In his seminal work on education, The Idea of a University, Saint John Henry Newman writes, “If knowledge is to remain in the mind, it must not be passively received, but actually and actively entered into, embraced, and mastered. The mind must go half-way to meet what comes to it from without.”
So writes Steve Vaughan, pictured below, Associate Superintendent of the Office at Catholic Schools at the Diocese of Lansing. Steve continues:
With these words, Newman – the newly declared patron of Catholic education and Doctor of the Church – hits the nail on the head when it comes to the purpose of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lansing: to be ‘sanctuaries of education’ where teachers lead students into a joyful encounter with Truth.
This work of encounter involves both the teacher and the student existing together in an incarnational relationship rooted in trust, respect, and their common humanity. Both are made in the image and likeness of God, so both possess the ability to bring the light of Christ to each other and to their mutual task: learning.
The teacher, through his or her experience and wisdom, invites students to wonder at the truth being taught, and the students, in turn, engage (hopefully joyfully!) with this truth through discussion, reading, writing, experiment, or project.
Our great teachers in the Diocese of Lansing are becoming masters at leading students into an encounter with Truth (Jesus Himself) and truth (the things He wants us to know about the world He created). I recently was in a kindergarten classroom where the teacher opened a math lesson, not with the words, “Today we’re going to learn about the number 6” but with a read-aloud (yes, words and numbers can go together!).
As she read the story, students noticed that each page contained six turtles, but they were represented in different ways – different colors, different groupings, or different sizes. By asking a few guiding questions, this teacher led students to that ‘Aha!’ moment when they realized, through their observation and investigation, that there are many ways to make the number six. In this lesson, the teacher invited students into a relationship with truth, and they reciprocated by actively ‘embracing and mastering’ it.
This is what a Catholic education rooted in the liberal arts looks like and is demonstrative of the beautiful learning that is happening in all Catholic schools across the diocese. The act of learning is not simply the transmission of information from teacher to student; it is a dynamic, joyful, and collaborative encounter with truth.
Saint John Henry Newman recognized this reality nearly 200 years ago, and it is this reality that is forming the next generation of saints and scholars in the Diocese of Lansing today. May this great patron of Catholic education intercede for all of us as we continue our pursuit of all that is True, Good, and Beautiful in our schools.
Saint John Henry Newman, pray for us!
* To know more about Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lansing, go to: https://dolcatholicschools.org/
