The Lantern

The Fruit of Accreditation

2011-11-30T17:34:00.001-06:00

by Josh Crane, Head of School

“…That is why those pathetic people who simply “want friends” can never make any. The very condition of having Friends is that we should want something else besides Friends. Where the truthful answer to the question Do you see the same truth? would be “I see nothing and I don’t care about the truth; I only want a Friend,” no Friendship can arise—though Affection of course may. There would be nothing for the Friendship to be about; and Friendship must be about something, even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice. Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travelers." - CS Lewis

It might seem strange that I have chosen to open this post about accreditation with a quote from CS Lewis on friendship. Yet as we consider the true legacy of our recently completed accreditation process, we might find the Advanc-Ed certificate of accreditation was not the only fruit of our efforts and perhaps not even the most important.

Accreditation can be an arduous process. Accrediting bodies ask for institutions to engage in a lengthy self study whereby the institution must evaluate its operation and provide evidence that it is accomplishing its stated goals for the students under its care. Accreditation forces schools to utilize the wide-angle lens when evaluating themselves. This is often counterintuitive for school personnel who are used to focusing only on “their areas”. Administrators can become myopic when focusing only on their domains- successful school management necessitates that these disciplines talk to each other regularly to ensure that the best decisions are made for the institution. Similarly teachers can focus solely on their classroom with little thought to what happens in the grades below and above them. While a student might experience great teaching year to year, a student will inevitably not fair as well as he would if there was consensus about the graduating objectives and collaboration by all grade levels on the way to those objectives.

The self-study process produces lots of dialogue amongst faculty and staff members. At CCS our interdisciplinary teams met regularly to work through their assigned tasks and checked in with other groups to share and retrieve information. The process did something that all of the motivational speeches and planned fellowship opportunities in the past could not do- it brought us together. We had a clear goal in mind and it took all of us - with our eyes fixed on what is best for the School - to accomplish it. Herein lies what I would consider the vastly underestimated value of the process (and illumination for the CS Lewis quote.)

When Lewis says that “those who are going nowhere can have no fellow travelers” he is speaking organizational truth. For years at CCS we tried to promote staff fellowship presumably so that we could “get along better” as we sought to do our jobs. However, if the goal was just to promote togetherness, then we, like those Lewis mentions in his opening line, were likely chasing rainbows. As Head of School I would say that the faculty and staff culture of our School is at an all time high. Our destination of achieving accreditation required fellow travelers, and on our way we found out that we care a lot about each other. Research and common sense will show you that when people in an organization are bonded together with friendship and common purpose, great things can happen. It is my firm anticipation that the successful result of our accreditation work together and our newly minted unity will be springboards for future initiatives large and small that will be designed to improve the quality of education we offer at CCS.

Road Trips and Report Cards

2011-10-07T15:01:00.000-05:00

By Jennifer K. Whitmer, Director of Assessment

Going on a family trip is an undertaking only for the valiant and courageous. Traveling with our children involves planning, persistence, and patience. The obligatory questions are: “Where are we going?”, “How are we getting there?”, and (everyone’s favorite) “Are we there yet?”.

Education is a family trip that requires no less bravery. Everyone’s in the car, but the student is driving. Teachers are planning the direction. Report cards are the rest stops - a time to reflect, assess our progress, and refocus on where we’re headed.

The communication about student progress is vital in meeting educational goals. For the students, teachers, and parents, report cards should answer questions such as: Am I still on target? Do I need more help to reach the target? Have I mastered the target and need a father goal?

To use educational terms, report cards convey “student achievement” or give specific information regarding “student progress toward a standard”. Effective communication involves four conditions: clear targets, accurate information, clear symbols, and tailored communication. (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2006, p. 293)

Clear Targets—Where are we going?

Choosing a destination requires more than identifying a city’s name. What neighborhood? What landmark? Likewise, identifying a subject on a report card seems to be a clear target, but each discipline is so broad. Therefore, we need specific targets. (O'Connor, 2011, pp. 67-77)

At Central Christian School, we’ve used the last two years to analyze our curriculum and refine our targets. We call these targets “standards” which are determined with an end-of-year goal in mind. Each target or standard is clarified within different grades as a “grade-level expectation”. These expectations, different for each grade, are where we want students to be at the end of the school year—the specific, final destination. (Wormeli, Introduction: Formative vs. Summative Assessments, 2010)

Accurate Information—Is this the right information?

Have you ever used Google maps only to face a roadblock because of inaccurate information? Our students’ report cards must be based on accurate assessment tools including information that is pertinent to the subject. Tests that don’t gather information about what was actually taught are misleading.

Our school is committed to using only appropriate assessments when measuring student progress – tests that include only the information about specific standards. The more information included in a given grade, such as attendance, the cloudier the results about student progress. While attendance is critical for learning to occur, including it in the feedback about achieved standards only gives a murky picture of progress toward true learning. (O'Connor, 2011, pp. 16-23, 47-51) (Wormeli, Late Work, 2010)

Businesses leaders are now seeing a generation who is apathetic about meeting goals and believes showing up to work is simply enough. In school they, “got credit” for attendance in their grades, so they’re confused why that doesn’t “count” now (Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch, 2010, pp. 9, 34-36). Moving forward, our grades will only include data from quality assessments of student work measured against meeting specific learning standards.

Clear Symbols—What does that sign mean?

When teachers assign grades, they use symbols—numbers, letter combinations, graphics—to communicate a message. If the symbol is not clearly defined, the communication has failed. I personally once received the grade “aa-b”. What is that?! And what does it mean? Confusion abounds when we say a “Satisfactory,” “B student,” “doing well,” or even “82%”. We’ve now developed a common vocabulary, so teachers and parents understand what each symbol represents. Partnering together, we can gauge where students are on their journeys toward meeting standards. (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2006, p. 294) (O'Connor, 2011, pp. 67-72)

I’ve listed the symbols and descriptions below for CCS standards, as well life skills that support learning. We believe these symbols are developmentally appropriate and allow elementary students to actively be involved in gauging their own progress. They are also more in line with what they will face as adults in the workplace.

Are we there yet? Almost!

Tailored Communication—What do I need to know?

CCS teachers can clearly explain to you how and why we’ve arrived at a grade, but we also realize some of it is simply too much information. (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2006, p. 308) You need to know your child’s reading level: seeing they are not on grade level isn’t enough, but the four-page Developmental Reading Assessment report is too much. Our goal in report card communication is to convey student progress in meeting grade-level expectations compared to what standards are actually being taught.

Remember our road trip? Report cards are the rest stop, an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, look where we’re going, and adjust the plan to get there. Thank you for joining us on this trip! Your partnership in standards-based grading will reap many blessings for your child’s learning.

Load up the CCS van—here we go!

3K through 6^th Content Standards Grading Scale

EX	Extending: student work demonstrates understanding beyond grade-level and self-initiates learning
SC	Secure: student work consistently demonstrates grade-level understanding and independence
PR	Progressing: student work consistently demonstrates progress in grade-level understanding,but is not yet independent
EM	Emerging: student work demonstrates preliminary grade-level understanding and requires teacher assistance
NE	Not Evaluated at this Time

Grades 3K-6^th Life Skills (Work Habits, Effort, Social Development)

U	Usually
S	Sometimes
R	Rarely

Grade 6 Subject Area Grading Scale

A+	100-97%
A	96-93%
A	92-90%
B+	89-87%
B	86-83%
B	82-80%
C+	79-77%
C	76-73%
C	72-70%
D+	69-67%
D	66-63%
D	62-60%
F	59-0%

Bibliography

Clayton School District. (2008-2010). Elementary Report Card. St. Louis: Clayton School District.

Espinoza, C., Ukleja, M., & Rusch, C. (2010). Managing the Mellennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Mangaging Today's Workforce. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Fairfax County Public Schools. (2010). Report Card. Falls Church: Fairfax County Public Schools.

O'Connor, K. (2011). A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades. Boston: Pearson.

Parkway School District. (2006-2010). Report Card. St. Louis: Parkway School District.

Pattonville R-3 School District. (1998-2011). Report Card. St. Louis: Pattonville R-3 School District.

Rockwood School Distrcit. (2007-2010). Report Card. Eureka: Rockwood School District.

Stiggins, R., Arter, J., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right—Using it Well. Boston: Pearson.

