The other day I caught my dad alone. We started talking about our ATI past and our old curriculum, the Wisdom Booklets. The wisdom booklets are a one grade fits all program. I started out using the Wisdom Books when I was 7, and we were still using the same books when I was 14; same books, same lessons, same “grade level,” over and over again.
“How did a one size fits all program ever sell?” I asked my dad.
“Oh, I think that’s *the* reason ATI became so popular. Finding curriculum for multiple ages is exhausting.” Dad said.
“But, but a five year old can’t understand law and medicine. And a five year old will be lost during character devotions. What level are the parents supposed to teach at with 15 kids of different ages in a room?”
“Now, now, Lana. You know the answer to this question. You know what Bill Gothard says.”
“NO, I don’t.”
“Yes you do,” Dad insisted until he finally continued…..
“Bill Gothard says that the older ones teach the younger kids the wisdom books. This is good for the kids to learn leadership.”
You got it. Bill Gothard apparently encourages the Buddy system!
I had always thought this was a survival mechanism for large families like the Duggars. But with the right speaker, not only is it necessary, but its also called godly leadership at the same time!
If you read the book Duggars: 20 and Counting, the book has this picture of the children all sitting around the dinning room table doing the wisdom searches (ATI Bible study) with their father. Mrs. Duggar says the preschool children repeat the character memorization one word at a time before bed. See? One book fits all! The ultimate group family ideal!
Wow! For real? All I can say is how could anyone be so gullible?
Thankyou for your comment on my blog. I appreciate the support.
yea everyone bought family-group mentality hook-line-and-sinker.
My parents went and saw Bill Gothard speak when I was in my early teens. They came back with all sorts of weird ideas. Surprisingly, I was able to straighten them back out using arguments from the Bible, or simply citing his lack of using the Bible for his arguments
My family left the organization when I was in 10th grade though my mom stayed bitter at my dad’s decision for a few years.
We joined ATI my senior year in high school (although we were involved in the seminars a few years before that.) I threatened to raise a stink if I was forced to do the wisdom booklets rather than continue in my rigorous video courses. Fortunately, I was allowed to do so. My siblings also received a good education through fill-in curriculum. It did fall to me, however, to teach them algebra and geometry. I don’t regret doing it, as I really learned it as a result of teaching it. I think that my brother and sister still hold a grudge about that 5 hour final I put together…
LOL. That is too funny. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with helping out the siblings some as long as a child has time for his or her own activities/work, too.