Category: Opinions

Last spring, I had the opportunity to help teach the rock climbing course. The class was full, as always, with a wait list to boot. I watched as people of all levels of experience learned to solve problems, think on their feet, and even conquer their fear of failure—and heights. The seniors, and a handful of juniors, were thrilled that they had finally gotten a slot in the class.

This year, the rock climbing class no longer exists, with downhill skiing following suit. It seems that many similar programs—the programs that have made Houghton stand out for decades—are also in jeopardy.

So when my brother, a high school senior, asked me what made Houghton stand out when I made my decision, I had to ask myself—what makes Houghton unique?

It certainly isn’t the faculty to student ratio, at least not anymore. Not only are professors leaving with no one to replace them, but new courses are being actively drawn up to pool students together in one large lecture-based classroom.

It certainly isn’t the location. We may have 1,300 acres of land to use as we please, but we seem to spend more and more of our time indoors. We don’t take enough advantage of our proximity to canoeing spots, or of the woods and their many trails, or even of our incredible ropes course, which has drawn outside groups as well-known as the Buffalo Sabres. These courses seem to be disappearing, and plenty of the student body may be unaware they ever existed.

And it certainly isn’t the liberal arts education that Houghton affords us. One of the traditional tenets of a liberal arts education is the dialogue, which typically requires small class sizes. In the past few years, I’ve taken several courses twice the size of any that my sister, a recent Houghton graduate, ever experienced. Because of this, there is rarely any genuine discussion between students. There is no back and forth. There is no give and take. No viewpoints are meaningfully challenged. Classmates only offer the occasional comment to secure their participation grade, and professors struggle to keep track of so many students.

On top of all this, it has become harder and harder to diversify your studies. The goal of a liberal arts education isn’t to encourage specialization in one discipline or train students for one specific job. Its goal is to learn how to learn, to develop into a better-rounded individual, to become a person who can excel in any position or circumstance. Does Houghton provide that kind of inquisitive atmosphere? When I leave my major to explore other subjects, I feel like an outsider.

Even core programs that are integral to a Christian education are being neglected. These days, it seems almost impossible to find a major—or even a minor—that isn’t on its way out the door. It’s almost impossible to major in history. Sociology is gone. Even the philosophy department is on a weight loss program.

I know that I am just defending the programs that are close to my heart, and that there are others out there that are also hurting or have even benefitted from recent changes. I know I am painting a one-sided picture of the school’s actions. I know that budgets have to be balanced.

But it is hard to feel sorry for the school when I hear the KPAC’s exhaust fans all through the night when we are leading the Highlander Program.

Houghton needs to attract new students, and with higher education for New York residents now being funded by the state, that has become even more difficult.

So what makes Houghton unique? Why should students come here?

We could grow our own vegetables, and place a bigger emphasis on living sustainably off the land this school was built upon. We could take groups of students outdoors to revel in God’s creation and learn about our responsibility to take care of it. We could reach out to our community and prove that we aren’t just another hip, mostly-secular school.

But if we instead continue to slim down our course offerings, supersize our classes, and waste our beautiful campus, I won’t have an answer for that question any more.

Jackson is a senior majoring in communication.

Just a couple weeks ago, a boy from my home state committed suicide. He was encouraged to seek counseling as a result of previous instances of self-injury, but was convinced that therapy was only for the weak. This lie had rooted deeply within him, and he suffered alone until ultimately choosing to end his life. My heart broke when I heard this news, and it further convinced me of a belief I have come to hold strongly: each and every human being must be willing to participate in the fight to break down the stigma around mental illness. We must face the complexity and pain of this issue with open minds and compassion, and starting a conversation is the first step.

Far too many people suffer from internal battles in silence and solitude. When someone has a broken bone or an issue with their blood pressure, they see a doctor in a certain specialty and are considered unwise if they do not accept the treatment offered them. Sometimes, that treatment is in the form of physical therapy, medication, or even just the advice that they take time off and rest.

