The Whole Child

‘The popular method of filling the student’s mind with that which is not practical and hurrying him through a certain course, in order that he may obtain a diploma, is not true education. True education begins on the inside, at the core, with that which is practical.’

Goodloe Harper Bell, Review December 26, 1882

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I love this quote because it exhibits the need to develop the whole child.  Too many times parents and educators compartmentalize a child's development, keeping intellectual learning separate from vocational skills, musical expression or physical ability.  Seeing the child as a whole person and helping them develop in all facets of their being establishes the core of what true education really is.

God as Your School Teacher

Christians look to the creation of Adam and Eve as an example of individuals made in the image of God.  Their garden home and how they lived in it are a model to the human race.  Adam and Eve were students of the Creator of the universe.  The garden of Eden was their classroom and nature was their textbook.  Can you fathom how amazing it would be to have God as your school teacher?  What an opportunity!  The one who created everything and who had all knowledge taught to His creation the secrets of the universe.  Chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, biology, art design, history of the universe, music, philosophy, language, are only a sampling of subjects that Adam and Eve studied in their communion with God as their teacher.  

As we observe the life of Adam and Eve before sin entered the world, we discover that God commissioned  Adam and Eve to take care of the garden [Genesis 2:15].  Although they lived in a sinless, perfect world, they were not left to languish in a field of flowers!  They were given the assignment of learning the secrets of the universe [study].  Useful employment was given to them, as they were to take care of the garden [work].  God’s love reflected upon their hearts as they cared for one another in perfect love [service to others].  

God designed the lessons He taught them in their Eden home to teach them completely, encompassing their intellect, physical strength, and spirit in communion with Him and with one another.  The garden of Eden represented all that God desired for mankind.  The desire of His heart was that Adam and Eve would have children, grandchildren, and future descendants that would establish homes and schools just like the one He modeled for them, and that they would reflect the knowledge of His glory.  The first school was of the God of creation.

Principles of Education Exemplify the Character of God

 

Adam and Eve sinned and the world was never the same.  They were banned from their garden home.  Although they no longer could walk and talk with God, the opportunities of the highest education for life were  and are still available to humankind  through Christ. True education is still a part of God’s plan.  The basic and elemental principles of education are unchanged.  All His precepts are sure.  They stand forever and ever.  [Psalm 111:7 & 8].  These are the principles that exemplify the character of God.  As the student enters into a relationship with Christ, he becomes a teammate with Christ as he studies to comprehend these principles to the greatest degree.  Jesus Christ is the foundation of all truth [1 Corinthians 3:11] and God in all His fullness is pleased to live in Christ [Colossians 1:19].  Jesus came to Earth to bridge the gap that sin brought.  Through Jesus, the principles of God’s character are revealed to all.  The process of education continues.

Learning in Ancient Israel

 

By contemplating how God led the Children of Israel in the wilderness for forty years, we can see a word picture of His educational techniques.  Before their foray into the wilderness, the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt.  Because of their years in slavery, they had become ignorant and untrained, without opportunities to develop their characters and minds.  After Moses led them out of slavery, God worked to provide opportunities for them to strengthen their characters and to expand their minds.   If we examine this period of history, we discover examples of some of the techniques God implemented in teaching the Israelites.  God used:


1)  Symbolism ~ God asked Moses to build a sanctuary so that He could live among the people, thereby showing them His character and of their need for Him.

2)  Hand’s on learning ~ God asked the people to work together, both intellectually and physically, as they planned and built the sanctuary.  Through labor they developed character traits that helped draw them closer to God and to one another.

3)  Character Development ~ God taught them cooperation and trust as they worked together on the sanctuary, thereby  developing Godly character traits.  Each experience they had in the wilderness taught them something that they needed to know and improved their characters accordingly.

4)  Expression & Singing ~ God taught them to sing as a way to internalize the commandments and lessons He exposed them to. 

5)  Exposure to Art ~ God taught them principles of art and symmetry as it was incorporated into the building of the sanctuary.  The sanctuary was not only functional and symbolic, but beauty of shape, form, color and symmetry was expressed using the finest of materials.

6)  Nature ~ God used lessons in nature, both natural and cultivated, to teach them of the patterns and lessons found in the cycle of life.

7)  Social contact ~  Through interaction with one another in a family and community atmosphere, God taught them sympathy and of the joy of fellowship with others.  Festivals and feasts were a means of providing for some of this interaction.

8)  Giving and care ~ God taught them responsibility and the spirit of giving through communal rules for the care and conduct of others within their community.

The education that Israel received during the years after their captivity included knowledge of God, time spent with him in work and study, and a multitude of opportunities and experiences that developed the character of each one.  God was the source of Israel’s education.

True Education Begins on the Inside

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‘The popular method of filling the student’s mind with that which is not practical and hurrying him through a certain course, in order that he may obtain a diploma, is not true education. True education begins on the inside, at the core, with that which is practical.’

