Newsletter 214

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For 27 Years The Teaching Home Has Been Providing Families
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement from a Distinctively Christian Perspective.
Cindy Short and Sue Welch, Co-Editors
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2008 State Conventions

Learn more about a major convention in your state by linking to the sponsoring organization's website below. (Conventions already held are not listed.)

For regional and local events, check the listings of support groups on the state organizations' websites at TeachingHome.com.

AZ: July 18-19; CA: July 10-12; KY: July 11-12; OH: June 26-28; TN: Various Dates; TX: Aug. 14-16

HSLDA

HSLDA offers homeschooling families a low-cost method of obtaining quality legal defense that gives them the freedom to homeschool without having to face legal threats alone.

(Use discount group number 299142 for $20 off your membership fee.)

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Sunnyside Up

Farewell to Arms

The Lord blessed our family with piano lessons this year. Our 7-year-old was especially excited.

Our daughter's piano teacher told her about the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach and showed her a bust of him. Her teacher told her whoever did the most minutes of practice would win the bust.

Our daughter came running and said, "Mommy, Mommy, if I practice real hard, I can win a man with no arms!"

Submitted by Brenda C., Texas.

Send your humorous anecdote to publisher@teachinghome.com.

24/7 Christian Music Online!

Listen to beautiful traditional, sacred, and inspirational conservative Christian music (commercial free!) when you tune in to Abiding Radio at www.abidingradio.com.

God Loves You.

Because we have been separated from God by sin, Jesus Christ died in our place, then rose to life again. If we trust Him as our Savior and Lord, He will forgive our sin and give us eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Patriotic Evangelism

With the 4th of July coming up soon, it's time to start thinking about how you can reach out to the unsaved in your community.

Festivals are great locations for passing out tracts, witnessing one-on-one, and setting up booths.

People at festivals are enjoying themselves and planning to stay a while. For this reason they will usually take time to talk to you.

Most small towns have at least one fireworks show and a parade; in some larger cities you may be able to attend three or four fireworks shows.

It's easy to pass out patriotic tracts - you simply start walking through the crowd saying, "Happy Independence Day," "God bless America," or even "Help save America," as you give them out.

If anyone seems particularly friendly, stop and chat with him a little bit, and then take him through the Gospel.

See more ideas and order tracts at Living Waters.

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Summer TIME

     1.   Take a Break
     2. Extra Time
     3. Continuity
     4. Seasonal Opportunities
     5. Change of Pace
     6. Get Ahead
     7. Social Interaction

Recommended Resources
• AVKO: Multi-Sensory Approach to Language Arts
• Beyond Phonics: Spelling, Reading and Vocabulary
• NorthStar HomeSchool and Academy

Greetings,

Summer gives us unique “extra” time with many possibilities for its use.

Time is a precious gift, a resource for which we are accountable. How we use our time should be in accord with the Lord's will and pleasing to Him.

Our time is given to us, not just for ourselves, but also to use in serving God, seeking the lost, and loving others.

Time is a non-renewable resource—once spent, it is never again available. We each spend our allotted “coins” of time each day. For what are we exchanging our time?

“Therefore be careful how you walk,
     not as unwise men but as wise,
making the most of your time,
     because the days are evil.
So then do not be foolish,
     but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
          Ephesians 5:15-17

Although we are to make good use of our time, the Lord is not an unreasonable or hard taskmaster.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,
     and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
     for I am gentle and humble in heart,
     and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
          Matthew 11:28-30

As with all things, balance is crucial. The use of your time each day, week, month, or year will include a variety of activities, however that balance may not be the same each day.

Whatever you do, do it on purpose!

We need to consider the use of our time and what the Lord wants us to do with it. If we do not plan, we abdicate to the dictates of the moment—also known as letting the urgent overrule the important.

You do not need to conjure up visions of strict regimens, because this false fear that can keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives.

It does mean that we should consider and decide how we use our time—be master of it, rather than just let come what may and be subject to circumstances around us.

Planning offers a great sense of security in knowing that we are doing what we need and want to do. A time budget (a.k.a. schedule) will enable you to reach your goals in serving the Lord, your family, and others.

In this issue we suggest several general uses of your time for you to consider this summer. In future newsletters we will offer specific suggestions for each of the general categories.

May your family enjoy this summer together!

Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian

The Teaching Home is a home-school, family-run business operated in our home since 1980.

AVKO (Audio, Visual, Kinesthetic, and Oral)
Offers a Multi-Sensory Approach to Language Arts
through Phonics and Word Families.

