Differentiated School

Chester E. Finn Jr. has been a major name in American education for many years. His past includes serving as former assistant secretary at the Department of Education under President Reagan. Currently he has a book out titled Reroute the Preschool Juggernaut and is President of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. On Saturday, he wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal “The Case for Saturday School.” Even though the title and half the article discussed the merits of longer school weeks and school years, Mr. Finn also addressed many other education topics including high-performance schools who “commandeer for more than 9% of their students’ lives and use the extra time to accomplish three things: more hours to imbibe important skills and knowledge; fewer hours outside of school to waste or get into trouble; and a de facto culture transplant, wrought by dynamic teachers who instill in their young charges the college aspirations, appreciation of learning good behavior and orderly habits that are too often missing from homes and neighborhoods.” Bios Christian Academy fits that description.

The WSJ article cited how critics of extending U.S. school days say that schools should just make better use of the days they have. At Bios the primary classes spend on the core subjects of reading, math, and writing/grammar a required time of four hours. Elementary spends three hours. Kindergarten 130 of the 180 minutes of class each day is on reading or math. And our high school requirements include four years of math, English, science, and Bible. In addition, high school requires three years of history, two years of a foreign language, and one year each of instrumental music, graphic art, and computer programs which only leaves four electives in the required 28 credits to graduate. This all takes place in classes that are carefully planned and structured using a differentiated method of instruction. There is little time wasted in the classrooms.

After school the Bios junior high/high school students average around sixty minutes of homework a night. In addition, 98% participate in at least one season of our excellent after school sports program with almost 20% of the high school involved in all three seasons. Our Bios community is usually actively participating in their church communities also. In addition 30% of the high school participates in the yearbook club on Wednesdays. Next year, drama will be added as a class for high school with three productions planned. After school activities not only provide active students, but also a sense of community.

Lastly, dynamic teachers is another area we shine. The people we hire to instruct our students have the following paragraph at the end of their job description and is a large part of the basis on which they are evaluated:

“The expectation is that when I walk into your class I will observe a focused, hard-working, respectful group of students working on individual and/or group goals to be accomplished during the class period. Throughout the period you are engaging the students by holding them accountable, instructing, admonishing, and /or encouraging them towards their goals.”

Not only should I observe this but people visiting our campus should also. Recently two high school girls from a west side private school were visiting one of our teachers during the school day. While visiting they asked if they could observe a high school class. When they came back, one said “Wow, all the students were working and being respectful. I want to come here to learn.”

All of our current juniors and seniors expect to go on to college when they graduate. Over 60% plan to go into engineering, science, or the health sciences. Which is about the same percentage as my first private school. Bios’ up and coming graduates reflect teachers who set a high bar for achievement, using a curriculum rich and focused, and dynamic teachers well qualified and experienced to teacher their subjects.

Bios Christian Academy fits the description of a high-performing school through a carefully planned and structured curriculum, engaging after school opportunities, and dynamic teachers.

For more information about Bios please visit our website at http://bioschristianacademy.com/