Changed By Love

Changed By Love

Following the Lamb wherever he goes… Revelation 14:4

Safe Haven News February 2024

❤️ Happy February, Safe Haven Family! ❤️

UPDATE: This book is no longer free, but it is still available on Amazon for 3.99! Get it here!

I have a special offer this month. Because I ❤️ love ❤️ all of you, from February 4-8, I’m giving a free copy of my e-book called “5 Steps to Becoming a Great Homeschool Parent” to all of you! Please do me a favor, and leave a review on Amazon after you read it. (5-star reviews are preferred 😄, but please give honest feedback.) And please share the link with others who would benefit from reading this book. https://amzn.to/424PZ9q

Please ask them to leave a review too. It would really help me out! Thank you!

❤️ Speaking of books, a really good book about relationships is “Keep Your Love On” by Danny Silk. For this Valentine’s Day, think about getting this book for yourself or your loved one. If you are married or in a serious relationship, you definitely need to read this. If you’re not married, you could still benefit from the solid teaching in this book about relationships. The author is an experienced social worker, group home staff member, program director, pastor, author, speaker, and foster parent. He has helped many people build, strengthen, and heal their relational connections. He teaches about connection, communication, and boundaries.

When I first read this book, I was in a bad place emotionally. I was not feeling very loving toward my husband or anyone else for that matter. But as I read Keep Your Love On, my focus switched from my own feelings to those of my loved ones. I learned that I should do everything out of love for the other person. That I should do whatever I can to preserve the connection. And that I had never really practiced unconditional love. I had always put conditions on my love and my feelings toward people. At first I didn’t agree with the extent that the author said we should go, but as I continued to read, I knew that he was right. There are only two goals in a relationship: connection or disconnection. He said that “I love you” messages drive down the anxiety and create safety. We have to commit to the goal of connection.

He talked about being a powerful person, and I must admit, his definition of it was the opposite of what I thought it would be.
This book changed me and helped me build much stronger relationships with the people in my life. I have given away copies of this book to others, because I believe so strongly in its message. And others have told me that it was powerful in their lives, too.
Our Christian Moms Book Club is reading it this month, so if you would like to discuss it with other moms and have some fun fellowship with likeminded women, please consider joining us Wed., Feb. 21 for our monthly meeting.

As far as current events go, of course we’re watching the border. It’s interesting to see a state asserting its rights and sovereignty in the face of orders from the Federal Government. And it’s interesting to see which states stand with Texas in defending their right to secure their border.

President Trump is winning the caucuses and primaries handily, of course. And all of the lawsuits in the world are not going to stop him from winning the election. If there is an election…

If you’re interested in the real truth behind the news and true history, you might want to check out the latest posts on my blog called 2023 Year in Review. They are chock full of informative posts from Telegram. Lots of important topics are covered like election fraud, covid vax exposure, human and child trafficking, Jan. 6, the power of frequency and music, the fall of the existing financial system and the birth of new financial systems.

I’m praying for our nation and the nations of the world to be set free from the rule of the evil cabal that has been ruling us all with an iron fist for years, even centuries. Join me in praying for the militaries of the world who are fighting for justice and who are rescuing the children who have been abused and trafficked. They have put their lives in great danger for the sake of all the rest of us and for the children.

Please join me in praying for the change to happen soon so that debts will be forgiven (because the banks did all kinds of illegal things), and programs will be put in place to bring emotional, physical, financial and housing relief to people all over the world. These plans are in the works. Let’s pray them into fruition.

Always remember that things are not as they appear. God is on the throne. He has a great plan to rescue us from the power of the enemy. The time has come for the Ancient of Days to stand and pronounce judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High and for us to possess the Kingdom. Daniel 7:21, 22.

Watch this video of Bobby Conner talking about a prophetic encounter in which God told him that this is the time that the saints will prevail and we will possess the Kingdom. But we have to get into the Word of God in order to fulfill this.

