Chapter 1 notes:
- pg. 10: 3 John 4: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth" I feel that summarizes why I do what I do - you can't beat that joy and that is what drives me every day.
- Pg. 12-16: I like it that his statements about home, school and church are also included in our mission statement. I really feel that we need to push this on our parents next year - how all three are necessary for the success of their child. Also see the paragraph on pg. 16 that starts "The best solution..."
Your thoughts???
The author makes very good points concerning the depth of the responsibility parents have in training up their children in the way they should go. I believe it is intensely important for parents to live what they teach in front of their children. That is how children learn integrity and how to apply it in their own lives.
ReplyDeleteOn page 18, Simmons writes, "Parents want what's best for their children, but we're not perfect. We don't always know what to do or say. And sometimes we fail to model Christlike living for our kids." On this premise, he makes the case for the value of Christian school for families. I can agree that having that daily, intellectual and Biblical input is priceless not only in the education of the child, but as a reinforcement for CHristian parents. Parents know that the principles they diligently are teaching at home will be repeated and nurtured 6-7 hours a day, 5 days a week at their child's Christian school.
I must also mention the 3rd leg of the symbolic stool SImmons describes in this chapter - the church. This important component is where the WHOLE family can be taught the Bible's content, the Bible's principles and how to live out the life God has planned for each. Within the church, there are a multitude of supports and ways in which to minister as individuals and families.
All three, the home, the church, and the school, (our mission statement) are vital to to the overall product we are trying to produce - people who can be productive citizens and reach their world for Christ.
Can Christian school students go awry? Can secular school students live a Christian life of integrity? Yes on both counts. Faulty parents or faulty church situations or faulty schooling or a combination a student could use as an excuse. Students, in the end, have to make their own decisions of what to do with the Christ about which they have learned. It is a matter of the heart and commitment for the long haul to personal faith in Christ.
A few things I highlighted in this chapter. I love the prayer he prayed for his daughter as he watched her step in his footprints. pg 9 "God, help that be a good thing. Help me so that my footsteps lead her to You." I feel as a mom and teacher that we forget sometimes that the children in our lives are watching and listen to what we do and say. How important that our lives reflect what we believe to our students.
ReplyDeleteI was encouraged from pg 12 that our mission statement lines up with what he states that the three primary institutions God uses to reach and disciple children are: the home, the church, and the school. How they will work together to influence children for Christ. The challenge comes when we have students where it is not lived out at home. Where home and church are not an influence for Christ. So our responsibility to infuse Christ in all we teach each day becomes so important so that the seeds are planted deep in the heart of the child. This also lines up with his statement on pg 14 "We are engaged today in a great spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of our children. Unfortunately, many young people enter it without the necessary preparation and protection." Wow! That was challenging for me and makes each day as a Christian teacher so important. So often it is easy to forget the battle we are in for the hearts. Donna
The paragraph that stood out to me the most was the last full paragraph on page 11. I circled, squared and underlined a good portion of this paragraph. These are the three keys as to why Jeff and I choose Christian education for our children.
ReplyDelete1. It is important WHO is teaching my child. I want someone that has the same spiritual and educational goals as our family.
2. This is probably the KEY point for Christian education, WHAT they teach our children. Is Christian ed for everyone? NO! We are for the family that deems an educational plan built on the word of God as the PRIMARY goal. We cannot water down the truth of Christ so we attract more students. Again, we as a staff have to believe that we have the best to offer and we have to articulate that to those around us.
3. The last point is WHERE will we send our children. When we are looking at our demographic, this question should have been so clearly answered by the first two points that it is evident to potential parents that FMCS is the answer for their child! We are not for every family but we are for every family seeking a Godly, quality education.
Touche. Outstanding arguments. Keep up the amazing effort.
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