Wormeli, R. (2010, Nov 30). Introduction: Formative vs. Summative Assessments. Retrieved Aug 3, 2011, from Stenhouse Publishers You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJxFXjfB_B4

Wormeli, R. (2010, Nov 16). Late Work. Retrieved Aug 3, 2011, from Stenhouse Publishers You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHeij2Zfil4

Wisdom for 21st Century Education

2011-09-19T08:42:00.001-05:00

My first job in business was working as a project manager at a company called Weberize. Weberize built websites, Internet applications and software at the height of the dotcom boom. It was an exciting place to be and we would often throw around words and phrases to describe our work like “revolutionary”, “the old rules don’t apply”, “everything is new”, “that is so old school”. At the time our bold prognostications were reinforced by the fact that the phones were ringing off the hook for our services and business was booming. But then in 2001 the technology bubble burst- the phones stopped ringing, existing customers cut their spending way back and our sales efforts had not created the proper pipeline of deals to weather the storm. All of a sudden, the established business wisdom of sales calls, cultivating relationships, and fiscal prudence was back in vogue.

Proverbs 8 tells us that wisdom was woven into the fabric of creation. What that means for us is that (and I am greatly simplifying here) there is a blueprint that guides the disciplines that are so prevalent in our society- the disciplines of law, business, medicine and education. As creatures in a created world, it is our responsibility and privilege to determine what that wisdom is and adhere to it. I would submit to you that even though our day-to-day experience in this world has profoundly changed since the advent of the digital age, the foundational wisdom underlying our major disciplines have not.

If you are following education closely these days you will notice a lot of talk about 21^st education and for good reason. The world is rapidly changing and it is the responsibility of educators to prepare children for the times in which we live- something we believe very strongly at CCS. However, I am wary of the language being used to describe education in this day and age. Phrases like, “throw away the old model”, “everything is new” are reappearing. As we prepare children for the new world, our Christianity gives us the wisdom to say what needs to remain. Below is a summary of what we believe leaning on wisdom looks like in our educational context:

The pursuit of truth: John F Kennedy rightly said, “The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” God has spoken truthfully to us in His Word and in His world. Therefore we pursue truth equally when we are in Math class and in Bible class. It is our responsibility as educators to equip children with the tools necessary to detect truth from error so that they might not be ensnared by falsehood in its many forms. This has always been the challenge for educators; it has never been more challenging then it is right now.

The whole child: Children are persons made in the image of God with emotional, intellectual, and social needs. While times have changed, human needs have not. As educators we must nourish the human soul mind and body in order to be most effective in our education. Educational programs that only emphasize the cognitive needs of children to the neglect of say the emotional or relational needs are doomed to failure.

The primacy of the teacher: Because education deals with human needs, experienced shepherding of those needs is required. Whether you view a teacher as a “sage on the stage” or a “guide on the side”, that teacher needs to possess the gift of teaching, subject matter expertise and skilled leadership capabilities of children. As valuable as technology can be in the educational process, there is no substitute for student interaction with a skilled practitioner.

In an ever-changing world, we need ballast. Wisdom grants us such and it is only with wisdom that we will be able to skillfully navigate the frothy prognostications of today and tomorrow. I will be talking more in this venue about how we employ wisdom in education the 21^st Century in the weeks and months to come.

2011-12 School Verse

2011-08-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

"The new verse is so short!" we've heard in our halls. Technically, yes. One can't ignore that an imperative of just eighteen words has replaced last year's passage in Titus spanning four verses.

But when we acknowledge that we bear God's image and play an important role in God's Great Story, Paul's words to the ancient church in Colossae (modern-day Turkey) can provide great motivation for us at Central Christian School.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men." (Colossians 3:23)

We enter the 2011-12 school year with great anticipation. Teachers and staff have worked diligently for the past twelve months preparing for the accreditation visit we'll host in November. Students have been assessed in math and reading skills, as well as in specific areas of intelligence; the recent hire of a Director of Assessment reinforces our commitment to reach each learner and move him or her forward. Parents are seeking and developing new ways with which to partner with the School.

"Everything matters," Mr. Crane told our student body last Friday. "Because we are sons and daughters of God, it all matters. It's God's world. We're all in it. And how we spend our time is important."

Eric Liddell, a prospective missionary to China and a 1924 Olympic gold medalist in the 400 meter race, understood it even though others misunderstood him. Embracing himself as a complex being, the movie Chariots of Fire portrays him as saying, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” Liddell’s sanctuary extended beyond the borders of churches and prayer closets. He knew His Maker delighted in Him. And by using his gifts – even his physical talents – he worshiped.

