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The Purposes of Liberal Education
It is the start of another academic year. Many students will be beginning their courses this week. It may be a bit late to inform a currently present choice, but it can inform one if that choice is coming down the road, or if you, in a fit of despair, have the cynical thought, was Continue reading
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Basketball and how Comfortable we are with Ourselves
How comfortable are you with yourself? Like many of my peers, I have to admit I grew up with a significant amount of discomfort. Some of the discomfort can be explained by my inability to harmonize my sinful and lethargic self and the expectation I would be a church minister and a successful academic. Some Continue reading
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Truthiness
I had a recent conversation about “truthiness,” if you believe me. The word truthiness never came up, but I am using this word to name the topic of our conversation which, after all, was beginning to explore the the ability to teach the “great books” of philosophy in an introductory philosophy course. The awareness both Continue reading
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Ephesians 5: Being Filled with the Spirit: Redeemed Community, Redeemed Time.
(This blog post is a sermon that was preached at Fellowship Christian Reformed Church on May 6th, 2018. It is the second of a two-part sermon that belongs in a group of 6 sermons preached on a book study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, generally under the theme of a post-Easter challenge to Christians. Continue reading
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Ephesians 4: The Fullness of Christ
(This blog post is a sermon that was preached at Fellowship Christian Reformed Church on April 29th, 2018. It is the first of a two-part sermon that belongs in a group of 6 sermons preached on a book study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, generally under the theme of a post-Easter challenge to Christians. Continue reading
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Jephthah’s Daughter: a Heroine of Sacrifice and Faith
This is the second of two blogs on the story of Jephthah and his daughter found in Judges 11. This was preached at Fellowship Christian Reformed Church on February 18th, 2018. Judges 11: 34-40 34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and there was his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels Continue reading
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Books or Screens?
When a generation of people grow up surrounded by technology like smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, they are called “digital natives.” Teachers, parents, and policymakers certainly acknowledge the growing influence of technology and have responded. Students are now equipped with school-issued iPads and access to e-textbooks. Patricia Anderson and Lauren Singer of the University of Maryland Continue reading
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“How I Became a Teacher”
This is a true story (the names have been changed) many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Simpson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and Continue reading
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Additional Language Learning
*A Version of this article will be published in the Leduc Representative and The Beaumont News in November of 2017. For many families in Canada, approximately 10% (according to the 2016 census), children are learning in a language that is substantially not the one spoken at home. Studies show that students learning additional languages score Continue reading
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Forgiveness is the Remedy of Freedom
As Christians, we are meant to disclose the living God who has forgiven us. Still, though unknown to the person, action is intensely personal. Action without a name, a “who” attached to it, is meaningless, Continue reading
About me: I am a career educator and traveler at heart. My written work includes academic writing in philosophy and linguistics, English acquisition, and most intently in the areas of spiritual engagement with reality and what that means for our public lives.
My education is a mixture of formal study in philosophy, political theory, Biblical studies, and history, along with professional teaching certification in TESOL and in cognitive testing, and international teaching.
My travel experiences include a range of countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. I have lived in Canada, the United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Thailand. From those places I have traveled to many others besides.
I am a child of the 70’s and a “family man.” That means I have two wonderful kids who have been round the world with me.
Lastly, I am married to a wonderful woman since 2004. She is my partner, my friend, and my muse.
Thanks again for stopping by,
Raymond Klassen - Ideals and Identities 