Classical Education: The Pitfalls

The number one pitfall of CE is arrogance.

First, let me post a disclaimer: I am not of a modern, relativistic mindset which believes that simply declaring one thing superior to another constitutes arrogance. A healthy part of education is learning to distinguish the good from the great. Passing judgements as to the value of a thing - whether a work of art, a musical composition, a narrative, or a method of educating - is a necessary outworking of knowledge.

I openly state that I believe Classical Christian Ed, when well-implemented, is superior to more traditional approaches. Its goals are loftier, its content heartier, its approach more methodical and purposeful, etc. That is my firm opinion. At the same time, I openly acknowledge that it is not the only way or even the only good way to educate our Christian children. My own children are no longer being educated classically, and while I find that very unfortunate and I sometimes mourn what we have lost, I don't believe for a minute that my children will fail in life or in their Christianity because they are not in a classical school.

So, when I talk about arrogance, I'm not referring to statements declaring one method to be better than another. I assume that most of us choose to run various aspects of our lives in a particular way because we think "this way is better than that way." The reality is that there is a best way to cook pasta...and I want to know what it is. That doesn't mean there's only one way and that everyone who does it otherwise is a failure at cooking! Likewise, there are lousy, good, better and best ways to educate.

The problem arises when the belief that Classical Education is the best way to educate, is accompanied by an underlying foundation of scoffing and mockery, both at government education and at modern Christian education. Some of the criticisms set forth are absolutely valid! The weaknesses, and even sometimes folly, which they expose, are truly weakness and folly! But the attitude which drives the exposure is not one of humility or desire to restore, but a desire to look good...to sound important...to set "us" over against "them" in a way that exalts us and denigrates them.

This arrogance manifests itself in a variety of ways: perhaps in an unwillingness to listen to parental feedback; engaging in provocative and destructive rhetoric about others; resistance to outside evaluation; refusal to incorporate ideas and methods that don't come from within the "circle"; a disregard for all modern contributions to educational theory; a willingness to "experiment" with curriculum and approaches that are untried and unproven; etc., etc., etc.

If we want to avoid many errors, offences and much foolishness, we must actively guard against pompous attitudes and seek to adorn the profession of the gospel - as it is expressed in Christian classical education - with humility. It IS possible to strive for excellence without drowning in intellectual arrogance. That should be our aim.