|
Homeschool Australia
Teach your children at home!
|
Have a homeschooling question? |
|
Home educate the easy way... simplify and save time... |
|||||
| "Thank you... The information you supply is real and generous - fantastic reading. I am so inspired... Your honesty is rare. Most books do not really explain 'how' as well as you do." Tracy "I cannot seem to get enough of your writings on the whole home ed subject! You portray a lot of wisdom, knowledge and experience..." Marie "A fabulous source of information and inspiration. I am very pleased to have some of your titles on my bookshelf... providing me with wonderful, detailed information and resources." Faye |
"Every time I read your writing it feels like a pat on the shoulder, and that feels really good...Thanks!" Maaike
|
||||
|
Virtue and Character
James Barton reprinted with permission: first published in Metamorphosis: Tools for Transformation a weekly newsletter by Peter Shepard www.trans4mind.com Imagine driving a car. If the steering was misaligned and continued to pull you to the left or the right, or otherwise did not respond properly, then it would become a priority to get it fixed. Your character is far more valuable and useful to you than a car or other material object. It is natural and logical to direct some of your time, energy and attention towards the contemplation of your character. It is a principle of life that the more we study a subject the greater our knowledge and control of it grows. Let us then study character, which is at the root of all the world's problems and their solutions. All your thoughts, speech and actions (which greatly effect your circumstances) arise from the quality of your personality. Almost all personalities contain flaws and are "lopsided" to some degree. By lopsided I mean that some qualities are over extended whilst others are stunted, resulting in vices such as greed, cowardice and dishonesty, etc. Understanding and reclaiming natural virtue is at the heart of genuine self improvement. From now on, every time that you read an article about self improvement and personal success, see it in the light of the virtues. You will find that many, in effect, are describing various virtues such as bravery, persistance, spontaneity and patience, etc. When you appreciate this, you will gain a valuable overview of the whole subject of self improvement. A deep curiosity and love for the virtues will awaken. As your love and acceptence increases for the forgotten and repressed aspects of your character, they will re-integrate with you and again become available for your use. In terms of time and energy, it is much more "cost effective" (and more enjoyable) to increase your virtue than to try and force a behavior change in yourself. The increased virtue will naturally and beneficially influence a wide range of your behaviors. Some negative habits will disappear by themselves without the need for conscious effort. Dedicate a notebook to your study of the virtues. Write a list of as many virtues and vices as you can and explore how they are related to each other. You may be surprised to discover a universal pattern in them. Keep a record of the questions you have about the virtues and the insights that you gain from exploring those questions. What assumptions have you been holding about character and the virtues? Maybe some of your assumptions have been holding you back. Do not accept negative, self limiting beliefs from others who may have made absolutely no study of the subject. Instead find out for yourself with gentle persistance and a genuine, open minded curiosity. Some claim that there is a limit to character improvement and so then make no effort to improve. If you believe that there is a limit, then first reach it and then look again. You may find that the limits, which seemed so solid from a distance, melt away as you approach them. By focusing your attention on positive qualities you will be raising up your outlook on life and you will find that your character also raises up to greater levels of harmony. Examine your personality as if for the first time; try and look into deeper layers of yourself. The light of your attention will illuminate and bring to the surface many hidden treasures from within your nature. Author James Barton invites your valued comments, questions and criticism. Please visit VirtueScience.com : Character Improvement via the Virtues for more information. You may also be interested in his free ebook: " Inner Medicine " which contains new discoveries about the virtues along with practical techniques to improve character. To receive great articles like this regularly subscribe to Metamorphis through the www.trans4mind.com website. |
SEARCH this site: If you like what you
|
Please note: |
and support person Beverley no longer
takes phone call or email inquiries.
Please join one of her yahoo groups
if you want to know more about
homeschooling or have a question.
Beverley supports:
 |
Annual National |
Home Education Association
AussieHomeschool
Rockpool Homeschool
Joyous Learning
Life Learning Magazine
Parent at the Helm
books, ebooks and booklets by Beverley!
Interested in homeschooling, but still not sure? Read All You Need Is...'
Looking for educational resources?
Home Education Directory
Questions about homeschooling?
Browse the Article Library.
Wondering what to teach? See
Australian Homeschool Curriciulum
What's new on Homeschool Australia?
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Children Learning Naturally Support Group
Travelling and homeschooling? Keep in touch with
Aussie Homeschool Campers!
HEA Resource Directory
to find some of the best Australian
home education resources available!
Including...
Always Learning Books
Downunder Literature
Spiral Garden
Australian History Pictures
Home education is a legal alternative
to
school education in Australia.
State and Territory
governments
are responsible for regulating
home
education. Different states have different
requirements, however home educating
families are able to develop curriculum
and learning programs to suit the
individual
needs of their children.
For more information visit the
Home Education Association
Thank you for visiting!
Pioneering members of the home education movement in Australia, Beverley and Robin Paine are passionate advocates of true educational choice for families. They began homeschooling their children in 1986 and three years later started the South Australian Home Based Learners network.
Beverley wrote Getting Started with Homeschooling in 1995-97 and since then continues to write books and booklets on home education. She balances spending time helping home educators with working in her garden and renovating her home, as well as continuing to build her collection of writing on a variety of homeschooling subjects. Beverley maintains an extensive collection of websites as well as several Yahoo groups supporting families teaching their children at home.
In 2007 Beverley joined the HEA and became a committee member in 2008: she also edits and produce the HEA Newsletter, HEA magazine, Stepping Stones for Home Educators, annual Resource Directory and other HEA publications.
If you'd like to keep in touch with what Beverley is up to her in her life, sign up for the Homeschool Australia Newsletter or visit her Homeschool AustraliaFacebook page.