Since we are quick to encourage people to get professional help for physical health needs, why are people often so afraid to seek treatment for the difficulties they face as a result of a mental illness?The answer is a frustrating and complicated one, but at its core it comes down to fear. We assume that we will be perceived as weak for seeking therapy, taking antidepressants, or taking anxiety medications. It’s almost unheard of for someone to take a day off from work or school for mental health. If someone does need to do so, they may find it easier to make up another explanation that they believe will be viewed as more valid. I have personally heard accounts of people doing this, and I know it is more commonly done than most people realize.

Why are we so afraid to admit that our bodies, specifically our minds, need care? All of us have responsibilities that demand our attention and require a certain level of mental function. For those like the nineteen year old boy mentioned above, attempting to function at this level without any outside support or professional help may seem impossible. He had a job, schoolwork, and a family. He was an active student, and presumably had plans for this future. He had things to do, and undoubtedly plenty of pressure to perform well–but he was hurting. He faced difficulties that pained him to a point nobody suspected, and because stigma prevented him from starting a conversation and reaching out for help, his distress went unnoticed until it was too late. This is heartbreaking not only because a young life was lost but also because this life was lost to a treatable illness. This is the truth for many suicide victims who are unable to see that there is always the potential for light to be brought even into the darkest situation.

For the sake of those whose lives are at stake, don’t be afraid to talk about the things that make you uncomfortable. If you have a friend who battles depression, talk to them about it. You don’t need to pry into the most personal details of their struggle in order to be a loving friend. Telling them that you are a willing ear and that you care for them may provide relief beyond what you could imagine. On the other hand, if you personally struggle with an “invisible” issue, don’t be afraid to confide in a close friend, walk into a counseling office, or speak to a doctor. There is no such thing as an invalid struggle that is unworthy of being addressed. You deserve to show yourself some love.

The hardest lies to silence are the ones telling you that it’s not okay to open your mouth, and that it’s unacceptable to seek the care you need. Don’t let those lies have any hold on your life.

Let’s commit to making love louder than the stigma around mental illness, and let’s promise to walk alongside our brothers and sisters who struggle with things we may not understand. To quote my wise and tender-hearted mother, who has worked as a grief counselor for many years, “seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but of great strength.”

Angela is a first-year student majoring in writing and psychology.

Freedom of speech is a hot topic these days. With campuses across the country protesting conservative speakers, half of Facebook consistently misquoting George Orwell, and everyone’s loud uncle exclaiming there is no room for reason or discussion anymore, what exactly is the Christian response to this freedom of speech issue? Some claim it’s as simple as the Bill of Rights, which has freedom of speech outlined in it; you can say whatever you want. I, however, have a guidebook in my life that transcends the Bill of Rights and it’s called the Bible I am seeing a trend of people confusing the two. Hey, be a proud American, I don’t care if you’re a patriot, but remember that when you label yourself as Christian, that label comes first in your life. Which is why I’m here talking about this. I’m here to discuss how far we need to take our individual freedoms and what sort of dialogue or ideas we promote as Christians through our compliance in hate speech or through our fight for freedom of speech. I believe the Bible limits my speech, and calls on me to do more than refrain from swearing and gossip.  In James 1:26 it says to “rein in my speech” which tells me to shut my mouth, even when the constitution says I don’t have to.

I think the biggest issue is this: we are Christians, not politicians. Is your God the God of Isaac and Jacob or the God of democracy, capitalism, and individual rights? Let me be frank: if you care more about your individual rights than esteeming others and living an ethical lifestyle, than you are embracing your American identity over your Christian identity. Freedom of speech can go too far. How does it make you feel when a TV show or movie pokes fun at our religion? We certainly get angry and want that to end. We boycott the shows that attack us or even simply disagree with an aspect of Christianity, make social media campaigns to force Christmas on our coffee cups, and throw diversity out of our schools. However, if a person stands up against the good ol’ boy American belief, they are a snowflake who hasn’t learned economics, history, mathematics, etc. That’s name calling and that’s unacceptable for a Christian to be doing.

