In light of potential parallels between the transformative effects of the Black Death and Coronavirus, I put forward several ways in which we might see shifts in society today. First, we ought to be prepared for society to change in dramatic ways. Second, we should anticipate new interest in spiritual matters. And third, we should expect that our educational renewal movement with its emphasis on truth derived from the great books of Western society will be a guiding light in a post-pandemic world.

After a year of schooling during the pandemic, we may now be seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Although I am an optimistic person by nature, my disposition toward the end of the pandemic is, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Yet, if we are nearing the end of hybrid learning, mask wearing, health screening and vaccinations, perhaps now is a good time to take stock of insights gained during a crazy year. Here I offer three insights from doing school for a year during the Covid pandemic. Then I suggest three ways we can be prepared for what I’m predicting will be an educational Renaissance.

Technology Cannot Replace Good Education

There were already many online educational platforms before the pandemic. When schools went completely remote in Spring 2020, new technologies sprang into place to enable online, remote learning. Programs like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams allowed teachers to meet with students, set up breakout rooms, and share content away from brick-and-mortar schoolhouses. My school has a reputation for being low tech; really low tech. And yet we pivoted on a dime, devoting three days to teacher training to show them how to use Zoom effectively to lead their classes. When we returned to classes in the fall, our school offered hybrid learning. Families could choose to remain remote. Every classroom was set up to have students join via Microsoft Teams, through which assignments could be distributed to in-person and remote students.

The use of technology to meet the needs of education during the pandemic did much to provide a holistic appraisal of the value of a technology-based overhaul to education. What we learned is that education has largely operated as it ever has. The application of different technologies really didn’t revolutionize education at all. Instead, it tended to reveal disparities in different kinds of schools. Inner city and rural schools were impacted by a lack of devices in homes, especially those with multiple children, or a lack of internet connectivity. Technology did little to address the educational needs of low-income families. Even though one could sign up for a free Zoom account, one still needs a device and quality internet access to participate in remote schooling.

Technology has a tendency to expose good and bad teaching. I have heard many classical Christian schools gaining more widespread reputations for quality education while public schools have been slated for a lack of quality. One reason for this is that parents can sit beside their children during remote learning. Increased access means increased scrutiny. An influx of new admissions at classical schools is due to a growing dissatisfaction with what’s on offer at conventional schools.

Instead of a revolution, we are primed to experience a renewal. Parents, students, and teachers alike are ready for a return to “normal” schooling. For those of us in the classical Christian schooling movement, that means a return from this influx of devices and screen time. In our educational renewal movement, we need to emphasize all the more our distinctives of value-rich education, personal formation and physical presence. Reading actual books and discussing them in the classroom is so important, and the marketplace is primed to find value in what we offer like never before.

Physical Presence is Essential for a Good Education

The experiment in remote learning during Covid has also shown that being physically present in a classroom is so important for holistic learning. One of the challenges of remote learning has been the disconnectedness of students. When a child joins a 45-minute class with the video feed ending when class is done, the child can’t participate in non-instructional time like a snack break or recess. These moments are equally part of the educational environment, providing training in relational and emotional skills. Even during instructional time, remote students seem to have greater difficulty participating in discussion and debate. Technology provides access to the classroom, but it also stands in the way of full participation. For one, it is impossible to see an entire class on one screen. Audio is frequently a problem, making it so that key points in discussion are lost. It is so much harder to stay motivated and attentive when accessing a learning environment through a laptop screen.

Theologically, we know that being physically present with one another is better than being in isolation from one another. The author of Hebrews calls us believers to not forsake meeting together (Heb. 10:25). While this pertains to Christians gathering for worship and scriptural instruction, it points to the benefits we share when we enjoy fellowship with one another. Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in his book Life Together:

“It is true, of course, that what is an unspeakable gift of God for the lonely individual is easily disregarded and trodden under foot by those who have the gift every day. It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, pg. 20

We are not meant to be alone. I think this is true in an educational sense as well. I don’t mean to say that the individual doesn’t bear a certain amount of responsibility. But when we have groups of students in classrooms, the sum is greater than the parts. This is not only true in group activities, but there is a sense of accountability and mutual care that is gained when learning amongst others even when doing individual work. Teachers are able to be present with students to “lend strength” in their weakness to instill habits of virtues.

As we return to normal classroom life, we must be mindful of how powerful the atmosphere of learning is. Being together, while important, is not the chief end of education. Charlotte Mason explores how several different stimuli detract from the most powerful of the desires we should cultivate: the love of knowledge. She writes:

“It will be said with truth that most children delight in school; they delight in the stimulus of school life, in the social stir of companionship; they are emulous, eager for reward and praise; they enjoy the thousand lawful interests of school life, including the attractive personality of such and such a teacher; but it seems doubtful whether the love of knowledge, in itself and for itself; is usually a powerful motive with the young scholar. The matter is important, because, of all the joyous motives of school life, the love of knowledge is the only abiding one; the only one which determines the scale, so to speak, upon which the person will hereafter live.”

