How Academics Influence a Child’s Purpose and Identity | Jennifer Burns at the Educators’ Summit

It has been an incredible privilege to gather in this summit with such passionate and driven individuals combined to come into this transformational family focused on education. You know, we've spent almost two and a half days learning, discussing, exploring how we can better educate the hearts and and minds and souls and bodies of the students entrusted to us. And over the past 20 years, I have had the profound honor of leading a classical Christian school in Barrington, Illinois. But recently, I have noticed a troubling pattern. More and more parents have been coming to our school, sharing remarkably successful similar stories. They sit across from me with a mixture of eyes, of confusion and concern and tell me something like this. You know, I thought my child was thriving. You know, after all, everyone considers the school that they're going to, this blue ribbon school to be excellent. You know, their test scores are high, college acceptance rates are high. My child's grades are exemplary. The teachers seem dedicated, and by every measurable standard, we should be celebrating success. Then comes the pause, the moment where their voice drops and their real concern emerges. They say, but something's not right. My child isn't learning what she truly needs to learn for life. She's absorbing ideas and values that run counter to everything that we've tried to instill at home. These parents have discovered what many of us in education know but rarely discuss openly, that their children are being masterfully trained to excel at tests and metrics, but they're being unequipped to flourish as human beings. They're learning to perform, but not live with purpose, wisdom, and joy. If we believe that the ultimate purpose of life is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, then the purpose of education must be aligned to this grand purpose. Education is not just about imparting knowledge or preparing students for their careers, but it is about preparing them to fulfill their ultimate calling to love and serve God with all of their hearts, minds, souls and strength. And in Matthew 22:37 through 38, it says, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love him with all of ourselves. Mark 12:30 to 31 states, you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength. Notice that Jesus calls to love God with every part of our being, the heart and the soul, and the mind and the strength. These are not separate categories. They are all interwoven. As educators, we must recognize that we are called to educate the whole child, heart, mind, soul and body, and nothing is else will do. Consider Daniel in the Old Testament. He received A comprehensive education in Babylon, trained in language and literature and wisdom. But Daniel's education was never separated from his faith. He learned that his ability to serve God and his faith informed his learning. And when faced with with challenges, his convictions came through. Daniel did not just compartmentalize his faith from his education, but he integrated them. The result is that God was blessed by both his learning and his faithfulness. This is the model that we need. Education that seeks every subject, every lesson, every interaction as an opportunity to help our students love God and understand him more fully. The heart speaks to the directions and affections, our love, our desires, our passions. Proverbs 4:23 says this above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it. And as educators, we must nurture hearts that love what is good and true and beautiful. Let me share a story of Michael Now. He came to our school as a brilliant young man, seventh grader, capable of solving complex math problems. And he is an excellent writer, actually one of the best that I have ever seen. But Michael was angry. He was withdrawn. His heart had been shaped by disappointment and a culture that told him that his worth was defined by his performance. Now, despite his intellectual abilities, this boy's grades were low and he was deeply unhappy. His teachers recognized that his struggle wasn't intellectual, but instead it was a matter of the heart. They intentionally put their arm around him, brought him in close, exposed him to beauty, introduced him to men of virtue. And with patience and with care, they consistently demonstrated Christ's love to him. And over time, they helped Michael understand that his identity was not rooted in his achievements, but being a beloved child of God, he spent more time with us. And Michael's heart was transformed, and his entire approach to learning shifted. He began to see mathematics as not just a subject, but a window into God's orderly creation. His writing became even more compassionate and his relationships flourished. He had the same brilliant mind, but now it was a heart oriented toward truth and beauty and was thriving. And today, this one despondent student has started his own classical school, and I couldn't be more proud of him. Charlotte Mason understood this when she wrote, we all have need to be trained to see and have our eyes opened before we can take in the joy that is meant for us in this beautiful life. The mind is crucial to education, but we must never forget that we can't have it function independently of the heart. As Proverbs 1:7 reminds us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning knowledge. Dorothy Sayers understood this when she wrote, for the sole true end of education is simply this to teach men how to learn for themselves. And whatever instruction fails to do, this effort is spent in vain. But Dorothy Sayers wasn't advocating for an education without direction. She understood true learning must be grounded in in truth. I think of Mrs. Check, a high school biology teacher who helped her students see God's creation in every detail when they studied the human eye. She shared with them that this is God's creation and marveled at how God designed the beautiful eye. And when they learned about DNA, she helped them appreciate the complexity of God's wisdom. But she also helped them think critically and to evaluate evidence and ask good questions. She showed her students that faith and reason that aligns in the pursuit of truth. So. So we must teach students to think critically and think logically, but always with hearts that seek to understand God's truth. The soul is where our identity and purpose are rooted. And Matthew 16:26 says this. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? I want to share Sydney's story very briefly. She was a beautiful 11th grader, an athlete and musician, well liked by her peers. Yet she sat before me asking to enroll at my school. I did my very best, actually, to convince her not to come. Not because she wouldn't be lovely, lovely human. I knew that. But I thought, you've got two years left. Just stay at that school. Although I knew switching to our school late in the game would be really rough for her academically. But during that interview, Sydney said to me, I'm losing who I am. I need to be in a place where I'm surrounded by godly teachers and learn things that I should know. And I've lost sight of what God wants for my life. Sydney's crisis wasn't academic. It was spiritual. And despite receiving excellent education, no one had helped her wrestle with the fundamental questions of identity and purpose. Sydney's story has a beautiful ending. Her time at CCA wasn't easy for her, and she would say that those two years were in fact the most difficult of her academic life. But she would also say that they were the most fulfilling of her spiritual life. And I was so proud of her for making such a mature decision. To seek something more and to watch her grow into a young woman that God intended her to be was such a privilege. We have to help our students understand that they are not accidents, but they are purposefully created human beings with unique gifts and unique callings. Every lesson we teach should help them answer, who am I? Why am I here. How does what I'm learning help me fulfill God's great purpose for my life? This year, I had the privilege of visiting one of our five C schools in Colorado. The facilities were modest, the resources were limited, but something extraordinary was happening there. Teachers had created an environment where learning was joyful. Questions were welcomed. Each child was valued as an image bearer of God. Students were engaged, they were curious, they were kind. They were educated, not just for academic success, but for life. From humble beginnings, blessings grow. So I challenge you. How will you put into practice what you've learned? How can you educate the whole child in. In heart, mind, body and soul? How can you ensure that every lesson points toward God's truth so that they may love God with everything that they are? In Colossians 3, 23 and 24, we are reminded, whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance of. Of your reward. You are serving the Lord Jesus Christ. So every lesson, every interaction, every moment in the classroom is an opportunity to serve the Lord. So may God grant us wisdom to educate not just the minds, but the hearts and the intellects and the souls of our students. Thank you for your dedication and your heart for your children that you serve. And may God bless you as you continue to educate in his name and for his glory. Thank you.