What Shall We Teach?

Home School

1—Bible—“The Bible should be the child's first textbook. From this book parents are to give wise instruction.... From it the children are to learn that God is their Father; and from the beautiful lessons of His Word they are to gain a knowledge of His character. Through the inculcation of its principles, they are to learn to do justice and judgment.... Parents, let the instruction you give your children be simple, and be sure that it is clearly understood. The lessons that you learn from the Word you are to present to their young minds so plainly that they cannot fail to understand. By simple lessons drawn from the Word of God and their own experience, you may teach them how to conform their lives to the highest standard.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 108, 109. PH124 2.3

“Our heavenly Father, in giving His Word, did not overlook the children. In all that men have written, where can be found anything that has such a hold upon the heart, anything so well adapted to awaken the interest of the little ones, as the stories of the Bible? PH124 2.4

“In these simple stories may be made plain the great principles of the law of God. Thus by illustrations best suited to the child's comprehension, parents and teachers may begin very early to fulfil the Lord's injunction concerning His precepts: ‘Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.’ PH124 3.1

“The use of object lessons, blackboards, maps, and pictures will be an aid in explaining these lessons, and fixing them in the memory. Parents and teachers should constantly seek for improved methods. The teaching of the Bible should have our freshest thought, our best methods, and our most earnest effort.”—Education, 185, 186. PH124 3.2

2—Nature—“As fast as their minds can comprehend it, the parents should open before them [their children] God's great book of nature. The mother ...should find time to cultivate, in herself and in her children, a love for the beautiful buds and opening flowers. By calling the attention of her children to their different colors and variety of forms, she can make them acquainted with God, who made all the beautiful things which attract and delight them.... These lessons, imprinted upon the minds of young children amid the pleasant, attractive scenes of nature, will not be soon forgotten.”—Testimonies for the Church 3:137. (See also Christian Education, 8, 9.) PH124 3.3

“Mothers, let the little ones play in the open air; let them listen to the songs of the birds, and learn the love of God as expressed in His beautiful works. Teach them simple lessons from the book of nature and the things about them; and as their minds expand, lessons from books may be added.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 146. PH124 3.4

“To the little child not yet capable of learning from the printed page or of being introduced to the routine of the schoolroom, nature presents an unfailing source of instruction and delight. The heart not yet hardened by contact with evil is quick to recognize the Presence that pervades all created things. The ear as yet undulled by the world's clamor is attentive to the Voice that speaks through nature's utterances.... In no other way can the foundation of a true education be so firmly and surely laid.”—Education, 100, 101. PH124 3.5

3—Physiology and Hygiene—“From the first dawn of reason the human mind should become intelligent in regard to the physical structure. We may behold and admire the work of God in the natural world, but the human habitation is the most wonderful. It is therefore of the highest importance that among the studies selected for children, physiology occupy an important place. All children should study it. And then parents should see to it that practical hygiene is added.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 125. PH124 4.1

“Every mother should see that her children understand their own bodies, and how to care for them. She should explain the construction and use of the muscles given us by our kind heavenly Father.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 33. PH124 4.2

“Parents should seek to awaken in their children an interest in the study of physiology.... Continue to teach them in regard to their own bodies, and how to take care of them. Recklessness in regard to bodily health tends to recklessness in morals.”—Christian Education, 173, 174. PH124 4.3

“Children should be early taught, in simple, easy lessons, the rudiments of physiology and hygiene. The work should be begun by the mother in the home.”—Education, 196. PH124 4.4

4—Voice Culture and Singing—“The very best school for voice culture is the home. Study in every way not to annoy, but to cultivate a soft voice, distinct and plain. Thus mothers may become teachers in the home. Mothers should themselves act like Christ, speaking tender, loving words in the home; then opposite their names in the book of heaven will be written, ‘Ye are laborers together with God.’ ...Avoid everything that will be rasping to your children.”—MS., September 24, 1898. PH124 4.5

“Let there be singing in the home, of songs that are sweet and pure, and there will be fewer words of censure, and more of cheerfulness and hope and joy.”—Education, 168. PH124 5.1

5—Reading—“Parents should endeavor to keep out of the home every influence that is not productive of good.... To those who feel free to read story magazines and novels I would say: You are sowing seed the harvest of which you will not care to garner.... PH124 5.2

“The susceptible, expanding mind of the child longs for knowledge. Parents should keep themselves well informed, that they may give the minds of their children proper food.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 120, 121. PH124 5.3

6—Use of Money and Systematic Giving—“Whether supplied by their parents or by their own earnings, let boys and girls learn to select and purchase their own clothing, their books, and other necessities; and by keeping an account of their expenses they will learn, as they could learn in no other way, the value and the use of money. PH124 5.4

“This training will help them to distinguish true economy from niggardliness on the one hand and prodigality on the other. Rightly directed, it will encourage habits of benevolence. It will aid the youth in learning to give, not from the mere impulse of the moment, as their feelings are stirred, but regularly and systematically.”—Education, 239. PH124 5.5

7—Home Duties—“The mother should be the teacher, and home the school where every child receives his first lessons; and these lessons should include habits of industry.... Let them also learn, even in their earliest years, to be useful. Train them to think that, as members of the household, they are to act an interested, helpful part in sharing the domestic burdens, and to seek healthful exercise in the performance of necessary home duties. PH124 5.6

“It is essential for parents to find useful employment for their children, which will involve the bearing of responsibilities as their age and strength will permit. The children should be given something to do that will not only keep them busy, but interest them. The active hands and brains must be employed from the earliest years. If parents neglect to turn their children's energies into useful channels, they do them great injury; for Satan is ready to find them something to do.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 37, 38. (See also Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 146.) PH124 6.1

