Let’s Teach!

With four children {one of whom is a toddler and part monkey}, one dog, six chickens, seven fish, and a husband in my house, sometimes it can be a bit crazy. I am sure you can relate! I have to admit one of my biggest struggles with homeschooling is forgetting to teach. There are so many glorious resources for planners, workbox systems, and different ways to get it all done in a day. Sometimes I find that checking off that to-do list becomes my focus rather than the teaching and the learning. In times like this, inevitably things spiral downward. Kids get bored, I get cranky, and I notice very quickly it is time to stop and refocus.

There are so many ways to make things come alive. There are so many ideas on Pinterest, or you can ask a teacher friend for an idea. When I put my to-do list down and TEACH a concept instead of read it from a book, school for my crew all of a sudden becomes fun again. Most of us homeschooling moms are teaching multiple grades at a time, and it isn’t always possible to have every single lesson be something for the teacher hall of fame. However, you can make many of them come alive for your students.

Recently I came across a lesson in my daughter’s Bible curriculum about one of my favorite verses. With a little tweaking and minimal prep time, I suddenly had a great lesson for all of my students {that they still talk about today}. Cookie dough in the morning is very impactful!

*****

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I had the kids go in the other room just to add to the suspense. I had nine ingredients measured out and all lined up in bowls and then I called them back in.

First ingredient. First child. I instructed him to taste the flour. Is it good? Is it gross? Yeah, it’s gross. It tastes bad all by itself. Tell me something in your life that is “gross” or hard or bad. Write it down on the card in front of you.

Repeat ingredient. Different kid.

Move through the ingredients one at a time; repeat this process.

Brown Sugar – Good? Good! Tell me a good thing in your life. Now write it down.

White sugar – good.

Salt – good.

Baking soda – bad.

Vanilla – Really bad.

Chocolate Chips – good.

Eggs – declined to taste, we know they are bad.

Butter – bad.

Out of 9 ingredients – five are bad when they are tasted alone and four are good. {Really it should be 6-3 because salt alone is gross but my kids think otherwise.}

Let’s mix up all the ingredients.

Now let’s taste.

How is it?

Delicious? Yes.

How is it that all of these things – both bad and good – together make something good?

Light bulb (or sugar rush). They got it.

Jesus takes our whole life. All of it – good and bad. He works it together for something fabulously delicious.

Praise Him for that.

*Bible lesson taken and tweaked a bit from Positive Action’s 2nd grade Bible curriculum.

You can imagine how much more that makes sense than simply reading a verse to the kids. I am far too guilty far too often with being concerned about staying on task or checking off my list that I let teachable moments pass. I sometimes get so concerned with which curriculum to use that I can actually forget to teach the curriculum I actually purchase.

It’s spring and spring means Homeschool Catalog time! Let’s commit our plans to the Lord for the upcoming year and trust Him to guide us to the curriculum that best fits our family.

Then… let’s teach it.

Make it fun. Make it memorable.

Make it happen.

Similar Posts

19 Comments

  1. Oh Darcy, I absolutely love your post (and your pictures)!!!! I am definitely going to use this bible lesson with my kids…it’ll be a huge hit! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. These are the sorts of lessons that are my favorite…they just bring teaching and learning to life and make it all so much more fun. Plus these are the sorts of lessons that stick! Nice work my friend! YOU are such a great mom and teacher to your kiddos.

  2. What a great object lesson! Thank you so much for sharing! I have to teach devotions at our homeschool group next week and I may just change my original plan and use this idea. I’m sure the kids would love a chocolate chip cookie after the lesson!

  3. I’m right with you…one husband (thankfully!),four kids from 11 to 2, one rambunctious dog, two new kittens and two fish….almost as many as you, but no chickens!!

    I really needed to hear this this morning as I plan the coming weeks and recognized as well that I need to not just hand off work to the kids, but engage them and be with them…being intentional and enjoying them! I’ve become far too grumpy and worried about checking stuff off!

    Glad to find your blog…will read more when I get a cup of coffee and kids are eating lunch.
    Sarah

  4. I absolutely love this post! Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to try with my remaining homeschoolers. I have nine children, five still at home, ages 4-17. We will definitely do this lesson this week and cookies are always a bonus 🙂
    Jamie
    lifefullyloaded.com

  5. I love this post! What a wonderful way to illustrate that verse. With all that’s been going on in my life right now, I needed that reminder that when God brings it all together it tastes like cookies. 🙂

    1. I love how you worded that Amy! When God brings it all together, it tastes like cookies! I am going to remember that! Have a great Wednesday!

  6. Hi Darcy!

    I just came across your post + just want to say I LOVED IT! I’m a home school Mom in South Africa with 2 boys + a wonderful hubby. We’re definately going to do this tomorrow!

    Well done! A great way to Praise + glorify Jesus in everday life!

    Janine

  7. We don’t do the theology aspect of it, but firmly believe that we do need balance in life, the good with the bad, to be whole and appreciative. Thank you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *