The Power of Exemplification

A common notion among all great sages and philosophers throughout history, from the earliest ages… is that we learn best through exemplification and emulation.

That is to say, we (like monkeys) do, what we see. It’s a wonderful encouragement (for me anyway), to continue to study the great leaders and individuals that have walked our planet before us. This is one of the best things about homeschooling! We can take our time… really diving deep!

I’m aware there are basic essentials we need to learn by way of being human. But I’m also of the opinion that such learnings come by way of immersing oneself IN the arena of passion.

And I find it hard imagining why anyone wouldn’t want to “learn”. So… upon reflecting on this and the many “styles” that seperate each person from the next in ideology and approach… I just wish to say that you can consider me open all methods available that allow learning to take place. And coercion is not one of them. It just does not work!

I filter and sift through all possible resources, taking with me what I see to be a potential benefit, be it environment, music, reading, habits, rhythms, movement, play, activity projects or discussion.

Ultimately we’ve been diving deep into our shared family passion for history of late. What’s become more and more apparent is the great power of exemplification in learning throughout history. There are so many great and wonderful leaders that we’ve been researching… many of whom in fact promote this very principle of learning!

So… I was inspired to touch on it here since it’s been so long since I blogged. A key focus for so many of the leaders throughout history say that it’s truly important to watch the company you keep. It’s in so many fables we’ve read as well. For as the saying goes, “birds of a feather fly together.”

This notion truly resonates with me, so deeply that It’s one of the great many driving forces behind my calling to home educate. If we don’t know those who our children are being influenced by, or their parents as an even wider force of general influence, let alone the teachers… how do we truly understand the hidden forces at play, driving the learning of our children?

Personally… I want to be an influence for good for my children and I have their best interests at heart! I could never guarantee that in a school classroom or come close to trusting it to be the case (truly). If I’m honest… I’d have pretty big doubts! The very driving force of the standard school system is based on measuring one another against others for grades and averages. And I hate to say it but that doesn’t sit with me.

I get that we feel the deep conditioning urge to constantly compare and compete but I’m not buying into it. I know people feel safe in these boundaries of “standards” – but I come from a different paradigm where I see other possibilities. I see the possibility of looking outside the norm to what is yet to be created and I don’t see that as wrong. I know that a more traditional heart would love everything to stay the same forever. But the world IS evolving for a great many reasons!

And evolution isn’t ALL bad! We used to freak out in ancient times when their was an eclipse and when the Winter solstice came. Maybe rituals and sacrifices and prayers were “necessary” then… like so many old ways of learning and “educating”… but Thankfully so much has changed! We UNDERSTAND more now and have the world at our fingertips – so in my eyes… the education system SHOULD change too! Let’s catch ups with the current times of vastly wider availability of knowledge.

Let’s use this to our advantage. Let children learn from a far greater amount of resources and places than there ever was available. Open to the new ways and stop acting like the eclipse is an angry God. These are natural forces at play that we know happen and pass. We don’t have to freak out over a child learning something different to the rest, or learning at different paces. Because we know… things turn out in the end! Having a blank canvas is not the end of the world… just as an eclipse never was!

It’s a snippet in time that a child passes through on their way to ever greater discoveries! Let them take their own rhythmic time… that is truest and most relevant to THEM. It’s not the worst thing that can happen! We never stop learning!

Children learn by being around adults! Watching other children really isn’t the best gold standard for the majority of the time. I’ll argue that til the cows come home! Be a good example for your children. Expose them to other adults in their element, as an example of good mental health! We all know there’s a great lack and void in this area. So maybe JUST maybe we need to focus MORE upon Mental Health for our young… to be a good example of that! And just maybe a teacher under stress… managing a class of 20-30 isn’t the gold standard of Fulfilment to go by for our young… no offence. Maybe it’s just me.

Hats off to the great teachers out there. There are more average than amazing ones… let’s all be honest (for once). While I’m here…. let’s be more honest with our children! That’s how THEY learn to be honest!

So again… remember, the best way to learn… is to see something in action and APPLY it. Give children the chance to be IN THE REAL WORLD. Not seperate from it… hidden in the four walls of a class room for the most part.

Thanks for reading. I know I’m a little blunt at times. And offensive. But you can’t please everyone! Just be yourself. I mean no disrespect. Til next time.