WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION ARE YOU GIVING YOUR CHILD?

Have you ever wondered why so many parents receive different “inspired” answers in educating their children? Has it ever confused you why one group of parents are told to “send their children to school”, and another to “bring them home?” Are some right and some wrong? Does their worldview affect their answers?

As a Christian parent and educator, I had been deeply confused by this and have wondered many times if I was receiving correct answers when it came to my children’s education because there seemed to be so much confusion, causing me to doubt what I was being led to.

In the course of my home education experience with my children, I had felt many times to use different types of institutions when teaching my children! For a short time, I had used both public and charter schools as an option. I also owned a private academy and homeschooled for over 25 years. I truly believed my answers each time were God-given and directed. However, it was not until the end of raising my family that I learned something that changed the course of educating my family. In scriptures, we are told that whatever kingdom we desire, we need to actively seek after those laws, and principles and start living or applying them now.

And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.

All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:34-42).

THE SEARCH BEGAN

Wow! I seriously had never thought of this before. All of sudden this little scripture came alive in my home as I pondered this. Not only could it be applied to education, but many other areas of life; foods, amusements, music, parenting, and freedom. What kind of education we seek will look different for each kingdom. Each kingdom will have its own curriculum, types of teachers, methods, and aims. All we need to do is to pick which kingdom we want and search out those laws.

Immediately I began a mad search to learn more about what education looked like for the Celestial Kingdom. Was it taught somewhere? Was it lived and applied? Where was it? I wanted to be a part of it!

My search began with a book called Revealed Educational Principles, by Jack Monnet. It gives the entire history of the Latter-day education trek starting in the mid-1800s. Early Church leaders for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints begged parents not to send their children to public schools. Joseph Smith felt education was a key component of a perfect society. The book takes us through the change from private to public education. The members of the church essentially rejected their leaders and sent their children to the cheaper, tax-supported public schools.

I also studied Doctrines and Covenants section 109 as the blueprint that the Prophet Joseph Smith revealed to the people to prepare families for the Savior’s return and how to have a home ready for this glorious event. It teaches the true principles of education and how God designed it to be.

Here is an example of how I used section 109 when it came to education:

TELESTIAL LEARNING

This is a purely physical type of learning.  There is no faith involved, only observable and quantifiable facts are taken into account.  Therefore, the only “trustworthy” evidence to be accepted requires the use of empirical evidence or the scientific method.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (2 Timothy 3:1-9)

God has been left out of every meaningful field of knowledge with this education, so it does not take much more prodding to decide that God never really fit in the first place, and faith is usually abandoned during or shortly after leaving High School.

TERRESTRIAL LEARNING

This style accepts the Telestial “facts,” the philosophies of men, and attempts to put a small amount of scripture and faith with their Telestial “knowledge.”  They may indeed be able to quote scripture, but it has not entered their hearts and does not affect their actions.  They forget that “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the vices of the world.” (James 1:27)  This decree from Nephi well describes them, 

O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.” (2 Nephi 9:28-29)

They are the “honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of,” telestial facts. (Doctrine and Covenants 76:75)

CELESTIAL LEARNING

Knowledge is studied to gain greater discernment in order to become like God, cry repentance, and preach the gospel to the world. Joseph Smith’s approach to education is based on the principles and practices taught by the Presidents of the Church and Scripture as they relate to education. We are to build our worldview exclusively on Holy Scripture, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ.

Time and again, prophets have taught that parents bear ultimate responsibility for the spiritual and temporal learning of their children. Brigham Young taught that a father must bend his will to God’s will, and teach this to his family by both word and example.  Additionally, a mother has the responsibility to watch over her children and give them their early instruction, because these early impressions set a course for their lives. A mother must be sanctified to the Lord and teach her children every important principle that pertains to life. Thus they will lay a true foundation for an appropriate education. In this style of learning, one seeks scriptural principles, and to learn by study and also by faith. One recognizes that all the learning in the world will be of no avail if there is no action behind it.

“Yea, a man may say, I will show thee I have faith without works; but I say, Show me thy faith without works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” (JST, James 2:15) 

PRINCIPLES AS THE GUIDE:

1. Focus OUT – Not IN – They have a desire to “Feed His Sheep”

2. Family Mission Centered – “Here am I send me” They will learn to see a cause/need, then learn to apply/have purpose – something you do to better the world. They will cleanse, purify and consecrate.

3. Spirit Directed – This vision of learning is about more than goal setting and achievements.

4. Father Presided/Family-Centered -The home environment is the true seed of knowledge. School is only an extension of the home.

5. Content is the Message, “All things testify of Christ”– They will desire pure religion undefiled.  

6. Agency Motivated – First, look at the individual as a child of God with the ability to choose right and wrong, ability to grow and progress toward God. How you know when you’ve succeeded – when a youth does it on their own, you don’t have to hover over them to keep them “on task” 

7. Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God– The kingdom of God is the sovereignty of God and His rule over all creation. We should seek first the kingdom so we can be part of all that God has to offer and we depend on Him for everything instead of relying on others or ourselves.

8. Exemplar Inspired – True Heroes – The principle of having a righteous example – Christ is the first example: we talk a lot about Christ and how He died for us, but the POINT is that He is the Exemplar. Exemplar must also be the parent.

9. NO waste – God doesn’t do anything without a reason/purpose. NO WASTE! In nature, everything has a purpose and builds the system up. In a celestial order, there is perfect harmony and everything contributes, i.e. united order, etc. Nothing done ever goes to waste 

10. Excellence!– Restoring Holiness, refinement. The world is taught to be mediocre. Israel is not and must be taught to be holy.

CHANGED EVERYTHING

After learning that each kingdom was different from the other, and determining what I wished for my family. I recognized that I had a responsibility to look for those things that reflected my choice, and I needed to start living at that moment the principles that reflected my choice of the kingdom. This dramatically changed how I searched for answers and received revelation for my children. Our education that once consisted of awards, achievements, programs, and formulas to get into college quickly, now became about family projects, serving the Lord, and lifting and building those around us.