Deputy Principal

Reading Between the Lines

I am currently studying Biblical Studies as part of my Graduate Diploma in Theology. As part of this course, I have to write an essay on Mark’s Gospel, specifically 10:46-52. When I first found out that I needed to write a 2500 word essay on a passage from the Bible that is only about twelve lines long, I thought to myself this is going to be a challenge.

In my study so far this term, I have found myself having to read between the lines in order to deepen my understanding of the Bible. Did Jesus just heal Bartimaeus, allowing him to see, or was there more to it? Was he really showing the Disciples what faith really looks like after they had doubted him? It has led me to believe that this story is a lot deeper than first glance and certainly that we cannot just read the Bible literally, as if we do, we will fail to truly understand its meaning which will not allow us to really deepen our relationship with God.

How does this story play out in our relationships with our students here at the College? In class, we as teachers get immense joy out of listening to our students unpack the curriculum. We love it when our students experience that light bulb moment; that moment when they truly understand the concept that they have been taught. This happens at different times for each student in a classroom as everyone learns at their own pace. The key to this, however, is their understanding. This is completely different to them being able to regurgitate content back onto a page to answer a question.

To be able to understand a question and what it is asking is a real skill. It takes complex, critical thinking skills. These skills take time to build up over a number of years and indeed they start here in Year 5 and 6. Our amazing Stage 3 staff challenge our students to think creatively and discover why things occur, as well as give them the skills to solve problems. By doing this, we are encouraging our students to take control of their own learning. They must be resilient; rewards do not come easy. 

All we want from the young men that we teach is for them to do their best. For them to do this, they must not just write down answers to questions with the first thing that pops into their minds. They must think, they must solve, and they must practice. Ultimately, they need to learn to ‘read between the lines.’ 

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal