Divine patterns in education
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The document emphasizes the significance of recognizing divine patterns in education and life, illustrating how both spiritual and educational experiences are interwoven with consistent practices that foster growth. It discusses various patterns such as the upward spiral of faith, the importance of scripture, and the cultivation of righteous character through small and simple decisions. The idea of learning as a cyclical process is presented, highlighting the role of divine guidance and the nourishment of spiritual practices in personal development.
Divine patterns in education
- 1. Divine Patterns in Education “By small and simple things”
- 2. Think about it: We are surrounded by patterns. In a sense we live our lives in discovering, identifying, tracing, or following patterns. We awaken in the morning to the sun’s daily pattern; our bodies function and malfunction in patterns suggested by our patterned DNA. Our education consists of learning and testing patterns. Our sciences and mathematics are centered in formulaic patterns, as are our works of art, drama, music, dance, and literature. Our games, from hopscotch and Monopoly to football, are patterned play” Divine Designs: Tracing the Lord’s “Pattern in All Things” RICHARD H. CRACROFT Professor of English at BYU Dec. 10, 1996 • Devotional “Our lives are alive with patterns . .
- 3. “The search for divine patterns is grounded in the key pattern, which I will call the All Things Are Spiritual Pattern, for the Lord told the Prophet Joseph, “All things unto me are spiritual” (D&C 29:34). And that same Lord, speaking to Moses as Jehovah, explains not only that ‘all things . . . are spiritual,’ but reveals that ‘all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me . . . ; things . . . above and beneath: all things bear record of me’” (Moses 6:63) Divine Designs: Tracing the Lord’s “Pattern in All Things” RICHARD H. CRACROFT Professor of English at BYU Dec. 10, 1996 • Devotional All Things Are Spiritual Pattern
- 4. “This world becomes, for the spiritual man and woman, a kind of Urim and Thummim that enables those who allow themselves to be schooled by the Holy Ghost to look at the earth and its inhabitants through spiritual spectacles. Gradually we begin to discern divine patterns everywhere, especially in the holy scriptures— God’s great pattern book—and in the words of his contemporary prophets, seers, and revelators—his divine Butterick, Vogue, or McCall’s compendium of patterns. It is for us to trace, cut, and test those patterns in the fabric of our own mortal experiences.” Divine Designs: Tracing the Lord’s “Pattern in All Things” RICHARD H. CRACROFT Professor of English at BYU Dec. 10, 1996 • Devotional Schooled by the Holy Ghost
- 5. “Real joy comes from righteous character, and that is built from a pattern of consistent righteous decisions. When the things that you acquire are used as tools to help others, they won’t rule your life. Your righteous decisions determine who you are and what is important to you. They make doing the right things easier. For happiness now and throughout your life, steadfastly obey the Lord, no matter what pressure you feel to do otherwise.” A Pattern of Consistency Elder Richard G. Scott
- 6. “Consider the scripture study we’ve been taught to incorporate into our daily lives. Or consider the personal prayers and the kneeling family prayers that are regular practices for faithful Latter-day Saints. Consider attendance at seminary for youth or institute classes for young adults. Though each of these practices may seem to be small and simple, over time they result in powerful spiritual uplift and growth. This occurs because each of these small and simple things invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the Testifier who enlightens us and guides us into truth” (2018 General Conference) The Small and Simple Pattern (Consistency and Diligence) Elder Dallin H. Oaks, 2018 General Conference
- 7. “The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation. In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.” The Revelation Pattern President Russell M. Nelson
- 8. “Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.” The Revelation Pattern President Russell M. Nelson, April 2018 General Conference
- 9. The Beatitudes The Progression Pattern (7) “He that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:24)
- 10. Even though the strait and narrow path is often considered a linear path of progression back to our Heavenly Father, we discover through scripture reading and temple attendance, that there is a spiral element that we will follow on this strait line of trajectory back to our Father's presence. The spiral staircase that is included in so many temple designs is just one use of this symbol of ascension back to heaven. Spiral learning is a pattern for progression that is evident in both the scriptures and the temple
- 11. We discover a divine pattern in the Lord’s teaching, which he teaches at every opportunity and in every setting, for all men and women, everywhere, the intensifying, incremental, and upward-spiraling pattern of faith, repentance, baptism, renewal, and—hand-in-hand with the Holy Spirit—enduring to the end in discovering more and more divine patterns through knowing and following that other grand pattern: “He that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:24). -Richard Cracroft The Upward Spiral
- 12. “Place the Savior, His teachings, and His church at the center of your life. Make sure that all decisions comply with this standard. This principle will see you through periods of testing and growth. Upward growth occurs in cycles that build upon each other in an ascending spiral of capacity and understanding. They are often not easy, but they are always beneficial. As you walk the path of righteousness, you will grow in strength, understanding, and self-esteem. You will discover hidden talents and unknown capacities. The whole course of your life may be altered for your happiness and the Lord’s purposes. Success in the Upward Spiral Elder Richard G. Scott
- 13. We know that we are not transformed into Christlike beings overnight. As Joseph Smith said, “No man ever arrived in a moment.” We are changed degree by degree in the process of time as we grow in faith, repent, participate in ordinances, and receive ever- greater endowments of the Spirit in our lives. Receiving greater endowments of the Spirit always increases our faith, and the cycle continues. The Lord describes His course as “one eternal round,” but I don’t think He intends for us to just go around in circles. I have found it helpful to visualize this journey not as a linear path but as a continuing upward cycle—a spiral staircase, if you will. The Cycle Continues Douglas D. Holmes, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, delivered this devotional address on January 17, 2017.
