A Defense for Short Words

Gelett Burgess (1866-1951) authored a few faves of the under-four-footers in our family: Goops, and How to be Them and More Goops, and How Not to Be Them.  He is more likely remembered for his whimsical poem  The Purple Cow.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36664

I have been reading an old and wonderful book on public speaking to the girls which contains an excerpt from a newspaper publication of Burgess' titled Five Hundred Short Words.  Here we find a nice defense for the use of short words:

Our speech has lost force by too much use of long words.  A lot of old short words now sound queer and crude.  We do not use them when we try to speak well. But short words are strong words.  They would help us to make our talk more clean-cut, fresh, and hale; they give it salt and tang.

When we are tried sore, when we faint with fear, or pain stings, or we blaze with wrath, then we cry out: 'Help me! Come quick!'  We snarl, 'You lie, you cur!'  We yell, 'She is gone.  She has left me.  She does not love me!'

And when we are blithe and gay, too, we do not use long words that reek of books.  We say: 'Oh, joy! I love you, Come and kiss me.  Be mine!'

For short words come from deep down in our hearts, not from our brains.  They are like the bones of speech that make talk firm and hard.  Like blood that gives life.  Long words are the fat and thews and skin that make speech fair of form.  But with a lack of short words what one says has less truth and zest.  Less youth, too.

Why not bring some of those old words back to life?  They would be as stout as rough oaths to make our talk force home what we mean.  They would be as sharp as slang, too, that have pash and pep to dart, flash, pinch with the quick play of wit.

Friend, read the Good Book and see how clear, how stark, how crisp are the short words of our great tongue.  They are the words of might. 

Short and common words are wonderful when they concisely convey grand thoughts and ideas... and they it possible for people with limited vocabularies to make remarkable statements. Yay! (very short word) 

I have included an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount to illustrate this point.  Out of 150 it only contains 2 words with 3 syllables, yet its message is concentrated with wisdom and encouragement.

 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

(Matthew 6:25-29)

Tune in next time when we defend the very short sentence... ;)

My Approach to Math as a Homeschool Mom

People often ask me how home-educating moms teach upper level math.  Here's my secret: I don't.

Well, not in the way schools do.  Rather than teaching material I facilitate learning.  I have explained this via email and in person many times, so I thought I should write this out to share with others.

Most of my methodology is inspired by the essays and research of Dr. Art Robinson.  His story can be read here http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/view/rc/s31p54.htm.

The first thing I do is carefully pick a curriculum that presents and explains concepts in a clear, easily understood manner. Saxon math fills this bill.  It is sufficiently self-explanatory, and offers MORE than enough review of previously learned lessons. (Usually I have them do only the odds in the practice problems.)

Before I start the Saxon with them and as my children are learning to read, I teach them the math facts from rote memory.  There are a variety of methods and resources to help with this.  The key is to help them understand the principle behind addition/subtraction/multiplication/division and then be CONSISTANT with good old-fashioned drills.  The Saxon books offer pages of 100 facts that can be completed in a short amount of time each day.  When they are able to complete the 100 facts in 5 minutes consistently, I know they are being mastered.  I have them review continually so the facts remain in long term memory.  I start this around ages 5 or 6 depending on maturity and readiness of the child.

I don't waste their time with Saxon 1,2, or 3.  During the early years, I focus my effort in preparing them for 5/4 by teaching them the facts, their concepts, and how to read.  They are usually ready around the 2nd grade, which is 2 to 3 years earlier than 5/4 is offered in traditional schools.  If they can read well and their brains are nice and primed there is no reason to hold them back.   Home-educating allows us the ability to move forward because we do not need to wait on other students who are trailing behind.

Once they are able to read on the level the math curriculum is written (4th grade level) AND they know the facts, I teach them how to approach the instructions and examples in a careful and methodical fashion and then begin working the practice problems referring back to the lessons if needed.  It turns out that children are able to follow written instructions at an earlier age than what most people assume when they are taught to be orderly in their approach.   So you can see that as a teacher/mother, I am dealing directly with character training rather than the math itself, which is necessary for being good self-educators.