And if you want a fresh look at End Times theology check out Johnny Enlow’s most important message ever.

~~~~~ Homeschool Corner ~~~~~

10 Ways to Avoid Homeschool Burnout
  1. Lower expectations. Don’t try to do EVERYTHING perfectly. Housework can wait. It’s fine to have sandwiches for dinner. Make things easier for yourself. Use your crockpot more. Get your kids to do chores and be content with how they do things.
  2. Be flexible. If something isn’t working, be willing to try something different. When tensions rise, put the books aside and go outside or do something fun and change the atmosphere. Allow some space when conflicts arise. Remember why you’re homeschooling: You have the freedom to choose what, when, and where your children will learn.
  3. Change your teaching style. Don’t be too attached to a curriculum. Don’t make children do bookwork all day long. Don’t think that you have to do school as many hours as a traditional school day for public schools. If you’re feeling stressed, you’re doing too much. Ask yourself: Am I overdoing it? Are there other worthwhile things we could do now, and come back to this later?
  4. Limit scheduled activities. You might need to take a break from all outside activities for a while, like sports, scouts, or music. Limit the number of activities per child.
  5. Get support. Tell your husband what you need. Or your mom or dad or brother or sister. Find someone who can help you with the kids. Take the burden off of yourself, and don’t think that you have to do everything with your kids. Make sure that you can get some breaks from the total responsibility. If you’re married, ask your husband to help you make homeschool decisions and to teach the kids something that he is good at. Find a homeschool support group.
  6. Spend some time just playing with your kids. Join them in their games. Start a conversation with them about how they’re doing. Go out and throw a ball with them or shoot baskets. Ride bikes or take them to the park. 
  7. Have some down time. Call for a quiet time every afternoon. Let the kids play quietly in their rooms or nap, and you do something relaxing or take a nap, too.
  8. Begin your day with music. Use that to signal the beginning of your homeschool day.
  9. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Don’t compare yourself to other homeschool moms or your kids to other homeschool kids. Don’t spend too much time on social media. Pamper yourself. Remember your self-care tips! Spend time with your husband. Don’t neglect date nights!  Do family activities together – just for fun!
  10. Build your relationship with your children. Spend individual  time with each child, to the best of your ability. Find out what they’re thinking. Try to do something with them that they enjoy. As the relationships grow stronger, your attitude and theirs will be more positive, and school will go much better, too.
Bonus! Use a delight-directed learning approach. Let your kids be involved in the planning process and choosing curriculum and topics for study. Make learning enjoyable and purposeful. Let them learn life skills and count them as
school. Count the projects that they come up with themselves as just as worthy of school credit as any workbook or textbook assignment. The more fun and meaningful school is, the less chance of burnout for you and for your kids.
❤️❤️❤️

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy your February. Make it a good one!

I just noticed we have 29 days this time. My friend, Tanya, will get to celebrate her birthday on her actual birthday this year. Happy Birthday, Tanya!

Oh, just a quick PSA: Our charitable giving doesn’t always have to go to an organization or a ministry. It is perfectly fine to give to a real person in your own life who has a need. I believe God considers it part of our tithes and offerings when we give to others – real people with real needs, not just organizations that are more impersonal.

We have been on the receiving end of this kind of giving many times. And we are so grateful for the ones who were obedient to the Lord and gave when we needed something. We have also been able to help others, and that is the best thing ever!

I learned about this many years ago when someone was considering helping us with a mortgage payment, but neither of us was sure if that was proper.

And then I came upon these verses:

“Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.” Acts 2:43-45

It changed my life when I realized that we could live this way. It was Biblical to help others and accept help from others. Pooling resources with brothers and sisters is the best way to live. There are so many verses about giving.

“Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.” Heb.13:16

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38

“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” I John 3:16-18
“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.” 2 Cor. 9:6-9.

In these days when so many are experiencing financial hardship, don’t hesitate to help. Don’t question their money management practices or level of responsibility. Let God be the judge of that. You will be blessed by being a blessing.

That’s all for now!

Hit reply and share with me what you are learning and what God is doing in your life. Also share your prayer requests with me. I love to pray for you.

Penney Douglas, B. S. in Elem. Ed.
Safe Haven Homeschooling

Amazon Books from Penney Douglas

E-course – The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling

My Blog about Faith, Family, Homeschooling, and Truth

Merch for Homeschoolers – T-shirts, mugs, cups, phone covers, notebooks, sweatshirts, children’s t-shirts, candles, etc.

Curriculum by Penney Douglas (some Charlotte Mason curriculum and other types)
Copyright © 2024 Safe Haven Homeschooling, All rights reserved.

Safe Haven Newsletter May
Hello Safe Haven Family!

UPDATE: This e-book is no longer free, but it is still available on Amazon for 3.99! You can get it here.

I have another FREE e-book I want to give you this month. I wrote this book to help homeschool moms understand some key concepts about how children learn and ways that we can take advantage of their strengths and make learning easy for them instead of throwing obstacles in their way. I’ve seen many homeschool moms that are so excited about teaching their children, and they want to make sure they are doing everything just right, so they do what they remember from school, and they burn themselves and their kids out.

In this book, I have explained a few principles of child development that will help moms to know what they should be expecting of their children and the best ways to support and challenge them as they endeavor to learn skills and concepts as they become ready for them. I also cover homeschooling and marriage and how homeschooling fits into your family life. And I share lots of links with more information on the topics I cover in the book.

And don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon!!!

If you want even more…

The e-course that my son and I put together by the same title covers the same topics and more in a lot more depth. You can find it here.

