Thoughts on the End of the Year

Last updated on: June 25, 2019 at 10:54 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Thoughts on the End of the Year 2019-06-25T22:54:59-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

At the end of this year, The Saint Constantine School saw success by any measure and I will share some of those stories with you over time. Our students did marvelously well compared to peers. The School and College are growing. But the excellent numbers are not what I recall at the start of the summer break, but the joy of our teachers and students: the elementary student who built a “hospital” for an injured frog, the moment in a College class where a student got it, and seeing an excellent teacher tutor a student in mathematics until she grasped the concept.

We are, I trust, a place where we teach a person, not merely a group or grade.

No parent who loves their children thinks of them as numbers: “Come here 128-06-1528!” A good teacher is similar, teaching a person by name in a system set up to bring liberty to each soul. I think of one of our teachers I saw working to help a gifted student go further: individualizing. Such a Christian education stands against turning students into commodities or groups.

“I am a man, not a number!”

Prisoner Number 6 shouted this in every episode of the classic British television show The Prisoner. In the 1960’s when the show was made, the free world faced a challenge from a totalitarian system that wished to quantify people and reduce them to economic terms. Mass systems were created for the masses, including in education. Number 6 refused to accept becoming a piece of that system. He kept insisting he was a free man. His character reflected the values of one of the last British generations to receive a (mostly) Christian, classical education. Margaret Thatcher was the real life personification: every bit a woman and never a number!

Individuals who are great, even if they are not famous, are discipled individually.

Wisdom cannot be gained en masse, but only by individuals. Virtue does not come to groups, but to a person. Excellence can be achieved best when each person in a class is treated and respected as a person, joyfully. Our teachers look for the flourishing of each individual student. The skills needed in our society are then acquired, because a wise, virtuous, joyful person is hard to stop!

There will be as many as fifty more of us in the Fall and some outstanding new faculty, but each one of us is a soul and not a number.

What then are we to do or continue doing? “What else than to care for the soul, never leaving an idle moment for other things.” So Saint Basil advised his students while he helped sustain classical, Christain education. My prayer is that we continue as we have started: a place to educate individuals in wisdom and virtue with joy, never leaving an idle moment for other things!

On Education

Previous Post

June 24, 2019

Wax and Wane: Just What Happened to Brandon Sanderson?

Next Post

June 26, 2019 Arise, Take Up Thy Bed and Walk: Our Ministry to those with Special Needs (Guest Voice)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the main symbol of Christianity?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The cross Lion Olive branch Rainbow

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »