Introducing Your Children to Classical Music

Classroom Help, Encouragement

 

By Marcia Washburn

Music is one of those subjects we all feel guilty about.

“I really ought to expose my children to great music,” we tell ourselves. We know that music gives us opportunities to express our emotions and draws us together socially. And we remember the Scriptural commands to make music.1 Martin Luther wrote, “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.”2

Music touches us in every area of our lives—body, soul, mind, and spirit. Nothing has quite the same power over us, other than the Holy Spirit Himself. It is a gift that we can take to Heaven with us.

But that niggling little voice inside reminds us, “But you don’t know anything about music,” or “We just don’t have the money to buy a bunch of CDs,” or “My kids won’t like classical music anyway, so why bother?” And of course there is the time objection: “I have so many other subjects to teach—how can I fit in music, too?”

What if you could use the Internet to teach music? No expensive CDs or concert tickets to buy—just your trusty computer and the world of classical music is opened to you. Below is a sample lesson for you and your family to enjoy.      (more…)

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Homeschooling: America’s Future

Classroom Help, Encouragement, History

By Carrie Stoelting and Stacie Stoelting

The “unsinkable” Titanic represented the finest that modern man could accomplish. People relished in Titanic’s luxury and hailed her as the unsinkable carrier of free society. Yet it only took an iceberg to sink her.

Indeed, it only takes a leak to sink a ship. Right now, our freedoms are slowly drowning. Government is creeping into our private lives more and more and stripping away our personal freedoms.

Consider the court case involving the Romeike family, Common Core, and UNCRPD as only the tip of the iceberg for our beloved country. Yes, persecution against Christians and homeschoolers is truly on the rise in the U.S. Only with Christ-centered families can we stay afloat.    (more…)

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“Narration”: A Big Homeschool How-To

Classroom Help

By Karen Andreola

 

“Mom, quick!” my little girl said, tugging at my skirt. “It’s Puff” (the name of our hamster). She continued: “Come. He’s in the kitchen. He’s eating Tina’s food. He likes it. It’s increb-i-bulls. Come.” She ran downstairs. I followed. What a sight. Puff sat nervously at the edge of the cat dish nibbling dry cat food. He began stuffing both cheeks. Tina the cat crouched at an unsafe distance, watching with intense interest but placidly as if to say, “Only too glad to be rid of the stuff.” My eldest child was on guard ready to make a move in case Tina wanted a juicier entrée for breakfast or something entertaining to paw. How Puff escaped his cage is a mystery, but we put him back with hopes he wouldn’t soon suffer indigestion.

Children express themselves with an ever-increasing vocabulary long before they begin their first language arts lessons. My 5-year-old’s simple speech with her “increb-i-bulls” was a peek into that “art of telling” that is in every child’s mind, waiting to be discovered.

When a child is very young, we take joy in watching his first toddling steps. We record his first words until there are too many and we are far too busy following him around to keep track. Once conventional school starts, what is a young child expected to do? Sit down and be quiet—for long, long stretches of time.      (more…)

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