Students of God’s Truth (both mentors and mentees) will brighten the Aplenhaus Library in a few short days and we will continue our experiment in education. Though it is an experiment in the sense that its method is largely out of practice, it is grounded in historical success, solid educational philosophy, and even biblical practice. Lectures can only go so far. Real education comes with a dynamic encounter with the truth–dialogue grounded in a Christian worldview.
Education at the Institute is built on a mentorship model. The Summer Studies, in particular, are modeled after the work done at the Center for Western Studies–a method they refer to as tutorial education. They described as follows:
Our tutorial approach is a pedagogy that:
- affords a student one-on-one time with a college professor every week
- affords a student experience with college level work without pressure for grades
- affords tailoring of academic direction toward the student’s interests
- builds a love for learning, since connections are constantly being made between the student’s love for God and the subject at hand
- encourages life-long learning
- follows the Socratic method that argues truth is discovered in the interaction between two people rather than only through the textbook or didactic teaching (lecture).
The beauty of this way of study is a combination of small group meetings and one-on-one time with your professors.
Whatever you call it: mentorship or tutorial education. It is a better model for education and our delight is in its re-discovery!
