Getting Ready to Teach

KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES
First of all, one needs to decide what their overall teaching objectives will be, as well as objectives for each subject for each school year. It helps to get out a piece of paper and list what it is you wish your children to learn. From experience, I'd say keep it simple for the younger set, listing the most essentials such as Bhagavad gita, Reading, Writing, and Math.

CHOOSING MATERIALS
Choose materials that aid your overall objectives and share similar values, worldview, etc. For example, in choosing reading materials, ask yourself, "Is it worth reading? writing? memorizing?" Also watch out for "Educational Clutter", explained by clicking here.

Keep in mind that a small amount of disagreeable subject matter, for example a chapter on meat eating in an otherwise acceptable health book, can be purified by rewriting or omitting altogether and perhaps replacing with acceptable materials, as in this case, assigning the chapter on vegetarianism from the Vaisnava cookbook, "A Higher Taste" to be read by the student instead.

Also pick and choose all supplementary activities and materials needed to add interest, drill concepts, etc. for each subject. For example, there are many manipulatives that may be purchased or homemade as aids for teaching the math concepts presented in a text.

CREATING YEARLY OBJECTIVES FOR EACH SUBJECT
Before each new school year, look at the materials chosen for each subject and make a list of the objectives for that subject. For example, the spelling book purchased will cover a variety of spelling rules and skills for using a dictionary. It helps to take stock of what it is you'll be teaching. Make a list of these, especially the ones that are the most useful or essential. Utilize such lists regularly for checking off what's been covered and what needs work. That way you don't have to become a slave to a textbook. You can pick and choose what best aids your teaching objectives. You can make a book fit the student. You don’t have to do everything. Some things may feel unnecessary at a certain time. You may feel they will even confuse the student, or you disagree with the presentation and have a better way. Often a lot of material and illustrations are covered in a lesson, especially as students get older. Therefore stick to the objectives, what will be on your assessment afterwards. No worries that they will miss anything because everything gets repeated and built upon year after year anyway.

INTEGRATING SUBJECTS
Furthermore, with this awareness of what it is you are trying to teach, the study skills taught in one class can be easily practiced in another. For example, if a student just had an English lesson on starting sentences with a capital letter, you can reinforce it by dictating a few sentences during his spelling test, thus requiring the use of the previous English lesson. Integrate subjects if possible, to save time and reinforce a lesson. Somehow or other, every subject can be related to another. But remember, it’s no crime to teach these separately and integrate them only to add interest and extra practice.

WEEKLY LESSON PLANS
It is important to plan ahead the lessons for each school week. Decide what you will teach in each lesson for each subject to be covered and why. Decide how you will teach it, that is, how you will present it and make it memorable and what materials you will need. Decide also how you will know it was taught or how you will evaluate the students' understanding.

Before each new lesson also, it is best to allot time for a quick review of previous and past lessons as needed, then you may introduce the new lesson, attack the main body of the lesson, then quickly sum it all up before giving any students assignments and other ways of feedback.

APPLYING THE METHOD OF "CONTEXT STUDIES"
Context Studies is the gathering of factual information from a text, simply noting the information given in a section studied and what categories that it belongs to. It may be written or noted mentally as in deciding how to make a lesson plan, supplement a lesson or used as a springboard for further research and learning.

When you pick up a children's book to inspect, for example, it will no longer be a trivial amusement. "Curious George" will suddenly become a lesson in the category of "Social Studies" and its various sub categories such as community, places, various jobs... This could lead to a comparison of jungle and city life. It gives information about relationships, and gives context to the word "curious"
(Although the illustrations are charming, the man with the yellow hat or George himself are found smoking a pipe. Could that make one "curious" about smoking?).

KNOWLEDGE BUILDS UPON KNOWLEDGE
Teach first things first. Often background information is needed to do an assignment. What is the setting? What new words should students be aware of? What do the student's already know about the topic?

And a good teacher is like a good cook. It is recommended to make the lessons short, varied and appetizing. In other words, don’t try to teach too much in one lesson. Break down lessons into bite size pieces. Student's will learn more and you’ll keep their attention better.

THE BALANCING ACT
Time is short. Select what is most essential for life. The most important job is to inspire student's to learn. The best way to do that is by giving them the most essential education, a taste for devotional service. Then student's will naturally become inspired to do the needful, to learn whatever they must in order to serve Lord Chaitanya's sankirtana movement.

