Here are 5 practical ways to teach teens to be culture creators.
5 Practical Ways to Teach Teens to be Culture Creators
Teens who feel like they have a purpose in life are happier, emotionally-healthier teens. After all, identity formation is one of their developmental tasks in adolescence. A big part of an adolescent’s identity is that feeling of purpose or calling.
Teens who have a feeling of purpose can explore ways to develop and implement that purpose. They become young culture creators in the world around them. This is good habit that they can carry into adulthood. Wouldn’t it be great to see the next generation truly make the world a better place?
You can get them started on their purpose finding/developing/implementing adventure! Here are 5 practical ways to teach teens to be culture creators.
*Teach them visionary thinking. If teens are going to become culture creators in the big world, they need to know how to imagine what a better culture would be.
- Discussions about making the world a better place can be made part of your homeschool high school curriculum- log hours to add to social studies (current events as part of history or civics credits).
- Have your teens write an essay about what a better world or culture would look like as part of their Language Arts requirements.
*Start with a personal vision. Teens need to know themselves and get a feel for God’s purpose and calling. One way to get this started is to have them create their own personal mission statement. When teens get in touch with the fact that God has plans for their lives that will advance His kingdom in large ways or small, they get excited!
*Study people and fiction about people who worked to change cultures. These can be life-changing parts of a powerful Language Arts credit. Some of our kids’ favorites were:
- Brother Andrew, who smuggled Bibles behind the Iron Curtain back in the Cold War days and whose ministry is still helping bring Bibles to people in countries where Christianity is still frowned upon.
- Joni Earikson Tada, who allowed God to redeem the tragic accident that left her a quadriplegic. She serves people with disabilities all over the world.
- Chuck Colson, who God reached when he was serving time in prison for his part in the Nixon-era Watergate affairs. He spent the rest of his life helping prisoners and their families while sharing a vision for a righteous America.
- Mother Teresa, who served the destitute and dying in India.
- Utopia, the fictional story (publishing in 1516) of Sir Thomas More’s ideas of a perfect society. A great discussion tool for teens on where they agree or disagree with the author’s thoughts.
- Animal Farm, the fictional story of a dystopian society (a culture gone bad). It is George Orwell’s allegorical story of the Soviet Union.
*Teach them to pray. Teens (and adults) need to be in touch with God’s ideas on culture creation. In our busy American culture, it is easy to believe in the concept of prayer but rarely get around to it. Persons of habitual prayer are more likely to create good around them.
*Teach them to serve. The book of James has lots to say about acting out our faith. It is a good read. (Also, homeschool high schoolers who log their service hours have a richer transcript.)
Help your teens get started in their roles as culture creators!
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5 Practical Ways to Teach Teens to be Culture Creators
