What is an education??
We recently finished reading "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory", by Roald Dahl. This was a wonderful book that provoked so many discussions from too much TV to overeating to creativity and to how Charlie won in the end, because he was willing to listen to Mr. Wonka. I love reading with my kids and discussing and learning. It is so much fun. To celebrate we watched the movie and had a family sleepover in the family room.
I love learning, in fact I would much rather be learning than doing anything else in this world. I know that is not normal in todays' world, but I wish it was. Learning is fun and so interesting to me.
Right now we are reading a story about Ben Carson. Ben Carson is a famous neuro -surgeon, who when he was younger was known as the dumbest kid in school. His Mom prayed and asked the Lord to help her know what to do to help her boys be smarter. She got her answer and told her boys that they were only allowed to watch 3 TV shows a week. The rest of their free-time was to be spent reading.
Ben and his brother were told to give their Mom 2 book reports per week. He attributes his learning to his Mom and he was able to go to Yale because he spent so much time loving to learn and read. He also, became the smartest kid in school in high school. It is a wonderful story and so inspiring.
In the book it tells how he prays and asks heavenly father for help in order to perform the surgeries that he performs. Last night we read about a surgery that he performed in seperating twin boys that were siamese twins and joined at the head. In the book it tells how he prays and is amazed by the miracles heavenly father helps him do by having faith. My kids are loving this book and I can't wait to finish it today.
So, how do we go about getting an education, and what is an education? These thoughts have been on my mind a lot lately.
Today I looked up the meaning of education online and found this on Wikipedia...
"Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and or research. Education may also include informal transmission of such information from one human being to another. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of others, but learners may also educate themselves (autodidactic learning).[1] Any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational."
I used to believe that all education was based on facts and research, but from what I've been feeling lately and researched, it seems that education is so much more than facts and research, its storytelling, discussion; it is "The knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits transferred from one generation to the next". Wow, that makes me think I have a lot of work to do. I believe parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children. Not necessarily their schooling, but their education. So how are we giving our kids an education??
Education is a culmination of experiences that shape us and allow us to become who we become. In modern society most people think education is your schooling, but from this definition and from my personal experience education is so much more than schooling. Education to me is life.
Didn't heavenly Father place us here on the earth to learn and to grow so that we could be tested? I believe that we are here to grow and be tested and that is our true education.
"Any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational."
So, how can we get the best education possible. I believe the answer is found in the scriptures.
In Matthew 13: 10-13
" 10 And the disciples, came and said unto him, Why speakest unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even he that hath.
13 Therefore, speak I unto them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing hear not, neither do they understand."
I believe Jesus spake in parables or stories because he wanted us to dig deeper and find out the true meaning behind His stories and then apply them to our lives. He knew how to educate. It wasn't by handing us the platter and telling us directly what it was we needed to do, but it was through stories. If we so desire to know we would dig and find out for ourselves what he was teaching and then, by digging deeper we would be changed and given experiences that would change us. Wow, that is education. We can learn so much from the scriptures.
So, I choose to study stories, the scriptures and books to educate myself and my children. What better way to educate than by doing it the way the Savior taught.
But... just reading a book or story is not going to educate us. We have to dig deeper and find the true meaning and discuss. Then we can learn and grow.
When I first began homeschooling I fell upon " The Family School". In this curriculum they teach using the 4 r's Reason, Research, Relate, and Record.
I like this Principle of "You, not Them" from Leadership Education: Principles of Great Teaching.
So, I decided to apply the 4 r's to my own education. I have been studying this curriculum and wanting to teach it to my kids, but struggling, because my kids love stories, but not so much listening to me talk. So, I decided to apply the principle of the 4 r's to my life. It has changed me and the way I think and study, and hopefully by applying this principle to myself it can help my kids.
The 4 r's
So, when I read, I try to find a reason for what I am reading or studying, then I try to research and dig deeper into topics that provoke my interest, then I relate it to my life and to my values which are grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ and then, I record on my blog or in my journal. This process has solidified my experiences and I truly believe that this process is helping me receive a great education.
I am so grateful for the things that have fallen into my path as I have embarked into this journey of education. I have learned more than I could have ever dreamed and have enjoyed the experiences that I get to create with my family. If experiences are what shapes our education, why not have those experiences with those whom you love and receive a great "family education"?
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