Keep in mind, therefore, that you don't have to do everything in a textbook, or cover every subject other schools cover. Focus on quality instead of quantity such as a taste for chanting Hare Krishna in the association of devotees. Happy children will become inspired to learn. A clean heart is the most receptive to good instruction.

After some years of experience in teaching, instead of searching for more art projects, more writing prompts, more activities, more this, more that, use what you have and teach what you already know. Human life is meant for self realization, for hearing and chanting about the Lord. Stick to essentials.

And try to keep a balanced workload for students. For example, they may be doing a lot of writing already in Bhagavad gita class, so not every English class has to have extra writing. There may be oral drills instead. This is especially true with younger children. Older children can handle more.

Also take into consideration that, unless written specifically for homeschoolers, textbooks are written for a classroom of students of various levels of ability. They have much material because there may be children who are coming across the material for the first time and will need extra practice or there are faster students who simply need something to do. Tutoring a child one-on-one is different. When using such a text, you can skip what the child already knows.

Ideally do an assignment yourself (especially the ones you're not sure about), such as writing a poem that is assigned in the text, to foresee problems to warn the students about, formulate helpful tips, decide how much time to allot, or perhaps think of better topics to write on. It’s a great way to improve your writing and deepen your knowledge and learning as well.

If memory of a subject is poor, learn your subjects along with your students and learn ahead whenever possible.

No time for lesson plans? Most homeschoolers opt for a prepackaged curriculum. There will still be objectionable materials to deal with, so it is a good idea to preview everything ahead of time.

Beware of Educational Clutter

Notes from the book, "Schoolproof" by Mary Pride

Two goals are presented in this book- a heart submitted to God, and a service attitude or ability.

Motivational tools are discussed such as the atmosphere or environment for learning in, the discipline of habit, and the presentation of living ideas (the Absolute Truth). Also how discipline can become a game. Ideas are given that changes work into a game in order to motivate students.

The author describes the input stage of teaching which is similar to the grammar stage in the Classical Method of Education. The input stage includes the child's learning to obey, and to follow oral and then written directions. This builds up to the student being able to follow instruction on his own, gradually becoming an independent learner, thus freeing one to help younger students. This is a key point presented in this book, culminating with the most mature student making up his own course of study with help, and finally inventing and following his own course of study without help. Pride points out that most people today need to sign up for a course to force themselves to learn, but homeschool kids have the chance to learn how to motivate themselves.

In her chapter "Multiply and Conquer"- CDs, videos and TV, computers, kids teaching kids, lots of books- all these can be used as assistant teachers, but the best education is simply to read, read, read and write, write write. The author includes the quote by Richard Mitchell, "A magnificent education, as countless examples attest, can come from nothing more than reading and writing."and finishes up with the advice to "Use books as your fellow teachers." They are our silent assistants in homeschooling. "Give them books...and let them alone." Pride continues, "This one simple thing will schoolproof your children more thoroughly than any other."

The title "Schoolproof" therefore means to protect one and one's family from the modern educational system.

Besides the very helpful list summarizing the various ways for presenting and evaluating lessons, I found the chapter "Education Clutter" to be especially helpful. Pride writes, "The reader (of teacher magazines) is flooded with brilliant ideas for doing silly things." This chapter made me realize how education, which really can be a very simple thing, has boomed into a huge business, fed by the modes of passion and ignorance. Just step into one homeschool book selling exhibition and you'll see the anxiety on the faces of newbie homeschoolers. It is that overwhelming, and a book like "Schoolproof" helps one see through the nonsense or fluff and get to the heart of what a real education should be.

Pride suggests that you can identify educational clutter by asking a few simple questions:
1. What am I trying to teach?
2. Is it worth it?
3. Does what I am doing match the goal?
4. Is what I am doing worth the time it takes?
5. "Why is Kate studying this? Why should anyone study this?"

"Your job", she writes, "is to pick the simplest way to present a given lesson and stick to it."

The Classical Method

Notes from The Well Trained Mind, A Guide to
Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Bauer
(the order of these notes have been slightly adapted to whatI feel makes more sense)

This fairly popular homeschool book I picked up in a thrift store second hand. It taught me about the classical teaching method and gave more information on the use of narration in various subjects.

