What’s My Mission?

One of the great problems I see among the youth (and that I personally experienced) is the phenomena I will call split personality. Growing up I was repeatedly asked, "What did I want to be when I grow up?" I learned by first or second grade that any answer was acceptable except for one, I should not say, "mother." I learned how to answer other questions asked like, "How was the world created?" I also learned I was supposed to give the answer, "mother" at church and home. Thus I had a set of answers for school and a completely different set of answers to the same questions at home and church. This may eventually lead us to become a totally different person in each situation. I see this "split personality"manifested among the youth at a whole new level than even I experienced. Satan is ramping up his game well!

I have talked regularly to my children about being the same person no matter where they are. However, within the Leadership Education circles I am starting to see the split personality creeping in among the "leaders." Recently I listened to several seminars and read a book that all are promoting this. In the TJEd world it is called, "Finding Your Mission." Youth are encouraged to seek out finding what their "mission" is. Often it is not expected to be discovered until the youth are a little older, but an ongoing fascination exists in that it is all the talk while the youth are in scholar phase. One seminar I listed to said, "Nothing will be more satisfying in your life than figuring out what your mission is and then having the courage to fulfill it."

You may be wondering why I see a problem in this. It is simple. We have already had our missions revealed to us. We are to be mothers and fathers. Of course I know in the TJEd world that they encourage motherhood. I appreciate that, it is certainly different than public education, BUT, motherhood is still considered a side note. In the book I recently read the woman (who is a high profiled TJEd leader) cried to her husband that wasn't she created for something more that to change poopy diapers and clean up vomit? When was she going to be able to embrace her mission? Her husband lovingly told her, that he was sure it would be soon.

I fear these statements convey to our youth that there is something more to life than parenthood. It would seem that being a mother is just one of the things you do in this life. Somehow, you must be defined by something else though. This would be a potentially lifelong dedication to a "mission." I believe this is misleading. Consider this:

• Heavenly Father chooses to be called Father.
• His work and His Glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This means ongoing parenting.
• Keeping our First Estate enabled us to have bodies and procreate.
• Godhood is Eternal Parenthood.
• If we qualify for Exaltation we will be granted the ability to have a "continuation of seed."
• Those not qualifying for Exaltation will be impotent, even those obtaining the lower two degrees of the Celestial Kingdom will be denied the right of continuation of seed.

Simply put eternal lives is about parenting forever. Why not embrace mortality and strive in every way to submit to this high and noble calling? A calling so noble that that is what our Heavenly Father does. When we choose to place lesser value on this holy calling we will lose power in our lives.

The noise of this world is LOUD. It is hard to hear the voice of the Father calling us to this high calling. Satan, the father of lies, is louder than God, telling us we were made for something more or better. It takes great faith to turn off the tantalizing noise of the world and tune into the sweet, still small voice of the Spirit. I have come to personally know for myself that great blessings come from turning off the noise. I am hearkening to the voice of the Lord and I am just beginning to have a glimpse of His wonderful and majestic plan. It is more holy and more awe inspiring than anything that Satan can counterfeit.

Perhaps along the way many of us will do great things. I suspect we will. We are the last laborers in the vineyard. We were saved and reserved because we were the best of the best. I simply say that in all our doing we must make sure that being mother remains our priority AND we teach this to our children.

There are times when we will literally parent 24/7. Then there will come a time that we will have more "time" on our hands. Perhaps at this stage we may ask, "How can I help build the kingdom?" "How can I further work on my parenting skills, which really comes down to bringing souls to Christ?" I would suggest that Relief Society and focusing on the Three Fold Mission of the Church would provide untold service opportunities.

As I have extra time I have sought out my faithful Relief Society Presidents through the years and asked for extra assignments. It is through the Relief Society (which is under the Priesthood) that my surplus of time and talents are dedicated. Through the years I have been given many extra opportunities to serve in this way.  I have learned that "there are chances for good all around." My talents are used to build the kingdom, but it hasn't come in the way I have often wanted. It has come as I have worked under the direction of my husband and within the ward.  There is more than enough to do in my family and ward to fill my time and build the kingdom. I am simply saying I don't need to go "find a mission," I simply need to live my mission already given to me. "There is work enough to do ere the sun goes down," and Zion needs to be built. We further that cause by submitting to our role of mother/nurturer. We further the work of the Father by striving to be mothers who also partake in the Father's work to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

So in a nutshell perhaps we could change the message to our youth to be, "Nothing with be more satisfying in your life than realizing that your mission is to be a mom/dad and then having the courage to reject Babylon's message that there is something more important than fulfilling your family roles."

