Work, an Educational Tool

After studying how God used work as a natural method of teaching the children of the Old Testament many things, I started reviewing how this educational technique could be used as a method in a successful homeschool.  Teaching a child how to work cheerfully and accomplish tasks successfully is as important as teaching them to use their minds.  These concepts, together with service to others, create a child that is well-adjusted and able to not only function in society, but to thrive!  Jesus said that his Father worked, therefore He worked as well [John 5:17].  Since He is to be our example, it makes sense that productive work be incorporated as a part of every home schooled child’s day.

Home educated children can participate in two general types of work:  useful and gainful.  Useful work is an action that supports the well-being of self and of others in the home.  It includes the daily tasks that make a home function well and create an inviting place to spend time.   On the other hand, gainful employment relates to the marketplace and earning an income.  This term refers to a first job, like delivering newspapers, to a career in adulthood.  Both types of work are beneficial to the homeschooled child when used age appropriately.

In future posts, both types of work and how they relate to educating the whole child will be explored.

Chores Contribute to Confidence in Life

We usually call “useful work” by another name:  chores.  These are the tasks that are done to keep our living environment clean, healthy, comfortable, and attractive.  In a home that operates smoothly, they are done routinely and without compensation.  They are done simply because one lives in their dwelling place.  In the life of a busy home school parent (usually the mother), it is important that chores be delegated in order to share the load.  With children at home all day long, and the added responsibility of planning and implementing the education process, a mother can find that there are simply not enough hours in the day.  It is important that the entire family works together as a team to keep things running smoothly. 
 
Children should be encouraged, even required, to participate in chores.  Although they might not always do them willingly, a steady routine will become comfortable and any complaining about the work will be reduced with consistence.  Because the children are part of the family team, and because they live in the home, an allowance should not be paid for regular home tasks.  There may be times when something above and beyond daily home care needs attended to, and those times can be set aside for “gainful employment” and money paid for doing the job. 

Chores are good for children for a number of reasons.  They give a child a sense of competence as they realize that they are a contributor to the family unit.  Children need to be needed, and chores are a great way to keeping that in view.  Chores give them a sense of place.  Through daily work, children are taught self-sufficiency and responsibility.  Helpful habits are developed that will assist the child as he or she transitions into adulthood.  Additionally, useful work keeps children occupied in a positive and productive manner.  It helps keep boredom away! 

Chores help the family unit function in a cohesive way and they provide the child with skills that will benefit him or her for life!

Assigning Chores and Making them Interesting

Family chores are tasks that contribute to keeping a household run smoothly.  They are duties that the whole family participates in, not just mom, dad, or children.  Certain tasks may always belong to specific individuals in the family, but the others can be divided up and traded off to make things more interesting for everyone.  When working with children, it is important to remember that they are best motivated with mom or dad work with them.  This doesn’t mean that the parents are doing the children’s chores, but rather that everyone has a designated time when they are all doing their assigned chores.
 
Some chores are automatic and should be done routinely every day.  When waking up in the morning, children can get dressed, comb their hair, make their bed, tidy their room, put their dirty clothes in the laundry room, feed the pets, and set the table for breakfast.  When required routinely these tasks become habit and over time they will happen automatically.  In our family, the rule was that pets always get fed before humans.  This included the sheep, pony, turkey, and chickens! 

Other tasks may not be so routine.  If there is more than one child in the family, it is more interesting to trade-off, especially is there are some jobs that are not as desirable as others.  Some of the techniques we used in our family for allotting chores were:

1.  Write down all the tasks that need done on individual slips of paper.  Take turns pulling a chore out of a hat, going back and forth until all the chores are selected.

2.  Make a list of chores that need done.  Take turns having the children choose which chores they would like to sign up for.  Use a different colored marker for each child and highlight those items they chose.  This gives them a sense of empowerment, as they get to choose their chores.  It’s true that these are the same chores that could simply be assigned.

