Dispatches from the Front: Primary Grades

My children pop in the front door from school and give cheerful but vague reports about their day. In response to my questions about how school was, my fifth-grader and second-grader toss adjectives my way—“Good! Interesting! Fun!”—and then raid the ‘fridge and wander off to change out of their uniforms. We do get to the heart of their learning at other times: For example, near the end of the last academic year, my husband and I were talking about North Korea and our then-fourth-grader piped up, “Oh! North Korea’s citizens should write a Magna Carta!” The rich and lively conversation that ensued reminded me (again) of the extraordinary value of this education.

But sometimes, when we’re not deep in discussion, I just want to know their take on what they’ve been doing all day. To satisfy my curiosity—and hear from ACA students about these first few weeks of school—I visited several classes to ask. And guess what? When there’s no fridge to raid, ACA students have a lot to say!

My first stop: kindergarten. The students told me that the best thing they’ve learned so far is cursive letter A, but they suspect that cursive letter Z is going to be pretty exciting too. They gave high marks to Mrs. Alvis for being “the greatest teacher ever,” and I heard a lot about PE games like frisbee and “Sharks and Minnows.” (If you’d like a play-by-play account, set aside at least 45 minutes and visit kindergarten.) Mia summed up her classmates’ sentiments: “I feel happy at ACA.”

I caught the first-graders on the playground, where they were eager to chat about crabs. “I thought they fought with both claws, but they only have one fighting claw and they use the other one to eat,” James told me, eyes wide. Isaac added, “If they get an eye cut off, it takes a year to grow back.” Haley piped up to teach me that crabs come in a lot of colors: red, brown, green, yellow, or blue. We all agreed that God was being really creative when He designed crabs. When I asked about the funniest part of first-grade, they said that phonemic awareness is hilarious. Confused? I was, too. But Kate explained that to practice their phonograms, Mrs. Molen removes one phonogram from a word and replaces it with another sound. “So we get to say silly words that aren’t real!” Sounds like fun to me. 

A short while later, the second-graders gathered around me to talk about…botany. Emery reported that lately, they’ve been learning about “nonvascular plants, like moss.” (Someone had to explain to me what that meant.) “Moss is sort of like a sponge,” Harrison said. “It soaks up the water, but it doesn’t have roots.” Gemma pointed out that in art, they’ve been drawing flowers—a tie-in to their science curriculum that she thinks is “awesome.” And speaking of awesome, all second-graders said that Mrs. Trujillo does the best voices for read-aloud books. The Skippyjon Jones series is a current favorite.

My whirlwind tour through the primary grades reminded me of the wonder that marks these years of learning. God seems to have created young minds to soak up the richness of new knowledge. Crabs and cursive, moss and phonograms, plant drawings and PE games, all doled out by beloved teachers who invent learning games and do funny voices during read-aloud: This is the good stuff, and our kids know it. They don’t just know the information; they know that it’s good, and as they experience the goodness of it, they begin to love it; and as they love it, they share it. And when they shared it with me, they blessed me tremendously. 

I’ll be continuing my conversations with students and sharing them here from time to time. I hope to give us all a glimpse into the daily life of our students at ACA and remind us how in this setting, the small wonders and the elements—the “grammar”—of knowledge add up to great big love for the Lord and for the story of the world, crabs and all.

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Hilary Oswald is an ACA mom, ACA board vice-chair, and editor for 5280 Home and 5280 Health.

Three Key Parts of a Classical Christian Education

The mission of Augustine Classical Academy is to partner with families in providing an education that is both classical and Christian; to equip students to know, love, and practice what is true, good, and beautiful; and to challenge them to strive for excellence as they live for the glory of God and the good of all people. This mission is designed to be an offshoot biblical truths, specifically that God is the author and revealer of all things (John 1:1-5), that he delights in reason (Isaiah 1:18) and excellence (Col. 3:23) in what we do, and that he wants us to teach our children diligently night and day (Deut. 11:18-21) for the good of those around us (James 1:27, Matt. 28:19-20).

