The Measure of Success
What is success, and how do we measure it? Pinnacle, like many schools, wishes to equip our students to succeed both inside and outside of the classroom. But for us to know if we’re actually doing this, we need to know what we mean by success.
I remember a conversation I had with a friend in college regarding the purpose of education. At Pinnacle, I had been trained under the philosophy that one of the primary purposes of education is to teach the student to love learning and to continue learning even after leaving school. I was shocked when my friend responded with, “I’m not sure I agree that that’s the purpose of education. I mean, if your education isn’t preparing you to make money, then what’s even the point?”
The truth is that this is one of the primary aims of modern education: to prepare the student for the workforce. This is perhaps the single most fundamental difference between modern education and the traditional liberal arts education (what we now refer to as classical education), whose stated purpose was to prepare the student not for work, not for leisure, not even for that coveted prize of the six-figure salary, but for freedom. It sought to endow the student with the capacity of thought and the moral integrity needed to live as a member of a free society.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.” Dr. King’s point here should not be lost on us. An education whose only goal is to give its students the skills necessary to participate in the workforce may, he says, be even more dangerous than no education at all. It gives the student powerful tools without training him to use those tools responsibly. For educators to produce workers and not thinkers is not success.
So, if success is not determined by the quantitative measures that help our society assess job readiness, then what does comprise success? Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote,
That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.
Stevenson’s description shows a great deal of insight into what true success means. Notice the qualities he focuses on–the man loves the right things, creates beauty, and lives in right relationship with others. These are the kinds of qualities we hope to foster at Pinnacle.
This past week, our rhetoric students each wrote a prose adaptation of a poetic passage. We were encouraged when one student chose the above selection from Steveson for his project, describing the kind of man who will be remembered by those whose lives he touches. The student wrote the following:
In a quaint village, there lived a man whose name is unknown, lost under verbal tellings of his life. He embodied a life well lived, filled with laughter, love, and wisdom.
From a young age, his thirst for knowledge earned him the respect of the learned elders of the village. Being a beloved teacher, he shared his wisdom generously with the curious children.
He was a gardener, cultivating a flourishing garden around his cottage. He not only cultured plants but also generously cared for his neighbors’ gardens, spreading beauty throughout the village.
He also had a passion for poetry. His perfect verses captured nature’s beauty, captivating villagers who gathered by the riverside to listen to melodic readings.
Many people knew him for his kindness. He saw the best in others, and always extended a helping hand to those in need.
When the shadow of death came over this man, the village mourned. Yet, they knew his legacy would endure in beautiful gardens, heartfelt poems, and the kindness he had sown. He had left the world better than he found it, his life a testament to living well, laughing often, and loving much.
“Leave it better than you found it.” We often repeat this saying as a reminder to our students to be good stewards of the gifts we have been given–whether a space, an object, a relationship, or an opportunity. This student captures the value in doing so. The man in the story loves learning and shares his knowledge generously. He values life and cherishes beauty. He shows grace. All his learning prepares him to serve his neighbor with love.
May we in humility foster such men and women, by the grace of God and through the work of Christ. Soli Deo gloria.
Laurel McLaughlin
Upper School Teacher
