Why should I consider Christian education?

Ten Reasons Why You Need To Pray About It Today

Finances. Location. Perceived academic deficiencies. These are just some of the reasons parents spurn Christian education in favor of its public school counterpart. The DiscoverChristianSchools.com website addresses these and other concerns on the “FAQs” page. (Click here to read about some of the most frequently asked questions regarding Christian education.) But here we’d like to offer you ten solid arguments in favor of Christian education. There are plenty of others, both biblical and practical. But these are the most compelling.

1. God’s Word is taught
2. God commands us to teach kids through the Word
3. The school shares your values
4. Safety
5. Academic Achievement
6. Teachers love and fear the Lord
7. Individual Attention
8. Success after graduation
9. Peer Pressure
10. The State of Public Education

"A truly Christian education is possible only when Christian education underlies not a part, but all, of the curriculum of the school. True learning and true piety go hand in hand, and Christianity embraces the whole of life - those are great central convictions that underlie the Christian school." J. Gresham Machen

For a more detailed look at the “Ten Reasons”, http://www.discoverchristianschools.com/page.aspx?id=151173.

Affording a Christian School Education: Financial Assistance – Is It Available and Who/How Do I Ask?

John Fedele – National Director, DiscoverChristianSchools.com

As national director, one of the more frequent questions I receive from parents is “how can we receive financial assistance or aid to send our children to a Christian school.” This is an important consideration for many families as they look at the expense of a Christian school education in light of current economic conditions, rising prices, and especially if they want to enroll more than one child.

Let me first say that most Christian schools today offer some kind of financial assistance or financial aid program. Schools also may have multiple child discounts for families with more than one child. Each school is different, so a parent needs to inquire about financial assistance with each Christian school. Check with the admissions officer and if necessary speak to the administrator. I want to emphasize “needs to ask.”
In my experience as an Administrator and Development Director I have come across numerous parents who were either hesitant or did not ask because of not wanting to be viewed as needing financial assistance, or were simply “embarrassed” at the thought of asking. The purpose of a financial aid program is to assist parents, so why not inquire to see if you are eligible or even qualify?
Secondly, I have found that family members, (grandparents, in-laws, etc.) are many times looking for opportunities to bless someone in their immediate family. What can be more wonderful than helping a grandchild, nephew, niece or loved one receive a Christian education? It provides an opportunity to invest in the life of someone they truly love and care about. Your family members could be a great resource.

Thirdly, your church may have a scholarship fund or a program to assist parents who desire to educate their children in a Christian school. Don’t overlook your local church as a potential avenue of financial assistance.

In conclusion, I encourage parents to take these steps:

1. Inquire at the Christian school about their financial assistance or scholarship programs. Ask the person in charge of admissions or the school administrator.
2. Don’t rule out family members who may be able and wanting to assist you.
3. Inquire at your local church about existing financial assistance programs or ministries.
4. Get over any hesitancy or embarrassment on your part in asking, if you don’t ask, you may never be the recipient of a blessing!

Finally, make known your need to the Lord. Pray that He will supply the needed funding through his miracle power or through someone, He will!!

The Big Idea

How does the idea of a Christian education sound to you?

To many of us, the idea of a Christian education for our kids sounds nice, wholesome, and yes, even spiritual. But in reality, few of us are willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to send our children to a Christian school. After all, there is no guarantee for our kids attached! Some went to a school and turned out OK, and others who attended a Christian school or college may not be the picture of Christianity!

But none of that means you shouldn’t be thinking seriously about choosing a Christian school for your child. For more information about why you should at least think about a Christian education, and some big ideas for you to consider, visit our website at http://www.discoverchristianschools.com/.

We can help you find a Christian school and fulfill the directive we have been assigned as Christian parents.DiscoverChristianSchools.com - Where Christian education is priceless!

DiscoverChristianSchools.com - On the Air!

Discover Christian Schools on Crosstalk

(http://www.crosstalkamerica.com/shows/2008/07/discover_christian_schools.php)
A LIVE radio interview on July 29, 2008

Host: Jim Schneider
Guest: Harold Naylor
Listen: RealAudio Windows Media MP3 Order Tape or CD

Harold Naylor, Jr., is Director of Institutional Advancement for The Christian Academy, and co-founder of Discover Christian Schools.

Discover Christian Schools is the public communications arm of the Mid-Atlantic Christian Schools Association, and was formed to create a dialog with parents about their children's training, with the aim of instilling biblical thinking, to explain the differences and advantages of Christian schools over public school education, and then to help parents connect with a Christian school that is right for them and their children.

Mr. Naylor explained that educating children is the responsibility of parents. The purpose of the school is to come alongside them to assist in the education of their children.

