Education is the key to a good society. Educators have a great responsibility to preserve and develop our shared cultural inheritance. This inheritance is more than simply an accumulation of 'knowledge' but includes this 'knowledge' in the wider context of what it is to be a good human person.
In this light, this blog has striven to promote the virtue of reading as a sine qua non of the professional teacher. Recent posts have identified a range of texts which will assist educators in their crucial cultural mission: The Lost Tools of Learning (May 14); Understanding Teaching and Learning - Classic Texts on Education by Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Mill (October 9); Communicating Faith (November 6). All of the above have a major contribution to make to understanding the complex yet rich field of education.
A new text for those interested in Catholic Education is now available: A Companion to Catholic Education (Gracewing) offers a series of essays on key themes arising in Catholic Religious Education. While this volume does not claim to be a complete textbook or manual of instruction on the Catholic faith, it serves as a gateway to the further study of theology - the discipline once known as the 'queen of the sciences'. More broadly, this volume is another reminder that all education and schooling is rooted in the study of a cultural inheritance - in this case religious - which demands a considered response.
I wish all the readers of this blog a happy Christmas and a fruitful 2012.
23 December 2011
10 December 2011
Exams and Results
Recent stories in England over the conduct of certain exam boards should not come as a surprise. The results-driven agenda of modern education is the real story here. While a 'good education' aims to develop people of faith, culture, wisdom and discernment, it sits alongside and within a broader attainment culture which seems to idolise exam results. Understandably, parents and schools often pull out all the stops in this drive for results: parents, because they wish their children to get the grades which lead to a good university degree and the prospects of well-paid employment; schools, because it suggests that they are doing their job well and avoids awkward questions from prospective parents and government inspection regimes.
It would be unwise to call for the end of exams. What is needed is a broader educational reform which allows those with genuine academic ability to shine. Rigorous exams will always be part of this system. What needs examining, however, is not the candidate's 'recall of facts' but the ability to move beyond the narrow confines of learning outcomes (intended or otherwise) and pre-determined success criteria in order to discuss and explore ideas from an informed position.
It will be interesting to see how the English exam system moves on from here.
It would be unwise to call for the end of exams. What is needed is a broader educational reform which allows those with genuine academic ability to shine. Rigorous exams will always be part of this system. What needs examining, however, is not the candidate's 'recall of facts' but the ability to move beyond the narrow confines of learning outcomes (intended or otherwise) and pre-determined success criteria in order to discuss and explore ideas from an informed position.
It will be interesting to see how the English exam system moves on from here.
27 November 2011
Gove's vision of a traditional education
Michael Gove's recent speech on the need to promote high standards in education is a notable example of how to state the obvious. (Michael Gove is the Secretary of State for Education in England.) Let him speak for himself:
I want to proclaim the importance of education as a good in itself. I want to argue that introducing the young minds of the future to the great minds of the past is our duty. I want to argue that we should be more demanding of our education system, demanding of academics, headteachers, professionals in school and students of all ages. We should recover something of that Victorian earnestness which believed that an audience would be gripped more profoundly by a passionate hour long lecture from a gifted thinker which ranged over poetry and politics than by cheap sensation and easy pleasures.
The idea that a school or university should promote a body of knowledge as worthy to learn for its own sake is a radical idea. This is an age when a university can promote itself as a place of 'useful learning' (and miss the irony) and other Higher Education institutions jump through hoops in order to promote the employability and the transferable skills which 'employers' allegedly seek.
One wonders, however, if the agenda outlined in Gove's speech is no more than a fantasy. Some who agree broadly with Gove's analysis would suggest that things have gone too far and cannot now be remedied. I would beg to differ. We cannot let the heavy rain-laden clouds allow us to forget that one day the sun's rays will again offer us warmth, nurture and comfort.
I want to proclaim the importance of education as a good in itself. I want to argue that introducing the young minds of the future to the great minds of the past is our duty. I want to argue that we should be more demanding of our education system, demanding of academics, headteachers, professionals in school and students of all ages. We should recover something of that Victorian earnestness which believed that an audience would be gripped more profoundly by a passionate hour long lecture from a gifted thinker which ranged over poetry and politics than by cheap sensation and easy pleasures.
The idea that a school or university should promote a body of knowledge as worthy to learn for its own sake is a radical idea. This is an age when a university can promote itself as a place of 'useful learning' (and miss the irony) and other Higher Education institutions jump through hoops in order to promote the employability and the transferable skills which 'employers' allegedly seek.
One wonders, however, if the agenda outlined in Gove's speech is no more than a fantasy. Some who agree broadly with Gove's analysis would suggest that things have gone too far and cannot now be remedied. I would beg to differ. We cannot let the heavy rain-laden clouds allow us to forget that one day the sun's rays will again offer us warmth, nurture and comfort.