Charlotte Mason, School Education, pg. 245-246

When the disruption of our school atmospheres, either through remote learning or social distancing, comes to an end, we can create a false delight in school through an emphasis on school furniture, recess or just being physically together. The true value of life together is not actually the stimulation of being with other people. Instead, it is to enjoy the love of knowledge with others. Schools that have no love of knowledge suffered tremendously during remote learning. Why attend classes? Why turn the camera on? Why participate? The stimulus of the classroom was gone, and there was no true love of knowledge to sustain the children. But when we have cultivated a true love of knowledge, we can truly sustain the life of the mind remotely, during social distancing, and most especially when we return to normal classrooms.

Masks, My Friends, Seem to Work

How is it that masks have become so politicized? I myself have no interest in addressing the politics that have cropped up around mask wearing. It really is a shame the extent to which everything has become political (by which we no longer mean matters concerning policies of state, but whether a person toes a given party line). Yes, I am bringing up masks, but I merely do so to make a simple observation. Masks, my friends, seem to work.

I don’t know the science of the matter. I only know anecdotally that in our school that enacted a policy of mask wearing throughout the school year, we had very few students absent due to the flu or colds. Attendance was outstanding this year. I myself didn’t get sick at all, that is until mask requirements started to go away late this spring. In looking for an explanation for this, it occurred to me that mask wearing actually helped us to mitigate the transmission of just about everything that interrupts the flow of the school year.

Now, I honestly don’t know what to do with this information. It could be that we enjoyed a wild year with mask wearing and just so happened to reduce the number of cold and flu symptoms. Perhaps masks will become so hated that we will never again enjoy the absence of the cold and flu. Alternatively, our society might become slightly more comfortable with masks as has happened in other cultures. Voluntary mask wearing seems to be a way to show kindness to others to stop or slow the transmission of disease. Again, I’m not sure what to think about all that we’ve learned about masks, but I imagine in the aftermath of Covid, discussions about masks won’t entirely go away.

Being Ready for the Renaissance

As I listen to friends and family, the impact of Covid on schools has been dramatic. Conventional schooling did not show itself to be nearly as adept as expected. If anything, remote learning revealed all the more the shortcomings of progressive education. More and more parents are questioning the “normal” school options. The uptick of interest at my school might be an outlier, but I sense that the classical Christian school movement will get a closer look from parents who have become dissatisfied with the education on offer during Covid. What can we do to be ready?

First, we need to double down on our identity as an educational alternative. The temptation, particularly for small schools desperately trying to grow, is to look and sound like the big schools with all the bells and whistles. It is not the programs that make for a quality education. It is a love of knowledge based on great ideas drawn from great books. That’s what our educational renewal movement is based on. That’s what we need to stick to.

Second, we need to take our message to the market. For the longest time I was skeptical about marketing. Having taught Logic, I thought of marketing as synonymous with advertising, which is rife with logical fallacies employed to mislead and manipulate customers. What I learned, though, about marketing is that the marketplace – your area of influence – needs to learn accurate information about who you are. What are your values? What is the distinctive approach to education you offer? How does your school benefit students and families? I realized that marketing in these terms was simply teaching. Now my classroom was not the four walls inside the school, it is the entire western suburbs of Chicago. I could help someone truly understand what we offer at our school. So, come up with a simple marketing plan. Post pictures of students in classrooms on social media. Write blog articles. Invite people to small-group coffees in the neighborhoods where your current families live. The more you educate your market about what makes you distinctive, the more you will attract families who are missionally aligned with you.

Finally, we need to be clear on our boundaries. As more and more families turn from conventional education, the more we need to clarify the policies that are non-negotiable. This requires effective board structures and workflows. Schools are best served by delineated standards for admissions and community culture. If your school is weak on policy, now is the time to start writing policy. If your school has good policy, set a schedule for reviewing policy, ensuring that faculty and staff are aligning practices with policy.

I think the future is bright for classical Christian education. Even though our educational renewal movement has been around over a quarter century, it really feels like we are primed to experience a new influx of interest. Let’s keep this educational Renaissance spreading!

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How are teachers to begin the school year in such times? Let me suggest three principles for returning to school amidst the pandemic, which can be applied whether schools begin in-person, remotely, or using a hybrid model. These principles will also apply to home-schoolers, who have had to face their own unique challenges during this season.

