Making the Most of Teachable Moments
June 3, 2020
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Gena Suarez
The Real Point, Mama
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Kerry Tittle
Let the Bothering Begin
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Beth Mora
Those Beautiful Teachable Moments!
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Steve & Annette Economides
Saving and Making More this Summer
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Be sure to scroll to the bottom to enter the contest!
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The Real Point, Mama
Hey Mama,
Straight to the point this week. No time for extras, I know. You're going a bit crazy, and I hear you, believe me. Right now, this whole world is a bit crazy. Isn't it a good thing, though, that God is still on the throne—and nothing can change that? During this crazy Mama-life, there is joy, pain, fatigue, fear, long-suffering, stress, excitement, proud moments where your very heart swells, and so much more.
In the middle of all those moments, you know which ones I love to embrace? The teachable ones. You know, the ones where you're giving your kids so much beyond an earthly education. You are educating for eternity; you're reaching little hearts.
Those moments are priceless. Not good at taking those teachable moments by the horns? Here's some encouragement from the pages of
The Old Schoolhouse
®
Magazine.
And remember, Mama. . .
When you’re tempted to throw your hands up and say, “What is the POINT?” remember this: You are the perfect Mama for these kids. No one is better suited for them. And in turn, they are divinely and perfectly suited for you.
All these moments mesh into a chaotic, messy life—but a life going somewhere because you are following the One Who destined you all to be together, this family of yours. This beautiful, crazy, lovely family!
Next week might be better. Or it might not. But there it will be, and you are the Mama, Daughter of the Living King, and you wear that title well. Never forget: His hand is on your head today.
- gena
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Hundreds of beautiful and inspirational greeting cards at very affordable prices. Don’t miss the opportunity to teach and express love today!
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Unplanned Opportunities
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” – Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Teachable moments have been far more of a catalyst to learning than textbooks because they connect truth to real life. We can use these moments to support academic learning but, even more importantly, to share spiritual truths.
You may or may not know that I have two different generations of children. I have the group that I largely raised before tragedy struck and those that I’ve been raising since. In spite of the circumstances, I’ve come to believe that my second generation has some advantages over the first. Why?
Before my trial, I tried to apply Deuteronomy 6:6-7 perfectly. We began in the morning with family Bible reading. They had their own quiet time, a Bible study, and then we bookended the day with nightly devotions. There ya go! Deuteronomy with a bow on top!
Then when life fell apart after the death of my husband and two of my children, I still had a crew to lead for Jesus without the energy. It took time, but I finally realized that Deuteronomy 6:6-7 is all around us—amazing opportunities just waiting to be seized! I have failed many attempts at perfect teachable moments because my hands were full, but there is a time to just let the dishes wait. The laundry isn’t going anywhere either. Close the spelling book and share with your child something hard in your life.
When the little one jams his finger into unsweetened chocolate behind your back, fix his grimace with a drink of milk and discuss how sin always looks tempting but has terrible consequences. While working in the garden explain how we have to pull weeds of sin out of our lives for a healthy heart. My personal favorite . . . have them try to count the stars. Creation always shows how grand God is! During trials, don’t just give them verses about how things are.
Impress God’s promises and the hope that is within you to point them to the Savior.
I am not saying that Bible reading and devotions are not needed.
They absolutely are! We still do that and it’s wonderful. But most of the faith building has come from long nights of crying, disappointments, lying, smashed fingers, the news, and even cooking.
Truth is, think about this, God has given you every moment. Slow down the busyness and look around you. The opportunities are there. If you continually do this, it becomes habit; and before you know it, these little hearts following you will start turning over rocks and making their own teachable moments to share with you.
Let’s be honest. Don’t you think that the Lord uses teachable moments to grow you as well as your children? There is ALWAYS something important to do but sometimes the enemy uses busyness so that we can’t make the most of the moment. Start looking around you now and begin planning for unplanned opportunities.
Kerry Tittle is a mother of nine children and a 20-year homeschool veteran. She was the owner of ReformationKidz with her husband Rob until a tornado destroyed their home and business in 2014, taking the lives of Rob and two of their daughters, Tori and Rebekah. Kerry is the founder of
Refined Family
, which is created to encourage others to find hope in the gospel in the midst of trials.
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Complete State History courses from a Christian perspective for each state. Age 4 - grade 12, all levels correlated. Six-week course, expandable. One-semester option (teacher-directed or independent study). Also Fifty States Under God (two levels) and Geography of the Fifty States (both cover all 50 states in statehood order)
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Those Beautiful Teachable Moments!
Oh, those beautiful teachable moments! Those exhilarating moments when your child is ready, I mean really ready to learn and take a tiny step forward into the land of wisdom.
The weight of education should always rest on the student. As a teacher, if I am working harder than my student, something needs to change. However, my role as a teacher has a significant impact on providing the educational ingredients to my child so that more teachable moments not only emerge but also give me opportunity to capitalize on them.
How do you make teachable moments happen in your child’s day?
Set the stage with a positive learning environment. Let your child know that there are no unimportant questions, and that they have the freedom to fail. Begin with an open conversation about what your child already knows. Assessing previous knowledge wakes up a child’s brainwaves and gets them thinking. Then connect prior learning to what’s important in your child’s world.
Do you know the signs of a teachable moment?
They can go unnoticed if you don’t recognize them. Try looking for these seven signs to show you your child is having a teachable moment.
