Capturing the Heart for Learning

Capturing the Heart for Learning 

The youngest child is learning every day in each sphere of his life. These early years provide a wonderful opportunity to plant the seeds of a heart that will love to learn. How can this be done?

Consider the government of your home.

Government applied to the home may be a new or unheard of concept for many who read this article. What exactly is meant by government?

Noah Webster in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines government as, “The exercise of authority by a parent or householder. Children are often ruined by a neglect of government in parents. Let family government be like that of our heavenly Father, mild, gentle and affectionate.”

How does the government of the home relate to establishing a love of learning in your child? 

Consider and ponder God’s Word on the matter.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

“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

A Biblical principle that we can glean from these passages is simple. God expects that we will train our children in His ways and we will spend every opportunity to do so. 

Capturing your child’s heart for learning starts with you.

It might be tempting due to our particular family situation or bent to turn on a video or provide the child a notebook page. There are certainly times when that might be warranted. But, young children are watching their parents for cues on what it means to love to learn. 

In order to gain your child’s consent to be taught, you will need to first capture their heart for learning. 

Ask yourself:

• Do you spend time looking at God’s creation, enjoying the beauty and diversity? (Perhaps your child would enjoy a Fact Box. )
• Are you reading to your child, choosing books which plant the seeds for a desire to learn more and particularly a desire to read for themselves?
• Do you model learning for your child in your own personal life? 
• Do you enjoy talking with your children  about the mighty works the Lord has done?

Capturing a child’s heart is simple, but deep. It requires our own hearts to be yielded to the Lord and open to knowing His best for us. This yielding and knowing produces Christian joy in our lives and that, my friends, is something your child wants to see!

Find specially chosen resources for capturing the heart of learners here.

Once you’re ready to teach, you’ll want teaching tips.

You’ve gained consent to teach your child. Your child’s heart is open to learning and their mind is ready for a challenge. 

If you’re brand new to homeschooling, these tips will set you on a sure path. 

If you’re a seasoned educator, these tips will refresh and direct your teaching in a new way.

Student Recording – The classroom or homeschool teacher is challenged to guide the student in remembering the main idea of each lesson. How will the Student’s Recording accomplish this?

Leading Ideas – The American Christian educator determines the Leading Idea to be presented to the student in each class.

Maps– Maps provide an excellent opportunity for the student to produce a geographical essay that confirms his comprehension of the Idea covered. Each map should have one main idea, rather than many ideas on one map.

Maps may be used in many subjects: Geography, History, Literature, the Bible, Science, or the teaching of the history of any subject. As you study the historical development of the subject, you may develop a map to see the geographic setting of that history. This will further confirm the student’s understanding of the subject geographically.

Research, Reason, Relate, Record -Rosalie Slater identified the Principle Approach as “America’s historic Christian method of Biblical reasoning which makes the truths of God’s word the basis of every subject in the school curriculum. The Principle Approach begins by restoring the 4 R’s to teaching and learning.” These 4R’s are Researching, Reasoning, Relating and Recording.

Based upon this statement we understand that we should be able to search the Word of God to find the basis of every subject which we are teaching to our students, whether in the homeschool or classroom curriculum. The question is “How can this be done?”

With the Lord’s help you can do it.

Educating your children at home or with the help of a Christian school or other Christian educators is a big task. Have confidence in the Lord to direct you as you embark on the endeavor.   Pilgrim Institute is available to help.