Heeding Counsel
"Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety"Psalm 11:14
I was anxious for my evaluator to get to the history section of my daughter's portfolio. Surely, I thought, he will be impressed with the many hours that I spent typing up every question of every chapter in her seventh grade textbook. Each answer was also written neatly and correctly.
My daughter was so good at answering the questions that she had gone ahead in her assignments and had finished her history course two months ahead of schedule. Rather than have her do nothing, I had assigned another textbook. Since I did not have the time to type the questions again, I told her to stop reading every so many pages and to summarize.
Now I was wondering if I had done the right thing by including these handwritten pages in her portfolio. What would he think, that they were not as neat and organized as the typed questions?
Slowly Mr. Richman turned each typed page, glancing at its contents. But when he reached the handwritten pages, he stopped, and started reading. Immediately I attempted to explain my method and to apologize for the hastily written summaries. He smiled and turned to my twelve-year old daughter.
"Melissa," he started, "I'd like to ask you a question. And don't worry about what your mother will think. I'm sure that she would like to know the answer, too. Which way of studying was the easiest to do?"
My daughter quickly replied, "Answering the typed questions."
"Now," and he hesitated slightly to choose his words wisely, "Which way did you learn the most?"
This time Melissa looked up at me, squirmed a little in her seat, and politely answered, "Writing the summaries."
I was a little taken back and slightly puzzled. Mr. Richman smiled at me and explained: "Reading the material and answering the questions is a simple process, and results in the majority of knowledge being forgotten. But when a child is required to summarize, it involves a SERIES of processes. After reading, the child must then pick out the important concepts, creating a necessity to review and mentally outline. She must then reorganize the information in her mind to be able to transpose it onto paper. Research has shown that the child then retains a greater percentage."
I was intrigued and thankful that my intermediary with our state law had been kind enough to share this truth. That was over thirteen years ago. Since then, it has changed my approach to homeschooling and opened my eyes to a new, and better way of learning.
It is wise, and to our advantage, to heed the counsel of those who go before us, not only in the Christian life but in homeschooling as well. God can use it for our good, and to make us more fruitful and productive in the home-educating of our children.
"The way of the fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."Prov. 11:14
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to learn from others. Help me to have a receptive spirit and to be open to what you desire to teach me. I also pray for Your wisdom to apply it.
