Building a Better School offers a variety of essays on excellence in Christian schools. In one of the most compelling essays, author Timothy Wiens contributes helpful ideas about how schools address curriculum and technology in teaching the liberal arts in today’s schools. The essay is titled, Christianity, The Liberal Arts, and 21st Century Learning.
Wiens serves as a strong advocate for classical, Christian education. “I propose that a liberal arts education is the strongest, most effective way in which to introduce students to truth, to the ability to detect nonsense and false evidence, to build character, values, and impact human flourishing in this generation and in the generation to come.” Lots of wonderful advice in this pithy quote, and questions for both educators and parents to consider as we pursue these goals regardless of the grade level of children.
1. Liberal Arts – In the essay, Wiens includes a powerful quote from Steve Jobs. When rolling out the iPad 2, he said, “Technology alone is not enough. It is technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities that yields the results that makes our hearts sing.” We desire a holistic education that exposes our children to a broad range of topics, big ideas, subjects, and activities that prepare children not for one vocation, but for life.
2. Truth – Truth is defined by God’s Word, which means that only a Christian school can thoroughly equip students for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Students in classical, Christian education also use “true truth” (Francis Schaeffer) to tear down strongholds and take every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
3. Detecting false arguments – Even in young grammar grades, we are instructing students in what is good and bad, right and wrong, righteous and unrighteous. While the dissection of arguments may be more focused in secondary grades, students at all levels are not simply learning information; they are applying it against God’s standard.
4. Build character – As a discipleship school, our classrooms and programs should always point to Christ. Whether in logic class, at recess, or in after-school drama, all we do within our school is designed to shape our students and orient their affections toward the True, Good, and Beautiful.
5. Impact human flourishing – The end purpose, as we often say, is not found in college admissions. University matriculation is a wonderful outcome of a classical, Christian education with robust academic expectations. But it is never our telos. Rather, we strive to inculcate wisdom and virtue as young men and women seek the will of God in all they do.
6. To a thousand generations – This is one of our ten Providence distinctives. As Wiens writes, our desire is to impact students not only in this generation but in the generations to come. We long to see our children walk in truth (3 John 4), living faithfully to impact future generations for Christ.
