Thursday, March 29, 2012

Famous Homeschoolers: C.S. Lewis




He was known to his family and friends as "Jack"—a nickname he coined for himself when the neighborhood dog, Jacksie, died. Born in 1898, he grew up in Belfast, Ireland, until his family moved to the outskirts. His mother died when he was 9 and he and his brother were sent to a boarding school. He withdrew a year later, then went to another school. This was where Jack renounced the Christian faith of his childhood and became an atheist. After serving for some time in WWI, Jack went on to be a professor in Oxford where he taught English Literature for 29 years. It was in Oxford where he gathered with a group of other writers and established the "Inklings." It was in Oxford where he re-thought Christianity and became one of the most influential Christian writers in history. His books are mostly apologetics—in defense of the Christian faith. Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters are but two of them. His most famous books, however, are The Chronicles of Narnia. Jack was none other than Clive Staples Lewis.

Resources:

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Famous Homeschoolers: Mark Twain




Samuel Langhorne Clemens, born in 1835, somewhere in Florida, Missouri, was a very interesting and creative baby. When he was several months old, he would pretend a pin was pricking him and he would yell and yell, just to see have someone come running. The Clemens family eventually moved to Hannibal, Missouri, where Samuel spent his childhood. When he was 11 years old, his father died suddenly. Samuel had to quit school (he was in Grade 5 then) and start working for a newspaper company. He did not stop learning, though, and often spent time reading and studying. He started writing as well, first publishing his own paper and then, eventually, his first book. In 1856, Samuel moved to Cincinnati, which renewed a boyish dream of his: to pilot a steamboat. He convinced the pilot to take him on as apprentice, and, 17 months later, got his license. As the steamboat was one of the major means of travel back then, Samuel would interact with the travelers, hearing their imaginative stories, some of which were true and some of which were not. Much of these became the backbone of his future plots. His most famous works include The Prince and the Pauper, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn. He didn't publish his books under his real name, though. He used a pseudonym: Mark Twain.

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Friday, March 16, 2012

Famous Homeschoolers: Leo Tolstoy




In 1828, a baby boy of Russian nobility was born to Countess Maria Volkonsky (who died a couple of years later after giving birth to his younger sister) and Count Nicolay Ilyich Tolstoy. He grew up romping the fields and going on outings with his siblings and friends, often accompanied by his father and grandmother. Their house was a bustling, busy place, as the family often entertained guests for several days at a time. When friends or family members would come for a visit, they would put together plays, sing Russian and Gypsy songs, play the piano, and read stories and poetry aloud. This baby boy grew into a young man in the presence of many forms of literature, as the family home boasted of over twenty thousand books in over thirty different languages. He would often sit in his father's study, where he would listen to the Count read. Sometimes, the Count would let him recite memorized passages from Alexander Pushkin. When he was 13, after the death of his Aunt Aline (who became the children's guardian after the sudden death of their father, followed by the death of their grandmother), he traveled with his brothers to Kazan where he started preparations to enter Kazan University. He studied Arabic, Turkish, Latin, German, English, French, history, geography, and the literary works of famous authors. He did not finish college, as he did not agree to the conventional school system. A few years later, he began writing. Two of his most famous books are Anna Karenina and War and Peace.

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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Homeschool Kids Brandish Swords

Don’t worry! No real danger here!

In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul advises us to put on the armor of God to aid us in fighting spiritual battles. Towards the end, Paul writes that we are to use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (emphasis added). The sword—a weapon knights used to attack the enemy with—was a very vital part of their armor. Knights would not be so foolish as to travel without it, knowing that many dangers roamed freely across the land. They knight would usually keep it polished and sharp, ready for use at a moment’s notice.

In the same way, we are instructed to use the Bible as a sword to defeat our enemy, Satan. Just like the knights in the olden days, we must keep our swords (the Bible) polished, sharp, and ready for warfare. We must constantly keep in check our knowledge and consistency in hearing and obeying God’s Word.

The HAPI core came up with the idea of a Bible fest to encourage and challenge the children and parents to become more active and purposeful in reading and studying the Scriptures, as a way to actively apply Paul’s admonition. Last October 2011, in CCF, the Swordfight! Bible Challenge 2011 was held, with several parents and children from different associations as eager participants.

The families were divided into 6 groups. Each group was assigned to a station where volunteers (homeschooling parents and formerly homeschooled kids) officiated the games to ensure a smooth program flow. The activities were a wide range of puzzles, question-and-answer problems, fill-in-the blank challenges, mind-wracking trivia that covered many events, topics, verses, and characters all the way from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Prizes were given to the early registrants and other early birds. Awards were also given to various parents and children. Other items were raffled off, such as Bibles with a sword etched out on the front cover, books on character building, puzzles for kids, evangelistic tool kids, etc. Each kid who participated received a certificate together with a sword-shaped ballpen as a memorabilia.

Six colors, six teams

Armor of God Bibles for raffles, prizes, and giveaway

Sword-shaped pen for memorabilia

Team Noah

Team Moses

Team Abraham

Team Daniel

Team Joseph

Team Jacob


“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
(Theme Verse of Swordfight!)

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Famous Homeschoolers: Charles Dickens




In 1812, a wee baby was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He grew up with an older brother and several younger siblings. He attended school from time to time after their family moved to Kent County, although he was already an avid reader, having learned at home. He was described as a very good and apt pupil. When he was not in school, he would create plays and stories and recite poetry with his siblings. He was well-read at a very young age, with a sharp ear for conversations that helped him develop his characters in such a way that the readers could find out all about the individual personalities through simply reading the dialogues. Several of his characters were shaped by the people around him as he was growing up. Several stories and situations came from his own experiences. Among his well-known works are The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Famous Homeschoolers: Hans Christian Andersen




He was born 1805, the only son of a washerwoman and a shoemaker. They were very poor, but his dad brought him to the local playhouse, developing his creative side by making him his own toys. He went to school occasionally, but spent most of the time reading and studying by himself. His fondest memories were that of his father's work bench, which held many books and songs. The boy grew up to be tall, lanky, and awkward, with a love for singing and dancing, and an vivid imagination. Though he began writing at an early age, it was only in 1827 when first poem was published, and launched his career as a writer. His fairy tales of fantasy became popular around the world for their moral lessons. Some of his well-known works include The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, among many others.


Resources:
Danish Net
Endicott-Studio
Online-Literature
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