The Classical Education Method consists of the Trivium or three natural stages of learning:

THE GRAMMAR STAGE (grades 1-4);
This is the time for students' gathering information, laying the groundwork or foundation for future learning, the teaching of facts.

"Young children are described as sponges because they soak up knowledge. But there’s another side to the metaphor. Squeeze a dry sponge, and nothing comes out. First the sponge has to be filled.

Language teacher Ruth Beechick also stated in agreement: "Our society is so obsessed with creativity that people want children to be creative before they have any knowledge or skill to be creative with."

Your job, therefore, during these elementary years, is to supply the knowledge and skills that will allow creativity as the child matures.

THE LOGIC STAGE- (grades 5-8).
This is the stage for teaching logical and analytical thinking for students (outlining, literary analysis, and so on)to be able to sort and put to order all the information given in the grammar stage, make connections, ask "Why?", and see relationships.

To aid this organization, the subjects are divided into logical parts. For example, the study of the human body can be divided by systems. The teacher should help children organize material in this way. Organization of information is the primary point of the logic stage.

Your job is to supply mental pegs on which information can be hung.

THE RHETORIC STAGE (9+)
Rhetoric is persuasive language or argument. The negative connotation would be "fluff". This stage involves the expression of what has been collected and organized. It is dealing with ideas instead of just facts

The authors add that when planning lessons the goal is to teach children how to learn for a lifetime of learning. Content is accumulated gradually over a lifetime.

Always spend as much time on one level as you need and progress on to the next level only when your child has mastered a level.

Adjust the time you spend on each subject so that you can concentrate on weaker areas.

Athough I didn't follow exactly the program outlined in this book, I did find the above information useful. For example, in teaching Bhagavad gita to children it is helpful from early on to give them much facts and information they will find helpful when they actually begin reading the book at an older level. I started with stories from the Mahabharata for children to give them background information where the teachings of the Gita took place. I started giving them information about the 5 topics covered in Bhagavad gita, beginning with the simpleset terms of understanding and working from there.

Otherwise, this book's recommendations for study are extremely mundane academically oriented. I would not recommend a strict following of their teaching suggestions.

Learning About Learning

A good education doesn't necessarily imply going to schools or colleges. One can learn so much on their own. The best thing is to have a strong desire or need to learn and to know how to read, study and get information. Our primary job, therefore, is to inspire children enough that will be wanting to learn all they need on their own and know how to go about it.

MAKE IF FUN
All of us, not just children, should have a chance to play with information before we are expected to master it. Ample art supplies, pads of paper beckon to be experimented with. Listening to music and plenty of chances to sing can develop a good ear for singing on key long before any formal music instruction. An inexpensive set of play money is a fun introduction before children must settle down to working out money problems in a math class.

BOOKS AS TEACHERS
Every book we read is like a course in school and the author is the teacher. Study a book, apply it, study some more, and so on. Then we may read another book (or use some other related resource) on the same subject for a repetition of the topics previously covered as well as broadening the viewpoint already gained.

Get what you can out of a book or course, even if it may be above your capability at the time, and after such an acquaintance, one has the option of working through it again and yet again, if it is a really good book, gleaning from it with more and more understanding. Or one may continue on to other sources related to the subject to broaden, deepen, apply, and continue in understanding.

When questions arise beyond a text, find and ask an available expert on the subject involved. Sometimes you may even be able to write to an author directly. Continuous questions beyond personal study can be answered in no better way. We need teachers when we have specific questions so that there is no misunderstanding. Learning from a person is the superior, descending process for acquiring knowledge. Is it not far easier and time saving to ask someone something than to continue to research and to speculate?

REPETITION
Repetition or drill is essential but doesn’t have to be boring. There is a a variety of activities and methods- supplementary reading, workbooks, games, computer software, tapes, educational television or video, field trips, experiments, travels, interviews...these are all ways to reinforce the lessons learned.

Balance instruction with practice - Read, read, read. Write, write, write. There is no better way to learn these two things. Practice reading, writing, other study skills with any subject. Then knowledge becomes practical and satisfying.

MAKE IT MEMORABLE
The #1 rule about study is to do something with the material to make it memorable and fix it in the mind. Take notes, outline, draw, diagram, watch a video on Youtube, recite, narrate, create. etc. Even if one just takes notes and throws them away later -doing something, anything - aids retention. Read, Listen. Write, Speak, Observe, and Do...