It’s when your child. . .
- Explains something in their own words.
- Asks a question.
- Ties two unrelated thoughts together.
- Explains their motive, decision, or what they are thinking about the subject.
- Demonstrates knowledge about a subject in their playtime.
- Uses analogies and metaphors to explain an idea.
- Recognizes the natural consequences of their behavior.
What do you do if you see these signs?
1. Stop Everything:
When a teachable moment presents itself, stop everything. Don’t look at your planner or checklist. Put your body into full relax-mode and listen to your child. Trust God that the things on your list are not as important as the teachable moment that is before you.
2. Allow Time:
Like a delicate soufflé, don’t disturb the baking or learning process. You can quickly lose teachable moments by rushing in with answers or lectures. Give your child the space to discover the answers.
3. Pray:
We all want our children to grow in wisdom. I’m no different. I have prayed for my children since birth to grow in wisdom. I also pray for the Lord to help me recognize and capitalize on teachable moments with my children.
As a home educator, it is my job to serve up beautiful and meaningful learning experiences. It is also my job to keep a watchful eye for those teachable moments when my child is ready to learn.
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Now is the BEST time to start teaching and training them in Godly Character! Receive 4 weeks of FREE Character Lessons on The Character Corner!
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Which math program saved your homeschool? What language arts curriculum finally made grammar ‘click’ for your child? Who makes learning history a breeze? Cast your votes for the 2020 The Old Schoolhouse® Excellence in Education Awards to let other homeschoolers know who you believe is the best of the best in each category of homeschool resources! You’ll receive a $100 gift certificate to our Schoolhouse Store for any digital purchase
and be entered in a drawing to win a Kindle Fire Tablet, just for sharing your opinions. Vote by August 15, 2020!
(not applicable to SchoolhouseTeachers.com memberships)
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MoneySmart Family: Making Frugal Fun!
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Saving and Making More this Summer
Even with the economy slow down, there are plenty of things you can do this summer to save and make more financially.
We’ve always encouraged our kids to find ways to make more through side jobs, whether it was babysitting, doing yard cleanup for a friend, or selling their unwanted things. Today, there are dozens of ways that kids can do side jobs in person or online or volunteer their time to build a college resume. Our article on
Summer Jobs for Teens
should be helpful.
Dr. James Dobson once said, “The greatest form of play for a child is working with a parent.” We believe that family unity is built when we work together. Check out our examples of
Family Teamwork
in this blog.
Steve & Annette Economides are New York Times Best Selling authors, homeschool parents of five grown children, and family finance experts. They are passionate about living the frugal lifestyle and sharing the fun and freedom they’ve experienced. They have authored three books: America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money; Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half; The MoneySmart Family System—Teaching Financial Independence to Children of Every Age.
Steve & Annette’s enthusiasm about household finances has earned them appearances on Good Morning America, Today Show, Dr. Phil, CNN, Fox News, 20/20, Nightline, Yahoo Finance, People Magazine, and more.
MoneySmart Family is produced by
Economiser Publications, LLC
. This company is not owned by The Old Schoolhouse, LLC (TOS), and TOS is not responsible for the content produced by MoneySmart Family. TOS may not approve of or endorse all content, resources, and other companies promoted by MoneySmart Family in its columns. The views and opinions expressed in this column or newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TOS on any subject matter. The financial advice and recommendations promoted by MoneySmart Family are not a substitute for expert financial advice. You should consult a qualified financial adviser for financial guidance tailored to your individual needs.
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We know it’s a jungle out there; let us help you navigate your way through the good times, the hard times, and everywhere in between with the
Summer 2020
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! Just $15 US or $25 Canada/International. In this edition you will hear from
The Working Homeschool Mama
,
The Home Cook
,
and those who experienced
Homeschooling Through Difficult Times
. You will also find two resource guides,
Where Worlds Meet: Science, Math, and STEM Learning
and
Summer Learning Fun: Field Trips, Nature Studies, and Literature
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in the spring issue of
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Congratulations to Toini S. who won our April Contest Corner Giveaway!
Contest Corner
for the month of June
Omano OM118-M3 Monocular Compound Microscope
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Microscope, LLC
Every young scientist needs a microscope as a tool for discovery. . . Now that I have a middle-schooler who thrives in science and wants all the tools, I knew we needed to invest in a more quality microscope.
This microscope has a beautiful, sleek design and looks like any high-quality microscope that you would see in any school or science class. It felt very professional, durable, and user-friendly. The magnifying power is from 40X-400X. There are three viewing capabilities that rotate with ease. The eye-piece also rotates at a 45-degree angle effortlessly and is convenient when sharing the microscope between multiple students.
Though this microscope is recommended for K-12 and described as an introductory microscope, I would say that this is one of the higher-end introductory microscopes that I have seen.
There are optional add-ons for expanded use that include digital cameras with Windows or Mac operating systems that come in 1.3 or 3.1 megapixel resolution, as well as a reticle or a smartphone adaptor. We did not review these items, but I can see how they would be beneficial depending on your needs.
I highly recommend this microscope. The quality and design will surely please any budding scientist. It's an excellent value for the dollar amount and a perfect addition to any homeschool.
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This is a shortened review of the
Monocular Compound Microscope
.
Read the complete review
on our site and get more details on how great this would be for your science learning.
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