That Will Teach You

I think there’s something inherently wrong with the system of education. I was reading a part of Shawn Michaels’ autobiography mentioning how when he got into wrestling as an interest on of his teachers also was a big fan so would often show Shawn that he was reading a wrestling mag in the class and talk the business before class.

What this highlights to me is the fact that teaching has become so clinical and professional that the real intimate personal styles of discipleship and learning from the character of someone else has been lost, which to me has to be wrong. Surely the whole point of education is not just the ability to retain and regurgitate facts, figures, quotes and systems of thought.

Surely the whole point of education is to equip people with all that is required to succeed in whatever one chooses to do whether that’s housing maintenance, sewage works, administrative support, managing a company, playing for a hockey team or writing for a newspaper. Surely the tools that we need are better gained from associating and picking up tips, characteristics and the like that academia will not satisfy. To do that properly this professional, institutional relationship of teacher and pupil is too distant and untouchable – obviously not helped by the numbers of pupils in typical classes.

This is where I feel homeschooling has a distinct advantage and how parents should really make the most of the time they have with their children to really share life with them. I’m learning to do that with my son, Kevaughn and I’m seeing the benefits of relating to him as a pal as well as a father – as someone he can chill and chat with whilst still respecting the relationship dynamic between us. Hopefully that would allow him to pick up things from me just be association and also be aware of my frailties, flaws and faults and avoid them whenever possible.

Reading the style that Jesus modelled I’m sure this is what made the disciples such effective witnesses because he allowed them to come up and personal and not be distanced by a formal approach to teaching. That relational style of learning is what I’m also detecting in the early church and the examples of guys like Paul and Peter in their letters and also in the general behaviour and movements with others.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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