoolers, this past week, were motivated to get their schedules in order and had fun doing it. Last week’s theme blessed me in two definite ways… I got to see how others plan out their days and was able to help others in their planning. I hope you were also blessed in these ways and more!

THEME

Planning your homeschool is a lot of fun, especially if you’re going to be trying something new. Just like finding a shiny new penny you’re excited to use it. Mother Dear has been planning some new curriculum for us, and I am plenty excited to get started on it. This week I hope you’ll share something new you’re using, why you’ve decided to use it, and if you have used it how you like it. Make sure to include the publishing information and where you got it from so others can look into if they like.

Make sure you enter in your DIRECT link to your HM post and not just your blog link. When others go back to look over the themes they will be able to go directly to your post rather than just your front page.

MY THEME

I’ve mentioned previously one thing I am looking forward to that is new this year is lapbooking… inexpensive scrapbooking with learning. I enjoy scrapbooking quite a bit and I am very artsy so I think I will enjoy it. However, the “something new” I’m doing this year is “Unlocking The Mysteries Of Creation” by Dennis R. Petersen. A few weeks ago Mother Dear found a video, online, about creationism by Dr. Kent Hovind. You can watch the entire 15hour seminar online, and so I have watched 5 out of 7 videos over the past few weeks and learned so much history, science, the opposing beliefs - Evolution & Creationism - and Bible study. It’s really been educational.

Mother Dear decided that I should look over the Mysteries of Creation book and put together a “class” to do for everyone else this year. I’m not sure I will be a very good teacher, but I’m going to be looking through it and see what I can come up with. I know it will prove to be very beneficial.

“SOMETHING NEW” INFORMATION:

Title: Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation: The Explorer’s Guide to the Awesome Works of God
Author: by Dennis R. Petersen
ISBN: 0967271304 / 9780967271309 / 0-9672713-0-4
Publisher: Creation Resource Foundation
Edition: Hardcover
Tags: bible biblical-studies christian creation creationism homeschool reference science

Book summary: It’s basic test for thousands of Christian home-school families. It captivates and engages those who may not even be prone to read books.

Blessings!

Homeschool News

If you haven’t heard, Dana Hanley of Principled Discovery now has her own weekly online homeschool broadcast-show.

Ann Zeise joins Home School Talk

Join Dana today, for Home School Talk (Monday September at 1PM CST for the week’s homeschool news and an interview with Ann Zeise of A to Z Home’s Cool!  We’ll be talking a little about how she got started homeschooling, her website and some of what went on behind the scenes in California dealing with the recent court decision.
If you can’t make the show live, it will be available at that same link shortly after the broadcast finishes.

GREAT BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

Click the icon to enter to win the latest in the Kingdom Series by Chuck Black!! Also check the Contest page for more contests to win.

Can I homeschool?
Have you heard the concerns from anti-homeschoolers that a parent is not smart enough to teach their own child?  Or maybe that outside of the school setting, there is no way you can provide for the quality education your child deserves? (those of you who know me are probably laughing now…)

Have you wondered if maybe you even *could* homeschool your children? Do the naysayers have you questioning the ability you thought you had to homeschool? Here is an article written by education advocate, Joe Turtel.

Parents Homeschooling Can Take A Lot Less Time Than You Think

[article excerpt] “The numbers are straightforward and irrefutable. The child who attends public school typically spends approximately 1100 hours a year there, but only twenty percent of these—220—are spent, as the educators say, ‘on task.’ Nearly 900 hours, or eighty percent, are squandered on what are essentially organizational matters.”

“In contrast, the homeschooled child who spends only two hours per day, seven days a week, year-round, on basics alone, logs over three times as many hours ‘on task’ in a given year than does his public school counterpart. Moreover, unlike the public school child, whose day is largely taken up by non-task activities, the homeschooled child has ample time left each day to take part in other activities — athletics, art, history, etc…”

Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of “Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children.” Article Copyrighted © 2005 by Joel Turtel.  Joel Turtel’s site is http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com

*What About the Costs?*
And, homeschooling used to be rather expensive for the Dixon family when I thought I needed every workbook, every answer key and all the supplements, but, hey, I was new and had no one to give me any guidance, so I learned by doing. Wendy at Home Is has some great information for you to find resources for Homeschooling for Free.