20 November 2011
6 November 2011
Review of 'Communicating Faith' (John Sullivan, Ed.)
The recent focus by Pope Benedict XVI on the necessity of a ‘new evangelisation’ brings into sharp relief the on-going and, it seems, increasingly urgent, need to re-think how the Catholic faith is communicated to the world. Pope Benedict has also identified a current ‘educational emergency’ which is not simply a perceived crisis in the teaching of Religious Education but is a broader crisis which, at its root, rejects the concept of authority in education: the concomitant relativism has, he claims, eroded the moral foundations of the west.
This extensive volume edited by Professor John Sullivan, the professor of Christian Education at Liverpool Hope University, explores some of educational challenges which are apparent in the lineamenta for the 2012 Synod of Bishops: a) how can the Church proclaim a message of salvation in an age of relativism and marked hostility to religion; b) how can the Church most effectively use its resources in the family and its many and varied educational enterprises to renew the educational mission which is at the heart of Christianity.
This volume offers a scholarly approach to understanding some key issues for faith formation today. The tone is academic and presupposes some familiarity with key contemporary writers in the broad field of Catholic Education. There are twenty-three chapters arranged in six sections.
Parts One brings out what is understood by the ‘grammar of faith’. These underpinning principles place the various dimensions of learning viz cognitive, affective, attitudinal alongside the need for education to be both formative and critical.
Part Two explores the starting points or ‘baselines’ for faith communication in the home and parish with some interesting points made about the liturgical dimension. Given the recent developments in liturgy in the English-speaking world and the broader ‘Benedictine’ reforms in liturgy, there is an urgent need to re-examine how an appreciation of liturgy is fundamental to the formation of a Catholic mind.
Part Three looks closely at the important role schools play in the communication of a faith tradition. This section explores the challenges posed to Catholic education by the prevalence of ways of thinking that, superficially at least, seem to be hostile to the Christian message. These challenges can be addressed by solid reflection on ways in which Catholic education can be developed in the school.
Part Four examines the tension emerging from the teaching of religion in tertiary education. This is perhaps the most challenging of the loci mentioned in this volume. This section reminds us of the need to find ways to bring together virtue and authority in an environment which often looks to the fruits of the Enlightenment as a perceived bulwark against the influence of religion.
Part Five brings an international flavour to the debate with an exploration of key educational challenges in Africa, the United States, Ireland and Europe. The themes emerging from section are, interestingly, not just localised challenges but are local expressions of broader challenges to faith communication: inculturation, inclusivity and identity.
Finally, Part Six has an ‘operational dimension’ in that it has a particular focus on some innovative ways of communicating the faith. This section will repay careful reading as the teacher and catechist needs to draw from historical and contemporary sources in order to communicate well.
Overall, this volume is rich in interesting and challenging material. However, I would like to draw particular attention to the valuable material contained in Chapters Five and Six. Chapter Five looks at the many theological and pastoral issues surrounding the question of sacramental preparation in the Catholic school. Father Peter McGrail, a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool and an associate professor at Liverpool Hope University, draws on his primary research on this subject and pulls no punches in his description of the tensions surrounding the public celebrations of the sacraments of Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. A more extensive treatment of this theme is contained in his excellent book First Communion Ritual, Church and Popular Religious Identity. Father McGrail’s chapter in Professor Sullivan’s volume will certainly offer some food for thought for those involved with and interested in the sacramental preparation of young people.
In Chapter Nine, Stephen McKinney of the School of Education in the University of Glasgow explores how religious faith can be communicated within the context of Religious Education. At the heart of this chapter is an interview with Bill Horton, retired Adviser for Religious Education (Secondary schools) in the Archdiocese of Glasgow. A key message of this chapter is that a commitment to faith formation in Religious Education is not an escape route from intellectual rigour. This is a timely reminder of the need to adopt a scholastic approach to Religious Education. The advent of This is Our Faith in Catholic schools in Scotland ensures that programmes of Catholic Religious Education should foster both piety and orthodoxy. This aspiration is not without challenges, as all Catholic educators would acknowledge.
Professor Sullivan’s book is a valuable addition to the literature on Catholic education. Catholic schools would do well to have Professor Sullivan’s well-crafted volume available as a resource for general staff development. Those in leadership roles in Catholic education will find much material for their own professional and faith development. It deserves a wide readership.
(This review first appeared in Flourish, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Glasgow.)
This extensive volume edited by Professor John Sullivan, the professor of Christian Education at Liverpool Hope University, explores some of educational challenges which are apparent in the lineamenta for the 2012 Synod of Bishops: a) how can the Church proclaim a message of salvation in an age of relativism and marked hostility to religion; b) how can the Church most effectively use its resources in the family and its many and varied educational enterprises to renew the educational mission which is at the heart of Christianity.
