I heard a news item about the Federal government’s education revolution. Afterwards, the announcer invited listeners to call in about what was needed for an education revolution. First, an ex-secondary school teacher! Second was a mum whose son, she claimed, was being abused by other students. Third was about a young woman who had worked in a very difficult near-city secondary school, and then sought a job in a private school.
What I picked up was this! Students are coming to school, not interested in learning! No matter how many, nor how well-qualified teachers there are; it won’t help! . What’s needed is a revolution of thought in parents. Only they, throughout their children’s early years, can instil a belief about the value of learning. Or, revolution demanded a SWAT team in every school. The ”tough” school had protocols for everything. When the woman asked the private school about homework protocols, her interviewers wondered why! “Why would children not do their homework?”
During the program, I mused. They were talking about a need in education for a sound, deeply-held belief system that would deliver desirable outcomes. Doesn’t belief create a sense of what’s valuable in life? Doesn’t this in turn develop attitudes from which behaviour flows? Doesn’t the behaviour lead to personal outcomes for a person, and community outcomes for those around that person? For good; or bad!
Our society is powerfully influenced by a secular, humanist worldview. It is a belief system with great influence over Australian families. It also dominates our Australian education system.
Is this the cause of the problems, for which we need a revolution?
Coincidentally, yesterday morning, I read this paragraph in “What’s so amazing about grace?” by Philip Yancy. “Modern democracy badly needs a new spirit of civility, and Christians could show the way by demonstrating the “fruit” of God’s Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
This is a belief system, too! Maybe, it could be the engine for our education revolution! Are we Christians prepared to live by it?
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