Declining test scores are in the news. Kids can’t read, can’t write, can’t reason, we hear yet again. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when we see the problems for ourselves. What do we do?
Let’s start with some good news! Recently, I watched 12 and 13 year olds successfully reading, understanding, and writing about Sherlock Holmes mysteries – the original 1892 texts, not watered-down summaries. I’m seeing a new generation of kids learning how to construct sentences, sift through facts to find evidence, frame their thoughts into arguments, stand up in front of others, and communicate. Perhaps the most encouraging thing I see is curiosity. Learning done well should often lead to a desire to learn more.
So what do we really need most to learn? Here are three essential strands that pull together:
Purpose: When we’re teaching and learning, we need to keep asking ourselves one question: Why are we doing this? Lots of important questions come from that one. What’s our goal for today? How is learning this going to help me in the future? Purpose should be a strand connecting everything we do, and we must communicate it every day (What purpose looks like varies a lot with the child’s age, though! I wrote the questions above with 10-14 year olds in mind.) When we simply hand kids an assignment, we’re communicating to them that their education has no real purpose, so we can’t really be surprised when they believe and act like that.
Process: Learning does take time and effort, and learning a skill takes repeated effort. Kids need both a meaningful challenge and a clear path. Along the way, it really helps to be able to see how we’re doing so we can ask questions and learn more. If all kids are doing is turning in work, why should they keep doing that?
Relationship: If we don’t build trust first, we can’t share purpose and work the process together. If you don’t see and believe that I am personally committed to you and your learning, why should you trust me with your time and put in the work? When parents get curious, kids are doubly encouraged!
If what I’m saying is true and helpful, it probably won’t be original! Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher ever, has offered us the deepest commitment in relationship that anyone ever could: His life for ours, to be with Him forever, if we trust Him. Through the Bible, He communicates His purposes for us and tells us about the process of following Him. He knows our weaknesses and the help we need, and He has sent His Spirit to remind and encourage us. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, we may not solve all the mysteries of the mind and heart, but together we can navigate them wisely in the fear of the Lord.
A classroom veteran, George Rietz encourages teachers, teaches homeschoolers, and invents new tools to reshape education. Contact him through ExploreMyWriting.com .
