Handoff

Handoff by Jeff Myers is about passing the baton to the next generation. He has a web-site http://www.passingthebaton.org/ This web-site has helps for schools, churches, and families. The web-site claims that only one out of twenty Church families have any spiritual connection with their children outside of church. As homeschool families I hope that we are the exceptions. As homeschool parents we are not intimidated by the thought of discipling our children. The book Handoff tells us that civilization is at stake. We must pass the baton of following Jesus to the next generation.

In 2004 Athens Olympics the world watched as the U.S. women's 4X 100 relay team failed to pass the baton properly. The transfer of the baton from Marion Jones to teammate Lauryn Williams failed to happen in the exchange zone. In the race of life there is usually only one chance to pass the baton, and the truth is that this generation of young people is in danger of missing the baton. What can we do as adults? I invite you to read this book Handoff or go to the web-site http://www.passingthebaton.org/

Posted here is a link to Chapter 13 of the book Handoff : "How to Get the Attention of the Next Generation ( Without Yelling)" http://www.passingthebaton.org/images/stories/chapter%2013-how%20to%20get%20the%20attention%20of%20the%20next%20generation--without%20yelling.pdf

Two Trees of Knowledge

Two Trees of Knowledge by Diane Dekker is a book that convicts Christian parents to be true to the Christian faith. It is a biblical case for the separation of school and state. This book includes ten chapters. At the end of each chapter there is a Bible study. Diane Dekker takes a hard look at public education using Scriptures. There are alternatives. But these alternatives do require much commitment. Christian schools require tuition and homeschooling demands much time. Malachi 2: 15 says, "Has not the Lord made them (marriage partners) one? In flesh and spirit they are His. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring." As Christian parents, the single most important job we have is to raise our children to be godly men and women. That is the highest priority of our lives. This book I have included in the S.V.H.E. library to remind us of why we, the parents, are homeschooling our children.

Continuation of "Learning to read and read" posted December 2008

The very first blog I did I talked about dyslexia. I promised in that blog to get more items in the S.V.H.E Library to help parents of children with dyslexia. Well, I came across a helpful book titled: The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Dyslexia by Abigail Marshall. This book promises to gives you all you need to ensure your child's success. The book's back cover states that your dyslexic child can succeed in the classroom and in life. Although dyslexia affects ten to fifteen percent of the U.S. population, only five out of every hundred people with dyslexia are recognized and receive assistance. This book is your first step in facing the challenges of dyslexia with a positive attitude. The author, Abigail Marshall, has been the manager of the www.dyslexia.com Web site since 1995.

The S.V.H.E. library does take donations. One item recently donated was Reading Reflex by Carmen McGuiness and Geoffrey McGuiness. They are the founders of Read America, Inc. and the developers of the research-based Phono-Graphix reading method. This book promises to help your child unlock the sound-picture code. "Reading is the single most important skill for any child to develop. And the key to learning how to read effectively is recognizing the sound that letter or word represent. With the help of the revolutionary system known as Phono-Graphix, you and your child can discover the sound-picture code that is the foundation of the written English language. " (taken from the back cover)

As I am typing these book reviews the thought came to my mind that maybe I should again share what I use. I use the Barton Reading & Spelling System. It is expensive but it is cheaper than paying a tutor to help with a dyslexic child. There are ten levels. Each level comes with everything you need. There is the tutor training on DVDs to help the parent. There is a complete guide on what to say as you are tutoring your child. Information on this system can be found at http://www.bartonreading.com/ This web-site is helpful in helping you understand exactly what dyslexia is. I have found Susan Barton and her system of helping a dyslexic person very helpful.

Pajama School

Last Saturday, May 30th, I attended the 2009 TPA Homeschool Convention at Century II Convention Center in Wichita, KS. While in the exhibition hall there I came across a booth with just a table and a book on it. The book was Pajama School by Natalie Wickham. The lady in the booth was her mother. Since I had gone to the TPA Homeschool Convention several times in the past I was familiar with the Wickham name. The Wickhams had been involved with TPA and their conventions for many years. Natalie has been involved with the Adventures in Character (AiC) program for ten years. She is the current director. This activity is available for six to twelve year olds during much of the time that the convention is going on. It has been a blessing for parents who want to take their children along and make it a family affair going to the annual TPA Homeschool Convention.

Back to the book, Pajama School. It has just been published this year, 2009. Natalie tells of her adventures as a homeschooler. Her homeschool adventures began when she was in third grade. Her family started homeschooling in September 1990. Since that time many changes had occurred in her family. Her mother gave birth to three children. There are now six children in the family. Her paternal grandmother came to live with them until her death. Natalie family's close friends lost a mother and a son due to a car accident. Her sister and best friend, Nicole, got married while Natalie, being older and still single, lives at home. Natalie tells of how she became involved in teaching character education in the Derby grade schools. She tells of her camp experience in California. She, also, tells of her years being a piano teacher. Natalie spends several chapters on all the work and prayer that goes into the AiC program that is now part of the TPA Homeschool Convention. Since Natalie was so involved in life and various projects she did not always have time for school. But after she graduated from her family's homeschool her parents requested she take the GED test. She got a perfect score!

Natalie has a very strong faith in Jesus Christ. She is an avid Bible student, spending time daily in the Scriptures. This book is a tremendous encouragement for any homeschool family. It is a long book, 334 pages. Natalie goes into detail on how she sought the Lord for all the decisions of her life. The Lord was always faithful to help her in her struggles. I do recommend this book, Pajama School. You will enjoy the stories from the life of a homeschool graduate, Natalie Wickham. This book will be available to check out at the August 2009 S.V.H.E. homeschool meeting.