A Liturgy of Learning

James Jordan, in his book, Primeval Saints, has a wonderful study of the manner in which worship transforms our work and enables us in turn to transform the broken, ugly and unformed into something more and more glorious.

Jordan points out that God models for us again and again the six-fold pattern for our work.

1. We lay hold on the world.
2. We give thanks.
3. We break it up and restructure it.
4. We distribute it to others.
5. We evaluate it.
6. We enjoy it.

Does this look familiar? It is the pattern of the Creation Week, of the Old Testament sacrificial system, of the Communion service, and (except for the thanksgiving part) it is a pattern that we cannot help but follow. Jordan maintains that if we, as believers, discipline ourselves to give thanks, it is the pattern for dominion, for cultural revitalization.

Let us apply this thinking to teaching and training our children.

1. We lay hold on our child and some subject matter - say math.
2. We give thanks. (Isn't this key? At my house there is a good deal of whining from the natural man when math is the subject.)
3. We break it down and restructure it. (So we use small, logical pieces, turning them this way and that so that our children can grasp the concepts no matter what their learning style.)
4. We distribute it. (When we have found the perspective that works for that child, we give it to them to apply to further problems. If we really want things to stick in their minds, we make opportunities for them to distribute this concept to someone else - perhaps by tutoring a younger sibling or by creating some interesting display)
5. We evalutate it. (We check those practice problems, see if the machine works, taste the sauce....)
6. We enjoy it. (Now, we finish the whole problem set with more ease, let the machine work for us, eat the whole dinner...)

And before we have done, we would do well to point out that this is the way they will be able to conquer any subject.