Also, let’s all reflect on how we disagree with our president or lawmakers we deem unfit. It’s one thing to say the president is wrong or a lawmaker is unethical. It’s another to say this congressman is an idiot, or this person’s belief is that of rednecks, simpletons, or any other ad hominem attack. The last thing society needs right now is more people using poor tactics such as unkind personal attacks to win arguments, especially coming from Christian spheres. Christ gives an example of building others up and promoting speech that is loving, dignifying and encouraging to others. Ephesians 4:29 cements this idea saying, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Christ loved and continues to love everyone, even someone who votes conservatively or someone who may think socialism a viable option. We as Christians should be supporting positive dialogue, thoughtful reasoning, and words that love others. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Retweeting someone calling another person an idiot, putting down a political party, or dehumanizing a people group is what someone does to show spite or prove they are better. This is not the humble, gracious reaction the Bible asks of us. You can argue that our constitution protects such speech, but you have a choice every day to either exercise that freedom or hold back. We as Christians should not be supporting hate speech or rude comments in the name of freedom. Only through Christ do we have freedom and sometimes, Christ really wishes we would all just shut our mouths.

Alanna is a senior majoring in Spanish and intercultural studies.

“May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you; may he bring you home rejoicing once again into these doors.” – Traditional Blessing

There were no doors where I was standing. Only scrubbed brush dotting the landscape and the distant lakes. Flowers grazed my knees; Mt. Hermon rose impressively to the west. And the barbed wire, running haphazardly by my feet, old, rusted, and still sharp. The physical features reflected the paradox: how could such horrible violence exist in such beauty?

There’s a mountain in northern Israel where you can stand and see the border of Syria. It’s a tourist magnet; at eight in the morning people milled around, drinking coffee from the gift shop and taking selfies with a bombed-out tank on the neighboring hill. After all, the border is unremarkable: only a dirt road in the distance. There’s no gunfire, no explosions, no bodies. Snapping a few photos of the line about covers it. Check it off the list, scratch it off the planner, make a Facebook post and you’re done. Back to first-world paradise.

I sound callous. It’s a defense mechanism, for I was simultaneously horrified by that reaction and tempted towards it. Standing, looking at that dirt road was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. What right did I have to be there? I’m an American. Eight days later I crammed myself into an airplane seat and returned to a home where I can go walking at midnight without qualm. To look at that brown line was to be aware of how much my life diverged from people living on the other side. There’s no reason for it to be so. I did nothing to deserve my birth.

Quite outside of myself, the violence of this place was enough to tempt me. I’ve never seen a dead body and there are millions twenty miles away. I could feel the lack of peace, as I could feel the sun beating down on my neck. What kind of a God allows such a thing to happen? What kind of a God selects some people (me) to escape it and others (a whole country) to bear it? I tried to pray, to reclaim some of the faith that had been so strong a half hour before. Nothing came out. I had nothing to say to God. So I just stood there, aghast.

Eventually, years of church training kicked in. With no words of my own, I used the church’s words. Over and over in my head. “May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you…” My mental voice choked every time I got to the last line. “May he bring you home rejoicing once again into these doors.” What doors? Heaven? I’ve prayed that prayer hundreds of times, over my friends, over my professors, over my church. This was my first time saying it alone, saying it over people I didn’t know, people whose lives will likely never intersect with mine. When it was time to go, I was glad.

Three months later the memory still makes me uncomfortable. I’ve come back to college seeking answers; I’m hardly the first Christian to face suffering. Ideas must exist somewhere in the annals of two thousand years of history that could help. And there were ideas, but not answers. No one concrete definition or ontological proof eased my mind. The strongest discovery was this: my discomfort is necessary. Not a state of constant unrest and anxiety, but a state of mind that recognizes suffering. A state of mind that doesn’t allow for ignorance, one that cannot walk away from my brothers and sisters across the border. There is no theological band-aid for this question. It needs to be felt and wrestled over.

