"To be or not to be, that is the question”
This is one of the most famous lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Act 3 Scene 1). Indeed, those six short words ask a very profound question – one that reveals Hamlet’s inner turmoil in facing life’s challenges. It’s a powerful question, in which the listener or reader participates and is challenged as well.
Powerful questions are fertilizer for a young growing mind. As parents of Classical students, engaging in your child’s education means more than just drilling spelling words or checking to see that the math homework was completed. It is a high calling, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply ask questions – preferably the kind of questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or a “no”.
While it can feel intimidating, the good news is that you don’t have to even know or fully understand what your child is learning. Recently, my 12th grader’s math teacher, challenged the students in her Advanced Math class to use a sinusoidal function as a mathematical model. My daughter came home and asked me if I knew how to do that. Honestly, I had no idea what she was talking about and secretly wished she hadn’t even asked! Instead of suddenly becoming preoccupied with something on my phone, I looked at her and genuinely asked, “Why is that important? What skill is your teacher wanting you to learn?” This launched a great discussion on the value of sinusoidal functions in real life. We spent almost 20 minutes discussing this crazy concept in advanced math, simply because I asked a question in return.
I encourage you to start simple with your student. For instance, at the end of the day, don’t ask “what did you do at school today?” That is likely to get a grunt and a “nuthin” in return. Try this question instead: “tell me about something you read today.” Or in going over a math problem, ask your child “why” x = 4 when 3x = 12. How did they get to that number? What mathematical operation did they use to get solve this? Why is it right?
The “how” question and the “why” question are both great discussion starters. They go beyond just information gathering and become meaning-producing. How did Robin Hood justify robbing the wealthy? How does Newton’s First Law of Motion reveal something about God and His creation? How was Frodo changed through his search for the ring? Why does C.S. Lewis use an elevated form of satire in The Screwtape Letters?
That is the beauty and feast of a Classical education. Your child is learning hard things, and growing mind, body, and soul. But they aren’t alone in it. As parents, we have the privilege of walking alongside them and helping them deepen their understanding. You can ask your student “How was your day?” and get a shrug, or you can ask a deeper question. Dig deeper with your child; I guarantee you will both discover great wonders.