Proverbs also speaks of education in three essential parts: knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (Prov. 4:5-9). Education today often centers on the first two: on the acquisition of knowledge, whether or not there is understanding; or on knowledge and understanding without the foundation of wisdom. At Augustine Classical Academy, our mission is a wholehearted embrace of all three: the accurate acquisition of knowledge (theme: grammar phase), a right understanding of knowledge (theme: logic phase), and a wisdom to apply our understanding the right way in all circumstances (theme: rhetoric phase).

ACA's mission is students who are not confused by their knowledge or by the world they live in, not taught that knowledge means whatever is most convenient, most comforting to them, or most in-vogue. Instead, they are equipped to bless others with their education -- in their homes, in their careers, and in the world. They are wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16).

God is gracious and faithful, and he has given us the tools we need to equip the next generation of children for his glory. Thank you for continuing to partner with Augustine Classical Academy for the sake of our children, and for his glory.

Taking ACA's Vision Forward

ACA is one of just a few small classical Christian schools in Denver, founded to be a competitive academic academy focused on teaching truth and modeling virtue, for God's glory and the good of all people. This mission has flourished in our first eight years. What is our outlook for the years ahead?

Growth. ACA's 2018-19 enrollment is 120 students, with approximately 40 students in our ACP programs and 80 students in K-12. Overall growth year-over-year is important to us, as the more students are enrolled, the more quality we can invest in our programs, the more aid we can extend to families in need, and the more students we can impact from diverse backgrounds. However, one of our most important growth goals is to retain our low 16:1 student-teacher ratio regardless of future size. That's a sweet spot for quality learning.

Location. ACA's long-term plan is to remain in Lakewood for our main campus. We've successfully put down roots here while still attracting families from diverse locations around the greater Denver area. In 2020, our Lakewood-Belmar lease is due for renewal, and we plan to remain on site for the next few years, during which time we'll explore other possible venues in the nearby area as we out-grow this building space. Additionally, our preschool branch in Edgewater is in a valuable position for families in the West Denver area, and we are in the process of renewing our lease there for the next few years. Overall, our long-term vision is owning a larger permanent location with widespread influence in the Lakewood community, and a continued long-term preschool presence in the West Denver area.

Content. ACA's curriculum is designed to be classical, Christian, and traditional. You can peruse preschool philosophy here, K-6 curriculum maps here and 7th-12th (upper school) detailed scope here. All core knowledge areas of standard public education are taught at ACA, but our teaching methodology, learning standards, and worldview are fundamentally different. This allows ACA to remain relevant in the 21st century in terms of practical training, preparation, and ability to grapple with current issues, but it sets ACA apart by emphasizing time-tested learning skills, independent thinking (particularly in later years), clear communication, and moral standards rooted in the objective truth of the gospel. Relative to their public school peers nationally, this creates better college readiness, marketability, and cultural engagement for God's glory.

Culture. Our aim is to create not just annual waves of successful students, but a culture of educational likemindedness. From successful organizations to influential religions to advanced civilizations, each is marked by a strong cultural center, a shared set of values and customs. Cultures always share both beliefs and practices. At ACA, our vision is to continue building this two-part recipe for educational strength: shared belief in the specifics of quality education, and shared practice in terms of how we live that out day-to-day, in and out of the classroom, as we develop relationships with students and families. In the years ahead, we aim to continue building both the quality of our programs and the ways we educate families about what we do. Our model for educational culture is the gospel: "You shall teach the gospel diligently to your children, and shall talk of it when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deut. 6:4-9)

Thank you for your faithful partnership with ACA. God has been good to us and blessed us, and I am fully confident that he will continue to do so -- for his glory, for the good of our students, and to spread his truth throughout the world.

ACA's Educational Vision

Christian School. Augustine Classical Academy is first a Christian School. We teach and uphold our statement of faith and traditional Christian morality. We believe the Holy Scriptures are the divinely inspired word of God.