Home Educating At Heart

I've decided I need to write more posts specifically about how I home educate.  It is one of the things I love most.  All my other posts still allude to home education because in our home education/learning are going on all the time in many ways.

The ability to recognize the snares of Babylon or allowing God to fight my battles are all crucial elements in the master class I teach everyday and every moment-parenting.  All of the elements I blog about I have found are vital components to the over all education of my children.

I think though that I want to write some posts about the day to day teaching of history and math though.  When and if I get into that it must be prefaced by restating my education model for you.

I know some people don't like pigeon-holeing themselves into a model or method.  I think a lot of people do not need to.  I don't think it is wrong though to have a method if you feel that is what you need to do.  My ultimate model and method is Jesus Christ and what He says for my family.  The scriptures and the prophets are my ultimate resource.  I read and study my scriptures and the living prophets for several hours every day.  I am constantly learning, growing, changing, pondering, and applying new things for each new day.  I believe that my mission of rearing my children in the last dispensation requires more out of me (and us) than parents have ever been called on to give.  I know that immersing myself daily in the Spirit is my way for success and conquest over Satan.

That being said I have adapted numerous methods and made them my own through the guidance of the Spirit. My overall outline still continues to be The Thomas Jefferson Education Model or TJEd.  I have been implementing TJEd principles in my family for over seven years and have seen success after success.  I have also found scriptures, scripture stories and other real life examples of this model played out repeatedly and I feel confidant that it is necessary for our family.  I have  added a good dose of Charlotte Mason and Headgate principles because I believe they match up with our overall mission and contain true principles.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father allows us to have variety.  My brain works well with these principles. 

In the past I have sometimes started steering away from TJEd and have gone after other things.  However, I am quickly reminded that these principles are truth and God wants me to follow them. I know they contain the structure for education implementation and lifelong learning for my family.  The basic principles of TJEd include (Celeste might not come up with the same list, but that's what the list looks like to me):

1. Classics
2. Mentors (leaders, teachers, coaches...)
3. Personal Experiences
4. Personal discipline, established during Core Phase

Classics. I learn from great books just like the scriptures teach us we must. All of the truth contained in any book has it's origin in God-the source for ultimate truth.   Why don't I read just my scriptures then?  Just as I blog and share ideas, writers around the world also share their ideas about what they are learning.  These ideas further improve our lives as we judge them first to know if they are of God (Moroni 7) and then, when having passed the test, we take them and work with these new ideas in our own life. 

President Hinckley grew up with a great library in his own and studied under great teachers at college.  He said this about what he learned at college,

" I read Carlyle and Emerson, Milton and Longfellow, Shakespeare and all the others. And from there I went on to study Latin and Greek. I couldn’t do it now, but once I could have read you the Iliad and the Odyssey in the original Greek. I finished up my work at the university with a minor in ancient languages." See link here.

We also do it because we are commanded to seek out the best books.  I have studied hard and long about the concept of rejecting Greek Western thought in our lives.  I have researched it, pondered about it, and many more personal things in my quest to see if it is evil for me to study Shakespeare and Greek.  The answer has always been forceful-I must study Greek thought.  Perhaps this is unique to our family.  Our nation would not have been built had the Founding Fathers not studied in depth Greek thought.  President Hinckley was instructed and mentored in Greek thought.   Great people in the last several generatiosn have been great because of the classics. Am I different?

As I read classics and books that I feel impressed to read I see human nature at it's best and worst.  I see where my own misconceptions have been created and stemmed from.  I see where society has gotten his mixed up messages today.   I see clearly what happens when others follow truth and when they do not. 