~~~~~Homeschool Corner~~~~~

If you’re planning your American History curriculum for next year, check out this great booklist for living books about American History!

Now I want to turn to another topic and talk about prodigals returning.

It’s hard for parents not to feel like they have done something wrong when one of their children walks away from the ways of the Lord. When I was asking the Lord about this, He told me that I had done the best I could do. I taught my children the ways of the Lord and led them to Jesus. I set up boundaries when they lived at my house. I showed them where the fences are. Whether they chose to stay within those fences after they left, it was up to them. Their choices are not my responsibility. It is up to them what they choose to do after I have done all I could do to lay a good foundation.

So that takes away the shame and blame that many parents feel. But what should parents do during the interim? Should we just hope and pray or do deep intercession for them? Obviously we need to keep loving them and letting them know that we love them. But is there more that we can do?

If you want to see an example of a mother who refused to let the enemy keep her child in his grip, check out Karen Wheaton’s book, Watching the Road: Praying Your Prodigal Home. Her persistence in praying and holding her prodigal daughter’s situation before the Lord constantly, praying without ceasing even as she lived her regular life, was extraordinary. Night and day she prayed for her daughter. She made up her mind that she was going to pray until she saw her daughter return. And her labor in prayer paid off! Her daughter returned to God and her family and her ministry.

Another encouraging word about prodigals comes from Pastor Tim Sheets. His message is “Prodigals – Come Home!” He shares prophetic dreams and scriptures, how we can pray, and how to hold onto hope for your prodigals to come home.

He and his daughter, Rachel, wrote a book called “Come Home: Pray, Prophesy, and Proclaim God’s Promises Over Your Prodigal”  which includes messages, decrees, and prayers to increase your faith to call your prodigal home.

Rumble video of Tim Sheets talking about Prodigals – Come Home!

You can get the book by Karen Wheaton here: Watching the Road: Praying Your Prodigal Home

Here’s the description on Amazon:
“In Watching the Road, Karen unveils her extraordinary journey of trusting God for the return of her prodigal daughter, Lindsey. Watching from her porch with eyes of faith and a heart of hope, Karen cried out to God for Lindsey’s return. In miraculous ways, God daily reaffirmed the promises He gave personally to Karen that Lindsey would be restored to her marriage and family. Watching the Road will stir your faith, strengthen your resolve, and provide strategic tactics for your journey. Experience the struggle and thrill of one woman’s determination to not give up but tenaciously trust God to fulfill His promises. As you’ll see, He kept every single one.”

YouTube video of Karen Wheaton talking about this story:
Karen Wheaton: Praying Your Prodigal Home

YouTube video of a message by Karen’s daughter, the one who had left her husband and children and ministry:
Lindsey Doss: The Return of the Prodigal

I hope this encourages you if you do have a prodigal child. It’s time for them to come home to God and to their families!

Let’s all combine our faith together that our children will be all that God made them to be and will find their calling and purpose and fulfill His plans for their lives.