This volume offers a scholarly approach to understanding some key issues for faith formation today. The tone is academic and presupposes some familiarity with key contemporary writers in the broad field of Catholic Education. There are twenty-three chapters arranged in six sections.
Parts One brings out what is understood by the ‘grammar of faith’. These underpinning principles place the various dimensions of learning viz cognitive, affective, attitudinal alongside the need for education to be both formative and critical.
Part Two explores the starting points or ‘baselines’ for faith communication in the home and parish with some interesting points made about the liturgical dimension. Given the recent developments in liturgy in the English-speaking world and the broader ‘Benedictine’ reforms in liturgy, there is an urgent need to re-examine how an appreciation of liturgy is fundamental to the formation of a Catholic mind.
Part Three looks closely at the important role schools play in the communication of a faith tradition. This section explores the challenges posed to Catholic education by the prevalence of ways of thinking that, superficially at least, seem to be hostile to the Christian message. These challenges can be addressed by solid reflection on ways in which Catholic education can be developed in the school.
Part Four examines the tension emerging from the teaching of religion in tertiary education. This is perhaps the most challenging of the loci mentioned in this volume. This section reminds us of the need to find ways to bring together virtue and authority in an environment which often looks to the fruits of the Enlightenment as a perceived bulwark against the influence of religion.
Part Five brings an international flavour to the debate with an exploration of key educational challenges in Africa, the United States, Ireland and Europe. The themes emerging from section are, interestingly, not just localised challenges but are local expressions of broader challenges to faith communication: inculturation, inclusivity and identity.
Finally, Part Six has an ‘operational dimension’ in that it has a particular focus on some innovative ways of communicating the faith. This section will repay careful reading as the teacher and catechist needs to draw from historical and contemporary sources in order to communicate well.
Overall, this volume is rich in interesting and challenging material. However, I would like to draw particular attention to the valuable material contained in Chapters Five and Six. Chapter Five looks at the many theological and pastoral issues surrounding the question of sacramental preparation in the Catholic school. Father Peter McGrail, a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool and an associate professor at Liverpool Hope University, draws on his primary research on this subject and pulls no punches in his description of the tensions surrounding the public celebrations of the sacraments of Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. A more extensive treatment of this theme is contained in his excellent book First Communion Ritual, Church and Popular Religious Identity. Father McGrail’s chapter in Professor Sullivan’s volume will certainly offer some food for thought for those involved with and interested in the sacramental preparation of young people.
In Chapter Nine, Stephen McKinney of the School of Education in the University of Glasgow explores how religious faith can be communicated within the context of Religious Education. At the heart of this chapter is an interview with Bill Horton, retired Adviser for Religious Education (Secondary schools) in the Archdiocese of Glasgow. A key message of this chapter is that a commitment to faith formation in Religious Education is not an escape route from intellectual rigour. This is a timely reminder of the need to adopt a scholastic approach to Religious Education. The advent of This is Our Faith in Catholic schools in Scotland ensures that programmes of Catholic Religious Education should foster both piety and orthodoxy. This aspiration is not without challenges, as all Catholic educators would acknowledge.
Professor Sullivan’s book is a valuable addition to the literature on Catholic education. Catholic schools would do well to have Professor Sullivan’s well-crafted volume available as a resource for general staff development. Those in leadership roles in Catholic education will find much material for their own professional and faith development. It deserves a wide readership.
(This review first appeared in Flourish, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Glasgow.)
27 October 2011
Standards for all
Katharine Birbalsingh's blog post of October 24 makes for disturbing reading principally because it has the ring of truth about it. Without delving into the specifics of the case she mentions, the broad issue of low expectations in schools remains relevant. Experienced teachers will know what I mean by this.
The root of this malaise seems to lie in the profoundly mistaken belief that education is not principally about growing in wisdom and learning from the shared patrimony of our civilisation. Rather, we hear that education is a teaching of skills - basic and advanced - in preparation for the job market. (How often do we hear reports in the press of 'employers' lamenting the low levels of literacy which they find in school leavers. Universities have succumbed to this utilitarianism too. Here it is called the drive for employability.) Of course all educators should feel the call to promote high standards both in behaviour and in teaching and learning. This might seem self-evident but it merits repeating. Education is nothing if not the promotion of the best and most enriching aspects of our cultural inheritance. All young people of all backgrounds deserve to be included in this patrimony, not just those who parents can afford a private education.