To prepare to meet God requires that I learn how to think, how to be and how to live.  I get this from the Word of God and from wise men and women who have gone on before me and left their words. I am grateful for the scriptures and best books that bring home these powerful messages to me.

Mentors. I learn from my leaders and other great role models alive and past on.  Learning from someone is a powerful way to learn and grow.  I love reading biographies of great people.  I also enjoy talking with the elderly.  They have a lot to teach me.

Experience.  I take my knowledge and apply what I've learned that I may have my own experience in knowing good and evil.

Discipline. This concept is taught in TJEd as "core phase."  I learn to submit and to become a little children through the whisperings of the Spirit and to establish key habits that will keep me focused on God.  Through a strong foundation I gain my freedom.

Again, the TJEd model simply helps me clarify principles I already believe in.  I think many people don't need to read certain things and apply certain things outside the realm of the scriptures because they already do it and they don't need clarification.

I'm grateful for a model that makes sense to me.  I love to home educate and I love to learn personally.

The Friend

Isn't there a TJED ingredient that is called, "The Friend?" I should take the time to look it up, but I won't.  It seems like there is an ingredient for every thing.  If there's not (I really am sure there is) I'm going to make it up.

Ingredient #58962: The Friend.  All moms need a buddy.  A friend to sound off ideas with.  A friend who will call you on the carpet when your wrong.  A friend who will tell you "they're going to turn out fine."  A friend who has a great husband too that your husband can hang out with their husband so you can talk even more with your friend.  This friend also has children with compatible ages for your children so they can hang out with good youth and be an influence for good too.  A nice bonus would also be that they walk in parades with you all summer and support your family while they campaign.

Yeah, I have one of those.  She's great.

They're the type of friends that come over at 9:30 at night at stay for 3 hours, or call before normal people are up just because.  They're the type of friends that when you come home they're taking a shower at your house before they rush off to some where else. When you come home their four year old waves to you from your back yard while he's petting your dog and welcomes you home.  You know your friends been there when your library books are spread all over the house too. They feel comfortable doing that.  That's good. Because of course you've been at their house when their not home using their house for other needed purposes too. 

It would be nice if we lived in the same towns I suppose.  But I would think we'd never get anything done though.  We'd never sleep. 

A friend is there to have a great discussion with.  Just the other night we discussed society and it's traps, Fahrenheit 451,  Charlotte Mason, A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Galaxy, discussing the classes we were each going to teach each other's older kids this fall together, wearing skirts, femininity, Celestial Education video, wondering when Misfit Cygnet was going to inspire us with another great post, habit formation in our children, waking up early, etc. etc.

While your discussing with your friend you know your husband and his friend are talking about campaign strategy, current events, Homer, Shakespeare, their wives getting up early, teaching their sons how to respect women, teaching their sons to work hard, etc. etc.

Of course while you and your husband are discussing things your kids are off playing.  You know the boys are making forts and leading an intelligence mission as English spies.  The girls are discussing femininity, wearings skirts, talking about the skirts that they made, and the books they've read.

It is nice to have a great friend.  I hope you have one too!

Some thoughts from yesterday....

I thought I would share how wonderful it is to have a schedule again. Our annual break ended up being eight weeks instead of six, which I think was too long. I am not sure what we'll do next year. The kids were more than happy to get up yesterday and start the day off with our "real schedule"again. Our schedule is much the same as it was before our annual break started. We only added skills classes to our free time option. These are planned in advance and I only plan on doing one a day, we'll see. We also switched up piano practicing schedule. Liberty practices in the morning before breakfast still. I am also practicing in the morning now before breakfast. The boys take turns practicing during family work time. That really works out a lot better.


I guess I also added journal time to our early morning routine. I've been amazed how much they enjoy that. Before we started back into our schedule the boys have been writing in their journal a couple of times a week on their own for the last month or so.

I'm also determined to do a better job about having family time at the end of the day. That was one part of our schedule that I didn't do as well with this past winter/spring.

I also want to say that I have been getting up at 5 AM just like I made a goal too.  I had stopped during our Annual break.  I am much more ambitious when I get up early.  Please remember though that I am not pregnant, my baby is eight, I have no health problems and my husband gets up with the dog.  That all means that I sleep well at night and have not excuse to not get up early and obey the commandment to do so.