Such an approach has flaws. Sitting in discomfort can lead to a passive faith, one that never acts. It can endorse a false dichotomy between the unease of the person sitting and the suffering that caused the sitting, as if those two things are equal. It can cause doubt and questioning of the faith. But for all that, I argue that discomfort is necessary. We cannot walk away from suffering or flee towards solutions without first feeling compassion. One of the  helpful theological perspective I stumbled upon is a vision of the church as God’s instrument of healing in the world. It is, in some ways, on us to prevent violence, to spread love, to give and gracefully receive mercy. This vision is impossible without a willingness to be uneasy.  To reflect “the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ” requires us to be uncomfortable.

Anna is a junior majoring in writing.

After a long day of student teaching, I decided to make a stop at campus on my way home, figuring that a lap around the quad would do my racing mind some good. I passed under a hanging basket by Chamberlain and looking up, I noticed a purple banner upon a pole with the words “Deeply Christian.” This bold statement had me frozen in place as I pondered what it means for Houghton as an institution to claim these words, and what that should look like in real life. It is one thing to say or claim something, but to actually live it out and prove the statement true is a completely different matter. If Houghton is deeply Christian, that should have implications for the daily lives of all its community members. Words have power, and it is important for each of us to understand what it means to claim a deeply Christian identity.

What does it look like to be “deeply Christian” in a world full of compromise and hypocrisy? The Merriam Webster dictionary says that “deep”  means “very intense” or “extreme”. So in essence, that banner is saying Houghton has an intense Christianity.  Let’s unpack this even more: what is the definition of Christian? In Acts 11:26, the term “Christian” stems from the Greek word for “follower of Christ.” Following Jesus Christ, however, is no simple matter: it requires one’s entire being and life to be surrendered (Matthew 16:24-26).

If we are going to claim to be a deeply Christian college, we need to be acting out this intense, passionate, and disciplined life to the fullest. There should be a longing with every fiber of our being to grow in relationship with the Lord, as we become students of His Word. To fail to live out the claim on that banner would in essence be to misrepresent Christ and risk hypocrisy. This is a  risky statement because of all that is at stake: representing Jesus in our lives and as an institution is no matter to be taken lightly.  Our Savior is not just some figure we hear talked about from thousands of years ago.  His word is not just a Sunday and Bible class accessory, and His commandments are not just suggestions for how to live that we can modify at our leisure. To echo Charles Spurgeon, an English preacher and evangelist, “If Christ is not all to you, He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Savior of men. If he be something, He must be everything, and if He be not everything, He is nothing to you”. This quote demonstrates how radical it is to be deeply Christian. It is not something we can do halfway, and I encourage you to let this truth sink into your heart.  

I am concerned that Houghton may be leaning towards the side of lukewarmness and compromise. If we claim to be deeply Christian and fail to follow through, this is a serious offense that needs to be addressed. As a 5th generation Houghton student, I have heard since the day I was born about Houghton College. Both my parents attended here, as well as my grandparents from both sides of my family. My grandfather even taught at Houghton as a well respected professor in the math and science department. I have deep roots at Houghton, and I feel very connected to its heritage and story. There are amazing and godly people that I have met and known here. Do not mistake my straightforward talk for not caring about this college. I also do not intend to falsely accuse or judge the faith of others. It is because of my connections to this place and its people that I have concern.

Houghton appears in many ways to live out its Christian name. We have chapel services, clubs that advocate for causes, Bible studies, prayer times, and we say nice “Christian” things. However, I encourage everyone to do some deep soul searching. It may be difficult for us as a college to stand upon the Word of God no matter what, even if means risking losing future students. Yet it is important to stand upon the truth of God’s Word instead of seeking to gain the world’s approval. I speak bluntly on purpose to challenge us as an institution and the body of Christ, for we claim to be deeply Christian. Since our community is the body of Christ, the intensity, vibrancy, and boldness of our Christianity is crucial to following through on our claims of being “deeply Christian.”

