One Christmas story that we enjoy every year in various forms—an Adventures in Oddysey radio drama “spin-off” of it; short story in our compilation books; audio of it; etc.—is the O’Henry story, “Gift of the Magi.” It is such a poignant short story of sacrificially giving, something that many of us know very little about in today’s society.
I thought I would probably find it online since it is beyond the “copyright” years and is available in so many books. And I was right! So I wanted to share it with our readers, in the hopes that you will have a short read aloud session with your family—with a lively discussion following! “God bless us, everyone!” (Oh, wrong story…) smile…
http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/1014/
Monday, December 19, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Holiday Musings--All Parts--Reprint From Newsletter 2008
Two years ago I wrote a “Holiday Musings” article for Training for Triumph’s newsletter. It has a lot of the same ideals that you will find in this blog—in season and out of season! However, I want to share it with you this Christmas. I pray that you will be moved and encouraged by it.
“Holiday Musings”
by Donna Reish
I love Christmas! I love giving gifts to my children; I love lights and beautiful decorations; I love doing family activities over and over again every year; I love baking goodies and giving them away. I even have a verse to substantiate my desire to give good gifts to my kids at Christmas time: “If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11). I mean, God knows that even we mere mortals love to give good gifts to our kids!
Although all of the things in my “I love” list above are somewhat “unspiritual,” we have found through the years there are some common threads that we try to emphasize/do during the Christmas holiday—some to remember and ponder what Christ has done for us more fully; some to deepen our relationships with each other; some to show Christ’s love to the world. Allow me to give you a list of my holiday musings.
1. Think about, talk about, sing about, and remember the true reason for Christmas as a family throughout the month. We have found many things that help us focus on the birth of Christ more and more throughout December: singing carols together; reading Christmas picture books with the littles in the afternoons; collecting nativity scenes; reading from chapter books that emphasize the birth of Christ, such as Max Lucado’s Cosmic Christmas, Gene Edwards’ The Birth, and Marjorie Holmes’ Two From Galilee; going to community events that point us back to the reason for the season, such as Christmas plays, live nativities, walks through Bethlehem, Christmas cantatas, movies, and plays that emphasize the coming of the Savior.
2. Create family traditions. We have too many holiday traditions to list in just one short article, but research has born out the importance of traditions in building a child’s outlook on many things—and it is so obvious when you hear children talk and repeat that mantra: “We always…” There is something about being able to say that we always, or our family likes to… Two of our favorite traditions are decorating the house together and reading inspirational Christmas stories throughout the month of December.
Our older kids laugh until they cry as they give play-by-plays of each ornament making ordeal we have gone through. (Our tree is decorated with only home made ornaments—another tradition we have is that of making ornaments together.) Anyway, they have a joke of holding up the sample ornament (one that I bought that we were modeling after) and holding up one of ours and chiming, “Sample ornament; Reish ornament” over and over. Then they tell about the time I threw the cinnamon sticks across the room in a fit of Christmas stress as we tried to make the “ornaments in a minute” out of cinnamon sticks. Then we all laugh some more—and I try my best to keep from crying as I think about Christmases gone by—and wonder where the years have gone and long for just a day from a Christmas ten or fifteen years ago.
Traditions do not have to be elaborate or expensive. Some of ours (besides the decorating night and ornament making) are as simple as watching certain Christmas movies while we wrap gifts; eating shrimp alfredo while we watch White Christmas; reading about holiday traditions each morning; learning a new carol together each year (all the verses!); having the kids exchange their gifts with each other on Christmas Eve; reading inspirational stories each night before bed; reading one of the Gospels during the month of December; etc.
3. Think about Jesus’ entire life—his birth, life, death, and resurrection—not just his birth. Linking the Christmas story to the fact that without it we would have no hope of salvation is important, especially with younger children. Two ways that we do this include discussing, reading about, and singing about the names of Christ and what they mean throughout the month; and reading one of the Gospels—not just the Christmas story—during December. This helps us focus on our salvation even more. (Another thing we have done to focus on Jesus’ entire life is to listen to Focus on the Family’s radio theatre “The Luke Reports.” I will put links to some excellent resources throughout December, so check back frequently!)
4. Reach out to those less fortunate—and do so in a way that costs you and your children something. I know that doesn’t sound very “Christmasy”—good cheer and mistletoe and all (btw, I love mistletoe if the right “mistletoe-ee” is around!), but taking a can to a canned food drive or parents buying gifts for the children to leave at the angel tree are not sacrifices for our children—and do not do much to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas—and the true meaning of sacrificial giving.
When I speak of reaching out to those less fortunate, I am talking about giving up time (a few evenings or days?) and money (money with which a child could buy himself something). I’m talking about doing hard things. I’m talking about getting dirty, being inconvenienced, etc. I know that sounds strange, but honestly, what could we possibly do or give that would be too much for our Lord? Find true, meaningful service projects for your children—extensive time spent at a nursing home or group home caroling, making cookies with residents, reading to them, etc.; earning money to be used to give gifts to truly poor or forgotten people (like county home residents or the disabled); going out into the homes of people who never have a Christmas visitor; serving food at a soup kitchen; cleaning mattresses at a rescue mission. Focus on others more than ever before this Christmas—your children will thank you for it eventually. (For the new year, read the stories written by the author of Mandate for Mercy (also the founder of the Mercy Ship ministry) about how his mom made his family squeeze together in the car every week to pick up poor and desperate people to take them to church—and the impact this had on this man causing him to spend his life on the poor and desolate—this is the kind of reaching out we are purporting here.)
5. Reach out to your relatives. Yes, those strangers who are watching television the whole family get together while puffing away on their cigarettes. Teach your children to go to family get togethers to serve—not to judge. Start out teaching your children about this concept of serving relatives with a Bible study (ahead of time) on “being great in God’s kingdom by serving” and “doing for others asking nothing in return” and “being a light by your good works.” Then, if it is true, tell your children that you have been more concerned about yourself than you have of others at past family get togethers. And that you want your entire family to change all of that. That you want to “do your good works that others would glorify your father in heaven.” Discuss ways that you can do this during this holiday season: working harder to make good dishes to the gatherings (no lentil casserole, please—bless these people with fat and sugar!); helping with young cousins; encouraging grandparents; helping to set up and take down; being kind to each other as an example of family unity to those who might not have any idea what that looks like. (Note: Because I always get asked this, I will put a caveat here—I am not talking about reaching out to relatives in any way that would put your children in danger. We recommend that your children never be left with non-Christians and never be put in situations in which they could be harmed.)
