argh

I am just really frustrated today. It happens sometimes, mostly when I watch the news or go to my education classes or read the Bible. I'm frustrated with our society. I'm frustrated with our churches. I'm frustrated with our schools.

Ask anyone who's familiar with educational theory, and they'll tell you that the best teachers are the ones who teach kids to be knowledge constructors, not knowledge consumers. We should ask them questions and make them ask questions, make them think, help them form connections between what's in the textbook and what's in the world. We should give them the resources and then teach them to learn, to put facts together and build knowledge.



Are we really doing that? Really? Step into a class full of college freshman and see how many students are jumping at the opportunity to discuss anything (unless it's related to pizza). Take a stop watch and count how long it takes before the over-achiever finally answers the question, making it clear to any doubters that talking or even thinking is not socially acceptable. Yet here I sit in a class full of future teachers, who have just spent a semester studying educational theory and practice (and most still have 3 1/2 years to go), and nobody will answer a simple question from the professor.

We, as a generation, are brain-dead.

Why is this a problem? Should we really be concerned about our schools? Isn't it enough to get test scores up and snag that federal funding so we can get iPads for our classroom?

Shift gears with me and visit your average Sunday School class on any given Sunday morning. Ask someone to read a few verses. Ask someone what Jesus just said in those verses. Ask what it means we should do in our lives. Ask them how they know what they're being told isn't just somebody at Lifeway's good dream from last night.

[cue crickets]

Do you see what's happening here? We, as a culture, are breeding consumers -- of merchandise, of food, of knowledge. And worst of all, of religion.

This is a serious problem.

This is why churches teach false doctrine and nobody knows the difference. This is why people vote on issues they know nothing about. This is why people worship a God they barely even know, and this is why too many people pass their bodies through the waters but never their hearts through the blood of Christ. If we do what they tell us and we answer "Jesus" when we're supposed to, we'll be ok. I think maybe this is why I want to be a teacher.

Forget the entire book of Romans, all I need to know is 8:28. Forget the rest of Hebrews, all I need to know is chapter 11. Now that you mention it, forget most of the Bible... all I need is my Sunday School book and some donuts. All I need is to come up with something nice to say when the teacher asks "What do you think about this? How does it make you feel?" Forget Truth, all I need is to get to Heaven and not be late for lunch.

What happens when our government doesn't let this happen anymore? What happens when one day we aren't allowed to have Sunday School? What if *gasp* we couldn't say 'Christmas' anymore? What if we couldn't get anymore spiritual handouts? What would be left of our Christianity?

I guess the real problem isn't with the school or with the church... it's with us. Maybe there's still hope for us, maybe there's still time for us to become a "generation of those of seek Him," not just a generation of those who simply receive Him. I hope so.

I hope one day I raise children who are thinkers, learners, constructors of knowledge and contributing members of society. Most of all, I hope they know the God they talk about.