ACA warmly welcomes families of other faiths but asks that all families respect its distinctive Christian identity. In all instruction we are respectful of other faiths while humbly maintaining the truths of our Christian faith.

Classical School. Augustine Classical Academy is a Classical School. One of the most valuable developments of western civilization, classical education utilizes traditional liberal arts as a means of instilling wisdom and virtue in our students. Our liberal arts curriculum is delivered by way of the “Trivium,” a word that describes three modes of learning: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Grammar is concerned with the basic facts, rules and required skills of any given subject. Logic involves learning to think and reason in the language of various subjects. Rhetoric requires students to express their thoughts in a compelling and persuasive manner.

Classical education is fundamentally about the cultivation of wisdom and virtue. It employs a time-tested approach to provide students with the tools for a lifetime of learning. High academic standards allow students to rise to their God-given potential. Our vision reaches beyond teaching children what to think; we also teach them how to think. In the tradition of western civilization, education and classical education have always been synonymous.

Classical education can be distinguished from modern education, in that it does not neglect the important first step of giving students the tools for both intellectual development and for understanding their western, Christian heritage.

Traditional School. Augustine Classical Academy is a traditional school. Although schools have tried many experimental innovations, few have been able to duplicate the success of the traditional classroom.

In a traditional classroom, a knowledgeable, enthusiastic teacher carefully leads students into an understanding of each subject. Classrooms are quiet, orderly, and disciplined. Lessons are incremental, content is age appropriate, and students learn the important skill of quality written work completed in a timely manner. Homework is moderate and is for the purpose of practicing and preparing for a lesson. The traditional classroom is consistent with human nature, and the experience of many centuries has demonstrated its superior quality to the modern child-centered classroom.

Achievement and Contentment

This week during chapel, I asked our upper school students if they could think of a Bible verse they have seen printed on coffee mugs, posters, memes, Steph Curry’s basketball shoes, etc. Right away one of the students said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  

I reminded the students that it can be tricky business taking a single verse out of the Bible and plastering it on your shoes, mugs, and social media accounts. It is important to understand the context of the verse, particularly who wrote it, to whom it was written, and what was the author’s current locale/circumstance. 

Paul, awaiting martyrdom in a Roman prison, penned these words, not after winning the big football game or securing a lucrative TV contract for his ministry. Paul wasn’t focused on achievement but contentment. Our culture today holds up many idols, two of which are achievement and comfort. Only with Jesus do we have access to His supernatural power of contentment and the capacity to endure all things. Contentment and endurance are the antithesis to the idols of achievement and comfort. 

One student asked, is it wrong then to quote this verse after a victory or is it wrong for Steph Curry to have this verse embossed on his shoes? Good question! I replied no, and in all things what God is concerned about is our heart and our motivation. Can we still proclaim this verse after a loss? Yes, because through Jesus we can endure all things.

Inspired by 'With God Daily Devotional' by Skye Jethani.

How to Partner with ACA at Home

ACA's mission is to partner with parents in guiding their kids' growth from age 3 to 18. Our daughters and sons at all stages of life desire guidance, and a general meeting of the minds between school and home is key. How, when, and how much guidance we give them varies with their age, but guidance should never be completely shut off. If it is (or if we have a track record of giving it badly), our kids will go elsewhere for guidance. They'll look for it somewhere, one way or the other. Preschoolers need guidance for everything all the time, like pulling up their pants and not running into the table with their head. Post-college adults in the work force need it far less often but in deeper ways, such as how to apply what they know to the specific challenges they are facing. What are some key ways we can guide our own children at home, in partnership with ACA, at their unique stages of growth?

Early childhood
Look over their projects and drawings from school enthusiastically. Point out specific things they did well.

Read books aloud daily. Engage them by asking them to observe or find items in each picture. For books you've read a lot, play a game by pausing mid-sentence to see if they can complete the sentence themselves from memory. 

Sing songs with them. This is weird for us 21st-century people, but little kids are crazy about singing, and it's one of the most effective ways for them to learn anything. If singing is out of the question for you, check out audio resources like Wee Sing or Pete Seeger's stories and songs for kids. 