6. Really talk to others this holiday season. Your ministry of bringing your relatives to Christ will begin not with your family’s judgment of them, but with your interest and concern for their lives in general. Jeff Myers, leadership specialist and founder of Passing the Baton, gives the following list of things to discuss this year with relatives young and old. Some are one-on-one types of discussions while others would work well for group discussions**:
Express thanks to someone in the room for something they did for you.
"I'm thankful for..." Finish the sentence.
If you could have the attention of the whole world for 30 seconds, what would you say?
One thing I'm thankful for about our country.
What is the key to success in life? Why do you say that?
Tell about a lesson you learned the hard way.
What are some ways life is different now than in the old days?
Tell a story of a decision your ancestors made that changed the direction of their lives-and yours.
Tell about a lesson you learned by watching someone else.
"A person I would like to honor publicly is..."
"Time and money aside, I would rather be..."
Tell about an experience that changed you for the better.
Tell a story about something that started out bad but had a happy ending.
"My first hero was _________."
Tell about a time when you showed courage.
Describe a teacher who had a significant influence on your life.
Tell about an invention that made your life easier.
"The most admired public figure when I was growing up was ____." Tell a story.
Tell about a memorable event in your life.
"A famous person I've met is _____." Tell about the experience.
"I got in so much trouble..." Tell the story!
(www.passingthebaton.readyportal.net/page/68289/;jsessionid=6rj638as0ohf7 )
**Note: These are good to print off and use as dinner discussion for your immediate family, too!
6. Express genuine gratefulness to God and others. December is a month to really display the quality of gratefulness—and to teach your children to do so too. Not just mere ”thank-you’s”—but sincere thanksgiving to God for His Son and for others for everything they do for us. Teaching children to say thank-you, write thank-you notes, etc. is a start. However, gratefulness begins with the realization that everything good we have comes from the hand of God. That we are nothing without Him. And that He knows what we need more than we do. It is deepened when we give up materialism—the idea that we have to have this or that in order to be happy—and focus instead on the good things God has done for us. Thoughts on materialism would require an entire article in itself, but when we have to have things to make us happy, when our mood and outlook change as a result of getting more and more, or when we cannot be happy in whatever situation we are in (materially speaking), we are probably steeped in materialism. Praying through this, sharing with our family the importance of giving up our ideas that we somehow deserve this or that, focusing on gratefulness for all that God has done for us outside the material things we are lacking—these are ways to feel and exhibit true gratefulness.
7. Spend quality time reaching into your children’s hearts. That’s a tough one, huh? I mean, the busiest time of the year, and we have to add another thing to the list. I remember vividly eighteen years ago when I had five kids ten and under. I still had younger siblings at home who would come and spend a lot of Christmas week with us. I made four Christmas dinners in a row for various relatives. I got up early in the morning to make home baked bread and rolls and went to bed late at night to get the overnight breakfast casseroles in the oven. I get tired just thinking about it. I was trying to serve others, but found myself distanced from my kids by the time the holiday week was over. I can remember looking at Joshua, then ten, one evening after the relatives had all left, and calling him over to ”sit in Mommy’s rainbow” (my bent legs as I lay on the sofa)—and he seemed so far away. I had been with him all week—I was usually with my older kids all the time as they did not have any older siblings to take them anywhere like my littles now have! However, I felt so far from him. I had let the busy-ness of Christmas keep me from those I love the most. Now I have to remind myself that one more home made goody or one more shopping day is not worth distancing myself from my children. Stay close. It’s Christmas!
This Christmas I pray that all of us can ”keep Christmas” in a way that glorifies God and teaches our children deep Christmas truths.
*Copyright TFT 2008
“Holiday Musings”
by Donna Reish
I love Christmas! I love giving gifts to my children; I love lights and beautiful decorations; I love doing family activities over and over again every year; I love baking goodies and giving them away. I even have a verse to substantiate my desire to give good gifts to my kids at Christmas time: “If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11). I mean, God knows that even we mere mortals love to give good gifts to our kids!
Although all of the things in my “I love” list above are somewhat “unspiritual,” we have found through the years there are some common threads that we try to emphasize/do during the Christmas holiday—some to remember and ponder what Christ has done for us more fully; some to deepen our relationships with each other; some to show Christ’s love to the world. Allow me to give you a list of my holiday musings.
1. Think about, talk about, sing about, and remember the true reason for Christmas as a family throughout the month. We have found many things that help us focus on the birth of Christ more and more throughout December: singing carols together; reading Christmas picture books with the littles in the afternoons; collecting nativity scenes; reading from chapter books that emphasize the birth of Christ, such as Max Lucado’s Cosmic Christmas, Gene Edwards’ The Birth, and Marjorie Holmes’ Two From Galilee; going to community events that point us back to the reason for the season, such as Christmas plays, live nativities, walks through Bethlehem, Christmas cantatas, movies, and plays that emphasize the coming of the Savior.
2. Create family traditions. We have too many holiday traditions to list in just one short article, but research has born out the importance of traditions in building a child’s outlook on many things—and it is so obvious when you hear children talk and repeat that mantra: “We always…” There is something about being able to say that we always, or our family likes to… Two of our favorite traditions are decorating the house together and reading inspirational Christmas stories throughout the month of December.
Our older kids laugh until they cry as they give play-by-plays of each ornament making ordeal we have gone through. (Our tree is decorated with only home made ornaments—another tradition we have is that of making ornaments together.) Anyway, they have a joke of holding up the sample ornament (one that I bought that we were modeling after) and holding up one of ours and chiming, “Sample ornament; Reish ornament” over and over. Then they tell about the time I threw the cinnamon sticks across the room in a fit of Christmas stress as we tried to make the “ornaments in a minute” out of cinnamon sticks. Then we all laugh some more—and I try my best to keep from crying as I think about Christmases gone by—and wonder where the years have gone and long for just a day from a Christmas ten or fifteen years ago.