TO WRITE IS TO REMEMBER
Whether it's taking notes, summarizing, writing a precis, or outlining, writing is especially helpful and perhaps the simplest aid for retaining knowledge.

LEARNING ALL THE TIME
Actually, every moment and all of life is an opportunity for learning. It goes on 24 hrs. and is year round. Discussion easily overflows beyond reading together, on to meal time and bedtime, or during walks and ordinary talks. A family outing become geography and nature study. Baking bread or changing a diaper are considered Life Skills. Looking at a photo album of baby pictures easily becomes a review of Bhagavad gita chapter 2. Watching a documentary teaches history, geography and gives a virtual field trip all at once. Going shopping can sharpen math or consumer math skills. Washing and dressing a cut teaches first aid. Reading and discussing a story's main character becomes a lesson on good manners. Even difficult moments in our relationships are an important learning time for getting along.

DON'T FORGET THE GOAL
Learning is a springboard for more learning. A mother wrote, “Children love to learn. It is as natural to them as breathing. They have an incredible hunger to explore their world and examine what is interesting to them. They learn by following their interests, with one interest leading to another. This is the way we all learned before going to school and the way we continue to learn after we leave school...It is a life-long process.”

Our knowledge is either increasing or deepening. This thirst for knowledge must lead to Krishna consciousness and/or be engaged in His service. That is the perfection of all knowledge. In our studies we can see how vasudeva sarvam iti - Vasudeva, Krishna, is everything!

GOOD QUOTES
“Education is too important to be left solely to the educators.”

“Repetition of something is necessary in order that we understand the matter thoroughly, without error.” Bg 2.25

“(His) brain could absorb knowledge by persistent drilling.” - story of Kalidasa

“Every man I meet is my superior in some way, in that I learn from him.” - Emerson

“Actually many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” -Bg 7.19

“You can lead a boy to college, but you cannot make him think.” - source unknown

“In the end, the secret to learning is so simple: forget about it. Think only about whatever you love. Follow it, do it, dream about it. One day, you will glance up at your collection of literature or trip over the solar oven you built, and it will hit you: learning was there all the time, happening by itself.” - Grace Llewellyn

“Education is not a preparation for life, education is life itself.” John Dewey
 

Positive Communication Examples

These were collected from parenting books and periodicals* for improving communication with one's children. They may be useful for learning to state corrections and requests in a positive, constructive way, and to avoid hiding them in endless verbiage.

Instead of saying, “Don’t jump on the couch.”
tell why it's important: “We take care of our couch by not jumping on it. So it will not become dirty or damaged.”

Instead of ”I don’t like you when you are bad”
focus on the behavior rather than the person...”I love you...but I do not like the way you are acting.”

Instead of a command, “Pick up your things”
A statement makes surrender easier: “I want/need you to pick up your things.”

Instead of questions like “When are you going to be more responsible?
Make your wishes known: "I can’t serve dinner until this room gets straightened up.”

Instead of “What do you mean, ‘I have to take you’? You sound like a spoiled brat.”
Talk about your feelings:”I don't like being told ‘I have to do’ anything- What I’d like to hear is ‘Dad, I’m ready to go Can you take me now?’”

Instead of....”You haven’t fixed your bed all day. You don’t deserve to have your own room.”
Describe the problem: ”I see that your bed still needs fixing.” Information is a lot easier to take than accusations.

Instead of "Who left the milk out?"
Give information "Milk left out will spoil."

Instead of “Ooh! You’re going to get it when your father gets home!
Point out a way to be helpful- “It would be helpful if you picked out three big lemons for us.”

Instead of...”You’re acting like a wild animal! No TV for you tonight!
Express strong disapproval without attacking the child’s character: ”I don’t like what’s going on! It’s disturbing to shoppers when children run in the he aisles”

Instead of ..”If I catch you running again, you’ll get a smack”
Give a choice..”No running. Here are your choices: you can walk or you can sit in the shopping cart. You decide.”

Instead of “You asked for it ! (spanking)
Take action (remove and restrain):”I see you decided to sit in the cart.”

Instead of “Time for your bath”
Try: “It’s time for your toy duck to have a swim.”

Instead of “bedtime”
Say “Let’s hurry and get ready for bed so we can hear a story.”

Instead of “You should try harder”
Say “Why don’t you (or we) try it this way?”

