Pondering Education

In recent weeks I've been thinking more about what I want our children's education to look like based on what our philosophy of education really is. 

My reflections began with a blog series addressing the idea of teaching from a state of rest. Sarah Mackenzie at Amonst Lovely Things began blogging on this topic last year and her blog series turned into an e-book, Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace. I'm not here to push her book at you (though I'd recommend it for your perusal if you're interested in the topic), but I found it to be a good reminder that God doesn't call us to be successful. He's called us to be faithful; He is the one who can bring about the fruit through our faithfulness.

The blog series and Sarah's new podcast, The Read-Aloud Revival, acted as a springboard for me to begin a deeper look into our educational philosophy. When I attended the Virginia homeschool convention in Richmond earlier this month, I made it a point to go to a workshop by Christopher Perrin of Classical Academic Press as well as a workshop with Adam Andrews of Center for Lit, both of whom Sarah has interviewed for her blog/podcast series. 

Dr. Perrin discussed Embodied Learning: Helping our Children Love What is Lovely, and, as an added treat, Andrew Kern of CiRCE Institute joined him for a few minutes of discussion at the end of the presentation. Since returning from the convention, I've been reading all that I can and listening to podcasts gallore on classical education and leisure in learning. There is so much more out there to get my hands on, and I've really only begun digging into this, but I'm feeling spurred on by a desire to simplify our children's education, by a desire to deepen it rather than broaden it and slow it down rather than speed through "material to cover".

In this study of classical Christian education, I've heard this so many times that it's beginning to stick in my brain now. Dr. Perrin and others remind us that education is the unfolding of a human soul...cultivating souls to know God and know His world...to become the best version of oneself that one can be. The Greek word "scholé" -- which is where our word "school" comes from -- actually means leisure...or vacation from physical labor.  Hmm. What I grew up knowing as school doesn't remind me much of leisure. And it was never touted as being leisure.

But education should be something to which we look forward. It should be that which involves properly ordering our loves and affections, loving what is lovely. This is the liberal arts education in the classical tradition. Leading our children/students to know and love God and to know and love what He has made...not imparting skills that are useful for boosting the marketplace economy.

As I think through these ideas, I'm trying to figure out just what it will look like in our daily lives. No schedule yet, but it's beginning to form in my mind. I hope to cure myself of the box-checking each day that has been my habit over the past five or six years and instead have a more peaceful, restful, joyful attitude in our times of studying. 

Andrew Kern of CiRCE Institute urges educators to heed the Latin saying, "Multum non multa." Much not many. Do a few things well and learn to mastery. Don't dabble. Limit the number of subjects and books to be studied and study each one deeply.

Ah. I am inspired. And overwhelmed at the thought. But determined. Determined to bring before the children that which is lovely and hold it up to them as beautiful and important so that they will desire to cultivate virtues and seek after truth, goodness, and beauty in God Himself and all that He's made.

Don't misunderstand. I don't intend to stop teaching math or phonics or geography. But it will require a different approach to some subjects. Or perhaps I should say, it will require a different attitude toward those subjects. And it will certainly be a fluid transition, changing continually as we move more toward a restful state of learning. 

If you're interested in learning more about this traditional model of a liberal arts, classical Christian education, check out the CiRCE Institute and Classical Academic Press for videos, books/PDFs and podcasts. Also check out Amongst Lovely Things. There's good stuff to be had!