I
have been interested and even delighted with some of the
creative solutions various parents are implementing for
the education of their children. The responses I am sharing
in this article are from parents in Washington State and
California respectively who both homeschooled for several
years, then both began part of establishing an LDS academy
in their area. I keep hearing good things about LDS academies
– and there are many of them. Some are very expensive,
some are not.
The
Kimber academies both of these parents were instrumental
in starting are some of the most reasonably priced I’ve
heard about and have much to recommend them. I have their
information booklet, and the contrast between their approach
and what is being taught in public schools is dramatic.
Glenn and Julianne Kimber are the founders, and they have
co-authored the textbooks for the core subjects that are
taught well in just 12 hours a week. This makes it an
excellent resource for homeschooling families, who can
then choose to enroll their children in elective courses
at the academy, supervise learning activities at home,
or supplement the course with elective activities such
as drama, sports, and music at the local schools.
I
was amazed at the titles and stated purposes of their
textbooks. For example, a math book is titled Applying
Mathematics; Learning How to Self-Govern Using Correct
Principles. Their physiology textbook is called How
and Why God Created My Body, and surprisingly enough,
the intrinsic value is stated as “Learning how to search
the scriptures,” because students are led to find their
own “Why?” answers in the scriptures. The explanation
of their history curriculum says, “History is more than
facts. History can be defined as a study of God’s dealings
with mankind, and mankind’s dealings with each other.”
The stated purpose is, “Learning how to ponder.” I can’t
imagine what a difference this approach would make in
establishing a firm foundation for children to build on.
I received an update from Gary Arnell, whose essay appears
below, and their experiment is working well and I may
be able to present a more detailed report of it in a later
article. But I want you to hear now what these parents
are saying about their experiences and educational philosophy:
Gary
Arnell, California
My
wife and I started homeschooling in January 2002 and were
introduced to the teachings of Dr. Oliver DeMille of George
Wythe College in May of that year. The combination of
these events has changed the course of our lives forever.
For
the past two years we have been studying many topics,
education and the founding fathers in particular, including
many of the works you have cited in your articles. Late
last year my wife and I began to feel that while we love
homeschooling, we saw a need to raise up a peer group
for our children – a peer group who had been raised with
the same gospel/education focus that we were providing
our children. A search ensued for some kind of program
or curriculum that we could make available to our community.
We have since been working with Glenn and Julianne Kimber
to establish a Kimber Academy in our area. Kimber Academy
emphasizes a gospel-centered, high standards environment.
Coupled with the academic excellence and leadership emphasis
of Dr. DeMille’s teachings, we envision guiding these
students on to getting a gospel-centered, world-class
education.
My
wife and I also made the decision to leave my profession
to promote and run and teach at the school full time.
The impact on our family is significant, but the potential
for our children and our community is thrilling. We’ve
become acquainted with wonderful, like-minded Saints in
our area, who have been searching for something similar
and who have pitched in to help. We live about 40 miles
northwest of Los Angeles, in Camarillo, CA. Following
is an essay I wrote to our local group a couple of weeks
ago. I've been trying to articulate the need for a Godly
education and am finding that your articles are dove-tailing
wonderfully with the ideas I'm trying to get across.
[I
appreciate] the Kimbers and their efforts in furthering
the progress of gospel-centered education in our day.
Like the painter keeping a watchful eye on her subject,
I believe the Kimbers have closely studied the words of
the prophets to create an educational program in keeping
with their counsel; one that assists parents in our responsibility
to prepare our children for church and civic service and
future vocational training.
In
his 1987 landmark work on the state of higher education,
Allan Bloom lamented that “fathers and mothers have lost
the idea that the highest aspiration they might have for
their children is for them to be wise as priests, prophets,
or philosophers are wise. Specialized competence and
success are all that they can imagine.” (Allan Bloom,
Closing of the American Mind, p. 58)
As
Latter-day Saints, our goals go far beyond vocational
success. Our aspirations are heavenly! Vocational success
is desirable, to be sure, and requires hard work and discipline
to achieve. To keep the proper perspective, however,
we are continually admonished to seek first the
kingdom of God and are promised that in so doing “all
these things shall be added unto you” (3 Ne. 13:33).
We are taught that “after ye have obtained a hope in Christ
ye shall obtain riches [or learning], if ye seek them,
and ye will seek them for the intent to do good: to clothe
the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the
captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted”
(Jacob 2:18-19, 2 Ne. 9:29). Throughout the scriptures
personal virtue, character and obedience are given preeminence
over academic knowledge and wealth. Once our hearts are
in the right place, we are commanded to seek learning
by study and by faith (D&C 109:7). Study and
faith were not meant to be separated and are purposefully
complementary. Kimber Academy supports parents by assisting
in the academic progress of students while reinforcing
the spiritual values forged in the home.