Each day I provide accountability by reviewing their work, taking note of how many silly mistakes are being made.  If I see a child making a lot of silly mistakes, it is an indication of a character issue, not directly related to math, which needs to be addressed.- carefulness, self-discipline, attentiveness...

I, also, take note of particular types of problems that are consistently missed.  Saxon makes this easy.  Everyday they review previously learned problems.  Each reviewed problem references the lesson number where that type problem was introduced.  If I see they are missing problems from a particular lesson constantly, it is an indication they are missing a concept that needs to be addressed before we move on.

Again, since we are not needing to concern ourselves with the pace of 20 other students, we take one day at a time, trying to the do our best work everyday.  We work for about 1 1/2 hours each day on math.  My student does not move to the next lesson until mastery of the current lesson is achieved. It's that simple. When we try to follow a certain lesson schedule, we make our children vulnerable to missing something important which can haunt them later.  If a certain lesson was a struggle.  We will do it again the next day.

The struggle...

I don't help my children much when they get stuck with a problem.  I know that sounds mean to many who are accustomed to spoon-feeding children, but it is not mean.  Here's the deal.  In our home, we aren't overly worried with being so delicate with the psychology of our children that it debilitates them.  Many teachers are so concerned with not wanting to hurt feelings that they become liars to children.  They are so concerned with making the learning experience "positive" they shield their students from any hardships.  "You are doing great, Johnny."   Johnny is failing!  The second Johnny begins to struggle the teacher showers him with hints and helps.  The idea of seeing Johnny deal with the slightest mental anguish just can't be stomached.

Well, let me suggest that relative amounts of mental strife is good for everyone.  Here is where we are being challenged and stretched beyond our current capabilities.  No pain, no gain.

If the math is never allowed to feel difficult to the child, they get an impression that they have a handle on math when in fact they do not.  I am a believer that children don't need to be protected from the reality of their situation.   Understanding your weaknesses and limitations is wise for obvious reasons.

Do not get the idea I am a mean, authoritative mom standing over my children with a whip, refusing to help them.  My christian worldview demands that I treat my children with respect, patience and love, but protecting them from trials, hard work, and grit is not in their best interest, therefore would not be very loving.

When they get bogged down on a particular problem, I explain that there are mathematicians who struggle with a problem for months, even years, before they finally find their solutions. They don't give up, but keep trying until the problem is solved.

In place of giving hints I shower them with encouragement!  "This is hard, but I know you can do hard things."  "Look at the problem from a different angle or take a break and try again."  "This is going to take a little time and we've got time."  "This is how real mathematicians feel sometimes."

So what I am saying is that what really makes learning a positive and gratifying experience is giving them the tools and character to overcome their struggle and hardships independently.  People are gratified by genuine accomplishment.

After a while, my girls got addicted to this intellectual independence.  Getting my help is their last resort and I think this is good.  It's like those times when you're trying to recall someone's name.  That person is standing in front of you and could simply tell you their name, but you want to remember it on your own without their help just to prove you have a working memory. IF you can recall the name on your own, you gain a little more confidence that you may actually make it in this world after all.

A handful of times, my girls have needed to approach me for help with a lesson because they are not understanding.  98% of the those moments are resolved when they figure out their issue while they are explaining it aloud to me.  There is never a need for me to say anything.  It is quite comical actually. I quietly observe as I see this ah-ha expression come over their faces and they walk away with a new found clarity.  Again, I haven't spoken a word except maybe, "Glad I could help," as they walk away.  These moments are very good for their confidence.  They see that with a little more probing it is possible for them to resolve their own conflicts.  They don't have to be needy intellectual babies, who need to be cuddled and spoon-fed.  Here is where they are taking responsibility for their own education.

I am not implying that one should never ask for help when needed.  On 2 occasions maybe? we have needed to consult a math-oriented homeschool mom or friend to help explain a solution in a way they can understand.  I am just suggesting ways of preventing children from being overly dependent on a teacher every time they reach the slightest obstacle.