The root of this malaise seems to lie in the profoundly mistaken belief that education is not principally about growing in wisdom and learning from the shared patrimony of our civilisation. Rather, we hear that education is a teaching of skills - basic and advanced - in preparation for the job market. (How often do we hear reports in the press of 'employers' lamenting the low levels of literacy which they find in school leavers. Universities have succumbed to this utilitarianism too. Here it is called the drive for employability.) Of course all educators should feel the call to promote high standards both in behaviour and in teaching and learning. This might seem self-evident but it merits repeating. Education is nothing if not the promotion of the best and most enriching aspects of our cultural inheritance. All young people of all backgrounds deserve to be included in this patrimony, not just those who parents can afford a private education.
9 October 2011
Serious Reading
This blog claims that educators benefit from intellectual stimulation and reasoned debate. Sadly many in educational management would eschew the sentiments of the first sentence and favour on-going teacher formation based on the development of practical skills and what is sometimes called ‘professional knowledge’.
Such a division between so-called ‘professional knowledge’ and broader learning is bridged in the study of the history and philosophy of education. A recently published book, ‘Understanding Teaching and Learning: Classic Texts on Education by Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Mill’ edited by Brian Mooney and Mark Nowacki, is an example of the type of book which should be available in schools and used in university courses in education. This book offers samples of the writing on education of each of the four thinkers mentioned in the title and accompanied by dedicated commentaries. The Introduction offers a helpful and stimulating exploration of some key issues in teaching and learning.
This type of book reminds us that the study of ‘education’ cannot be reduced to social-science inspired measurements of data and exploration of professional practice. While the analysis and interpretation of these issues remain part of the fabric of the study of education, the core issues in education are philosophical. Two of these issues are: what is the purpose of education and in what way are the processes of education rooted in particular worldviews. Until we get to grips with these crucial matters, modern education will continue to spin many plates and call it curricular reform.
Such a division between so-called ‘professional knowledge’ and broader learning is bridged in the study of the history and philosophy of education. A recently published book, ‘Understanding Teaching and Learning: Classic Texts on Education by Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Mill’ edited by Brian Mooney and Mark Nowacki, is an example of the type of book which should be available in schools and used in university courses in education. This book offers samples of the writing on education of each of the four thinkers mentioned in the title and accompanied by dedicated commentaries. The Introduction offers a helpful and stimulating exploration of some key issues in teaching and learning.
This type of book reminds us that the study of ‘education’ cannot be reduced to social-science inspired measurements of data and exploration of professional practice. While the analysis and interpretation of these issues remain part of the fabric of the study of education, the core issues in education are philosophical. Two of these issues are: what is the purpose of education and in what way are the processes of education rooted in particular worldviews. Until we get to grips with these crucial matters, modern education will continue to spin many plates and call it curricular reform.
25 September 2011
Education and Reason
The speech by Pope Benedict XVI to the German parliament (September 22, 2011) offers some considerable food for thought for educators. This speech can be read as an essay designed to challenge the relativist consensus which has assumed such importance in the public square today. Pope Benedict proposes the retrieval of the cultural heritage of Europe as a necessary resource for the healing of the societal fractures of the west. Here is a brief extract from his speech:
This important speech is not ‘a call to arms’ but a call to study of and reflection on the roots of education. The contemporary educator can – and indeed must – draw on this cultural heritage in order to re- anchor educational thought in the very body of knowledge which gave rise to the institutions which we treasure today. To ignore the historical record – a key tactic of those who wish to remove religion from the public square and especially from education - is to ignore what is essential and integral to the human person.
"The culture of Europe arose from the encounter between Jerusalem, Athens and Rome-from the encounter between Israel’s monotheism, the philosophical reason of the Greeks and Roman law. This three-way encounter has shaped the inner identity of Europe. In the awareness of man’s responsibility before God and in the acknowledgment of the inviolable dignity of every single human person, it has established criteria of law: it is these criteria that we are called to defend at this moment in our history."
This important speech is not ‘a call to arms’ but a call to study of and reflection on the roots of education. The contemporary educator can – and indeed must – draw on this cultural heritage in order to re- anchor educational thought in the very body of knowledge which gave rise to the institutions which we treasure today. To ignore the historical record – a key tactic of those who wish to remove religion from the public square and especially from education - is to ignore what is essential and integral to the human person.
6 September 2011
Free schools in England
The opening of what are called ‘free schools’ in England this autumn is not without controversy. While these new schools are not private schools, they receive public money while remaining outwith the control of local education authorities.
Supporters of free schools claim that these schools are a response to demands from parents who are unhappy with the existing state provision. Furthermore, they claim that they will promote a more ‘traditional’ curriculum unhindered by the influence of the state. Opponents of the free schools movement claim that these schools will only cater for the children of affluent parents and create further division in education and society more generally.