3. Sign up for some chores and that are traded off weekly with another family member.  For example, empty the dishwasher for one week, and for the next week fill it.  Empty the wastebaskets in the house one week, and the next week sweep the kitchen floor.  Some chores won’t be as desirable as others, but the child knows that once his or her week is up, they get a break the next week while another family member does the task. 

4.  Allow for something interesting to happen while a chore is being done.  Folding laundry while watching a nature DVD turns the task into a family event.

5.  Occasionally make a game out of household chores.  Hide a surprise under objects that the child can find when dusting the furniture.  A nickel under a vase, a stick of sugarless gum behind a picture frame, or a coupon for a cookie from mom all provide incentive and challenge. 

6.  If the house has become cluttered, set the oven timer for 5 minutes and have everyone pick things up and put them away, counting how many objects they cared for.  Have a reward for the person that put the most things away.  The reward may simply be that mom or dad will do their next assigned chore.


7.  Another technique for a cluttered house is to give each person the task of putting away twenty things.  This is conducted like a race, seeing who can put away twenty things fastest.

8.  Teach children to put away things as they complete a project.  Toys, craft supplies, and school books used should be put away before they move on to another activity.  After a meal, have each family member take their dirty dishes to the sink.  It helps if they are asked to each choose three or four things on the table and carry them to the kitchen as well.


9.  Make a chore chart.  Give children a sticker for completing each chore.  At the end of the week, count their stickers.  Have a reward system where the children receive a prize for achieving their goal.  Stickers are not given for chores done in a complaining manner, even if the chore was eventually completed. 

10. Chores work best if done on a consistent schedule.  Our family found that the time between breakfast and starting school activities for the day worked best.  Generally an hour is enough time to allot for daily family chores. 

Age appropriate chores can be assigned from toddler years until a child leaves home.  They help to establish habits of good home management and the child will reap rewards for a lifetime!  Useful work is a strong component in educating the whole child.

Working Outside with Kids

Outside chores are valuable because they give a child the opportunity to expend energy in a useful and purposeful way.  Exercise, a sense of accomplishment, and a feeling of contribution to the family all result from age-appropriate tasks in the yard or garden.  Sometimes a parent might assign jobs outside simply because they need done and they think kids should do them.  I can remember stories in books that were written to develop character in children.  Often they were a variation of the same theme; a child who was supposed to hoe three rows of corn before they went to play, but got bored with the task and simply covered the weeds with fresh dirt.  In not time at all, the weeds took over the garden and their lack of diligence was made known.  Although there is nothing wrong with assigning rows of weeding, outside chores can be so much more!  They can be fulfilling, interesting, and even fun!  When a family works together in the yard or garden, a sense of teamwork and accomplishment result.  Weeding a flower bed with a sibling, or raking leaves with dad can create memories of companionship that will stay with a child for life.  Routines, incentives, and traditions also help children develop an enjoyment for working outside.  Over time, the skills learned can be applied to gainful employment as they reach the age that they can work for neighbors or others in the community, thus earning pocket-money of their own.  Here are some tips for working with children outside:


1.  Generally outside chores are done simply because a child lives in the home.  They are a part of their contribution to the family.  Sometimes extra chores are required outdoors, and those that are above and beyond routine maintenance can be compensated for with a reasonable amount of pay. 

2.  Traditions can make outdoor work meaningful.  In our family, it was tradition for Grandmother to come visit for a week during spring break.  During that week she would help her grandchildren till the soil for individual gardens, then take them to buy plants and seeds.  Together they would plant the gardens, adding whirligig, little fences, and pathways through the gardens.  After she went home, the gardens were carefully tended by the children because they had meaning to them.

3.  Payment for extra jobs provides incentive.  Weeding a flower bed can be a daunting task — unless mother pays 5 cents a weed for each one pulled up by the roots!  If a flower garden is too weedy and mother would go broke by paying that much per weed, another type of payment system could be used.  Twenty-five cents per section (marked by little flags or stakes) is good incentive.  Generally, it is not recommended that young children be paid an hourly rate for pulling weeds.  They will enjoy the experience more if they are allowed to work at their own pace, and mother will not feel the urge to be prodding them on constantly at their task.