“When a little girl is nine or ten years old, she should be required to take her regular share in household duties, as she is able, and should be held responsible for the manner in which she does her work. That was a wise father, who, when asked what he intended to do with his daughters, replied, ‘I intend to apprentice them to their excellent mother, that they may learn the art of improving time, and be fitted to become wives and mothers, heads of families, and useful members of society.’”—The Signs of the Times, June 29, 1882. PH124 6.2

“In the home school the children should be taught how to perform the practical duties of everyday life. While they are still young, the mother should give them some simple task to do each day.... Let her remember that the home is a school in which she is the head teacher. It is hers to teach her children how to perform the duties of the household quickly and skilfully. As early in life as possible they should be trained to share the burdens of the home. From childhood boys and girls should be taught to bear heavier and still heavier burdens, intelligently helping in the work of the family firm.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 122. PH124 6.3

8—Gardening—“If possible, the home should be out of the city, where the children can have ground to cultivate. Let them each have a piece of ground of their own; and as you teach them how to make a garden, how to prepare the soil for seed, and the importance of keeping all the weeds pulled out, teach them also how important it is to keep unsightly, injurious practices out of the life. Teach them to keep down wrong habits as they keep down the weeds in their gardens.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 124. PH124 6.4

9—Cooking—“Do not neglect to teach your children how to prepare wholesome food. In giving them these lessons ...you are ...inculcating principles which are needful elements in their religious life.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 127. (See also Christian Education, 174; Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 60-72. PH124 7.1

10—Use of Tools—“When children reach a suitable age, they should be provided with tools. They will be found to be apt pupils. If the father is a carpenter, he should give his boys lessons in carpentry.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 122. PH124 7.2

11—Sewing—“Young girls should have been instructed to manufacture wearing apparel, to cut, make, and mend garments, and thus become educated for the practical duties of life.”—Christian Education, 19. PH124 7.3

12—Missionary Work—“Upon parents rests the responsibility of developing in their children those capabilities which will enable them to do good service for God.... Parents, help your children to fulfill God's purpose for them. In the home they are to be trained to do missionary work that will prepare them for wider spheres of usefulness.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 130. PH124 7.4

13—Right Habits—“Parents, guard the principles and habits of your children as the apple of the eye.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 120. PH124 7.5

“God designs that the perversities natural to childhood shall be rooted out before they become habits.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 123. PH124 7.6

“Parents and teachers should work for ...the formation of right character.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 148. PH124 7.7

“In His law God has given us a pattern. Our character building is to be ‘after the pattern showed to thee in the mount.’ The law [of God] is the great standard of righteousness.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 73. PH124 8.1

Regularity should be the rule in all the habits of children.”—Christian Education, 163. PH124 8.2

“The Lord has been pleased to present before me the evils which result from spendthrift habits, that I might admonish parents to teach their children strict economy.”—Christian Education, 165. PH124 8.3

“From the mother the children are to learn habits of neatness, thoroughness, and dispatch.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 122. PH124 8.4

“Children should be trained to amuse themselves, to exercise their own ingenuity and skill. Thus they will learn to be content with simple pleasures. They should be taught to bear bravely their little disappointments and trials.... PH124 8.5

“Study how to teach the children to be thoughtful of others. The youth should be early accustomed to submission, self-denial, and a regard for others’ happiness. They should be taught to subdue the hasty temper, to withhold the passionate word, to manifest unvarying kindness, courtesy, and self-control.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 123, 124. PH124 8.6

“At home and in the school, by precept and example, the children and youth should be taught to be truthful, unselfish, industrious.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 148. (See also Special Testimonies on Education, 42.) PH124 8.7

“Those children are most attractive who are natural, unaffected.... Vanity should not be encouraged by praising their looks, their words, or their actions. Nor should they be dressed in, an expensive or showy manner. This encourages pride in them, and awakens envy in the hearts of their companions. Teach the children that the true adorning is not outward.... PH124 8.8

“The eye needs to be educated, or the child will find pleasure in beholding evil. The tongue needs to be educated.... If children are not taught to love, respect, and obey their parents in the fear of the Lord, how can they be led to love God? PH124 8.9

“The little ones should be educated in childhood in childlike simplicity. They should be trained to be obedient, upright, and practical.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 69, 70. PH124 9.1

“Their minds should be trained to think, their memories taxed to remember, their appointed work.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 223. PH124 9.2

“Parents should require their children to respect and obey rightful authority.”—Christian Education, 244. PH124 9.3

“Children should be trained and educated so that they may expect to meet with difficulties, as well as with temptations and dangers. They should be taught to have control over themselves, and to overcome difficulties nobly; ...then ...they will have strength of character to stand for the right and preserve principle.”—Christian Education, 14. PH124 9.4

“Many children, for want of words of encouragement, and a little assistance in their efforts in childhood and youth, become disheartened, and change from one thing to another. And they carry this sad defect with them in mature life. They cannot make a success of anything they engage in; for they have not been taught to persevere under discouraging circumstances.”—Christian Education, 15. PH124 9.5

14—Children to Be Christians—“The little children may be Christians, having an experience in accordance with their years.... They need to be educated in spiritual things; and parents are to give them every advantage, that they may form characters after the similitude of Christ's lovely character.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 71. PH124 9.6

“Children should be ...taught that Christ is their personal Saviour, and that by the simple process of giving their hearts and minds to Him they become His disciples.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 223. PH124 9.7