Families often come to our school to take a tour and ask questions about our programs here. They are eager to determine if our school is what they are looking for and they are eager to make an impression on us at the very beginning of the admissions process. As we discuss all things Libertas Academy, inevitably the question comes up from a concerned mom or dad: “But what about technology?”
The question is couched in an apparent concern about the availability of computer coding classes or software editing skills. Our admissions team is tempted to think that they are asking about those things because of their child’s aptitude and love for technology, but parents already know there are a myriad of free typing courses online and that there are at least a dozen Youtubers that could explain coding to their child. In reality, what parents really want to know is this: do you have what it takes to make my child competitive in today’s world?
The answer to that is an emphatic “yes” but for a very different reason than the parent supposes. In today’s world, and even more so in tomorrow’s, the student, the child, the young adult who can actually focus outside of technology is the one who will be competitive.
It goes without saying that we are a society that is addicted to technology. According to 2023 statistics, the average American touches their phone 2,617 times per day and checks their phone an average of every 10 to 12 minutes. Our attention spans have been reduced to mere moments, as we are constantly clicking on the next thing or following the next link. Admit it, you often find yourself picking up your phone and doing the “app carousel”, where you check your email, then your texts, then your social media, then back to your email again. Round and around we go, distracted by the technology we hold in our hands, not realizing how much we are training ourselves to have a shorter and shorter attention span. In fact, if even the length of this paragraph causes you to speed up and try to get through it more quickly, is it the fault of me, the long-winded and too-wordy writer, or you, the app-clicking and short-attention-spanned reader? (Asking for a friend.)
All teasing aside, I challenge you to consider what will indeed give your child the best competitive edge in the future. Will it be the cultivation of more technological skills or will it be the cultivation of your child’s ability to work and think for prolonged time periods? In his book Deep Work, researcher Cal Newport writes,
“The ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. As a consequence, the few who cultivate this skill, and then make it the core of their working life, will thrive.”
In an ever-evolving technological economy, I argue that it is the students who are graduating from classical schools who will have the edge. They’ve spent their school years focusing deeply on deep things. They know how to think and how to reason and probably most importantly, how to focus. They have longer attention spans, more profound thinking abilities, and the breadth and depth of knowledge that has shaped an incredibly intelligent critical thinker.
Rather than asking what technology we offer, perhaps a better question is this: how much will my child be reading? Thinking? Writing? Debating? Contemplating? Trust me, the real competitive edge is found in facing the world with a deep, rich education. Tell your child to put their phone down, grab a “real” (as in one you can hold) book, and get to class.