Current Events

The “textbook” for your child’s study of current events should be articles found in current newspapers and magazines. See the Appendices for a brief listing of our recommendations for magazines or newspapers that provide a broader, more balanced perspective on current events than those with which you might be familiar.

Twice each week, students should report on some matter of significant local, regional, national, or international concern that they have read about during the previous week. They must state who the main characters are and what makes the matter significant. What are the potential effects of the matter turning out one way or another? What are they arguing about? Students should also add a statement of their own position on the issues of the day, explaining why they believe and feel as they do.

Please note: These reports do not need to be written unless you want them to be. A verbal report is fine, although the extra writing practice couldn’t hurt!

How to “Teach” Current Events

Does your child recognize the name Tony Blair? How about Hamas? The West Bank? European Economic Union? Does he know what enriched uranium is? How about their significance?

If your child is unfamiliar with such names, places, events and terms, is he likely to enjoy reading international news? Probably not. And he won’t be alone! Many children today are not interested in the broader world around them. But they should be!

We believe that students need to learn that world affairs—matters of social, political, economic and cultural concern—are appropriate for their interest. They should be informed about these matters, and they ought to be forming biblically-appropriate opinions about them. As citizens of God’s Kingdom, they are called upon to be gracious (and, therefore, informed) ambassadors to the peoples of this world.

As a parent, how can you help? If you need to, READ AN APPROPRIATE ARTICLE OUT LOUD TO YOUR CHILD. There should be no shame in this. If your child needs your help, then you should give it to him.

Ask your child whether he understood what the author was talking about. If you come across an uncommon or unfamiliar term, explain it. Try to give him whatever historical, cultural, and other background you can. After you finish reading, have your child try to summarize what you read.

This “reading” process may be rather slow, but it will enable your child to understand what he would have otherwise never understood. It will also enable you to pass on to your child a perspective on world events that no one else could possibly give him.

A Rationale for Studying Current Events

Why study current events? There are many reasons. One is so we can pray knowledgeably and effectively for our brothers and sisters elsewhere around the world. God has placed us here to act as His ambassadors of light in “a crooked and depraved generation.” (Phil. 2:15) But how will we pray effectively if we don’t know anything about our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the world? Reading the news can help us know what they are going through, what they are experiencing, and what they might appreciate us praying about.

Also, by reading news from other parts of the world, we get to see our local situation in a broader context. Just like studying history in general, studying current events can give us the opportunity to learn from other people’s mistakes.

Finally, by reading the newspaper we give God the opportunity to lead us in new directions. By becoming informed about other people in other places, we broaden our horizons and open our minds to all manner of options we would otherwise never consider.

Recommended Periodicals for Current Events [8.29.07]

Sonlight will be removing any reference to the American Enterprise magazine from the appendix recommending periodicals for Current Events assignments. We will drop all Secular Monthly and Secular Bimonthly listings at this time.

This will apply to all IG's with Current Events assignments.