A couple of my kids have chicken scratch for handwriting. And they are the adult children, even though we all went over handwriting together for years. Some of my kids' writing abilities are just neat from birth, and others need a lot of help. We should teach excellence, but not stress out if their handwriting is not a work of art by the time they are ten. Instead of perfection, our goal should be improvement over time. Copywork is a huge help for handwriting and all of these other benefits:
Copywork is great practice for handwriting during the holiday season. Put aside other work and just copy CHRISTMAS Scriptures this month! Here is one to get you started:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Find more Scriptures here:
We can never underestimate the power of the Word of God in our children's hearts and minds. It is the beginning of wisdom and understanding. In fact, speaking of copying, Jesus had something to say about that. He copied His Father. He only did what He saw His Father doing. John 5:19 says, "So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.'" We would do well to teach our children to copy Jesus.
God bless you this week as you continue being good stewards of God's children and keeping them Home Where They Belong.
~Deborah
P.S. For manual dexterity issues, try this: hold the pen/pencil a bit more loosely and write small rather than large letters. It is harder to keep control in big spaces. For sweaty hands, add a rubber grip. For special needs writers, left handers, or children who use too much pressure and strain their hands, try something like the Yoropen. Also, check out handwriting for
struggling learners here
.
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Raising Real Men
When God gave Israelis instructions for their future king, in Deuteronomy 17:18-20, He said the king was to carry the Scriptures with him and read them
"all the days of his life." This would teach him to be obedient to God's commandments and to stay humble before God and his fellow men.
That's good advice for
all of us!
But notice this--verse 18 commands the king to take pen in hand and write out his own copy himself.
No hired scribe, and, of course, no printing press or cell phone app.
The king's own hand!
Certainly we enjoy the blessings of technology! It's made the Bible available literally to anyone, for pennies or for free. Many of us have swapped our heavy Bibles for the light weight and flexibility of a mobile device--nothing wrong with that!
But there's value, too, in actually writing something out. Some of us may remember taking notes in school, and never actually going back to review them--the act of writing helped us remember the material.
The same thing can happen with Scripture! Remember that some of us learn best by eye, and some by ear, but some by doing something physical . . . like writing. Copying a key verse or passage may help your student--or you yourself--commit it to memory.
And you can bless other people, too, with your own study. Why not use appropriate passages of encouragement in greeting cards and letters? (It might be worth remembering that much of the New Testament was written as letters to churches or individuals . . .)
Or use Scripture as part of a decorative reminder. When Hal was in the Air Force, Melanie cross-stitched a verse for him to keep on his desk at work (Psalm 144:1, actually).
We have several friends who have hand-lettered verses on their walls (like Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20 told the Jews to do!)
Or you can learn calligraphy to craft handwritten mottoes and plaques for yourself or others--and it's a great, handmade gift "not available in stores!"
So remember, when the Proverbs tell us to write God's commandments on our hearts (Proverbs 3:1-3), consider there's good reason to write them on paper--or walls--as well!
Speaking of calligraphy, we've put together a great new kit to teach the major styles of lettering used in the Middle Ages when many lovely illuminated Bibles were created--along with pens and materials to make your
own manuscripts at home! Check it out on our website
here!
Oh! You may also want to check out our
Gift Guide for Boys. Not only does it have a lot of great ideas, but we are giving away a free download of our book,
Christ-Centered Christmas, in the guide!
Click here!
Yours in the Battle,
Hal & Melanie
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On September 20, 1976, I began a daily practice which changed my life. God had been working in my life, and I recommitted my life to follow Jesus fully in the spring of 1974. Two years later, I began attending a church which encouraged each of its members to read the Bible every day and, during the course of the year, read from Genesis to Revelation.
So it was that I picked up a Bible Reading Plan in the back of the church and discovered the assignment for that day was the book of Joel in the Old Testament. With God's help, I have read the inspired Word almost every day, and except for a few difficult years when I lived exclusively in the Psalms, have read the entire Bible over thirty-seven times.
This habit of engaging God's Word daily has changed my life. One of my favorite books, which I look forward to rereading each year, is Deuteronomy. The name for this book comes from the eighteenth verse in the seventeenth chapter. Deutero--a copy of, and nomy--the law, means a "copy of this law."
"
When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel" (
Deuteronomy 17:18
-20 ESV
[1]
).
Notice the benefits for the king in Israel who would "write for himself in a book" (copywork) and "read in it all the days of his life." I have observed five benefits:
1. Reverence, "learn to fear the LORD his God"
2. Obedience, "keeping all the words of this law . . . and doing them"
3. Humility, "heart may not be lifted up"
4. Balance, "not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left"
5. Blessed Family, "continue long in his kingdom, he and his children"
Now we have research to affirm what we already knew from Deuteronomy. Since 2003, Back to the Bible
has surveyed over 200,000 people and found wonderful fruit in the lives of those who interact with Scripture regularly. They call it "The Power of 4 Effect." The lives of individuals who read, write, or listen to Scripture "4" times weekly are "radically different from the life of someone who does not. In fact, the lives of Christians who do not engage the Bible most days of the week are statistically the same as the lives of non-believers."
[2]
Someone who engages the Bible four or more times a week is:
228% more likely to share faith with others
407% more likely to memorize Scripture
59% less likely to view pornography
30% less likely to struggle with loneliness[2]
Meditating on God's Word,
Steve
Steve Demme is the author of
Math-U-See and the founder of Building Faith Families. In addition to his weekly podcasts, he produces a monthly newsletter and other resources to strengthen and encourage parents. Learn more about these at
www.buildingfaithfamilies.org
.