President
David O. McKay further taught regarding the relationship
between personal virtue and academic achievement: "A
man may possess a profound knowledge of history and mathematics;
he may be an authority in psychology, biology, or astronomy;
he may know all the discovered truths pertaining to geology
and natural science; but if he has not with this knowledge
that nobility of soul which prompts him to deal justly
with his fellow men, to practice virtue and holiness in
personal life, he is not a truly educated man. Character
is the aim of true education; and science, history, and
literature are but means used to accomplish the desired
end. Character is not the result of chance work but of
continuous right thinking and right acting.
"True
education seeks, then, to make men and women not only
good mathematicians, proficient linguists, profound scientists,
or brilliant literary lights, but also honest men, combined
with virtue, temperance, and brotherly love – men and
women who prize truth, justice, wisdom, benevolence, and
self-control as the choicest acquisitions of a successful
life." (David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals p. 440-441)
So
is the solution simply public school curriculum, methods,
accreditation, etc. plus prayer? That would be
an improvement, but I’m convinced we can do much, much
more. Robert M. Hutchins, former President of the University
of Chicago, made the following observation: “I am afraid
we shall have to admit that the educational process in
America is either a rather pleasant way of passing the
time until we are ready to go to work, or a way of getting
ready for some occupation, or a combination of the two.
What is missing is education to be human beings, education
to make the most of our human powers, education for our
responsibilities as members of a democratic society, education
for freedom.” (An Introduction to the Great Books
and to a Liberal Education)
In
our modern society many voices loudly clamor for “specialized
competence” at the expense of all else. As we stated
before, we can stay the course by fixing ourselves steadfast
to the foundational principles and priorities contained
within the gospel. But I believe the Lord’s laws of
learning are superior to and different from
those of man (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that we can find those
laws in the scriptures, the teachings of the prophets,
through the example of others who have proved themselves
prepared to carry out God’s work, and through personal
inspiration given to parents prayerfully seeking to rear
their children.
Having
been raised up in the modern world, however, it can, even
as saints, be difficult to conceive of an educational
process different than the one we grew up with, as did
our parents before us. It can be even more difficult
to “buck the trend” and pursue such a process with our
own children. After all, what will the neighbors (or
grandparents) think?! I am grateful that the Lord does
not expect us to raise our children alone and admonishes
us rather to seek the Spirit’s guidance in addressing
our children’s individual needs, educational and otherwise.
We are not meant to blindly follow tradition or
conventional wisdom or any path for that matter. We are
admonished to act in faith, study things out and ask if
they are right (D&C 9:8). Relying on the words of
scripture and the promptings of the Spirit we can know
the truth of all things (2 Ne. 32: 3-5) and we can join
Alma in saying, “I know of myself” (Al. 5:46-47).
That
said, we can turn our attention to the question of academics,
of curriculum. While the scriptures and modern-day teachings
are replete with instruction on this matter, allow me
to make a few personal observations regarding what the
Lord expects us to learn and in turn teach our/His children.
Somewhere around the age of 8:
In
D&C 68:25-31, the Lord outlines specific things that
are to be taught young children (by precept and example)
before they reach the age of eight. These things are
best taught in the home. Children are to learn good/bad,
true/false, right/wrong, how to work and be industrious,
and to repent, change, and recommit when they fall short
of these principles in their daily life. (See also Mosiah
18 for additional responsibilities of those who take on
themselves the baptismal covenant.)
Somewhere around the age of 12:
By
the time children reach the age of 12, the Lord expects
them to be sufficiently worthy, sober and teachable to
enter into the Lord’s House to perform sacred ordinances
for our ancestors (Titus 2:2,4; Morm. 1:2, 15, D&C
43: 34, TG Sober, http://scriptures.lds.org/tgs/sbrtysbr )
Furthermore, young men and women are, at this age, expected
to be sufficiently mature and teachable to preside in
priesthood and class presidencies. Young men, as young
as 12, are expected to be ready to receive and magnify
priesthood keys and responsibilities. Surely the Lord
has great expectations of his youth. I cannot help but
feel that generalizations regarding “teenagers” and typical
“teenage” behavior so pervasive throughout our society
are not intended to be descriptive of these youth of
the noble birthright.
Somewhere around the age of 18:
The
Lord’s curriculum can be intimidating! In a few short
verses (D&C 88:74-80) the Lord lays out a rigorous
plan of study and preparation needful for laborers in
the kingdom. Imagine the effectiveness of a missionary
force that has been fully schooled in the Lord’s way,
in the order the Lord has established. At this age, young
men are expected to be ready to receive and magnify the
Melchizedek priesthood – the same power used to create
worlds, heal the sick, and raise the dead. Young women,
also, are expected to enter adulthood and serve their
sisters, families, and communities. Both my wife and
my mother were 19 years old when they married. Without
a doubt, a great deal of learning occurs after marriage,
but the Lord expects us at this young age to be sufficiently
schooled and matured to enter into the new and everlasting
covenant, to bring children into the world, and take our
place in society.
