Invitation to the Pain of Learning
Invitation to the Pain of Learning
Mortimer J. Adler
(1941)
In Adler’s view of education, learning is not something one acquires externally like a new suit. It is, in his own words, “an interior transformation of a person’s mind and character, a transformation which can be effected only through his own activity.” It is as painful, but also as exhilarating, as any effort human beings make to make themselves better human beings, physically or mentally. The practices of educators, even if they are well-intentioned, who try to make learning less painful than it is, not only make it less exhilarating, but also weaken the will and minds of those on whom this fraud is perpetrated. The selling and buying of education all wrapped up in pretty packages is what is going on, but, Adler tells us, it is not the real thing. This essay was published in The Journal of Educational Sociology (February1941.)
http://www.cambridgestudycenter.com/artilces/Adler1.htm
Dear Homeschooling moms and others,
This year, we all need to continue to grow in our ability to educate our children based on more information and our own personal pain of learning. As I look back at my older children and what I could have done but was too lazy to work at I can see where I failed. However, with the children that I am able to still impact, I need to have greater effort and am encouraged to work harder for them and their families.
This particular article is very well written by a man named Mortimer Adler in 1941 where he sees the failure of not educating properly and he goes on to explain, we make it so easy for our children and all the does is harm their ability to walk through difficult situations and circumstances as well when they become young adults.
As Christians, we should have the best reputations for educating and not slack off concerning our children’s own education because it is difficult for us and the reality is we may need to grow…..
Let’s make a difference as home educators and be educated ourselves. I challenge each of you to read and study the books available to grow yourself in understanding the value of what God calls us to do with our children in our homes and in our Christian walk. Articles such as “The Lost Tools of Learning” by Dorothy Sayers, books such as “The Excused Absence” by Douglas Wilson, “Reformed Education” by Mortimer Adler, “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer Adler and many others that can be found online, and in used books stores such as The Bookman in Orange.
The excuse using Ecclesiastes 12:12, “And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh,” is over done.
Proverbs 24:3-5 “Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;”
I encourage all of you to work hard and be diligent to show yourselves approved….
With love,
Michelle
1 comment September 30, 2009
First Woman Ascends to Top Drill Sergeant Spot
In her new job, Sergeant Major King will have significant influence over the basic training of every enlisted soldier.
FORT JACKSON, S.C. — It may come as no surprise that the Army’s new top drill sergeant idolizes Gen. George S. Patton Jr., has jumped out of planes 33 times, aces every physical training test and drives a black Corvette with “noslack” vanity plates.
Add comment September 23, 2009
Hundreds gather to hear Juanita Bynum…why?
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
Last Modified: Friday, August 28, 2009 at 3:09 a.m.
PLANT CITY | Hundreds gathered in an auditorium here Thursday night to praise God with Dr. Juanita Bynum II, an evangelist whose life story has at times been as stormy as the weather people braved to hear her.
5 comments September 1, 2009
Saving Children from Depravity – by Rebecca Hagelin
Aug 10 by Ingrid Schlueter on Slice of Laodicea
This morning, a newspaper featured photos of teen idol and professed Christian, Miley Cyrus, 16, pole dancing in a sexually charged dance routine at the Teen Choice Awards. The paper reports:
Miley Cyrus is a teen star with a wholesome image.
But there was nothing innocent about her dance routine at the Teen Choice Awards last night. Dressed in micro shorts, black leather biker boots and wearing piles of jewellery, the 16-year-old appeared older than her years as she cavorted around a pole onstage.
Here’s another take from Fox News.
Add comment August 13, 2009
Looking for a Job? Be Careful What You Wear
If you are in search for a job, it is important how you look. Not every empoyer desires an undressed sensual woman as their admin neither do women’s executives desire that either…..this is a very good article for guidance….
1 comment June 9, 2009
Miss California: Nude photos-great spokes
With partially nude photos of her popping up on Web sites questioning her Christian credentials, Miss California USA Carrie Prejean has fired back, claiming the racy pictures are just modeling shots and vowing to continue her battle against same-sex marriage.
1 comment May 5, 2009
Christian Women and Compromise
Christian Women and Compromise
We are so desperate for some type of leadership we will take the compromising of women who say the name of Christ and think they are who we should follow. Why do we even comment on such a ridiculous woman who thinks she is leading America by beauty. Where is that in the Bible? And now, does Tony Perkins agree with Hannah Montana or whoever she is? Hanna Montana and Where have all the little girls gone There is no difference between this display of immodesty and the displaying of Vanity Fairs pictures of a young Miley Cyrus.
Add comment May 4, 2009
Words of Wisdom for Young Ladies on Conduct, Conversation and Courting
Conduct
There are many different ways in which people believe we should conduct ourselves. Many Christians believe that one should conduct themselves as Christ would conduct Himself and others disagree. Different households have different rules in how one’s conduct should be. Since Christians are of the body of Christ and the Bible gives us guidelines of how we are to act, shouldn’t we all have the same standard according to the Bible? The answer should be yes. We should all conduct ourselves the way the Bible commands. Three key areas that are sensitive in the world’s and even Christians’ viewpoints are how we should communicate with one another, how we should dress and dating.
