Character in a Box: Self-Government I

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little ears what you hear

O be careful little ears what you hear

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little ears what you hear

O be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little hands what you do

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little feet where you go

O be careful little feet where you go

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little feet where you go

O be careful little mouth what you say

O be careful little mouth what you say

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little mouth what you say

Forgiveness

The School Year Begins

This week we begin school. I spent much of the summer designing an American Christian Economics course based on James Rose's book, "A Guide to American Christian Education", preparing a "Classic Grammar" course, and going through the mentorship level of the "Principles of American Government" skype course. Here you will see what I have outlined for the first week of classes:

Setting up the notebook

 

Cover Page--Goal is to create interest in the subject and a reason to learn it. You could include a verse, quote, or poem. Anything that would be meaningful to your child and/or your family. Think of way to express individuality on your cover page. Individuality of your child, your family, or your subject (i.e., illustrate it, take a picture and add to the page, diagram a sentence, work a math problem, include a timeline, ...).

Binder Tabs--This year I figured that my son was old enough to create his own tabs. He chose to use the computer and learned about using online templates to create his tabs. Just be sure to include a tab for "Vocabulary."

Classroom Constitution--You will find some excellent examples of a Classroom Constitution at the FACE website. (You will have to join in order to see the printable examples.) We enjoyed reading--and signing--our Classroom Constitution and placing it right after the cover page in the notebook.

Introduction of Text and Other Resources--I have found Pinterest to be a great resource for storing Internet links for the class. It is also possible to create a blog just to store the links you would like to use for your particular course.

Define Course--We defined "American Christian Economics" beginning with the word "Economics", then we added "Christian", and finally "American." Of course we used the Webster's 1828 dictionary. It is important that everyone agrees on what the course is about!

Course Outline--After spending many hours developing the American Christian Economics course, it was a pleasure to briefly overview it with my son. On the other hand, if you have no outline, you could probably copy the Table of Contents of your textbook, review it, then place this behind the Classroom Constitution.

Next time... Establishing Routines

Noah Webster, Blue Back Speller

We can thank Noah Webster for the Blue Back Speller (also known as the American Spelling Book) and the dictionary. His 1828 Dictionary is the only Christian dictionary ever written! Interesting that this was published around the same time as our nation was being formed, making his definition of words the same as what our founding fathers were thinking when they wrote the Constitution and Declaration of Independence! Something to think about.

Let's take a minute to look up Noah Webster's definition of Education and Marriage:

EDUCA'TION, n. [L. educatio.] 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.

MAR'RIAGE, n. [L.mas, maris.] The act of uniting a man and woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and woman for life. Marriage is a contract both civil and religious, by which the parties engage to live together in mutual affection and fidelity, till death shall separate them. Marriage was instituted by God himself for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity,and for securing the maintenance and education of children.

Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled. Heb.13.

Did you know that Noah Webster's famous famous Blue Back Speller has set a publishing record that just may be unequalled by any other textbook ever written in America! Published in the mid 1780s, it became the standard for an entire century--when our nation was being formed in the late 1700s and 1800s. More than 100,000,000 copies were sold. This text was the standard of every American child's education. What did it teach? Aside from English and Grammar, it taught the "principles of a republican form of government l[that] had their origin in the Scriptures" and embodied "a love of virtue, patriotism and religion," so that all Americans would be furnished with the foundation for liberty and a way of life that could bring the most happiness and success.

Noah Webster, Salvation Experience

Noah Webster's salvation experience provides great insight into the character of this man who had a profound affect on the education of our country in its founding era. He was a thorough man, not given to emotion or spontaneous impulse, unwilling to be led astray by the majority. You will also note he was a gentleman to his wife and daughters, treating them with love and trust. And, of course, he was an outstanding scholar. In fact, Noah Webster is considered to be the "Founding Father of American Scholarship and Education."

Below is his written testimony, from a letter to his brother-in-law, Judge Thomas Dawes:

"For a number of years just past I have been more and more impressed with the importance of regulating my conduct by the precepts of Christianity. Of the being and attributes of God I have never entertained a doubt, and my studies as well as frequent contemplations on the works of nature have led my mind to most sublime views of His character and perfections...

"Still I had doubts respecting some of the doctrines of the Christian faith, such as regeneration, election, salvation by grace, the atonement, and the divinity of Christ; these doubts served as an apology for my forbearing to make a profession of religion; for though I could never read or hear that solemn declaration of our Savior, 'Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father who is in heaven,' without some compunction and alarm; yet I endeavored to justify my neglect by a persuasion that I could not conscientiously assent to the usual confession required in Calvinistic churches as the condition of admission to their communion,. That is, in plain terms, I sheltered myself as well as I could from the attacks of conscience for neglect of duty under a species of skepticism, and endeavored to satisfy my mind that a profession of religion is not absolutely necessary to salvation. In this state of mind I placed great reliance on good works, or the performance of moral duties as the means of salvation, although I cannot affirm that I wholly abandoned all dependence on the merits of a Redeemer. You may easily suppose that in this state of distraction and indecision of opinions I neglected many duties of piety.

Trinity Church on the Green may have been where the revival took place.

"About a year ago an unusual revival of religion took place in New Haven, and frequent conferences of private meetings for religious purposes were held by pious and well disposed persons in the Congregational societies. I felt some opposition to these meetings, being apprehensive that they would, by affecting the passions too strongly, introduce an enthusiasm or fanaticism which might be considered as real religion. I expressed these fears to some friends and particularly to my family, inculcating on them the importance of a rational religion and the danger of being misled by the passions.

"My wife, however, was friendly to these meetings and she was joined by two eldest daughters who were among the first subjects of serious impressions. I did not forbid but rather discouraged their attendance on conferences...

"These impressions I attempted to remove by reasoning with myself and endeavoring to quiet my mind by a persuasion that my opposition to my family and the awakening was not a real opposition to rational religion but to enthusiasm or false religion. I continued some weeks in this situation, utterly unable to quiet my own mind and without resorting to the only source of peace and consolation. The impressions, however, grew stronger till at length I could not pursue my studies without frequent interruptions. My mind was suddenly arrested, without any previous circumstance of the time to draw it to this subject and, as it were, fastened to the awakening and upon my own conduct. I closed my books, yielded to the influence which could not be resisted or mistaken, and was led by a spontaneous impulse to repentance, prayer, and entire submission and surrender of myself to my Maker and Redeemer. My submission appeared to be cheerful, and was soon followed by that peace of mind which the world can neither give nor take away..." (American Dictionary of the English Language, Republished by Foundation for American Christian Education, (c) 1967, Rosalie J. Slater, pg. 19).