So today, Central Christian School embraces this truth for a new school year. We're living our entire lives for the face of God. May we be motivated to bring Him glory in all that we do and say. Join us in teaching your children how to worship each and every day.

Trimesters

2011-07-19T12:05:00.000-05:00

Trimesters?! Why the change?

CCS is moving to trimesters as part of our goal to improve assessment and feedback for families. To explain how a move to trimesters furthers this goal, please allow me to back up and talk about assessment.

Meaningful assessment, quality feedback, assessment for learning, assessment of learning, formative assessment, summative assessment, assessment that drives instruction…these are just a few of the terms or phrases that are a part of conversations amongst educators in the field today.

Assessment that drives instruction is exactly what it implies. It is assessment that helps educators make instructional decisions for your child. At times, it will be what many of us experienced growing up:

written tests
quizzes
written work percentage grades
oral exams

At other times, the vehicle of assessment may be quite different than what you or I experienced:

observations of a child playing a math game
evaluations of notes from a scientific inquiry
evaluations of a child’s accuracy, fluency, expression and comprehension when reading with his/her teacher 1:1
scoring guide/rubric based reviews of a child’s piece of writing that go far beyond a conventions mark-up
surveys of how he best learns
observations of his interpersonal strengths and areas of growth

When done with integrity, assessments create a clear picture of your child. One of our CCS goals is to be increasingly intentional with the assessments we take and how we shape your child’s instruction as a result of those assessments.

Along with an increased focus on the assessments themselves, we are committing to increased meaningful feedback for parents. Our desire is that you hear the most current and specific feedback possible when you attend your child’s parent-teacher conference, look at your child’s report card or midterm report, or when reviewing work that comes home.

Now, back to the trimester-based calendar.

It is because of our desire to assess and provide increasingly helpful feedback that we are moving to a trimester-based calendar. Moving to trimesters does three major things to work toward this goal:

Our newly adopted school-wide assessments in reading, writing, and math are all trimester based. By aligning our conferences and report cards with these assessments, we will provide increased individual feedback about your child – feedback that includes not only the day-to-day assessments we use with your child, but pulls from these benchmark assessments as well.
Because it usually takes the first 4-6 weeks of school to establish routines, procedures, classroom community, and more, first quarter grades are often based on a smaller block of time. Trimesters give your child an additional 5 weeks to engage in learning and show his/her knowledge in the first reporting period.
Looking at the opposite end of the year, the final conference will fall one month earlier. By holding the conference the 1^st and 2^nd of March, we leave a substantial amount of time for further teaching, growth and development. We can focus our conversations on how to maximize the remainder of the school-year, with summer considerations being held closer to May.

We hope that, as we begin the 2011-2012 school-year, you will see, hear and feel the difference in our communication. We welcome your feedback as we continue to pursue excellence in our collaboration with you.

Dana Scheidt, Dir. of Curriculum and Instruction

National Day of Prayer

2011-05-05T22:04:00.000-05:00

by Josh Crane, Head of School

As many of you know, today is the National Day of Prayer and to celebrate, we gathered together as a community in the front of the School to lift our voices to our God. We used this opportunity to guide students toward two prayer best practices that seem particularly relevant on the National Day of Prayer .

1) We are living in an increasingly polarized political climate; one where we don't just disagree with the "other side's" politics, we demonize them and the party to which they belong. This climate does not lend itself to the kind of healthy respect for our leaders regardless of political persuasion that God calls His people to practice. The New Testament clearly tells us to pray for our leaders- for those in authority over us. For this reason we prayed together for our President, our Governor and our Mayor. And, should we be tempted to consider the Bible out of date, the commands to pray for and obey leaders were given at a time when some of the most cruel and inhumane rulers were in power. No American leader in history at any level compares to these tyrants- logic tells us if God commanded His people to pray for those leaders, surely we can be obedient to the call to pray for ours. I encourage you to teach your children to make praying for their leaders a habit- it engenders humility and a reminder that there is One who is greater than all human authority.

2) In conjunction with the National Day of Prayer, I often hear a misinterpretation of the verse in II Chronicles 7:14 where God tells the Israelites that if they will but humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways He will heal their land. It is important to note that this was a specific promise to the people of Israel who could be identified on the basis of Nationality, whereas the Israel of today is spiritual in nature- God's people are not identified by a specific location but by in inward transformation of the heart. There is no land which anyone can claim as the exclusive domain of God's people like Israel could of old. His people are on every continent and in every nation. Therefore, while we prayed for our nation today and thanked God for placing us in a country as unique and privileged as America, we also joined our voices with the Church worldwide and recited the Lord's Prayer.