Some are curious about the results of a method such as this.  Here is our personal experience:

I have read testimonies of many families whose boys and some girls completed Calculus by the age of 15 by following a plan similar to this one.  This seems to be a very achievable goal for kids who are of normal intelligence and who are making math a priority because of their goals related to math, science, and technology.  Several of Dr. Robinson's children hold doctorates in the science and math fields.

Now my girls like math, but are not necessarily math wizards and it's not the biggest priority for them particularly, but they are doing fine with this method.  My girls are on the humble end of the spectrum. My oldest completed College Algebra as a junior in highschool.  My second daughter just began the 8th grade is almost finished with Algebra 1/2.  I can already tell my little boy is going to advance in math very quickly.  Everyone is different and should be allowed to go at their own pace.  The goal is for each person to do their best.  1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us to "do all for the glory of God."

So you see it's not just about the math.  It's about developing a capacity to find and process information on their own without needing it served on a spoon and building character traits which will prepare them for the life.

A Warning to Parents from a Chimney Sweeper

Dick Van Dyke (Bert) in Mary Poppins (1964)

...excerpt from Mary Poppins (1964)  
Bert: You're a man of high position, esteemed by your peers.
[sings]
Bert: And when your little tykes are crying, you haven't time to dry their tears... And see their thankful little faces smiling up at you... 'Cause their dad, he always knows just what to do...
George Banks: Well, look - I...
Bert: Say no more, Gov'ner.
[sings]
Bert: You've got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone... Though childhood slips like sand through a sieve... And all too soon they've up and grown, and then they've flown... And it's too late for you to give - just that spoonful of sugar to 'elp the medicine go down - medicine go dow-wown, medicine go down.
[speaks]
Bert: Well, goodbye, Gov'ner. Sorry to trouble you.

Salvation is of the Lord, by C.H. Spurgeon

For redemption of fallen man, Jesus says one must be born again.  ( John 3:3)  Why use the term  born again?  Because the Bible explains that fallen man is dead to sin.  If we are already spiritually dead we will need to be reborn.  Here are four verses to reference as we read this excerpt from Spurgeon's sermon titles, Salvation is of the Lord.

“The mind of sinful man is death; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." (Romans 8:6-8)

“You were dead in your transgressions and sins. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:1-5)

 “All who were appointed for eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48)

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is [has been] born of God” (1 John 5:1)

C.H. Spurgeon

So far we are all agreed: but now we shall have to separate a bit. "Salvation is of the Lord" in the application of it. "No," says the Arminian, "it is not; salvation is of the Lord, inasmuch as he does all for man that he can do; but there is something that man must do, which if he does not do, he must perish." That is the Arminian way of salvation. Now last week I thought of this very theory of salvation, when I stood by the side of that window of Carisbrooke castle, out of which King Charles of unhappy and unrighteous memory, attempted to escape. I read in the guide book that every thing was provided for his escape; his followers had means at the bottom of the wall to enable him to fly across the country, and on the coast they had their boats lying ready to take him to another land; in fact every thing was ready for his escape. But here was the important circumstance: his friends had done all they could; he was to do the rest; but that doing the rest was just the point and brunt of the battle. It was to get out of the window, out of which he was not able to escape by any means, so that all his friends did for him went for nothing, so far as he was concerned. So with the sinner. If God had provided every means of escape, and only required him to get out of his dungeon, he would have remained there to all eternity. Why, is not the sinner by nature dead in sin? And if God requires him to make himself alive, and then afterward he will do the rest for him, then verily, my friends, we are not so much obliged to God as we had thought for; for if he require so much as that of us, and we can do it, we can do the rest without his assistance. The Romanists have an extraordinary miracle of their own about St. Dennis, of whom they tell the lying legend that after his head was off be took it up in his hands and walked with it two thousand miles; whereupon, said a wit, "So far as the two thousand miles go, it is nothing at all; it is only the first step in which there is any difficulty." So I believe, if that is taken, all the rest can be easily accomplished. And if God does require of the sinner—dead in sin—that he should take the first step, then he requireth just that which renders salvation as impossible under the gospel as ever it was under the law, seeing man is as unable to believe as he is to obey, and is just as much without power to come to Christ as he is without power to go to heaven without Christ. The power must be given to him of the Spirit. He lieth dead in sin; the Spirit must quicken him. He is bound hand and foot and fettered by transgression; the Spirit must cut his bonds, and then he will leap to liberty. God must come and dash the iron bars out of their sockets, and then he can escape from the window, and make good his escape afterward; but unless the first thing be done for him, he must perish as surely under the gospel as he would have done under the law. I would cease to preach, if I believed that God, in the matter of salvation, required any thing whatever of man which be himself had not also engaged to furnish. For how many have I frequently hanging upon my lips of the worst of characters—men whose lives have become so horribly bad, that the lip of morality would refuse to give a description of their character? When I enter my pulpit am I to believe that these men are to do something before God's Spirit will operate upon them? If so, I should go there with a faint heart, feeling that I never could induce them to do the first part. But now I come to my pulpit with a sure confidence—God the Holy Spirit will meet with these men this morning. They are as bad as they can be; he will put a new thought into their hearts; he will give them new wishes; he will give them new wills, and those who hated Christ will desire to love him; those who once loved sin will, by God's divine Spirit, be made to hate it; and here is my confidence, that what they can not do, in that they are weak through the flesh, God sending his Spirit into their hearts will do for them, and in them, and so they shall be saved.