Aubrey is a senior majoring in education.

If we could make it through life without any problems getting in the way, that would be great, wouldn’t it? As college students, we often deal with exams, difficult professors, and staying up until 2 A.M. cramming. In all of our lives, setbacks are bound to happen no matter how hard we try to avoid them. Whenever things get hectic, it’s easy to think that no one understands. We might think, “No one really cares.” More often than not, we feed these thoughts by focusing on certain people who we feel have let us down, but in a literal sense, we are expressing that we have no one in our lives who cares. This mindset is unhealthy because it alienates us from those who do care about us and can prevent us from growing in our ability to care and be cared for.

While it would be nice to have everyone that we want care about us, we can’t forget that we already have people that do. We have people who don’t always start  a conversation with us, but keep us in their minds. Those who sit nearby and acknowledge us in some silent way. The friends that interact with us throughout our busy schedules. These are just a few of many people that care about us. We easily overlook them: strangers, friends, family, and even Jesus. Doing this may seem normal and not too harmful since most of it stays within the parameters of our minds, but there needs to be more consideration. If these caring people  knew that we disregarded their efforts, they could end up just as hurt about their perceived incompetence as they would be about our struggles.

As human beings, most of our life experiences are seen through our own perspective, which is naturally somewhat self-centered. We believe that when something happens to us, people should notice and show us how much we mean to them. While it is normal and healthy to have these expectations, we have to realize that not everyone expresses their concern in the same way, and they shouldn’t be expected to either. We may perceive that someone does not care, when in fact they are simply expressing their care in a way that was not immediately apparent.  Maybe they’re not good at giving advice, or perhaps cuddling and watching Netflix just isn’t their thing, but they’re really good at listening. The people in our lives really do care, even when they might not be able to understand or show it the way that we want.

Without us realizing it, our desires can head in a selfish and unhealthy direction. This way of thinking can lead us to turn our relationships from joyful bonds  to unhealthy emotional dependence. It is our call, especially as Christians, to display discipleship and help one another through the challenges of life. However, there needs to be a balance between our well-being and the well-being of others. A negative mindset that overlooks the care of others hampers the purpose of God. We are sucked into a believing that we need to attain everything we want in order to be happy. Scripture contains plenty of stories of how God gives and takes from everyone’s lives, yet they remain humble and worship Him through every trial. Each person’s spiritual gifts are valuable for supporting other members of the body of Christ during times of trial.

A way that we can minimize the effects of self-centered thinking is by practicing thoughts of gratitude. We can express our thankfulness when we take the time to think about everything that has been done for us. We must approach these thoughts with caution; we should try not to resort to determining how much a person cares about us by measuring the amount of effort they should be putting into us. Instead, look at what we already have. The discipline of gratitude helps us appreciate what we have, even when it’s not perfect.

We can also look at the relationships we have in our lives. Sometimes, we find ourselves in toxic friendships that can cause us to think that no one cares. In this instance, we should find a way to leave these relationships and surround ourselves with people of good intentions. Finally, we need to remember that we can always turn to Christ. He died on the cross for our sins, and even though we still struggle with sin, He is forgiving. We might not always have Christ in thought when things get rough, but He always welcomes us to His love and guidance. Because of Christ, there is no struggle in which we are alone, and no situation in which no one cares for us.

Carrie is a sophomore majoring in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. 

Only three short weeks ago we entered CLEW, a time that reminds us that we as a campus are a part of the diverse body of Christ. We went to the chapels, listened attentively during the coffeehouse, and discussed race and the church over dinners, but now, in the weeks following CLEW, we have a question to answer.  What are we going to do next? Where do we go from here? CLEW may have ended, but our concern over division on this campus absolutely cannot.