I Love to Meet Other Homeschoolers!
She points out that one of the best resources you will find are OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS! I can’t agree more with her. I got to meet ANOTHER HOMESCHOOLER this weekend that some of you may know. Though I only spent a few hours with her chit-chatting at her daughter’s volleyball game, I know she is someone who is very knowledgeable about homeschooling. She was a homeschooling coordinator for years, and was lead to the Lord and to homeschooling by Gregg and Sono Harris! Though I have known Kim Wolf for a couple of years now through blogging, writing together on Home Where They Belong and through our own personal blogs, I was so happy to meet her on Saturday alive and in person! *waves* Hi Kim!!

Gleaning From Friends Online
One way that Jocelyn has created to meet other homeschoolers and glean from their experiences and knowledge is to participate in and read the entries for the new HSBA Homeschool Memoirs Meme! We start a new theme every Wednesday. If you have not gotten a chance to read over the other moms’ posts about Homeschool Memoirs: Agendas and Homeschool Memoirs: #3 Routines, be sure to out-click on the Mr. Linky names and read theirs!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for these families and friends:
Three precious children have gone home to the Lord in the past year that I know of. Please pray for:

Sweet Christian, David and Marsha Drews Family
Raising Arrows
Rachael Kligmann’s Family

These friends are battling cancer and need our prayers:

Tristan Irwin and Family
Adelaine Powell and Family
Sean
Chrissy Mamasmurf

Other Prayer Needs and Lists:
I Am Praying For:
Keep in Prayer

Other Homeschool Interests:

Since this is my post, hehe, I am going to give a plug here for the Homeschool Stuff For Sale I have on my blog. Email me if you need any of it and make me an offer. I mean, even a dollar or two. Or just cover the shipping! I gotta get rid of it! Leave me a comment, send me an email. Info is on the pages.

Also remember to check out the Contests and Carnivals page for the most-recent carnivals and contests that you are sure to want to enter!!

Blessings!!

Doesn’t that sound like fun? Every week you can have fun and go to a carnival. I am talking about blog carnivals. You hear about them, but maybe you aren’t sure what exactly it is.  Participating in  blog carnivals is a great way to learn from others and their experiences and also to get your link out.
My wonderful sister, Jocelyn, wrote up a wonderful article about what a blog carnival is and everything about it! She gives 6 points on what a blog carnival is:

1. Carnivals To Join
2. What “Carnival”?
3. What’s The Purpose?
3. Participating
4. Why?
5. Promoting
6. Hosting

Make sure to head over to The Homesteading Carnival to find out What IS A Carnival Exactly?

Some of the carnivals I participate in weekly are:

The Homesteading Carnival (THC)
Carnival of Homeschooling (COH)
Carnival of Education
Carnival of the Recipes
Make it from Scratch!

I really enjoy entering these carnivals and then going and seeing all the other entries too!

A couple of things that Jocelyn didn’t mention were: Most of the carnivals have deadlines. COH is Mondays before 9pm EST. THC is Sundays before 9pm EST. You can submit an article anytime before then, but if you submit one after then, it will be entered for the next week’s carnival.
Also, when you submit an article through BlogCarnival, you will receive a receipt email that let’s you know your submission went through and all the information you filled out about it.

This week I am hosting The Homesteading Carnival this week at It’s A Learning Experience, so be sure to get your entries in!

Better Blogging to you!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Like any education process it provides an opportunity to achieve goals that you have set. Many young ladies dream of growing up to be a wife and a mother. Some young men dream of growing up to be a carpenter or an accountant. Each young person should have some kind of goal that they set for their lives, even if they’re short term goals. Here are a few tips on setting goals:

1. Decide what your goal is, why you want that goal, and how you’ll achieve it.

2. Determine what will help you keep your focus and set a reasonable time limit for achieving your goal.

3. Make yourself something to remind you of your goals. For example, if your goal is to earn enough funds to take up horse back riding lessons, get a photo of a horse and pin it up on your wall.

4. Establish your training coaches. These are people who will help you along the way. They will keep you accountable for your goals and help you keep your focus.

