Our Students are More than Just their Grades


“Thanks for your response. I like the points you make about some elements of Faith being given and some elements being chosen. Indeed, most theologians point to St. John when the make the claim that we are Loved first by God, regardless of anything we choose or desire. The quote I use with my students is "we are Loved into existence", simply because God is Love. In this way, we are created with a disposition to Faith as Faith is an invitation into a relationship with God. It is our response to the Faith God gives us that is Faith in action. It is my favorite concept to teach my students, and it is the blessing of any Catholic school teacher to help their students know they are called to be Loved and to Love.”
            We are created with a disposition to Faith and a disposition toward the mystery of the transcendent. So why do we, as teachers, try to simplify Faith, religion, or theology as just a subject? Why would we limit in our classrooms (regardless of discipline) the mystery to which we are all drawn? I once worked with a teacher (not at my current school) who openly told his student to have fun studying “fairy tales” as they left his room and made their way to my theology class. I don’t take myself too seriously, but I do take my job as a teacher in Catholic schools very seriously. Further, I take my students seriously when it comes to who they are called to be. When we diminish the Faith aspect of our students and fail to help them grow in that capacity, we are limiting them to just the material Truth of who they are. They are no longer Beloved daughters and sons of God meant for greatness in the eyes of the Divine; they are just students. And if they are just students, then they are only as good as the grades they earn.
Some students finishing up the last of my donuts...and some seniors popping in to say goodbye (P. Smith)

            Catholic education, in all departments, is marked by a vocation to help children understand themselves as more than just the grades on their report cards, the color of their skin, their gender, their language or any other material Truth of who they are. Like I remind the student in the quote above, before we know anything or study anything in the classroom, we are Loved into existence…we are Loved first by God. This should be the accent and timbre of our lessons. This should be the superstructure of our pedagogy. We cannot limit our students to just their superficial Truths.

Comments

  1. MauraMay 23, 2018 at 9:59 AM

    I love this: "Like I remind the student in the quote above, before we know anything or study anything in the classroom, we are Loved into existence…we are Loved first by God. This should be the accent and timbre of our lessons. This should be the superstructure of our pedagogy."

    However, I also have experienced Catholic schools using the faith almost as an excuse for poor pedagogy and academic rigor. To me, Catholic institutions--whether they be hospitals, counseling programs, schools, universities, etc--have an even greater responsibility for true excellence. Everything we do should be offered "to the glory of God"-- and that means doing all things to the best of our ability.

    Your thoughts?

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    Replies
    1. Patrick SmithMay 23, 2018 at 2:16 PM

      I absolutely agree. In fact, it makes no sense to only think of Catholic education as a Faith exercise. Aquinas spells this out pretty clearly that as we exercise our intellect with rigor and reason, we encounter God more deeply. All the academic rigor, though, without telos, leads only to ego, "i am". But if relationship with God is the goal, then we are led to "I AM".

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