The kids did really well at trying to be efficient.  They also went to bed much more quickly because they were so tired. : )  Leader even feel asleep during FHE.  I love it when my children our tired at night.  I feel like I did something right then!

My Compass

Here is my compass with some thoughts.  I added a "goals with my stewardships" category to my list.  And if I actually post this I'll have to do them.  You'll hold me accountable now....

Core Goals

1. Get up at 5 AM.  The last two months I stopped getting up that early and my production has definetly been lower since then.
2. Go on a 30 minute walk every day.  Charlotte Mason says in book 5 a young women should go on a  "2-3 hour vigorous walk daily."  Since I'm not young I'll try for 30 minutes.  I'm getting older.  I need to exercise.  I control my weight by not over eating.

Books to Read

1. Finish books 5 and 6 in Charlotte Mason.
2. Finish the Old Testament
3. Finish my rereading of Jesus the Christ
4. Read the Aeneid (I'm skipping Plato and Aristotle in my Great Books list even though I'm reading chornicalogically).
5. Read 5 young adult classics- from DeMille's list, (perhaps Olivier Twist, David Copperfield, Ben Hur...we'll see?)

Piano Goals

1. Do a composer study with piano teacher.
2. Continue piano lessons.
3. Learn the musical movements of history and how how to identify them.

Goals with my Stewardships

1. Continue visiting my newly assigned widowed Visiting Teaching sister several times a week.
2. Continue focusing on teaching my children deep cleaning skills.
3. Go through all clothes to check for modesty.
4. Help children with their goals, especially journal writing.
5. Continue to support husband in his campaign goals.

Memorize

1. Kings and Queens of England (I have 1/2 of them memorized)
2. Declaration of Independece
3. Relearn states and capitals with Determination
4. Perodic Table with Determination

Skills Classes

1. Take Pyramid Project (math and science) with oldest two.
2. Continue piano lessons.

To Learn

1. Anything I can!

The Six Month No

It has become time to think about the "Six Month No" again.  It's my least favorite ingredient in some ways and my favorite in other ways.  I don't like it because I have to give up things that I like.  It is my favorite because I feel liberated when I finally give myself permission to stop doing some things and I have more time to do what I feel is the most important for that six months.

(The "six month no" is a part of the Thomas Jefferson Education program.  The idea is that every six months every one evaluates the things they are doing.  They decide if they should stop doing something.  It helps to keep us focused and to choose to do things that are no longer productive and helpful for our current situation).

This time around this is what got axed:

• Writing on four blogs. I only have my private family blog and this one now.
• On-line BYU classes.  I learned a fabulous amount of history in the last three years though.
• 4-H Cloverbud Leader.  No sorrow there.
• Our state's Distance Education Academy.  Lots of reports and testing.  I did enjoy it while we did it.  Great people.  Great resources.  But time to move on.

There's a time for everything though right?  Maybe some day I'll start my classes up again and I'll be able to write for all sorts of blogs and magazines?  For now life is good.  I feel in control again.

Have any of you done a six month no lately?

The Compass and the Binder

Can you tell that I am so excited to be thinking about educational things and goals again???? I am very excited to think about these things just so I am very clear. 

Now that our annual break is over we are moving on to updating our binders and our compass.  Ingredient #16-The Binder, in the TJEd Core and Love of Learning Ingredients suggests making goals every six months.  This is called "The Compass."  For sake of a more creative name we do call our 6 month goals our compass.  We compile our compass, skills lists we are working on (cooking, cleaning, etc), special papers, things they want to memorize and whatever other information  we need to accomplish our goals into "The Binder."

For this six months our compass includes:

• Core phase goals (some aren't in the habit of scripture reading, journal writing, room cleaning, saying prayers, teeth brush, etc without a reminder so they continue to include this until they have habits)
• Books they want to read
• Things they want to memorize
• Piano Goals
• Skills classes they want to take
• Things they want to learn

So far Determination (10), Imagination (9) and Leader (8) are the only ones who have set theirs.  In the next couple of days the rest of us will have written our compass and reorganized our binders. We have been thinking of them though. Mr. Patriot doesn't have a binder but he does keep a six month compass and keeps it current with us.

