-by Mimi Rothschild
In today’s life, we spend much of our time in age-segregated situations. Public school is one of the worst examples: not only do kids spend most of the day with people of exactly their own age, but often they are restricted from interacting with kids even just a year or two older. Even in our churches, we may divide the children into grades, have Sunday School classes for kids and adults broken down by age, and separate the old from the young for fellowship times as well. Many families live far from older relatives, and older people may choose to live in retirement communities rather than among noisy young families. Many of today’s kids are uncomfortable with elderly people, because they rarely spend time with them.
Is this God’s intention? Leviticus 19:32 tells us, “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.” That doesn’t suggest that we should avoid our elders. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.” Job 12:12 teaches us that “Wisdom is with aged men; with long life is understanding.” These verses show that respect for the elderly is not only commanded by God, but deserved.
Still, the general separation of ages that we see in our country today can make it more difficult to help our children get accustomed to interacting with older people. One of the great things about homeschooling (and one of the things we can point out to those who fear that homeschooled kids don’t get “socialized” properly) is that our students often have more interaction with younger children and with adults. Other people may remark on how poised our kids are when they’re with adults, and how tender they are with their younger siblings. Let’s make the extra effort involved in bringing our children into contact with the older generation, too.
It may seem odd at first to set up opportunities for your kids to meet and spend time with their elders, but if those chances don’t come up naturally in their lives, it’s worth arranging. With practice, your students will become comfortable with the elderly and be able to learn from their wisdom.
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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.
-by Mimi Rothschild
Do you study in units? Do you have separate subjects at different times of the day? Do you get together with other families for special learning projects? There are many ways to organize the school day, and being able to make it just right for your particular students is one of the best reasons to homeschool.
Yet all these approaches can lead to a lack of integration of studies. Do your students end up with the idea that Ancient Egypt happened, and then, when it was all finished, along came Ancient Greece? Do you feel frustrated sometimes when your students don’t make connections that seem obvious to you? Do you love to follow the kids’ lead when they’re excited about a subject, but worry that your studies are too fragmented and might have gaps?
Timelines can help with all these problems, and many more. If you make a schoolroom timeline, you can add any lessons to that timeline in minutes, helping your kids to see the context, regardless of the subject area.
The time when a person lived, a nation was established, a picture was painted, a scientific discovery was made, a natural disaster took place – all these things can be marked on the timeline, giving you opportunities to put new information in context and review previously learned information as well.
You need to begin with a line. A long strand of string or yarn, a stretch of painter’s tape, or a banner of paper are all practical options. If possible, put your timeline on the wall of the room where you study so it’ll always be available. If this just won’t work with your decor, think about using an accordion fold or roll of paper so it can be stretched out and viewed all at once.
Now here’s your chance to integrate math and history. Calculate how long your timeline will be and how many years it will cover. Now, calculate how best to divide it: one inch per year is one option, but you might prefer to use one foot per decade or one yard for each century. Since these decisions depend on the space available, the length of time you’ve decided to include, and the number of events you want to be able to mark, this can be a terrific opportunity to practice problem solving and working well together.
Actually constructing the timeline will require measurement and more calculation. Mark and write in the basic time divisions neatly. This can be a chance for computer practice, if you want to print out the dates, or it can be an art or handwriting project.
Now, each time a date comes up in your studies, add it to the classroom timeline. You might want to start with some special family dates: the birthdays of all the kids, for example. Then, when you read about a person or place or thing or event, find its spot on the timeline.
You can use labels, strips of paper, lengths of yarn radiating out from the date points, or index cards lined up along the timeline. Add drawings, quotations, and even small objects. Soon, visitors to your home will be admiring your handiwork – and your students will really understand the relationship between Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.
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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.
By Mimi Rothschild
Math and science are not always the easiest subjects to learn, I wish they were because there are so many fascinating lessons to be learned in both subjects. While surfing the web I found this excellent list of strategies that will help your student improve in the areas of math and science. Each strategy includes articles or lesson plans so homeschooling parents can better understand how to apply them into their child’s homeschool curriculum. Below are the different methods scholars use to better understand math and science.
