n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 3
We have each been
in a class which hit a
‘sweet spot,’ engaging
our understanding,
connecting to our
affections, and
helping us to see
the potential for use
in our lives. This is
an extraordinary
educational moment.
a “sweet spot,” engaging our understanding,
connecting to our affections, and helping us
see the potential for use in our lives. That is
an extraordinary educational moment.
In Senior Project, I propose to students
that it is also the recipe for a great project.
As a matter of fact, I contend that it is the
recipe for a great job, a great relationship, a
great church, and certainly a great school.
Of course, these three topics are simply
a reframing of a New Church concept of the
interplay between good, truth and use, and
I believe the Academy benefits from a clear
understanding of this. Each class taught
here may not always hit the mark, as this
concept is an ideal, something to which
we must aspire. But when it comes to the
culture of this school, we have something
special to share.
Historically, what we offer in the domain of understanding has been
quite apparent. We are the educational arm of a church whose centerpiece
is revelation and the distinctive principles it contains. But we sell ourselves
short if we stop there. For, while our understanding informs our lives, it is our
affection, our desire, that drives us, and purpose which offers us direction.
We are uncommonly good at considering affection and purpose in what
we do here. There is a quote which has hung in my classroom for more than
20 years: “Thoughtfulness is the social, as well as the intellectual, aim of
education.”
We know we must educate minds, but we are also cognizant of this
institution’s stated mission: “To prepare students for a principled and useful
life in this world and the next.” To do that we must also educate hearts, and
seek to find those “sweet spots” when we teach. This sort of education, and the
environment in which we foster it, are rare, and therefore something I believe
we should acknowledge more.
The Middle States Association confirmed this in its preliminary report
after an evaluation visit this spring. After emotionally praising the character
of ANC’s students and faculty, their leader’s singular criticism was that more
people don’t know what we offer. So let me tell you a bit about the Secondary
Schools.
As my career has progressed, I have come to see my role as more of a coach
than an instructor. While instructors and coaches are both knowledgeable, the
term “coach” implies more investment. A coach pushes students to see the
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