Instead of “Why cant you be more like...?”
Say: “You’re good at ..... That’s great. But what we need to work on is helping you with....”

Instead of “Do that again and you’ll be sorry.”
Say: “Stop doing that now!”

Instead of: “If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a hundred times.”
Say: “Clearly this isn’t working. What do you think would help the situation?”

Instead of: “Did you win?”
Say: “Did you have fun? Did you learn something?”

Instead: of “I’m so mad at you.”
Say: “I’m angry at you because...and I was very worried.”

(Child says “I hate you!” ) Instead of saying: “You’re driving me nuts, too!”
Say: “I’m sorry you don’t like it, but this is the way it has to be.”

Instead of: “I heard that!”
Say: “Why are you talking that way?”

Instead of: “Shut up!”
Say: “The rule in this house is that we talk respectfully. A devotee is respectful."

Instead of: “What did you say?”
Say “How would you feel if someone said that to you?”

Instead of “Don’t you dare use that tone with me!”
Say “I can’t respond to your tone.”

YOU AND I MESSAGES
“You” messages contain a heavy component of blame, judgment, evaluation, threat, power, or put downs. Here are the most common type of “You”-messages:

“You clean up that mess” (ordering)
“If you don’t stop that, you’ll go to your room” (warning)
‘You could go outside and play” (advising)
“You ought to know better” (moralizing)
“You are acting like a baby” (evaluating)
“You are just showing off” (psychoanalyzing)
“You need to learn about courtesy” (teaching)
“You are driving me to an early grave” (inducing guilt)
“Look at these gray hair you have caused me” (blaming)

Instead of influencing kids to change, “You”-messages make children defensive and resistive to change. ..

“I” -messages, on the other hand, are much less apt to provoke resistance to change. When kids hear that their parents are hurting, their natural desire to help out emerges. Furthermore, when kids are not put down or blamed for having their needs, they are much more willing to be consider of their parents needs. It’s possible to cooperate with someone who is expressing irritation or anger, as long as you’re not being attacked.

For example, instead of yelling, "Stop the racket. You're giving me a headache." Try saying. "I'm not feeling well today. I really need some peace and quiet."

TACTICS FOR INVOKING COOPERATION
Give Advanced Notice - "In ten minutes we are going inside."
Compromise- for example, agreeing to allow play outside a few more minutes before they must come inside.
More choices- "You can choose to walk inside or I'll carry you in ."

MORE INCENTIVES:
“When your teeth are brushed, you can stay up an extra ten minutes”
OR “When the toys are picked up, I’ll read a story to you”
OR “When your homework is finished, you may go outside.”

It is important not to confuse incentives with bribes. A bribe says “If”, not "when".

Instead of accepting the answer “Ok” or “I’ll do it soon.” Ask “How soon?” Get an exact time and then remind them if they don’t do it.

After reading this list one may become more aware of positive and negative forms of communication along with noticing your similar examples.

*Most of these came from the book (highly recommended) "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen, How To Listen So Kids Will Talk" by authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish as well as Parent's Magazine. Some were adapted.

Knowledge and Education

What is knowledge? And what is real education? Some thoughts:

SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE
Transcendental knowledge is the most important. It is received through disciplic succession, from anyone who knows the science of Krsna, and combined with the blessings of guru and Krishna, it gives many benefits such as spiritual power, true self-esteem, greater happiness, freedom, and protection from exploitation. It destroys ignorance and material attachment, the root of all suffering, and alleviates all anxieties. It cannot be stolen or lost, and it increases when given to others. It gives self realization, or the understanding of our true position as Krishna's eternal loving servant, which culminates in a loving relationship with the Lord (Bg 4.10).

LORD KRSNA DESCRIBES REAL KNOWLEDGE
In Bhagavad gita 13.8-12 Lord Krsna states the symptoms of actual knowledge and says that "besides this, whatever there may be is ignorance":
humility
pridelessness
nonviolence
tolerance
simplicity
approaching a bona fide spiritual master
cleanliness
steadiness
self-control
renunciation of the objects of sense gratification
absence of false ego
the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease
nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest
even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events
constant and unalloyed devotion to Krsna
resorting to solitary places
detachment from the general mass of people
accepting the importance of self-realization
philosophical search for the Absolute Truth

MATERIAL KNOWLEDGE
This type of knowledge is based on the material body, it does not get beyond eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. It has no lasting value. It cannot save us from the threefold miseries of material existence- from repeated birth and death.