This argument will continue as both sides are operating from a firm ideological basis. The key point seems to be the definition of good education. While much contemporary thinking on education seems to be focussed on achieving competencies across a range of suitably designed targets and utilitarian outcomes, there is another way that Blessed John Henry Newman encouraged: an education underpinned by solid intellectual and moral formation. Newman claimed that this would be more useful than an education designed specifically to be useful! Perhaps the advent of the free schools movement will offer a space for some educators to offer a radical alternative to the status quo.
It will be interesting to track the development of, and the political reaction to, the 'free schools' in the coming months and years.
Supporters of free schools claim that these schools are a response to demands from parents who are unhappy with the existing state provision. Furthermore, they claim that they will promote a more ‘traditional’ curriculum unhindered by the influence of the state. Opponents of the free schools movement claim that these schools will only cater for the children of affluent parents and create further division in education and society more generally.
This argument will continue as both sides are operating from a firm ideological basis. The key point seems to be the definition of good education. While much contemporary thinking on education seems to be focussed on achieving competencies across a range of suitably designed targets and utilitarian outcomes, there is another way that Blessed John Henry Newman encouraged: an education underpinned by solid intellectual and moral formation. Newman claimed that this would be more useful than an education designed specifically to be useful! Perhaps the advent of the free schools movement will offer a space for some educators to offer a radical alternative to the status quo.
It will be interesting to track the development of, and the political reaction to, the 'free schools' in the coming months and years.
17 July 2011
Summer reading
The summer break has arrived for teachers. For many, this will be a time to go to the beach, play sports, tidy the garden and visit friends. All good things for sure as some time of rest is vital. It is right that any hard-working and dedicated professional should feel tired at the end of a session. Given that teachers have longer holidays than other professionals, perhaps there should be some time earmarked for ‘serious’ reading designed to feed the mind and soul.
As we all know only too well, the educational world is awash with bullet-pointed policy statements and whirling presentations of action plans which often confuse as opposed to enlighten. Prolonged exposure to such media can leave one begging for mercy and in need of immediate intellectual sustenance. To counter this, we need to find a comfortable chair and feed our mind with some of the great books of the western canon. My own summer reading is the ‘Divine Comedy’ by Dante: much more meaningful to me now than when I first came across it as a teenage undergraduate studying Modern Languages. To return to these great sources of the western intellectual tradition can only be a moment of joy.
The teacher with the well-stocked mind - whether in primary, secondary or tertiary education - is worth more than any number of bullet pointed action plans.
As we all know only too well, the educational world is awash with bullet-pointed policy statements and whirling presentations of action plans which often confuse as opposed to enlighten. Prolonged exposure to such media can leave one begging for mercy and in need of immediate intellectual sustenance. To counter this, we need to find a comfortable chair and feed our mind with some of the great books of the western canon. My own summer reading is the ‘Divine Comedy’ by Dante: much more meaningful to me now than when I first came across it as a teenage undergraduate studying Modern Languages. To return to these great sources of the western intellectual tradition can only be a moment of joy.
The teacher with the well-stocked mind - whether in primary, secondary or tertiary education - is worth more than any number of bullet pointed action plans.
10 July 2011
Teacher formation
It has been reported that Pope Benedict XVI will spend his summer holiday studying and writing. I wonder how many educators will dedicate some of their annual holiday to their ongoing formation. While many serving teachers rightly question the value of standard Continuous Professional Development (CPD) initiatives, it is necessary to separate this often meagre and unsatisfactory fare from the study of the great writers and thinkers on education and the history of ideas. It remains true that few teachers have been introduced to much educational thought beyond the standard promotion of writers of questionable value (Piaget and Freire anyone?) yet there is so much awaiting those who are prepared to look beyond the hit-parade of the educational establishment.
How can this be done? One suggestion is for like -minded teachers to form small informal study groups which will share, discuss and, crucially, critique ideas from the history and philosophy of education. This approach is quite dissimilar to the 'performative' nature of much CPD and is but one small step on the journey to reclaim education from the narrow 'social science' influenced study of outcomes and locate it in its true home: the search for wisdom.
How can this be done? One suggestion is for like -minded teachers to form small informal study groups which will share, discuss and, crucially, critique ideas from the history and philosophy of education. This approach is quite dissimilar to the 'performative' nature of much CPD and is but one small step on the journey to reclaim education from the narrow 'social science' influenced study of outcomes and locate it in its true home: the search for wisdom.
26 June 2011
Teachers and educational reform
Schools and education systems in Britain have been under constant review for many decades and some would argue that teachers should have been more vociferous in challenging the many reforms which have been inflicted on them. Even today we hear voices saying that a teacher’s primary function is not to teach but to look after children’s well-being! To compound the matter, headline issues like the value of diversity, sustainability, globalisation and the prevention of global warming seem to have become the key points of reference of a modern curriculum. This is not to say that an exploration of such issues is not important but they have become totemic.
