An academy for the real world

MANILA, Philippines - Say “liberal education,” and most parents might raise an eyebrow. Isn’t that what you take in college to earn a bachelor’s degree in the arts? Surely, there isn’t a place for liberal education in high school education.

This is not the case, argues a new generation of educators. Bannister Academy is pioneering liberal education in elementary school and in high school as a way to create a generation of students who are prepared to take on the challenges of the real world and emerge as true leaders.

Liberal education emphasizes the relationships between the different areas of education, and how they relate to the world. “The different subject fields are just perspectives from which we can experience the one reality, which is the world around us,” clarifies John-D Borra, headmaster of Bannister Academy. “For example, we think of Mathematics as a tool to comprehend and express the world around us in numbers, just as English and Filipino are tools needed to comprehend and express the world in words. Our Literature and the Arts classes are a way to appreciate the world in profound and uplifting ways, and as a way to understand humanity, in the same way that Science classes are a way to understand the ways of the natural world and how it works.”

The liberal education methodology equips learners with intellectual and practical skills, along with the important ability to apply their knowledge to real life. “Complexity, diversity, and change — we know that this is what will meet you in real life. No challenges ever follow just the textbook examples, so we want to make sure that our students are able to think creatively and act adaptively to meet the challenges of the real world,” says Borra.

The liberal education approach also goes hand in hand with Bannister’s emphasis on social intelligence. This is defined as the ability to navigate the complex web of social relationships that exist in every person’s life. Not only does this help students become socially well-adjusted individuals, it also reinforces the value of adaptability. Most importantly, social intelligence emphasizes the place of individuals within the larger context of society, so that they are also reminded that their goals should benefit not just themselves, but society at large too.

Bannister ensures that excellent teacher-to-student ratios (ideally 1:10) are maintained, along with an optimum class size of 25. Any more, and teachers might not have time to pay attention to each student; any less, and students will not benefit from the healthy interaction of personalities that is crucial at their age. Teachers and peers also act as mentors, so that each student receives nurturance and guidance.

Bannister Academy is located inside Circulo Verde, Bagumbayan, Quezon City. Find out more by visiting http://bannister.edu.ph/ or call 975-9625 or mobile 09177110100.