High School CLEP Opportunities
At the Academy for G.O.D. I have the pleasure of being directly involved in our high school CLEP Program. The College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), offers students the opportunity to take college level courses while still in high school and eventually the opportunity to test out of those same courses, with credit, at the college or university they attend upon graduation. Currently at the Academy, we offer our high school students the opportunity to take up to 6 different CLEP courses during their four years with even more offerings being planned for the very near future.
Removing Stress from Reading
Learning to read can be stressful. It can also be a lot of fun! As a kindergarten teacher at the Academy, I am thankful everyday that we teach individual students how to read, rather than forcing each five and six year old student to fit a predetermined reading mold for which they might not yet be ready. According to the New York Times, few five year olds are even ready to be independent readers. Thinking that a kindergartener who isn’t reading simple books on his or her own is “behind” is stressful and can be detrimental for both the parent and the student. When a child associates reading with stress, they can be less likely to want to try it.
UNITY!
A new year and new semester brings a time to set goals for the rest of the school year and even beyond. On the first day back from winter break, students discussed this verse and goals they have for themselves and our class. They discussed how being unified in a task makes it much more doable than if a person is trying to work alone. I gave them the example of how Headmaster Garner wanted to start a school that would holistically educate children but he needed teachers that had the same heart for children and the Lord in order to make the Academy what it is now.
Mixed-Age Learning Activities Boost Patience and Cooperation
In the Specifics B classroom we’ve been doing some mixed-age activities, which focus on getting to know some younger students better. In my homeroom class (“India”), students range from ages 9-10, while the Tanzania/South Korea students are just a year younger at 8-9 years. All these homerooms fall within the ‘Specifics’ level.