1. Review your core values.

Amidst a catastrophe, our feeble human plans are the most vulnerable victims. Just as schedules are solidified, teaching assignments are confirmed, and re-opening guidelines are published, they can all come crashing down with a single government news conference. As a result, the mantra across industries has quickly become adaptability and flexibility.

But teachers can’t afford to simply be flexible. Their work is too important. Flexibility is crucial, don’t get me wrong, but flexibility is not a sure foundation anymore than is a trampoline. Core values alone serve as the foundation, whether for a person, classroom, or school. 

Core values are foundational because they don’t change even if circumstances do. A core value is a vital and timeless guiding principle. It serves as a compass or road map along a difficult and precarious journey. In order to persevere through the 2020-21 school year, which is shaping up to be one of the most interesting school years to date, teachers need to review and lead with their core values. 

These values can take different forms, but the key is that they must be general, not specific, and abstract, not concrete. “Love for Learning” can serve as a core value; “Using the school’s LMS effectively” cannot. If you’re not sure what your core values as a teacher are, pull out your journal and do a brainstorm. What are the enduring attributes of your classroom and the way you teach that shouldn’t change regardless of circumstance? Begin with a list of 10-15 ideas. Try to bring your list down to 3-6. Those are your core values. To get you thinking, here are some potential options: “Cultivating Virtue,” “Growth Through Adversity,” “Christlike Service,” or “Teamwork.” 

Once a teacher has honed in on her list of core values, she needs to share these values with her class on Day 1. It will be tempting to begin with a discussion on the current status of the pandemic or perhaps the school’s mask guidelines, but teachers must lead with their core values. These will serve as the engine that moves you through the year, not your desk arrangement.

2. Look to the past to find hope for the present.

One of the greatest fears in times like these stems from the fact that we don’t know the future. How long will the pandemic last? Will the government maintain high-control? Will my students stay focused and driven amidst the distractions around them?

To help our students (and ourselves) persevere through this time, we must remind ourselves of the great stories of the past. This isn’t the first time our world has suffered a pandemic and it likely won’t be the last. When did humanity become so arrogant as to think they are immune to viruses? 

But there is hope. Hope in the God who calms the seas and knows the stars by name, and hope in the ways He has equipped His people to persevere in the past. People have gone through far worse circumstances than we are at present and we should look to them for encouragement and wisdom. Patrick has written on both the Black Plague and the Spanish Flu to cross-reference and provide insight for our own pandemic; I would encourage you to check those articles out. 

Through studying history, we can begin to put together a mental framework for how catastrophes fit into our broader understanding of human history. We can learn how some events, such as the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, were used by skeptics to question the goodness of God, while others, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, sent people in droves back to church.

Through looking to the past, we discover nuances and patterns, as well as hope for the future. Applying this principle in your classroom will not only help your students grow as young historians; it will bring them a sense of reassuredness as they view the present situation in a contextualized manner.

3. Cast vision for life after the pandemic.

Believe it or not: this pandemic will end. In some way or another, life will eventually return to normal and this experience will be behind us. Some things will have changed, to be sure, and we ourselves will have changed. But let us remember the wisdom of the Persian poets: “This too shall pass.”

Teachers can cast vision for their students at the beginning of the school year by helping them understand the present pandemic as an episode in a story of which there is hope for a redemptive ending. As Patrick aptly observed in his graduation address, the generation that overcame World War II, earning the moniker “the greatest generation,” is the same demographic cohort that survived the Spanish Flu as high school students. It is not unreasonable to conclude that the catastrophic events they experienced during their late adolescent years prepared them for the greater challenge that awaited them.

Similarly, we can cast a vision for our students that we do not know what the future has in store for them. We do not know how this present crisis is shaping and molding them for some greater challenge ahead. But we do know that God is faithful and He will not abandon them in their time of need. There are good things in store for God’s people.

Another way to cast vision for your students for life after the pandemic is to remind them of their biblically-mandated role here on earth. Christians are to be faithful stewards of the Lord, representing God’s rule and order in creation as they bear the Divine Image. They are to subdue creation, cultivating Christ’s goodness, truth, and beauty within it. Even during these times, our students have a calling, a vocation, to fulfill.

There is a key moment in The Return of the King, the third and final installment of J.R.R. Tolkein’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which Gandalf the wizard reflects on his own role as a steward. Gandalf is no political leader, but as an inhabitant of Middle Earth, he feels a moral duty to ensure that the good things left in his care are not neglected. 

Speaking to Lord Denethor, himself a steward, Gandalf declares,

“The rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?”

As we return to school this fall, let us remember these words as we teach our students. Schools may open and they may close. There may be moments when the virus surges and when it declines. But as teachers, we must not be distracted by such things. We must remain true to our core values, look for wisdom from the past, and see to it that after the night is over, the worthy things left in our care “can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again.” These worthy things are our students, children of the living God.

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