Affectionately,

Penney Douglas, B.S. in Elem. Ed.

Safe Haven Homeschooling

My books on Amazon

Curriculum I’ve created with a Charlotte Mason twist plus other conventional types of curriculum

E-course I created – The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling

Coaching Course I created – Also called The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling

My shop for homeschool merch, t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, phone covers, and much more!

Here’s one of our t-shirts !

And here’s a mug from Safe Haven Homeschool Shop.

 

You’ll find products like these and much more at Safe Haven Homeschool Shop!
Copyright © 2024 Safe Haven Homeschooling, all rights reserved.

Welcome to This Journey of Love

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  • Welcome to my world!
    I hope you’ll stay.
    Since Father’s love changed me
    I have something to say.
  • The One who loves me,
    See, He also loves you
    The things He’s done for me
    He will do for you, too.
  • So come with me
    As I follow the Lamb
    Wherever He goes.
    My life’s in His hand.
  • I trust Him and follow Him
    No matter the cost.
    Without His great love for me
    I would be lost.
  • The words that you find here
    I hope will breathe life.
    In each day and moment
    You’ll find His delight.
  • For surely His love for you
    Is greater than you know.
    Come with me now
    To His presence we’ll go.
    P.M.D.

This New Year Will Change Everything!
Warm January Greetings Safe Haven Family!

I hope this newsletter finds you well. I hope it warms your heart to know that Someone is thinking of you. You are always on His mind. Never forget that.

If you are struggling this winter season, think about the verses in the Bible that talk about how He takes care of the sparrow and the lilies of the field. He will meet your every need. You are important to Him. Read Luke 12:22-34 to build your faith.

Back in 2005 our family experienced God’s miraculous provision over and over again.

I wrote about the first part in this blog post.

The day came when we knew that the bank had us in foreclosure. We prayed that God would keep us in our house. We had marched around our property praying and giving it to God. We tried to sell the house since we couldn’t keep up mortgage payments, but it wouldn’t sell. We didn’t know what God was doing! We didn’t try to make plans for a place to go because we thought that would show a lack of faith.

We just prayed that God would do something miraculous when they came to make us leave our house. Well, He did, but it wasn’t what we were expecting – at all.

On Feb. 22, 2005 we all gathered in the living room to pray. The little ones were still in bed asleep. The twins were only 1 year old. Morgan was 4. The knock came at the door. Gary answered the door and let the sheriff in. Two other men followed him in. They looked around the room in amazement at all of us calmly sitting in the living room – Shawn, Katie, Patrick, Anna and Kelsey and me. They asked what we were doing, and Gary told them we were praying. They kind of looked at each other and shook their heads. Gary said he would go wake the other children. One of the men followed him to the kids’ bedroom. The sheriff asked me if we had somewhere to go and I told him no. He asked if we had family in the area, and I said we did, but we couldn’t go to live with them. He seemed perplexed. So was I. Where was God? Where was that miracle we were looking for?

The guy who followed Gary into the bedroom came out and conversed with the sheriff. They went outside to talk. Then they came back in and called me and Gary to talk with them privately in our bedroom. The guy’s name was Tony. He was from MERS. They were the mortgage people. He told us that he had made some phone calls and told them what he found. They agreed to let us stay in the house one more week if we promised to pack up and be ready to leave the house in that time. We agreed. Then he asked the sheriff to leave so he could speak to us privately. He asked us if we had any food. We had just run out of food that morning. For the first time during the whole 4 years, we didn’t have cereal or milk or the makings for a meal. I told him that. 

He nodded and said, “I thought so.” He and the other guy (who we found out was a realtor that was going to handle selling the house for the mortgage company) put money together and gave us $500! And then Tony told us to give him a grocery list and he would go buy us groceries. And then he took an order from us and went to McDonald’s and doubled everything we ordered and brought it to us. He went to the grocery store and got us twice the stuff we had put on the grocery list, too. He said that in the future it could be him in this situation and he was showing mercy in hopes that he would be shown mercy if it ever happened to him. We were so grateful and shocked at everything he was doing. We sang some songs for him. He couldn’t believe us. He took Gary aside and remarked about how calm we all were and how well-mannered all of the children were. He asked how we did it. Gary told him we were just believing God to take care of us, and we prayed all the time, and we were trying to obey Him. Tony was blown away by the whole thing.