Traditions do not have to be elaborate or expensive. Some of ours (besides the decorating night and ornament making) are as simple as watching certain Christmas movies while we wrap gifts; eating shrimp alfredo while we watch White Christmas; reading about holiday traditions each morning; learning a new carol together each year (all the verses!); having the kids exchange their gifts with each other on Christmas Eve; reading inspirational stories each night before bed; reading one of the Gospels during the month of December; etc.
3. Think about Jesus’ entire life—his birth, life, death, and resurrection—not just his birth. Linking the Christmas story to the fact that without it we would have no hope of salvation is important, especially with younger children. Two ways that we do this include discussing, reading about, and singing about the names of Christ and what they mean throughout the month; and reading one of the Gospels—not just the Christmas story—during December. This helps us focus on our salvation even more. (Another thing we have done to focus on Jesus’ entire life is to listen to Focus on the Family’s radio theatre “The Luke Reports.” I will put links to some excellent resources throughout December, so check back frequently!)
4. Reach out to those less fortunate—and do so in a way that costs you and your children something. I know that doesn’t sound very “Christmasy”—good cheer and mistletoe and all (btw, I love mistletoe if the right “mistletoe-ee” is around!), but taking a can to a canned food drive or parents buying gifts for the children to leave at the angel tree are not sacrifices for our children—and do not do much to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas—and the true meaning of sacrificial giving.
When I speak of reaching out to those less fortunate, I am talking about giving up time (a few evenings or days?) and money (money with which a child could buy himself something). I’m talking about doing hard things. I’m talking about getting dirty, being inconvenienced, etc. I know that sounds strange, but honestly, what could we possibly do or give that would be too much for our Lord? Find true, meaningful service projects for your children—extensive time spent at a nursing home or group home caroling, making cookies with residents, reading to them, etc.; earning money to be used to give gifts to truly poor or forgotten people (like county home residents or the disabled); going out into the homes of people who never have a Christmas visitor; serving food at a soup kitchen; cleaning mattresses at a rescue mission. Focus on others more than ever before this Christmas—your children will thank you for it eventually. (For the new year, read the stories written by the author of Mandate for Mercy (also the founder of the Mercy Ship ministry) about how his mom made his family squeeze together in the car every week to pick up poor and desperate people to take them to church—and the impact this had on this man causing him to spend his life on the poor and desolate—this is the kind of reaching out we are purporting here.)
5. Reach out to your relatives. Yes, those strangers who are watching television the whole family get together while puffing away on their cigarettes. Teach your children to go to family get togethers to serve—not to judge. Start out teaching your children about this concept of serving relatives with a Bible study (ahead of time) on “being great in God’s kingdom by serving” and “doing for others asking nothing in return” and “being a light by your good works.” Then, if it is true, tell your children that you have been more concerned about yourself than you have of others at past family get togethers. And that you want your entire family to change all of that. That you want to “do your good works that others would glorify your father in heaven.” Discuss ways that you can do this during this holiday season: working harder to make good dishes to the gatherings (no lentil casserole, please—bless these people with fat and sugar!); helping with young cousins; encouraging grandparents; helping to set up and take down; being kind to each other as an example of family unity to those who might not have any idea what that looks like. (Note: Because I always get asked this, I will put a caveat here—I am not talking about reaching out to relatives in any way that would put your children in danger. We recommend that your children never be left with non-Christians and never be put in situations in which they could be harmed.)
6. Really talk to others this holiday season. Your ministry of bringing your relatives to Christ will begin not with your family’s judgment of them, but with your interest and concern for their lives in general. Jeff Myers, leadership specialist and founder of Passing the Baton, gives the following list of things to discuss this year with relatives young and old. Some are one-on-one types of discussions while others would work well for group discussions**:
Express thanks to someone in the room for something they did for you.
"I'm thankful for..." Finish the sentence.
If you could have the attention of the whole world for 30 seconds, what would you say?
One thing I'm thankful for about our country.
What is the key to success in life? Why do you say that?
Tell about a lesson you learned the hard way.
What are some ways life is different now than in the old days?
Tell a story of a decision your ancestors made that changed the direction of their lives-and yours.
Tell about a lesson you learned by watching someone else.
"A person I would like to honor publicly is..."
"Time and money aside, I would rather be..."
Tell about an experience that changed you for the better.
Tell a story about something that started out bad but had a happy ending.
"My first hero was _________."
Tell about a time when you showed courage.
Describe a teacher who had a significant influence on your life.
Tell about an invention that made your life easier.
"The most admired public figure when I was growing up was ____." Tell a story.
Tell about a memorable event in your life.
"A famous person I've met is _____." Tell about the experience.
"I got in so much trouble..." Tell the story!
(www.passingthebaton.readyportal.net/page/68289/;jsessionid=6rj638as0ohf7 )
**Note: These are good to print off and use as dinner discussion for your immediate family, too!
6. Express genuine gratefulness to God and others. December is a month to really display the quality of gratefulness—and to teach your children to do so too. Not just mere ”thank-you’s”—but sincere thanksgiving to God for His Son and for others for everything they do for us. Teaching children to say thank-you, write thank-you notes, etc. is a start. However, gratefulness begins with the realization that everything good we have comes from the hand of God. That we are nothing without Him. And that He knows what we need more than we do. It is deepened when we give up materialism—the idea that we have to have this or that in order to be happy—and focus instead on the good things God has done for us. Thoughts on materialism would require an entire article in itself, but when we have to have things to make us happy, when our mood and outlook change as a result of getting more and more, or when we cannot be happy in whatever situation we are in (materially speaking), we are probably steeped in materialism. Praying through this, sharing with our family the importance of giving up our ideas that we somehow deserve this or that, focusing on gratefulness for all that God has done for us outside the material things we are lacking—these are ways to feel and exhibit true gratefulness.