[1]The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
®
(ESV
®
)
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
All rights reserved.
ESV® Text Edition: 2016
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The Familyman
Bible work and copy work . . .
I'm sorry I just can't stick to the topic today because I'm feeling Christmassy, and I just need to write something Christmassy. This may be a pattern with me throughout this great month. Honestly, one of the best things about homeschooling is that you can do Christmas ALL month.
I mean, if you want to spend the day decorating, making cookies, or crafting . . . you can. Those things matter way more than doing math, reading about Genghis Khan, or dissecting the entrails of a frog. Actually, it doesn't have to mean more work . . . but more relaxing and enjoying.
For example, you might announce to the kids . . . oh, say as soon as you finish reading this, "Hey guys, today we're gong to have fun . . . so go pick out your favorite Christmas story and your favorite Christmas DVD." Start with the Christmas story--my personal favorite is
Cootie McCay's Nativity
--and get all snuggly, and then read it. Then let the kids draw out their favorite Christmas pictures . . . and then stick in the favorite DVD, and watch it during a lunch of grilled cheese.
What kid wouldn't remember a day like that for the rest of their lives? You can do that because you HOMESCHOOL. No guilt needed--instead, quietly say under your breath, "Eat your heart out, school system."
In an effort to try to appease the powers that be, I will even say you could have the kids copy their favorite Christmas verse on a clean white piece of paper and decorate it with Christmas icons. Need some verses? Here is a list of my favorites:
Luke 2:1-20
Galatians 4:3-5
1 John 4:9,10
1 Timothy 1:15
John 3:16
John 1:14
Matthew 1:21
Isaiah 9:6
Be real . . . and think Christmas!!!
P.S. Looking for a new Christmas board game for the whole family?
To Bethlehem
is just what Dr. Christmas ordered.
Get it now
.
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A division of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine
Did you know? Every class is INCLUDED for members!
No limits.
How would you like access to almost 200 copywork selections in both print and cursive? Members of
SchoolhouseTeachers.com
have full access to Everyday Copywork, which includes selections from literature, history, and more than 30 Bible passages to copy. From Genesis to the epistles, students can practice committing the truth of God's Word to heart while they sharpen their handwriting and language skills.
Not a member yet? Sign up and try us for 30 days for only $1. There are no per-child fees or additional fees for textbooks. If you or someone you know is interested in teaching a class on our site, please contact Executive Editor Bonnie Rose Hudson at
[email protected]
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Announcement
Christmas--Only Deeper
It's more than a story . . . more than a manger scene. It's the Story of all stories, and it's a story where we can find ourselves. Sometimes it's easy to forget the unparalleled majesty and beauty, the overwhelming questions and fears, and the holy absurdity that were all part of the first Christmas. The Savior of the world born to a virgin from the smallest of towns, arriving in an animal shelter, and choosing to do it all because He loves us. If you haven't yet witnessed the Christmas Experience from
City on a Hill
, we invite you to check it out on their website. You can purchase this six-part devotional video or full-length movie on DVD, or watch it with your family as one of the streaming videos in the
Christmas Corner
on SchoolhouseTeachers.com.
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Announcement
The Old Schoolhouse
®
Magazine.
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Click here to get access to FREE back issues of
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
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Contest Corner
For the month of December
History is so much fun to study when you are able to bring it to life. Famous Figures of the Renaissance, by Cathy Diez-Luckie, at Figures in Motion, aims to help with that task by giving students a hands-on approach to learning about important people from that era. The book contains ten 13-inch figures illustrated in authentic period costume for children to cut out from sturdy cardstock and assemble using a hole-punch and brass fasteners. Completed figures are perfect for use in presentations, narrations, stop-motion videos, or just fun learning play. Children can color their own figures using the black and white line drawings, or use the full-color figures included. When attached to craft sticks or pipe cleaners, the completed figures can be used like puppets to retell history, act out historic events, or let the characters "talk" about their lives.
In addition to the figures themselves, the book includes biographical information about each of the eight men and two women featured. These are names every student of history should know: Gutenberg, Martin Luther, Isabella I, Shakespeare, and more. All the people in this book helped shape history in their time, making the book a fun supplement for any history curriculum. The included Renaissance Reading List has suggestions to help students learn even more about them, and there are coloring pages, puzzles, and activities available to download at FiguresInMotion.com for even more learning opportunities. The book also mentions downloadable scripts to use with the figures, but they are not yet available. The author assures me they are still planned and will be on the website once they are completed.
My second grader has loved using these Famous Figures to go along with our history studies, and I think they'd be enjoyable for any elementary student (and possibly even older). My 8-year old son cut out and put together several of the pre-colored figures all on his own (the parts are clearly labeled for easy assembly), then shared them with his younger siblings. He reinforced what he was learning by teaching them about the different people and instructing them in how they should act. When we finished studying each person, we saved the figures in his history notebook by slipping them into plastic sheet protectors, and he has often gone back to get them out for further play. My daughter enjoys coloring more than my sons, and I'm sure as she gets older, she'll want to color in her own figures as we go back through our history cycle. (. . .)
YOU can WIN this resource for your homeschool!
TO ENTER
: Email Kathleen with your name, mailing address, and phone number for contact purposes, with the subject line, "Figures in Motion" for a chance to win* it for your family!
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