Becky’s Tips: Evaluate
Evaluate
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’ But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” - Jeremiah 6:16
The first helpful step in evaluating your homeschool curriculum, methods and schedule is to ask:
1) “Are we walking God’s path?”
2) Can we be excluded from the group that says, “We will not walk in it?”
How can we know God’s path and walk in it?
“But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen” - 2 Peter 3:18
And how shall we grow?
“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Oh, my! So simple. Yet so easy to lean toward another way. Praying with you.
Here are a few everyday examples of evaluating:
“Each day seems to be a rush. We rarely have afternoon rest. We seem to have irritation among us when extra work is called for.”
These clues make you question your scheduled “path”. Could we be doing good things but not all of the good things are assigned by God?
“My 9 year old still struggles academically. I can’t see us finishing all of his text books by the end of the year.”
Please pray about what the child really needs to learn. Pray about methods and materials to use as you look forward to teaching your 10-year old next year. Ask God to lead you to encourage your nine-year-old right now. Above all, recognize that God has a “path” for your child AND it may not look like everyone else’s “path”. Be willing to walk the “path” with God leading.
“My children have so many interests we find it hard to master any.”
Yes, this can get confusing and you may wonder what you’re accomplishing. But it is comforting when we realize that these gifts and interests are God-designed and God-assigned. Finding God’s “path” does come through prayer, waiting, prayer, obedience.
These children may need help balancing all of the good things God wants to show them during their school years. A schedule may help.
For example: When is your personal worship time? When are you joyfully serving others? And other questions to reveal help in following what you know God wants. Surely, any gift that God has given a student is for the purpose of glorifying Him. Therefore time to develop it will most probably be a part of God’s good “path”.
As you evaluate, find confidence in knowing that God will lead you. He cares about you and your teaching and your student and his learning.
In this we rest.
Bible
Recently I was sharing with a friend how endearing God’s Word is to me. She was not astonished but ASSUMED that would be true. But did she know that decades ago when I had much Christian responsibility and small children to guide, that my Bible reading was sparse, quick and even irreverent.
Why am I telling you this? To give warning. Young mothers, encourage each other to read, meditate and memorize God’s Word. But TIME. Yes, it is better to do a little rather than doing none. But hunger drives us to eat and thirst drives us to drink. Most days time is automatically taken to prepare and eat a meal. To avoid most meals most days would be unthinkable. Feeding the family a healthy meal is always a goal and the body needs it.
But… the soul must also be fed to grow and be healthy. God’s Word is one of the best ways to get the food the soul needs. Choose today to just begin reading. Ask God to give you hunger and understanding. Aim toward being saturated with His WORD.
Work
Do your children know that work is an honor, a privilege and can be a delight and joy?
Warn children to shun thoughts of avoiding work and warn young men against retiring or aiming at a life of leisure.
From God’s Word:
Before sin entered the garden,
- “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to take care of it.” - Genesis 2:15
We know that sin affected everything, including work. But God’s purpose for man and work did not change.
- “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…” - Col. 3:23
Work gives us opportunity to make God’s ways known.
- “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, ….” - Eph. 4:28
- “If anyone does not provide for his relatives… is worse than an unbeliever.” - 1 Tim. 5:8
- “…Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father…” - Matt. 5:16
- “Do all things without grumbling…” - Phil. 2:14
In work God had purpose for each one. For your student, work can be obedience to parents or finishing assignments punctually. Connecting God’s good plan for work with everyday assignments can lead to personal fulfillment for students.
“Let the favor of the Lord be upon us and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes establish the work of our hands.” - Ps. 90:17
Child Training
Help your child understand correction for an offense, especially in light of Christ dying for our sins.
A father disciplines a son just as God disciplines His children. Hebrews 12:7-9 tells us that this discipline shows that we are truly His children.
God will discipline us because of His love but He will not condemn us. (Rom 8:1)
Discipline – training, chastisement
Condemn – punishment, guilt, wrath
In Romans 5:9-11 we see that those who have been justified by faith will be saved from wrath. Why then does a child have to be chastised for his own wrongdoing? Because parents act as a loving, heavenly father when they warn their child of dangers ahead. If parents fail to train, the child suffers the consequences.
Love compels a parent to warn.
Keep reading
Read aloud to your children and encourage them to read alone and to each other.
Consider:
1) Germs, Germs, Germs by Bobbie Katz – may only be available from thrift bookstores. This book is a good way to bring awareness to needing to wash your hands!
Shifting to a different topic:
2) The Holy Spirit by Devon & Jessica Provencher – I’ve highlighted these board books (6 in all) before. But the one on the Holy Spirit is must-reading. Just a few words on each page, yet so much truth. Who would have ever dared to teach the Holy Spirit to a one or two-year old? I would use this book for all ages by continuing to share what each page introduces. After using this book I’m sure you’ll want the entire set!
Read together. Enjoy one another.