The beautiful part about educating young children is their malleability. If we teach them to do these things at an early age, it will become a way of life for them. Seize the opportunity to teach them on these matters. In doing so you will honor God and spare your children from the confusion that comes from the entanglement of the political and religious spheres that seems so prevalent in today's American Evangelical landscape.

Stanford Achievement Test

2011-04-21T12:35:00.002-05:00

by Dana Scheidt, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Stanford Achievement Test, 10^th Edition

2010-2011 Dates of Administration: April 25^th-29^th

Does the phrase “Standardized Testing” trigger positive energy for you? Cause your palms to sweat? Heart to skip a beat? In most cases, that phrase alone brings about a plethora of opinions and emotions, and for good reason.

Many of us have struggled with test-anxiety. Many of us have felt the relief of test scores affirming that we’ve made the right school or career choice. Many of us have taken standardized tests that we felt were a good measure of our understanding. Many of us have taken standardized tests that we felt hit on nothing we knew. Many of us have taken standardized tests on a day when we felt “on.” Many of us have taken standardized tests on a day when we felt “off.”

Given the range of responses to standardized testing that exist, we wanted to provide an inside scoop on how we at Central Christian School utilize standardized testing data.

First and foremost, we acknowledge that the Stanford 10 Achievement Test is one measure of a child’s academic performance. Evaluation, decision-making, and planning regarding each child’s learning require information from many different sources.

We are working to gather information via teacher observations, class assignments, and grade level assessments to inform our instructional choices for your child on a regular basis.

Standardized tests, such as the Stanford 10, provide additional important information.

The Stanford 10 is a norm-referenced achievement test. This means that most of your child’s scores describe how he or she did on the test compared with other students in the same grade across the nation who took the test at about the same time in the school year.

Our goal at Central Christian School is to utilize the Stanford 10 Achievement Test as a tool for studying our instructional practices. Once we get results back at the end of May, we will analyze performance patterns and trends by subject area, grade level, learning groups, demographic groups, and even in relationship to curricular & instructional decisions made. If our students show patterns of doing well in a particular area, we ask why. If our students show patterns of doing poorly in a particular area, we ask why. The Stanford 10 Achievement Test provides us with a tool to evaluate programs and make decisions about ways to use facilities, time, personnel, and other resources to help students learn and plan for the future. Our goal is to use the information gained from this assessment to provide the best learning experience for your child.

I would like to encourage you to prepare your children physically and mentally for the testing process. Here are some things you can encourage your child to do:

1. Take care of his or her brain!

§ get plenty of rest (current recommendation is 10-11 hours for school-age children)

§ eat a nutritious breakfast

2. Get in the routine!

§ attend school each day during the assessment period (please avoid making appointments during the SAT testing window)

§ arrive on time

§ listen carefully to teacher directions and ask if he or she doesn’t understand what to do

Finally, while emphasizing the importance of staying engaged and doing ones personal best, please also stress that standardized test performance is only one of the ways in which children “show what they know.” Reassure your child about the test-taking experience. Students who are calm and sure of themselves are more able to provide an accurate picture of what they know.

As always, we will be opening each day with prayer, including prayers for calm and clear thinking as students complete their tests. All testing will be completed in the morning, when children’s minds are most fresh. We will watch our learners carefully, gauging our testing schedule on our observations of their needs. Breaks, snacks, and water will be available to ensure a maximal testing environment.

If you would like additional information about the content of the SAT, please visit Pearson’s Stanford Achievement Test and locate the “Content” section within the main body of the page. This website will provide you with information, along with sample pages, regarding each portion of the test.

Your questions and comments are always welcome.

Multiple Intelligence

2011-04-20T11:58:00.001-05:00

by Vicky Hauser, Gifted Education Specialist
and Nate George, 4th Grade Teacher

In 1983, a Harvard University professor named Howard Gardner published Frames of Mind, which detailed a new theory on human intelligence. This theory, known as the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, casts away the belief that intelligence is one fixed, pre-determined amount measured within the verbal and logical-mathematical arenas of the mind. Instead, the theory redefines the meaning of intelligence and centers around the belief that there are a variety of avenues, eight currently, through which individuals can exhibit intelligence. The eight intelligences are briefly outlined below:

Verbal-Linguistic: This intelligence includes processing and transmitting information via reading, writing, speaking, and listening. V-L is one of the traditional components society generally tends to think of and look for when someone asks, “What does it mean to be smart?” This is also an intelligence highly relied upon and catered to within traditional education.

