7 Tools Book Club: World View, Dicipleship & Academics

It's true.  I'm trying to catch up on my 7 Tools Book Club posts, so I'm combining a few chapters in one post.  

Really, I don't have to post on them at all but, by going back through the book to put my thoughts in writing, it helps me gain so much from the book.   If you are reading a book like this, I encourage you to write a synopsis of each chapter if you aren't already.

Chapter 5:  Developing a Biblical World View

"World view gives focus and direction.  When we teach our children to view all of life through the lens of Scripture, we are giving them a priceless gift in today's secular, postmodern society." (pg. 104-105)  A biblical worldview serves as a compass for us to find our way and stay on that course. (pg. 107)

Children need to understand the implications of Christianity in their daily lives and that it's relevant in everything they do, from playing soccer on a team to the job they have as adults.  They need to know that each of them serve God by doing their work well and using their hobbies and gifts to help shape the world.  We were made in God's image and that's what He did.  He made the world and it was good.  I had to explain this (again) to my son who was deviating from serving God on the soccer field by not showing proper respect to the referee.  What he does on the soccer field is relevant to the rest of his life. 

Recently I put this quote from the 7 Tools book on our family's white board in response to a question that my husband posed about why our family homeschools.

"Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore lay Christ at the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning."  (pg.  119)  This quote was from  Harvard's 1646 ""Rules and Precepts." 

 How do we teach our children worldview?  Zan recommends the What We Believe series from Apologia (for ages 6-14), and the Thinking Like a Christian curriculum for parents and high school students (pg. 119).  I didn't read this until after I ordered my curriculum and I'm using the What We Believe series for my younger kids this year and the I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist curriculum for (myself) and my high schoolers.  

Chapter 6:  Building Character Through Discipleship

 I'm not sure if more needs to be said than what Zan said at the beginning of this chapter:

"This is the heart of  discipleship- helping our children reach the point in their lives where they are concerned first and foremost with what their heavenly Father thinks, and as a result are trying to please Him in all that they think, say and do."  (pg. 126-127)

Remembering God.  Zan writes that God wants us to remember Him and on page 132 she gives scripture verses/admonitions that she recommends we share with our children about remembering God in our daily lives.

• Deut 7:18  "...remember what the Lord your God did..."
• Deut 8:18  "Remember His wonderful deeds..."
• Neh 4:14  "...remember the Lord who is great and awesome..."
• Eccl 12:1  "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth..."  (My husband graduated from the Citadel in South Carolina, and this verse was posted plainly for all of the cadets to see.)

What's important to God?  Two things:  loving God and loving your neighbor.

•  Loving God.  "He wants our undivided love and worship, and he will go to great lengths to secure both.  We need to teach our children how to "live in an attitude of worship"sacred activity or calling when we offer it to God and do it for His glory."  Even on the soccer field...ahem.   And, while we homeschool them...ahem.
• Loving Your Neighbor.  Ways to do this include service, good manners and good behavior.  Our family has a small group ministry and one of the events we do with our group is serve at a local homeless shelter.  That is somehow easier for us than having good manners and good behaviors, especially within our family.  Zan gives me some grace regarding that by saying that we don't live in a perfect world and that misbehavior can be controlled but not completely prevented. 

         So, how do we do that?  Intentionally parent.  Pray.  Encourage.  Have a strong family unit. Homeschooling can contribute to a strong family unit.  (John Rosemond, in the article, "Living with Children")  pg. 147

Chapter 7:  Providing Stimulating Academics

I didn't really want to read this chapter.  Why not? Because I thought it was entirely possible that Zan intimate that I've been doing it all wrong for the past 13 years.  Until now in the book she hasn't been anything but encouraging, so my thoughts were certainly unfounded.  Nonetheless, that thought did enter my mind.

In reality, Zan continued to be an encouragement in this chapter too!

I loved how she defined academics:  the Bible, conversation, and oh....the occasional textbook! 

This past summer I sent my two high school boys to a week long camp to learn about the government.  Yes, gasp, in the summer!

Before they left for the camp they had to complete some assignments (yes, in the summer ...ugh) which included reading the U.S. Constitution and drafting two bills.

Knowing that there was complete lack of interest to comply (although not blatant)  I asked one of our friends, a retired Army Colonel lawyer, to help guide them (so they would "get er dun").

 I thought it would be less painful for my boys if someone explained the process who was, ya know, excited about those types of things.  Thankfully I was right.  Although they didn't finish the bills during their meeting with him, they came back excited about all of the stories he told them and they were ready to write.  It turns out that our friend had been an instructor at West Point- teaching Constitutional Law!  So, he gave my boys the assignment to write up their bills and send him their drafts so he could assess their work!  I think he was glad to have students again. 

Although my boys did NOT want to go to that camp for a week they returned totally stoked (excited) about their experience. During the week, they role-played being part of the government.  One of my boys was a congressman in the House of Representatives and the other was selected to be the Ambassador from Germany (we've lived there and he speaks German).  I think that was the best way for them to learn about our government. 

When I finish this inspiring book, I will have such a feeling of thankfulness and accomplishment, and also some sadness that it came to an end! 

What are some outside-the-box stimulating curriculum ideas you have or you've heard about?

Why I Dread Summer

Hmmmm.

Thinking.

Still  thinking.

Nope.  Can't think of ANY reason why I dread summer.  What's to dread?!

 I love having 'off' in the summer.   

 As Buddy the Elf would say, "It's my favorite."

I guess it's not really off, just more of a change of pace.  As a matter of fact, during dinner tonight my kids were dicussing some grammar rules.   So, noooooooo, we're not off.  

However, my whole family looks forward to the more leisurely days.  Here are the 
top ten things
  that we are 
looking forward to doing this summer:

1.  Levi (age 3) has swim lessons for two weeks. 

2.   Summer camps.  Luke (age 16) and Josh (age 14) will attend Home School Legal Defense Association's GenJ government camp in Colorado in August.  Luke, Sophia and Caroline will also go to  other summer camps (church,  gymnastics, horse). 

3.  Host a 12 year old girl from Spain and a 16 year old boy from France for three and a half weeks so they can learn English.

 4.  Go to the beach in Texas for a week with our family (and our two exchange students).

5.  Steve and I will continue attending Toastmasters meetings and I'll be preparing to teach my year long speech class to 7th-12th grade students next year.

6.  Caroline (age 12) will have her friend, who lives two hours away, come stay for awhile.

7.  Compete in a (few) mini-triathlon(s).  Luke will do his first one.  It's scheduled for next Sunday but it may be cancelled...ugh..  we'll find more.

 8.  Maybe, just maybe, take Luke to get his driver's license.

 9.  Proceed with the adoption process.

10.  Celebrate my birthday in August (or maybe I'll just celebrate the anniversary of my 29th birthday!).

 

And here is something that will take most of my time, but not something that I'm necessarily looking forward to:   

•  Preparing for next year's school year.  That alone, could fill the entire summer.  

I wonder why it takes so long to do that?  Can't I just have each child follow the schedule of the oldest as they get to be his age?

Sigh.

No.

As I think about that, that could actually be worse!  Having each child take the same courses that the child before him/her took.  That wouldn't work.

They need individualized schedules/curricula,  and we need to change schedules/curricula based on what's going on with our family that year.

Now I feel better about spending that time preparing for the next year!

Pro 21:5  The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. 

Galatians  6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

How do you prepare for next year's school?  

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