Multum non multa

So I've been doing this homeschool thing for about four years now.  I'm getting a pretty good idea of what I feel is important in education.  I'm seeing results in my kids that I am pleased with.

You want to know what I think is important in education?  Multum non multa (Much, but not many things), or in other words "quality over quantity."  The following are what I consider the best use of our time:

1. PLENTY of free time to be outside, or reading a good book, or building things, or making things.  My kids have an imagination.  They apply what they are learning when they are given ample free time.  It is important to me to make our formal school day as short and efficient as I possibly can.  No busywork.  No unnecessary subjects that can wait until they are older.  No video games to distract them.  Limited outside commitments.  As I am writing this, my three oldest kids are building a bridge over a stream in our woods.  Best education they can have right now!

2. Reading from the scriptures as a family and having family prayer daily.  Not only are we coming closer together as a family, feeling the Spirit, and learning the gospel, but we are reading and hearing good, worthy language.  We are becoming familiar with the language of the scriptures.  We are learning history.  We are reading the best books of all time.  We are practicing reverence and patience and respect.  Excellent use of time for many, many reasons.

3.  Memory work.  The kids are memorizing gobs of poetry and scripture.  We recite four days a week.  They have good, beautiful language, imagery, and morals forever seared in their brain.  This is one of the best ways to promote articulation, composition, and to exercise the brain.  This year, and probably all of next year, they will hear "The Living Christ" recited approximately twelve times a week!  They will know who Jesus Christ is!  Savannah and Charlotte's Activity Day teacher commented on how well they have the Articles of Faith memorized, when the AoF actually haven't been a part of our memory work at home.  They are just used to memorizing things that it has come easily to them as they recite the AoF in Primary.  Our time and effort spent on memory work is well worth every minute. 

4.  Latin.  This is language arts all rolled up into one.  Grammar, composition, vocabulary, memory work, and the root of English, especially science, and many other foreign languages.  This is our first year in Latin and I am seeing that it is a great use of our time!  We're in it for the long haul.

5.  Greek and Roman history and mythology.  This is the foundation of Western civilization.  This is where our Constitution came from.  This is what our Founding Fathers studied.  I have just begun my first dip into Roman history and I am blown away by the examples of courage, honesty, honor, and bravery exemplified by the Roman heroes, and I've only scratched the surface!  I already find myself wanting to be more like them.  In Latin we just learned the phrase, "Romanus civis sum!"  "I am a citizen of Rome!"  I say it with longing.

6. GOOD books.  It must pass Paul's test: "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."  It must have quality language.  It must contain worthy ideas.  Reading a dumb book is just as bad as sitting in front of a video game: a mindless waste of time.  Good, living books are used to cover many topics: history, geography, science, nature study, biography, fairy tales, etc.  All of those topics are covered in my homeschool through living books.  No textbooks, no worksheets.  Some of these books are retold by the kids (narration), which is part of composition.

We do other things, like math, copywork, dictation,spelling, and piano, but I believe those six things are the most important parts of our day.