4.  Sometimes tasks are not appreciated until something is taken away for a while.   In our family, mowing the lawn was the boys job once they became of appropriate age.  Sometimes dad would mow around the trees and edges, but the main lawn was a job the boys took turns doing.  Dad would follow-up with the weed eating.  Because dad had grown up with an old-fashioned push mower and a five acre lawn, he felt he was honoring his boys by providing them with a nice John Deere lawn mower and a lawn of less than two acres.  But, since they hadn’t experienced the push mower and larger lawn for themselves, they weren’t too impressed.  One day, the eldest decided that mowing the lawn was a task he did not want to do, and much grumbling took place.  Instead of lecturing and choosing a punishment that simply grounded him or took away a privilege, father decided that an object lesson would work the best.  He quietly, yet firmly removed the keys from the riding lawn mower and prepped the push-mower for action.  The son was set to work mowing the lawn by pushing rather than riding the lawn mower.  It was an effective lesson and the eldest never again complained about mowing the lawn. 

5.  A family afternoon of pruning shrubs and trees can be fun!  Hauling the branches to a place where they can dry or be dealt with later is interesting if they can be hauled with the riding lawn mower and attached trailer.  Burning branches that have dried creates a great campfire for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows as the evening nears.  Mixing work with pleasure can make a task less tedious.

6.  Giving a child task that shows them that a parent values their abilities lets them know you have confidence in them.  Giving them tools and instruction for replacing broken sprinkler heads or repairing a broken sprinkler pipe can relay the message that you value their capabilities and input.

7.  Simple jobs, like picking flowers and arranging them in a vase can provide beauty to the home and joy in the heart!

Developing Age Appropriate Employment Opportunities

Children through the ages have been given opportunities to earn money through gainful employment.  When used appropriately, it helps children develop character and a good work ethic.  It gives them an opportunity to explore the world and apply the things they have learned in academia to real life.  The sense of worth that productive work gives to a child is of substantial value.  Work, when used as a part of a home school curriculum, helps to form values, skills, and knowledge that develop the entire child.

When using work as a part of a homeschool program, there are several things to consider:

1.  Work should be appropriate to the age of the child.  It should not be tedious or forced, but rather something that engages the interest of the child and inspires them to participate.

2. When working with young children, participating with them encourages them and develops positive attitudes.  A team approach works best.

3. The amount of time spent working should be tailor-made to the needs and abilities of the child.
4.  It should assign enough responsibility for the child to grow, but not so much that it overwhelms and stresses them. 

5.  Work that inspires creativity and positive attitude is priceless! 

6.  It is important to teach the child how to budget the money earned through gainful work.  Developing a saving, tithing, and spending plan that works will benefit the child for years to come.

Gainful work can be tailor-made to a child’s interests and abilities.  Babysitting, mowing lawns, and setting up a lemonade stand are just the beginning of a world of possibilities when it comes to gainful work.  Applying these principles will be discussed in a future post.

Work Opportunities for Children

Sometimes finding work opportunities for children can be challenging.  Daily chores create opportunity for routine work experience, and tasks like lawn mowing or pulling weeds in the garden provide opportunity for extra jobs that can provide learning and fulfillment for children.  But it’s important that purposeful work be provided that is not part of the daily routine.  Children should not be made to feel that ‘work’ is a negative concept and is just something they have to do to make their parent’s lives easier.  An altruistic spirit is good and work can help create it, but that is not the entire purpose and role of work as a part of a home school curriculum.  Children can develop work attitudes and a sense of self-worth if they have work related jobs that are unique to them and provide them with a sense of fulfillment.  Thus, special care needs to be taken in helping a children in this role.  In the past, school children could harvest cucumbers or strawberries for pay, or work on a farm changing irrigation pipes.  Regulations regarding the age that children can be employed has made it more difficult for children to find work related roles, so creative thought must be applied!  Helping a child establish a small home business is one way of providing meaningful work related opportunities for them and a good way for them to earn extra money. 
 
