The Biography

I think that the biography (or autobiography) is a very powerful teaching tool.  I love to read about others because of two main reasons:

1. I get to learn from their mistakes.
2. They inspire me to greatness.

I have read a lot of biographies and again and again I come away with the inspiration to be better.

Elder Maxwell's biography taught me I need to submit.
Elder Nelson's biography taught me that I need to obey.
George Washington's biography taught me I need to do hard things.
Abigail Adams biography taught me to do my duty.
Abraham Lincoln's biography taught me that greatness is achieved after a lifetime of trying.
Ralph Moody's writings taught me that my parents can teach me a lot if I'll just listen to them.
Louis L'Amour's autobiography taught me the importance of reading great books.
Karl Marx's biography taught me that Satan wants to destroy humanity.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography taught me that I can triumph over any adversity.
Ji-li Jiang's autobiography taught me that government is not always good.
Clearance Thomas's autobiography taught be that humans can rise out of any situation.
Joseph Smith's biography taught me that great people come from great families.
William Tyndale's biography taught me that we must do what we must no matter the results.
Corrie Ten Boom's autobiography taught me that faith in God can see us through anything.

These are only some examples.  Of course I knew most of these things already from scripture study, but reading about these principles in action further clarified in me the desire to do the right thing.  They inspired me to seek personal greatness and to avoid other's mistakes.

Biographies are also a great way to learn history.  For that reason we read a lot of biographies in our home.

The practical application of this may include:

• Read a biography as a family and discuss it.
• Have a child pick a biography to read on their own and then write a short essay.
• Recognize a trait that yourself or your family needs improvement on and read about someone you know who overcame it.
• After reading about someone present oral reports to the family and field questions about biographies read.
• Act out an important scene in someones life, this solidifies the heroic event in your children's lives.
• Study the history and politics of this time period in addition to the person for further understanding of the world they live in.
• Identify key traits and then set personal/family goals to acquire these traits.
• Recognize these key traits in others you know personally and thank them for their example in living this principle.
• Identify attributes, behaviors or habits, for good or bad, that the person had and discuss or write why having these traits led to success and why, or how a bad habit resulted in a negative situation.
• Compare and contrast the person's core values with yours.  Why did they believe that way? Is it truth?

I believe that biographies should play a huge role in our home education experience.  Remember many of the scriptures are the biographies and histories of our prophets.  I conclude since God used so much space in the sacred canon on reviewing people's lives it is important!