Copywork & Handwriting

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When teaching penmanship, basic grammar, spelling, literature, accuracy, punctuation, vocabulary, sentence structure, attention to detail, and memory skills copywork and handwriting books are a great resource.  There are many different curricula available for such things but you want to make sure they are books of substance?  We do not want to just have busy work. When trying to instill godly character in our children it is important to use a curriculum that addresses those needs as well.  I have several listed here that you may want to look into.  We have used several ourselves!

A Reason for Writing has been around for a long time.   They offer curriculum for grades K-6th.  All of the lessons are based on scripture verses.  Along with learning good penmanship children are memorizing and sharing the Word of God.

Memoria Press has a little bit of a different approach.  Their books not only contain scripture but also classic poetry, literature selections, Latin sayings, and hymns.  They also have a great explanation on their website of the benefits of copywork.  They offer a primary set consisting of three books, a cursive book, as well as a composition and sketch book.

Veritas Press has a handwriting series entitled Classically Cursive.  There are four books in this series.  These reproducible books originated by the folks at Logos School are all you need to teach cursive handwriting.  These books use scripture and the catechism.  The four books are entitled, “Bible Primer, Ten Commandments, Shorter Catechism, and The Attributes of God.”

Last but not least are the Journibles.  These are actually designed for older teens and adults.  Yes, we adults can benefit too!  I am very excited about these and am looking forward to investing in some for myself.  Here is a description from the website on these books.

Each book is organized so that you can write out your very own copy of Scripture. You will be writing the Bible text only on the right hand page of the book. This should make for easier writing and also allows ample space on the left page to write your own notes and comments. From time to time a question or word will be lightly printed on the left page; these questions are to aid in further study, but should not interfere with your own notes and comments.

So there you go!  Several great resources for meeting the needs of handwriting and copywork but also attending to our spiritual needs.  Do you have any other great resources for this?  Have you used any of these?  Which are your favorite?  I would love for you to share!

J.I. Packer on the ESV Study Bible

J.I. Packer on the ESV Study Bible and how it helps to recover and revive the ministry of an adult catechist. Here is a snippet but the short article is well worth the read!

The reason why I’m so enthusiastic about it is largely that it takes a wider view of its task than other study Bibles do. Other study Bibles provide you with information and that’s it. The ESV Study Bible goes a step further. It’s a study Bible which not only explains the texts and expounds them accurately, but it has in it a whole series of articles for the making and shaping of discipleship to Jesus Christ on the basis of the Bible. It can be, in a very significant sense, a single-volume resource for pastoral ministry, and indeed for personal life, because it’s doing the job which professional catechists have been doing ever since Christianity started—teaching people the truths that Christians live by and teaching them how to live by those truths.

The ministry of an adult catechist is something which the early church understood very well. Every church worth its salt had an adult catechist to instruct inquirers. The catechism ministry has fallen very much into disuse in our time…………

………That’s the benefit that the reader of the Study Bible will get from the articles on Christian doctrine, on Christian ethics, on Christian faith and life, and a Christian stance in relation to any number of errors and alternatives that our time has produced.

Read the article in its entirety!

Our Daily Devotional

I have mentioned on several occasions that we begin our school days with a daily devotional.  This has changed forms over the years.  One year we went through the Proverbs cycling through one a day each day of the month.  One year we went through the Psalms.  One year we went straight through memorizing the catechism.  We would alternate year after year.  This past year I found something new and am loving it!   Rather than just memorizing the catechism (as important as that is) and just reading through the scriptures (as primary in importance as that is) we are now doing both at the same time.

Training Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade is an excellent resource that I would recommend to any and every family.  Catechism is one of the best methods of teaching what we believe our children. The devotions are based on the Westminster Catechism and provides a great way of studying sound Christian doctrine.  This book provides approximately two years worth of daily study.  It covers each of the 107 catechism questions.  A new question is covered each week which provides plenty of time for memorization and plenty of time for study.  There are six daily devotions per question, all with Scripture readings pertinent to the question so you can explore how God’s Word answers that question.  This tool can be used for all ages.  The devotionals only take minutes if you have very young children or you can dig deeper and expound upon them. There is great opportunity for discussion.

This is a very practical tool which will guide you through the scriptures to answer, teach, and explain the doctrines of the Christian faith to your children using the form and questions of the catechism.

Glorifying God Devotion

We begin each of our school days with a devotional. We have a particular devotional book we are working through that I will share with you at a later date.

This entire week has focused on the first question of the Westminster Catechism.

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

As we have been meditating on glorifying God there have been several things this past week that have been derailing us. The first week of school is usually a little chaotic but on top of that we have had dental appointments, a birthday to celebrate, alarms to rise by, a friend going through brain surgery, and severe colds and fevers to deal with along the way.

To go along with all of this has been some major attitudes that need adjusting. When you are tired, sick, emotionally hurting, and busy it is easy to get cranky. It is easy for forget that we are to be glorifying to God and to begin to focus on our circumstances rather than on our Creator. It can be difficult to always keep our focus and remain self controlled.

This whole week has been filled with us studying about how we are be glorifying to God all the while we are doing the opposite with our hearts, attitudes, and actions!   How convicting it that is!   How disheartening it is!    How thankful it makes me for a loving and forgiving Savior.    I am so grateful that even when we fail in our faithfulness, He does not!