Here are some ideas of work opportunities for children:

1.   Being a mother’s assistant or babysitting.

2.   Washing cars.

3.   Baking homemade bread and selling it to neighbors.

4.   Having a bake sale.

5.   Setting up a lemonade stand.

6.   Participating in a yard sale and having a table of toys, clothes, or things not wanted or needed any more.

7.   Folding laundry and/or ironing shirts for a neighbor or relative.

8.   Sewing aprons or cushions and selling them to friends and neighbors.


9.   Growing a vegetable or flower garden and selling the produce or flowers.

10. Writing a monthly neighborhood newspaper and selling it for a quarter to community members.

Creating Work Opportunities for Teens

Gainful employment and business opportunities for teens are not as difficult to implement as it is for elementary age children.  The key to success in this area is to encourage the teen to find something to do that follows their own natural interest and ability.   Encouraging teens to develop skills that they have or would like to develop is key.  That, along with the spending money that gainful work provides, works as interest and incentive for the teen. 

Some ideas for youth employment and business opportunities are:

1.  babysitting and child care

2. housekeeping or assistance with spring-cleaning

3. growing flowers and selling bouquets

4. building customer computers and selling them

5. working as a computer tech, fixing problems and reformatting computers

6. growing produce and selling at a fruit stand or Farmer’s Market

7.  making products to sell like jams, jellies, bread, cookies, cakes

8.  catering meals for an event like a wedding or family reunion

9.  mowing, weeding, planting yard care business

10. ironing and doing custom laundry

11. doing car detailing and washing

12. tutoring young children; being a homework helper

13. bagging groceries at a supermarket

14. working in a fast food restaurant 

15.  caretaking of the elderly

16.  becoming a personal shopper, for groceries or other items

17.  gathering firewood and selling it

18.  painting rooms, houses, or furniture

19.  repairing cars or lawn mowers

20. sewing things and selling them


Sometimes work can be especially "fun".  The teen in this picture is modeling for a jet boat promotion and brochure.  Although something might look like recreation, it can also be gainful work.

Implementing the Moore Formula

 

The Moore Formula recommends a relaxed and natural style for homeschooling. Dr. Raymond Moore was an advocate of the homeschool, and discouraged teaching by the creation of a school at home. His approach incorporates children into the daily tasks of life, with a great deal of interaction between parent and child all day long. Learning tasks are selected purposefully, but approached casually and with fun. Basic skills are integrated and reinforced through games, verbal interaction with the parent, and by application. Academics are limited to one or two hours a day, even at the upper grade levels. According to Moore, “much of the day is framed around the children’s interests with work and service that builds genuine golden-rule citizens and successful entrepreneurs” [Home School Burnout p. 13].  His method encourages that children be allowed to grow as naturally as possible, with a guidance and discipline that promotes discipleship and self-control. [Ibid p. 13] His method incorporates a four-point formula which can be used by anyone dealing with the education of children. This informal approach to learning involves having the child spend as little time in formal education as possible. This includes eliminating conventional homework. Instead, children are encouraged to work with parents in family industries and in church or with non-school organizations like 4-H, Scouts, or hospital volunteers. Family time, playing games and learning skill building which capitalizes on writing, singing, and learning math facts, is encouraged as a positive and happy time. Programs like Math-It and Winston Grammar are helpful tools for accomplishing this. Scary? Yes, but possible? Absolutely! It has been proven over and over again that children not only learn and keep up with their peers by this approach, but thrive and surpass them in the long run. Additionally, children who’s parents approach learning by this approach do not suffer from educational burn-out and apathy. The Moore approach can be used successfully not only in the early elementary years, but through all through elementary and high school years. It is sometimes difficult for parents to break out of the box of traditional educational expectations, but once done success is key!

Created for Service

 

“God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission — I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in His — if, indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep his commandments and serve Him in my calling. Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve him. My sickness, or perplexity, or my sorrow be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about; He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me-still He knows what He is about.”
 