The first important area is our conversation. Romans 15:2 says “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” According to this Scripture we are to edify each other and one way that we can do that is by how we talk to one another. The trend today is to tear down each other with satirical comments. Christians have adopted this trend and are bringing each other lower with comments that go deep to the heart and hurt people. Ephesians 4:29 states “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” We as Christians are supposed to uplift and edify one another in our speech. Lastly, James 4:11 says “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren…” Again, we are not to speak evil, hateful words about one another but we are to exhort and uplift. Many people feel that if they are “just joking” about what they are saying, it doesn’t really matter and that it doesn’t count as coming from their heart. They excuse it and completely disobey what the Bible says. That is when different views of how we should conduct our speech come in.
The second area is a more sensitive subject with Christians. We are specifically told in the Bible how to dress ourselves. Women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel (1st Timothy 2:9). By covering ourselves we help in keep our brothers in Christ from stumbling. Many people do not want to be told how to dress and therefore come up with their own standards of what they think is acceptable. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says “Do not let you adornment be merely outward—arranging of the hair, wearing fold or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” We are not to worry about what we look like, but rather what our spirit looks like. We should keep ourselves presentable, but when one is obsessed with the way they look they being to worry about their outward appearance instead of their inward appearance. When we are living according to the Word of God, not only will our spirit reflect the beauty of Christ, our outward appearance will as well.
The last area of how we should conduct ourselves concerns dating. Christians have adopted many worldly customs and coated them with watered down Christianity. Dating is one of these customs. So many young people in today’s generation have been corrupted by this “fun” and “harmless” system. Dating is a system of searching for a “mate”. It is the complete opposite of patience. People feel that they need to search around for the right person instead of waiting for God to bring the right one into their life. The Bible tells us to be patient and when we are we will be perfect and lacking nothing (James 1:4). Without patience we lack. Concerning dating, many have a lack of self confidence and look for acceptance in others instead of God. In order to gain that acceptance girls will flaunt their bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1st Corinthians 6:19). Christians, sadly, have also adopted this and call it acceptable.
Another area that dating affects a person’s life is their mind and heart. Dating at a young age awakens love too early when are told not to awaken it (Song of Solomon 3:5). There is a right time to awaken love; God’s timing. God designed intimacy to be between one man and one woman in the contents of marriage. He did not design it to be between multiple men and multiple women. With each relationship and each person, a piece of your heart is given away never to be returned. After you have dated multiple people, either your whole heart has been given away or there is only a little piece left for the man or woman that deserves all of it. Not only do you give but you take when dating. You take the heart of someone and you take what should be saved for their future spouse and that goes against Romans 15:1-2. We are not being considerate of the other person’s heart or future. We would rather have temporary pleasure than lasting patience. Everything concerning dating falls back to a matter of patience; you either have patience and wait for God or you have a lack of patience and search on your own. As Christians, our conduct should be one of holiness and should reflect righteousness. Christianity has let the world creep in, only to throw a veil over it and act like it isn’t there. All Christians should have the same view concerning conduct since God has spoken so clearly about it. For myself, I choose to live according to the Word of God without distorting the truth or adding worldly customs to it. Yes, I will fail miserably but Christ came and died for the remission of my sins. Our goal, though humanly unobtainable, should be to conduct ourselves with righteousness and holiness at all times.
Victoria Grace-age 17
1 comment April 30, 2009
Female Sunday School Teacher arrested in death of 8 year old girl
A Sunday school teacher was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and killing her daughter’s 8-year-old playmate, Sandra Cantu of Tracy, Calif., after admitting to police that she owned the suitcase in which Sandra’s body was found, authorities said Saturday.
Add comment April 13, 2009
Girl charged with Child Porn for Posting pictures of self
Updated 11:10 AM EDT, Thu, Mar 26, 2009
The social networking world is rife with sexual exploitation of young children, but it rarely happens that the exploiters are the children themselves.
A 14-year-old girl was arrested Tuesday for allegedly posting nearly 30 naked photos of herself on MySpace, according to NorthJersey.com.
2 comments March 26, 2009
Food Caravan stops in hard hit county
ELKHART, Ind. – In this job-starved city where President Barack Obama last month made a public appeal for his economic stimulus plan, hundreds of volunteers — and an agency that specializes in handing out food — worked together Tuesday to feed 5,200 hungry families.
Add comment March 11, 2009
1 in 50 American kids homeless
NEW YORK (AP) — One of every 50 American children experiences homelessness, according to a new report that says most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and often-overlooked problem.
The report being released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness gives Connecticut the best ranking. Texas is at the bottom.
1 comment March 10, 2009
Teen who committed suicide over “sextexting”
Cynthia Logan’s daughter was taunted about photo she sent to boyfriend
The image was blurred and the voice distorted, but the words spoken by a young Ohio woman are haunting. She had sent nude pictures of herself to a boyfriend. When they broke up, he sent them to other high school girls. The girls were harassing her, calling her a slut and a whore. She was miserable and depressed, afraid even to go to school.
1 comment March 6, 2009
