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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Formative Value

The education process is as much about mental and character formation as it is about information and subjects. The formative value of the subjects we teach in school is as important as—if not more important than—the actual content. Math teaches logical, accurate, precise thinking; history teaches judgment, discernment, prudence; literature teaches sensitivity to the human condition; penmanship teaches the beginning student the basic skills of concentration, accuracy, correct spelling, and the patience and persistence required to do quality work. These mental habits, work habits, and skills transfer to every area of life. They distinguish the educated person from the uneducated.

From The Real Hands-On Learning by Cheryl Lowe

Have you read the articles available at Memoria Press? Good stuff, those.

4 comments:

Renee said...

LOVE these words!

Cheryl said...

Love that! Thank you for sharing. My mother in law teaches for memoria press and works closely with Andrew Kern of the circe institute. So much wisdom there for a mama.

Christine C. said...

Love this! I teach college math, and I always tell my students that math is like working out at a gym--Lots of strange motions and movements that don't seem related to anything in real life, but at the end of the day it makes you stronger. So many students get frustrated that most of what is learned from an Algebra textbook will not ever be used again in the "real world". This helps them see that it is the *process* that makes the mind stronger. Boot camp for the brain!

Anonymous said...

That is such an incredible summary of the need for education. Grandma