~ Henry Newman ~

Creating Inventive Thinkers

“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – men who are creative, inventive and discoverers” 

Jean Piaget

The Alphabet of Christian Experience

The development of character is an important facet of creating a child who is whole and emotionally healthy.  As a homeschool parent, it is important to not only help the child develop intellect through study, and a work ethic by giving opportunities for both useful and gainful employment, but an altruistic spirit by creating opportunities for service to others. Children from tots to teens can purposefully serve others, bringing joy to others lives, and growing beautiful hearts at the same time.  Service to others should be a family focus and an part of every homeschool plan.  Dr. Raymond Moore, sometimes called the grandfather of homeschooling, says that “when united with the heart, the head and hand move out in selfless service to others.  There is no discipline formula that can match this experience of work and service”  [Home School Burnout p. 135].

Implementing work and service into a homeschool program is sometimes called the ‘study, work, and service’ formula.  Applying the ‘study, work, and service’ method of home education can require that a parent-teacher think outside of the box.  Most people think of schoolwork, textbooks, copywork, and the three R’s when they think of a homeschool curriculum.  But, the development of the intellectual is only one facet of education.  When combined with work and service, the academic aspects of homeschooling become one-third of a whole.  In the beginning it takes effort and concentration to figure out exactly how to apply ‘study, work and service’.  It is generally recommended that each aspect receive equal time. Planning purposefully to achieve this goal is essential, although there is room for an ebb and flow in scheduling.   Over time it becomes easier and how it is applied becomes natural and unique to each family.

  

Writer, E. White, speaks of service to others as being a meaningful experience.  She says that “a company of believers. . .may do a work in the home, the neighborhood, the church, and even in ‘the regions beyond’, whose results will be as far-reaching as eternity.”  A few paragraphs later, she applies this principle specifically to the young, saying that “it is because this work is neglected that so many young disciples never advance beyond the mere alphabet of Christian experience”  [Desire of Ages p. 640].  How appropriate that she compares service to the alphabet of Christian experience.  Just as study teaches children the alphabet of academics, Christ’s alphabet reaches farther and deeper, shaping hearts and hands for eternity.

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister — so should we, by example and instruction.  Everyone is needed, both young and old.  Together as families we can develop a finishing spirit and see a job well done.

Resources for Children

Oh, to be six again! Remember those days when paints, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, scissors, and glue provided you with hours of tranquility and fun? Life was good! Providing the ‘tools’ for a creativity is so important for children. Levi enjoyed a visit to our home recently. . .and we enjoyed observing the results of his efforts.  It is always interesting to see how each child develops uniquely when it comes to creativity. 

Is creativity something that can be taught?  Each reader may respond to this differently, but most would generally agree that creativity comes from within and is a quality that is innately possessed at birth.  Each child has potential, and if given the proper tools to develop it, wonderful, quirky, unique, and inventive works of art, song, or verse can result.  Many years ago I read a book about growing creative children.  I don’t remember the title or the author, but the principles were ones that became important in our homeschool.  The writer suggested that the best tools for creativity were simple resources (paper, pen or pencil, keyboard, cardboard, glue, paint, crayons, glitter, feathers, sequins, crayons, etc.).  It was her belief that there were always to be available to the child.   She went on to say that the time and freedom to explore and create with these resources was  key.  This was not a subject taught in school, but rather an opportunity that took place during a child’s free time each day.  When resources are available to the child, the creative activities they participate in become child-directed and meaningful to them.  Exercises that involved coloring within the lines or copying existing art may assist the child in developing fine motor skills, but they do not foster creativity in a child.  In the same way, a child who learns at an early age to think of their own sentence or story to write on a page, rather than assigned copywork that a teacher-parent chooses, learns not only to develop and improve their handwriting, but to become a thinker rather than a reflector of  the assignments or thought of others.  Why be satisfied with bringing a child up to grade level when he or she can reach for the height of imagination and artistic, musical, or written creativity?

This is a good time to review the Smithsonian Institute’s study of the factors that world-class geniuses experienced as they learned and developed their intellects.  I believe that these factors not only develop great thinkers, but creative ones as well.  Do you remember them from a previous post?  The key factors are:

1) warm, loving, educationally responsive parents and other adults;
2) scant association outside the family, and
3) a great deal of creative freedom under parental guidance to explore their ideas.

