Posted in Teaching Thoughts

I attended a university that grew out of what used to be called a "Teacher's College."  Originally, the school was founded to help train teachers.  But the college eventually stretched itself into new areas, evolved into a university, and became well-known for many diverse programs, including architecture, communications, and entrepreneurship. 

 

Apparently, even staid colleges aren't really too old to learn something new! 

 

This idea of change, then, sort of started to link itself back to teaching for me.  It's an oft-repeated bit of advice that homeschooling parents learn possibly more, but at least as much, than their children during the journey.

 

Learning also implies that there are things we don't know, cannot (yet) accomplish, or are lacking in some way.  If we knew it, we wouldn't need to learn it, or be reminded of it any way.

 

So it is with our experiences with the great ideas of Western thought.  Sometimes, even though an idea isn't "new," it's application or our understanding of the concept need to be adjusted, or relearned.

 

Recently, I was priviledged to hear a very fine sermon on the fourth commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20, vs 8).  One of the many points made about this commandment is that it IS a commandment (not a suggestion, not a minority report).  Therefore, it is something we are supposed to incorporate into our lives.

 

Now, the interpretation of this commandment, how it should be practically or appropriately applied to our lives, isn't what I intend to discuss.  But the fact that the Bible itself, speaking to Everyman, stresses the importance of downtime is what impressed me so much.

 

The speaker suggested that "Sabbath time," which he interpreted as time set aside to reflect, read Scripture, and commune through prayer and thought with God, is essential to "keeping our balance in an upside-down world."  Sabbath time is what allows us to remember and reflect upon God's goodness and grace, the awesome beauty of nature, and to refresh our spirits.

 

But this concept of Sabbath time, this commandment to take time away from the busy-ness of life, seems applicable to many, many areas of our lives, not just the spiritual portion.

 

As homeschooling parents, we can get so caught up in our fears and joys, our successes and failures (real or perceived), and our child(ren)s achievements or lack thereof.  We push on with our studies, determined to finish this workbook or that curriculum, wanting to provide the very best that we can for our little ones.

 

And, yet, we forget Sabbath time, or it's equivalent, when it comes to learning and teaching. 

 

As students, our children sometimes need to stop *learning* and just enjoy and reflect upon their new-found knowledge or skills. 

 

Admittedly, six year olds aren't really "big" on reflection. But, I've noticed that at this age they really want to show you what they *can* do.  The recite lists, sing songs repeatedly, enjoy using what big words they know.  And they think.  Sometimes very profoundly. 

 

This type of thinking time is when their learning melds with their world experiences, providing them with the ability to perceive awe and wonder in their worlds.

 

It would be easy, and possibly even trite, to say that "Sabbath time" for the homeschooling parent is time for reflection on what worked, or didn't, in your homeschool.  Or to reassess your child's learning style and abilities.  Or maybe to research new curriculum or new ways to present ideas in a challenging subject.

 

But, that's just more of the "job" of teaching.  For a minister, sermon preparation is a part of the job - probably not truly Sabbath time as it takes place! 

 

In teaching, I think reflection should focus more on the teacher and his or her mentors rather than the student.  A teacher's time of reflection might be a read through one's favorite homeschooling support book; a choice book that provides positive focus for the teacher.  Undoubtedly, for some parents, that book would be a Bible, but there are others. 

 

My personal favorite is A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver van DeMille.  One of DeMille's primary points is that a good teacher is both a mentor and inspiring.  That seems like an excellent message to be reminded of and to hold on to when some days just don't go well.

 

A teacher's Sabbath time may also focus on how to recapture the excitement of homeschooling.  Whatever else a new homeschooling parent feels, excitement on the first day of this grand adventure seems to be a given. 

 

But that excitement *will* wain with time, schedules, children's attitudes, and repeated tasks and something must take it's place. 

 

For some folks, once the excitement wears off, they become dispirited, thinking they've failed because of some fault of their own.  This becomes compounded by stories of other homeschooling families whose children build this, read that, and proclaim love for their homeschool experience.

 

And yet the key is in these stories.  

 

Those stories of happiness in the homeschooling journey come when both parent and child have taken the time to reflect on some aspect of what they are doing.  The child is excited about learning, because s/he has been given the tools and is learning to use them.  The parent is happy because they have been able to pass on those tools and see them successfully used.

 

The stories come about because someone took the Sabbath time to enjoy the process of learning with their child and to be in awe of this process.  They took the time to reflect on the wonders of the world as seen through the eyes of a child. 

 

And that shared experience in itself can be some of the best Sabbath time of all.