by Kelly Knowlden
Family life is complex in that it requires a juggling of all the responsibilities and involvement in many different organizations. There are church nights and family events among other things. For many there are the plethora of choices in which you can enroll your child. However, near the top of the list ought to be a high priority on sitting down with your child and helping them be successful at school. After all, you are paying several thousand dollars for their education. Surely you want them to get the most out of that. Remember, education is a parental task. The school is just the agency through which you are accomplishing it.
So what should “doing homework” look like? Somehow, the child needs DIRECT intervention while doing homework. The smaller the child, the more involved the parent. However, high school students also need your involvement in encouragement and motivation. [I remember having this conversation with one of our children who was having difficulty with trigonometry: “Here, let me help you ..” She knew very well that I know very little about trigonometry, so as I studied the numbers on the page with all the various symbols of higher math, I would make observations like: “Now why is that number here.” and “What does that squiggle mean?” Of course, none of it was very helpful, other than saying to her, “I care about how you do your work and am on your side.”] The bottom line is that you NEED to have some sort of interaction with them that holds them accountable and allows them to see that you are not indifferent to what they are doing.
Telling them to “Go do your homework.” is NOT a good method of involvement - even if you check their work afterwards. It conveys that they are on their own and that they just need to “do it.” You cannot gauge their frustration nor their need of spiritual encouragement. This last point is significant if you are going to develop in your children a sense of ultimately finding their help in the Lord. Praying with them, showing them the scriptural encouragements and walking with them through their “trouble spots” will indicate that you can identify with the difficulties of understanding. That is what Jesus has done for us. He has walked through the “trouble spots!” He has encouraged us with the truth that He is with us... He will never leave nor forsake us... He is a help in the midst of trouble.
If they tell us to get lost, or are irritated by our involvement, then we have the hard work of winning them to see that it is necessary to be involved. With Christ’s help, it can be done. That is what we do in helping children with homework. We bring the incarnation of Christ to the practical level of involvement in their lives.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
History
by Kelly Knowlden
How should a Christian view and value the study of history?
In 1828, Noah Webster penned this definition of history that gives a good starting place for such a discussion. “History is an account of facts, particularly of facts respecting nations or states; a narration of events in the order in which they happened, with their causes and effects. History regards less strictly the arrangement of events under each year, and admits the observations of the writer. This distinction is not always regarded with strictness...What is the history of nations, but a narrative of the follies, crimes and miseries of man?”
Scripture gives us a ‘behind the scenes’ understand- ing of that last statement. Psalm 78: 2-8 says that “I will utter things hidden from of old...things our fathers have told us....so the next generation would know them.. And they in turn would tell their children...Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds...”
Events that unfold must be viewed with the Sovereign God as the Author, Architect and Sustainer of nations and individuals with His purpose to have men seek Him. God’s unfolding of His story is such that while He superintends each step, yet He decrees all things so that man acts as a free agent, choosing and acting in accordance with his nature and without any constraints on his will.
The Chancellor of the German Empire from 1871- 1890, Otto von Bismarck, recognized this: “The statesman cannot create the stream of time, he can only navigate it. The statesman must try and reach for the hem when he hears the garment of God rustling through events.”
Job says it this way in ch.12: 19 and 23: “He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and disperses them.”
Our understanding of history is dependent upon others’ observations and biases. Good historians try to piece together a reliable account of what happened using information most consistent with the “feeling of the day.” Nothing is more provoking than the imposition of a modern mindset on the motives of why, for instance, the Pilgrims came to America. [They despoiled the land and ravaged the noble Native Americans.]
So at ICS, our students of history must learn to evaluate the sources and gain skills in ascertaining what “fits” with the mindset of the times. They must remember that God is the Author of His-story. They must seek Him and His wisdom to understand it.
How should a Christian view and value the study of history?
In 1828, Noah Webster penned this definition of history that gives a good starting place for such a discussion. “History is an account of facts, particularly of facts respecting nations or states; a narration of events in the order in which they happened, with their causes and effects. History regards less strictly the arrangement of events under each year, and admits the observations of the writer. This distinction is not always regarded with strictness...What is the history of nations, but a narrative of the follies, crimes and miseries of man?”
Scripture gives us a ‘behind the scenes’ understand- ing of that last statement. Psalm 78: 2-8 says that “I will utter things hidden from of old...things our fathers have told us....so the next generation would know them.. And they in turn would tell their children...Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds...”
Events that unfold must be viewed with the Sovereign God as the Author, Architect and Sustainer of nations and individuals with His purpose to have men seek Him. God’s unfolding of His story is such that while He superintends each step, yet He decrees all things so that man acts as a free agent, choosing and acting in accordance with his nature and without any constraints on his will.
The Chancellor of the German Empire from 1871- 1890, Otto von Bismarck, recognized this: “The statesman cannot create the stream of time, he can only navigate it. The statesman must try and reach for the hem when he hears the garment of God rustling through events.”
Job says it this way in ch.12: 19 and 23: “He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and disperses them.”
Our understanding of history is dependent upon others’ observations and biases. Good historians try to piece together a reliable account of what happened using information most consistent with the “feeling of the day.” Nothing is more provoking than the imposition of a modern mindset on the motives of why, for instance, the Pilgrims came to America. [They despoiled the land and ravaged the noble Native Americans.]
So at ICS, our students of history must learn to evaluate the sources and gain skills in ascertaining what “fits” with the mindset of the times. They must remember that God is the Author of His-story. They must seek Him and His wisdom to understand it.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
What Kind of Education?
by Kelly Knowlden
Education that accepts a standard of mediocrity is neither Christian nor education. Some may argue, “Come on, Mr. Knowlden. What is the big deal that students need to be so precise in their handwriting?” Of course, parents would not want to hear their mechanic say, “What’s the big deal? So I missed a bolt.”