7. Spend quality time reaching into your children’s hearts. That’s a tough one, huh? I mean, the busiest time of the year, and we have to add another thing to the list. I remember vividly eighteen years ago when I had five kids ten and under. I still had younger siblings at home who would come and spend a lot of Christmas week with us. I made four Christmas dinners in a row for various relatives. I got up early in the morning to make home baked bread and rolls and went to bed late at night to get the overnight breakfast casseroles in the oven. I get tired just thinking about it. I was trying to serve others, but found myself distanced from my kids by the time the holiday week was over. I can remember looking at Joshua, then ten, one evening after the relatives had all left, and calling him over to ”sit in Mommy’s rainbow” (my bent legs as I lay on the sofa)—and he seemed so far away. I had been with him all week—I was usually with my older kids all the time as they did not have any older siblings to take them anywhere like my littles now have! However, I felt so far from him. I had let the busy-ness of Christmas keep me from those I love the most. Now I have to remind myself that one more home made goody or one more shopping day is not worth distancing myself from my children. Stay close. It’s Christmas!
This Christmas I pray that all of us can ”keep Christmas” in a way that glorifies God and teaches our children deep Christmas truths.
*Copyright TFT 2008
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Joni and Friends Wheels for the World "Miracle Story" of JAKE
Had to share this latest devo from Joni and Friends daily devotional. (You may subscribe to receive them in your email inbox or your FB feed at http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional/ )
There are many times when we can clearly look at a situation, and if we are people of faith, declare the action a complete miracle (as opposed to a "coincidence"). This JAF story is definitely one of those. Read it to your family at dinner tonight! :)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. --Proverbs 19:21
Our Wheels for the World team arrived in a small town in Poland to distribute 225 wheelchairs and Bibles. Before the day had hardly begun, however, their plans were in shreds. The assigned room was tiny and cramped. But before anyone could come up with a plan B, streams of families with disabled children began pouring through the doors. The place quickly became packed and noisy. Everything was thrown into confusion. "Lord Jesus," the team prayed together, "may your purpose prevail here." Then they went to work greeting families, assessing needs, locating pre-assigned wheelchairs, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus at every opportunity.
The afternoon wore on. A tired father, carrying his little five-year-old disabled boy on his back, finally reached the head of the line. But when he lifted his son into the pre-assigned chair, his shoulders slumped. It didn't fit! "I am so sorry!" our seating specialist exclaimed, "this is the wrong chair." But there were only a few chairs left. Pushing aside several adult chairs, she reached for a child-sized one. But it was highly customized, with side supports-including blue leather backing with "Jake" stitched across the middle. In the end, there was no other choice. It was that chair or nothing. When the father lifted his boy into the new chair, it fit perfectly! An interpreter exclaimed, "It's like it was made for him!"
"By the way, what is your son's name?" someone asked the boy's mother. "Jakob," she replied-and everyone gasped! When an interpreter explained to the boy's mystified parents that "Jake" is the shortened version of Jakob-they, too, cried for joy. The whole family-along with almost sixty others-opened their hearts to receive Jesus that day. The Lord's purpose had prevailed!
There are many times when we can clearly look at a situation, and if we are people of faith, declare the action a complete miracle (as opposed to a "coincidence"). This JAF story is definitely one of those. Read it to your family at dinner tonight! :)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. --Proverbs 19:21
Our Wheels for the World team arrived in a small town in Poland to distribute 225 wheelchairs and Bibles. Before the day had hardly begun, however, their plans were in shreds. The assigned room was tiny and cramped. But before anyone could come up with a plan B, streams of families with disabled children began pouring through the doors. The place quickly became packed and noisy. Everything was thrown into confusion. "Lord Jesus," the team prayed together, "may your purpose prevail here." Then they went to work greeting families, assessing needs, locating pre-assigned wheelchairs, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus at every opportunity.
The afternoon wore on. A tired father, carrying his little five-year-old disabled boy on his back, finally reached the head of the line. But when he lifted his son into the pre-assigned chair, his shoulders slumped. It didn't fit! "I am so sorry!" our seating specialist exclaimed, "this is the wrong chair." But there were only a few chairs left. Pushing aside several adult chairs, she reached for a child-sized one. But it was highly customized, with side supports-including blue leather backing with "Jake" stitched across the middle. In the end, there was no other choice. It was that chair or nothing. When the father lifted his boy into the new chair, it fit perfectly! An interpreter exclaimed, "It's like it was made for him!"
"By the way, what is your son's name?" someone asked the boy's mother. "Jakob," she replied-and everyone gasped! When an interpreter explained to the boy's mystified parents that "Jake" is the shortened version of Jakob-they, too, cried for joy. The whole family-along with almost sixty others-opened their hearts to receive Jesus that day. The Lord's purpose had prevailed!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Openings in Our Cottage Classes Near Ossian, Indiana
I tried to get this as a note on FB at TFT, so I wouldn't need to put it here, but it wouldn't work....so....if you are not from near us or are not a homeschooler who might be interested in cottage classes, just hit delete! :) Thanks for your patience with my lack of savvy with technology!
Anyway, we still have openings in a few of our homeschool cottage classes near Ossian, Indiana to be held on Wednesdays.
Specifically, we have openings in CQLA Level A, CQLA Level B, and Ancient History.
I am going to post the information below about the Ancient History class. It is taught by our son who has an undergraduate degree in history. He is an amazing teacher with detailed handouts and amazing power point presentations each week. If you have a student in sixth grade or above who would like to "audit" this class--just listen to the lectures, receive the handouts, etc, but not do it for high school credit/complete the homework, let us know. Our younger kids often do that with Joshua's classes--they are that enjoyable.
Follow this link for more class information (schedules/prices, etc.): http://www.tfths.com/classes.php
Learn more details about the Ancient History class below:
Week One‐‐Egypt: Deals with the rise of Egypt with a focus on the people who built ancient Egypt into a great nation. These include Narmer, the man who unified Egypt; Snefru, the persistent Pharaoh who build the first pyramids; Hatshepsut, the female Pharaoh; Tuthmosis III, the great conqueror; and the most unusual Pharaoh in Egyptian history, Akhenaten. Other topics covered in this week are the importance of the Nile River, multiple instances of collapse and rise, and the impact of Joseph on Egypt.
Week Two—Egypt: Covers Ramses the Great, who came to power at the height of Egypt’s power. He is known as the Great because of his military accomplishments, including the famous battle of Kadesh, as well as his vast building projects across Egypt. After Ramses, the empire began a long decline that led to Egypt being conquered by a succession of foreign invaders including the Assyrians, the Nubians, the Persians, and Alexander the Great. This class finished by examining the Ptolemies. They were responsible for building the Great Lighthouse and the Library at Alexandria as well as translating the Old Testament into Greek. This class also covers the Exodus.