We spent that week packing halfheartedly. I still didn’t believe that God would let us lose our house. I thought He was going to rush in with some kind of miracle that would let us keep our house. I took some special things that I didn’t want to lose over to Mom’s house, but I didn’t tell her why. I didn’t want to upset her, and I didn’t want anybody to hurt my faith.

 

The next Saturday was Mar. 1, 2005. They came with movers and moving trucks and started loading up our stuff. There was still a lot to pack, so they had to do it for us. Tony told me I had to leave and take the kids, but Gary could stay and help pack. I got the kids loaded in the van, then sat there. I had no place to go. That’s when it hit me that we were really going to have to find somewhere else to live and that our house was no longer ours. But I still didn’t know where to go, so I just sat there. Finally, my friend Gina who had been helping me pack told me to come to her house. I followed her then went into her tiny house and sat, not knowing what to do. She called a few friends and asked if they knew of any place for rent, but nobody did. She made a decision and told me that we could stay at her house. I couldn’t believe it or see that it was possible. She said that she would pay for a hotel for us for 2 nights and she and her daughter would clear out 2 bedrooms for us and we could just stay there until we found something else.

Meanwhile, back at the house that was no longer ours, Tony was doing some more amazing things to help us. He told Gary to find a local storage facility to take our stuff to so that we could actually get to it instead of the movers taking it to some warehouse where we could never get to it and would never see it again. Gary found out where a storage place was, and Tony had the movers put our stuff in two storage units there. Then Tony paid the first month’s storage!

He talked to Gary about programs that would help us find a place to live and help him find a job, but we didn’t feel that we were supposed to go that route, so we politely turned down any of those offers.

I know now that I should have been standing on the Word and saying it and believing it instead of just hoping that it was true, but really doubting in my heart. I should have saturated myself in faith teaching and saying the Word over and over again, but I wasn’t convinced in my heart.

God had to take us through a lot to build true faith in my heart. In the process, He built up my kids’ faith so that they trust God for everything. My prayers for my children that they would believe in Him, know Him and love Him with all their hearts have been answered. It was a difficult journey, but the results have been very good.

Gary and I are still recovering from the shock. But there’s no denying that God took good care of us through the whole ordeal. We never went hungry, and we always had a roof over our heads. Even in Arizona, Colorado and Missouri, where we didn’t know a soul and we didn’t have any money.

I tell this story in the hopes that someone who is facing foreclosure or something similar will be encouraged to trust God and know that no matter what happens, God will take care of you. He takes us where we are and makes all things work together for our good even if we’re not to the point where we can use our faith like some people do.

 

Our story isn’t over. I believe with all of my heart that God has great things in store for us. I believe He will give us a house and land debt-free. I’m saying these things out loud now. I really believe them now.

I hope this story encourages you. You can trust God in any situation. He will take care of you. He took care of us along with our 8 young children.

If you want to read more about the many miracles God did for us after we left our house, you can find the rest of that story in my book Refined By Fire on Amazon.

Read to the end of the book and see how God surprised us with a large sum of money after a long time of financial struggle and hardship. We had been expecting God to do something big for us, and when He did, it shocked me!

The way that things are changing in the economy and the exposure that is happening, I believe that great things are on the way. The old is passing away, the new is coming. Be ready for some good changes to happen. And get ready to learn the truth about things that have been hidden from us for decades. We have been lied to, but the truth is coming out!

If you know someone who is struggling with thoughts of suicide make sure you tell them about this site that is set up to bring them healing in their minds and souls. CallUs4Help.Live has videos and audios and instructions for how to stop a panic attack, along with encouraging words by Theresa Griffith about how God sees you.
There is also a list of crisis hotlines they can call.

