Classical Education - The Report Card

We recently completed our first year at Providence Preparatory School in Belton, Texas.  My son completed 5th grade and my daughter completed 8th grade.  The results are in!  My children each earned very impressive grades on their report cards.  More importantly, we can all attest that this was a year of great learning and spiritual growth.  In all honesty, we were not familiar with the classical education model prior to our first visit to Providence, but I must say that after the excellent introductory presentation that we attended, we were very much excited to explore this method of learning.

The Providence model is a blended-model education.  The instructional time is divided between the classroom and home.  This is, without a doubt, the best of both worlds!  After a year of homeschooling, our family recognized the need for a more structured approach to education.  We also wanted to be part of a community of like-minded families with which we could establish and develop relationships. Providence fulfilled those basic needs but, more importantly, it provided the richest, all-encompassing learning experience that we have encountered.   The curriculum is based largely on classics and a variety of multi-disciplinary primary sources.  The instructors are experts in their fields. It is a systematic, horizontally-integrated, language-based method of learning that provides a foundation that will enable the students to enjoy a lifetime of learning.

The goal of classical education is to teach children how to learn.  A full explanation of this approach is provided here.  What a gift this year has been!  My children grew academically and gained confidence as they mastered new and difficult subject matter.  They began to see the world differently and were able to put current events into historical context and analyze them with much more clarity and maturity than many adults. They came to understand and appreciate the importance of an exemplary education.  They truly value the time that they have spent at Providence.

It is impossible to summarize the 2012-13 school year and do it justice.  We have the fondest of memories.  Our intellect and imagination were expanded and are primed for another year of stimulating study.  We worked incredibly hard but we had lots of fun too!  Check out some of the fun things that we did this year:

Model Contest

All the students of Providence were challenged to build a model for the Second Annual Model Contest.  Models were required to depict an historic event from the time period they studied this year:  Early Modernity, 1600-1850.  My daughter made a model of the Great Wall of China out of cake.  The entire model was edible, including the plaque in the forefront of the picture (it was make of fondant and food-grade ink).  My son made a Lego model of the Boston Tea Party.  He added actual tea leaves for authenticity.

Two happy kids showing the ribbons they earned for their model contest entries.  Blue ribbons for both!

'Hello Shakespeare' Play

The upper school did a production of Hello Shakespeare in the Spring.  Visual Arts Instructor Mrs. Ledellayter and Performing Arts Instructor Mrs. Eshbaugh led the students through a highly comprehensive theatrical experience.  The students did everything from stage design and construction to costuming, ticket sales and, of course, acting.  The play was a huge hit!  It showcased the student body and their many talents.  It was clever and entertaining.  My daughter designed the artwork that graced the Hello Shakespeare program, tickets and t-shirts.  Her artwork was selected by her peers.  So proud of her!

Field Day

Field day was a blast!  The fierce battle of tug-of-war proved that the students are as physically accomplished as they are academically.  I love the fact that there is a mom cheering right alongside the kids.  That demonstrates the spirit with which our parents support their children at Providence!

House Competition

All of the students are placed into houses, or groups, for their time at Providence.  During the school year, the students spend time with their housemates and participate in friendly competitions with the other houses.

 In the picture above, the headmaster, Mr. Billman, presents the trophy to the Augustine House, for accumulating the most points for the competitions during the 2012-13 school year.  

This was the second time that Augustine won!

My children were in that house!

AUGUSTINE RULES!!!

Thanking God that we live in a place where we have the freedom to educate our children in the manner that we see fit.  Grateful that we can study the Word of God without persecution.  Praying that those freedoms will always exist in this country.