Imagination: A Powerful Pathway to Learning
At Coach House, we believe deeply in the power of imagination as a pathway to learning — not just to enhance creativity, but to shape intellect, character and meaning.
This belief is strongly influenced by the work of C.S. Lewis, the beloved author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Through storytelling, myth, and metaphor, Lewis reminded us that imagination is not a luxury or a distraction — it’s an essential component of human development.
As he once wrote:
"Reason is the natural organ of truth, but imagination is the organ of meaning."
Why Stories Matter
C.S. Lewis didn’t just write stories to entertain. He wrote them to illuminate. His characters — from Aslan to brave little Lucy and her noxious brother, Edmund — don’t merely go on adventures. They face moral trials, wrestle with truth and grow through suffering and sacrifice. These are timeless archetypes with transformative power.
At Coach House, our thematic units and creative projects honour this approach. We harness:
Narrative to build knowledge in context
Metaphor to unlock abstract thinking
Integrated learning to engage multiple disciplines at once
This model allows students to connect with ideas not just intellectually, but emotionally and spiritually. The goal is not escapism, but empowerment — especially in times of personal challenge.
Imaginative Learning for Real-World Struggles
Imagine a child facing the grief of losing a loved one. A traditional worksheet or lecture won’t help them process their pain. But a carefully chosen story — a hero’s quest, for example — might.
When a child reads about a fictional character who overcomes devastating obstacles, they’re able to project themselves into that character’s journey. They ‘try on’ courage, resilience and hope. And when they put the book down, they re-enter their own lives with a deeper well of strength.
This isn’t theory — it’s backed by research. In my Master’s research, I explored how adolescents engage with texts by seeing themselves in the central character. When literature is well matched to the child’s developmental and emotional needs, it becomes a mirror, a map and a mentor all at once.
Education Is Never Neutral
Education always shapes the learner — toward something. In schools, children are often passive consumers of mass-produced content, shaped by anonymous curriculum designers and institutional priorities.
At Coach House, we flip that model entirely.
We begin with the child as an individual:
Their interests and personality
Their culture, traditions, and values
Their skills and past experiences
Their current needs and future potential
Then, we build a learning plan that speaks to them. Not to a group. Not to a bureaucratic syllabus. To the child.
The Imagination and Interpretation Connection
Another profound insight from Lewis:
“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
Every reader brings a unique lens to a text. Meaning is not just received — it is made, through the interaction of imagination, prior knowledge and emotion.
And this is why group-based instruction so often fails to meet the deeper needs of students. It cannot account for the unique interpretive lens each child brings.
By contrast, individualised learning makes room for those differences — not just tolerating them, but celebrating them.
What We Aim to Achieve
At Coach House, our reading and viewing recommendations are carefully selected to:
Ignite imagination
Strengthen moral reasoning
Cultivate self-awareness and emotional maturity
Promote independent thought and analysis
Provide solace, inspiration and hope
We don’t teach texts for the sake of box-ticking. We offer them as living ideas — invitations to wonder, reflect, and grow.
If you'd like a tailored literature pathway for your child, or want help selecting stories that speak to your child’s interests and life experiences, we’d love to help. Let’s put imagination back where it belongs — at the very heart of learning.