It is understood that in the process of seeking the Absolute Truth, truth can be found everywhere, mundane literature included, by searching for it. Yet, for one who has found the Absolute Truth, Lord Krsna, all such literature suddenly becomes a big distraction of maya, an annoyance, a waste of precious time. Mundane knowledge without relation to Krsna’s service increases our ignorance because it distracts or leads us away from Krsna. Such ignorance translates into anxiety.

Furthermore, the heart must be receptive to good instruction. There are so many books that teach children good behavior, have some moral, and so on, but unless the heart is first cleansed, there is no lasting attraction for this, no attraction for goodness.. Morality remains artificial or self serving without proper purification of heart.

UTILITY IS THE PRINCIPLE
Sri Isopanisad 11 says:
"Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessing of immortality."

Any knowledge not connected to Krsna’s service is dry and useless. It is like having so many zeroes. But if you have zeroes and put a one in front of them- that one being Krsna -thus utilizing everything for His service, then the zeroes have value.

So one who already has so much academic training, he can "fight fire with fire" as the saying goes. Dhrstadyumna, for example, utilized the expert military arrangements he learned from Dronacarya, who was on the enemy's side.

Then there is the story about a snake and a mouse. The snake did not eat the mouse until after the mouse did all the work of gnawing a hole through a hunter's bag in which both the snake and mouse were held captive. Similarly, while utilizing material knowledge gained for Krsna’s service, we can ultimately defeat materialistic society.

Srila Prabhupada cites also the story of the lame man being carried by the blind man. Modern civilization may act as the vehicle to carry forward the Krsna consciousness movement. For example, thanks to modern communication such as computers and cameras, Krsna consciousness is spreading rapidly.

Thus we learn about the world for the sake of preaching, and we may gain practical, useful knowledge to utilize in Krsna’s service.

Furthermore, one should know how to study and how to learn. Good study habits enhance the pleasure of studying Srila Prabhupada's books which in turn gives motivation to do so.

BALANCE
Time is short, therefore one does not want to waste time studying unnecessary things or studying excessively. There is the pitfall of becoming an information addict. The Internet, for example, is like a bottomless pit of information, and it is the nature of material consciousness to always want to hear something new or novel. The mode of passion is greedy and never satiated.

For balance, study should be regulated and we must be alert to select the most important learning - especially the books given by Srila Prabhupada. Canakya Pandita wrote:

“Shastric knowledge is unlimited , the arts to be learned are many; the time we have is short and our opportunities to learn are beset with obstacles. Therefore select for learning that which is most important, just as the swan drinks only the milk in the water.”

In other words, take time out to read and study Srila Prabhupada's books everyday. You can do this by both private study and reading aloud with family at meal times, story time, and bed time, too.

"It is understood that one must be very fortunate to hear krishna-kathä as seriously as Mahäräja Pariksit did. He was especially intent on the subject matter because he was expecting death at any moment. Every one of us should be conscious of death at every moment. This life is not at all assured; at any time one can die. It does not matter whether one is a young man or an old man. So before death takes place, we must be fully Krishna conscious."

MORE GOOD QUOTES:
“There are different types of knowledge. We are interested in ordinary knowledge for economic benefit, but that is not actual knowledge. That is the art of livelihood. One may study to be an electrician and earn his livelihood by repairing electric lines. This kind of knowledge is called silpa jnana. Real knowledge, however, is Vedic knowledge, knowing oneself, what one is and what God is and understanding one’s relationship with God, and one’s duty.”-SB 3.25.8 lecture, 11/8/74, Bombay

“Human life is meant for achieving knowledge and vairagya.”--Bg 13.5 lecture, 9/28/73, Bombay

"However great one may be in the estimation of mundane education and learning, he cannot be free from the influence of psychic activities. Therefore it is very difficult to give up lust and the desires for low activities until one is in the line of devotional service to the Lord. -SB 3.12.26p

" When there is burden on your head, and the burden is taken away you feel relieved, similarly, this ignorance that 'I am this body' is a great burden, a burden upon us. So when you get out of this burden, then you feel relieved. Brahma-bhütah prasannätmä [Bg. 18.54]. Means when actually one understands that 'I am not this body; I am soul,'...so he gets relief that 'Why I am working so hard for this lump of material things? Let me execute my real necessity of life, spiritual life.' That is great relief. That is great relief. Brahma-bhütah prasannätmä na socati na känksati [Bg. 18.54]. The relief means there is hankering, no more lamentation"--Bg 2.25, 8/28/73, London

“Education means to become human being.” --SB 6.1.56-57, 8/14/75, Bombay

mätr-vat para-däresu
para-dravyesu lostra-vat
ätma-vat sarva-bhütesu
yah pasyati sa panditäh
"The educated man sees another's wife as his mother and another's property as untouchable garbage, and he sees all others as equal to himself.

