The end of yet another school year is upon us. And as crazy as it sounds it’s a good time to take a little stock of our children’s education. What are we looking for? What is most valuable to us as parents? What do we want to avoid when it comes to how we teach our children?
Well let’s start with the last question first. As a parent, I want a school that doesn’t treat my son and my family as a mere subscriber. I want a place where the needs of my student are addressed singularly, with his individuality in mind, not merely as a rigid policy.
So, what do I want? What’s most important? Well the answer is a two pronged one. I want a place where character and faith formation are emphasized. That’s not to say I want a place that will theologically indoctrinate my student, I just want the importance of virtue and wisdom emphasized as part of daily living and in the context of the Christian faith. But here’s the other point of the fork. I want a solid, classical form of education. I believe faith and reason can and should coexist. I want my son to benefit from a traditional education. I want him to read the classics and be curious about the world around him. I want him to appreciate both the traditions of his faith as well as its historicity. And I want him to practice it in a really, authentic way.
For my family, Christian Heritage School in Tyler has fit these parameters. The school emphasizes the Ango- American traditions of literature and law, as well as the Greco- Roman themes of Latin and Logic. From a theological standpoint, the school is not tied to any particular church or denomination, but its staff represents a mosaic of traditions and backgrounds. And to that point the student body is equally diverse containing exchange students and missionary kids from nearly every continent. In my family, the impact of this fact surprised me when my son came home and expressed his love of kimchi after he exchanged lunches with a student from South Korea. The opportunity to study with students from multiple cultures has helped to give him a well, rounded experience.
Ultimately every child is different. CHS is a school that recognizes this fact and does its best to meet that child where he or she is. At the same time the school brings them along teaching them to reason critically and developing their faith. For readers who want more information visit the school’s website at http://chstyler.org/ .