Either/Or Fallacy

I found this great cartoon from Answers in Genesis that illustrates the logical fallacy of bifurcation, otherwise known as the either-or fallacy, that suggests one can be a Christian or a scientist but not both.  A bifurcation fallacy forms a false dilemma by implying there are only two possibilities when, in fact, more are available.  Let's learn to spot these unreasonable arguments and either politely set them straight and/or don't waste our time.

We've all heard this one?

"You can't live by faith and be rational."  This excludes that fact that faith AND rationality are not contrary and get along just fine.   Put them together and you have a third choice that is real, attainable and more desirable.  Why should we sell ourselves short?? 

 "The traffic light is either red or green."  This statement ignores the fact that the light could be YELLOW.  Okay, so this is a ridiculous example, but hopefully it helps us get the point 

We've heard debates encased bifurcately before: Scientist vs. Christians; Bible vs. science

Ummm... Is it possible one could be a scientist AND a Christian or believe the Bible AND science!!

Bifurcation is a sign one either CANNOT or, more likely, WILL NOT think with depth and possibility.  Isn't is ironic that Christians are often called closed-minded when their debater has limited  his/her rationale and will to reject any option that could include rationality, science, faith, religion and God?? Now that, my friends, is bifurcation.

Science makes most sense when viewed from a biblical worldvew.  Scientific laws are orderly, constant and predictable which conflicts with the popular theoretical pattern of a haphazardly formed universe.  The steadiness of scientific laws point to a Creator who upholds the universe in an orderly, constant and predictable manner.

Evolutionary arguments  use an assortment of logical fallacies.  Learning to spot them and to avoid making fallacious mistakes are a useful skills.

See Can Creationist be Real Scientist?

Sound Judgements

My daughter, who is 13, is currently reading The Personal Memoirs of US General Grant.  When relating to me what she is learning from this book, she expressed being struck by the respect and kindness General Grant bestowed to everyone, but most notably to his enemies of war. She was impressed that in his book he frequently commended opposing troops for bravery, wisdom and valor. 

After the war, he was able to kindle a friendship with Andrew Jackson, his former opposer.  They reminisced of an opportunity Jackson had not taken to capture Grant, revealing General Jackson practiced mercy, also.  Even though they fought on opposing sides, one did not view the other as a monster of sorts.  Perhaps, they recognized in one another that intelligence and honor was the reality of their nature- a reality in which they could be friends.

Rather than emotionally killing his enemies by cutting them out of his life, General Grant was able to continue a dignified relationship with his opponents if possible, as he did with General Jackson.  This conclusion reveals his attempt to approach dilemmas and disagreements with logical reasoning skills as opposed to the malicious, destructive nature of unharnessed emotions.  This is to be admired.