Week Three‐‐Historiography and Barbarians: This class is divided into two parts. The first deals with historiography—literally the study of history. What kind of evidence do historians have about the ancient world? How can the study of pottery shards and skeletons tell us how people lived thousands of years ago? How do historians use documentary evidence (such as the Bible) to shed light on ancient cultures? The second part of this week deals with the so called Barbarians who invaded established empires from China to Rome. Who were these people and why were they hated and feared by the most powerful nations in the world?
Week Four‐‐The Middle East: This lesson covers the empires of the Fertile Crescent. Sargon built the world’s first true empire. Ur attempted to build a communist style economy and failed miserably. Hammurabi conquered a great empire but is most known for his legal system established in the Code of Hammurabi. The Kassites ruled from Babylon before they were conquered by the greatest empire of the near east: Assyria. The Assyrians were able to conquer and control most of the Middle East using ingenious and brutal tactics including the forced deportation of the ten northern tribes of Israel.
Week Five—Persia: This class begins by looking at the glorious but short lived Babylonians and their greatest king Nebuchadnezzar. Cyrus the Great made Persia a great power by conquering Babylon, Egypt, and Lydia. The Persians were an unusual people to create an empire since they were originally nomadic herders. Cyrus was praised by many of his enemies. Greek accounts remember him as just, kind, and wise. The Old Testament tells the story of Cyrus sending the captive Israelites home. Later rulers struggled with rebellions in Babylon and Egypt, two failed invasions of Greece, and finally, the destruction of the empire by Alexander the Great.
Week Six—India: The kingdoms of ancient India were incredibly wealthy. Beginning with the Indus Valley civilization and whose water and sewage systems were thousands of years ahead of their time. But the civilization disappeared mysteriously. The Mauryan Empire was as large and wealthy as Persia or Assyria and, under Asoka, guaranteed freedom of religion to all of its citizens. India was rarely united but that didn’t stop them from changing the world. They traded all over the known world, invented chess, proved the world was round, invented the decimal system and were the first to use the number zero.
Week 7 – China: China was without a doubt the greatest civilization of the ancient world. In terms of size and technological accomplishments they left the other great empires far behind. This lesson begins by looking at the unifying factors of China such as Confucius and the “Mandate of Heaven” which gave the emperor absolute power as long as he served the people’s interest. We will also look at the vast irrigation and canal networks that allowed China to have a population far larger than other ancient empires. The Chinese invented paper, printing, gunpowder, money, wind power, the iron‐tipped plow, and much more.
Week 8 – China: This class focuses on the fall and rise of China after the Mongol invasion. Despite their technological advances and incredible wealth the Chinese always struggled with nomadic invaders. The Mongols were one of those invaders and ruled China for nearly one hundred years. But they were expelled by a beggar named Zhu Yuanzhang who established the Ming Dynasty. The Ming dynasty continued China’s greatness. One of their greatest achievements was the grand fleet of the early 1400s. The ships of the fleet had watertight compartments like the Titanic—only hundreds of years earlier. The largest could carry between 500 and 1000 men—compared to the 40 carried by Christopher Columbus’s Santa Maria.
Week 9–Africa: Africa is often overlooked by many but has a fascinating history of its own. Ethiopia became a Christian nation shortly after the death of Christ and remained independent for over 1600 years. In West Africa three kingdoms, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai built trading empires that specialized in the gold trade. They were so wealthy that when Mali ruler Mansa Musa took a pilgrimage to Mecca he spent so much that gold lost much of its value throughout the Middle East. But the kingdoms collapsed and the “gold coast” later became known as the “slave coast” because of the slave trade. In the East Swahili city states and cattle kingdoms traded with India and Southeast Asia.
Week 10–America: Pre‐Columbian Americans lived in all types of societies from tribes, to small kingdoms, to grand empires. Meso‐Americans were characterized by healthy populations and long life expectancy thanks to modern agricultural techniques. The Aztecs and Olmecs lived in stratified empires. Both of them were nearly always at war with their neighbors.
Week 11‐‐Rise of Athens: No ancient civilization has as much of an impact on America as Athens. This week covers the birth of democracy and how it was almost destroyed. The lesson begins with the father of democracy, Solon, and his reforms which planted the seed but ultimately failed. After overthrowing a tyranny the Athenians turned to Cleisthenes who built on Solon’s foundation and created the world’s first successful democracy. But the mighty Persian Empire threatened to destroy Athens but the Greeks defeated them at Marathon and later at Salamis.
Week 12‐‐The Fall of Athens: Greek advances during the golden age include some of the first historical works, the birth of scientific medicine, advances in mathematics, art, and architecture. But the Peloponnesian War with Sparta changed that. Early in the conflict a plague broke out which killed the Athenian leader Pericles. But it was the failed invasion of Sicily which crippled Athens.
Week 13‐‐Alexander the Great: The small and rarely united kingdom of Macedon became a world power because of two kings. The first was Phillip who revolutionized the Macedonian military and conquered
all of the Greek city states including Athens. His son Alexander conquered the great Persian Empire. Even though Alexander ruled his entire empire for only three years before dying in Babylon he spread Greek culture throughout the Middle East.
Week 14‐‐Rise of Rome: Rome was established as a small city on the banks of the Tiber. Early in their history the Roman people overthrew the monarchy and fought a series of wars to remain independent and free. They began to unite Italy before running up against the powerful empire of Carthage. In a series of wars the Roman republic conquered Carthage.
Week 15‐‐Republic to Empire: The Roman people hated the idea of having a king. And after conquering Carthage it seemed that the free people of Rome could not be stopped. But as they grew the Senate became more and more corrupt. Pirate raids and slave rebellions led many Romans to consider the unthinkable—a single ruler instead of a republic. The people got their hero in Julius Caesar who was assassinated. But his adopted son Augustus Caesar replaced the republic with and Empire.
Week 16—Israel: This lesson begins with the Old Testament including Joshua’s conquest, and kingdom of Saul, David, and Solomon, the divided monarchy, and the Babylonian captivity. But this lesson will continue the story of Israel with the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire. The Maccabees established the Hasmonean dynasty which ruled over a kingdom larger than David or Solomon. But they were overcome by Rome who put Herod in charge of the kingdom. Israel wanted independence and rebelled leading to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Anyway, we still have openings in a few of our homeschool cottage classes near Ossian, Indiana to be held on Wednesdays.