Some brave teachers have protested at the decline of 'traditional' education; many more are quietly and dispiritedly awaiting retirement and asking where it all went wrong. As a profession, teachers have much to contribute to educational debates and we need to hope that more teachers contribute -and are asked to contribute - to curricular reform.
One who has spoken out - and has been pilloried in return - is Katharine Birbalsingh. Perhaps this explains why so few challenge the prevailing orthodoxies. Her blog is worth a look.You might not agree with what she says but she does raise a number of points which are shared by many in education.
Some brave teachers have protested at the decline of 'traditional' education; many more are quietly and dispiritedly awaiting retirement and asking where it all went wrong. As a profession, teachers have much to contribute to educational debates and we need to hope that more teachers contribute -and are asked to contribute - to curricular reform.
One who has spoken out - and has been pilloried in return - is Katharine Birbalsingh. Perhaps this explains why so few challenge the prevailing orthodoxies. Her blog is worth a look.You might not agree with what she says but she does raise a number of points which are shared by many in education.
5 June 2011
A challenge for education
In the previous post we considered the relationship between culture and education. In this post we will look more closely at how a rediscovery of ‘traditional’ education is a pre-requisite for a good society. (The deeper exploration of ‘good society’ is for another time.)
It is common to read of politicians discussing, for example, the link between education and ‘skills’ and how a good education system should align itself with the employment needs and industrial profile of a particular country. Sadly, those who respond that education is a good in itself are portrayed as displaying elitist tendencies or of living in the proverbial ‘ivory tower’. When allied to possible accusations of being ‘exclusive’, this tactic is a convenient way of closing down debate in these aggressively inclusive times.
Those who wish to see the education system underpinned by the search for the good, the true and the beautiful need not despair. The search for ultimate meaning cannot be closed down by a narrow focus on the (still necessary) acquisition of basic skills. The human person needs the wider vision of the liberal arts and sciences in order to understand his or her place in society.
This traditional vision of education reminds us that we are not alone. We are nourished by the legacy of great minds, artists and artisans of the past. As humans carry the name and physical features of our ancestors, the human family can look back to and be inspired by those who sought the good, the true and the beautiful in their own time. While we can admire and appreciate today the words of Dante and Shakespeare and the art of Michelangelo and Constable, as educators we ask ourselves two fundamental questions: will we pass on faithfully what we have been privileged to know; what will we contribute to the body of knowledge we have inherited?
This is the task we face. It is not easy. But face it we must.
It is common to read of politicians discussing, for example, the link between education and ‘skills’ and how a good education system should align itself with the employment needs and industrial profile of a particular country. Sadly, those who respond that education is a good in itself are portrayed as displaying elitist tendencies or of living in the proverbial ‘ivory tower’. When allied to possible accusations of being ‘exclusive’, this tactic is a convenient way of closing down debate in these aggressively inclusive times.
Those who wish to see the education system underpinned by the search for the good, the true and the beautiful need not despair. The search for ultimate meaning cannot be closed down by a narrow focus on the (still necessary) acquisition of basic skills. The human person needs the wider vision of the liberal arts and sciences in order to understand his or her place in society.
This traditional vision of education reminds us that we are not alone. We are nourished by the legacy of great minds, artists and artisans of the past. As humans carry the name and physical features of our ancestors, the human family can look back to and be inspired by those who sought the good, the true and the beautiful in their own time. While we can admire and appreciate today the words of Dante and Shakespeare and the art of Michelangelo and Constable, as educators we ask ourselves two fundamental questions: will we pass on faithfully what we have been privileged to know; what will we contribute to the body of knowledge we have inherited?
This is the task we face. It is not easy. But face it we must.
20 May 2011
Culture in education: some initial thoughts
The first post in this blog aligned education with culture. It is worthwhile dwelling a little on what we mean by culture in the context of education.
The principal understanding of culture in this blog revolves around the many processes and expressions of knowledge which have left their mark on communities. These ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge are reminders of the human person’s search for excellence, fulfillment and happiness. This search looks critically at the world around us while seeking to go beyond the merely material towards an ever greater understanding of the human person’s purpose on earth. What we call culture is the collective expression of these achievements.
To counter the obvious danger of fossilizing this collective knowledge and seeing culture as no more than a legacy from history, we need to ask ourselves what we can contribute to the ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge: this is a challenge for all educators.
Based on this broad definition, the place of culture in education would seem to be self-evident. Regrettably, this is not always the case. Much contemporary educational writing is rooted in the language of ‘innovation’ and undefined ‘relevance’ to the student: good education, on the other hand, introduces the student to what he or she does not know. Therein lies its beauty.
