Our children today live in a virtual world. That’s just a reality. Now we can berate all of their “screen life”, but few parents are doing very much about it. It is too convenient for our kids to have their own smart phone, even if their eye contact is reduced to “face time”. Perhaps they talk more to “Siri” than they do to us, or even their friends, who decipher texting conversations in micro-seconds. Why write an encouraging letter to your Grandma when you can Instagram your friends? So is a discussion on patriotism or fighting for freedom even relevant today in the virtual world? If so, what do we do as parents and teachers?
Well, first we remember that students, regardless of the virtual onslaught on their minds, are still people…created beings who still relate to actual events, true stories and real heroes, if they are actually exposed to them. People still value relationships more than images. If that is true, and lest we surrender our children to apathy or misdirected passion toward meaningless causes, there are critical things we need to provide for them.
One is correct information, like true history and original source testimony of men and women who have made sacrifices for their freedom. We read regularly of school curriculum that is stripped not only of the mention of key historical events and heroic persons, but present such in a dry left brain fashion that totally bores our kids. Their minds can be enlightened by invigorating stories, if the curriculum is rightly chosen by people who understand children. But again, do we as parents care more about test scores or college choices than we do about seeing an excitement in the eyes of our kids about relational learning?
Second, as implicated above, even historical truths that are not revised and are wisely chosen can sedate students if presented by an impassionate impersonal teacher. Perhaps, parents should sit in on their child’s classes before assuming their child’s boredom is self-imposed or a learning problem.
But, even more important perhaps to the minds and hearts of students is to occasionally see, hear, and discuss real life issues with real life veterans… people who truly were eye witnesses, who made sacrifices, who were separated from their families, who actually fought a battle, and who had courage and fear in the midst of real terror.
There is perhaps no better original source to learn our history than a US Veteran. On November 11th each year we are called as a nation to honor these men and women, and we can best do that by hearing their stories directly.
One of our teachers, ironically a Canadian, challenged us twenty or so years ago to honor and bring in Veterans to enlighten our students, and the reward is immeasurable today. In a culture where we gratify most of the desires of our kids, and real deprivation is unheard of, the idea that someone would choose to sacrificially serve God and Country is not natural or virtual. It is not a video game you can play or shut down at will.
Audrey McCabe, Marshall Rogers, Caleb Kaywood, Will Johnston, Cory Thomas, Matthew Drake, Amanda Dykes, Drew Hettenbach, Jack Morrow and Michael Matthews are samples of people from our student body who were inspired to sign up, perhaps in part by eight years of hearing stories from Veterans here at Perimeter School. They weren’t satisfied just to hear about it, but were inspired to live it.
But, the call to preserve freedom as Americans can be lived out in other lifestyles as well. Students who have been inspired to adopt the right mindset can commit to become leaders in all vocations that reject the lure of instant gratification, deprive themselves of living behind the virtual screens of life, and step out to build and restore our nation to its foundations of true justice and freedom, and not gratification, for all.
This year our Veterans Day Celebration program is on Wednesday, November 6th at Perimeter Church in Johns Creek at 9:30 AM. About 2,000 folks participated last year. Come yourself and be inspired to renew the good fight in you and in your children.
Bobby Scott, headmaster of Perimeter School in Johns Creek, Georgia, and director of the ChildLight Schools Association, has over 30 years of educational experience. He is a co-author of When Children Love to Learn (Crossway Books), a Charlotte Mason education book for school educators. Bobby has been the headmaster of Perimeter School in Johns Creek, GA (a 500+ student school of grades K-8) for 26 years. Since 2004, he has annually led teacher training teams to the Punchmi Christian Academy in Karanse, Tanzania, East Africa, as well as been an adjunct instructor at the Joshua Teacher Training College, also in Tanzania. He holds a Master of Education in Counseling and a Master of Education in School Administration. He and his wife, Valerie, have a son and two daughters.