Our Distinctive Elements
Gospel Centered
We believe that a gospel-centered education orients children to the truth and aids in their understanding of the world around them. We believe that the pursuit of truth is not a subjective venture. Rather, all truth belongs to and stems from God through Christ as found in the Word of God, our ultimate reference point. More than teaching children to simply behave, our desire is that children will discover that they need the gospel.
The good news is that Jesus came into the world, lived a perfect life unlike we ever could, died on the cross to bear the wrath of God for our sin, and was raised from the dead victorious. It is only through faith in this gospel that one can be accepted by God. As children learn to treasure this grace, they will be transformed from the inside out to become the men and women God has called them to be. We seek to view language, history, science, and the arts through the lens of grace by which we learn more of God’s character and His design for our world.
Classical
Classical Education is a centuries old methodology committed to cultivating wisdom and virtue by nourishing the soul on truth, goodness and beauty.
The aim of Classical Education is to equip students with the “tools” of learning, teaching them how to think and be life-long learners using the seven liberal arts.
The Seven Liberal Arts are modes of learning not specific subjects.
The Trivium (Latin for “three roads”) is a three-phase model that also correspond to the strengths of a child’s natural development:
- GRAMMAR stage (K-5th grade): Students focus on the fundamental elements of each subject, focusing on memorization and content knowledge.
- LOGIC stage (6th grade- 9th grade): Students start to critically analyze and interpret the facts that were memorized during the grammar phase.
- RHETORIC stage (10th- 12th grade): Students are taught to communicate their thoughts and beliefs clearly, eloquently, and persuasively.
The Quadrivium (astronomy, geometry, music, arithmetic) are the modes to develop the abilities to think logically and aesthetically.
For centuries, a classical philosophy of education has informed the education of children and inspired them to think and learn for themselves. Our curriculum will be structured around the the seven liberal arts, an idea-rich focus through studying the classics, seeking to order the affections through giving our students material that is good, true, and beautiful, and developing the mind and structure of language through incorporating the study of Latin.
Joyful Discovery
Our curriculum will also incorporate the ideas of Charlotte Mason (a teacher who lived from 1842-1923 in Britain, trained teachers, and wrote extensively on her philosophy of education), who emphasized the child as a unique, whole individual. She was able to encourage children’s natural curiosities in life, art, literature and nature. We want our students to have a rich awareness of the beauty of God’s creation in all aspects of life.
Collaborative Learning
We seek to partner with parents in their God-given task to educate their children spiritually, academically, and physically. The collaborative learning model integrates challenging academics, student activities, and Christ-like character development and employs a university-style schedule giving families more time together. Grammar school students attend classes with paid professional teachers two days per week while older students attend classes three days per week. Students spend alternate days in a satellite classroom (usually the home) where co-teachers (usually a parent) serve as tutors or supervisors. Co-teachers will conduct lesson plans as directed by the classroom teacher, creating a partnership between the school and the home to educate children in a way that will be most beneficial.
