Welcome to Mr. Farrelly's Classroom Website!It is a new school year and we have a lot ahead. This is site is currently under renovations, as you can tell, and will be updated regularly.
Above, you will notice the pastiche of scripture verses coming from Genesis 1, 2 and Colossians 3. I chose these scriptures along with the Michelangelo's Fresco, The Creation of Adam (from the Sistene Chapel) as the overall foundational theme for the classroom. Why? I firmly believe in a creational foundation for all of the Christian life; not least here with a Classically Christian Education. In the beginning, God created all things with Adam and Even, our first parents, as his chief creation. Our first parents were endowed with the image of God and so too are we His images upon this earth. And, it is over this earth that we are to have dominion over ALL THINGS (see Genesis 1:26-31). The LORD God also tells Adam to tend and keep the garden. We have a great responsibility as God's image bearers. And, ALL THINGS, have been deemed "very good" and as such, they are not beyond the divinely-appointed grasp of human hands. We rule, subdue, have dominion, all under the authority of God himself; our rule is princely - under our King's ultimate Rule. Thus, we are to be STEWARDS; we have great responsibility. This also means that since all of creation is very good, we are to study all of it with the view that it is all integrated - nothing is unrelated. And so, with Science we study the natural world, but we do so with the eye that Mathematics and Music make up the fabric of our world, the "hidden" tapestry that we only need to uncover. Literature and story reflects God's grand story and the human condition. There, we are able to explore worldviews, themes, and events that are commonplace and timeless to all human beings. We see God's movement in History in such a way that we position ourselves within a larger story of Creation, Fall, and Redemption and the ultimate consummation of God's great plan. We pursue such an education in order that we might know God aright - that we might, with the help of His Spirit, begin the repair the brokenness brought about by our first parents and our own sinful natures. Why Michelangelo? It is a piece of beautiful, timeless art that can serve as a reminder of our beginnings, our relationship to our Creator as His images, and how this is a GIFT given to us which demands our stewardship. We have been called to flourish. |
Here, I hope you will find the navigation easy enough. The Tabs above will drop and direct you toward the class pages. There you will find relevant documents, notes, images, etc.
If you are interested in Going Deeper into some other reading that includes educational philosophy, theology, and just all-around kaleidoscope of other interesting things, check out the "Going Deeper" page on this website. Also, you might like to visit our main school homepage here. There, you will also be able to find our page devoted to resources and tools for you to go deeper into Classical Education. By clicking on the Homework tab above, it will drop down the Calendar. Click there to view the Upper School calendar. There we as an Upper School faculty are posting important projects, quizzes, and tests for you and your student. If you have any questions throughout the course of this year, please do not hesitate to ask me. Please check back to this site periodically for updates. I am eager to continue the year with all of you. I look forward to knowing you and your students better this year. Sincerely, Matthew Farrelly |