Deschooling and Religion (long)
David Albert
Joel Hawthorne wrote:
about which I have thought long and hard:
or the inner light -- in each living soul, and that we must do it
suitable homage. The testimony of the 18th century Quaker abolitionist
John Woolman (which I include in my forthcoming homeschooling book) is
probably the best statement I know of this principle:
"I...was early convinced in my mind that true religion consisted in an
inward life, wherein the heart doth reverence God the Creator and learns
to exercise true justice and goodness, not only toward all men but also
toward the brute creatures; that as the mind was moved on an inward
principle to love God as an invisible, incomprehensible being, on the
same principle it was moved to love him in all his manifestations in the
visible world; that as by his breath the flame of life was kindled in
all animal and sensitive creatures, to say we love God as unseen and at
the same time exercise cruelty toward the least creature moving by his
life, or by life derived from him, was a contradiction in itself...
There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in
different places and ages hath had different names; it is, however,
pure, and proceeds from God. It is deep, and inward, confined to no
forms of religion, nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in
perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what
nation soever, they become brethren."
It is from this belief that Friends' pacifism and commitment to
community service flows. We also hold testimonies about the importance
of simplicity and community which we hope will inform our daily living,
learning included.
Deschooling? Here's what William Penn, the founder of the "Holy
Experiment" which became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, had to say
about education in 1693:
"The first Thing obvious to Children is what is sensible; and that we
make no Part of their Rudiments. We press their Memory too soon, and
puzzle, strain, and load them with Words and Rules; to know Grammer and
Rhetorick, and a strange Tongue or two, that is ten to one may never be
useful to them; Leaving their natural Genius to Mechanical and Physical,
or natural Knowledge uncultivated and neglected; which would be of
exceeding Use and Pleasure to them through the whole Course of their
Life...
It were Happy if we studied Nature more in natural Things; and acted
according to Nature; whose rules are few, plain and most reasonable.
Let us begin where she begins, go her Pace, and close always where she
ends, and we cannot miss of being good Naturalists. The Creation would
no longer be a Riddle to us: The Heavens, Earth, and Waters, with their
respective, various and numerous Inhabitants: Their Productions,
Natures, Seasons, Sympathies and Antipathies; their Use, Benefit and
Pleasure, would be better understood by us: And an eternal Wisdom,
Power, Majesty, and Goodness, very conspicuous to us, thro' those
sensible and passing Forms: The World wearing the Mark of its Maker,
whose Stamp is everywhere visible, and the Characters very legible to
the Children of Wisdom.
And it would go a great way to caution and direct People in their Use
of the World, that they were better studied and known in the Creation of
it. For how could Man find the Confidence to abuse it, while they
should see the Great Creator stare them in the Face, in all and every
part thereof?"
I guess I've probably said enough here. But to add to the discussion, I
have posted the chapter of my book on nature education ("Dog Kitties")
up on my website (see below), so folks can see how it (for our family)
plays out in actual practice. Comments welcome!
David Albert
--
My book "And the Skylark Sings with Me: Adventures in Homeschooling and
Community-Based Education" will be off the press around September 20.
To read a sample chapter, reviewers' comments, or the foreword, visit my
website at http://www.skylarksings.com
> From: Joel Hawthorne <jhawthorne@...>I hope you'll permit the long answer to this question, but it is one
>
> I wonder if the difficulty some folks have with their kids
> "deschooling" may be
> related to matters of religious belief. Now I have some trepidation
> in bringing
> this up and I want to do it in a diplomatic and respectful way.
>
>
about which I have thought long and hard:
> There is no question in my mind that my religious persuasion deeplyWe also believe that there is a piece of the divine -- the divine spark
> informs our approach to homeschooling. As Friends (Quakers), we
> believe firmly in "continuing revelation", the reality that the divine
> can reveal itself to us at any time, in the oddest of moments, in the
> strangest of places, with no necessary relationship to our desserts,
> and that this revelation can have enduring transformative value for
> our lives. And, in my experience, children are more clearly attuned
> to this possibility (even if they would never use the heavy language
> to express it.) Our educational approach is much about seizing the
> moment, listening for and cultivating the creative spark (the fountain
> which flows from the divine), and allowing for transformations to
> occur in ways we never would have expected.
or the inner light -- in each living soul, and that we must do it
suitable homage. The testimony of the 18th century Quaker abolitionist
John Woolman (which I include in my forthcoming homeschooling book) is
probably the best statement I know of this principle:
"I...was early convinced in my mind that true religion consisted in an
inward life, wherein the heart doth reverence God the Creator and learns
to exercise true justice and goodness, not only toward all men but also
toward the brute creatures; that as the mind was moved on an inward
principle to love God as an invisible, incomprehensible being, on the
same principle it was moved to love him in all his manifestations in the
visible world; that as by his breath the flame of life was kindled in
all animal and sensitive creatures, to say we love God as unseen and at
the same time exercise cruelty toward the least creature moving by his
life, or by life derived from him, was a contradiction in itself...
There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in
different places and ages hath had different names; it is, however,
pure, and proceeds from God. It is deep, and inward, confined to no
forms of religion, nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in
perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what
nation soever, they become brethren."
It is from this belief that Friends' pacifism and commitment to
community service flows. We also hold testimonies about the importance
of simplicity and community which we hope will inform our daily living,
learning included.
Deschooling? Here's what William Penn, the founder of the "Holy
Experiment" which became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, had to say
about education in 1693:
"The first Thing obvious to Children is what is sensible; and that we
make no Part of their Rudiments. We press their Memory too soon, and
puzzle, strain, and load them with Words and Rules; to know Grammer and
Rhetorick, and a strange Tongue or two, that is ten to one may never be
useful to them; Leaving their natural Genius to Mechanical and Physical,
or natural Knowledge uncultivated and neglected; which would be of
exceeding Use and Pleasure to them through the whole Course of their
Life...
It were Happy if we studied Nature more in natural Things; and acted
according to Nature; whose rules are few, plain and most reasonable.
Let us begin where she begins, go her Pace, and close always where she
ends, and we cannot miss of being good Naturalists. The Creation would
no longer be a Riddle to us: The Heavens, Earth, and Waters, with their
respective, various and numerous Inhabitants: Their Productions,
Natures, Seasons, Sympathies and Antipathies; their Use, Benefit and
Pleasure, would be better understood by us: And an eternal Wisdom,
Power, Majesty, and Goodness, very conspicuous to us, thro' those
sensible and passing Forms: The World wearing the Mark of its Maker,
whose Stamp is everywhere visible, and the Characters very legible to
the Children of Wisdom.
And it would go a great way to caution and direct People in their Use
of the World, that they were better studied and known in the Creation of
it. For how could Man find the Confidence to abuse it, while they
should see the Great Creator stare them in the Face, in all and every
part thereof?"
I guess I've probably said enough here. But to add to the discussion, I
have posted the chapter of my book on nature education ("Dog Kitties")
up on my website (see below), so folks can see how it (for our family)
plays out in actual practice. Comments welcome!
David Albert
--
My book "And the Skylark Sings with Me: Adventures in Homeschooling and
Community-Based Education" will be off the press around September 20.
To read a sample chapter, reviewers' comments, or the foreword, visit my
website at http://www.skylarksings.com