There are a number of stark contrasts between public education and Christian education, stating with the understanding that God is the ultimate source and authority for creation, not a humanistic or naturalistic view that says everything came by chance. It is that difference that affects all areas of the curriculum, from history to science to mathematics to social studies, for examples.

Click here to read the rest of the post on the Crosstalk website!

A Parent's Perspective - The Right Priorities

Elizabeth W.

Wilmington, DE

We are recent converts to Christian schooling who began as proponents of public schooling, mainly in order to be salt and light. While kindergarten was fine, first grade started off with a lack of peace, which never abated. As the year progressed, God gradually opened our eyes, changing our hearts and minds in the process.

No matter what administrators might tell you, children are NOT their priority. The public schools have all the problems inherent in a government bureaucracy: lack of accountability, political motivations, inefficiencies, unresponsiveness, etc. Moreover, the environment is often not nurturing, not to mention disorderly, which is clearly not conducive to learning. I imagine there are some exceptions somewhere, but why gamble?

Both the reading and math curricula were not rigorous, entailing a lot of busy work, little actual teaching and a lot of extraneous material and projects, versus a focus on critical fundamentals. There are a lot of new, experimental teaching methods being used for the sake of novelty. Who wants their child to be used as a guinea pig and be academically handicapped as a result?

Let me emphasize that I spent extraordinary amounts of time in the classroom and talking with parents, administrators and teachers. If you have not done this, trust me, you do not have an accurate idea of your child’s experience. Even at the first grade level, I was alarmed by the negative peer influences, which included age-inappropriate boy/girl interactions.

I should note that our child was in the only gifted program offered in the entire state. This is a highly regarded program by many, even some Christian parents, but as I spent more time in the classroom, I concluded that the “best” in public education is decidedly inadequate. The visit to WCS shed light on the deficiencies in public school; I should note that this was based solely on my observations, as school personnel did not even discuss public schools. Even if you feel public school is fine, I urge you to visit your local Christian school. God wants the best for our children, and so do parents. Wisdom demands we make decisions based on knowledge. Consequently, don’t we have an obligation to investigate all options, especially regarding the training of our children?

Good Children's Literature is Essentials

"In a day and age when reading good books has never been of greater need for our children, parents and teachers owe Elizabeth McCallum and Jane Scott a deep debt of gratitude for the wonderful service they have provided by compiling this updated second edition of their book. It is a mandatory companion for any home or school."— Patch Blakey, Executive Director, The Association of Classical & Christian Schools


Good Children’s Literature Is Essential
A Word from the Authors
We wrote our book because a book of this sort is greatly needed.
The Book Tree is a recommended reading list for all ages, from
preschool through high school, and it includes several unique
features. It contains a selective array of excellent books for
each age group. We believe with Walter de la Mare that “only
the rarest kind of best of anything can be good enough for the
young,” so we have spent many years researching and reading
old books and new, classics as well as recent releases. In this
book, we provide a recommended list of classic books, as well
as books by Christian authors, some little-known books by
great writers and poets, and a sizable collection of inspiring
biographies. Of course, we do not think that these are the only
books worth reading. In fact, we are discovering new favorites
all the time. We are simply sharing with you some of the books
that we have especially enjoyed.

Table of Contents:
1. Preschool Literature
2. Elementary School Fiction
3. Middle School Fiction
4. Elementary & Middle School Biography
5. High School Fiction
6. High School Biography


Also Includes:
Title Index
Author Index
Illustrator Index
Subject Index

Publishers Description:

Once upon a time, a carpenter entered a forest and happened upon a wolf wearing a feathered cap. Quick, whose side are you on? If you don't know, then keep reading. Stories provide a roadmap for life. This is because stories are life. But oftentimes it's easiest to understand where we are when we can look through other eyes—from the perspective of someone else, living somewhere else, somewhen else.

If you thought you knew The Book Tree, think again. Jane and Elizabeth have updated this charming book with over 100 new book reviews, and whimsical illustrations from recommended titles are scattered throughout. New formatting and four indexes (title, author, illustrator, and subject) make it easier than ever to browse for that next well-worn favorite.For those beginning to read for the first time or those beginning to read again, The Book Tree will drop golden apples in your lap, until you can climb high enough to pick for yourself.

About the Authors:

Elizabeth McCallum (M.A. English, University of Houston) has taught high school and college English for thirty years. She currently teaches English at Covenant Christian Academy (Cumming, GA) and conducts seminars on literature and English for both parents and teachers.

Jane Scott (B.A. English, Covenant College) spends much of her time managing her home and teaching. Her husband, Martin, serves in the Georgia legislature, and they live in northwest Georgia with their four girls.

Click here to see a sample of the book and to watch The Book Tree advertising trailer.

