Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

"Dad, tell me a story!" Is that a refrain you frequently hear at your house? This week on Home School Heartbeat, Mike Smith talks about the importance of reading and of incorporating storytelling into our homeschool programs.

Mike Smith:
Did you know that the nation of Israel was one of the only ancient cultures that had a widely literate population? In most ancient civilizations, only the kings and the upper class could read. And their written languages were usually extremely complicated.

God communicates with His people through the written word, and He uses the stories of people's lives to reveal Himself to us. The fall of man is not revealed in abstract theological terms but in the story of Adam and Eve's disobedience. We understand what faith is when Noah builds the ark and when Abraham leaves Ur to go to an unknown land. God's sovereignty becomes clear to us when Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery and yet at the end of the story Joseph can say, "What you meant for evil, God meant for good."

Henry R. Luce, the founder of Time magazine, is quoted explaining the magazine's interest in personalities. He said, "Time didn't start this emphasis on stories about people—the Bible did."

Giving your children an early love of reading and literature is an important part of the homeschooling process. And I can't think of a better way of doing that than storytelling.

A good understanding of literature is practical knowledge applicable to many aspects of life. A great way to begin instilling this knowledge is to begin telling them stories at a young age. And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.

For more information about incorporating storytelling into your homeschool, visit homeschoolheartbeat.com. Or call us toll-free at 866-338-8614. That number, again, is 866-338-8614.