Draw with them, or do crafts together. Both working parents can jump in on this for a few minutes each week, and the kids will love building relationships and fine motor skills alongside you.

Set boundaries, have routines, and stick with them. Children crave order and predictability as a means of creativity and growth. 

Be physical. Early childhood till kindergarten is one of the most formative phases of a child's growth, and they need an overload of hugs and cuddles on a daily basis. From dads, too.

Elementary school
Oversee their homework each night. What do they need to do? Have they done it? Don't give them too much independence too soon. They will forget things, cut corners, and not understand everything -- totally normal for this age. A little regular guidance (while you're making dinner, watching the news, or catching up on the budget) goes a long way. They can't do it alone.

Keep them accountable. Make them quickly correct bad penmanship. Skim their math worksheet and circle problems they missed and need to do over again. You shouldn't hold their hand and feed them answers, but left completely to their own devices, their quality of work will degenerate over time. Set a standard for excellence, and invest them with a vision for its possibilities.

Make regular deposits in their emotional bank. Make a point of finding several things to praise about their homework or learning over the dinner table. They'll feed off your emotional energy -- so when you give off an aroma of excitement about their learning every day, they'll have more energy to do more. 

Challenge them with simple but meaningful chores at home. Give them goals, track those goals, and reward them for completion. Kids in the elementary years are already yearning for respect, and they want to be authentically helpful, not just treated like dumb kids. 

Laugh with them a lot. This might sound silly, but they need it to cope with the increasing stress of school and of growing up. You also need it, because they aren't so cuddly and cute any more, but they still need just as much physical affection and love as before. Deepen the feel-good part of your relationship with them.

Middle & high school
Continue to guide your kids with consistent task follow-through. As the fog of puberty hits (especially with boys), all the things you thought they had down cold somehow disappear down the memory hole. Consistency is key, and this does not mean you aren't preparing them for independence -- the precise opposite. Clean, rigorous standards of excellence are the very means by which strong, independent adults are made. But now your guiding them primarily via respect and not physical enforcement.

Talk regularly about school with them. Even if you can't help them with their pre-calculus homework, they still know you're interested and emotionally engaged with them. You're aware. Guide them with the knowledge and wisdom they crave, suffused with love, respect, and encouragement.

Guide them toward college and career awareness. What are they passionate about? What do they do well? (They might not be the same thing.) Excite them early with the opportunities that universities offer, the hard work it takes to get there, and the rewards they'll reap through God's calling on their lives afterwards.

Strengthen and solidify their sense of identity and purpose. They are children of God, chosen for a purpose, with work to do for his kingdom. Coming of age, as happens in high school and college, is often a time of deep doubt, regardless of what came before. Stay physical, continue to overload them with love, and regularly claim the good promises of God to them on their behalf.

Kings & Queens of Your Castle

"You are kings and queens of your castle!”

A few weeks ago during chapel, this is the charge I gave to upper school students. What did I mean exactly? I told them that they are in charge of their rooms at home and their lockers and supplies at school. When they demonstrate the ability to take care of their rooms and their school supplies, they are showing that they are capable of being responsible for what has been given to them. They should think of their rooms/lockers/backpacks as their kingdoms - this is what has been entrusted to them and they rule over their little kingdoms. Naturally, they can be good or bad kings/queens. They can either show dominion over the chaos and establish rule and order or they can let the chaos take over and be controlled by their mess. I encouraged them to be faithful in the little things in which they have been entrusted.  Someday, they might want to be responsible for more.  

At last week’s chapel (and the last US chapel of the semester), I compared the story of Herod’s anger at hearing of the birth of Jesus, and the downward path he took to commit an act of great evil, to how we can go down a similar path when we let our anger control us. Herod was “greatly troubled” when he heard the news out of Bethlehem. His agenda was being interrupted, and he came up with a plan to neutralize this threat. He tried to extract information from the wise men, and when that plan failed, he “became furious.”

