Say’s Law and Education

This afternoon I was listening to a panel discussion on for-profit education, as part of some research I’m doing for offering Kindermusik classes at the School of Performing Arts. While much of it probably won’t interest most readers of this blog, one thing did stick out at me as particularly thought-provoking.

One of the panelists spoke about the ability of the private sector to educate far more efficiently and effectively than the public sector—a truth with which I couldn’t agree more strongly!—making reference to Say’s Law, which states that “supply creates its own demand.” His point was that innovative people create things which no one has yet “needed” (e.g., fax machines and cell phones), and this in turn creates demand for that good or service. In this case, educational entrepreneurs develop educational products (e.g., Kindermusik) which are proven effective over time, becoming both beneficial to society and profitable for the entrepreneur.

What I found most fascinating, though, was when he went on to describe public schools as “necessarily conservative”—in the sense that they “must not be subject to the vicissitudes and fads of the moment”—whereas education, to be successful, requires “the entrepreneurship of people with new ideas, flexibility, agility, imagination, energy, the willingness to run risks, and also a desire to make a little money.”

I’ll admit that when I think of public schooling, the word “conservative” typically does not come to mind. But as I thought about it, I realized the panelist was correct in his assessment. With an increasing push for standardization of student outcomes and the emphasis on a “common core” in government schools, the options for teachers and parents are quite limited in public education. This really is a conservative mindset, albeit a mind set on conserving values more commonly labeled “Liberal.”

Private and home schools, meanwhile, are at liberty to pursue whichever methods are best in a given context, giving parents and teachers the freedom to choose whichever educational options are best for their students. As the supply of excellent educational choices increases, it will create its own demand among those who haven’t yet realized what they are missing. This truth is what makes me so excited about my work at the music school and at Highland Rim Academy!

So what do you think? Are public schools “necessarily conservative”? Is school choice the key to better education for all? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

*BONUS MATERIAL*

In the same discussion, Kindermusik CEO Michael Dougherty also stated that his “driving mission” was to prevent music from becoming “the next Latin,” something vital to a child’s education which has been “snuffed down in the lives of children.” As a huge fan of classical education, I thought that was a pretty cool connection to make!

Interested in an Introductory Class on Christian Worldview & Philosophy?

In the last two weeks I’ve had several meetings brainstorming possible collaborations between the School of Performing Arts and other Christ-centered educational organizations in the Upper Cumberland. While there are several exciting and interesting possibilities, the one that is most appealing to me personally (and also the likeliest to happen in the near future) is the chance that I may be teaching a course in Christian Worldview & Philosophy for homeschooled high school students.

I’ve had a desire for a while now to incorporate classes at the SPA that would broaden the scope of what we currently offer; things such as Music Theory, Music History, and Music Appreciation. One of the things I love most about music is how well-suited it is to being a tool for teaching about the Great Ideas that have shaped human history. So when I learned that the Sharp Arrows Tutorial Academy was looking for someone to teach an introductory class in Christian Worldview & Philosophy at Peachtree Learning Center, it seemed like a natural fit for a collaborative effort between three different programs!

There are still some details to be worked out, and it’s far from being a “done deal”, but one of the major details involves gauging the interest level for a class like this. If it were offered, there would likely be two different classes: a weekday morning class for homeschool students, and a not-for-credit version in the evenings geared primarily toward parents and other community members interested in the subject matter.

I’ve drafted a tentative syllabus based on a 32-week class (16 in the Fall Semester + 16 in the Winter/Spring Semester). Here are my stated course objectives:

• Provide students with a firm foundation for a comprehensive biblical worldview, as well as a basic understanding of major philosophical ideas that have competed with this worldview in shaping the world in which we live.
• Investigate ways in which philosophy and worldview influence popular culture (music, art, literature, movies, etc) and how these cultural artifacts in turn influence the thinking of individuals and entire societies.
• Equip students to be able to articulate a biblical worldview and defend it against challenges, while understanding that the proper end of apologetics is evangelism.

My three primary teaching sources would be The Truth Project materials from Dr. Del Tackett, Seven Men Who Rule the World From the Grave by David Breese (my review), and Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey (my review). In addition to studying some of the most influential philosophers in history, there will be a heavy emphasis on music and art history, showing how differing worldviews affect popular culture. I’m also hoping to end the class with a “field trip” to the Frist Center for the Arts and the Nashville Symphony.

Whether this class happens beginning this Fall or not, I definitely plan to teach this at some point. So let me know if you or your teenage child would be interested in something like this and I’ll keep you informed on when and where it will be happening!

Book Review: Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning

“Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education” by Douglas Wilson

This book, published in 1991, has become an incredibly influential book. In fact, an entire association of schools exists largely because of this book. In it, Douglas Wilson, a pastor in Moscow, ID, lays out his educational philosophy and a vision for Classical Christian schools. He relies heavily on examples from Logos School, which he founded in the early 1980′s to implement his educational philosophy.

