What Remains...

"Education is what remains
when we have forgotten all
that we have been taught."
~ Marquis of Halifax


How true this is...
it reminded me of my own experience
growing up in institutionalized schools.
I spent almost all of my youth in public school
(even some time in Christian school),
being 'taught' many things for many years.
And I am constantly reminded of
how little I still recall.
Very little remains
of what I was taught.
I spent all of those years reading,
memorizing, researching, and working,
aiming to complete assignments
to procede to the next grade.
Yet, I hardly took any real knowledge with me
that didn't soon fade.

Now many years out of school
and spending eight years
of home educating my children,
I've come to the conclusion
that the majority of my years
in institutionalized schools
were spent in educational vain.
I have learned so much more
through home educating my children
in one year
than I did in all my years
of institutionalized schooling...
My education was at a minimum
from institutionalized schooling...
most of what I did retain,
I taught myself
(either afterschool, weekends,
vactions, summer breaks, etc...)
I have spoken with many other people
that hardly remember much at all
from their public school education....
hmmmm....
It appears that, in many cases,
public school education is found an oxymoron.
The two hardly coinside...
at least, that is in my case
(and many others I know of).

I praise the Lord that I have
so many teachable moments
as we home educate.
Home educate...
not home school....
I am educating my children for life...
not simply to pass on to the next 'grade'.
But to nurture in them
a love for learning and self-education.
I praise Him that we have
the freedom to step up
to our God-given responsibility,
to train and bring up our children at home.
My prayer is that I will do
all He has enabled me to do.

I just wanted to share
the definition of education
from Noah Webster's
1828 American Dictionary
of the English Language:

~ Education ~
"The bringing up, as of a child;
instruction; formation of manners.
Education comprehends all that series
of instruction and discipline
which is intended to
enlighten the understanding,
correct the temper,
and form the manners
and habits of youth,
and fit them for usefulness
in their future stations.
To give children a good education
in manners, arts and science,
is important;
to give them a religious education
is indispensable;
and an immense responsibility rests
on parents and guardians
who neglect these duties."


Wow, I think that's a pretty sober and charging definition.