Logical-Mathematical: This intelligence refers to the ability to process and utilize mathematical and scientific thinking. For example, recognizing and utilizing patterns and data, connecting relationships between events and ideas, and reasoning with inductive and deductive logic. In conjunction with the Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, L-M is the other component to society’s general understanding of “being smart” and an intelligence recognized and valued by traditional education.

Musical: Musical intelligence is seen in individuals who understand the components of music, as well as learns and expresses thought through music.

Visual-Spatial: Individuals who strongly utilize this intelligence learn from, think in, and manipulate images and models. They are also able to have an accurate understanding of spatial surroundings.

Bodily-Kinesthetic: The B-K intelligence allows individuals to process through the body and senses. This intelligence is also responsible for the ability to skillfully control movements of the body.

Interpersonal: This intelligence represents an individual’s ability and need to work with, understand, empathize with, and learn in group work with others.

Intrapersonal: Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to reflect upon and understand all components of one’s own self.

Naturalist: Out of the eight published intelligences, naturalist is the last to be published and the most contested of the group, partly due to the fact that it shares skills from Logical-Mathematical and Visual-Spatial, such as inquiry, organizing, and observation skills. What separates this intelligence from all of the others, however, is the ability to understand the living and natural world, as well as the need to be in connection with nature somehow.

According to Gardner, everyone has and uses all of the eight intelligences, but individuals utilize each intelligence in different amounts. Each intelligence can be utilized in isolation, as well as in conjunction with other intelligences. For example, a Quarterback can use B-K in isolation by being able to skillfully handle and throw a football with a tight spiral, but must utilize B-K in tandem with V-S to accurately estimate the space the ball needs to travel in order to land into the hands of the Receiver. The unique combination of the eight intelligences a person has is called an MI Profile and provides a window to how that person uses the different areas of the mind.

In order to determine an individual’s MI profile, a Multiple Intelligence Survey is used. The survey includes a variety of statements, such as “I work best when I can work with others,” accompanied by a rating scale. Individuals taking the survey consider each statement carefully in relation to what they know about themselves and decide how strongly each statement describes them. Based on the ratings provided for each statement, a unique MI Profile is calculated for each individual.

Originally, Gardner did not envision his theory being valuable to educators. However, teachers realized how the MI Theory and the MI Profile could allow them to better serve and empower students. Teachers can use MI to serve student needs by tailoring instruction and learning to the different intelligences; this is especially important for the non-traditional learners who process information in ways not normally recognized by the traditional education approach. Teachers can also use MI to help students understand their areas of MI strength and capitalize on those strengths by providing opportunities for students to choose how to demonstrate their learning.

This school year all 2nd-6th grade students completed a computerized survey to determine their MI profiles. This information is accessible to teachers to help them better differentiate for all learners in their classroom. An example for using the MI profiles in action could recently be seen in third grade. To enhance their rain forest unit, students were given the option of choosing from a variety of different projects to demonstrate their cumulative learning, each comprised of a different blend of Multiple Intelligences. From writing and performing a rap about the forest floor to mapping the deforestation of today's rain forests, learning became differentiated once again at CCS. You are all invited to attend chapel on Friday, April 29, when third grade will lead us in worship by demonstrating these various MI-driven projects.

While we recognize and truly value Gardner’s innovative contribution, we are also aware of significant criticisms of Multiple Intelligence Theory. Two are especially important for our purposes. First, a sizable number of scholars have noted that Gardner fails to clearly distinguish between a talent and an intelligence. This results both from Gardner’s broader definition of intelligence, which includes information processing and culturally valuable products, and his flexible use of criteria to determine what is or is not an intelligence.
Second, Gardner overemphasizes the ways in which cognitive processes are distinct from one another. For example, there are clear overlaps between spacial abilities and logical skills, to which any architect can attest. In fact, there is overlap among all of Gardner’s categories, which is why many cognitive scientists favor a view of mind that includes a general intelligence that is utilized and expressed in a variety of ways. A very helpful summary of criticisms by UVA professor Daniel Willingham can be found at: http://educationnext.org/reframing-the-mind/

Thoughtful evaluations of Multiple Intelligence Theory are important to us at CCS and they assist in creating a careful application of Gardner’s insights.

