Since I really can’t use the same name for 2 different aspects of Lifestyle Education through Discipleship, even though it is the best description for both, I call this aspect the 3 StAges of Learning – take your pick, Stages or Ages 🙂
If you were to ask my children what “grade” they were in, they’d probably give you a blank stare. They are not being disrespectful nor shy. But it isn’t a term we use in our home education. They know what it means, but it might take them a while to figure out how to give you the type of answer you are looking for. If you didn’t know it, “grade levels” are not Bible-based nor God-ordained. My children are where they are in learning, line-upon-line. My job as their parent – ordained by God to educate them – is to lead them to continue on this path, progressing to the best of their ability, until they are mature enough to continue on their own, in their lifelong journey of learning.
We have found it helpful, though, to plan our teaching around 3 Biblical Seasons of human growth: Childhood, Youth, and Adult. We term these the “Wonder StAge”, the “Why? StAge”, and the “Wisdom StAge”.
The Wonder StAge is the years of Childhood, up to about puberty. There is much change and growth during this StAge, but these years are all characterized by taking in the Wonder of all of Life around the child. Learning what is out there. This is the StAge of curiosity, of wanting to know and learn – as long as we don’t kill that curiousity with an over-regimented, lock-step, dull, and lifeless, “letter of the Law” type of education. As Christians, we don’t just expose our children to the World of God, but primarily to the Word of God. We set a foundation of knowing God, then knowing His Creation through Him and His Word. We don’t pour tidbits and facts into them, but soak them in God’s ways and His Word and explore all of Life through that. This StAge is best spent in leading our Children to Biblical Principles that they will be able to learn to apply to their lives, throughout their whole lives; and in providing them the foundational Principles of the 7 Pillars of Wisdom. The Principle Approach terms this as preparing the seed. We aren’t trying to “choke a horse” giving them more than they can swallow, but rather planting a seed within them, that has all the potential of a full and fruitful life within its tiny germ, and with nourishing will grow to fruition. During the Wonder StAge we teach our children informally as we give them a sense of the Big Picture of Life. We focus on their Development of Relationships – with God, us and others, as well as with God’s Creation, – through the Word, being “with them”, character and service training, reading and exploration.
The Why? StAge is the years of Youth, puberty through late teens – if they are properly led through this StAge. This is the StAge of questioning (and wanting straight, True answers), to make learning their own, if the love of learning has been nurtured through Childhood, and not been snuffed out. In this StAge they gain Understanding of the Principles. Those seeds planted in Childhood have germinated and are beginning to grow and will put down strong roots in the Why? StAge, if not uprooted by confusing, conflicting authorities choking them out. We lead them to build upon those Principles, to create a framework in their minds to hook all new learning on. They are able to think more abstractly now, so we can lead them to comprehend the underlying causes, and to see “behind the scenes”. Things begin to make sense to them. This is the StAge to lead them in Deepening Relationships, and gaining an Understanding of all of Life – Understanding God and their Faith in Him, Understanding their Relationships with others, Understanding their own lives and purpose, and Understanding the connection of Creation and HisStory – God’s plan for His Creation and how it all inter-relates. We also want to lead beyond just Understanding those relationships, to forging them, both with God and others. Sending down the strong roots needed for those relationships to grow and flourish. This is also the StAge of their Formal Lessons. These Study years are filled with Reading & Research, Recording the information, Ruminating – thinking about it, Relating & Reasoning – coming to Truthful conclusions, Responding to the material and Releasing those conclusions. What does all of that mean? Basically that they will do a lot of reading, discussing, and essay writing.
The Wisdom StAge is to begin as Youth are becoming Young Adults, and continue through Adulthood as they become able to apply their Understanding not only in situations they see and read about, but to their own lives as well, and beyond, to encouraging others in their lives. In this StAge we release them to their own journey of Lifelong Learning. Obviously, not all teens and twenties enter this StAge. Many adults have never entered the Wisdom StAge; some never progressed very far into the Why? StAge. But this is where God would like all of us. This is the StAge of fruition; the seeds have sent down strong roots, and have grown strong branches, reaching out the fruit they bear to others; as they become able to not only live wisely, but also give godly counsel. This is the StAge of maturity where they “rightly divide the Word of Truth”. They are able to take the Principles and make application through His Word and His ways to all the details and “facts” in life. In the Wisdom StAge they are Designing Relationships by leading others into the Truths they have learned. They are not only able to learn, but also to teach. This is the StAge of releasing their Life Message, going forward in their God given purpose, taking their place in His Plan.
As we enter each progressive StAge, we are not “graduating” from one and leaving it behind. We are adding to it. God doesn’t want us to ever lose our child-like Wonder. He never wants us to stop asking and learning Why? But He does want us to become mature and Wise. He wants us to walk in His Truths, as well as know and understand them. We are to continue to learn and grow in all three StAges throughout all of Life. Many did not take their own Youth StAge seriously, or weren’t given proper opportunity, or correct answers to the questions of Life and they still struggle with Why? They still, as adults, don’t know their own purpose in Life, nor understand God’s Plan – HisStory. But, we can all go back and take the necessary steps in our own education, that we may progress in Wisdom and Understanding, and even Knowledge. And as we learn, we can take our children’s hands and lead them in God’s paths through the StAges of Learning.
**This is an edited repost from Oct. 2002.
