Letting the Lord Lead

Marian Hope Academy has been opening it’s doors to prospective students to shadow for the 2014-2015 school year. I have been so proud of the character within our first year students as they have kindly embraced their new friends with excitement to share their school. It has been eye-opening for me to listen to the child’s perspective of what I consider a modern education.

As I talk to the students and answer questions, I am taken back by how much “testing” is being done in mainstream America. Now, don’t get me wrong…teachers need to assess periodically to make sure they know if the student(s) are processing what is being taught. Teachers should utilize assessment information to change teaching strategy, modify speed of delivery, or to keep moving forward if their students are the right track (no need to fix something that is not broken). Bombardment of testing for grades, however, can create a competitive classroom atmosphere and steal the joy of learning from children. It can frequently elicit inhibitory anxiety in certain personalities. The time teachers spend on testing is time away from the actual learning process.

Another eye opener is how much some children, boys especially, fear “getting in trouble.” At MHA, we desire children to do good because it is the right thing to do, not because they “fear” the consequences of doing bad. Of course we believe there needs to be effective consequences for poor choices, but we also believe in finding the root of the behavior, helping the child find better solutions, impressing upon them Christ-like character, breathing positive affirmation in them when they demonstrate acts of kindness, patience, self-control, gentleness, joy, etc…

Behavior management is a process and should be done with consistency, love, and grace – not shame. I sometimes think we educators forget that “love wins every time” and we need to balance authority and discipline with Grace. We must try to model our master teacher and friend, Jesus Christ, and remember His undeniable “Grace.” Despite all of our sins and short-comings, He still loves us and wants to be with us…wow, now that is love unmeasurable. I sometimes wonder if all the childhood behavior problems we see in our world would exist if we adults were a better reflection of the love and Grace of Jesus Christ?

I had a phone call the other day from an educator out in Kansas. She had heard about the Marian Hope Center for several years and had just found out we had additionally started a school. Now that Marian Hope services close to 400 students, she asked me what the key was to our success. The answer was quite simple…let the Lord lead! 

~Angie Knight, Co-Founder of Marian Hope