"That is taught by Cänakya Pandita. Mätr-vat para-däresu. Woman should be addressed as “mother.” And para-dravyesu lostra-vat: and others’ property should be accepted as some pebbles on the street—nobody cares for it. If some pebbles, some stones, are thrown on the street, nobody cares for it. Garbage. So nobody should touch others’ property. Nowadays the education is how to make friendship with others’ wife and how to take away others’ money by tricks. This is not education.” --SB 6.1.56-57 lecture, 8/14/75, Bombay

"Our gurukula means how to teach them to become self-controlled. That is first business. This literary education secondary, grammar secondary... If one has to rise early in the morning, attend the mangala-ärati, sitting in the class and reading Bhagavad-gitä, chanting Hare Krishna... There is no need of examination. If he is doing, then it is examination passed."- Room conversation, 1/5/, Bombay

"These children who are here, even imitation, it will not go in vain. Krishna is so kind..... Although they are innocent children, but when they’re offering obeisances to Rädhä-Mädhava it is of value...It is going to their credit... Some may think that these boys are brought here and their life is being spoiled. They are not being educated in the modern way, they’re simply chanting, dancing and offering, but that is the real education... the devotional service. ....They are being first-class educated, these boys... simply by chanting and dance." --SB 7.9.5 lecture, 2/12/76, Mayapur

"'The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brähmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater.' That is a learned man. Not this degree-holder. A degree-holder who has no tapasya and no character—Krishna says he is mäyayäpahrta-jnänä, 'his knowledge is stolen by illusion.' Although he has learned so many things, nonetheless, mäyä has taken away his (real) knowledge. He's a rascal. He's an animal. This is the perspective of Vedic civilization." -6/28/76, Vrndavana

“If you learn science or philosophy you have to approach some person who knows the science…but the greatest scientist, the greatest philosopher is Krsna. He’s within your heart…And He says…’Anyone who is sincere devotee…I give him education, intelligence. I make him scientist, philosopher.’…What kind of science?…spiritual science 'I teach Him personally.'” (Bg10/10)--lecture CC Adi lila 1-05, Mayapur 3/29/75

"Krishna began this teaching to Arjuna first of all.... 'You are talking like learned scholar, but you are lamenting on the body, which is not at all important.' ... Do not be very much serious about this body. The soul is the subject matter to be considered. But the modern civilization, they are concerned with this body. Just the opposite." Bg 2.25 lecture, 8/28/73, London

“The modern education, they think this body is everything.” Bg 1.28-29 lecture,7/22/73, London

Out of madness they frankly say that there is no need for self-realization because they do not realize that this brief life is but a moment on our great journey towards self-realization. The whole system of education is geared to sense gratification, and if a learned man thinks it over, he sees that the children of this age are being intentionally sent to the slaughterhouses of so-called education. SB 1.1.22p

“Don’t be disturbed that 'My child is not being educated.' What is this education? This education, this bodily concept of life, it is not education. That 'I am this body,' 'I am Indian,' 'I am American,'... 'I am white,' 'I am black.' This education, the whole world this education is going on, nationalism. In the name of nationalism, communism, socialism. They are all bodily concept of life. That is not education. That education is useless, because this kind of education will not stop the process of birth, death, old age and disease. They may be technical education, temporary, some bodily comfort, but this is not taken as education.”--SB 7.9.5 lecture, 2/12/76, Mayapur

“If one does not understand what is God, his education is useless. It has no meaning. What is that education? Will that education save him from death? Then what is the value of his education? Your real problem is birth, death, old age, and disease. Can this material education stop it? “ morning walk, 5/23/75, Mayapur

"Academic knowledge, scholarship, high position, etc., are all useless in solving the problems of life; help can be given only by a spiritual master like Krishna.." --Bg 2.8p