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Classification involves grouping items into one or more categories based on certain distinguishing characteristics. The categories are thoughtfully labeled so that the labels become descriptors for the members of the category. Comparison involves looking at two or more things or ideas and considering their similarities and differences. “Guess and Check” is a problem-solving strategy that students can use to solve mathematical problems by guessing the answer and then checking that the guess fits the conditions of the problem. Make a Table is a problem-solving strategy that students can use to solve mathematical word problems by writing the information in a more organized format. Eliminating Possibilities is a problem-solving strategy in which students remove possible answers until the correct answer remains. Using a Formula is a problem-solving strategy that students can use to find answers to math problems involving geometry, percents, measurement, or algebra. Finding a Pattern is a strategy in which students look for patterns in the data in order to solve the problem. Students look for items or numbers that are repeated, or a series of events that repeat. The “draw a picture” strategy is a problem-solving technique in which students make a visual representation of the problem. When a problem is too complex to solve in one step, it often helps to divide it into simpler problems and solve each one separately. The process of “choosing the operation” involves deciding which mathematical operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) or combination of operations will be useful in solving a word problem. In this lesson students compare one number with another using manipulatives, write number sentences to show the comparisons, and then relate the number sentences to story problems. A hundreds chart is used to show the alternating pattern of odd and even numbers, and students are asked to extend the pattern to identify additional odd and even numbers. Metaphors and analogies are comparisons between unlike things that have some particular things in common. You can use metaphors and analogies to make new and unfamiliar concepts more meaningful to students by connecting what they already know to what they are learning. This lesson uses the technique of analogy to teach students about migration. Teach your students about “Theory” and “Evidence” and how those terms and concepts are useful in all subjects. In this lesson, students are asked to develop a theory about how a Magic 8-Ball works without taking the 8-ball apart. |
Manipulatives are physical objects that are used as teaching tools to engage students in the hands-on learning of mathematics. They can be used to introduce, practice, or remediate a concept. Students will review identifying and writing the number that is one more or one less than a given one or two-digit number and ten more or ten less than a given one- or two-digit number. Geometry is the study of two- and three-dimensional figures. It includes defining the different figures, as well as describing their location and movement in space. Geometry concepts can be used in subjects such as reading and social studies, as well as math. Number sense involves understanding numbers; knowing how to write and represent numbers in different ways; recognizing the quantity represented by numerals and other number forms; and discovering how a number relates to another number or group of numbers. In this game, students will apply a variety of mathematical concepts and skills to solve problems and use mathematical reasoning to determine whether a number fits a generalization. Estimation is an important aspect of quantitative thinking — and a critical life skill in a world in which we often need to make decisions on the basis of inexact or undefined information. Math students in middle school will use estimation to approximate values, angle, and area measurements of a triangle. Algebraic thinking involves finding and describing patterns, making generalizations about numbers, using symbols and models to represent patterns, quantitative relationships, and changes over time. The main purpose of collecting data is to answer questions whose answers are not immediately obvious. Learn some tips on how to use data collection in your classroom. When students decide how to display data and go through the steps to create that display, they learn which type of graphs are useful in displaying the different types of data, and the advantages and disadvantages of each display. Data analysis is the process of interpreting the meaning of the data we have collected, organized, and displayed in the form of a table, bar chart, line graph, or other representation. Writing about mathematics helps students articulate their thinking, and provides useful information for teachers about learning difficulties, incorrect assumptions, and student’s progress in communicating about mathematics. This lesson is an introduction to comparing fractions with like denominators and unlike numerators, for students with a basic understanding of fractions as part of a whole, numerators, and denominators. Students use math journals to complete the lesson. This is an introduction to comparing fractions with unlike denominators. Students will compare fractions represented by drawings or models with unlike denominators. Students will use multiplication and division to show equivalent fractions. |
By Mimi Rothschild
America is at the crossroads in many different facets of life. Religion, or difference in opinion on religious issues, acts as the catalyst that has propelled America to this new era of hostility between Christians and Atheists.
According to Rachel Zoll of The Washington Post Christopher Hitchens has published another anti-Christian book entitled “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” that has reached the top of the best-seller list. These sort of weightless attacks have become common over the last few years.
The spiritual battle in America is increasingly becoming more and more evident each day, especially in America’s schools. Zoll questions the future of America’s public schools because of the rapid growth of Christian homeschools.
Be sure to check out the debate between Hitchens and Reverend Doug Wilson, author of “Letter from a Christian Citizen,” on Christianity Today.
Other hotly debated topics that normally divide between religious lines include abortion, which the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a ban on partial-birth abortions.
To read more of Zoll’s compelling article click here.
By Mimi Rothschild
I would like to take a moment to extend our sympathies and prayers to the families of the students who were killed in the Virginia Tech massacre. In times like these, it is difficult to find words to express what we are feeling.
As a mother who has lost a child, I know all too well the pain that goes along with such loss. God has a plan. That’s all I can say. It may be difficult to accept this fact now, but please know that God giveth and taketh away according to a perfect plan.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.