CLEW was a special time to be hearers of the word that Dr. Meredith Griffin brought, but now is the time to be doers. Before leaving, Rev. Dr. Doris Griffin (the wife and too often overlooked counterpart of  CLEW speaker Rev. Dr. Meredith Griffin) blessed my Spiritual Formation class with a poignant and profound word. She said, “When we leave today, y’all are gonna have to live this thing out. You are accountable for your actions on this campus. We’re not, we’re leaving… I challenge you, I challenge all of you, what are you gonna do? What are you going do to make this campus more reflective of the love of Christ?”

Upon hearing this, I realized how easy it is for us as students, especially us white students, to fall back into complacency; to feel as though we listened attentively, we’re aware and knowledgeable, and we are good allies to our brothers and sisters of color. Here’s the problem: listening to a black preacher for one week out of the semester does not make our campus “woke.” Talking about Charlottesville for a hot second during a coffeehouse does not mean that any racial tension in the Church lessened. If conversations don’t continue, if we don’t use our political voices or privilege (if you have it) then what was the point of CLEW? CLEW is meant to bring a springboard for us to put the rubber to the road and make some changes within our community. That means we are just as called by God this week as we were during CLEW to actively, vocally and spiritually combat racism and division. We may have focused on race for a week, but the Christian life emphasizes defending the oppressed over a lifetime.

The action we as individuals and as a community take is how things get better. It is in efforts to gather with those who do not look like us or think like us or whatever like us that the Church and we as individuals learn to value diversity while becoming more unified. We can’t value our similarities or celebrate our differences if we never take time to get to know each other and that goes beyond an issue of race. Jesus prioritized those on the outskirts of society and befriended those who God’s people least expected, and as students part of a Christian campus, doing the same is not optional.

CLEW is over, but as a campus, as the diverse Church, our responsibility to the oppressed, the silenced, and the unseen is not. So let’s do ourselves a favor… get coffee with someone you don’t know. Stand up when someone says something offhandedly or “jokingly” racist; for that matter stand up when people talk about the kid who is different, when someone says something anti-Semitic, or when someone uses derogatory slang for those in the LGBTQ+ community. You don’t have to change your political or theological views in order to treat people with decency or defend a fellow human. Listen to stories at the Solutions coffee houses that happen on Wednesday nights at 7 in Java. Do something besides letting the momentum and conversation that CLEW started go to waste. Rev. Dr. Doris Griffin said that “a solution is on the horizon.” But if we want it, we have to work for it.

Kyla is a sophomore majoring in intercultural studies.

The fall semester is underway, sports teams are hitting their stride, classes are increasing in difficulty and workload, and a whole new batch of freshmen are destined to start dating. Especially at Houghton, freshman dating season is a dangerous time, both to the incoming freshmen and to the rest of us who have to witness relationship after relationship fail. I remember when I arrived my freshman year people told me, “Don’t date freshman year, it won’t last through the next two semesters.” As I watched a flood of couples get into relationships that inevitably ended in ashes, that advice seemed to hold true for many cases. However, I started dating freshman year and I am currently still in that relationship.

Based off this personal experience, I can’t tell first-year students not to date, because in doing so I would be a hypocrite. There are ways to make freshman relationships work. It takes a special kind of individual to engage in a relationship during their freshman year, and there is a level of understanding and commitment required for two individuals who start dating freshman year to work out.

Maturity is the key to making things work and being respectful to others. The maturity that prepares some freshmen to create relationships that can last is built on experiences. It takes communication, thoughtfulness, respect, and space in order to make sure that a new relationship is healthy for the couple involved and those around them.  

At a Christian college, it can be easy to think that being surrounded by Christians means that God’s match for you must be on campus. This is false for the most part, as many who start dating freshman year come to realize. However, contrary to common non-freshman belief, it is not an absolute falsehood. To sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the prospect of anyone dating during their first year is abominable. We are blind to the possibility that some first-year students are mature enough to start dating when they get here.