“So far geography and history are concerned, you may teach geography as it is, there is no harm to getting knowledge about our material earth planet, even up to learning all of the countries and places, names, landscape, production, natural resources, climates, oceans, deserts, everything should be there. Krsna Consciousness devotees shall not be known as fools. All of you nice boys and girls have had that kind of education, and you are preaching now Krsna consciousness in its pure form, so there is no hindrance for learning such things, just as you have also learned them as child. So teach them in this way, exactly as you have also been taught geography, history and other things.” --letter to Dinatarini 1/4/73

Why We Are So Interested in Varnashrama

An excerpt taken from the Iskcon Education Journal, by the late Sri Rama prabhu:

"Sometimes readers may wonder why the Iskcon Education Journal always runs an article or two on varnashrama. If one examines Srila Prabhupada's description of gurukula, it is readily apparent that graduates are meant to fit into a much different kind of society than most of us grew up in.

"Some of the problems experienced by our gurukulas are due to operating in uncongenial situations. It's hard to train children in Vedic principles while they are surrounded by materialistic culture in cities. At one point, Srila Prabhupada recommended that the best results could be obtained in Vrindaban, India- the most spiritual location on the planet. Prabhupada also desired varnasrama colleges in each of our centers for training adolescents and adults, and many self sufficient varnashrama rural communities.

"Those of us who have been involved in Iskcon education for a long time know that we'll not meet with complete success until we have genuine varnashrama communities in which to base our schools. Varnashrama communities are complete in themselves and provide a consistent structure and clear future path for students.

"While we are forced by necessity to educate many of our children in fundamentally unsuitable locations, we can expect an atmosphere of contradiction and compromise. Still we are trying to build a stable school system with a solid foundation of experience, while Iskcon matures and develops the varnasrama communities in which Srila Prabhupada's gurukulas will flourish.

"Therefore, we have always felt it important to keep our readers reminded of the role that varnashrama plays in the development of our educational programs-and indeed our entire Society."

Happy Holy Days

The purpose of holy days is to increase our Krishna consciousness or remembrance of Krsna and to decrease nonsense and the bodily conception of life. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura called them spiritual boosters. Whether at home or one's local temple or both, here are suggestions for encouraging an increase in devotional activity and making holy days memorable:

Have no school if possible or work on special projects and assignments such as related word searches, puzzles, drawing, coloring, writing, cards, posters, dioramas, sculpture, and various art projects...
Play Krishna conscious games related to the holy day.
Sing special songs and prayers.
Read or tell stories related to that day and the personality honored.
Watch related video shows or listen to recordings.
Do a skit or puppet show for the holy day or prepare ahead of time and get involved in a bigger drama performance for one's community.

Make a tape recording or video of the performance.
Put out a special picture. Make a garland if possible
Decorate the home altar or help with decorations at the temple.
Sew an outfit for home deities or help with the temple outfits or tulasi's skirt.
Purchase a gift for the deities- scented oil, fruits, flowers, grains, ghee...or make something for their Lordships such as a big box of ready made ghee wicks.
Cook special preps to offer at home with guests and/or your local temple.
Look for service opportunities at the temple for the whole family.
Try to attend the full temple program and festival, beginning with mangala artik.
Dress extra nicely for Lord's pleasure, preferably new clothing.
Chant extra japa.
Chant related mantras throughout the day- Sita Rama Jaya.... Jaya Jangannatha...Radhe Jaya Jaya...
Pray for the mercy from the particular personality honored.

SPECIFIC HOLY DAY IDEAS (and family traditions):
Lord Balarama’s App-offer the Lord honey
Ratha yatra- Make fresh juice daily for Their Lordships and a get well card.
Help with cart decorations and or the clean up afterward.
Govardhana Hill- cook burfi to form “rocks” for the hill.
Help build the hill.
Nrsimhadeva's appearance- Lord Nrsimhadeva loves mangoes!

MORE SUGGESTIONS
To have time to prepare, it helps to live from one major holy day to the next. That way one is less likely to miss a fast day, such as Ekadasi, and also one can plan ahead instead of waiting until the last minute what will be done to observe that day, and then delegate any preparations as needed.
Compile and keep for easy reference a list of the stories to recall on appearance days. These are nice to memorize and retell at bedtime, too.
Hearing about the person honored is especially important, to get their transcendental association.