Why UU homeschooling?

This is the question that I hope to explore throughout the blog. What does Unitarian Universalism offer to homeschoolers? And what do homeschoolers bring to Unitarian Universalism as a faith movement? How can this model of education and this religion synthesize to make individuals, families, communities, and the world better? Along the way, I'd like to also offer support in the form of short pieces of writing--mine and others'--and by passing along great resources that I find in my own online quest for meaning.

To that end, I'd like to offer you a favorite quote by seminal UU philosopher, Sophia Lyon Fahs. It's from her 1952 book, Today's Children and Yesterday's Heritage:

One of the tragic ironies of history is that such original and creative geniuses as Buddha and Jesus have been extolled as perfect patterns for all to emulate. In the very struggle to be like someone else rather than to be one's own true self, or to do one's own best in one's own environment, a child is in danger of losing the pearl that is really beyond price - the integrity of his (or her) own soul. 



And I'd like to leave you with a blessing:

Today, may you recognize in yourself and in your children that precious, precious pearl beyond price, and may you be delighted to so know and be known.

--T.H.Y.


Comments

  1. IrwinMarch 25, 2015 at 9:50 AM

    Comparing seems to be an activity of the human mind. It is hard wired into the brain. I compare myself to everyone and to what I was in the past. I compare myself with an image I have in my head and try to emulate that idea of myself. I compare a bunch of apples looking for the best one. Since this is how our brains operate, this is what we teach children. Along with comparing comes judgement.

    As I observe myself, I see that this is a process that goes on continuously, moment to moment. I can only point this behavior out with children and discuss it but it is not to be banished using the human mind or mind activity.

    When we look at Jesus or Buddha, we want to do what they did and I think this is okay. They understood that, I and God (or Love or Truth) are One. So they acted with their spiritual mind not their human mind. If we can teach children that I and God are One, then maybe they will operate from their spiritual minds which never compare or judge and only know Love.

    Meanwhile, the human mind can operate in the mechanical world without harming anyone else by helping us drive to a location or choosing the best apple from all the apples on the stand. It can look at the sky and comparing it to yesterday's sky, knows that it will rain soon.

    Children are born knowing that I and God are One. It is us adults that have to learn this important fact.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 4:03 PM

    Irwin, did you see this article? It seemed to bear out many of your points! And it was published the same day as our dialog. :) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neal-samudre/13-things-spiritual-leade_b_6932884.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000051

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 8:51 PM

    Ok, I take that back. Upon closer inspection, that article has little in common with what you offered except that there are qualities worth emulating in spiritual teachers. I apprecisted your commentsry, as always!

    ReplyDelete
  4. IrwinMarch 29, 2015 at 1:41 PM

    Actual, to emulate is to copy! It is a hard to get away from comparing and copying.

    I keep coming back to throwing out all I have learned and start over again, looking inside for what is Truth, questioning and observing my own behavior and thoughts. How to pass this on to children is a challenge. We can encourage them to think for themselves and not tell them what to do but I don't think the answer is here either.

    Children learn from copying our behavior in the first 5 years. If we didn't say anything, they would still be like us. They are also copying their friends, the culture in general and we cannot stop this even if we isolate them. So maybe the answer is that we must be what we want our children to be when they are young. That is quite a task and I think that is why instead, we tell our children how to behave and what to do but they still ignore our words and do as we do!

    It seems we have to wait until children are about 8 for them to understand the loftier matters of life like what is God, or Love, or Truth.

    Then again. I might be wrong about the whole thing and probably am!

    ReplyDelete

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