It is true that on average, most freshman couples will break up by the end of their first year, but there are plenty of non-freshman couples who break up in the same amount of time. I think it is our own superiority complex that causes us to look down on freshman couples. We have a tendency to make fun of the new kids regardless of what they do. To an extent, it seems that freshmen have to earn the love and acceptance of upperclassmen. Only then can they start dating without their relationship being judged as doomed to fail.

I do think that as a general rule, freshmen should shy away from dating right away. Dating is a time commitment, one that is a huge undertaking especially during the first year of college. However, upperclassmen should not feel entitled to judge freshmen for dating. The truth is that we don’t know who will be right for each other. Someone being a first-year does not necessarily mean that they are less mature than upperclassmen a few years older than them.

Devin is a sophomore double majoring in English and writing.

Recently, I was scrolling through Facebook when I found a post from one of my old teachers. This teacher shared a study done on high school students, which set out to decide whether typing or handwriting notes is more effective as a study strategy. Not surprisingly, the study concluded that students who wrote out their notes by hand remembered the content better. What surprised me, though, was  my teacher’s caption for the post: “Stop telling me that if I’m not using [the latest technological gadget] that I’m not teaching it right!”

As an education major, to me this seems like a response to an entirely different problem. Of course, I’m not here to tell him that he’s “teaching it wrong.” After all, this teacher was one of my favorites, and I learned a lot from him. My issue with his comment is not that he’s teaching anything wrong, but that he’s not teaching something very important: technological literacy.

We live in a world where we have instant access to any kind of information we could possibly want. Don’t know the answer to a math problem? In school, the teachers will tell you to think about it, tell you to figure it out yourself, tell you that it just makes sense. The one thing they won’t permit you to do, though, is take out your phone and look it up. As a high school graduate, when I don’t know the answer, I Google it. Do you see the disconnect here? We live in the information age, yet some of our teachers continue to act like they are the only source of information to which we have access.

This disconnect leads to unhealthy growth. We have a generation of young adults who know how to memorize facts, but don’t know what to do with them. In our “fake news” era, we are saturated with facts, but don’t seem to have a way to process the information, or determine how reliable it is.

If teachers and professors embrace technology, though, they can help turn things around. Rather than standing up in front of a class to spout off facts, what if teachers just told their students to look it up? If students come to class having already learned the material, then teachers have more freedom during class to teach students how to process it through class discussions and activities. Computers can give us hard facts, but they still can’t do any of the mental processing for students. The role of teachers, then, could be to guide students through the process of discerning which sources of online information are reliable and useful.

Since not every student learns the same way, technology can also provide freedom for students to approach learning in new, engaging ways.  Many students have different strengths, and many being stronger in technological areas like photography or video. We live in a world where the majority of career paths will ask their employees to use technology to present information in some way or another. Rather than teaching students that the only way to succeed is through writing down facts, we should be showing them how to use technology so they can be successful in their future jobs.

Having different learning styles isn’t a bad thing, either, especially in the information age. There is a wealth of educational research involving student mindsets, and the general consensus shows that when students enjoy learning and the things that they’re working on in school, they perform better. Rather than insisting on arbitrary teaching techniques in the classroom, teachers can allow students to use technology in creative ways that may enable them to learn better. Using technology to give students freedom to learn in their own style keeps them engaged in the work they’re doing, increasing their likelihood of performing better in class and on assessments.

I think it’s safe to say that teachers can and should embrace technology in their classrooms. They aren’t doing their students any favors by staying away from it, and they aren’t doing any favors for themselves either. If teachers want to make a difference in students’ lives, sometimes that means we have to change our approach. It can be uncomfortable, but it will be worth it in the end.

Tyger is a junior, double majoring in inclusive childhood education and English.