Delight in the Word

By Becky Wyand

You’ve probably heard it said that young couples are given children but there is no manual instructing them in what to do with them. We know differently. We know that we were given a manual but we are too busy or too disinterested to find out what the instructions are.

Challenge: Continuously evaluate your plan for gathering all of the instruction that you can.

Some Clues:

1. Even a few minutes a day will give you compounded wisdom over time.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and to help you make application. Example: Recently I was reading the middle chapters of Joshua where the description is given for each tribe’s land boundaries. Cities and boundaries are specifically named for each tribe and for Joseph’s two sons. In reading this I thought, “Why did God preserve these details for me for today?” While I am still wondering, I have thought that perhaps we are to see how carefully God cares about our future. Perhaps He is showing us that He had a plan for the beginning and He will see it carried out. Perhaps God wanted us to see how specifically He cared for His Chosen so that we would know and appreciate His care today. Of course, we could go on and on with our ‘perhaps’ but my point is: Read the Word and ask His spirit to teach you truth from the Word.
3. Encourage one another in what you are learning from the Word. Speak openly about something you have recently learned from the Word and encourage your children to do the same.

Reminder of Championship

1. Remember the definition of championship is taking the child from where he IS to where God wants him to me.
2. Remember that God’s vision encompasses eternity past to eternity future. He sees your child’s place in this continuum. Therefore we can trust God to show us best how our child is to be trained to suit His purpose in this vast plan. 
3. Little things matter in Championship. Be alert to the sigh of disgust or the roll of the eye. Be alert to the kind and gentle comment that shows how stupid you are as a teacher.
4. The Word of God is more then the text for Bible class. It is the manual for life. It is the Book we turn to if we are perplexed, in sorrow, in need of an answer, confused or if we are desiring to make the right response.
5. Championship recognizes that all students are individuals and learn best when considered individually. Therefore some second graders will do fourth grade math and some fourth graders will do second grade math.

Discipline

How can we teach that all too often we ‘think too highly of ourselves’, without crushing the spirit of the child. While this is a topic we will constantly discuss, consider these points:

1. Pray regularly and specifically.
2. Don’t deny that your child’s heart needs attention. Sure you want to build trust but right now your child needs training.
3. Openly talk about the proud heart. Do this when the child seems ready. Discuss your own pride journey and the victory you are seeking and why.
4. Be ready and willing to teach and re-teach. Don’t act discouraged over the puffed heart.
5. Use everyday minutes and ordinary circumstances to explain and encourage. Don’t talk about pride only in catastrophic moments.
6. Refrain from nagging. The goal is to train. The nag kills training.
7. Pray again. Trust that our God is sovereign and will guide you.

Evaluating Curriculum

1. The value of choosing a good curriculum in championship

• It gives guidance, helping you to have a plan and showing you what to teach when.
• It helps with a schedule and gives you a time frame for each chapter or unit.
• It gives you help with methods; showing you how to present a concept.
• It gives practice as you are on the road to mastery of a concept.
• In grades four and up it gives an opportunity for independent study; building steps to diligence and responsibility in adulthood

   2.   The drawbacks to using a pre-written plan (purchased curriculum) in championship:

• The biggest drawback perhaps is the difficulty it presents in meeting individual needs, appropriate methods, and specific time frame that is suitable for your very own child.
• Pace is not usually appropriate for your individual situation
• Seldom is practice given that is suitable for mastery.
• Seldom is the material presented in such a way as to be practical and rarely is practical application made.
• Often the time spent on required curriculum leaves little time for Christian service, using education in everyday situations or student teaching.

   3.   What is the solution then?

• Use curriculum sparingly for young children.
• As the child enters third and fourth grade begin increasing curriculum use and independent study.
• For any age when using curriculum realize that you will have to ADD your own practical applications and give your child ample everyday opportunity to practice (put into use) what he is learning.
• Realize, also, for any age when curriculum is used you will need to pace the material individually.

Another Year

As we close this school year and think about a new school year, please feel free to call me if you have questions about what to teach, how to teach, or if you just want to chat. I’d love to hear from you.