Education is by its very nature a formative process, and the teacher’s role in the process cannot be understated. C.S. Lewis tells us in his "Abolition of Man" that the “task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” Certainly, this statement conveys to the reader something about the state of the student when he enters a classroom, but it also assumes something about the instructor and what he must have readily at his disposal upon encountering the modern student.The imagery associated with the “irrigation of deserts” calls to mind vast wastelands of infertile ground devoid of life. Irrigation can only be accomplished through the intentional, painstaking, and methodical work of those with the expertise to know not only the source of life-giving water but also the best path to follow to deliver the water to its intended source. Much in the same way, the teacher must know “the source” of what students truly need and develop the skills necessary to effectively deliver what is needed to the student.This is what I love about classical education. Classical educators pursue the True, the Good, and the Beautiful for their own sake, as encountering each enriches his own soul. However, what makes a teacher truly transcendent in the classroom is when he can take his own knowledge of these things and give it to his students in a manner that inspires them to seek Truth, Goodness, and Beauty on their own. It is, ultimately, this personal encounter with these transcendentals which forms a student in a manner that allows him to live a life marked by flourishing.
Listed skills include Teaching, Curriculum Development, Education, Curriculum Design, and 7 others.