A Christian Worldview gives us a powerful lens through which we can sift the beneficial aspects of MI. The biblical understanding of people as integrated wholes gives us a way to utilize Gardner’s insights without ignoring significant criticisms. Fundamental to a biblical view of people is the notion of “the heart.” Unlike our culture’s reduction of “the heart” to emotion, the Bible enlarges “the heart” by identifying it as the unifying center of thought, feeling, and will. We embrace students as complex individuals with inherent value as image-bearers of God, and we recognize that both talents and cognitive skills ought to be incorporated into our teaching methods.

We can celebrate the fact that thought, will, and emotion are always intertwined in our students, while at the same time using Gardner’s categories to help us engage them in diverse ways.

References:

Giles, E., Pitre, S., Womack, S. (2003). Multiple intelligences and learning styles. In

M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.

Retrieved January 10, 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Hoerr, T. R., Boggeman, S., Wallach, C. (2010). Celebrating every learner: Activities

and strategies for creating a multiple intelligences classroom. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.

Our View of Children

2011-04-03T06:42:00.002-05:00

by Christan Perona, Director of Admissions

"Would you have 15 minutes this week first thing in the morning to visit JK and be our Prayer Partner?" the email read. I contacted Mrs. Burzinski, and we agreed on Thursday at 8:45am.

But getting to the Junior Kindergarten classroom this past Thursday was quite a feat. It had been a difficult morning for my children and me at home - even before loading ourselves and all our gear in the car. We were late pulling out of our driveway, and my frustrations only escalated when traveling on 270. And then 40. And then Hanley Road. An accident on northbound 170 led to its closing, and the result was multiple traffic jams throughout the city. My only comfort was that our car was sandwiched between two other CCS families, inching their way up to the school. And the exasperated looks on the other parents' faces told me I wasn't alone.

Entering the building with other latecomers at 8:30, I was grateful to eventually arrive in the Junior Kindergarten classroom on time. Taking a deep breath, I joined the students trying to forget the past two hours. My task was easy enough: share about my job at CCS and then articulate three ways they could pray for me. I sat facing the class and reminded them how they had come to visit our school, touring and shadowing in a classroom. I expressed how choosing a school was an important decision their parents made because they loved their sons and daughters so much. I gave three suggestions of how they could pray for me in my role, and Mrs. Burzinski recorded my words.

And then we bowed our heads.

The next five minutes were sacred. And humbling. Sincere four and five year old voices conversed with the God of the universe. About me. "Dear God, please help Mrs. Perona love others more than herself... please give her wisdom as she works at Central Christian School... let her do a good job helping people who come to visit." My Maker tenderly spoke to my heart as His youngest children boldly interceded on my behalf. Their gentle and authentic words, quietly spoken, were His instrument that day - reminding me of His promise to sanctify, and bestow wisdom and insight, and equip me for all He has called me to do. Even on the busiest of mornings.

And once again, the children at Central Christian School ministered to me. I used to think my role was to train my son and daughter so they might someday fulfill God's purpose for their lives. My parenting was always future-focused, dreaming of how my children would join God in healing His world. But only weeks after becoming a staff member I discovered a different form of thought - my children and our entire student body are fulfilling God's purposes for their lives right now at the ages of seven and nine and twelve and four.

We believe that as God’s created beings, children are full of creativity, enthusiasm, curiosity, and a desire for exploration and discovery. They possess wonderful minds that are to be fed and developed. And as His image bearers, even our youngest children are to be seen as persons, deserving of respect, love, nurture and discipline. Children bear God’s image and are therefore capable of sharing some of His attributes – being relational, creative, moral, loving and merciful, among others.

He is molding and shaping our students' hearts just as He is mine to fulfill His purpose in the present - to love Him and His world better, to help redeem what sin first unraveled in the Garden of Eden.

And last Thursday, God allowed me to be the beneficiary.

Competence

2011-03-17T14:09:00.005-05:00

2^nd Chronicles contains the account of Solomon’s commissioning to build the temple that will bear God’s name. This was no small task and Solomon knew it; he petitioned King Hiram of Tyre to send the finest materials and the finest workman he could find to help architect the temple. Hiram sent a man named Huram-abi who is described as a skilled man, who has understanding. This echoes the description of a similar man named Bezalel who in the book of Exodus was commissioned to build the tabernacle- Bezalel was a man filled with the Spirit of God with ability and intelligence with knowledge and all craftsmanship.