5. Play the game. You can’t expect to attain a goal if you don’t put your hand to the task. Do what it takes to continue in the direction of your goal.

6. Maintain your integrity. Never lower your standards to achieve a goal. There’s no short cut to anything worth while.

Success is when opportunity meets preparation. As you make your goal plan and work that plan you should see success. Keep track of your progress and find satisfaction in what you’re attaining, while remaining hungry to complete the goal. If you’re not prepared when the opportunity comes, you will miss that window of opportunity. Stay with your plan and make it work.

Training Camp is a time to work on the specific requirements that we will have to fulfill in the game. If you find that there is an area that you lack in completing your goal, then find out what it’s going to take. If you need to educate yourself further in order to complete your task, then do just that. When I (Lisa) first learned how to create graphics I worked many hours to learn just one technique. Sometimes I couldn’t figure something out and it took many tries to no avail. I finally sought out someone who did know the answer and asked for help. It’s okay if you need help to increase in intelligence in order to achieve your goal. Don’t give up just because you hit a wall, persevere.

You’re not the only one who has goals for your life. God has a plan for each one of you. Many teens feel that life won’t happen for them until they’re eighteen years old. That’s not true. God wants to use you now. It’s good that you’re in training at the age you’re at now, but you can still be used by God to complete His goals for your life. If you’re a young teen lady and you want to be a wife and mother one day you are in training by serving your dad and helping your younger siblings. You never not influence. Each time you open your mouth or share a facial expression, you are showing your siblings how to behave. The kind of young lady you are now will determine what kind of wife and mother you will be. If you feel that your life is falling short of the goal you have as a future wife and mother, then ask your mother for help in those areas you’re lacking in.

If you’re a young man and you want to be financially successful in order to support a wife and children, then seek your dad for financial wisdom. Maybe there’s something he can do to allow you to be a part of your family’s finances. Is there a pet you take care? See if he will create a monthly budget for you so you can learn how to provide for your pets needs each month. Take the pet to the Vet and learn from that experience. Maybe your family pays for landscaping, why not ask for the job yourself? Maybe your dad can teach you how to mow the lawn and trim the edges, then you can begin a landscaping route of your own in your neighborhood. Learn to budget for gasoline for the mower and garbage bags for the clippings. Everything you do now can be a learning experience for your future. You may be in training now, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait for your life to begin.

Your life is now, live it!

It’s May, and it’s the time of year when the weather is finally getting warmer to stay, many of us are planting our gardens, and our children are finishing up another official year of homeschool. Time for us to go through our old papers and plans and put time and energy into planning for the next year. For some of us that means unit studies to plan through the summer or vacations, anything to learn! The carnivals will also continue through the summer, so take a look at what other homeschool families will be doing as the year winds down.

Leave me a comment and tell me your homeschool plans for summer. If you’ve posted about it already, leave your link in the comments so we can visit it!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Carnivals

I am a bit partial to this first carnival. First of all, because Amanda and Jocelyn created it and run it, and second of all, because Amanda is such a sweetie! She is hosting The Homesteading Carnival #49: My Mama Edition. You have to see it. I am blessed to have such wonderful children who are also my friends.

Henry Cate, of WhyHomeschool, has announced the Winners of the Carnival of Homeschooling images contest. Frankly, I am partial to this one on the left, because Jocelyn designed it. Henry posted the codes for the winning icons, so go grab one if you like!

Other carnivals of interest are:

The next edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling will be at Mom is Teaching.

Last week’s Carnival of Homeschooling is at Melissa’s Idea Garden.

The current issue, from April 28, of the Charlotte Mason Carnival is up at The Family Zoo. The next issue, May 13, will be at The Heart of Harmony.

The 3rd edition of the Canadian Canadian Home Educators Blog Carnival is up.

The Carnival of Education, the current issue, from May 07 is up at Bellringers. The next issue, on May 14, will be up at Instructify.

The Carnival of Mathematics, May 02 issue, is up at Teaching College Math Technology Blog.

The Carnival of Learning in The Great Outdoors, May 05 edition, is up at 10,000 Birds.

The Active Learning Carnival, Apr 07, is up at Active Learning Blog Carnival. The next issue will be Jun 14, at Active Learning Blog Carnival.