One of the things that education does is it provides an impetus for excellence. If a child does not want to do excellent work of the highest standard, he will be the same kid who throws together the double-bacon cheeseburger with the lettuce half-falling off at his fast-food employment.
So we hold standards high. We also do it with grace. We are unapologetic about how high the standards are, but we also have teachers who bend over backwards to help students who are willing to work hard. On our end, we invest in time-proven educational strategies that give results. We help young students memorize chunks of information, poetry, drill facts, states and capitals, etc. Then as students get older we take those facts and attach concepts to them that stretch their understanding and make them ask questions that require more than filling in little bubbles on tests or regurgitating information from the book. We teach processes of math and science. We show the big picture of history. We have students understand the mechanics of grammar so that they are able to write and speak well.
So why is the standard high? God’s standards are high. He holds all mankind to the impossibly high standard of perfection. And all the world is accountable to that standard. However, because we serve a God of grace, He has met that standard through the Lord Jesus Christ. So you and I have lived in a world with the same two goals as ICS: High standards held with grace.
Don’t give up on either. The results are worth it - even when students don’t “get it” now. Press on.
Education that accepts a standard of mediocrity is neither Christian nor education. Some may argue, “Come on, Mr. Knowlden. What is the big deal that students need to be so precise in their handwriting?” Of course, parents would not want to hear their mechanic say, “What’s the big deal? So I missed a bolt.”
One of the things that education does is it provides an impetus for excellence. If a child does not want to do excellent work of the highest standard, he will be the same kid who throws together the double-bacon cheeseburger with the lettuce half-falling off at his fast-food employment.
So we hold standards high. We also do it with grace. We are unapologetic about how high the standards are, but we also have teachers who bend over backwards to help students who are willing to work hard. On our end, we invest in time-proven educational strategies that give results. We help young students memorize chunks of information, poetry, drill facts, states and capitals, etc. Then as students get older we take those facts and attach concepts to them that stretch their understanding and make them ask questions that require more than filling in little bubbles on tests or regurgitating information from the book. We teach processes of math and science. We show the big picture of history. We have students understand the mechanics of grammar so that they are able to write and speak well.
So why is the standard high? God’s standards are high. He holds all mankind to the impossibly high standard of perfection. And all the world is accountable to that standard. However, because we serve a God of grace, He has met that standard through the Lord Jesus Christ. So you and I have lived in a world with the same two goals as ICS: High standards held with grace.
Don’t give up on either. The results are worth it - even when students don’t “get it” now. Press on.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
On With the Show, This is It!
by Kelly Knowlden
What is the value of having students memorize lines and movement to present a story? Why do we invest months of time into a drama production that is over in three nights?
There are a couple of reasons that ICS has a Drama Production. For students, the value of poise on the stage, overcoming fears, the discipline of memorizing lines and then bringing those lines to life by conveying emotion are valuable. But one of the things that takes place in the process is to have students understand what life looks like from another perspective. It forces them to not be themselves. [Read: die to self.] They must become someone else. They must portray a convincing story that they really are the character that is listed in the playbill.
That requires a degree of humility and willingness to be conformed to someone else’s character. This of course, has great ramifications for Christians. It is the life story of all of us, whereby we are transformed to become conformed to the character of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In that way, students who participate in those stretching opportunities, whether drama, spelling bees, speech meets, chess meets, or basketball - all have their eyes opened to new experiences, new skills, and new ways of thinking.
As a school, drama provides us with a venue to tout our students’ abilities. We want to make them known to our community and are thinking of ways to do that. We are thankful for the many volunteers who are willing to help us pull off these extra-curricular activities. Many school are able to pay their staff. We cannot do that and so the weight of that falls on the parents and friends of ICS who make these things happen.
For parents, drama is one of those opportunities to help your child expand their abilities and talents. It allows you to expose your child to things that do not require them to be excellent in order to participate. We take students who may be mediocre but are willing to work hard to do their best. Where students have taken advantage of that, they have learned how to handle defeat graciously, how to overcome the embarrassment of “messing up” in public and even how to excel!
What is the value of having students memorize lines and movement to present a story? Why do we invest months of time into a drama production that is over in three nights?
There are a couple of reasons that ICS has a Drama Production. For students, the value of poise on the stage, overcoming fears, the discipline of memorizing lines and then bringing those lines to life by conveying emotion are valuable. But one of the things that takes place in the process is to have students understand what life looks like from another perspective. It forces them to not be themselves. [Read: die to self.] They must become someone else. They must portray a convincing story that they really are the character that is listed in the playbill.
That requires a degree of humility and willingness to be conformed to someone else’s character. This of course, has great ramifications for Christians. It is the life story of all of us, whereby we are transformed to become conformed to the character of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In that way, students who participate in those stretching opportunities, whether drama, spelling bees, speech meets, chess meets, or basketball - all have their eyes opened to new experiences, new skills, and new ways of thinking.
As a school, drama provides us with a venue to tout our students’ abilities. We want to make them known to our community and are thinking of ways to do that. We are thankful for the many volunteers who are willing to help us pull off these extra-curricular activities. Many school are able to pay their staff. We cannot do that and so the weight of that falls on the parents and friends of ICS who make these things happen.
For parents, drama is one of those opportunities to help your child expand their abilities and talents. It allows you to expose your child to things that do not require them to be excellent in order to participate. We take students who may be mediocre but are willing to work hard to do their best. Where students have taken advantage of that, they have learned how to handle defeat graciously, how to overcome the embarrassment of “messing up” in public and even how to excel!
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