Becky's Teaching Tips

Trust

1. In reading the book of Micah recently I was reminded of several things:

1) From chapter 6, verse 8…”And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  How reassuring the WORD is. Here we have specific curriculum ideas for character development. Instead of worrying so much about my child’s self esteem, I’ll focus on his humility, honesty, integrity and mercy. 

2) From chapter 7, verse 18 “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives transgression of the
remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” How comforting to know that there is a provision forsin to be forgiven. As you teach this second semester
of the 2005-2006 school year show Christ in you by your pardon, forgiveness, mercy and compassion.

3) From chapter 4 part of verse 2, “He will teach ushis ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” What peace is overflowing our hears as we realize that God intends to superintend our school and has full ability and complete power to carry out His plan.

4) From Chapter 5, verse 2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, through you are small among the clans of
Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Isreal, whose origins are from old, from
ancient times.” Wow! Our God is one who can be trusted. Hundreds of years before it happened, God used Micah to reveal His plan. Everything that God promised was fulfilled. He is the same God today.

2. Mid-Year Evaluation
Now is a good time to evaluate your schedule, goals and expectations.
Consider:
1. Am I allowing time for daily as well as personal devotions?
2. Do I take at least one minute to pray with my husband so that we daily can agree on God’s blessing
over our children?
3. Do I know where my written list of each child’s goals is recorded?
4. Am I as eager to see the heart bending toward God as I am to see the research report completed?
5. Does my older child’s schedule include student teaching?
6. As a family are we focused on serving others, not just surviving?
7. When in unusual or exceedingly difficult circumstances, do we hear from and obey God?
8. Do I see reading improvement in each young child?
9. Do I have a read aloud plan that encourages each child eventually?
10. Do we have a system built into our lives for encouraging one another?
11. Are we seeing a step by step progression toward excellence in handwriting and each academic area?

12. Is our prayer life fitting with what Scripture calls, “without ceasing.”

3. Thinking Skills
1) For fun or as part of language see what you can do with one work.
For example: make an acrostic as:
T each
R ighteousness
U nite
S tudent
T akes


2) look up the definition
3) Do a topical Bible Study
4) Discuss broken and renewed.
5) Look up words that mean the same
6) Do projects like these with other words
7) Experience the word
8) Share it with others
9) Spell it and use it in a sentence

4. Reading Instruction for Non-reading Older Students
1. Keep moving. Continue to review phonics, introduce new, review again.
2. Make a stack of sight words or words forgotten. Review the entire stack 1-3 times a day.
3. Read to him from age appropriate history and science texts. Do not hold back learning for lack of
reading.
4. Read to him on a variety of topics. Choose some topics of interest but introduce new ideas, too.
5. Talk about text and other readings. Draw conclusions together, put events in order, discuss main ideas. Exercise the brain whether it is reading or not.
6. Make booklets to read together, make charts, time lines, record of findings.
7. Discover together things of everyday living as how electricity works or who we do banking.

5. Discipline
Look at these illustrations of ‘What would you do if:’
1. your child cam running you saying ‘He hit me!’ Consider holding him sympathetically and whispering “I have a secret. This gives you the opportunity to be a winner. You can show your brother how you react when you are treated unfairly.” Then you take the thrill from the who hit by
a. Focusing on his reaction and
b. Quietly and privately dealing with the hitter. (this training must be done.)

2. Your child sulks at a math assignment. Consider saying "Your sulking shows that you don’t trust me as God instrument for your good. You know, I have that problem, too, and want my own way, When you see it in my, remind me. When I see it in your, I will remind you. Now do your math, I’ll set the timer,” Of course discipline is personal and individual. These are only illustrations for you to consider. As always, discipline is not jus survival or victory for the moment but it us action and reaction by plan with eternal vision.