A Fascinating Paradox

As a classical educator, I often think:
“Won’t it be great when these students grow up to educate their own children and I’m out of a job.”

I look forward to the days in my students’ lives when they realize that what is commonly conceived of as education is not only somewhat odd, but even unnecessary, and their schools and homes primarily become places of production, rather than consumption.

When the students I teach grow up to be fathers and mothers, I certainly hope they are disenchanted with the terrible idea of funneling their children through a state run school. What’s more, I hope they are disenchanted with the idea of funneling the next generation through an insipid franchise classical school or private prep school.

How do we accomplish this? We teach our children like we mean it – show them how to die well. We give our children robust, traditionalist, Christian education and show them how to value the best and most beautiful things for their own sake, not as means to some other end. Students who are virtuous, intelligent, copious, free, passionate, happy, creative, funny, careful, devoted, idealists will not fail to produce beautiful things everywhere they go.