What makes Tall Oaks Unique - from a Teacher's Perspective
Christian Principles — Classical Methods — Amazing Results
Excerpt taken from Abigail Clevenger's State of the School Speech - January 2011
To hear the full speech, please listen to the video below.
When I was a freshman in college, a professor opened class with telling us that the goal of education was to know what is true, good, and beautiful. I had never thought of these ideas as goals to aspire to through education or to order my life around, let alone as a way to know God! And that’s done through the study of all the subjects which are united because the one true God is the Creator of all, and Christ is the focal point of all. There is a unity to knowledge just as there is a unity to reality. I learned that education must be wholistic and seek to cultivate not just the mind, but the hearts and souls of students…
I’m so thankful for the support the teachers receive. The other teachers are incredibly dedicated to their subjects and students and wonderful examples to me as a young teacher… There is truly an interdisciplinary approach in the classrooms in which we are interested in what our colleagues are teaching. There’s a spirit of lifelong learning as well as wonderful examples of godliness amongst my colleagues. Thomas Aquinas understood that teaching is the “handing over” of what one learns and contemplates to others. The teachers here want the truth to be known, want to hand over knowledge of our subjects… The students are a blessing as well. I love hearing them discuss and learn to apply the Word of God, bringing in to history class what they’re learning from other classes. Just today the 12th graders gave short presentations reflecting on the importance of thrift, stewardship, tithing, and gratitude in modern, consumerist, materialistic society. That’s a joy for me, so encouraging and refreshing.
…I want to be a part of what this school is doing, what the other teachers here are doing, what the parents are committed to. It’s definitely difficult task, often overwhelming. I make mistakes. But what a blessing to be a part of a community that recognizes the need for Christ, forgiveness, renewal. I truly can’t imagine being at a better place as a teacher…
…Tall Oaks is seeking to recover with a classical method guided by Christian principles.
We want our students to get good grades, get good test scores, get into college, do good work in the world, and we’ll help them with that. But we really want them to develop spirits of wonder and inquiry, to discern what is worthy and good, to think critically and logically, to behold what is beautiful and to serve, love, know and enjoy our great and glorious God.
Excerpt taken from Christina Schneider's (Teacher and Parent) State of the School Speech
January 2010 (To hear her full speech, please listen to the video above.)
...Before coming to Tall Oaks, I had taught in a private preschool, public high school and at the University of Delaware. As I reflect on those experiences as compared to life at Tall Oaks, I find two key areas that set us apart. We are a faculty of Christians, and we are a faculty of Life Long Learners.
...First and foremost, being Christian means my colleagues and I know that all we do is under the Lord’s authority and we understand the sinning nature of man. We sin just as much as any other faculty, but because of our faith, we have the Gospel of Matthew to guide us in how to address difficult situations as they arise. This applies not only to situations between faculty members, administrators and parents, but it also shapes how teachers address situations that arise between students. I have worked in places where resentments fester; it has a very negative impact on the atmosphere and productivity of the staff and negatively affects the school as a whole. What a joy it has been to work in a school where issues are addressed head on, not in an accusatory or angry way, but with a sincere effort to get to the true root of the problem. To that end, I encourage each of you, if you have any questions or concerns, or get wind of some crazy rumor, please go directly to the parent, teacher or administrator involved. I must say that Matthew 18 has served our faculty very well.
A second by-product of being a Christian faculty is that we know that our Lord is the creator of all. It was He who made everything in the universe, and it was He who has given each of us our different talents and interests. And so all we teach here, regardless of the subject matter, is taught through the lens of scripture. For example, as a math and science girl who was educated in the public school system, I never had a teacher connect math and God. At Tall Oaks, we are not just encouraged, but expected to make those connections for our students. Our teachers see math as a reflection of God’s beauty and an opportunity to learn more about His nature. Numbers reflect His order, lines provide insight into God’s infiniteness, and scientific laws affirm His constancy. My teachers never made those connections for me; I am so glad our students will not be deprived in the same way.
We are a Christian faculty, but we are also a faculty of life-long learners. I’d like to quickly share with you a few questions that are on the teacher application form for Tall Oaks.
1) Name a spiritual issue with which you have struggled over the past year. What conclusion did you reach and why?
2) List the titles of several books you have read in the past year.
3) Approximately how much time do you spend per week reading for pleasure?
4) In the past year, what have you done to enhance your knowledge in any area that was not required by any employer, educational institution or other person?
I hope these questions help illustrate the types of teachers Tall Oaks seeks. Teachers at Tall Oaks should be in the continual pursuit of personal growth and learning. Although we feel very good about the classical curriculum, the majority of the faculty did not receive this kind of education. It has been lost for several generations and while the Classical Education movement has been a wonderful renewal, we teachers are constantly improving ways to make connections for our students. During our faculty meetings and teacher trainings, the school provides multiple and various opportunities for us to develop, not just as teachers, but as Godly men and women. In my short tenure here, I’ve heard talks ranging from how to teach Christianly and Redemptively to how to detect students with vision problems. After a year and of half of listening to Steve Turley, I can now explain what is meant by an “escatalogical moment”, and I hope that after some phonogram work with Barbara Sypher, I’ll soon be able to spell it. This past December we were blessed to have Paul Tripp speak to us, and a number of other Christian teachers, about creating a culture of grace in our homes and at our schools. Each summer, the faculty has assigned reading that we then discuss as we come together in August. This year, we are working through the Nehemiah Institute’s PEERS curriculum (Politics, Economics, Education, Religion, and Social Issues), which is challenging all of us to think about our worldview, and whether or not we are truly biblically aligned.
Why is it so important for teachers to keep learning? There are two main reasons. First, we want to graduate students who reflect seriously on their walk with God and exemplify the qualities of life-long learners. Thus, we hope our teachers serve as role models in this endeavor. Second, we want our school to continue to grow. For this to happen, we need to have a staff that is constantly looking for ways to improve what we do here.
In conclusion, I just want to say what a blessing it has been to experience Tall Oaks in this dual capacity, as both parent and teacher. We came to Tall Oaks as our son Ben entered the 3rd grade, and in one year, I developed friendships that were closer than any of the relationships I had with other parents at Ben’s previous school. We are truly fighting for God here, and He has blessed the school richly. I invite each of you to receive these blessings by getting involved. Whatever gifts God has given you, I know there is a way for you to share them with Tall Oaks, and I promise you, your contributions will be returned to you in spades! Thank you!