Thank you for joining me for Memo Monday! Have a super week!!

One of the best things I have done for my children’s home education has been to incorporate their blogging into their curriculum. When I created Growing in Grace Magazine, I did not intentionally plan to use it as an opportunity for my daughters to get their education, but it has turned into a wonderful opportunity for them, as well as a fantastic experience. Through the magazine my daughters have learned grammar, how to research a topic, write a ‘paper’, maneuver through the internet, basic HTML, and so much more! Using the computer is such a valuable tool in a child’s education in today’s fast paced world of technology.

There are millions of websites that are helpful for educating children in such a fun way, that they don’t feel as though they’re doing ’school work’. For our family, I select a few topics that are educational and that would interest my children.

They get to choose one or more to work on and I set a deadline for them. They can use the internet, the library, and people they know and trust to help them in their research. (Such as interviewing people with experience in the specific area of the topic they chose.) My daughter, Moni, has

chosen to join the States Exploration project that is an ongoing site where homeschooled bloggers can participate in the study of their state.

She also enjoys learning about domestic animals as she has written her articles about Pet Care. Not only that, but she is learning how to write devotions for young people ages tween and up. Moni enjoys writing with the other devotion authors we have there at GGM. Jessica, also known as Lady Jess, has learned how to create the print version of our magazine, editing, grammar, articles on beauty, health, devotions, and history. Jess also works on the computer for her dad’s ministry by creating charts

and various other forms.

It’s also interesting that some of their devotions are related to science, health, and history. We have made a few blogs required reading for my girls. I chose other homeschool girl blogs that are my girls ages. Jess and Moni read Miss Amanda’s and Miss Jocelyn’s blogs as well as some others. Gina is required to read Miss Hannah and Lady Rachel’s. In addition to the girls blogs they read, they are required to read all the articles each month and all the dailies at Growing in Grace Magazine.

There are also some great free homeschool newsletters on the net that are valuable resources as well. I also found a Drawing Blog that will guide you through learning to draw. The site is run by a teen homeschool blogger named BreezyTulip.She guides you through what you will need, hoe to organize your tools and she is so talented herself. I’m always amazed when I find young ladies who are able to be so productive with their time, and turn around to teach others also.

I will continue to keep a list of different teaching blogs that I find that are geared for teens. If you are a homeschool teen and you have a teaching blog, let me know by replying below. You could be featured in an upcoming article here at the HSBA!

Blogging is a great way for the kids to use their blogs as a tool for their education. If you’d like to get your child started on a blog of their own, you can read through our Better Blogging articles here at the HSBA. If you have any questions at all, feel free to reply below and let us know. The HSBA writers are here to answer your questions. Always use wisdom when your children are on the internet.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

There are almost 6000 Yahoo Groups under the Homeschooling category. You will find groups for all different formats, ages and sects of homeschooling. Some require membership to view posts and participate, and some are public forums. Once you sign up for membership, you can read through posts, post questions and meet other members who homeschool the same method or age of children you do.

I do not belong to each of these groups so I cannot personally endorse them. These are examples of some that you may be interested in. You can search for a group in your own interests by typing search words into the box on this page.

You will also find a host of blog carnivals listed below.

Some that I found in HOMESCHOOLING are:

bookroom

1182 Members, Archives: Membership required

The Bookroom is for homeschooling families using “living books,” the very best children’s books both in-print and out-of-print. We typically keep textbooks and “junk” reading to a minimum, encouraging our children to choose books that engage their minds, inspire their imaginations, and thrill their hearts! Book reviews, notices of helpful web sites, reviews of curriculum guides, and any other discussion directly related to a living books education are welcome! All homeschooling families are …(more)

**************************************************

Homeschool_SpecialNeedsKidz

1526 Members, Archives: Membership required

THERE IS HOPE! This is a support group for those who live mainly in the USA who are homeschooling a “special needs” child, ages preschool to 19. Whether your child has ADHD, a learning disability (LD), dyslexia, emotional or neurological disorder, bipolar,tourette syndrome,deafness,autism,anxiety disorder, oppositonal defiance disorder, blindness,any type of emotional or physical handicap,etc, then this group is for you. We all have our own individual needs and problems, yet we all do share a …(more)

