A Healer’s Geste

Whitling Wisdom

Matt Whitling is a father of quite a number (I don’t remember if it’s 4 or 5 or 7) of sons and a teacher, now principle, at Logos School. Some friends of ours went to a new parents’ Bible study he led the year after we left Moscow and were kind enough to send us a copy of their notes. I also have several of Mr. Whitling’s talks given at ACCS conferences (listen free to some online), and his are always some of my favorites.

Sometimes we sat behind the Whitlings at church and that was when I first thought, “Oh, wouldn’t a row of boys, with buzzed heads and collared shirts, be wonderful?” :) Our church’s rows are much shorter than the rows at Christ Church, so in another year or two when Knox sits in a chair with his buzzed head and collared shirt, I will have a row. :)

Anyway, from those study notes from our friends we took our obedience motto we taught our children: Obey right away, all the way, and with a good attitude every day. That is what they will say if you ask them how they must obey. It’s the same concept as in Shepherding a Child’s Heart, where Tripp has motto: Obey without excuse, without challenge, and without delay. We preferred the rhythm and rhyme of Whitling’s, plus it is stated in the positive (what you should do) rather than the negative (what you shouldn’t do). It seemed more clear for a two-year-old to understand. It’s not parallel, so it’s not quite grammatically acceptable, and that’s always bothered me mildly, but try as I might I haven’t figured out a way to make it parallel — the cheerful part is the most important aspect, after all.

So, the other day, I got an email newsletter from Logos School (the kind of junk email I sign up for, yes, it’s true, Matt) and it was about Matt Whitling’s various mottos he has taught his class and the elementary school to recite. I felt like I had just been handed gold. Of course! Here I’ve been making plans for second grade, and thinking about what habits I want to emphasize with a teaching time. Last year I bought Simply Charlotte Mason‘s Laying Down the Rails, a habits handbook. Although it has great lists of habits and why they are important, I was still missing exactly how I was to go about instilling the habits. Then, this email arrives. Of course! Have a slogan! Not only do we have something then to practice and elaborate on during school, but I have been given how to respond when I must remind them how we do things. When I have “what I say,” I am much less likely to react in frustration and the boys respond better because they are being reminded of what they know instead of being chewed out for failure.

So, here’s the list of Whitling’s mottos; the first part is what he says, and the second part is how his students answer. I think I’ll be stealing several of them:

Obey… Right Away. All the Way. With a Good Attitude, Everyday. Leave it… better than you found it. Lines… sprint, straight, silent (clap, clap, clap) God is opposed to the proud… but gives grace to the humble. If your name’s on the board… go and make it right. Greater love has no one than this… that he lay down his life for his friends. Those who are faithful with little… will be faithful with much. Pro… tagonist (Clap, clap, clap…thumbs up). An… tagonist (boo, oo, oo … thumbs down). Wisdom… is more precious than rubies. Go to the ant you sluggard… consider its ways and be wise. Hand…shake: Firm & cheerful; Eyes on eyes. If you fall down… smile and keep on playing. Not unto us, O Lord, Not unto us, But unto thy name give glory. Psalm 115, verse 1. No… excuses, sir! Hustle… to help out. Never… panic. He who hates correction… is stupid. You’re in poor shape, are you ready to strike your colors?… I have not yet begun to fight!