Specifically, we have openings in CQLA Level A, CQLA Level B, and Ancient History.
I am going to post the information below about the Ancient History class. It is taught by our son who has an undergraduate degree in history. He is an amazing teacher with detailed handouts and amazing power point presentations each week. If you have a student in sixth grade or above who would like to "audit" this class--just listen to the lectures, receive the handouts, etc, but not do it for high school credit/complete the homework, let us know. Our younger kids often do that with Joshua's classes--they are that enjoyable.
Follow this link for more class information (schedules/prices, etc.): http://www.tfths.com/classes.php
Learn more details about the Ancient History class below:
Week One‐‐Egypt: Deals with the rise of Egypt with a focus on the people who built ancient Egypt into a great nation. These include Narmer, the man who unified Egypt; Snefru, the persistent Pharaoh who build the first pyramids; Hatshepsut, the female Pharaoh; Tuthmosis III, the great conqueror; and the most unusual Pharaoh in Egyptian history, Akhenaten. Other topics covered in this week are the importance of the Nile River, multiple instances of collapse and rise, and the impact of Joseph on Egypt.
Week Two—Egypt: Covers Ramses the Great, who came to power at the height of Egypt’s power. He is known as the Great because of his military accomplishments, including the famous battle of Kadesh, as well as his vast building projects across Egypt. After Ramses, the empire began a long decline that led to Egypt being conquered by a succession of foreign invaders including the Assyrians, the Nubians, the Persians, and Alexander the Great. This class finished by examining the Ptolemies. They were responsible for building the Great Lighthouse and the Library at Alexandria as well as translating the Old Testament into Greek. This class also covers the Exodus.
Week Three‐‐Historiography and Barbarians: This class is divided into two parts. The first deals with historiography—literally the study of history. What kind of evidence do historians have about the ancient world? How can the study of pottery shards and skeletons tell us how people lived thousands of years ago? How do historians use documentary evidence (such as the Bible) to shed light on ancient cultures? The second part of this week deals with the so called Barbarians who invaded established empires from China to Rome. Who were these people and why were they hated and feared by the most powerful nations in the world?
Week Four‐‐The Middle East: This lesson covers the empires of the Fertile Crescent. Sargon built the world’s first true empire. Ur attempted to build a communist style economy and failed miserably. Hammurabi conquered a great empire but is most known for his legal system established in the Code of Hammurabi. The Kassites ruled from Babylon before they were conquered by the greatest empire of the near east: Assyria. The Assyrians were able to conquer and control most of the Middle East using ingenious and brutal tactics including the forced deportation of the ten northern tribes of Israel.
Week Five—Persia: This class begins by looking at the glorious but short lived Babylonians and their greatest king Nebuchadnezzar. Cyrus the Great made Persia a great power by conquering Babylon, Egypt, and Lydia. The Persians were an unusual people to create an empire since they were originally nomadic herders. Cyrus was praised by many of his enemies. Greek accounts remember him as just, kind, and wise. The Old Testament tells the story of Cyrus sending the captive Israelites home. Later rulers struggled with rebellions in Babylon and Egypt, two failed invasions of Greece, and finally, the destruction of the empire by Alexander the Great.
Week Six—India: The kingdoms of ancient India were incredibly wealthy. Beginning with the Indus Valley civilization and whose water and sewage systems were thousands of years ahead of their time. But the civilization disappeared mysteriously. The Mauryan Empire was as large and wealthy as Persia or Assyria and, under Asoka, guaranteed freedom of religion to all of its citizens. India was rarely united but that didn’t stop them from changing the world. They traded all over the known world, invented chess, proved the world was round, invented the decimal system and were the first to use the number zero.
Week 7 – China: China was without a doubt the greatest civilization of the ancient world. In terms of size and technological accomplishments they left the other great empires far behind. This lesson begins by looking at the unifying factors of China such as Confucius and the “Mandate of Heaven” which gave the emperor absolute power as long as he served the people’s interest. We will also look at the vast irrigation and canal networks that allowed China to have a population far larger than other ancient empires. The Chinese invented paper, printing, gunpowder, money, wind power, the iron‐tipped plow, and much more.
Week 8 – China: This class focuses on the fall and rise of China after the Mongol invasion. Despite their technological advances and incredible wealth the Chinese always struggled with nomadic invaders. The Mongols were one of those invaders and ruled China for nearly one hundred years. But they were expelled by a beggar named Zhu Yuanzhang who established the Ming Dynasty. The Ming dynasty continued China’s greatness. One of their greatest achievements was the grand fleet of the early 1400s. The ships of the fleet had watertight compartments like the Titanic—only hundreds of years earlier. The largest could carry between 500 and 1000 men—compared to the 40 carried by Christopher Columbus’s Santa Maria.
Week 9–Africa: Africa is often overlooked by many but has a fascinating history of its own. Ethiopia became a Christian nation shortly after the death of Christ and remained independent for over 1600 years. In West Africa three kingdoms, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai built trading empires that specialized in the gold trade. They were so wealthy that when Mali ruler Mansa Musa took a pilgrimage to Mecca he spent so much that gold lost much of its value throughout the Middle East. But the kingdoms collapsed and the “gold coast” later became known as the “slave coast” because of the slave trade. In the East Swahili city states and cattle kingdoms traded with India and Southeast Asia.
Week 10–America: Pre‐Columbian Americans lived in all types of societies from tribes, to small kingdoms, to grand empires. Meso‐Americans were characterized by healthy populations and long life expectancy thanks to modern agricultural techniques. The Aztecs and Olmecs lived in stratified empires. Both of them were nearly always at war with their neighbors.
Week 11‐‐Rise of Athens: No ancient civilization has as much of an impact on America as Athens. This week covers the birth of democracy and how it was almost destroyed. The lesson begins with the father of democracy, Solon, and his reforms which planted the seed but ultimately failed. After overthrowing a tyranny the Athenians turned to Cleisthenes who built on Solon’s foundation and created the world’s first successful democracy. But the mighty Persian Empire threatened to destroy Athens but the Greeks defeated them at Marathon and later at Salamis.
