1. Kessie says:

    How did I miss this series?? This is a great series! Blogger doesn’t show updates at ALL on Sundays.
     
    Anyway, I heartily agree! I’m starting my first year of homeschooling, and we have a wonderful Children’s Bible full of discussion questions after each story. We read the Old Testament and the New Testament every day, and talk about it. (My five year old told me that Jesus has magic inside him that heals people and chases away demons.)
     
    Although, as much as they argue with me about everything, maybe we should work on the logic stuff earlier than sixth grade. 🙂 They aren’t allowed to watch much TV, and then only videos, but we’ll talk more about them now that I’m aware of this discernment training.

    • Interestingly, Kessie, this was the first time we published a feature on Sunday. (Your feature the following week was the second.) For our audience, it seems a good time.

      Ah, I did not know you were a homeschooling mom. That’s fantastic. You’re just the sort of person this series hopes to reach. I’m a joyful product of homeschooling myself, and hope to do the same for my own future children.

      My five year old told me that Jesus has magic inside him that heals people and chases away demons.

      (Nods) Actually, yes, that’s about right! Real magic. Also known as supernatural power, owned and absolutely controlled for a reason by the ultimate Author.

      Although, as much as they argue with me about everything, maybe we should work on the logic stuff earlier than sixth grade. :-) They aren’t allowed to watch much TV, and then only videos, but we’ll talk more about them now that I’m aware of this discernment training.

      Unfortunately I am not as familiar with classical-education methods and motifs as others, but my guess is that some logic training begins early. As Jared and I said earlier in this series, surely there is some overlap between “stages.” Only a robotic approach would lead to something like, Oh no, my child wanted to discuss a topic in grade 3, but that’s not until grace 7 according to the textbook, so I’ll need to shut him/her down! From my own teaching experience, and from truthful propaganda heard during my homeschooling days, “grades” are highly arbitrary, really, and different children learn differently. It sounds like the “trivium” allows for that!

      It also allows for the endorsement and training of imagination and the capacity to comprehend and delight in wonder that leads to the Artist, not simply train in the rote memorization and recitation of facts. But more on that in my comment below.

  2. Joanna says:

    I’m actually going to strongly disagree with the first step in the trivium. It assumes a five-year-old will have any care to learn the tools he won’t be shown how to use for five more years. Think about how we learn as adults — we only pay attention to instruction or help after we’ve already tried and failed. Why do we think children are somehow not that way?
     
    The same with teaching them the Bible and Christianity. The first necessary step is to live it out the Christian walk before them — the ups and the downs. The second is to let them just experience the story of the Bible, in as many high quality retellings as possible. To read from the text to them. Let them meet the heroes and villains of the Bible. Let them see Jesus.
     
    To turn the Bible from their earliest memories into a textbook they can expect to be quizzed about will turn them off to it — that’s not to say that God may draw them back to it — but they will have lost the wonder that is the domain of the smallest children.
     
    When they start to ask questions, as they will inevitably do, then is the chance to interpret — not lecture — just answer the single question. One point at a time.
     
    The one question that should be asked by parent and child is “why?” not “what?” “What” is a quiz on the text — a catechism. “Why” is where the magic lives.
     
    As they become older, and they begin to think more on subjects — as they are assailed by conflicting ideas, now is not the time to answer with theology. Now that they will appreciate the tools, now is the time to teach them. For instance: I refused to read until I was taught to appreciate books, and I refused to learn to spell until I found the desire to write. And I never cared for grammar until I began to refine my writing craft.
     
    I agree that we should start by teaching children the Bible, but lets start with the wonder and magic of it, and save the theology until the question is asked. Not the other way around. And really — God does a pretty good job speaking through his words on his own. It’s only when we are older that the simple, magical, understanding isn’t enough. But then, we are old enough to dig into his words and search out the truth of what we are being taught.

  3. Greetings, Joanna! Thanks for your comments and critique. A few thoughts:

    I’m actually going to strongly disagree with the first step in the trivium. It assumes a five-year-old will have any care to learn the tools he won’t be shown how to use for five more years.

    From my perspective, and speaking as only half this series’ authors, this is more about emphasis rather than exclusive focus. Though I didn’t have a classical education, I can think back to what I did have and recall the times when I was taught “just because” truths. Learn these spelling rules? Why? Just because. Math really does matter, even if you can’t know it now, so learn it. Why? Just because.

    Even in the faith department: you need to obey, you need to repent and be forgiven, you need to want a relationship with God. More specifics came later. And to be sure, this would involve copious, natural showing of this faith, not just telling.

    A whole other series could be written about how parents show story enjoyment and discernment, not merely teaching it. We adults certainly haven’t “arrived”!

    The same with teaching them the Bible and Christianity. The first necessary step is to live it out the Christian walk before them — the ups and the downs. The second is to let them just experience the story of the Bible, in as many high quality retellings as possible. To read from the text to them. Let them meet the heroes and villains of the Bible. Let them see Jesus.

    I agree, and I’ve been blessed (well, it’s usually a blessing!) with my wife to help supplement parents’ efforts through teaching children at our church. Lately we’ve also been able to host reading groups through Christian fantasy classics — The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe last time, and at present, The Hobbit. It’s a blast, especially in showing how these wondrous stories echo the first and true Story.

    To turn the Bible from their earliest memories into a textbook they can expect to be quizzed about will turn them off to it — that’s not to say that God may draw them back to it — but they will have lost the wonder that is the domain of the smallest children.

    Hmm, that’s not how I see the concept of this process, though. Rather, it seems to stress simple learning and delight early on. Still, point taken about the need to show and tell about delight and imagination, not merely facts and memorization, in those formative early years. A future version of this series may include more on that.

    The one question that should be asked by parent and child is “why?” not “what?” “What” is a quiz on the text — a catechism. “Why” is where the magic lives.

    I’m curious: could you share more about how this has worked for you? Personal examples are always welcome as supporting “evidence” for this Biblical approach: teaching the Story early on, as it applies to thinking heads and delighting hearts.

    I agree that we should start by teaching children the Bible, but lets start with the wonder and magic of it, and save the theology until the question is asked. Not the other way around. And really — God does a pretty good job speaking through his words on his own. It’s only when we are older that the simple, magical, understanding isn’t enough. But then, we are old enough to dig into his words and search out the truth of what we are being taught.

    Amen.

What do you think?