Tag: C.S. Lewis

Creating a Culture of Mentorship

In Episode 10 of the Educational Renaissance podcast, we took a deep dive into what Charlotte Mason means by atmosphere, one of the three instruments of education. One of the ideas that surfaced was the concept of mentoring. In today’s article I want to extend that discussion to look at some recent research on student mentorship as well as draw on some biblical concepts to round out our understanding of what it means to create a culture of mentorship in schools. Mentoring as a Program When we think of mentoring programs, we often picture something like Big Brothers Big Sisters

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modern classroom

Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Purpose of Education

One of the major themes in the classical education renewal movement has been to challenge the utilitarianism of modern education. The purpose of education, the argument has gone, is so much broader and more far-reaching than modern educators are making it out to be. It is not merely job training or college preparation, but the formation of flourishing human beings. The cultivation of wisdom and virtue is the purpose of education. There is joy in seeking knowledge for its own sake and as an end in itself.  Next Article in this Series: “Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Importance of Objectives: 3

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“Teach Like a Champion” for the Classical Classroom, Part 1: An Introduction

As classical educators look for tools and resources to strengthen their teaching practices, it can often be difficult to know where to turn. While the classical education renewal movement has led to a resurgence in a fresh vision for the purpose of education and even suggestions toward an ideal curriculum, the movement has not always been clear regarding method. We have the “why” and even the “what,” but the “how” remains uncertain. Some, no doubt, will respond to this critique with raised eyebrows. After all, the movement has unlocked a rich treasure chest full of wisdom and insight from master

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Teaching Confident Faith in an Age of Religious Uncertainty

Christianity, as a global religion, is at a crossroads. On the one hand, it remains the largest religion in the world: 31% of the world’s population is Christian, and sociologists predict this percentage to increase to 32% by 2060. [1] On the other hand, the religion is experiencing notable decline in the West. In 2010, 75% of Europeans and 77% of North Americans identified as Christian, practicing or non-practicing. The percentages in both continents are expected to decrease to 65% by 2050. [2] If Christianity is projected to increase globally, but decrease in the West, in what parts of the

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Charlotte Mason and the Liberal Arts Tradition, Part 2: Educating the Whole Person

What has Charlotte Mason to do with classical education? In my first blog in this series, I began exploring this question through a close reading of Kevin Clark and Ravi Jain’s The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education. In this book, Clark and Jain offer a paradigm for understanding classical education as it exists within the broader liberal arts tradition. According to these thinkers, the purpose of classical education is to cultivate virtue in body, heart, and mind, while nurturing a love for wisdom under the lordship of Jesus Christ. This is a comprehensive purpose statement to

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open journal

The Flow of Thought, Part 6: Becoming Amateur Historians

I’ve never been one for journaling. It’s not for lack of trying or admiration for the idea behind the practice. But keeping a journal and writing down my thoughts about myself or what I experienced that day just never caught on for me. I was almost tempted to say that it would have felt too egotistical to me to record my everyday feelings and happenings, but that’s not entirely the truth. I’ve had plenty of egoism to support that; it’s more that the trivialities of most days didn’t strike me as worthy of that sort of memorialization. And so, not

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