Here is Determination's (age 10) Compass for the fall:

• Core phase Goals
• Say prayers morning and night without reminder
• Read a chapter in the Book of Mormon before breakfast without a reminder
• Write in journal before breakfast
• Brush my teeth morning and night with out a reminder
• Book to Read
• Eldest
• Greek Gods
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh
• Things to Memorize
• In depth dates, places and key events with all American Wars (He already knows all the wars and their approximate dates, but now he wants to memorize exact dates and battles).
• Periodic Table
• US States and Capitals
• Beethoven piano piece (this isn't from the recital, this is a new one, just because he "wants to")
• Piano Goals
• Learn the above Beethoven piece
• Finish the Orange Faber books
• Skill Classes to Take
• Cursive Writing
• Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
• Grammar
• LEMI's Pyramid Project
• Things to Learn
• American History-Thomas Edison and The French and Indian War very in depth
• World History-French History
• Geography-In depth study of French geography
• French-Alphabet, basic words and numbers

I don't know what his fascination is with France right now.  He's in serious love of learning though!

Here is Imagination's (age 9) Compass:

• Core Phase Goals
• Have room picked up every morning before breakfast with out a reminder
• Write in my journal every morning before breakfast
• Remember to brush my teeth morning and night
• Read for an hour every day in a chapter book
• Remember to say my prayers morning and night
• Books to Read
• The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt
• Usborne's Stories of Shakespeare
• Things to Memorize
• 12 Modern Day Apostles  (He has a much harder time memorizing than the older two.  They had the apostles memorized at 2 and 5).
• American Wars in order (French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, etc)
• Skills Classes to Take
• Cursive Writing
• Advaned Creative Writing
• Grammar
• Spelling
• Advanced Chess
• Piano Goals
• Practice 20 minutes a day
• Finish the Red Faber books
• Things to Learn
• American History-Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War
• World History-Pompeii & Rome and Greece
• Science-Tsunamis and Volcanoes
 

Skill Classes

I currently have two children who are in what we call the "love of learning" phase.  This means that in their free time they choose to spend a good part of it learning.  They love to pour over many non-fiction books learning about many different things.  They are like a butterfly that flits from flower to flower landing in the subject of whatever they desire.

In the last month these two boys, Determination (10) and Imagination (9), have asked me to teach them certain skills.  They are recognizing areas that they would like to acquire skills to perpetuate them down the path of further learning.

They each have made a list of the skills classes they want to take.  Some of their requests are cursive writing, advanced arithmetic, and creative writing.  They are excited to pursue these interests.  They have asked me repeatedly to teach them, solidifying to me that they have a strong desire and are committed to learn.

I have decided that when our annual break is over (August 1) that I will offer these skill classes to them during free time.  These short 30 minute classes will be offered a couple of times a week until they are satiated in that discipline.  They can then use the rest of their free time practicing their new skills.

This will work well because I am coming out of depth phase and heading into mission phase so I do not need as much time to study.  My burst of excitement is now directed not to wanting to read and study, but to teach and mentor others.

We were able to sneak in a creative writing class a couple of weeks ago and Imagination loved it.  He has since worked on making an outline for his story and adding creative and lively adverbs and adjectives to describe events and things.

I have enjoyed watching them progress to this point.  I love to see them "love to learn."

Seeking True Principles

I've enjoyed reading so many articles lately about principles. What are principles? What are our family's principles?

The last seven years I have earnestly pursued book after book, talk after talk, person after person, temple session after temple session and scripture after scripture trying to find our own personal truth in regards to home education. President Young said,

"Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you."

 To that end I have sought truth.

I believe that there are many ways to educate (home or public) your children and there is no one right way. I appreciate the ideas that you all present. What I've created from those ideas coupled with my own personal conversations with the Almighty look different than yours. My journey is far from over however and I continue to seek more truth.

I've never felt so strongly the Spirit as when I go before Him daily to petition and invoke His help as I seek each day to fulfill my sacred role of nurturer. God is ever mindful of us and reaches out to us when we seek to fulfill our God given roles as mother. He will answer us.