Notice Herod’s progression of emotions: first he was troubled, then angry, and finally he resorted to violence and ordered the slaughter of children. Like Herod, we can easily find ourselves on the same path (without the capacity to order the murder of scores of children) when our plans are interrupted. Anger has the power to be so destructive that Jesus addresses it first in his Sermon on the Mount. Dallas Willard said that anger “is a feeling that seizes us in our body and immediately impels us toward interfering with, and possibly even harming, those who have thwarted our will and interfered with our life.” The first step in learning to control our anger is learning to be open to divine interruptions, which often come in the form of ordinary everyday annoyances. We should welcome God to interrupt and thwart our plans, and as a result we open ourselves up to experience his grace and love. Then, by God’s grace, we can release the anger we feel when we are interrupted by others.

Christmas Books

I have a confession. I love book lists. I love reading these lists, all of them in their varied forms: 100 Classics to Read Before You Die, Best Books to Read on the Beach, Top 25 Books for Teenagers -- and it goes on.

That’s right -- I find great enjoyment in reading lists of book titles and scrutinizing what books were included and excluded. I even have several books filled with book lists. Recently, my favorite book lists have to do with books that make great read-alouds. At the beginning of the school year, teachers shared with you a list of books for you to read aloud with your children. All of the books on the list were recommended by Sarah Mackenzie, author of The Read Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids (complete with lots of book lists). I read this book last spring, and I highly recommend it. Mackenzie also hosts a weekly podcast, "Read Aloud Revival," which I enjoy as the main topic is book lists.

At the Rodriguez household, we have a basket of Christmas books that come out of storage right after Thanksgiving. Every year, I buy a few more (always-used!) Christmas books, wrap them, and Sam and Ellie get to open them each week in Advent.  When selecting books for the Christmas book basket, I mainly focus on books that are best when read aloud and shared together. There is the occasional exception -- a book that is best read alone -- but my goal is a shared experience with my kids and books.

This Christmas season, I want to encourage you to start a new tradition in your home of spending time reading aloud to your children. Listening to quality literature has numerous benefits, including increased vocabulary, exposure to literature at a higher reading level, hearing proper inflection and phrasing, and instilling a love of story in young hearts. Children who are independent readers still love being read to, even teenagers! It is like salve for the soul. And, the best part is that reading aloud to your children is a free way to create lasting memories as a family.

What books are good fits for reading aloud? Books that are told simply, and told well. Books that use rich and well-crafted language. Books that pique listeners' curiosity and stimulate imagination. 

Wondering where to start? I’m including here a few titles from our Christmas book basket, as well as newly recommended books (and audio books) especially for Christmas from Sarah Mackenzie. (Take a look at her blogfor a complete Christmas read-aloud list, including a complete list of Christmas picture books.)

Merry Christmas, and happy reading!
Amanda Rodriguez | Dean of Academics & Curriculum

• Bartholomew’s Passage: A Family Story for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide(best for ages 7 and up)

• Ishtar’s Odyssey: A Family Story for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide (best for ages 7 and up)

• Tabitha’s Travels: A Family Story for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide (best for ages 7 and up)

• A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig (best for ages 9-14, and Roald Dahl fans; also recommended for audio)

• Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (from Where the Wild Things Are fame; best for ages 4 and up, it’s a crowd-pleaser!)

• The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser (best for all ages; also recommended for audio)

• The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumor Godden, illustrated by Barbara Cooney (best for all ages)

• The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas: An Austin Family Story by Madeleine L’Engle, illustrated by Jill Webber (best for ages 8-14)

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch (best for ages 9 and up; also recommended for audio)

• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger (best for ages 6 and up; great for audio too!)