- 14. “This image came to me most clearly when I first saw the spiral staircase in the Nauvoo Temple. This image gives me hope and perspective that I can make the journey to come unto Christ by diligently and repeatedly applying His doctrine in my life. Step by step and degree by degree I can continue in the course of the Lord—His eternal round—and His grace can carry me upward. Can you see how viewing the doctrine of Christ as a continuing upward cycle can deepen His influence in our lives and bring focus and hope to our journey to be with Him and be like Him? This is the doctrine of Christ and the only way we come unto Him and are perfected in Him.” The Cycle Continues
- 15. “There is a final critical aspect of the doctrine of Christ that I must mention. Every process needs fuel to keep it going, and this one is no different. In this case, the word of God provides the fuel. The light of the word ignites our faith and then continues to increase our faith as we feast on and obey it. Speaking of our journey on this path, Nephi testified, “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ”; we need to “press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ” if we are to endure to the end. Like fuel in our vehicles or carbohydrates in our bodies, we need constant nourishment by the word of God—the iron rod—to move us along the path. Thus the word becomes the center post of our spiral staircase that we hold to as we progress upward. “Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media.” Feasting on the Word Douglas D. Holmes, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, delivered this devotional address on January 17, 2017.
- 16. Plant the seed Water and Nourish Care for the Plant Harvest Desire to learn A Pattern for Learning (5) “Seek learning by study and by faith” (D&C 88: 118) Alma 32 “Faith is like a seed”
- 17. “Consider how a farmer depends upon the unchanging pattern of planting and harvesting. Understanding the connection between sowing and reaping is a constant source of purpose and influences all of the decisions and actions a farmer undertakes in all seasons of the year. In like manner, the inseparable connection between the ordinances of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost should impact every aspect of our discipleship in all seasons of our lives.” The Power of Covenants Elder David A. Bednar, April 2016 General Conference
- 18. The Small and Simple Pattern A Pattern of Consistency The Revelation Pattern The Progression Pattern The Upward Spiral – fueled by: Feasting on the Word of God Keeping our Covenants Patterns in Education
- 19. #5: “The pentagon represents life, regeneration, procreation, power (priesthood). The Pentagram represents excellence, grace, brilliance, and power.” “The Spiral represents cycles and balance.” #7: “Seven represents fullness, completion, purification, sanctification, entire, rest, gifts” (Tresta K. Neil) The 7-12 Connection: Illustrated in the modern seven-note diatonic and twelve-note chromatic musical scales, a sequence of 12 notes along the spiral of fifths. (Schneider) The Process: 5, 7, 7-12 connection
- 20. Organizing with Patterns Cycles are prevalent in both the natural world and the scriptures. Observation of both nature and history gives several examples of cycles: • 24 hour day • 7 days in a week with every seventh day being the Sabbath for rest and worship • Cycles of the moon and the division of the months • Four seasons in the year • Holidays that occur once a year • Jewish festivals at the same time of the year each year • General Conference occurs twice a year, at the same time of the year each year Cycles within the Spiral
- 21. Incorporate the divine pattern for learning into your homeschool Create a master plan of daily, weekly, monthly, semi- annual, yearly cycles “Structure time, not content” Be consistent Progression and learning are optimized when we plan daily activities and seasonal goals to harmonize with the cycles within the spiral patterns of natural law. Organize Yourselves . . .
