Mission & Academics Blog
Cultivating Virtue: The Heart of Character Education
In a world often focused on test scores and career preparation, Brookfield Academy remains steadfast in our commitment to something more central to human flourishing: the formation of character. Recently, I had the privilege of attending the National Symposium for Classical Education in Tempe, Arizona. The weather alone made the trip worthwhile, but the content was excellent and inspiring. Dr. David Diener, assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, spoke eloquently about wonder and the true purpose of education—ideas that profoundly resonate with our school's philosophy.
In his book entitled Plato: The Great Philosopher-Educator, Diener reminds us that true education isn't primarily about acquiring knowledge or developing technical skills. Plato argued, "Education is most fundamentally concerned with conduct, not with knowledge." This ancient wisdom challenges our modern preoccupation with information and reminds us that the most significant educational question is not what our students know, but how they live and who they are.
For Plato, education was "a training in virtue" that aligns one's loves such that they "adore what is good and abhor what is not." This moral formation is in no way separate from academic learning but rather its ultimate purpose. At BA, we strive to embrace this view, recognizing that mathematics, literature, science, and the arts are not merely subjects to master but pathways to developing wisdom and virtue.
The entire symposium was focused on wonder, and this emphasis speaks to the heart of our educational philosophy. Wonder isn't just about amazement; it's the soil where virtue grows. When students encounter the beauty of mathematics, the complexity of biology, or the power of great literature with genuine wonder, they begin the journey toward wisdom. Through wonder, students don't just acquire information; they experience transformation. Importantly, character development doesn't happen in isolation. Plato recognized that education's ultimate purpose was to form well-ordered individuals who together constitute a well-ordered society. We strive to cultivate virtue within a community where students practice empathy, justice, and service toward each other. Our classrooms, athletic fields, art studios, and service projects all provide opportunities for students to exercise and strengthen these virtues. Whether through rigorous academic discourse that builds intellectual virtue, team experiences that develop perseverance, or service projects that foster compassion, our students grow in character through lived experience.
Character education isn't a program we complete but a continuous journey. As our students graduate and move into the world, we hope they carry with them not just knowledge but wisdom—the capacity to live well, to serve others, and to continue growing in virtue throughout their lives.
In embracing this classical understanding of education as character formation, we prepare our students not merely for college and careers but for lives of purpose, meaning, and constructive contribution. We are fortunate to have 60+ years of Brookfield Academy’s mission-based experience as our foundation with success after success in utilization of the Academy Triangle in emphasizing character as an important part of our Five Stars.