• I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge, illustrated by Margot Tomes(best for ages 7 and up)

More Titles from the Rodriguez Christmas Book Basket:

• The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (of Pippi Longstocking fame; best for ages 6 and up)

• The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder (divided into 24 chapters for Advent, best for ages 7 and up)

• The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke (best for ages 5 and up)

• Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien (a collection of the letters Tolkien wrote to his own children from Santa; best for all ages)

• Behold that Star: A Christmas Anthology (a collection of short stories; best for ages 7 and up)

• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry (a picture book; best for ages 3 and up)

• The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren (of Pippi Longstocking fame; a picture book; best for ages 3 and up)

• The Stable Rat and Other Christmas Poems by Julia Cunningham, illustrated by Anita Lobel (wonderful pictures; best for ages 4 and up)

• The Treasure is a Rose by Julia Cunningham (a medieval story; best for ages 7 and up)

(Age suggestions are simply suggestions. I recommend pre-reading as much as possible before sharing a book with children.)

Social / Emotional Elements of the Rhetoric Stage

Much of the rhetoric stage of the trivium centers around awareness, independence, and identity. In the high school years, students are essentially adults -- adults by other cultural or historical standards at the very least. Differences of specific maturity levels aside, the rhetoric stage is populated by students who are no longer children; and it is crucial that they are not treated as children.

A great teacher recognizes who each student is, not just what that student must learn. This is the gateway to engagement and learning, and it is a key goal for high school teachers. If a late teenager is treated the same way as a middle schooler, achieving learning objects will be like jamming a square peg into a round hole: it may produce results sometimes, but not smoothly or effectively.

ACA's upper school teachers and parents can partner effectively together by remembering the frame of our rhetoric stage students in these key ways:

1. Engage with high school students in many of the same ways that we engage with other adults. While students are not our friends or peers, they still become respectable when we show them they are worthy of respect -- even if they are not immediately demonstrating respectable habits.

2. Standards and conformity are still key, but we should win their hearts before we win the argument. High school students have thin skin, high levels of pride, and low levels of confidence. They need support and kindness through the difficult tasks they face.

3. Tough love is still love. Students may be frustrated by a difficult standard or consequence, but they can still ultimately see that they are being loved through a consequence -- as long as that love and respect has been authentically built with them over time. 

4. Teaching or parenting high schoolers should prepare them for independence. If they do not feel empowered toward independence from teachers or parents, they will always find that empowerment elsewhere.

5. Grades and college admissions are important, but a student's faith during college is essential. As teachers and parents, are we more focused on our kids' robust report cards, or on their robust understanding of, and submission to, the whole counsels of God for life?

Above all, let's pray for ACA's older students, pray for our own kids, and thank God for his saving grace and plans for our good. 

College Readiness at ACA

In upper school grades (7-12), college preparedness becomes a front-and-center goal. For most students, the question is, "Are my class grades high enough to get me into my goal college?" For many parents, the question might be, "Is my school providing appropriate and competitive curricula to allow my student to compete for a good college?" In some cases, a bright student may unfortunately be attending a school with subpar class choices, crippling his or her college prospects.

Fortunately, this is not the case for most standard classical Christian (ACCS) schools. In fact, it's the opposite.

ACA has an upper and high school curriculum that aligns itself in many ways with nationwide ACCS schools. On most standard assessment benchmarks over the past several years, such as SAT, ACT, and College Readiness, ACCS schools consistently outperform the nation. The ACCS recently released its 2017 Standardized Testing & College Admission survey, with K-12 elementary-level standardized test results, as well as college admissions tests. In ACT, SAT, and PSAT scores, 72 participating ACCS schools outperformed nationwide schools generally (source graphs attached in links). Additionally, ACCS schools outperformed the nation for college readiness:

ACCS schools often have limited resources and funding, similar to ACA, and yet their college admissions and readiness scores consistently show high achievement relative to national norms. In other words, ACCS schools continue to demonstrate a strategic use of limited funding and a keen understanding of the essential elements of a primary education in its preparation for college and careers. 

For more information on similar college readiness benchmarks, you can explore related SAT and ACT rubrics here. For the full 2017 ACCS Standardized Testing & College Admission survey, which ACA has submitted scores to for 2018, click here.