The family is the primary setting in which faith formation takes place. It is in the context of the family that children first experience love, trust, and forgiveness. A newborn baby experiences love as he looks into his mother eyes as she feeds him. A crying child learns to trust when parents respond to her cries with comforting arms and soft words. A first-grader receives forgiveness after she disobeyed her Mom and ate the cookie before supper. As parents care for their children, they act as models of our heavenly Father’s love for them.
The church also plays an integral part in faith formation. It is in the church where children learn to worship God with other members of the body of Christ. The church provides a setting in which children can hear the stories of God’s faithfulness to his people, both from Scripture and from members of the congregation. Children also learn what it means to be part of the family of God and share in the joy of true worship.
What role does the Christian school, specifically Palmetto Christian Academy, play in the spiritual formation of children?
In Joining Children on the Spiritual Journey, Catherine Stonehouse writes;
The spiritual journey is not a path separate from the rest of life . . . . It is the path of everyday living where God meets and walks with us, where we respond to God with our whole developing self. . . . Every portion of the journey is important because what we learn and who we become along each section of the way influences what we see, hear, and become in the future. Those who walk with us also contribute to how we experience the journey.
Faith formation, or the spiritual journey, is not limited to the home and church. It is a process that goes on 24/7, 365 days a year—and it is influenced by everything we hear, see, do, and experience. Palmetto Christian Academy is a school where mature believers will come along side their students and model the love of God. It is here, in this extended family, that students will learn that God so loved them that he created the heavens and earth for them and sent his son to die for their sins. They will explore that creation and unpack its many treasures in the classroom. And they will experience the life-changing impact of living and learning with others, their PCA family, who seek to “bring every thought captive to Christ.”
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
School uniforms
Palmetto Christian Academy is developing a school uniform policy that will be fashionable and will still maintain a sense of discipline and moderation. Many children would choose to wear similar clothes even without such a policy. Our uniform plans include a variety of solid colored polo shirts, and khaki or blue pants, shorts, or skirts. We will have examples at our open house tomorrow!
School uniforms can be controversial. Parents may have mixed feelings. Younger students usually accept them without concern. Older students may not like them. Research on the benefits of school uniforms has provided mixed results. The various study methods have been subject to criticism. However, professional educators have generally demonstrated support for school uniforms, and parents have benefited from the reduced cost of clothing for their children through uniform policies.
A survey of 755 principals by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in 2000 demonstrated that educators recognize positive effects of having a school uniform policy in the following areas:
The school’s image in the community
Classroom discipline
Peer pressure
School spirit
Concentration on schoolwork
Student safety
If your child resists attending a school with a uniform policy, we would recommend helping them to see that making decisions for their education is a parental responsibility that they can learn to accept. This may be an area in which your children could grow in maturity as they accept parental decisions about which school is best for them to attend.
School uniforms can be controversial. Parents may have mixed feelings. Younger students usually accept them without concern. Older students may not like them. Research on the benefits of school uniforms has provided mixed results. The various study methods have been subject to criticism. However, professional educators have generally demonstrated support for school uniforms, and parents have benefited from the reduced cost of clothing for their children through uniform policies.
A survey of 755 principals by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in 2000 demonstrated that educators recognize positive effects of having a school uniform policy in the following areas:
The school’s image in the community
Classroom discipline
Peer pressure
School spirit
Concentration on schoolwork
Student safety
If your child resists attending a school with a uniform policy, we would recommend helping them to see that making decisions for their education is a parental responsibility that they can learn to accept. This may be an area in which your children could grow in maturity as they accept parental decisions about which school is best for them to attend.
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