Practical Paideia

by Lindsey Ralls (Summit Christian Academy)

(1) Viridis,

Why is it when we start a new job, that we are tempted to view questions as a sign of weakness? We don’t want to ask too many questions because then maybe those that hired us will second-guess their decision. Nothing could be less true. Einstein was right when he said that, “it’s not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” (This is true for our students as well, but more on that in another letter perhaps).  I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have, and I’m sure you have quite a few. I remember those days well. Teaching at a classical school is an incredible experience, but also a bit of an enigma. More and more, I find myself hiring teachers who are completely new to education as a whole. Fresh off the boat you might say. But, I also frequently encounter teachers like yourself. You aren’t new to teaching, but you are new to classical teaching. Know that you’re not alone! As a movement, Classical Christian Education is still fairly young. As the movement continues to grow, we are seeing more and more teachers move from the public or private arena to the classical arena. You mentioned that you feel overwhelmed and please know that you are not alone in that feeling. It is overwhelming! Clearly, you’ve heard enough about what classical education is that you decided to make the jump, but you’re still not completely certain about what this thing is all about. I hope that over the next few weeks I will be able to answer your questions and provide some insight into what classical education is. I’m sure you have some very specific questions about creating a lesson, student-teacher relationships, and managing a classroom; but before we get to all that I have a question for you. As a teacher who is coming from another institution, I’m guessing you’ve probably even given this question much thought in the past. So here it is: what would you say is the purpose of education? 

– Ratus

(2) Viridis,

Is it possible to define something without first understanding what its purpose is? I would argue no, it is not. Let’s think for a minute about the simple example of a table. The purpose of a table is to provide a place where people gather, sit down, and eat a meal together. According to Webster, a table is defined as ‘a piece of furniture consisting of a smooth flat slab fixed on legs’. This definition makes sense when we consider the purpose of a table. It needs to be flat, so that the food doesn’t fall to the ground. It needs to have legs so that those who gather around it are able to sit down in chairs. The purpose is necessary to establish the definition. 

But sometimes, a term can be kind of broad. What if we were no longer talking about a kitchen table, but were instead talking about a pool table? There are parts of the definition that will remain the same, but a few things will need to be added. Since the purpose of a pool table is to play pool (and ideally for all those balls to go into the pockets), then the definition of a pool table should include something about pockets on the edges of the table. Since the purpose changed, the definition also needed to change…because the purpose is necessary to establish the definition. 

As we contemplate how to define Classical Christian Education, the purpose of education itself needs to be at the forefront of the conversation. We cannot define who we are without first fully understanding our purpose. And, like with the table example, ‘education’ is a broad term. There is Public Education, Christian Education, Private Education, and in our case – Classical Christian Education. All of these terms are unique and therefore have a unique purpose. For each subset, there are individuals in leadership who have gone before us and defined their purpose. In your letter, you stated that ultimately the purpose of education is to prepare our students for life after they graduate, whether that means college or the workplace. Your answer aligns well with how most public teachers and administrators would answer this question. In the public sector, the purpose of education primarily focuses on preparation for what comes next. The goal of the public school is to help students succeed in life after highschool – and generally, success means financial success. 

As for Christian education, theologian, Francis Schaeffer, stated that the purpose of Christian Education focuses on “…providing students with a framework for total truth, rooted in the Creator’s existence and in the Bible’s teaching, so that in each step of the formal learning process the student will understand what is true and what is false and why it is true or false.”

But, and I guess you’re already thinking this, you don’t work for a public school or a Christian school, you work at a classical school. Fortunately, there are individuals who have gone before us (way before us) who have thought through the purpose of Classical Education. Aristotle believed that “the aim of education was to make the pupil like and dislike what he ought.” Today we use the phrase ‘ordering our loves’ when talking about this concept. A Classical Christian school is one that combines Shaffer’s definition with Aristotle’s.  

– Ratus

(3) Viridis,

Your question is a good one. How do we combine Aristotle’s definition with Schaffers?  Aristotle argued that, “the aim of education [is] to make the pupil like and dislike what he ought.” He said that the goal for any human was happiness (or human flourishing). In order to be a flourishing and happy human, a person needs to live a life that is ‘properly ordered’. In order to live a property ordered life, one needs to be a virtuous individual. This is Classical Education.

I would argue that Classical Christian Education is almost identical. The difference (and it’s a big one) is in how we define happiness. For Christians, human flourishing is not just acquiring good fortune and good friends, as it was for Aristotle. “What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever”. I mentioned in my previous letter that Francis Schaeffer believed our goal as educators was to instruct our students using a biblical framework. This is the difference between Classical Education and Classical Christian Education. Classical Christian Education seeks to educate students in what they ought to love and what they ought to hate, through the lens of the gospel.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

“Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good.”

“[The Lord hates] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, a false witness that pours out lies, and a person that stirs up conflict in the community.” 

Scripture is clear regarding what we should love and hate. In order to live flourishing Christian lives, our students need to properly order these loves (and hates) by habitually choosing what is right (virtue).

But what does this look like in the classroom? When we see our students not loving others as they love themselves, or not holding fast to what is good, or intentionally stirring up conflict in the classroom; it’s not enough to tell them to stop talking, to be kind, to apologize. Our job is to remind them that there are truths in scripture about what they should love and what they should hate and right now, they are ordering those things incorrectly. That, is our job.

“But Ratus, what about the academics of it all? Character and virtue is fine and good – but at some point we actually have to teach these students math, science, and literature.” Fortunately, scripture has plenty to say about those things as well. 

“Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

“Great are the works of the Lord;
They are studied by all who delight in them.”

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

“Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.”

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”

When apathy hits, or when a math problem feels too difficult, we should point our students back to these truths. We want them to love wisdom and instruction, to hate empty deceit, and to lean into trials. We want them to be curious about the world around them, because God has created it with wonder. When a student is struggling in Latin, not turning in their homework, or giving up because it’s too difficult; our job is to remind them of these truths and order their loves.

Tertullian, the early Church author, asked the question, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” He believed that the answer was nothing. I disagree. Aristotle had the right framework. Education IS about ordering our loves and we DO want to cultivate flourishing students. What Jerusalem brings to Athens is the gospel. 

-Ratus