Abraham’s acquiescence with the demand of the blesser, demanding the sacrifice of the blessing influenced Isaac’s acquiescence and, following the obedience of his father, he did not kick at being the sacrifice. Both were inheritors of the greater covenant (Genesis 22:7-8). Let’s learn from Cheri Fuller’s piece below on Your Child’s Lifelong Learning.

“Proverbs 1:7 says, “How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord!” Leading your child to know and trust God provides a foundation for education and a direction for life. In addition to this crucial first step, there are several other ways you can help your child become a lifelong learner.

How can you be a teacher to your children? I offer four suggestions.

Be an example. Children learn the most from what their parents do. Let your children see you live life. Let them see you reading your Bible and praying. Be an avid reader of other books, too, and read together. Work together, play board games together, and eat meals together. These experiences let your children see an important part of your life-the values that spring from your knowledge of God.

Watch for teachable moments. Just as we should teach our children about God wherever we go (Deut. 6:6-8), we can share with them the wonders of science, the myriad uses of math, and the power of the written word as we work in the kitchen, ride in the car, or snuggle up with a book before bed. Build kids’ math skills by having them weigh apples and estimate the cost at the grocery store or build writing skills by keeping a travel journal or creating a family newsletter.

Observe your child. To bring out your child’s best, you need to know his or her unique talents, strengths, weaknesses, and learning style. While some kids have above-average abilities, God has given every child unique and significant talent. Whether your child’s uniqueness is in painting, music, mechanical dexterity, sports, or some other area, know what it is and give him or her plenty of opportunity to explore it.

Knowing your child also means understanding how he or she learns best. Some children learn best by hearing information (auditory learners). Others need to see it in pictures, graphs, and words (visual learners). And still others need to move and take a hands-on approach (kinesthetic learners).

Teach your child according to his or her learning style:

• Auditory learners. Tape-recorded addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts can help the auditory learner gain speed in doing math. The child can use flash cards with the tape recorder or summarize a chapter on tape and play it back for review. When studying spelling at home, have your child say a word aloud and write it several times.
• Visual learners. Since visual children learn best by seeing, they can make their own study cards for vocabulary, math, and foreign language (with the word on one side and an illustration on the other side, for example). Post maps, diagrams, or formulas that your child must memorize in his or her room.
• Kinesthetic learners. These children learn most effectively by doing experiments, demonstrations, and just moving in general. Have the younger kinesthetic learner clap to learn number facts or bounce a ball to practice counting. Make up a cheer to practice spelling or write words on a big chalkboard at home. Practice putting together a puzzle to learn the fifty states. Count with pennies, beans, or toothpicks. To prepare for a test, the older student can teach you the information.

Know your child’s teachers. Getting to know faculty and administrators at the school your child attends pave the way for a positive educational experience. Volunteer some time to help in the classroom, serve on the textbook committee, or send notes of thanks and encouragement to the teacher. Then, if a problem over textbook content or policy occurs, you have already built bridges of communication with school personnel and can tackle the problem as partners instead of adversaries.

As your child learns to trust and reverence the Lord and becomes a lifelong learner, you will be helping prepare him or her for the special purpose God has in store for one of his precious children.

For additional insights:

1. Read Deuteronomy 6:6-8 and Proverbs 9:9. How can these instructions to parents be carried out today-particularly in your family situation?
2. Research has shown that most parents criticize their children ten times more often than they affirm or praise them, and that it takes four positive statements to offset each negative one. How can you support your child with positive, uplifting words? See Ephesians 4:29; 6:4.
3. Encouraging your child’s efforts instead of just focusing on the results (such as A’s on a report card or games won in baseball) will go a long way toward helping him or her want to learn. How can you help your child focus on maximum effort? See Colossians 3:23; Proverbs 12:24.

Shalom



Pastor Afolabi Oladele