Education is the instrument by which educators pass knowledge and beliefs on to the students. This process always produces a result; this result may or may not be the desired result of the educator. Education encompasses the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual domains and challenges the student to grow in each area. The successful educator must seek a balance and meet the needs of the student in each of these areas.
Every student has a capacity to learn, although not all students learn in the same way. It is the responsibility of the educator to determine the best methods to use so that each child has an appropriate and successful educational experience. Ignite Christian Academy partners with parents and schools who have chosen our Christ-centered curricula to accomplish that learning.
The teacher is a communicator of knowledge, a facilitator of discovery, and an encourager of research. Effective teachers do not tell students what to do; they teach students how to think. This process can be taught by teaching students to answer four simple questions: Why? What? How? and What if?
Why questions lead to a discovery of the purpose of the concept or lesson. Why questions research the thought process of each answer and require the student to show understanding of the concept (Velasquez, 2010). Knowing why allows the student to be successful in answering the other three questions.
What questions are content driven and deal with key ideas, information, and skills. What questions teach students to analyze a concept, separating the whole concept into its parts (Velasquez, 2010).
How questions reinforce learning by allowing practice of skills and concepts that have been learned. Answering how questions teaches the student to combine parts to form a meaningful whole (Velasquez, 2010).
What if questions help the student find ways to apply new ideas and skills to situations apart from the curriculum. What if questions take the concepts used to solve one problem and use them in solving other similar problems (Velasquez, 2010).
Education is a life-long process. It is the desire of Ignite Christian Academy educators to instill a thirst for knowledge and a desire to explore areas of interest. Education equips the student with the tools necessary to cultivate that knowledge.
Education prepares students to become responsible citizens in society. The core courses and electives as well as the fine and practical arts courses offered at Ignite Christian Academy assist students in learning how to apply knowledge and skills to real life situations.
Most importantly, Christian educators must not forget that a student's spiritual well-being must be a focal point. It is essential that students see God as real; a prerequisite for this is that the educator must make sure that God is real to self.
Because the Christian educator believes that God is the creator of all things, he must integrate God and His Word into every aspect of education. God should not be an add-on to the curriculum; instead, He is the reason for studying each discipline and improving each aspect of the individual. Because God commands that all things be done to His glory, it is necessary to perform with excellence the task He has set before the educator.
Deborah Secord, Assistant Principal
Ignite Christian Academy
Velasquez, O. (2010). BAMS: The Essential Guide to Becoming a Master Student. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth