Sunday, June 22, 2014

affection for knowledge

"This is a time for gathering first-hand knowledge, developing relationships with every area of learning, and establishing that affection for knowledge that is the foundation for what Charlotte Mason tells us is the vital question about education--not "how much does the youth know?" but "how much does he care?" 

After he has learned to care, his maturer mind is ready to analyze what he knows.  For most educators in the 21st century, analysis is the first object, and we expect children to analyze what they learn as soon as they trot off to kindergarten.  Charlotte Mason understood that analysis was the work of a mind "thoroughly furnished" with much knowledge, and the first stage of education--a long one, allowing plenty of time for relationships to develop--was a time to synthesize knowledge." ~Karen Glass

As I read this short article by Karen Glass, a hope welled within me, that perhaps my inability to analyze much of my reading is because my education was so stunted that I am only now beginning to "thoroughly furnish" my mind with knowledge and see connections and that once my mind is furnished, I will be able to engage in a more fruitful analysis of what I read and hear.  It is a worthy goal, I believe and commendable as the people of God called to study to show ourselves approved as Paul tells Timothy. (2 Timothy 2:15)

And from my earlier reading today comes some practical help in furnishing the mind.

"Call it serendipity, but if our ears and eyes are open to the vast world of events and ideas, we will find that what we need is available. I call this mechanism the writer's or artist's antenna. And our recording device, our handy journal, allows us to capture this fleeting idea and pin it to the page."~ Luci Shaw, The Writer's Notebook, quoted in The Living Page, by Laurie Bestvater


So I continue to gather first-hand knowledge when I pick up my camera, my field guide, my pen, my atlas, my notebook, my dictionary, my Bible, my drawing pad, my books and on and on it goes.  In all of it, I am finding much to marvel over and praise God for both His ordered world and His revelation to us. It all is a wonderful gift to read and study and think and it is my hope that I never lose the joy of it all.








1 comment:

  1. This was beautifully said, Heather. You were right! I had missed this post -- I am terribly behind on blog reading right now. I'm SO glad you linked it. :)

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