Levels of Learning

LEVELS OF LEARNING:

PRINCIPLE: Each student is at their own level of understanding and interest in different subjects.   In order for them to feel confidence and success, they must be able to explore where they are at through personal experience—by being allowed to try and fail and succeed for themselves through experimentation in a safe environment.

            It is valuable for them to be shown what the different levels of learning in an area of interest are: to be able to look ahead to what is possible if they truly engage and learn in a particular area.  This is accomplished both in an outline of the path presented to them by mentors, and by seeing the different levels in the students around them.
           This concept is patterned after guilds/medieval concept of apprentice, journeyman, and master of a skill.  Parallels can be drawn to the Thomas Jefferson model of scholar phase, and the concept of knowledge-understanding-intelligence outlined by David Bednar in “Increase in Learning”, chapter 2.

            The “levels” of knowledge of a particular subject are shown to the youth through the inspirements created by the mentor for a particular class.  The youth find out for themselves what level they are at as they prepare for class each week and take on the challenge of reaching higher through peer inspiration and parent mentoring.  Usually, youth waver back and forth between levels for a while before taking up the challenge of committing to a higher level of education, having tasted the fruits.

            The “levels” are also incorporated in Vanguard in the classes available, with journeyman and master classes available to students at that level in different areas of study.

*Apprentice: (knowledge)-basic learning of knowledge or facts.  The apprentice did more of the basics until he could master them and move onto the next level, where he could put them to more practical application. (i.e. in “The Single Shard”, the apprentice gathered clay and learned about the best kind  of clay and how to gather it.)

*Journeyman: (understanding)-the taking of knowledge and applying it to their own life or to a skill to learn.  (i.e.  Again, in the same book, the young man then starts throwing the clay and using the kiln to create his own work.) Proverbs 4:7:  7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

*Master: (Intelligence) the knowledge is incorporated so deeply and applied so completely that the person can now take it and teach, inspire, and share that skill with others, acting, and thereby changing the world around them. John 3:21: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Quote from Bednar's book, "Increase in Learning": "You and I may know the right things to do, but intelligence involves more than just knowing.  If you and I are intelligent, we will consistently do the right things.  Knowing that the gospel is true is important, good, and necessary.  Intelligence is consistently being true to the gospel that we know." (pg. 75)

I like the following quote by Neal A. Maxwell to go with this:

Educating and training our desires clearly requires understanding the truths of the gospel, yet even more is involved. President Brigham Young confirmed, saying, “It is evident that many who understand the truth do not govern themselves by it; consequently, no matter how true and beautiful truth is, you have to take the passions of the people and mould them to the law of God” (in Journal of Discourses, 7:55).

“Do you,” President Young asked, “think that people will obey the truth because it is true, unless they love it? No, they will not” (in Journal of Discourses, 7:55). Thus knowing gospel truths and doctrines is profoundly important, but we must also come to love them. When we love them, they will move us  (master level!) and help our desires and outward works to become more holy.

Each assertion of a righteous desire, each act of service, and each act of worship, however small and incremental, adds to our spiritual momentum. Like Newton’s Second Law, there is a transmitting of acceleration as well as a contagiousness associated with even the small acts of goodness."