- 22. Morning Devotional: (20-60 minutes) “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” 2 Nephi 25:26 Daily Routines
- 23. A consistent morning devotional invites all the other patterns into learning and progression A pattern of consistency The Revelation Pattern The Progression Pattern The Upward Spiral The daily, weekly, and monthly cycles By Small and Simple Things
- 24. Five Elements to Nourish the Heart Song: This includes all music, including all rhythms, dance, and movements associated with it. Music warms the heart and prepares the soul for more teaching. Symbol: This category includes both artwork and symbolism. Symbols are the key to getting students to think on their own, to become independent in their learning and thinking. Service: Everyone needs to feel they are valued and needed, and that they can make a contribution that other people will value. Even the smallest child can learn to serve according to their abilities. Service is part of learning. Story: This category includes all literature, both story and poetry. Spirit: This category includes all activities we engage in to connect to our spiritual natures. Three specific activities include prayer, scripture study and nature study.
- 25. Choose activities and learning opportunities that occur weekly. Remember the Sabbath and the sacrament. Elder David A. Bednar: “The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually . . .as we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. We truly are blessed each week by the opportunity to evaluate our lives through the ordinance of the sacrament, to renew our covenants, and to receive this covenant promise.” Weekly Cycle
- 26. Monthly Cycle • Choose topics for monthly study • 12 Attributes of the Divine Nature: The Savior is the perfect example of each of these attributes. As we learn from His example, our faith in Him will increase and our discipleship will be better strengthened See MightHealing.blogspot.com for Divine Nature Resource Guides
- 27. This simple model of the Garden Allegory contains metaphors that are easily understood by the beginning teacher and yet deep enough to provide educational insights for a lifetime. As we observe nature we discover this process happens naturally. 5 Points of Learning See HearthstonePlan.org – Five Points of Learning
- 28. 1. Define Principle or Concept Students are allowed to choose a topic that interests them. Mentors and teachers may also identify and define the principle that will be studied during the next week. Seed Selection
- 29. Soil Preparation and Planting 2. Discovery Inspire and allow students to explore and ask questions. Word prompts to encourage a variety of questions: what, why, when, where, who, was, which, would, were, how, is, do, does, did, may, are, could, shall, will, can, have, if The discovery phase is enhanced by family dinner discussions, the telling of related stories, field trips, and other learning projects.
- 30. Nourish the Plants 3. Skill Practice & Service Every gardener knows that seeds must be nourished and watered during the season if the plants are going to grow to their full potential. Educational seeds must also be nourished. Students, parents, and teachers may work together to design learning experience s and allow plenty of time for practice of the principle or concept being studied.
- 31. Pulling out the Weeds 4. Evaluate, Organize & Apply During this step, students practice discerning truth from error, organizing their thoughts, and applying the principles to everyday life. Through evaluation, discussion, and story problems, students discover how and when to apply the principles most effectively.
- 32. Share the Harvest 5. Create After students have discovered and understood a principle at a deeper level, they are invited to think of a creative, interesting way to share their new knowledge with their class, relatives, and friends. They are encouraged to prepare a presentation with visual aids, write a speech or a poem, create a piece of artwork, etc.
- 33. Capture the Sunshine Capture the Sunshine: An image of a sun is in the middle of the Five Points of Learning graphic to remind teachers and mentors of the importance of learning in an environment of light and truth. As students participate in the cycle, parents and teachers can provide guidance and encouragement to: • Search scriptures related to the topic to discover more truth • Express gratitude and reverence for the creative miracles that they witness • Invite beauty and art into learning experiences • Seek inspiration from God on the topic
- 34. Seasonal Cycles See HearthstonePlan.org – Family Style History For Free Download of the History Resource Guide
- 35. Semi-Annual – General Conference “Wise goal setting includes the understanding that short-term goals are only effective if they lead to clearly understood longer-term goals. I believe that one important key to happiness is to learn how to set our own goals and establish our own plans within the framework of our Heavenly Father’s eternal plan. If we focus on this eternal path, we will inevitably qualify to return to His presence.” Elder M. Russell Ballard
- 36. I have found that to stay focused on returning and receiving the promised blessings, I need to regularly take time to ask myself, “How am I doing?” It’s kind of like having a personal, private interview with yourself. And if that sounds unusual, think about it: who in this world knows you better than you know yourself? You know your thoughts, your private actions, your desires, and your dreams, goals, and plans. And you know better than anyone how you are progressing along the road to returning and receiving. “Return and Receive”
- 37. Two documents to review at least semi-annually
- 38. Simple yearly traditions connected to the holidays are powerful influences. Consider which holidays your family will celebrate with simple traditions Easter Independence Day Thanksgiving Christmas Annual Cycles
- 39. Available as a free download in Word format. Families may edit as needed to meet personal needs. See Mightyhealing.blogspot.com Master Plan