Christian Education is a lifelong quest to seek out and know the truth. It is not a simple process of learning facts for the sake of succeeding in life, but rather a journey that transforms the soul and fills it with a love of God and a desire for knowledge. Its purpose in our life is to bring us to know and love what is just, beautiful and good, and to enable us to live a life guided by devotion to the truth.
My educational philosophy has been greatly influenced by the style of education presented in Plato’s Republic. Plato teaches that education is most effective when it is enjoyable and freely chosen. The human mind engages with what it loves in a way that it cannot engage with what it disdains, and “forced labors performed by the body don’t make the body any worse, but no forced study abides in a soul.” [1]
In this light, proper instruction cannot be seen simply as teaching facts and working through an academic regime. The primary focus on the instructor’s part must be to cultivate a love of a subject and a love of learning, and to encourage students to engage with their studies based on a personal interest and motivation. This desire to learn not only makes studies more enjoyable, but it is fundamentally essential to the very act of taking in information and enables a student to genuinely benefit from their education. Finding great delight in the process of learning and the knowledge it gives is the key to helping studies “abide in the soul.”
This joy of learning alters the way a student approaches education and creates active, engaged learners. They deeply desire to learn, and want to seek out the truth. They do not simply take facts in, but contemplate them, speak about them, and actively seek further enlightenment. They take the knowledge they have acquired with them beyond the classroom and apply it to their lives. The love of learning creates an unquenchable thirst to know, understand, and see the truth.
Plato also states that the fundamental function of education is not “putting sight into blind eyes” [3], but turning the eyes of the soul around and directing them to look at the “brightest part of that which is” [2] . Education is quest for wisdom and virtue, and it causes us to see and think differently and to perceive the world in the bright light of truth. It transforms our very tastes and desires and encourages us to wholeheartedly love and actively pursue that which is true, beautiful and good. Its goal is to cultivate a longing for and understanding of the truth, and to enable us to choose what is good “not as a result of moral principle, but as a matter of taste.” [4]
How to implement this educational philosophy in a classroom? To cultivate a deep love of learning, to transform tastes, to direct the soul to gaze on and love the light instead of the dark. This is a beautiful thing indeed, and one which I believe must be approached with much care and deliberation. To me, one of the most important aspects of teaching is creating an environment of delight and enjoyment. Each group of students is dynamic and different, and so there are a variety of ways I may try to do this. Sometimes it is opening the class with a warm-up game relevant to the subject material, reading out loud or incorporating kinetic activities. It really depends on the class and I try to be as creative and open to new ideas as possible!
I also feel that an educator’s primary function is to act as a guide and make the truth accessible. The student must be responsible for actively reaching for that truth and making it their own. I find that a blend of the Mimetic and Socratic modes works well in helping students come to a true understanding of a concept. When I’m first introducing new material, I try to demonstrate the concept as clearly as possible, as well as provide real-world inspiration. For example, in a French class I may pronounce a new word but also provide a clip spoken by a native French speaker. For ballet, I may demonstrate a step and also show a video of a professional dancer. The students listen or watch and imitate. After the material has been introduced, I like to use the Socratic mode for review. If a student forgets the material or is having difficulty with a concept, I ask them questions to help deconstruct the idea and guide them back around to the truth. This doesn’t always work and sometimes I go back to the Mimetic mode if dialect isn’t effective in a particular instance.
I also take a progressive approach to learning, and feel that instructors need to be actively pursuing further enlightenment and higher skill levels to provide a living demonstration of the learning process. I always try to keep myself informed and actively engaged in whatever subject I’m teaching. I find that students are more inspired to learn progressively when I actively demonstrate this model. This also helps me keep lessons fresh and exciting—both for myself and for the students!
Finally, and most importantly, I believe the most important tool I have in implementing my educational philosphy is my faith in Christ. In the Republic Plato makes it clear that the great purpose of all learning is to see and know what is good. He explains that “what provides the truth to the things known and gives the power to the one who knows, is the idea of the good” [5]. Plato equates the good to the sun, it radiates light, gives life and illuminates the truth. Without this central focus on the good, the soul “fixes itself on that which is mixed with darkness”[6], and truth and justice are dimmed and lost to the realm of opinion rather than knowledge. For Christians, the “idea of the good” is already made known. It is Christ, and we have the great privilege of seeking a deeper understanding of Him and living lives that glorify Him. He is the Light and Truth at which all else points, and the primary focus of our education should be knowing, glorifying and enjoying Him. This applies to every branch of study. Natural sciences help us better understand who God is by inquiring about the beautiful world He has made. Human sciences show us the unending mercies of God throughout history, and enlighten our understanding of virtue and moral order. Liberal arts enable us to develop skills to better glorify Him. Ultimately, I believe the goal of a Christian education is to guide students to a deeper knowledge of Christ and to prepare them for a life spent with Him. He is the Light and Truth at which all else points, the “logos” of a Christian education. His glorification is the clear objective of learning, and we honor Him by cultivating wisdom, virtue and a love of the truth. Keeping Christ as the focus of learning ties everything together, and I hope, enables me to teach in a way that glorifies Him.
[1] Plato: The Republic 546d
[2] Plato: The Republic 518c
[3] Plato: The Republic 518c
[4] Allan Bloom, Interpretive Essay on The Republic (392c-403c)
[5] Plato: The Republic 508d
[6] Plato: The Republic 508d