The title of the book comes from a Dorothy Sayers essay entitled “The Lost Tools of Learning”, published in 1947. It is available for free online here. Sayers, disappointed in the direction that public education was heading in the 1940′s, wrote about the “classical” style of education, by which students had been taught for thousands of years. She compared this against the “modern” style of teaching in this way. In a nutshell, modern education focuses on teaching “subjects” (math, reading, science, etc) whereas classical education concentrates “on first forging and learning to handle the tools of learning.” Rather than simply learning facts and charts, classically-trained students learn how to learn. Once equipped with these tools, they are able to more quickly and thoroughly grasp the subjects taught by modern education.

Wilson’s philosophy takes this a step further, using the biblical mandate for parents to teach their children as a foundation, and building upon that foundation using the classical “Trivium”, a system of teaching consisting of three stages: Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric. The result is what he calls “Classical Christian Education”.

The book is divided into four sections. The first, called “The Failure of Modern Secular Education”, is an effective and devastating critique of public schools. Many of the statistics in this section are outdated (things are actually much worse twenty years after the book was written), but the concepts are the same. He also addresses many reforms suggested by both Christians and the secular establishment, and points out reasons why they won’t work.

The second section is called “An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education”. In my opinion, this is the strongest section of the book. Here Wilson shows from God’s Word the indisputable mandate that Christians have to educate the next generation — and specifically their own children — according to God’s objective standard of truth. Because all “true truth” is God’s truth, every possible area of study hinges on a proper understanding of the biblical worldview. There is no such thing as an education which is “worldview neutral”; children are either being taught to live and learn according to God’s Word, or they are being taught to live “by bread alone”. Therefore, education is truly a ministry, and something which Christians must take seriously, both individually and corporately.

One common objection to Christian education which Wilson addresses is the sentiment that Christians must enroll their children in public schools to be “salt and light” there. He argues first of all that, despite the fact that millions of Christians are in these school systems (and have been for generations), “we would be hard pressed to show that Christian kids are making a difference in the public schools.” It is not fair for children to be expected to contend for a faith in which they have not yet been sufficiently instructed, particularly when the entire system is formulated around a worldview that is antithetical to Christianity.

Section three is titled, “An Approach to Distinctively Classical Education”. Wilson expounds further upon Sayers’ essay, and explores and details the content and methods of teaching the Trivium. He addresses some specific problems that every classical educator must overcome, whether teaching in a private school or a homeschool. Things such as television, video games, and other social and cultural distractions keep students from their books and studies, contributing to an anti-intellectual society.

One of the most interesting problems he addresses is that of money. He points out that, because churches and Christian parents have for so long abdicated the responsibility of teaching to the State, there is a price to pay to begin to set things right. Since all citizens are paying taxes to support public schools, those wishing to give their children a Christian education must actually “pay double”. Wilson is optimistic, though, that once a “mature Christian school system” reaches nationwide prominence (essentially returning education to the free market) there may be an opportunity from permanent relief. He is adamantly against school vouchers or any type of government involvement with private schools.

In one final chapter from this section, Wilson shows why he believes classical private schools to be superior to classical homeschooling. The argument here revolves primarily around two things. First is a “division of labor”. It is rare that a husband and wife will be equipped to teach every subject excellently, whereas in a private school teachers can excel within their own field. A practical example: One teacher trained in Latin can instruct 20 students. For 20 homeschool students to learn Latin, 20 homeschool parents must first learn Latin.

Second is the social aspect of learning. Much of the dialectic and rhetoric stages of the Trivium depend upon students learning to debate, defend, and articulate their beliefs. These things happen best in a community of students in a classroom setting. Wilson does say that homeschooling is the second best option after a private Classical Christian School (i.e. – better than traditional non-classical Christian schools), and would have been his choice had a good private school not been available.

The final section of the book is labeled, “Conclusions”. This is basically a short summary of everything previously stated, with a few points of emphasis and clarification.

Overall, Wilson’s arguments are very well-written and persuasive. Many skeptics (and particularly homeschoolers) will say rightly that an extreme minority of schools fit this description; that Logos is an exception rather than a standard that can be matched. However, this is a tough argument to make against Wilson, who has shown in his own personal experience that, when no suitable educational option exists, one can endeavor to create one from scratch as he did. It’s certainly not easy, but when education is a priority, a parent will do whatever it takes to get the best possible education for their children. “The proof is in the pudding”, as they say. Not only has Logos thrived over nearly three decades, but the organization that grew from it — the Association of Classical Christian Schools — now has nearly 250 schools and continues to steadily grow!

This book ought to be considered a must-read for every Christian parent, but particularly those who are teachers in the public schools or those who homeschool their children. You may not agree with everything Wilson says, but he will definitely have you thinking about vitally important things you may have never considered before! Buy it here.