“And that’s when I knew there was a secret mandate …” he said. A colleague was passing through town. I had heard the news a few weeks prior – news that comes all too frequently in Christian School circles – another head of school departing prematurely. “Tell me your story,” I asked. And he did. It was familiar. All too … Read More
You are Invited to our Christian Deeper Learning Conversation
I am very excited to announce that on November 18 CACE will be sponsoring a gathering of individuals representing schools and organizations interested in discussing ideas and sharing progress related to Deeper Learning in Christian schools. This event will be free of charge and held in Elmhurst, Illinois preceding the Strengthening Christian Schools conference on November 19 and 20. What … Read More
Is it Time for a Visit?
Last week at a Christian school, this incredible new building opened! Click here for a fly through filmed by students using a drone. What a privilege it was to be there the month before as students started to use the facility for the first time! God truly blessed the vision of Stephen Harris at Northern Beaches Christian Academy. Teaching and … Read More
Working to Keep the Students We Have
Increased competition within the schooling marketplace, combined with the shifting priorities of a new generation of parents, has rendered the fortunes of independent and parochial schools more uncertain than ever before. As we have noted here previously, as of just two years ago, private schools enrolled more than 10% fewer students than in 2000. And within that overall enrollment decline … Read More
Encouraging a Different Narrative
“I’m glad we don’t have to raise our kids in that culture” was the comment of the educator I was having breakfast with at a café in early August. Any guesses where I was eating breakfast and what culture the educator was referring to? Recently I had the opportunity to work with two international Christian schools, one in Nepal and … Read More
What makes an education ‘Christian’?
“This article originally appeared in the August 10, 2015 issue of Christian Courier, an independent Christian bi-weekly newspaper (christiancourier.ca).” Does hiring Christian teachers and administrators automatically yield a Christian education? Well-meaning and sincere Christians have taken very different approaches to Christian education and scholarship. What follows are six examples. The first approach is to proceed as if there is not … Read More
The Intersection of Lament and Hope
One of the great things about working in education is experiencing first hand the excitement of a new school year. Yes, I know not everyone is enthusiastic about summer’s end, but generally speaking, the buzz of a new year and a fresh start is invigorating. For some however, many events of this past summer cast a dim shadow on the … Read More
Finish Your Final Assessment Now: A Professional Thank You to Grant Wiggins
As an educator, I love the summers not only for the vacation time and opportunity to go to baseball games, but more so for the opportunity to reflect on the past year and prepare for the upcoming year. There are not many professions that afford such opportunities for significant reflection, revision, and development, but too often we find ourselves in … Read More
What is the Purpose of Education?
As you enjoy reading this summer, I would like to recommend the book, Desiring the Kingdom by James K.A. Smith (2009), Baker Publishing: Grand Rapids, MI. I would venture a guess that every philosophy of education class, at one point during the semester, asks the question, “What is the purpose of education?” The answer to this question will reveal a … Read More
Teaching Towards Shalom
As you enjoy reading this summer, I’d like to recommend a relatively recently published book, Teaching to Justice, Citizenship, and Virtue: The Character of a High School Through the Eyes of Faith by veteran Christian educators, Julia and Gloria Stronks, a mother-daughter team. The authors use a fictional cast of characters at Midland Christian High School to explore what shalom … Read More