A New School of Thought
Since education seems to be a consistently hot topic for the bloggers, I thought I would update everyone on the fact that New Albany had a new school open this year. From all reports thus far, it appears to be doing very well.
In fact, it is rumored that some of the other private schools in town may lose more students next year to the new Christian Academy of Southern Indiana. It seems from the talk around town that the current educational system is not meeting the needs of the families in the community.
In addition, more and more families are electing to Home-school their children and colleges are finding that home-schooled kids actually do better. Many major colleges now cater to these kids and have more and more scholarships available for them.
Do you suppose we are seeing these trends because the mainstream educators are losing touch with what is truly important?
Has the school systems lost the ability to control the kids and discipline the troublemakers?
Has our mainstream educational system become too secular and naturalistic in its thinking and teaching?
Are we focusing too heavily on sports and non-academic endeavors?
If you look at the trends, the answer certainly appears that the mainstream teaching mentality needs an overhaul. I look forward to the competition and the values that the new Christian Academy brings to New Albany. It is long overdue and a needed change!!
In fact, it is rumored that some of the other private schools in town may lose more students next year to the new Christian Academy of Southern Indiana. It seems from the talk around town that the current educational system is not meeting the needs of the families in the community.
In addition, more and more families are electing to Home-school their children and colleges are finding that home-schooled kids actually do better. Many major colleges now cater to these kids and have more and more scholarships available for them.
Do you suppose we are seeing these trends because the mainstream educators are losing touch with what is truly important?
Has the school systems lost the ability to control the kids and discipline the troublemakers?
Has our mainstream educational system become too secular and naturalistic in its thinking and teaching?
Are we focusing too heavily on sports and non-academic endeavors?
If you look at the trends, the answer certainly appears that the mainstream teaching mentality needs an overhaul. I look forward to the competition and the values that the new Christian Academy brings to New Albany. It is long overdue and a needed change!!
posted by Anonymous at 5:30 AM
11 Comments:
Now that HB has embarked on a crusade somewhat outside his more narrowly defined area of interest -- that'd be health and medical issues -- and wishes us to consider the virtues of faith-based everything, perhaps he can expand upon today's rumination and include some thoughts on this:
Money has always been able to purchase a better education, leaving public schools to deal with the remainder.
Just curious, but where is HB's residence? Does he/she see the clay given to urban public school teachers for molding?
Ah, yes, but if these students were just in tune with the on\\non-intellectual virtues, they'd be better lumps of clay.
Never let it be said that HB doesn't have a horse in this race.
I am a resident of Floyd County. Graduated from New Albany High School and my kids from Floyd Central High School. A attended a catholic grade school and two of my children attended a catholic grade school before public high school.
You are again being an absolutist by your comment;
"Ah, yes, but if these students were just in tune with the on\\non-intellectual virtues, they'd be better lumps of clay."
My whole point is that it is not an either/or situation. These lumps of clay are best when they have everything available to them for molding. Both intellectual and non-intellectual.
The author Jess Lair once said;
Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded.
It never ceases to amaze me when someone suggests that public schools have become too secular, as if they are supposed to be anything else.
I agree that I'd like to see New Albany reclaim its status as well. We have some excellent public school teachers who do a phenomenal job.
Some key differences between public,private and home schools is
(1) Parent involvement
(2) More closely shared values
(3) Fewer distractions
(4) Stricter rules and punishments
(5) Typically better discipline
(6) Uniforms
Nothing wrong with public schools being secular. But when you limit any talk of anything remotely religious or other viewpoints for fear of establishing religion, you do a disservice to the kids.
There is no specific religious institution associated with parents wanting and expecting from the schools, respect, honesty, integrity, courtesy, and discipline. But these are some of the things we see less of in the public school system.
We have gone overboard on this secular issue just like the attack on Christmas celebrations and displays.
The problem, HB, is that typically when people start allowing for diminished separation of church and state, they most often define "church" using their own narrow guidelines.
Insert any other religion (or even denomination) into the slot they reserve for their brand of Christianity and those very same people will call for the separation to be restored, if not widened, as their rights, according to them, would then be being violated by heretics.
What happens when that public classroom discussion of religion includes a scathing critique of Christianity?
I'm all for discussing religion in public schools-- all of them and the role of religion in general. An intellectually honest discussion, though, must include any potential negative aspects and I don't think most folks are ready for that kind of openess.
I would strongly disagree with the diversity of thought comment and will leave the college successes of these students to prove that point.
Here is an excellent article dealing with teaching about religion in the schools and comes from a Progressive web site.
http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=110&subsecID=181&contentID=252306
Good article. Expands on what I was rather lazily getting at.
I did three years as a substitute teacher at the junior/senior high level while in college and immediately after. That certainly doesn't make me an educational expert, but I did get to see the same group of students change over the years and got to know some parents.
As I was prone to playing devil's advocate and was loathe to let a casual comment slip from a student's mouth without challenge, I facilitated many conversations outside the "mainstream" about religion, politics, race relations, etc.
The students almost always rose to the occasion. It's too bad their parents often did not. If I hadn't been on good terms with some school administrators prior to being hired, I would probably have been canned numerous times.
Luckily, they knew me as a student and were used to me asking questions nobody wanted to answer.
On a lighter note, when I was a public school student I used to always get a kick out of listening to parents explain that they sent their kids to private religious schools for the discipline.
Restoration Christian School was renovating one year and as a result, those students came to Silver Creek for a semester. We were all pretty surprised when a lot of those particular disciples started showing up at parties and out drinking and sexing the rest of us. Pretty embarassing, really.
"Oh, man. I've had twelve beers."
"Yeah, but the Chrisitan guy's had fourteen. Is that your girlfriend he's with?"
The same goes for Providence. Whenever we wanted something stronger than our usual swill to pacify ourselves, a Providence party was usually a good place to find it. Same attitude-- just more money.
I think you have been exposed to very limited home-schoolers based on your viewpoint.
But the bottom line as you alluded to, is that it starts in the home and I totally agree. Parental support, concern, encouragement and stability is by far the biggest key to success.
As far as poor adolescent choices, there are no parents who want our kids to choose sex, drugs and alcohol and most parents make choices thinking it will help minimize the temptations.
FYI - most private schools spend less on a per student basis than public schools. more money won't change the public schools' results. Good news about CAI.
"Do you suppose we are seeing these trends because the mainstream educators are losing touch with what is truly important?"
Let's try not to confuse educators (teachers) with the people that make the decisions of what happens in the classroom... administrators.
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