Week 12‐‐The Fall of Athens: Greek advances during the golden age include some of the first historical works, the birth of scientific medicine, advances in mathematics, art, and architecture. But the Peloponnesian War with Sparta changed that. Early in the conflict a plague broke out which killed the Athenian leader Pericles. But it was the failed invasion of Sicily which crippled Athens.
Week 13‐‐Alexander the Great: The small and rarely united kingdom of Macedon became a world power because of two kings. The first was Phillip who revolutionized the Macedonian military and conquered
all of the Greek city states including Athens. His son Alexander conquered the great Persian Empire. Even though Alexander ruled his entire empire for only three years before dying in Babylon he spread Greek culture throughout the Middle East.
Week 14‐‐Rise of Rome: Rome was established as a small city on the banks of the Tiber. Early in their history the Roman people overthrew the monarchy and fought a series of wars to remain independent and free. They began to unite Italy before running up against the powerful empire of Carthage. In a series of wars the Roman republic conquered Carthage.
Week 15‐‐Republic to Empire: The Roman people hated the idea of having a king. And after conquering Carthage it seemed that the free people of Rome could not be stopped. But as they grew the Senate became more and more corrupt. Pirate raids and slave rebellions led many Romans to consider the unthinkable—a single ruler instead of a republic. The people got their hero in Julius Caesar who was assassinated. But his adopted son Augustus Caesar replaced the republic with and Empire.
Week 16—Israel: This lesson begins with the Old Testament including Joshua’s conquest, and kingdom of Saul, David, and Solomon, the divided monarchy, and the Babylonian captivity. But this lesson will continue the story of Israel with the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire. The Maccabees established the Hasmonean dynasty which ruled over a kingdom larger than David or Solomon. But they were overcome by Rome who put Herod in charge of the kingdom. Israel wanted independence and rebelled leading to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Back-to-School Study Skills--Textbook Previewing With Your Kids Part I of III
“The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” Robert M Hutchins
I wanted to add some more thoughts to yesterday’s “study skills with textbook previewing.” These are in no certain order or age group—just some things that haven’t really fit in the last couple! (How’s that for organizing and study skills???)
1. Taking the textbook preview further
There are a number of ways that you can take the previewing of textbooks that I discussed yesterday even further with your children for more comprehension of the material:
a. Do his first few assignments out of the book with him, pointing out the things again that you observed in your first preview. This will help him see that those things are not just good things to know, but also helpful for completely homework quicker and more accurately.
b. Help him prepare for his first test with his textbook and you by his side. Show him how he can use the glossary, sidebars, table of contents, etc. to quickly fill in his study guide or quickly determine what the most important aspects of the chapter are in order to prepare for a test.
c. As you are previewing a text (for the first time or an additional time), use a large sticky note to record what you find. Write the title of the text at the top, then make notes about what it contains as far as study and homework helps. Stick this in the front of his textbook and help him refer to it when he is doing homework or test preparation. You could even record a plus and minus system, such as
+++ means something is going to be really helpful---a +++ beside the Table of Contents, for instance
+ beside a word he writes in the front of his book tells him that this might be somewhat helpful—Example: +Some graphs
- No study questions at end of chapter—again, he can make a list in the front of his book (on a large sticky note), etc.
d. Help him “label” different sections of his book with sticky notes along the edges. For example, you could put a yellow one at the beginning of each chapter and a pink one on the page that has definitions for that chapter, etc.
2. Prepare your younger student for textbooks by using user-friendly non-fiction books
Maybe you are not in the textbook stage with your kids; however, you can begin preparing them for those all important study skills that I described yesterday with quality non-fiction books. If kids at ages five, six, eight, and ten, learn to navigate around Dorling Kindersley, Eyewitness, and Usborne books (among many others), they will be heads and shoulders above other children who have only been exposed to fictional stories (more on the benefits of fiction later!).
These outstanding non-fiction books have literally hundreds of topics that interest kids, but they are so colorful and alluring, you do not feel like you are “teaching” at all. Additionally, they have many aspects that your child’s future textbooks will also have: glossaries, Tables of Contents, sidebars, graphs, pictures, inserts, definitions, bold font, italics, etc. Reading these to and with your children when they are younger will provide a natural step into textbooks later on.
Note: We teach our students (in our home, our cottage classes, and in our language arts books) a simple memory device for remembering fiction and non-fiction:
Fiction=fake (both begin with f)
Non-fiction=not fake (both begin with nf)
I wanted to add some more thoughts to yesterday’s “study skills with textbook previewing.” These are in no certain order or age group—just some things that haven’t really fit in the last couple! (How’s that for organizing and study skills???)
1. Taking the textbook preview further
There are a number of ways that you can take the previewing of textbooks that I discussed yesterday even further with your children for more comprehension of the material:
a. Do his first few assignments out of the book with him, pointing out the things again that you observed in your first preview. This will help him see that those things are not just good things to know, but also helpful for completely homework quicker and more accurately.
b. Help him prepare for his first test with his textbook and you by his side. Show him how he can use the glossary, sidebars, table of contents, etc. to quickly fill in his study guide or quickly determine what the most important aspects of the chapter are in order to prepare for a test.
c. As you are previewing a text (for the first time or an additional time), use a large sticky note to record what you find. Write the title of the text at the top, then make notes about what it contains as far as study and homework helps. Stick this in the front of his textbook and help him refer to it when he is doing homework or test preparation. You could even record a plus and minus system, such as
+++ means something is going to be really helpful---a +++ beside the Table of Contents, for instance
+ beside a word he writes in the front of his book tells him that this might be somewhat helpful—Example: +Some graphs
- No study questions at end of chapter—again, he can make a list in the front of his book (on a large sticky note), etc.
d. Help him “label” different sections of his book with sticky notes along the edges. For example, you could put a yellow one at the beginning of each chapter and a pink one on the page that has definitions for that chapter, etc.
2. Prepare your younger student for textbooks by using user-friendly non-fiction books
Maybe you are not in the textbook stage with your kids; however, you can begin preparing them for those all important study skills that I described yesterday with quality non-fiction books. If kids at ages five, six, eight, and ten, learn to navigate around Dorling Kindersley, Eyewitness, and Usborne books (among many others), they will be heads and shoulders above other children who have only been exposed to fictional stories (more on the benefits of fiction later!).