Here’s a good way to start the new year: The 31-Day Wisdom Challenge with Pedro Adao and amazing speakers every day in January. It’s free! I’ve participated in it every year and it really gets me into the Word, especially the book of Proverbs. I think it’s the best way to start a new year getting a big dose of wisdom from the book of Proverbs!

~~~~~Family Corner~~~~~

Our family is entering Birthday Season. My son Morgan’s birthday is today, Dec. 31st. Then my oldest son, Shawn, will have a birthday on Jan. 5. Then Emma’s birthday is Jan. 8th. Then the twins, Garrett and Fiona, have their birthday on Jan. 10th. We just leave the tree up until the middle of January so we can put their birthday presents under it.

Even though we are in a less-than-ideal situation having to live with family and the “kids” having to live in a basement, we are making the best of it. We got a teeny tiny Christmas tree and Morgan and Garrett got gifts for everyone since they have jobs and money. Gary got a job that will start in the middle of January. That will help. But we’re believing for something far greater in the near future – for all of us!

~~~~~~Homeschool Corner~~~~~

How to Get Your Kids to Do Their Work Without a Fight
It starts with relationship. We need to build relationship with each of our children. We need to spend time with each one getting to know them. We need to win their hearts, tie heartstrings, through the way we treat them, the things we do for them, the things we do with them, etc. We need to make sure they know how much we love them.

Then from there, we can lead them to the Lord. If they see us as kind, loving parents, they will be more likely to see God that way. As they grow in maturity and in their personal relationship with God, they will desire to please Him, and that will transfer over to pleasing their parents. We teach them what the Bible says about how children can please God. Children, obey your parents. Honor your father and mother. We teach them the commandments, and their behavior and attitudes start to line up with the Word of God.

This leads to our children wanting to obey, for this is right. So when we ask them to do their schoolwork, they are more willing to do it, out of obedience.

Now, we need to do our best to make the work as pleasant as possible and make sure that what we’re requiring of them is truly beneficial to them. We should not give them busywork. We should not load them down with more work than they are really capable of doing. We should think about how we would feel if we had the assignment that we are giving to our child. We should focus on real-life learning.

We should make sure the skills are taught when they are ready to learn them. We should make learning a lifestyle so that it is natural and not forced.

Homeschooling shouldn’t be difficult or tedious. Make learning an adventure. Get excited about the topics that your children are exploring. Find out what they’re interested in and provide materials and resources for them to go deep into the topic.

If they are studying and reporting on a topic that really interests and excites them, they are not going to fight you about doing it.
So build a strong relationship with your kids and make learning an adventure, and you will not have to fight your kids to get them to do their schoolwork.

This is from a blog post  and also posted here on Facebook.

For more content like this join my Facebook Challenge group called Homeschooling Can Be Fun Challenge.

And for a Facebook group that helps you make your homeschool more fun, join us here.

For a conference that was chockfull of great speakers about homeschooling high school, check out the Intentional Homeschool Planning Conference 2023.
It was an amazing conference with topics like choosing curriculum, preparing for college, time management for teens, building relationships with your teens, mental health, scheduling, entrepreneurship, and so much more.

And if you would like to fellowship with like-minded women who love to read and are seeking to be the best we can be, join us in the Christian Moms Book Club.

I pray that you have a Blessed New Year that is the Best Year of your life.

Penney Douglas, B. S. in Elem. Ed.
Safe Haven Homeschooling

Changed By Love Blog 

Basics of Learning and Homeschooling E-course

Curriculum for Charlotte Mason and other Homeschoolers

Merch for Homeschoolers and Families  – T-shirts, home and living, notebooks, baby clothes

My New Etsy Shop

My Books and Products

Safe Haven Homeschool Coaching Program

My Books on Amazon

Copyright © 2024 Safe Haven Homeschooling, All rights reserved.

Adventures in Tutoring – Opening Up the World of Reading to Ones Who are Struggling

 

I’m a homeschool mom of 10 kids. I’ve been teaching my own kids almost exclusively for 27 years. I loved teaching my own children and helping them to discover new interests and develop skills they’ll need for life. I’ve introduced topics and ideas to them, read good books to them, and encouraged them to develop their talents. I have loved walking alongside them in their learning journeys and watching them grow far beyond my abilities and knowledge in their chosen areas.

But now my kids are mostly grown. I only have two left who are under 18. Everyone else has graduated, and these youngest two don’t need much from me.

