Living Without School: Diligence

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Diligence

What is diligence? And why am I pondering it?

I was reading a blog today about homeschooling and how homeschooling consists of one part scholarship and five parts love. *

I was thinking about the scholarship bit.

How does this term "scholarship" fit with unschooling? I know radical unschoolers would say that children will learn diligence and scholarship via application to their interests and so in real life.

But what about learning diligence through something you don't particularly want to do - and then, through the application of diligence, finding out that you do enjoy the activity and find it worthwhile.

How important is this diligence, this one part scholarship?

* http://mentalmultivitamin.blogspot.com/2005/08/morning-meditation-what-i-live-for.html

2 comments:

Cindy said...: I am enjoying your ponderings on this Leonie. Please keep sharing.

I think about what I have heard about children learning and how most of what they do in their childhood really just plants seeds for future growth. Learning is done in the child years, but when they are mature is when they can really dig in.

Cm says to lay out a feast. Introduce ideas. But how much do we require them to diligence?

In unschooling we see the dc apply diligence to themselves. Set goals, plan projects through self-led interests. I think that is a primo value of unschooling, to recognize that they are really doing that and give it value. Like you said in your entry, they are learning it there.

But what is the role of asknig them to make those steps they would not have on their own? I ponder this, too.

I have seen that in our house I need to help 'start' them with new ideas they would not have chosen. Passive strewing is not enough, but it may be in some families.

Maybe this also applies to diligence? Some dc will pick up a scholarly study and need no promtping. But others never would.

In the 'never-would' cases, we could help jump start it. But offer it like an 'idea' part of the feast, but not the crux of their edcuation and in a pass/fail mode?

I think a taste of it might be nice in the younger years. I did the usual ps projects (mindlessly) but when I got to college I knew how to attack a class and project. Maybe a taste of diligence in an area not of thier choosing (along with them following interests in their areas of choosing) would give them the confidence to continue it later?

Just throwoing out ideas. Looking forward to your posts here and there on this. Enjoyed your thoughts.

Cindy; 2:42 am
Leonie said...: Thanks, guys for the comments. I am still pondering! lol!; 5:17 pm

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.