Towards a Philosophy of Education

Philosophy:

Philosophy is a general term, denoting an explanation of the reasons of things...When applied to any particular department of knowledge, it denotes the collection of general laws or principles under which all the subordinate phenomena or facts relating to that subject are comprehended.
The objects of philosophy are to ascertain facts or truth, and the causes of things..; to enlarge our views of God and his works, and to render our knowledge of both practically useful and subservient to human happiness.

The love of wisdom...The Bible warns against philosophies whose highest realities and concerns are atoms, energy, cosmic laws, or humanity - those founded on "the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ".
Nelsons Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible

Education:

The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

The transfer of knowledge, morals and attitudes from one person to another, and usually from one generation to the next...God gave the responsibility of teaching to parents. To be a parent meant to teach.
Nelsons Illustrated Bible Dictionary

"Educational Philosophy" sounds like a scary term that has no place in the practical realities of teaching and training our children. But to consider the reason for education, the laws and principles that underpin teaching, training and discipling are essentially very practical ideas.
Why is education important? How should we educate? What works? What doesn't work? How do children learn? What has God's word got to say about it all? These are some of the questions we can consider when developing our own educational philosophy.

Developing an educational philosophy takes years of living the education life with your children. It takes the reading of many books on education to gather ideas, it takes observation of your own children - how they grow and develop and what helps them to learn.
It takes following God's ways lined out in Scripture and also God's leading for your own family and your own families needs.

My own educational philosophy has been changed and refined as I gain more experience in homeschooling my children. What has worked, what hasn't worked. The knowledge my children have retained, what they have forgotten. What they have enjoyed, what they have tolerated, what they have disliked. You can read all the books you like on child development, learning theories and homeschooling ideologies (and indeed many are helpful - although there is such a thing as too much reading) - but nothing develops your philosophy on education quite like putting on your boots, and taking the journey of learning with your children.


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The Age-Long Minute

by Amy Carmichael



Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow

Thou art the Lord who soothed the furious sea,

What matter beating wind and tossing billow

If only we are in the boat with Thee?



Hold us in quiet through the age-long minute

While Thou art silent and the wind is shrill:

Can the boat sink while Thou, dear Lord, art in it?

Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

No Scar?

by Amy Carmichael



Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail they bright, ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?


Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned:

Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far
Who has nor wound nor scar?

Writing Guidelines with Amy Carmichael

Her style is graceful, often poetic, always lucid. Her descriptions
have the power to give to the reader an experience. Her convictions about
the handling of truth were sometimes in conflict.

To a young biographer she said, "Generally speaking, I think the rule
should be - the truth whatever people think. It is truth in a book that
helps." Her test for every word, spoken or written: Is it true? Not
always an easy question. Her loyalty to the truth did not bind her to tell
the whole truth when there were other considerations, such, Is it helpful?
That depended on definition and other questions: Helpful to whom? In what
way? She had edited a good many things from the autobiography she
wrote for the children because the did not strike her as helpful. "How can
I be sure I am choosing those which will be of use to you?", she wrote.
She could not be sure. There were 3 more questions: Is it
kind? Is it necessary? Does it have 'the seed of eternity' in
it? "Nothing is worthwhile if the seed of eternity be not in it."

p321 Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot

I had a smile to myself when I read this, as a habitual user of exclamation points myself and I know there are others of my acquaintance who love them even more than I do. :)

She hated exclamation points on a printed page. When her publishers
arbitrarily inserted them in 'Things As They Are', she was incensed. "So fussy.
They give an idea of overemphasis.

Amy Carmichael: Her Life and Legacy

When I read well-written biographies and autobiographies, I find often that any cobwebs and dust that have gathered in my spiritual life are cleaned away, and I am encouraged again in my continuance of my life of discipleship to my Lord and Saviour.

I have enjoyed a number of Elisabeth Elliot's writings for a long time now - perhaps you could even call me a fan. In this book, Elisabeth has written the biography of the woman who was a great encouragement to her own life and journey of discipleship through her own writings - Amy Carmichael.

In this story we meet Amy as a child in Ireland, follow her as she grows up and her journey to working in India with the many children who called her Amma (mother). These kinds of stories are an illustration of Christianity where the rubber hits the road. Where you need to trust God entirely for absolutely everything or you are done for. Where God is not your last hope, but the guiding light in everything - the first and only hope, the first and only way.

Amy wanted to share with these women [those that worked with her Donhavur] the
spiritual riches of books that had put iron into her own soul........"the brave
and burning souls of every age who had left torches." Such torches lighted
the way of discipleship for these women.

What books have you read, that have illustrated to you the life of discipleship and encouraged you in your own Christian walk?

Music Appreciation: Hymns

Three little girls sitting around the table, quietly looking at the picture of the story in front of them, as they listen to the hymn being played on our cd player. The watercolour paints, brushes and water are set up in the center of the table. When the music has finished, the girls begin to paint their pictures as I ask them a few quick questions from last weeks story section of the hymn writer we are learning about. Then, I read this week's portion of the story as the girls continue to paint. When the painting is finished Melissa and Elizabeth write out a narration and Caterina describes to me what is happening in the picture she has just painted.

Each hymn writer has 4-6 readings and pictures, so it has taken us between 4-8 weeks to complete each person. In this book we have learned about Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby, Martin Luther, Isaac Watts and John Newton. My original aim was to do 1 person per term, but we ended up completing 1 person per semester, so it has taken us 2 1/2 years to complete this book.

And now, in the girls portfolios, they have a little picture booklet for each of these people, with their watercolour painted pictures to look back on every now and then.

The Outdoor School Room

Imagine this is your work desk. I can't think of a better spot for book work, can you? This lovely little spot was in a small clearing within a rainforest garden at our local Botannic Gardens. We were walking along the track, when the track opened up into this lovely little space. In the middle was a picnic table, and circled around it, along the edge of the clearing was about half a dozen of these old fashioned school desk style seats.

We spent about 1/2 an hour in this place - the girls decided that it was the perfect spot for some nature drawings for their notebooks. So they set themselves up at a table, and contentedly worked away.