This makes sense, doesn’t it? If you want to ensure success in an endeavor like building a structure, you find a great architect, a great engineer and a great general contractor to make it happen. Similarly, you want the best doctors treating you in your time of need. We don’t blink an eye when we think of talent and skill in these contexts. So why don’t we apply the same logic in education?

Talent and skill- somehow I fear in the Church that we downplay these aspects of personhood, saying things like God works through anybody- and this of course is true in one sense- spiritually speaking we are all equal in our need before the Cross of Jesus Christ and God uses the weak to bring down the strong. However, in Christian Education we somehow promote an egalitarianism in the teaching ranks that I am not sure is Biblical. As indicated by our passages, the Bible commends men and women who are skilled in their craft. In the case of education, research confirms what the Bible is telling us.

While educational research is renowned for its ability to equally prove the two opposite spectrums of any point, there is one place where it is remarkably united- the number one predictor of academic success is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. It is not class size; it is not the facility; it is not the curriculum. It is the quality of the teacher delivering the instruction day after day. So how do we define quality at Central Christian School? When I have the opportunity to hire a new person to teach and lead our children, I am looking for the following non-negotiable characteristics:

Demonstrated gift of teaching- 1 Corinthians 12:27-28 tells us that teaching is a gift given by God to certain people. It is our duty to determine to the best of our ability whether someone has that gift. Those with gift of teaching demonstrate it by knowing students, communicating effectively with students and advancing student learning.

Developmental understanding of children- we are looking for people who have insight into the developmental needs of the particular age group they are endeavoring to teach. In interviews I will often ask the questions, “What do you like about teaching _____Graders?” Or, “What can you tell me about _____Graders?”

Experience- there is no substitute for experience when it comes to teaching. It is my strong preference to hire those who have at least 3-4 years under their belt. In rare instances we will come across a “can’t-miss” prospect who we believe will deliver the excellence that we require in their first year and we have a few them on staff right now. However, it will become rarer and rarer as our School continues to grow and thrive.

Godliness- given that so much of learning is caught and not necessarily taught, it is imperative that our teachers have exemplary character. Before I hire someone, I ask the question, is this the kind of person I want my daughters spending 7 hours a day, 5 days a week for 36 weeks which will be more time than I spend with them during that time span. During that time, my child will likely frustrate them, my child will exhibit pride and will be hurt by other classmates. How will the teacher respond? I pray it is with justice and mercy along with the understanding to know when to use each. These come not from teacher training programs, but from the heart.

At CCS we have developed standards of professional practice that we will be using as the driving force behind our evaluation of teachers currently within our walls. These reflect the kinds of characteristics we enforce through observation, coaching and professional development. Those of you who are ambitious readers, feel free to peruse.

To bring it full circle, it is our professional obligation to put into our classrooms the most talented and competent people we can find to educate our children. While building the temple was of great importance to God, building the modern day temples of His Holy Spirit has to be of similar importance to Him. Alas, there can be no compromise acceptable when it comes to the selection of those who will shape and mold our children.

Advancing the Cause

2011-02-26T21:11:00.009-06:00

We are throwing our hat into the ring of the blogosphere. Why add one more voice to the cacophony of voices in cyberspace? We do it because we believe we have something to say. CCS is an ideas-generating place, and we are looking for a venue to harness the collective cognitive talent contained in our community. Blogs tend to take on a certain personality and flavor and I believe that our voices in this forum will create something as unique and beautiful as our School.

This blog will be a place to educate, to enrich, and to enliven our community. We need to be talking to each other, sharpening each other and encouraging each other. Some of the articles I will post will elaborate on the institutional thinking that underpins the kind of education we deliver- some of it will be personal as I share with you the joys and challenges associated with leading a School as diverse and vibrant as CCS. The good news for us all is that I will not be the only author. Other faculty and staff members will be posting and we invite you to consider sharing compelling pieces that will benefit us all.

This will not be a place to advertise happenings at the School. Our website and newly launched Facebook page will be the location for that. We will soon be using Twitter and still use good 'ole fashion email to send out time sensitive information. So consider this a place where people still talk to each other in complete sentences and not in sound bytes or acronyms (CCS notwithstanding). Happy writing and reading.