**************************************************

homeschoolingboys

2927 Members, Archives: Public

BOYS… whether you have one, two, three or more — this is the spot to discuss their special needs. You know, like LEGOS! Click HERE for our website! (www.homeschoolingBOYS.com) To join our group you should be PERSONALLY homeschooling 1 or more boys (parent, grandparent or legal guardian), seriously considering home education, or intending to begin soon. Parents of pre-school children who intend to KEEP homeschooling are, of course, welcome. And you need to be able to identify what phrases …(more)

**************************************************

BasicallyBeechick

1617 Members, Archives: Membership required

Homeschooling…Ruth Beechick Style! Ruth Beechick Style Homeschooling is an Eclectic approach which focuses on natural learning through Real Books and Real Life. BasicallyBeechick is a Christian homeschool support group to discuss the methods and ideas of Dr. Ruth Beechick. Other authors whose ideas mesh well with Beechick’s will be discussed as well. These authors include (but are not limited to) Susan C. Anthony, Rebecca Rupp, Jean Soyke, E.D. Hirsch, Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, Harvey …(more)

**************************************************

FreeHomeschoolTools

1527 Members, Archives: Membership required

This list was designed with Freecycle rules in mind. We are not associated with Freecycle-we abide by the same type of rules, which means if you can’t do it there, you can’t do it here! All offers of any kind of Homeschooling materials should be FREE with the exception of *actual* postage/handling. Most items on this list can be sent Media Mail. If you have a need for any kind of homeschooling materials, do not hesitate to ask. Members are welcome to go to the “Links” section and add any FREE …(more)

**************************************************

SecularCM

264 Members, Archives: Membership required

Have you been looking for a group of like-minded home schooling parents using Charlotte Mason’s home schooling philosophy in a secular manner? Welcome. This list is is for those of us who would like to discuss and share ideas for using Charlotte Mason’s ideas secularly, whether or not our home schooling is faith-based. Topics might include adapting the information found on the Ambleside Online website, finding “living books” on particular subjects, or including some aspects of the Charlotte …(more)

**************************************************

AmblesideOnline

3902 Members, Archives: Membership required

Ambleside Online is a support group for families using the Ambleside Online Curriculum, which is designed to be as close as possible to the curriculum that Charlotte Mason used in her own PNEU schools. This list is exclusively for homeschool parents to discuss the implementing of this curriculum. You may not join this list to sell your product or advertise your business. THIS IS NOT A GENERAL CM LIST, nor a general homeschool list . Posts must be restricted to focus on AO’s specialized purpose. …(more)

**************************************************

CMcurricula

1067 Members, Archives: Membership required

WELCOME! This list is for the buying and selling of resources (biographies, poetry and art books, teacher resources, etc.) that are in conformity with the Charlotte Mason “twaddle-free” philosophy. All transactions are between the buyers and sellers personally–the owner assumes no responsiblity and/or liability for any sale transactions. Please limit posts to 3 per day. **** PLEASE: Note posting of links to ebay auctions, or other groups and websites (even in signature lines) is prohibited! …(more)

**************************************************

RobinsonUsers4Christ

2291 Members, Archives: Membership required

This group is for Bible and Trinity-believing, God-fearing, “Jesus-Plus-Nothing-Else” Christian families using or investigating the Robinson Curriculum. All homeschooling families using or investigating the Robinson Curriculum are welcome to join , with notice that the group is first and foremost a Christian group. Single parents and large families are encouraged to investigate this curriculum. We share ideas and provide support. We discuss day-to-day issues faced by homeschooling families, and …(more)

**************************************************

College4CathHS

210 Members, Archives: Membership required

We Catholic homeschooling parents need to help our children navigate the college selection/application/preparation process. We’ll discuss colleges, Catholic and secular, and keep in mind all kinds of majors. We’ll share what we know of a college’s environment in terms of morals (e.g., dorm life), spirituality (e.g., Masses, confessions, devotions), classroom environment (i.e., tolerance for truth vs. politically correct discussions). We’ll also discuss how to prepare our homeschoolers for …(more)