What I've created from those holy communions is a home and not a school room. I've created a culture and not a system. School is not in session from 8-3. Our mortal sojourn is in session 24/7 however! I've patterned our home after the temple and what I envision Zion to be.

Someone may say, "What are you doing? Are you wanting everything church related?" The answer is yes. Yes in the aspect that everything we do as a purpose, with that purpose being bringing each of us closer to Christ. My vision is way beyond teaching my kids their multiplication tables or memorizing Shakespeare. My vision is raising kids who can usher in the second coming and Christ.

Every moment I pray that I will know God's will and that He will direct me. Every book I read, every conversation I start, every chore I require as a purpose. I know exactly what value I want taught, every lesson I want learned and every habit I want developed. Mr. Patriot and I are doing everything we can to model that supplication to Christ. Our children do know that everything we do has a purpose and they trust us. They know I have their eternal welfare in sight. They get it. They know I'm not interested in making them out to be the most popular, the best dressed or the next basketball all-star. I have a higher vision.

I am convinced that when we stood in the pre-mortal existence, before we came here to mortality, that my children (who would be called among your children the valiant and chosen generation) begged me not to raise them in mediocrity and Babylon. I am certain they petitioned me to raise them with truth inscribed into their very soul so that they would in very deed be prepared to fulfill their missions however great or small. I will not fail them. I will do all in my power to learn correct principles and to teach them truth.

My posts are geared from an overwhelming desire to prick each of us and to have each one of us ask ourselves, "What principles can I gleam for my family from these ideas?" I believe in the power of personal revelation and its guiding influence in our lives. I hope that my posts, that I feel compelled to write, will arouse our faculties to receive the truth that we are all in desperate need of and are seeking.

God bless us all in our own pursuit of true principles.

Core Values

In our vast research for home education we learned about "core phase."  There are many names for it but we we like that name best.  Core phase is for younger children from essentially ages 0-8 years old.  Core phase is a time where children learn their core values.  You can't focus on teaching them anything different until they have their core values firmly rooted. Perhaps that is why children are baptized when they are eight; there seems to be a universal acceptance that children know right and wrong by then.  (To learn more about core phase and the phases of learning visiting this link).

The very basic core phase curriculum would look like this:
Good/Bad
True/False
Right/Wrong

In our house we've defined this core phase curriculum this way:
There is God and there is Satan
Jesus Christ is our Savior, Healer, and Advocate
We speak to God through prayer every day
We read our scriptures every day to learn of Christ
There is a living prophet and we will follow him
Our family is our most important focus
Each family member is valued and loved
We each have responsibilities within our family
Dad's job is to provide, preside and protect our family
Mom's job is to nurture each family member
The children's job is to learn, grow and obey
Learning includes life time skills (household management, cooking, cleaning, car care, etc)
We don't hit people (or pinch, bite, etc.)
We are polite to others, especially the elderly
We respect and honor women
We learn to control our emotions
We do not eat more than our body needs
We go to bed early and we wake up early
We bathe and groom our bodies
We wear appropriate clothing

That is just some general ideas.  No child is expected to have them mastered by the time they turn eight though!  These things can take a life time to master.  What they learn though in these stages is what is right, wrong, true, false, good and bad.  It is right to hold the door open for the elderly and the women at church.  It is right to do our chores with out complaining.  It is right to pray daily.  It is right to brush my teeth everyday.  Christ speaks truth.  It is false that two men can be married, etc.  We practice, practice, practice and it's our job to teach them how.

Core phase is the foundation for their whole lives.  Everything else is built upon it.  If they know they are loved, that God is available to them through prayer and that they need to get up in the morning and greet the day, they are going to be okay! 

In our home only two requirements are expected from our children to graduate from core phase.  The first is that they want to move on to the next phase.  The second is they agree to submit, be reminded, and receive correction regarding the core guidelines.  For example, if they refuse to pray when we remind them they need to go back to core phase.

Core phase is the time to learn and teach our children discipline.  When they are disciplined they will quickly progress through their school work.