Oh, Be Careful Little Minds

Dot your i’s and cross your t’s.  Double-check and make sure.

“It is this meticulous attention to detail that can slowly but surely cultivate habits that serve our students for years to come.”

The virtue of intellectual carefulness can often be overlooked or seen as hopelessly mundane.  Yet it is this meticulous attention to detail that can slowly but surely cultivate habits that serve our students for years to come.

We don’t often notice the fruits of accuracy and precision.  In so many areas of life, when people practice a pattern of conscientiousness it simply translates into smooth sailing.  However, we recognize it immediately when carelessness creeps in and things begin to go wrong.

Intellectual carefulness is the patient and diligent work of paying attention. Students who edit their written work for spelling and punctuation, who examine the evidence thoroughly before jumping to conclusions, or who take the time to double check their computations on a complex math problem are practicing this important skill.

In seeking to instill this virtue in our students, we are asking them to strive for reasonable and consistent carefulness.  This is a far cry from perfectionism, which can paralyze students into not being able to take risks or demonstrate courage. In that case, the fear of making a single error can cause them to miss opportunities to know God and His creation more fully.

But attention to detail matters, not just in academics but in all aspects of a student’s life.  The virtues we build in students shape them not just intellectually, but as whole human beings.  

About the Author: Lisa Eekhoff is the principal at Covenant Classical School in Naperville, IL.