“But it’s tradition!”
My children’s voices rang out, objecting to the scandalous suggestion that we don’t have a homemade brunch on Christmas morning, and instead, do a festive meal later in the day. They are right, however, it has been tradition. There is nothing special about the food itself, other than the fact that it is Christmas morning brunch and we all sit at the table enjoying it together. But, when I suggested we do otherwise, I soon learned that our traditional brunch means something to my children. It means a lot actually.
We often associate traditions with the holidays. Dr. James Dobson said,
“The great value of traditions comes as they give a family a sense of identity, a ‘belongingness’. All of us desperately need to feel that we’re not just a cluster of people living together in a house, but we’re a family that is conscious of its uniqueness, its personality, character and heritage. It is our special relationships of love and companionship that make us a unit with identity and personality.”
So, of course, we cling to tradition. We break out the classic Christmas songs, then set up the Christmas tree in the same corner as previous years, and make sure we go do the same holiday events. These traditions remind us of who we are and remind us of what we value.
But what about the traditions that can be found in classical, Christian education? In returning to the great books, in training our children in virtue, and in reading the Word of God, we are reminded of who we are and reminded of what we value. Sure, every generation cycles through its own set of trendy math approaches and new theories of language acquisition, but in reality, it is the traditions of focusing on that which has deep meaning and value that provides a stellar education.
Instead of jumping from trend to trend, why not lean on the tried and true traditions of Classical education? A truly good book, fraught with meaning and value, read patiently and slowly by a child sitting in his father’s lap is a tradition of a Classical education. The steady, deliberate drilling of math facts and the search for a deeper understanding of mathematical theorems is a tradition of Classical education. Memorizing Scripture, thinking theologically, and meditating on beautiful passages of Scripture is a tradition of Classical education. Socrates, Shakespeare, and Spurgeon are all a part of the traditions of Classical education.
Traditions matter for they shape the family. Traditions also shape our students. Let’s make sure those traditions are the right ones.