Announcements
HCOS & Educational Reform
by Greg Bitgood
Heritage Christian Schools has been involved in the first area of reform since we started Heritage more than 24 years ago in how we approach curriculum. We started Heritage with an emphasis of Christian Worldview integration within our curriculum. We started our campus program using the This has also taken us into our next educational reformACE curriculum and our staff was made up of a few professional teachers and many parent volunteers. As funding become available we shifted to a more teacher centered curriculum and have worked hard to not lose but rather develop a more sophisticated approach to Christian Worldview Integration. This value, at times, may have compromised some of the Biblical integrated perspectives but in most cases we have become better at integrating our faith into the classroom. This has also taken us into our next educational reform. We have called this reform transformational education.
Combining Subjects - Saving Time!
by Janet Rainbow
Everyone I know seems to be stressed out with too much to do. As Christians we want to do devotions, memorize scripture, be involved with our church, and of course spend quality time with our families. While simmering on Everyone I know seems to be stressed out with too much to dothe back burner of our mind’s “to do” list may be making meals, doing laundry, cleaning the house, visiting friends, and making a living etc. If we are homeschooling parents you can add trying to teach 8 subjects to each of our children. I feel tired just writing this down.
Do You Know Why You Homeschool?
by Angela Paine
Do you know why you homeschool? It sounds like a simple question, but do you really know why you homeschool? A great spiritual answer might It sounds like a simple questionbe simply (well, I guess supernaturally – nothing simple about that!) that God has directed you to do so and you stand in obedience. I say – well done! But again, do you know why you homeschool or maybe I should state it this way – what is your primary goal; not specific topic goals or scheduling goals, but the very center charge to the conviction to homeschool?
Feelings Complete the Story
by Claire Pollok
As parents we naturally use emotional or affective indicators to assess how well our children are learning. When our children are excited or passionate Learning is experienced as a whole, not just in the mind, but the emotions, and spiritabout a topic we confidently say that they are actively involved in the topic – engaged in learning. When we witness them focused or grappling with a topic or skill we envision them wrestling with it; perhaps just on the precipice of the “aha” moment. Or when we observe them avoid, dodge, squirm, or fuss, lights go off in our spirit that perhaps learning is stalled and we might need to take a different approach or even topic in order to engage their learning.
Bible - A Living Integrated Course
by Janine Hanson
Being a Christian School, we have the privilege of doing a Bible course. It You may ask, how do teachers mark Christian Growth?is one of our required courses that covers various areas-Bible Doctrine, Service, Personal Devotions and Discipleship, and Christian Worldview (Gr. 7 and up). You may ask, how do teachers mark Christian Growth? Good question! They don’t really, you do.
Fire & Earthquakes: Are You and Your Family Ready?
by Sarah Bennett
Doing fire and earthquake drills are a requirement for all of our families. See it as a potential life saving experienceWe will be posting a School Wide Policy on this issue for everyone in the next couple of days. You might consider it an imposition or you might see it as a potential life saving experience. Let's hope that you never have to experience the latter but it is a good thing to be ready!
How to Use those HCOS Online Resources
by Nicole Terpstra
Do you ever have those moments when your children listen to you, but don’t really believe what you are saying? As my son is nearing in on 5 and ½ he seems to be becoming all-knowing. I’ve noticed this listening to Mom but Then all of a sudden he looked at me and said "Oh I have to wash all the bugs off even if I can’t see them"wondering if Mom is correct more and more. For instance for the last year, he has been fascinated with Dinosaurs so we read and read and read about Dinosaurs. Unfortunately, a lot of dinosaur material on the market comes from an evolutionary perspective. All along I’ve been trying to teach him that there are a few views and beliefs about the age of the earth between Christians themselves and non-Christians, as well as whether dinosaurs all started as plant eaters before the Fall etc. But it’s not until we read a Christian book where he looks at me and says “Wow, Mommy I didn’t know that, how did you know that?”
Children, Not Curriculum
by Rosemary Deacon (HCOS Parent)
This trait can sometimes be a handicap as a home school parentA few weeks ago God taught me a valuable lesson about his purposes and my ways. You see, I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and I'm learning that this trait can sometimes be a handicap as a home school parent. Let me give you an example.
Memorization Musings
by Charlotte Stace
‘I’ve memorized the first 6 verses of Colossians’, a colleague told me the beginning of October. ‘It sure was hard!’ My response was ‘Wonderful! You Memorization is hard work for everyone that takes it on….but don’t let that stop you!have made a good start! Keep going!’ Memorization is hard work for everyone that takes it on….but don’t let that stop you! So often I have heard people say that they ‘can’t’ memorize…and so they don’t even start. How sad to miss out on the blessings that come from hiding God’s word in your heart because of a preconceived idea that one ‘can’t’ do it! Even if it takes a month to conquer one verse, you will still benefit!