Fifteen years ago I began this educational idea of using a model of instruction which minimized lecture as a prime method of teaching. It was replaced with an instructional system built around the following concepts:
1. A delivery system that resembles a home school classroom with constant student/teacher interaction involving teaching, discussion, direction, and encouragement.
2. Clear, daily instructional goals for each student that are built around a delivery system which resembles a home school class but with over twenty-five years of experience behind it.
3. Building and developing relationships of trust between the teachers, parents, and students through a system which allows for students to remain with the same teacher or teachers for more than one year.
The difference with beginning Bios, unlike my first school effort, is that I have an amazing group of people who understand and believe in this concept as much as I do beginning the academy with me. And this group is given the title of Core Group.
They are unique in that all made some sacrifice or stand for the school before they arrived at Bios. I view all of them as major investors in the school.
The Core Group has many distinct roles to support the school and me. Some roles are to help in areas I am weak in. Others are working with individual strengths each Core member has.
Major roles include:
The difference with beginning Bios, unlike my first school effort, is that I have an amazing group of people who understand and believe in this concept as much as I do beginning the academy with me. And this group is given the title of Core Group.
They are unique in that all made some sacrifice or stand for the school before they arrived at Bios. I view all of them as major investors in the school.
The Core Group has many distinct roles to support the school and me. Some roles are to help in areas I am weak in. Others are working with individual strengths each Core member has.
Major roles include:
1. Suggesting and approving new school board members
2. Hiring and training teachers
3. Interviewing and approving new middle academy (7-9) and senior academy (10-12) students and meeting weekly to discuss school direction and issues.
Having the Core suggest and approve new board members allows for some kind of check on the board. The tendency of non-profit boards is to become a "good old boy network" with good intentions but over time attaining a distance from the reality of the mission the organization was created to serve. Giving the selection of the board to the Core allows them to suggest people who have shown a history of commitment to the school and its principles and a desire to serve in a Christ like manner.
As far as hiring new teachers, our current group of instructors is a wonderful testimony to the wisdom of having the Core involved from the beginning of the hiring process. The idea I have put in front of them is that each teacher we hire will either add or detract from the excellent school we already have. And since they are also an important part of our ongoing training of the teachers, it also affects their daily routine to hire an ineffective teacher.
I am quite the pushover for almost every sad story told by a parent about why I need to take a chance on educating their child. The Core is not as easily persuaded. Not because of cold hearts, but a collective concern for the present families and our commitment to them. We have a good number of students who take more effort than most and after much work and time gradually improve so they only need the same amount of time and work as the majority of our students. That happens because of the excellent teachers and small class sizes. Adding students with initially intense needs may take away from the help we have already committed for our present families. This year they have turned down four students who probably would have diminished our service to the present families.
Responsibilities the Core Group has assumed from me are organizing, planning, researching, and writing check sheets (lesson plans) for all the Middle and Senior Academy science,math, and English as well as the scheduling of classes.
In many ways the Core is an integral, positive, and important part of Bios Christian Academy
The school board serves Bios in many important and valuable ways also. Some day I will share their role in being a key part of why we are successful.
With all of these people being very important to our successes it is always said under the assumption and knowledge that all is from our good God who brings all things together for His glory. Amen.
Having the Core suggest and approve new board members allows for some kind of check on the board. The tendency of non-profit boards is to become a "good old boy network" with good intentions but over time attaining a distance from the reality of the mission the organization was created to serve. Giving the selection of the board to the Core allows them to suggest people who have shown a history of commitment to the school and its principles and a desire to serve in a Christ like manner.
As far as hiring new teachers, our current group of instructors is a wonderful testimony to the wisdom of having the Core involved from the beginning of the hiring process. The idea I have put in front of them is that each teacher we hire will either add or detract from the excellent school we already have. And since they are also an important part of our ongoing training of the teachers, it also affects their daily routine to hire an ineffective teacher.
I am quite the pushover for almost every sad story told by a parent about why I need to take a chance on educating their child. The Core is not as easily persuaded. Not because of cold hearts, but a collective concern for the present families and our commitment to them. We have a good number of students who take more effort than most and after much work and time gradually improve so they only need the same amount of time and work as the majority of our students. That happens because of the excellent teachers and small class sizes. Adding students with initially intense needs may take away from the help we have already committed for our present families. This year they have turned down four students who probably would have diminished our service to the present families.
Responsibilities the Core Group has assumed from me are organizing, planning, researching, and writing check sheets (lesson plans) for all the Middle and Senior Academy science,math, and English as well as the scheduling of classes.
In many ways the Core is an integral, positive, and important part of Bios Christian Academy
The school board serves Bios in many important and valuable ways also. Some day I will share their role in being a key part of why we are successful.
With all of these people being very important to our successes it is always said under the assumption and knowledge that all is from our good God who brings all things together for His glory. Amen.
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