• Sequential Spelling – the rules of spelling without lengthy explanation.
• Individualized Keyboarding – typing plus reading and spelling skills through patterns rather than isolated key positions.
• Let's Write Right – reading and spelling through penmanship.
• To Teach a Dyslexic – the readable autobiography of Don McCabe, a dyslexic who is a widely recognized expert on dyslexia and Research Director of AVKO.
To "try it before you buy it," or for information on dyslexia, visit our website for complimentary samples and downloads. www.spelling.org / 1-866-285-6612

1. Take a Break

All Summer

For a sometimes-harried home-school mother, this is probably the first and most important thought of summer time.

It might take a week or two to catch your breath and just relax before you consider the remainder of the summer.

Since it is impossible to do absolutely nothing, taking a break usually means doing something that is not usually considered productive, such as:

• Relaxing, sitting, visiting

• Playing

• Following individual interests

• Doing something just for enjoyment

Each Day / Each Week

Taking a break is important each day and each week throughout the year, not just during the summer. That's why God gave us a “day of rest.”

Making the Summer Break Last All Year

You can divide up your summer break and spread it throughout the year by following some adaptation of one of these year-round school schedules.

• A four-day school week; three days off.

• Three to six weeks of school; one week off.

• Eight or ten weeks of school; two weeks off.

Vacation days can be spaced out evenly, reserved for holidays or family vacations, or taken all at once in the summer or whatever season is preferred.

2. Extra Time

Wow! What can we do with extra time?

Summer can give you time to do those things that don't fit into your regular school schedule, such as:

• De-clutter and thoroughly clean your home.

• Teach your child to read or the multiplication tables.

• Updating your family’s wardrobe.

Catch up or Accelerate
Spelling, Fluent Reading and Vocabulary . . .

. . . quickly and painlessly with character-building, phonics-based word family stories for all ages.

     Just one textbook covers grade levels 1-12; remedial for all ages.

     Examples: French ch - "Charlotte looked chic in her new chiffon dress and crocheted sweater...";
     wor - "Unfortunately, the world judges Christ's worth by the words and works of His children and the depths of their worship..." See samples.

Beyond Phonics beyondphonics.com / 1-800-518-3224

3. Continuity

Daily

Much of our time is not open to discretionary use. Our family needs to eat, sleep, find clean clothes to put on, etc. day in and day out, no matter what the season.

As long as we have to keep up on these chores, we might as well find the fastest, easiest way to do it and be cheerful as we go!

Routines and habits furnish a foundation of peace for a home and family, and thus should not be resented or looked on as drudgery. As mothers our joy can be in meeting the daily needs of our family. We can encourage our family to experience the same joy by pitching in and sharing the work.

Spiritual

The most important daily activity should be the family’s regular time with the Lord and His Word. Don’t let a summer schedule rob you of this precious time together; these seeds will bear fruit in your children for life!

Academic

A little review and practice of the basic skills of reading, writing, and math will prevent your children from forgetting all they knew over the summer and needing extra time in the fall to catch up to where they left off in the spring.

4. Seasonal Opportunities

It is not chance that vacation comes in summer. There are so many things that can be done in summer better than at any other time of year, that we need to take advantage of them.

• Enjoy being out of doors

• Picnics, hikes, and drives

• Gardens and yards

• Exploring and learning about nature

• Field trips

5. Change of Pace

This is another use of our time that needs to be included in our schedule daily and weekly.

Summer affords more time for greater and more extended changes of pace.

This differs from taking a break in that something done for a change can still be productive and yet provide refreshment just because it is different.

Some things that can fall into this category are:

• Using different methods of learning

• Doing a unit study with all your children together

• Reading more than usual

• Hands-on activities

• Learning life skills

You may even be able to assign school credit for some of the fun, practical activities and skills your children do during the summer.

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Register Now for the 2008-09 School Year! — Start as early as Aug. 11 and have more time to finish your year.

6. Get Ahead

Planning for Next School Year

Summer is a time of preparation for your next school year:

• Determine life and next year’s goals

• Choose and purchase curriculum

• Plan class arrangements

Starting Early

You can also get a head start, perhaps by doing one class with all your children for six weeks during the summer—perhaps a science class with experiments and field trips.

Besides a good use of your time, this can provide your children an interesting activity and give you more time during your school year for breaks or a more leisurely schedule.

7. Social Interaction

Summer allows more time to spend with others.

Socializing

• Your own family and extended family

• Your church family

• Friends and other home-school families

• Neighbors
(Always be sure to keep your young children within your sight and hearing when they play with other children. Do not hesitate to schedule and limit playtimes and enforce your family's rules of conduct.)

Evangelism

The Great Commission is our ultimate goal in training our children to love and follow the Lord.

“And He said to them,
     ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel
     to every creature.’”
          Mark 16:15

Summer opportunities for evangelism include:

• Street, or door-to-door, witnessing or canvassing for VBS

• VBS or backyard Bible clubs

• Camp or evangelism at a fair

Service to Others

Your time this summer can also be used to serve others, as in visiting the sick, doing yard work for the elderly, etc.

Sent by publisher@teachinghome.com