Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Teaching vs Training

I have been reading Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson.  It is a very good book and has given me a lot to think about.  One of the things that I really liked was a quote by H. Clay Trumbull from his book Hints on Child Training published in 1890.



"Teaching gives knowledge.  Training gives skill.
Teaching fills the mind.  Training shapes the habits.
Teaching brings to the child that which he did not have before.  Training enables a child to make use of that which is already his possession."


Prov. 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."



I am trying to slowly change my mindset from being a teacher to a trainer.  This book has given me a perspective - my main focus is not to be education, but discipleship.  Another quote from the book:



"Men designed schools, but God designed the home.  The home is the only institution provided by God for the training of children."



And another:



"If you desire to effectively teach your children, their hearts must first be turned to God.  Until your children submit their hearts to God and to your authority, you cannot effectively educate their minds.  In fact, in view of eternity, it is far more important that your children become wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ than it is they become "well educated."



POWERFUL STUFF!  And I'm only through chapter 2!!


 


 

1 comment:

  1. It's life changing, isn't it? Sally Clarkson has a blog, too! :)

    ReplyDelete