The principal understanding of culture in this blog revolves around the many processes and expressions of knowledge which have left their mark on communities. These ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge are reminders of the human person’s search for excellence, fulfillment and happiness. This search looks critically at the world around us while seeking to go beyond the merely material towards an ever greater understanding of the human person’s purpose on earth. What we call culture is the collective expression of these achievements.
To counter the obvious danger of fossilizing this collective knowledge and seeing culture as no more than a legacy from history, we need to ask ourselves what we can contribute to the ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge: this is a challenge for all educators.
Based on this broad definition, the place of culture in education would seem to be self-evident. Regrettably, this is not always the case. Much contemporary educational writing is rooted in the language of ‘innovation’ and undefined ‘relevance’ to the student: good education, on the other hand, introduces the student to what he or she does not know. Therein lies its beauty.
14 May 2011
'The Lost Tools of Learning'
Every educator should have a selection of inspirational texts in his or her library. These could include substantial works like those by St Augustine of Hippo , Blessed John Henry Newman and Maria Montessori, to name but three.
Fewer people are aware of a much shorter piece on education by the English writer Dorothy L. Sayers. Miss Sayers is more famous for her fictional detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, and while these stories are a pleasant read, her essay on education ‘The Lost Tools of Learning’ is something which merits a wider audience.
Miss Sayers outlines just why, in her considered opinion, modern education has gone wrong. (She was writing in the 1940’s actually.) The text is attached to this piece above. Miss Sayers writes in a style which is elegant and informed – and, therefore, good to read. When compared to the often tortured prose and bullet-pointed notes of modern educational documents, Miss Sayers seems to be writing in another and more precise language.
Those who read this blog will wish, of course, to ‘take education seriously’ and read the essay for themselves. What is of value is some consideration of just how this essay can inform contemporary debates on the purposes of education.
I leave that to you to decide.
Fewer people are aware of a much shorter piece on education by the English writer Dorothy L. Sayers. Miss Sayers is more famous for her fictional detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, and while these stories are a pleasant read, her essay on education ‘The Lost Tools of Learning’ is something which merits a wider audience.
Miss Sayers outlines just why, in her considered opinion, modern education has gone wrong. (She was writing in the 1940’s actually.) The text is attached to this piece above. Miss Sayers writes in a style which is elegant and informed – and, therefore, good to read. When compared to the often tortured prose and bullet-pointed notes of modern educational documents, Miss Sayers seems to be writing in another and more precise language.
Those who read this blog will wish, of course, to ‘take education seriously’ and read the essay for themselves. What is of value is some consideration of just how this essay can inform contemporary debates on the purposes of education.
I leave that to you to decide.
5 May 2011
Learning from 'The Way'
The Emilio Estevez film ‘The Way’ has great educational potential. While those with an interest in the idea of religious pilgrimage will clearly find much of interest in the film, there are other themes in the film which merit some consideration.
The first of these themes is the value of companionship and commensality. Despite their different personalities and life-stories, the protagonists come to share experiences and hopes through walking, talking and eating together. The portrayal of these virtues reminds us of the value of simplicity in life and how education is at its best when it builds on ordinary life and allows the students to help others to live a life of value while searching for illumination. If this broader dimension is not part of the educational experience then we are left with education understood solely as a self-interested search for qualifications and associated careers.
A related theme is the value of the outdoors and how experiencing nature in the company of others is a key moment in developing a sense of wonder and appreciation of the beauty of creation. In a world which searches for the perfect body through the torture of long-distance running and prolonged ‘exercise’ sessions in a sweat-drenched gymnasium, here we see the value of ‘the walk’ through nature as a fine way of keeping the body (and the mind) in shape.
Finally, we see the value of an international dimension to education. While the film is set in Spain, the protagonists come from different countries and find common ground in the walk to the shrine of St. James. It would be good to think that more young people will now take up the challenge to walk to this ancient place of pilgrimage and find hope and peace in the international companionship they find along the way.
The first of these themes is the value of companionship and commensality. Despite their different personalities and life-stories, the protagonists come to share experiences and hopes through walking, talking and eating together. The portrayal of these virtues reminds us of the value of simplicity in life and how education is at its best when it builds on ordinary life and allows the students to help others to live a life of value while searching for illumination. If this broader dimension is not part of the educational experience then we are left with education understood solely as a self-interested search for qualifications and associated careers.
A related theme is the value of the outdoors and how experiencing nature in the company of others is a key moment in developing a sense of wonder and appreciation of the beauty of creation. In a world which searches for the perfect body through the torture of long-distance running and prolonged ‘exercise’ sessions in a sweat-drenched gymnasium, here we see the value of ‘the walk’ through nature as a fine way of keeping the body (and the mind) in shape.
