I just had this conversation with my students today. One student said school is broken because it doesn't teach her useful things like "how to do her taxes." This saddened me greatly. How has a child been deceived into thinking taxes of all things is most important at such a young age.
But she was serious.
According to her, "we are forced to learn algebra and grammar and history instead, which don't prepare us for life."
"Why learn anything," I asked, "How do you know what you should learn?"
Well, after some discussion, it appears that my students could only give three reasons for learning: (1) to get into college, (2) to make money, or (3) to learn life skills.
Which brings me to my question: How do we help our students believe their education is about the next life.
Dr. Perrin, I throughly enjoyed this article. (And found the full text of Basil the Great to dig into his ideas for myself. Thank you!) I’m a homeschool mother with seven children. I seek to give them a classical education and am constantly being reminded of my own inadequacies for the task at hand. One thing I run into constantly is how many ways I see the world through utilitarian and pragmatic ends - even though I know that is not the aim I “ought” to have. I see it more as peeling off the dragon skins layer by layer to reveal the real man (or woman) inside. And, I can only imagine a teacher in a school setting must have this pressure even more so. This is why I love reading the ancients to help me along the path. Thanks for bringing Basil to the front. We need to be reformed, reshaped and renewed as we seek to educate children and redeem what’s been lost in our culture. It’s good work and I’m thankful for encouragement from other teachers who dip into the past and bring these good ideas forward!
I just had this conversation with my students today. One student said school is broken because it doesn't teach her useful things like "how to do her taxes." This saddened me greatly. How has a child been deceived into thinking taxes of all things is most important at such a young age.
But she was serious.
According to her, "we are forced to learn algebra and grammar and history instead, which don't prepare us for life."
"Why learn anything," I asked, "How do you know what you should learn?"
Well, after some discussion, it appears that my students could only give three reasons for learning: (1) to get into college, (2) to make money, or (3) to learn life skills.
Which brings me to my question: How do we help our students believe their education is about the next life.
What can a teacher do to help them see?
Dr. Perrin, I throughly enjoyed this article. (And found the full text of Basil the Great to dig into his ideas for myself. Thank you!) I’m a homeschool mother with seven children. I seek to give them a classical education and am constantly being reminded of my own inadequacies for the task at hand. One thing I run into constantly is how many ways I see the world through utilitarian and pragmatic ends - even though I know that is not the aim I “ought” to have. I see it more as peeling off the dragon skins layer by layer to reveal the real man (or woman) inside. And, I can only imagine a teacher in a school setting must have this pressure even more so. This is why I love reading the ancients to help me along the path. Thanks for bringing Basil to the front. We need to be reformed, reshaped and renewed as we seek to educate children and redeem what’s been lost in our culture. It’s good work and I’m thankful for encouragement from other teachers who dip into the past and bring these good ideas forward!