Can You Spare a Dime? "For a Double Mocha Frappicino Latte"

By Mark Kennedy, ACSI, Eastern Canada

To me one of the profound mysteries about the North American Christian community is, “How can so many people in two of the wealthiest nations the world has ever known say they can’t afford Christian schooling for their children?”

Now I know that there are low income families here who can barely afford the necessities of life let along Christian school tuition. But what about everyone else? Well thanks to the research of the Vanier Institute of the Family’s ninth annual report, I am beginning ‘to get it’.

The report entitled, “The Current State of Canadian Family Finance” points out that:

• Since 1990, family debt has been rising seven times faster than household income—to the point that it is now equal to a record 131% of household incomes.
• More families than ever are living well beyond their means, despite low levels of unemployment, modest wage gains and an 18% increase in real net worth since the year 2000.
• Among Canadians earning a net mid-range income of about $60,000 annually, credit card debt has almost doubled from $12,000 in 1990 to over $22,500 today.
• There has been a steep decline in the amount of money families are able to save annually from $7,000 in 1990 to about $1000 today.

It seems our income level is less of an issue than our level of spending. An increasing percentage of Canadian families are spending more than they earn annually and, for these families adding payments for Christian school tuition on top of everything else is an extremely unattractive prospect. So even if a family’s annual income is $1,000,000 they cannot afford Christian schooling if their yearly expenses are $1,300,000.

Click here to read the rest of the post on The Christian School Journal

Christian Education as Crucial

Mr. Bill Stevens
Headmaster, Wilmington Christian School ~ Hockessin, DE

In my thirty years of being involved with Christian education, I have heard it called a number of things. It is an"alternative", "optional", "nice", even . . . "important." Never has the word CRUCIAL been uttered in my hearing. Yet, I believe that the times in which we live, the educational atmosphere, and the current state of the Church warrant using such a word.

Webster defines crucial as, "important or essential as resolving a crisis." When I consider this, in light of what we do in Christian schooling, and what I see in the world around me, I can't help but come to this conclusion . . . that the Christian education of our children is essential to resolving the crisis that we now see in education and, to reclaiming the future of our churches.

It only takes ten minutes of watching CNN or Fox News to see that our country needs a biblical worldview with which to approach and respond to the issues around us. A Christian education is not just "glorified Sunday School," but rather a holistic approach to viewing life, faith, and learning. Every subject taught has its foundation in the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:14-17), and teaches a perspective that God has established from the foundation of this world. In his recent studies, noted Christian researcher, George Barna states, "It appears that most Americans have not thought very much about the most pressing spiritual issues they face." Certainly this statement brings a sense of the "crucial" to the Christian education of this next generation!

A second crucially significant factor is the educational, psychological, social, and spiritual development of young people. Our children (from Kindergarten to young adulthood) need a frame of reference to their learning. I strongly believe that the current lack of stability and security in the hearts and minds of our young people is this lack of a "reference point" to learning. For too long our educational system has become piecemeal and compartmentalized, without a cohesive, driving, unifying force. God provided this in His Son. Bruce Lockerbie, in his book on Christian education, refers to this as the "cosmic center". He cites the illustration of how he suffers dizziness when watching the mesmerizing rotation of a merry-go-round. Lockerbie asks the carousel operator how he stands it all day long? The man responds by taking him to where he views things, from the center! It makes all the difference in one's perspective. Without a center that (Who) holds all things together, kids will not build that holistic framework that God, Himself, deemed crucial to our knowledge, wisdom, and understanding (Psalm 34:11; Proverbs 24:3-4).

Probably the most crucially compelling argument for Christian education is in the word itself. Crucial has its root in "crux," or "cross." It's where we get crucifix and crucify. WOW! That brings two closing thoughts to my mind. First, I can boldly say that education is at a crossroads. We can keep looking at education in the same old, same old manner ("public school was good enough for me, it'll be good enough for my kids"), or we can make Christian education a priority, both in our church mission, and in our individual family commitment. It's costly to move in this direction, but it's also crucial if we are to make any real change and secure any real future for our children's sake, and the sake of the "children yet to be born" (Psalm 78).

In this expanded view of "crucial" that references the cross, it doesn't take a big leap to conclude that what makes Christian education vital is Christ, and what He accomplished for us on the Cross. Not only is our salvation secured and our eternity is sealed, but, our here and now is held together (Colossians 1: 15-20). Mrs. Stevens and I have had a "rough" four years. Between cancer and heart disease, we have certainly seen the crucial side of life as it relates to our faith. Probably the central point in this "rocky journey" has been the people and ministry of Christian education, in Schenectady, in Eastern Europe, and here in Wilmington, that has made the crucial difference for us! It is through the Cross of Christ, and the centrality of it in our perspective that has made all the difference in our worldview. So we too, have been enriched and encouraged (at age 58!) from a Christian education . . . why not our kids?

