Teachers Talking
Introduction | Achievement: Blessing or Curse?

Welcome to Teachers Talking for Term 4.  Last term we explored the theme ‘The Courage to Discipline’, where discipline is seen as part of nurturing a learning community where students are formed into the people God designed them to be, unique image‑bearers who love Christ and reflect His character in the world.

If our Christian school is to fulfil this purpose, then we must recognise the loud voices of competing stories and visions of the good life which they are exposed to. One such story in our society is where achievement is seen as a measure of one’s success and significance.  The quality of a school’s education is often measured by their results in standardised tests, or the number of band sixes received in the HSC.  This is a powerful story in a culture that encourages our children and young people to construct their own identity and meaning for life that readily impact their sense of self.  Research shows that their wellbeing is a growing concern as many are suffering high levels of depression and anxiety. “A parliamentary report into school refusal, published in April 2023, notes that 50 – 80% of children or young people engaging in school refusal behaviour met diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder.” [1] Clearly, where achievement is pursued as an end in itself, it is a factor that feeds into this problem.

Christian educator, Donovan Graham, says that “perhaps no other dimension of school life is more difficult to put grace into practice than evaluation.  This is the place where students must in some fashion perform and be judged by their performance.” [2] During Term 4, the Teachers Talking offerings will focus on the theme ‘Achievement: Blessing or Curse?’ where we will explore the true nature of achievement and its purpose in God’s grand story to raise up those who are cultivators of the Creator’s image in His world.  Let us face this challenge with  grace and truth.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2: 13

 

Grace & Peace
The Excellence Centre Team

 

[1]  AISNSW Education News, (AIS, NSW, 7 September 2023)

[2]  Donovan L Graham, Teaching Redemptively – Bringing Grace & Truth in the Classroom, 2nd Ed., (USA: Purposeful Design Publications, 2009), 235