by Patricia Tofte, Administrator
There is more than one definition of a myth, but there is one I really like. It defines a myth as a false idea or belief. So, taking our lead from the popular TV program Myth Busters, let’s look at what Appleton Christian School myths we should bust!
MYTH #1: “Everyone who has their child in a Christian school must be wealthy.” On the contrary, many parents who elect Christian education at ACS do so out of a conviction that to have their faith in Jesus Christ upheld in every aspect of their children’s lives is … priceless. Consequently, they are willing to sacrifice extras and go without what others may consider necessities in order to invest in their children’s eternal futures. In all reality, even those who work in Christian schools make a sacrifice to earn less than in the public sector because they feel compelled and, yes, called to share their faith with children as they teach them the skills needed for life.
MYTH #2: “Children in Christian schools are all super Christians who make very few mistakes and whose walk with the Lord is perfect.” Well, actually that is not true of even the adults who teach in Christian schools. We are all sinners saved by grace, and we are all at differing places in our personal faith walks with the Lord. We are a group of people committed to following Jesus, and our students are in the same place. They are children who are learning what faith in God is about and, over the course of their years at ACS, are encouraged to take ownership of their personal faith and not just assume that because their parents have faith it covers them, as well.
A big part of our 7th and 8th grade Bible class is devoted to understanding what the students believe, why they believe it, and then owning it! They are in process as are all of us who desire to walk with the Lord, and, as with us, there are times they are successful and times they mess up. Everyone needs a second chance, and at ACS, students are loved as they are. This is a great place for real people who are seeking a closer walk with Jesus through these challenging times.
MYTH #3: “Christian school students have not had all the extras the public schools provide, and when they get to high school, they are not as advanced as their public school peers.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. ACS students who have taken advantage of all we offer (and it is more than you might expect) are prepared to enter advanced English and Math, and they are highly esteemed high school students who have learned organizational and study skills and who know how to apply what they have learned from our very comprehensive program. They are able to handle advanced placement classes, and they are likely to be involved in a sport of their choosing or in the drama/forensic programs. And, because they have personal standards for conduct that are above the accepted norm, they are respected for their character, as well as for their academic success.
MYTH #4: “Christian schools only accept and keep students who are successful academically and behaviorally.” Actually there was a time when that might have been the case because we knew we did not have the needed information, skills, or staff to help students with learning or behavioral differences. However, those days are past! Over the last six years, working in conjunction with the Dyslexia Reading Connection, we have welcomed the opportunity to expand our knowledge and skills so that we are able to accommodate most all students who apply to ACS. During these years we have adopted a definition of “fair” that states we will give each ACS student what he or she needs. This means we have found a balance between the traditional and non-traditional learners. Our students are treated as individuals whose unique needs will be met through individually-tailored accommodations that enable all students to function successfully in the classroom. We are small enough to be flexible and large enough to offer the variety needed for all students to find a niche.
For me personally, the last six years have been the most rewarding years I have spent in Christian education. This also breaks with the myth that says those in education will eventually burn out. On the contrary, I have found that when God is leading the leader and the school, there is no burn out; rather, there is renewed enthusiasm for the difference that can be made when we look at children the way God created them. We do not try to fit them in to our preconceived box of what Christian school students should look like. Real Christian education loves each child “as is” and works with the parents and God to help bring out the wonderful God-given qualities waiting to be nurtured and developed.