As we reflect upon the world around us, and the state of affairs we've gotten ourselves into, the "crucialness" (new word?) of a Christian education in the generation to come may well stand as the closest relative of the Christian Church. Just think of the voice with which the Church would speak in the marketplace of ideas, having such a crucial ally as the Christian schooling of our youth!

No longer an option . . .

Choosing a Christian School - Critical Questions

Jonathan Ekeland
The Christian Academy ~ Brookhaven, PA

“We’re now considering a Christian education, what’s next?”

Any good guidance counselor will tell you that the first question regarding college is not, “What college are you thing about?” or even, “What major are you interested in studying?” The very first question a student should be asked is, “Why do want to go to college?” Many students don’t really spend much time considering that question. They just go ahead and start planning out a path without much thought and prayer. Sometimes they go because all of their friends are going and they don’t want to feel left out. Sometimes they go because their parents are “making them” go. These are not very sound reasons.

Next, when parents do start to explore various colleges with their son or daughter, there are always a few good questions that they should be asking? “What percentage of your graduates get a job in a related field of study?” or “Does a grad student teach the class or does the professor?” Well, the same should be true with parents who are seeking to send their child to a Christian school. Questions like, “Is your school accredited?” and “What percentage of your graduates go to college?” are typical questions that should be looked at.

If you’re going to visit a Christian school, chances are your minds are pretty close to being made up that that is what you want. It’s now a matter of obtaining information and making wise decisions about “where” to go. But first, make sure you’ve answered the question thoroughly, “Why do I want my child to have a Christian education?”

Once you’ve answered that question, now the fun begins! Below is a link to a set of questions that may be useful in helping you get a better understanding of private Christian schools. Schools don’t mind if you come in for a visit with a prepared list of questions – in fact it’s a great sign that you’re serious about your child’s education. So go ahead and copy the list!

Click here for a complete list of Critical Questions!

Reflections on Character Education

Deb Gahman, Hamilton Strategies
Deb recently joined Hamilton Strategies after 23 years as a Christian School educator.
There’s a lot of talk these days about Character Education and the teaching of Ethics in school and in the workplace. In fact, many public schools have not only opted to cover these topics, but have now officially included them in the school district curriculum.

In her article, “What Happened to Ethics?”, Vicki Salemi quotes a business school professional, a co-founder of a training and consulting firm, and an MBA student at a major university. The common thread in their comments is that the core of ethics is being a good citizen by being truthful and choosing right over wrong which leads to the creation of good corporate citizens.

In addition to teaching young adults the importance of honesty in the business world and in all of life’s avenues, these sources were quoted as saying the following:

on servant leadership -“the decision to serve rather than to be served is key to effective leadership…We teach students that sometimes when the numbers look right, the decision is still wrong. A lot of ethics are instilled by operating on a set of values.” Kenneth Blanchard, co-founder of The Ken Blanchard Companies
on ethics -“We teach it as a hard right instead of the easy wrong…We teach them to frequently flex the ethical muscle so when they graduate and enter the work force it becomes second nature.” Paul Fiorelli, Xavier University

on doing the right thing -“Ethics shape how we ought to behave as an employee, a friend, a co-worker, a citizen [and as] a person.” Casey Field, M.B.A. student, Villanova University

While I agree that we need to teach and train young people how to exhibit ethical behavior in all of life, and I applaud those who have devoted their time and talents to doing just that, I have to wonder about the values on which they base the training.

Years ago, most people agreed upon right and wrong in our society, and on the consequences that went along with making wrong choices. Today, however, it is increasingly difficult to find those who will stand up for truth that is based on God’s Word. In an effort to promote equality in our society, the black and white of lies and truth has been watered down to a muddled gray, leaving the door of ethics wide open for interpretation. Whose ethics are we teaching?

This is where the importance of an education based on God’s Truth is invaluable. Not only do we want to train our children in the truth at home, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that our children are in need of training in character development and ethics at school.

Now, the question is, do you know the central driving force in the values system of your child’s educators? Is it the one true God to whom you have entrusted your life? When your child is faced with a dilemma about right and wrong at school, is there someone he can go to who will base their advice and guidance on the teachings of the God of the universe? Do you have the assurance that your child is in the presence of teachers who will lead them in godly ways throughout their interactions with peers? If you answered yes to all of these questions, you must be the parent of a child who attends a Christian school.


To read Vicki Salemni’s article in its entirety, go to:http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Departments/eLearning/Default.aspx?article=WhatHappenedEthics&GT1=27001