**************************************************

unschoolingcheap

559 Members, Archives: Membership required

Unschooling ? Homeschooling in a more relaxed way? Want to discuss ways to do it and not have to hock the family farm? If your looking for a list that will help you find cheap and free homeschool resources, but arnt interested in more worksheets, quiz makers,or textbook swaps, then this is the list for you!!! Everyone is welcome, so please be respectful of others. We all do things in ways that suit our beliefs and fit in with out lives, so remember whats right for someone else might not be right …(more)

**************************************************

hstlessons

928 Members, Archives: Membership required

This group is designed to be a place to store NON-Copywrited lesson plans for homeschooling use. These are files that can only be opened using Homeschool Tracker PLUS. This program can be purchased at www.homeschooltracker.com PLEASE remember to not save any copywrited information as this will get deleted. KT has given us some guidelines on what is acceptable. “Mostly - you want to avoid plans like Sonlight where the resources are readily available from the library, but the way in which they go …(more)

**************************************************

AbekaHomeschool

44 Members, Archives: Membership required

Welcome to Abeka Homeschool! Abeka Homeschool is an email support list for those Christian homeschoolers who are using either part or all of Abeka curriculum in order to home educate their blessings. This list has been created for support, fellowship, encouragement, prayer and general advise in using the curriculum. Our email list participates in a Topic of the Week, Member of the Week (to pray for) and a bi-yearly Book Discussion! You are also welcome to post Abeka ONLY items for sale or trade, …(more)

**************************************************

RodandStaffHomeschool

30 Members, Archives: Membership required

Welcome to Rod and Staff Homeschool! Rod and Staff Homeschool is a Christian email support list for those homeschoolers who are using either part or all of Rod and Staff Curriculum in their homeschool. This list has been created for support, fellowship, encouragement, prayer and general advise in using the curriculum. Our email list participates in a Topic of the Week, Member of the Week and a bi-yearly Book Discussion! You are also welcome to post Rod and Staff ONLY items for sale or trade, at …(more)

**************************************************

Teachers_Editions

422 Members, Archives: Membership required

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU FOUND US!! This is a discussion group for those of us who BUY AND SELL textbooks and *gasp* Teacher’s Editions. Come here to discuss your ideas without the PINKS (eBay spies) listening in. Regular, polite netiquette will be observed. ****IMPORTANT**** In order to have your membership approved, YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR EBAY ID OR WEBSITE URL IN THE COMMENTS SECTION WHEN YOU APPLY TO JOIN THE GROUP. Your user ID is NOT used for any purpose other than to verify that you buy and …(more)

**************************************************

HomefiresJournal

2166 Members, Archives: Membership required

DO YOU WANT HELP HOMESCHOOLING? Our friendly, all-inclusive, non-sectarian community provides free curriculum ideas, activities, resources, humor, support and thought-provoking discussion in a forum that welcomes and respects you no matter what method you choose. We especially recognize the importance of providing encouragement to families who homeschool independently (without government assistance) - beginners and veterans alike! This List is owned by veteran homeschool mom, writer, and …(more)

**************************************************

moms_homeschool_friends

223 Members, Archives: Membership required

Salutations, homeschooling moms… Grab a cup of coffee and jump in the conversation! We’re here to support your homeschooling endeavors and to converse about anything (homeschooling or not) that comes up. WARNING: While homeschooling is a topic we are always happy to discuss, often conversations here stray from that discussion. This list is, for many of our members, one of the few “adult socialization” opportunities that they have in their busy days of educating children. If you are seeking a …(more)

**************************************************

If you would like to check out some interesting homeschool blogs, here are some carnival links for this month:

Carnival of Homeschooling

April 15 - Nerd Family
April 22 - Principled Discovery
April 29 - HomeSchoolBuzz.com

The Charlotte Mason Carnival

March 31  One Child Policy Homeschool
April 15   In the Sparrow’s Nest

Carnival of Education

April 9    The Elementary Educator
April 16  The CEA Blog

The Homesteading Carnival

April 14   Diary Of One
April 21   Seeking Rest in the Ancient Paths
April 28   The HomeSpun Life

Carnival of Family Life

April 7     My Two Boys
April 14   On the Horizon

A Teacher’s Life Blog Carnival

April 1   Lesson Plans And Other Resources For Teachers And Homeschooling!
May 1    Lesson Plans And Other Resources For Teachers And Homeschooling!

