As an educator at a Christian school, I am surrounded daily by the issue Michael Spencer raises in his recent post. I am certainly no expert, and I'll need to revisit this topic several times before my thoughts will be cogent. Well, here goes...Perhaps the best gauge of our effectiveness at educating the next generation is the percentage of students who attend classes in order to engage the material and LEARN as opposed to simply doing what is required to make a good grade. Using this bench mark, we are failing miserably. As Debra comments on Spencer's site, far too many students pursue higher education for the sole purpose of getting a good job, making money, blah blah blah. And we parents have modelled this perfectly, haven't we?
I also agree that the root problem is not simply Christian opposition to education, but the failure of Christians to be different from American culture. I don't place the blame solely on our own shoulders. I believe that the Prince of this world has managed to fit us into this mold using the educational institution itself. Follow me here. Students are prepared their whole school career, it seems, to be able to do well on their college entrance exams. These exams do not properly address critical thinking skills, one's attitude toward learning, or one's ability to make connections across disciplines. Since all humans tend to take the path of least resistance, students do just enough to qualify--that is to say, they learn how to do the basic skills required and little else. How can we expect to produce top-quality scholars if this is all we require of them?
I foresee that if we are to clear this hurdle and develop strong, vigorous minds full of truth, we must establish a new standard of excellence, one that requires that students can 1) think clearly in an organized fashion, 2) form original ideas, 3) evaluate arguments, 4) identify biases and cultural backgrounds, and 5) connect all subjects in an unified way that allows them to see the world more like God sees it.
A great evangelical university? It can be done. Who will do it? Who has the courage to break out of the current environment and set a new standard for entry into such a university? We can't win this game if we allow the world to make the rules...
1 comment:
I've just spent the last few hours reading and replying to Ariel and Spencer's posts about education. I may be biased (just a bit) since I am an educator, but this is a huge issue that we cannot safely ignore much longer.
My educational experience was in the secular environment, partly because I became a Christian right before I entered college and didn't even know about any Christian universities. In a sense, I'm glad that I did not enter a "Christian" college after all that I've heard from friends and colleagues.
Even at a very solid secular school, I still feel at times that I was under-served and that there is still SO MUCH that I don't know but should know. However, after the last several hours of thought, it dawned on me that I (and we) spend too much time looking at how the system has failed us and not enough time on how I have failed to do all that I can to learn all that I can. I've done what I chastise my students for doing, which is failing to own up to my shortcomings while instead blaming others. I'm definitely not sensing that this is what you two are doing, but I know I have done this myself.
Wouldn't it be amazing to start a list of books/topics that every truly educated Christian should be familiar with? Anyone game?
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