Dr. Raymond Moore, in his book Better Late Than Early, makes a statement that ties this subject altogether for us.  As the “grandfather of homeschooling”, I believe he was a very wise man.  I love this quote from him:

“Children are happiest when they are busy, and keeping them busy should not be a matter of concern.  Much of a child’s busyness will be accomplished on his own.  Much of it will come from the child’s questions and curiosity.  The parent’s goal should be to respond to the child’s questions in a patient, consistent and constructive way.  Forget about the pressures of achieving.  Cultivate the idea of being happily child centered, for the child is important.  Take advantage of his motivation of the moment.  Be happy that he is curious, and try to go along with his curiosities whenever you can”  [page 21].

Give your child the resources he or she needs.  They need the tools to create — free time, materials, and affirming support.  Try to cultivate a child-centered approach.  And take advantage of a child’s natural curiosity.  Creativity is always sure to result when the formula is implemented.  Allow the child to think outside of the box and stand-by to see the exciting results!

A Gracious Greeting

A newsletter we receive quarterly from a missionary family arrived today with the most wonderful greeting. It’s so gracious — I just had to share it with you. I think you’ll see what I mean when you read it —

“Greetings to you from our family. How are your mother and father? How is your spouse? How are your children? How are your grandchildren? How is everyone in your town? How is your whole family? May God grant you peace. May God provide for the needs of your family. May God grant you health. May God bless you.”

“We praise God that you are fine. We praise God that our children are well. We praise God that our family is fine. We praise God that our whole town is fine. Everyone sends their greetings to you.”

Isn’t it beautiful? It is a normal and proper greeting in Mali. Consider yourself greeted. Wouldn’t it be well if we all memorized this greeting and used it each day to those around us? I’m sure I would get tongue twisted, but the sentiments are lovely.  Such greetings express value and provide a blessing to our children, spouse, and everyone nearby.  What a precious way to show your children and other loved ones that they are cherished!

Gentle and Enthusiastic Parenting

 

One of my favorite authors is Anne Ortlund.  In addition to her book, Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman, she has written an excellent book titled Children Are Wet Cement.  In it she outlines gentle guidelines for parenting.   She encourages parents to help children experience life to the fullest, using all their senses to learn as they grow into beautiful adults.
 
“So what do we do to encourage them to grow inwardly, to become resourceful and creative, to think, to meditate, to lay the foundation for growing up well? Don’t push, but affirm them! Give them the sense that all is well, that their rate of progress is acceptable to you, that you like them just the way they are…..Guide them but be delighted in them. Let them know that life is to be reached for and drunk of deeply…..Enthusiastic, that’s how you want them to grow up! The word comes from “en Theo,” or “in God.” Support them with words of faith, hope, and love, and in that framework “in God,” they’ll be ready to tackle everything. Fears and cautions are built in at an early age but so is courage! Tomorrow’s world will be different if your child has been released to experiment, to risk, to lead others, to pursue righteousness, to be an effector for good in society, to go courageously after God.”

Children Are Wet Cement, Anne Ortlund

A Crayon Apron

Did you ever have a crayon apron?  They were popular in the 60's as a sweet apron for children.  My mother made one for me and one for my sister.  I remember how special we felt wearing our very utilitarian, yet very pretty aprons.  There was a narrow pocket for each crayon in our coloring set.  A larger pocket would hold a notepad, scissors, a roll of tape, and some paste for gluing.  Sister and I would fill our pockets and then spend hours creating art projects or pretending we were school teachers.  The apron show in these pictures are not of our aprons, but rather of a vintage one I purchased recently.  Mother made ours out of a tiny floral print.  If there was any embellishment, it would have been embroidery or something done in fabric paints.  I was excited to find this vintage children’s crayon apron.  It’s exactly the same design as the one Mother made for me, just in different fabrics.  This was truly an apron that inspired imagination!  They are easy to make, fun to wear, and inspire creativity in children.  No pattern is needed, just invent as you go and have fun.  Your kids will thank you!  Better yet, let them help you!