Central to an authentic Christian philosophy of education is the conviction that “children are persons” who, though corrupted by original sin, remain bearers of the Imago Dei. Few classical Christian teachers would question this. Yet, too many fail to fully recognize the practical consequences of such a belief. If children are persons, it changes our practice. Maryellen St. Cyr educator and founder of Ambleside Schools International, explores Charlotte Mason’s first principle, “Children are Persons.”
Bill St. Cyr
The unifying concern of Bill St. Cyr’s academic and professional life has been the process by which men and women grow to a maturity that re ects the person of Jesus. He holds a BA in political philosophy from Louisiana State University, an MA in historical theology and spirituality from Catholic University of America, and an MS/PhD in pastoral counseling from Loyola University Maryland. Bill has served as a youth minister, led a discipleship ministry on Capitol Hill, served as assistant to the chaplain of the United States Senate. Since 2001, together with his wife, Maryellen, Bill has led Ambleside Schools International, a network of schools, parents, teachers, and administrators seeking a renewal in education, based upon the principles of Jesus and the pedagogical insights of British educator, Charlotte Mason.