Today, more than ever, Christians would agree we are living in challenging times. Bringing up a young family has never been easy, but with so many temptations and misinformation of modern education, Christian parents have to be on guard at all times.
When it comes to our children’s education, careful discernment is needed to prevent their exposure to immoral traits or events that could negatively influence their core values. Parents often cite moral reasons for their children being educated in a Christian school, placing Christian beliefs and values over academic performance.
This article will also examine why Christian families should choose private Christian Schools over Public Education.
What are Christian beliefs?
Christians believe that God created heaven, earth and the universe. God sent his son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice and a saviour to mankind. Jesus sacrifice provides hope for mankind that when he returns, those who follow in his footsteps will live forever in paradise earth—free from pain, sickness and death.
Jesus taught Christians to love their neighbour as themselves, be forgiving of others and love God unconditionally.
What is Christian Education?
Christian education involves a holistic approach to education based on Christian beliefs that engage students in learning while enriching their intellectual, emotional and spiritual experience.
Furthermore, Christian education emphasizes character development for both students and adults. It teaches them to live out what they learn in everyday situations.
An excellent example of a Christian educational program is where students read the bible daily and discuss its contents in class. Through Bible-based education, students can apply their learnings to real-world scenarios like community service projects and leadership roles—this helps develop positive attitudes towards others because they understand that everyone needs help sometimes.
This type of education prepares people for success later in life.
How Christian Schools differ from Public Schools.
For parents deciding whether to send their children to a Christian school, it’s good to look at the benefits that help identify the value of a bible-based education. Too often, students attending public schools are often influenced by the conduct of others who do not hold Christian values, and through constant exposure to worldly traits, Christian students can be led astray.
There are several reasons for choosing a Christian school over a public one, including:
- Better academic performance
- More positive attitude towards work
- Less bullying
- Fewer disciplinary problems
- Higher self-esteem
- Lower dropout rates
- Greater sense of belonging
- A greater desire to learn
- Increased social skills
- Improved relationships with peers
- Strong moral character
- And much more.
What’s more, when comparing Christian schools with public schools, we find that Christian schools have higher graduation rates, lower suspension rates, fewer discipline issues, less violence, and even lower crime rates. In addition, studies show that Christian students perform better academically than non-religious students.
So, if you’re looking into sending your child to a Christian school, here are some things to consider:
We recommend taking a walk-through of the school during school hours to get a first-hand look at other students attending and their demeanour—if students are happy, and interacting, then chances are the atmosphere will be too. If the school has a strong reputation among families who’ve attended before, this may give you a clue as to how well the school functions.
If possible, try visiting the school after regular business hours, so you’ll see how the staff interacts with students outside of school time.
Some questions you might ask are;
- “Does the principal/teacher greet each child by name?”
- “Are students allowed to play sports?”
- “Do students participate in activities
Christian teachers and student learning
Although the curriculum is similar in Christian and public schools, student learning in Christian schools takes a very different approach. Christian teachers use an entirely different method for teaching, which involves using the whole class time to discuss issues related to biblical principles.
Christian teachers ask questions and encourage discussion among the entire group.
Christian classroom sizes are smaller, enabling teachers to spend much more time talking about what they read and discussing its relevance to real-world situations.
As a result, Christian students learn far more effectively because they apply concepts directly into their daily lives.
They develop critical thinking skills and become well-rounded individuals who have learned many new things.
Public schools don’t allow enough time for these discussions, so most students only pick up one side of the story. And when they try to find answers outside of the textbook, they often end up being misled by false information.
So while both types of schools provide a good foundation of knowledge, Christian schools give students a deeper understanding of the material.
The best part is that it doesn’t cost any extra money!
Depending on the country you live in, tax deductions are available for parents who send their children to private or religious schools.
Conclusion.
It’s understandable, we all want the very best for our children, and it’s not always possible to provide them with the education we would ideally wish to provide. Private schooling can be cost-prohibitive. Fortunately, Christian schools are more affordable than their private school counterparts as they focus on student outcomes—not profits.
Parents should base their decision to send their child to a Christian school on the value their child will receive, the relationships they will make, the lessons they will learn and how they grow into maturity. Although public schooling may be more affordable, the true cost of public education can only be measured by the outcome.
Christian children flourish in the company of other like-minded individuals that share the same Christian values and beliefs. The right educational environment will help protect your child from an array of nuisances they will be subjected to in the public school system.
We hope you find this article insightful.