Music and PE at Knox
Socrates suggested that music and gymnastics should compose the core of the common man's education. These words, however, mean something very different to us than they meant when Plato wrote them down. Socrates believed that the education of every Athenian should prepare him to be a healthy member of society and capable of pursuing a good life. This means each student needed to know who he was and how he fit into the world, and this was taught through "music". And he needed to grow in the virtues which were taught through "gymnastic".
We might look at that vision of education and think that much is missing, like the "three Rs" (Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic). However, it's also possible to look at that vision of education and realize that it is also exactly what is missing from today's understanding of education. In schools today, we might teach music and PE, but we don't teach them for the purpose of piety, virtue, or citizenship. Rather, much of our current public education system is geared toward corrupting students and breaking any loyalties they may hold to the past.
Education needs a goal. To the Greeks, this goal was called paideia, which was like an ideal culture. This is the term Apostle Paul uses in his admonition to fathers to raise their children in the "nurture and admonition" of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). He is telling father's to raise up their children in the paideia or the ideal culture of the Lord. When the liberal arts were first developed in the middle ages, they were so named for their combined purpose of liberating the student to live a good life. They were liberal because they liberated and this end goal of a "good life" was the paideia.
At Knox we fully embrace this idea of a Christian paideia toward which we are educating our students. And we readily embrace music and gymnastic as a foundational way to start a students journey. Thanks to Mrs. Burns and Mr. and Mrs. Baumgarten our PE program has gotten much stronger this year and is, indeed, focused on the development of virtue. And my mom, Mrs. McReynolds, and I have continued to strengthen our music program. Music is also a regular part of each classroom. While it is true that music is a personal passion of mine, I want to impress upon the community that it is an integral part of the type of education we are pursuing at Knox Academy. And as opportunity presents itself, please join us in song! I am always happy for us to sing and worship together (like this Sunday at Bear Creek Church).
Perhaps we can start an after school community choir. I also have several horns, in case anyone out there wants to join the band!