                                    Goodloe Harper Bell, Review December 26, 1882

Joy of Service

 

When considering love as the basis of true education, we can reflect upon the two great commandments of the new covenant. The first is God’s desire that we love the Lord with our entire heart, soul, strength, and mind [Luke 10:27] and the second is that we love our neighbor as our self [Matthew 22:39]. By doing this, we find that His power and strength recreates us into His image. God is love, and when we align ourselves to Him, this love reflects back into our hearts and is shown by the love we express to everyone around us. God does this not only for us, but for every being on the planet. You have probably heard it said that to our children, we represent God and His character. So, it is vital that we keep connected to divine love on a daily basis as we exemplify and reflect His character. By serving those in our homes we show God’s love. By modeling loving behaviors to those in our neighborhood, church, and to others around the world we teach our children the joy of service. Too often it is easy to get caught up in simple daily tasks, forgetting that God commissions us to serve not only in our family circle, but to those in need all around us. And what a joy and pleasure it is to be given the opportunity to home educate so that we can incorporate principles of service into our children’s hearts and minds as they inculcate the principle of love for themselves. Go, reach out, and touch someone today. And take your children with you.

Creating Inventive Thinkers

“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – men who are creative, inventive and discoverers” 

Jean Piaget

Creating Natural Students

In the early years of the current homeschooling trend, the ability of a parent to teach their child academics was firmly challenged by those in the traditional school system. Homeschool skeptics argued that specialists were needed to teach children to read, write, and learn math. The talk in public school faculty lunchrooms frequently centered around a community members decision to home educate rather than to take advantage of all that the public schools had to offer. It is true that the public schools do offer many things to the children in our communities. For some families, a public education is the only alternative. But, when there is a willingness and opportunity for a parent to share in the educational process with their children, and home education is the result, much success and educational growth has been shown to occur. Over time, even many professional educators have admitted that the academic results of homeschooling can not be argued. Time after time, homeschooled children test above the national average in all areas and at all grade levels. If a homeschool family commits to education and spends time focusing on learning, children who are academically competent and who know how to think is the result. Homeschool families have a plethora of resources and methods to choose from. Each family educates using their own unique approach. Because of this, children obtain knowledge and skills at different rates and at widely differing ages. But, in the long run, what could be perceived as a lack of knowledge in an area at one age could mean nothing when looking at the broad view. Children develop naturally and according to their growth and learning spurts when homeschooled. A teacher-parent who educates purposefully within the scope of a child’s natural growth and interests creates a learning environment that is frequently spontaneous. Although a planned curriculum may be given (and reassures the teacher-parent that they are on schedule), a great deal of valuable learning occurs independently by the child outside of the planned lessons. Once a child has been shown how to learn what they need to know, they usually catch the spark and will continue to learn, gathering facts, information, and skills independently along the way. This is the best kind of learning! Learning becomes intrinsically theirs and becomes much more meaningful to them than some facts in a book. Higher levels of applied learning result, and the world awaits! The role of parent then becomes as a guide to stimulate learning, exploration, and an environment conducive to such. Patience, a willingness to answer questions, and the time to show the child how to learn for themselves are traits that will provide great dividends to the future of the child. With the right resources (time, energy, and materials) and attentive parents, the homeschooled child cannot help but take off as a student with great potential!

The Hebrew School

During the old testament time of the prophets, Samuel established schools that were designed to teach Israel the ways of God and how He worked in the world.  The students were teachers in training and were instructed to go out and teach the people what they had learned.  The Old Testament shares that these students were young men who were intelligent and godly.  They were willing to learn and to share.  The scriptures were used for instruction in law, history, music, and poetry.  A spirit of devotion was gained through the sacred Hebrew writings.  Communion with God as a heavenly father, faith, and a clear understanding of God’s principles were garnered through the Old Testament writings.  This resulted in obedience to His ways.   Lessons were also taught by observation of the works of God as seen in the natural world.  Nature spoke of God’s ways and the students learned from this cognition.  Additionally, the students in the schools of the prophets were given work to do as part of their educational experience.  It was common in Israel for every youth to be taught a useful skill or trade.  Even if they were wealthy or made a living by a means not physical, each was expected to gain skills in a physical or mechanical trade during their youth.  This usefulness was a protection that allowed each to have a skill that they could use at times in their lives when financial resources might not be readily available.  Often, many of the teachers in Samuel’s schools supported themselves by physical labor.  It appears that being an educator was not a lucrative position in and of itself.  The Hebrew system used simplicity as a tool and self-restraint as a goal.  Students studied scripture, observed nature, and worked to learn a useful skill.  Uncomplicated, yet effective, this method of education served and the individuals of Israel very well.  King David and King Solomon were well-known and effective leaders who benefited from this simple type of instruction.  God blessed the people of Israel, and their adherence to these principles brought them great blessing. 
 
“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”  1 Corinthians 10:11