Finally, we see the value of an international dimension to education. While the film is set in Spain, the protagonists come from different countries and find common ground in the walk to the shrine of St. James. It would be good to think that more young people will now take up the challenge to walk to this ancient place of pilgrimage and find hope and peace in the international companionship they find along the way.
17 April 2011
Debating higher education
There is currently a major debate in the United Kingdom about the question of tuition fees for university. It seems that universities in England and Wales will be charging around £6000+ per year. This raises the crucial question of how to pay for tertiary education and how widely available it should be. Political parties are, predictably, doing their best to score points against their opponents but beneath this political cross-fire is an emerging public debate on the definition, purpose and value of a university education.
Various positions are being played out in the letters pages of the ‘quality’ newspapers. For example, the value of technical (vocational) education is juxtaposed with the value of education in the traditional academic subjects. Also, the relationship between higher education and the world of work allows some to call for an increased role for employers in setting the agenda for higher education.
This is an opportunity for a wide-ranging debate on the value of a good education per se and not simply as a training ground for employment. It is a time to set out the value of the humanities and sciences as a field of nurture for the human mind and soul and to share this vision with the political class. To do this requires a degree (no pun intended) of both courage and prudence allied with well-stocked arguments. There is no shortage of good reading material: why not start with ‘The Idea of a University’ by John Henry Newman.
Various positions are being played out in the letters pages of the ‘quality’ newspapers. For example, the value of technical (vocational) education is juxtaposed with the value of education in the traditional academic subjects. Also, the relationship between higher education and the world of work allows some to call for an increased role for employers in setting the agenda for higher education.
This is an opportunity for a wide-ranging debate on the value of a good education per se and not simply as a training ground for employment. It is a time to set out the value of the humanities and sciences as a field of nurture for the human mind and soul and to share this vision with the political class. To do this requires a degree (no pun intended) of both courage and prudence allied with well-stocked arguments. There is no shortage of good reading material: why not start with ‘The Idea of a University’ by John Henry Newman.
7 April 2011
Education: a serious business
Many schools today seek to make the school environment and the process of learning one of fun. While we should all vote in favour of fun and laughter in its rightful place–-and the school is one of the rightful places-–-this should not blind us to the serious nature of education as a process of proper human formation.
The profession of educator is one of the key links in the chain of civilised behaviour. How many teachers would see themselves as such today? It is time to reclaim the ground from those who describe the educator solely as one who teaches skills or who trains the student in the how to pass public examination. The educator is fundamentally the one who leads the child into the wider world of ideas and who introduces the student to the joy of learning through reading, reading and reading again.
The rediscovery of the joy of deep learning is one of many educational challenges we face today. Modern educators must lead by example and immerse themselves in the world of ideas, especially the history and philosophy of education. This will be a key step in reclaiming the 'lost world' of the liberal arts and sciences for our children.
The profession of educator is one of the key links in the chain of civilised behaviour. How many teachers would see themselves as such today? It is time to reclaim the ground from those who describe the educator solely as one who teaches skills or who trains the student in the how to pass public examination. The educator is fundamentally the one who leads the child into the wider world of ideas and who introduces the student to the joy of learning through reading, reading and reading again.
The rediscovery of the joy of deep learning is one of many educational challenges we face today. Modern educators must lead by example and immerse themselves in the world of ideas, especially the history and philosophy of education. This will be a key step in reclaiming the 'lost world' of the liberal arts and sciences for our children.
23 February 2011
Why a blog about education?
The purpose of this blog
The title of this blog expresses a desire for education to return to its fundamental role of the transmission of culture. Serious education is the learning of that which is not trivial. Education is the root of all that is good and true and educators today - as in times past - are charged with acting as a fundamental link in the chain of learning.
This blog will offer its readers a range of perspectives on the key issues facing education today and indicate sources, both print and electronic, where these key issues are explored in a shared scholarly atmosphere.
A few housekeeping matters
Postings will be made at regular intervals. These postings will remain focussed primarily on educational matters and not act as a forum for the personal hobby horses of the writer. Postings will be of moderate length.
The title of this blog expresses a desire for education to return to its fundamental role of the transmission of culture. Serious education is the learning of that which is not trivial. Education is the root of all that is good and true and educators today - as in times past - are charged with acting as a fundamental link in the chain of learning.
This blog will offer its readers a range of perspectives on the key issues facing education today and indicate sources, both print and electronic, where these key issues are explored in a shared scholarly atmosphere.
A few housekeeping matters
Postings will be made at regular intervals. These postings will remain focussed primarily on educational matters and not act as a forum for the personal hobby horses of the writer. Postings will be of moderate length.
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