Learning in the Great Outdoors

April 1   The Heart of Harmony
May 5   10,000 Birds

Carnival of Notebooking

April 22  Notebook Learning

Thank you for joining me for Memo Monday! Have a super week!!

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well today and that you had a GREAT weekend! Our son, Timmy, had a T-ball game on Saturday and we had such a great time! When we signed Timmy up for T-ball, Scott was just thinking about being an assistant coach. However, what happened was that the league asked my husband to be the team’s manager and head coach! Well you can just imagine after having three girls and FINALLY getting a boy, how exciting this is for us to be involved in a sport with our son.

We have such a GREAT team of parents and their boys are just so much fun to watch play ball. In T-ball it doesn’t matter who hits best, runs fastest, or who had the best season last year. In fact, these boys have very little idea of what to do in baseball and it’s so comical to see half the team run after the ball as it’s hit into the outfield. The greatest thing is when the little batter smacks that ball then runs to third base instead of first! These little guys have so much zeal and team spirit and have such fantastic sportsmanship!

In the professional sports arena the league has a Draft at the beginning of the year in which they select their ‘picks’ to join their team for the new season. These draft picks come from colleges across the nation. The coaches want the hardest working, most dedicated, and most talented player for their team. The coaches are also now beginning to see the benefit of a high moral character in the players they are drafting. They don’t want players that all run after the ball hit to the outfield or a player who runs to third base instead of first base. They also don’t want players who, off the field, make poor life decisions that affect not only their future, but the future of the team. They want the best of the best! Coaches want players who know the game, strive to achieve their goal, who have the dedication to better his performance on the field, and remain loyal to the values that were taught to them as a child. That’s what I think about when I come to the HSBA! I’m a homeschooling mom and I’m looking for the best of the best in homeschool blogs! I want to learn how to be a better teacher and find encouragement along the way.

I’ve been to many homeschool blogs and various other homeschool sites and one thing lacking is the content on homeschool sports. Last night I was up late searching for keywords such as, “blogs, homeschool, sports”. Although I didn’t find a lot of blogs with sports featured, I did find many sports sites for various teams such as football, baseball, and cheerleading!

“Scott, I can sense that God is revealing to me the importance of sports in homeschooling today and what God’s Word says about team spirit. Can you please share with us what you think about sports, homeschooling, and how the Bible applies to all this?”

“Yes, Lisa, I’d be honored to.”

In my prayer time, leading up to the writing of this article, I have come to several conclusions and I would like to share those with you now.

1. In my reading of the Bible I don’t recall any stories or teachings where it talks about the children being sent away to school. This tells me that the parents taught their children at home. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7and Luke 2:52) This is not limited to facts and figures. I believe this encompassed many facets of training and education which include:

• Academic - (Daniel 1:4) Bible, reading, writing, arithmetic, history, science, physical education, etc…
• Vocational training - (Psalm 104:23, and Proverbs 14:23) Such as carpentry, farming, blacksmith, metal fabrication, soldiering, marketing, etc…
• Vocational training - (Proverbs 31:10-31) Cooking, sewing, home keeping, budgeting, child care, shopping, etc…
• Life Skills - (Psalm 1:1-6) Decision making, finances, community involvement, public relations, etc…
• Spirituality - (Mark 12:30-31) Salvation, baptism, prayer, Bible reading, church attendance and fellowship, reaching the lost.

(*Note - This does not include areas of secondary education where an individual may choose to further advance or build upon that which they have already been taught. Such as supplemental educational or vocational opportunities.)

2. The traditional home had the men working outside of the home and the women as the keepers of the home. This promoted home education and the true definition of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

3. The spirit of competition in a godly application leads to dedicated individuals performing together as an efficient team, thus the Body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:13-14) This modern day example is that of a sports team working together, each individual counting on the other to perform their responsibility at a level that would help the team accomplish it’s goal.

In the future we will be featuring a variety of biblical examples to help further convict, inspire, and educate us regarding homeschooling. Also, we will be sharing some examples of inspirational homeschoolers, and homeschooling parents that will bring encouragement to you as you learn how they have made educating their children a priority and incorporated the fun of extra curricular activities into their lives.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator