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Teaching Tips November 1, 2009 |
New mothers, as well as new homeschoolers, quickly learn to pick their battles. Whenever we begin a major new endeavor, it can
seem daunting. There is so much to do in a limited amount of time. In most cases, more than can be done reasonably. So we learn
to choose the most important concerns and work on those. In short, we attempt to make a molehill out of a mountain.
This principle of breaking down a large task into smaller, incremental bits can be used in every subject in homeschooling, as well as every job on our To Do List. The Bible refers to this as building line upon line, precept upon precept (Isaiah 28:10). The idea of cleaning the basement, preparing the house for winter, or developing a course of study for our children can seem like horrendous tasks. Such large jobs tend to get put off because we end up responding to immediate crises (at least they seem that way!) Or we decide to do another task because its simpler and easier to do and we can have a feeling of accomplishment when we check it off our list. Or we busy our children with activities and field trips listed in our homeschool newsletter because they sound interesting and useful, yet don't take the time to evaluate them in light of our homeschooling goals. What these examples point out is that the Line-Upon-Line Principle isn't a matter of just doing little things. It is doing little things with an eye on the Big Goal. That's what this month's quote is all about. We can get so caught up in doing all the little things – completing every entry in our lesson plans – that we miss the big picture. And we can be so overwhelmed by the big picture that we don't accomplish the necessary little things. So the first step is to take each area of concern and write down one goal to be accomplished. Then break that goal down into manageable increments. Number the items in terms of importance or priority. Now take the item of highest priority and decide what action can be done. And then do it. The last statement may seem obvious, but in this fast-paced, instant gratification society in which we live, it's not always the case. Particularly when the task at hand has to do with developing a character trait, learning a particular skill, or a change in lifestyle. Experts say that in order to form a habit – that is, make a lifestyle change – it takes 21 days of doing it consistently, day in and day out. At the start of that three week period, 21 days may seem like a long time. But in the grand expanse of time, even one academic year, it's a relatively short time to practice something line upon line. I find it interesting that forming a habit takes 21 days – three times seven. In scripture, the number three refers to the Triune God and the number seven refers to completion or perfection. In other words, to accomplish something with lasting effect, it takes the the enabling of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit working in us over a set period of time until it is perfected. As a visual reminder of the Line-Upon-Line Principle, I developed the 21 Pyramid. It was a chart with an upside-down pyramid blocked out, starting with one square at the bottom, then two squares on top of that line, then three squares on top of that...and so on...until the top line of 21 squares. At the top of the pyramid stood the habit to be formed. This chart was then posted in a prominent place. Each day that the child (or myself) practiced the skill or completed the task, a sticker was placed in the corresponding square. The children got to pick out the stickers to be used, which was either one of their favorite things or something that corresponded to the habit to be formed. Watching the pyramid build line upon line provided visual encouragement to stay on task as well as a daily reminder. More importantly, it was fun to watch how much easier the task became for the child as the squares were filled in. There was always much hoopla, and usually an inexpensive reward, when the solid pyramid materialized. 721 Words |
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