So what was I to do with all of my maternal and teaching instinct that was no longer needed or appreciated by my own kids? I joined Varsity Tutors and started teaching other kids!

One of my first students was a boy named Miles* who was really struggling with reading. He was actually homeschooled by his dad, but they knew they needed extra help because he was already in third grade and still not able to read. He was very bright, a good baseball player, and a genuinely nice kid. At first, he was kind of shy, but I knew that part of that was his insecurity, especially about his inability to read. I had to do most of the talking, which isn’t my usual MO, but I kept probing until I found out what he was most interested in. Not surprisingly, it was baseball. So I started looking for books that he could at least read parts of that had good stories centered around baseball. I found books in a series called Ballpark Mysteries by David A. Kelly. The first story we read together was called Astro Outlaw. We started slowly – very slowly. I had Miles read a few sentences, helping him with every other word, then I read 2 or 3 pages, then I would have him read a few sentences, again helping him with most of the words. We did that until I felt that he was getting tired of it, then we would pick out words from the story to write on the board (there was a white board on our Zoom page that Varsity uses). I would write the words and have him read them.

Sometimes I would write a list of words that were related to baseball. I found that he was more likely to figure out words if he knew that they had something to do with something he was interested in. Likewise, he was able to figure out the words in the story when they pertained to baseball because he was so familiar with baseball and how it works. He knew the terms, the plays, and he could predict what the next word would be, so that helped him to sound out the words. He constantly had to sound out words at that point. Phonics wasn’t working for him. But he was not able to remember sight words, either! So I helped him read most of the words, and then I would give him a break and read to him. I told him to look at the words and try to follow along with me. I wanted him to get the benefit of enjoying the story and moving along in it without the hard (impossible) task of reading it himself. But I wanted him to get some practice in trying to sound out or get familiar with words as he saw them over and over again. Many children learn to read by reading. And being read to helps them, too. They hear how it is supposed to sound. And they are watching as you model reading with enjoyment.

I tried different activities with him that involved reading and writing words. We did several crossword puzzles. We did Word Searches. And we wrote words from the story and words that were significant to his life.

We met twice a week for several weeks with gradual progress. I could see him starting to recognize some words. He could read more sentences without getting exhausted or frustrated. Sometimes he would ask me to take over reading, which I was happy to do. But the length of passages increased, and he started to need less and less help with the words.

I asked him who his favorite baseball players were and found books about them written at a reading level that he could handle. We read about Babe Ruth. We read about Ty Cobb. We read some stories that had characters who dealt with relationship problems and learned and grew through the situations in the story. One such story was The Baseball Turnaround by Matt Christopher.

We even played an online game called blooket.com that we played against each other. We could choose the subject, so sometimes we would do a vocabulary game, but most often, we would play a game that involved the game of baseball or the teams in baseball. He loved to win, and he did a lot of it since he knew all of the teams and players, and I knew very few of them. It was so good for his confidence to win so many times. And he was reading in order to play the game.

After about 3 months of reading good stories that he liked (mostly about baseball), doing puzzles, playing games, reading word lists, and working on Phonics, Miles started reading!!! I was so excited when he started reading every word without needing any help. He grinned and nodded while I hooted and hollered.

A week later, his mom sent me a note thanking me for sticking with him and helping him to really grasp the concept of reading. She was noticing the difference and was so happy. She told me that he would no longer be embarrassed to read in front of his peers in the homeschool co-op that he went to and that he would be able to take the writing class that he had been wanting to take with his friends.

Unfortunately, that meant that my time with him was over, because that class would be occurring at the time that I had been tutoring him. His mom didn’t want to keep him too busy. After all, he needed a lot of time for baseball!

I felt very gratified by this experience with Miles. It gave me confidence in my ability to teach children who have some kind of block that is keeping them from learning how to read. I used the methods that made sense to me and ideas that came to me when I was praying about the situation. And they were very effective.

I’m still tutoring with Varsity Tutors. If you feel that your child could benefit from tutoring in Elementary Reading or Math, give Varsity Tutors a call and ask for Penney Douglas. You can use my referral link, and they’ll know I sent you.

I’m also set up to tutor on Outschool.com. If you would prefer that platform, join me there.

*not his real name