 It is a fallacious trap to be persuaded by the stirring of powerful emotions over logical appeal. George Washington describes the correct approach as governing passion with reason.  "Let your conversation be without malice or envy, for 'tis a sign of a tractable and commendable nature, and in all causes of passion permit reason to govern." – George Washington, The Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation,

It is worth noting that General Washington was close to my daughter's age when he wrote these rules of civility revealing our current low standards on youth these days

A wise parent teaches children to guard their minds from being deceived by irrational emotions, whether conjured from within themselves or by others, lest they create distorted caricatures that only exist in their own imaginations that don't represent truth.  Life is happier when problems aren't perceived  to be larger than necessary.  Imagined and exaggerated conflicts with people waste time and energy.  If issues are interpreted any differently than their face value, solutions might be misappropriated.  Taking time to hear the opposing case with sober and reasonable judgement maintained in the realm of reality and truth could prevent unnecessary battles. 

" Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.^{" ~Eph. 5:15,16}

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly...Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse...If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." ~Romans 12:2-21

"Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense." ~Proverbs 19:11

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." ~1 Peter 5:8

"Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach," ~1 Tim. 3:2

"So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober." ~1 Thes. 5:6

"Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness." ~Titus 2:2

"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors...So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.  For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." ~James 2:8-13

Recounting!!

Psalms 9:1

"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds."

Reading history, studying music, pursing knowledge... one might assume I am describing our school day, but in fact, this is the scene in our home today- Saturday.  I am describing the way our daughters choose to spend their free time.  

WoW!!  I am overwhelmed with gratefulness!  The fruit of home-educating has been more bountiful than I predicted when we first started!  This is evidence that self-educating has become a way of life for them!

Let me recount...

A lesson I have learned through undertaking this homeschooling venture is that the promise of Matthew 11:28-30 is true indeed!.   

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

Obedience to God's word was our objective concerning godly education.  But I'll admit, the start up seemed a daunting task.   I have had many come-a-parts along the way.  What saved us was the enabling of the Holy Spirit to be courageous enough to break free from unnatural and unnecessary traditions by culling old strategies and habits learned from the current and unbiblical academic patterns.  We needed to bend and conform to the commands and principles the Lord provides to the Jews and Christians for teaching and training children.  We needed to get out from under our yoke with the world (2 Cor. 6:14) and accept the invitation to put on the yoke Christ is offering.  That is when we got a big surprise!!

Today, I humbly celebrate with all thanksgiving the fruit of our labor under the yoke of Christ.  Our children are self-educating as a way of life rather than a chore when so many have lost hope that this is possible.  

Who knew obedience and conformity could be so liberating!?!  This is one of the great paradoxical mysteries revealed to followers of Christ.  As we subject our pursuits under biblical scrutiny and modification, we find a treasure-- a manageable schedule rich with productive and rewarding outcomes beyond proportional measure.  The verse above describes this phenomenon as a yoke that is easy. 

Think of  it like swimming in a stream.  Rather than feeling the burden of swimming against currents of God's design, we get to focus our effort on staying afloat as we cooperate with the water's natural current to carry us to our destination.  I am not implying that homeschooling children doesn't require effort.  I am saying the effort is of a "gentle" sort.  It is rewarding, not draining.  It is motivating, sustaining and full of hope!!   The effort involved is more manageable than you would expect.

Some have said to me, "I don't know how you manage to teach your 4 children, all of them different ages!"  No doubt, it doesn't happen by osmosis, but I would like to challenge with this reply.  I don't know how folks have the patience to bear through government school for their children with all the trouble that comes with the package:  unpleasant habits, words, attitude learned from the other children and delivered right into your home;  misleading and, often, blatant lies taught in the text books; trying to keep up or slow down to a pace of learning that is not natural to your child's needs; not having time to let them pursue their particular interest;  Spending too much time on unnecessaries; protecting them the barrage of subtle and enticing humanistic philosophies that corrupt our understanding and society... I could not manage all that!!  I'm getting "weary and heavy laden" just thinking of it!

There is still much improvement needed in our walk with the Lord, but we see Him working!!  Our only hope is in Christ!! 

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