These outstanding non-fiction books have literally hundreds of topics that interest kids, but they are so colorful and alluring, you do not feel like you are “teaching” at all. Additionally, they have many aspects that your child’s future textbooks will also have: glossaries, Tables of Contents, sidebars, graphs, pictures, inserts, definitions, bold font, italics, etc. Reading these to and with your children when they are younger will provide a natural step into textbooks later on.
Note: We teach our students (in our home, our cottage classes, and in our language arts books) a simple memory device for remembering fiction and non-fiction:
Fiction=fake (both begin with f)
Non-fiction=not fake (both begin with nf)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Back-to-School Study Skills--Textbook Previewing With Your Kids Part I of III
“The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” Robert M Hutchins
Sitting down with your student and his textbooks (maybe one per evening) during the first week will go a long way towards his comprehension and ease of use of those books throughout the school year. Try these specific strategies for previewing textbooks with your student to help him or her get the most out of his or her texts this year:
1. Graphs and charts—Remind your student that charts and graphs usually restate (in another form) what is indicated in the text. He can use these for quick overviews, as well as for reviewing before tests.
2. Enumerations—If his text uses a lot of enumeration, it could be that this subject has a significant number of lists to be learned. Point him to these lists and show him that often what is listed in the margins or sidebars is also expounded upon within the text.
3. Section headings—The more headings a book contains, the easier it is to learn from. The student is constantly reminded, by the headings and subheadings, of what the section is about. Show him how helpful these headings can be as he uses the book during his reading and for test preparation.
4. Pictorial aids—Maps are always in included in history textbooks. If his textbook contains a large assortment of maps, show him how they can help him see the big picture. Maps usually show where something that is discussed in the text occurred.
5. Glossary—Books that contain glossaries give the student an easy way to find definitions that may be more obscure within the text. Teach him to use this for quick finds, but encourage him to use the text itself for most studying since students who learn vocabulary in context retain it better.
6. Tables of Contents—The Table of Contents can be used somewhat like an index to find where information is in a particular chapter. It is especially good for getting a big picture about a whole chapter.
7. Prefaces, introductions, and summaries—If a text has any of these three, some of the work is already done for the student. Show him how advantageous these are for quick previewing of a chapter.
8. Footnotes—If a student is in a class that requires research papers, footnotes can be a real plus. We teach our research paper students to use lengthy works’ footnotes to find other credible sources that they might use in their papers.
9. Appendixes—Appendixes are the “extra credit” of the book. I always like to thin of myself as a prized pupil, so I tend to gravitate to these right at first, since they’re usually for those who want additional information—and I always want to know more! Tell your students that sometimes the appendixes aren’t even used in the actual course, but they are good for learning more, for research-based reports, and for cementing what is found in the text.
10. Indexes—If a book doesn’t have an index, I say send it back and get a new one! Show your student how quickly he can find information with the index. The more specific the index, the better it is for the student.
11. Bibliography—The bibliography gives lists of books, articles, and documents relating to the subjects in the textbook. Like footnotes, we direct our research paper students to these.
12. Pronunciation guides—These guides give the phonetic markings to aid in reading unfamiliar words. Many texts do not have these guides, but they are helpful in a class where a student will be giving presentations so the can pronounce unknown words correctly.
Any signaling or sign posting that a book contains is that much more opportunity for the visual learner, especially, to learn and retain. If you have an auditory learner, you might have to record his vital info on cd or cassette! Smile…More study skills coming soon!!!
Sitting down with your student and his textbooks (maybe one per evening) during the first week will go a long way towards his comprehension and ease of use of those books throughout the school year. Try these specific strategies for previewing textbooks with your student to help him or her get the most out of his or her texts this year:
1. Graphs and charts—Remind your student that charts and graphs usually restate (in another form) what is indicated in the text. He can use these for quick overviews, as well as for reviewing before tests.
2. Enumerations—If his text uses a lot of enumeration, it could be that this subject has a significant number of lists to be learned. Point him to these lists and show him that often what is listed in the margins or sidebars is also expounded upon within the text.
3. Section headings—The more headings a book contains, the easier it is to learn from. The student is constantly reminded, by the headings and subheadings, of what the section is about. Show him how helpful these headings can be as he uses the book during his reading and for test preparation.
4. Pictorial aids—Maps are always in included in history textbooks. If his textbook contains a large assortment of maps, show him how they can help him see the big picture. Maps usually show where something that is discussed in the text occurred.
5. Glossary—Books that contain glossaries give the student an easy way to find definitions that may be more obscure within the text. Teach him to use this for quick finds, but encourage him to use the text itself for most studying since students who learn vocabulary in context retain it better.
6. Tables of Contents—The Table of Contents can be used somewhat like an index to find where information is in a particular chapter. It is especially good for getting a big picture about a whole chapter.
7. Prefaces, introductions, and summaries—If a text has any of these three, some of the work is already done for the student. Show him how advantageous these are for quick previewing of a chapter.
8. Footnotes—If a student is in a class that requires research papers, footnotes can be a real plus. We teach our research paper students to use lengthy works’ footnotes to find other credible sources that they might use in their papers.
9. Appendixes—Appendixes are the “extra credit” of the book. I always like to thin of myself as a prized pupil, so I tend to gravitate to these right at first, since they’re usually for those who want additional information—and I always want to know more! Tell your students that sometimes the appendixes aren’t even used in the actual course, but they are good for learning more, for research-based reports, and for cementing what is found in the text.
10. Indexes—If a book doesn’t have an index, I say send it back and get a new one! Show your student how quickly he can find information with the index. The more specific the index, the better it is for the student.
11. Bibliography—The bibliography gives lists of books, articles, and documents relating to the subjects in the textbook. Like footnotes, we direct our research paper students to these.
12. Pronunciation guides—These guides give the phonetic markings to aid in reading unfamiliar words. Many texts do not have these guides, but they are helpful in a class where a student will be giving presentations so the can pronounce unknown words correctly.
Any signaling or sign posting that a book contains is that much more opportunity for the visual learner, especially, to learn and retain. If you have an auditory learner, you might have to record his vital info on cd or cassette! Smile…More study skills coming soon!!!
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