THE JIM ELLIOT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
STATEMENT OF DIRECTION
 

Train up a child in the way he should go and in keeping with his individual gift or bent, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6 Amplified Bible

 We at Jim Elliot Christian School are seeking to create a distinctly Christian learning environment that integrates new understanding of how we learn into a solidly Biblical framework.  We desire to be Christian school leaders instead of public school followers, and we believe that authentic Christian education goes beyond textbooks and teachers to the very structure of school itself.  As such, we believe that learning must be personalized to the fullest extent possible reflecting the status of each child as a unique "image bearer" of God.  With this in mind, and following the Biblical exhortation of Romans 12:1-2* and John 16:13*, we have designed a long-range plan to move as a school towards a more personalized approach to learning with the following descriptive characteristics. 
 

• Integration.  Our desire is to bring everything we say and do under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Col. 1:17*).  If we are similar to other schools, it is because we are blessed to follow them as God-inspired role models.  If we are different from other schools, it is because we believe God is doing a unique work in our midst.  In all things, we trust and depend on the Spirit of God who has been promised to lead us into all truth (John 16:13*).  As students come and go from JECS, it is our prayerful desire that they will have seen the Master Potter at work in their lives, lovingly shaping and molding each of them into His final treasure.  If, by our words and actions, we can be part of that Plan, we will have met the goal set before us.
  
   
• Relational Education (Mentoring/Discipling).  This refers to a student-teacher relationship which will include, but not be limited to, the following:  periodic, scheduled student-teacher conferences on both a one-on-one and collaborative level.  This mentoring time would be used to assess student’s abilities, discuss strengths and weaknesses, determine aptitudes and learning styles, reinforce Godly character, etc.  Teachers as mentors would use these conferences to determine and assess the ability of each student in a personalized, deliberately designed setting, and through intra-staff communication equip themselves with a specific set of criteria for meeting student’s needs.  Teachers as mentors would also serve as academic advisors throughout the JECS experience, and at the onset, create for individual students a personalized education plan.
  
   
• Balance of the Core Academics and the Creative Arts Classes.  We believe each individual is made in the image of a creative God, and therefore we have a responsibility to affirm and develop this aspect of His design.  While maintaining a competitive academic environment, including weighted math and science classes, we provide our students with the opportunity to explore and uncover their talents and gifting in a manner that rounds and balances their lives.  The academic and creative arts supplement and enhance each other, encouraging students to excel in areas of strength while challenging them to take risks in areas of weakness.  The creative arts help the students to unlock hidden potential through artistic expression and help students find a venue to express their individual voices.  The extent of these benefits is demonstrated in the creative and academic classes, and throughout life.
  
   
• Christian Formation.  The goal of Christian Formation in a school setting is to help students commit to Christ and live out a fully integrated life of faith.  We believe this should be our first and primary goal at JECS, crossing all disciplines of learning. We know that it is possible to treat the Bible as only a subject to be studied rather than as an introduction to the Savior and a life to be lived in Him. But we affirm that a knowledge of God's Word is foundational to a genuine and deep faith in Christ. We emphasize that the key to biblical understanding and application is an authentic love relationship with Jesus, leading to salvation and a life of faith. The Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus, producing growth, spiritual fruit, good works, and other measures of maturity.  A few of the activities which we seek to acknowledge and incorporate into a classroom setting are as follows:
  • Bible Study
  • Exploring new ideas about God, world
  • Dialogue with others
  • Dialogue with God (prayer)
  • Community
  • Worship
  • Reconciliation – peacemaking, forgiveness
  • Diversity – grace in action
  • The Arts – movies, culture
  • Doubt – asking questions does not equal disbelief
  • Service
  • Owning your own story – respecting others
  • Guided reflection – journaling
  • Scripture paraphrase
  • Outreach/missions
    
     
• Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences.  This refers to how students learn and the tenants of this theoretical approach have as its foundation the writings of Cynthia Tobias (The Way They Learn, Focus on the Family Publishing, 1994). There is no one way to learn.  Learning styles differ with each individual, and teachers work to identify the God-giftedness of each student through a structured form of assessment.  Lesson plans include balancing all four learning styles throughout the semester and grade books reflect that balance. 

A Multiple Intelligences approach to teaching entails a careful description of what the child is like intellectually and the planning of an educational program appropriate for that child.  An “MI approach” seeks to draw on all ranges of intelligence which would include the traditional intelligences of linguistic and logical-mathematical (the 3 R’s), and expand to include spacial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences.
 

• Servant’s Heart – Mission’s Mind.  It is our desire to teach students to have a servant’s heart and a mission’s mind.  We are God’s hands and feet in this world, and it is the duty of every believer to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ.  In order that students may learn to see God working globally, the school requires each student to complete one five-day-minimum cross-cultural mission experience as a pre-requisite for graduation.  We also believe, however, that “mission work” is not just something that occurs overseas.  The Great Commission is given to all believers, and requires us to minister in our own back yards. Throughout the school year our students serve the community by working with several local charities.  We want young men and women to leave JECS with the conviction that God has a mission of ministry for their lives, regardless of what profession they may pursue.
  
   
• Alternative Means of Assessment.  This refers to a broader definition of assessment to include, but not be limited to, progress reports, reports, conventional paper and pencil tests, self-directed assessment, self-evaluation, assessment interviews, learning articulation (when students are asked to verbalize what they have and have not learned), student goal-setting, student-led teacher-parent-student conferences, and the possibility of the gathering of students’ physical, spiritual, and intellectual learning into a portfolio to be produced by the students, evaluated by teachers, and providing all with a specific and detailed view of their achievement.
  
   
• Serving the World Through Excellence and Character in Athleticism.  Our sports program is motivated by a vision that involves the integration of competitive athleticism with diplomatic sportsmanship.  Our goal in the athletic program is to foster an appreciation of sports and fitness that continues to develop throughout the entirety of an athlete’s life.  We believe that the commitment needed to grow in athletics serves as a teacher of endless parallels to the struggles, challenges, and victories that we encounter in our Christian walk.  We perceive ultimate victory to be deeper than circumstantial success.  A true winning outcome is celebrated in an athlete that exemplifies character both on and off the court.  We believe that athletics is a powerful venue for the service of others through the serving of teammates, competitors, parents, fans, and ultimately, Christ himself.
   

*Romans 12:1-2  “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will.”  NIV

*John 16:13  “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.”  NIV

*Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” NIV

*2 Corinthians 5:18-20 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.   And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.   We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.  We implore you on Christ’s behalf:  Be reconciled to God.”  NIV

Other scripture thoughts:  1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Psalms 139, Colossians 2:6-8, Romans 12:6-8.