The
scriptures offer tremendous insights into education and
life-preparation. I encourage you to read Mormon chapter
1 carefully. Here we find an awe-inspiring example of
what the Lord can do with a willing heart and mind. By
the time Mormon was in his 16th year he had the career
and leadership training to serve as commander-in-chief
of a professional army. He had the historical and scholarly
training to assess and compile a thousand years of history
into “the most correct of any book on earth.” And he
had the spiritual training of a prophet. Maybe it took
him a few more years to fully accomplish all of these
things. Surely the Spirit assisted him along the way.
He was likely foreordained to carry out a great work.
However, could the Lord be giving us a model to follow
in the raising and educating of our children? (The insight
regarding Mormon came from an article by Dr. Oliver DeMille
entitled “Aristotle's Book of Mormon.”) Along with Mormon
1, I encourage you to prayerfully study the upbringing
of other Book of Mormon leaders (e.g. 1 Nephi 1, Enos
1, Mosiah 1).
In
his paradigm-shifting masterpiece, “Invitation to the
Pain of Learning,” legendary educator Mortimer J. Adler
removes any misconceptions in regard to the hard work,
sweat, and tears that are part of any real education:
“Anyone who has done any thinking, even a little bit,
knows that it is painful. It is hard work; in fact the
very hardest that human beings are ever called upon to
do. It is fatiguing, not refreshing. If allowed to follow
the path of least resistance, no one would ever think.
To make boys and girls, or men and women, think, and through
thinking really undergo the transformation of learning,
educational agencies of every sort must work against the
grain, not with it. Far from trying to make the whole
process painless from beginning to end, we must promise
them the pleasure of achievement as a reward to be reached
only through travail.” http://www.cambridgestudycenter.com/artilces/Adler1.htm
If
learning is necessarily difficult and yet the Lord commands
us to seek wisdom, learning and understanding (Prov. 4:7),
how should we go about educating our children? If so
many young people in our society seem apathetic, or worse,
hostile, towards learning and developing a godly character,
what can we do differently?
The
challenges we are to face and that our children are to
face will be at least as great as those we face
today. We must prepare a generation of leaders whose academics
are second to none, whose moral compasses are sure, whose
convictions are solidly founded, and whose adherence to
true principles will be unwavering. We need strong leaders
in business, politics, churches, education, and society,
leaders in our homes. We need a generation of leaders
who can recognize truth, combat falsehood, and not simply
accept the decline of the society around them. We need
a generation of youth who will discern where society is
and where it needs to be, insert themselves in the middle
and, like Martin Luther, proclaim, “Here I stand.”
Gary
Arnell
arnellfam@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KAVenturaCo/
Alison
Holmes, Washington State
The
education of our children is becoming more and more challenging
for parents. I am convinced that public education is
one of the “traditions of our fathers” that we, as a people,
will and must increasingly abandon. We had a high councilman
speak to our ward recently. He was commending the strength
of the youth in our stake. In his comments, he asked
if we had ever walked the halls in the local high schools.
He said that the atmosphere, what our kids see and hear
every day, was X-rated – not R-rated, but X-rated. He
emphasized that and chills went up my spine, because it
is so alarmingly true, not just here in Seattle, but all
over.
We
have other options!! We have four children (ages 5 to
13) and pulled them out of public school four years ago.
We homeschooled for three years. Then, in the 2003-2004
school year, we were able to be a part of establishing
the first Kimber Academy in our area (an LDS curriculum
private school/ homeschool resource). A second Academy
is being established in our area for the 2004-2005 year
as well. It makes a huge difference being able to use
the scriptures in our children’s studies. I can understand
John Taylor’s and Wilford Woodruff’s concerns completely.
Yes, it does cost some money, but it is a reasonable amount
and well worth the sacrifice. Public school may be free,
but in many instances the cost is way too high.
Of
course, each family has to make this decision for themselves.
Isn’t it worth fasting and praying over and listening
to the guidance of the Holy Ghost? Sometimes we do things
solely because that=s the way it’s always been done. A tradition. We have
to open our eyes to what’s out there. Being involved
in our children’s schools is great. Learning about other
options is wonderful too. If you want to find out more
about homeschooling or LDS based schools, Kimber
Academy, has homeschool-friendly curriculum and a
growing list of their schools in the US. There are many
other resources out there too. (The Kimber Academy booklet
it says you can request a new school by contacting Marci
Shupe at 801-771-7263 or 801-690-1618.)
Note: The next article planned for the education series
is about “Mom Schools” – supplementing homeschool curriculum
with cooperative effort.
