Principal Thoelke's Blog
Why Children Thrive Without Technology
Written By Common Sense Classical
Ah, technology - every educator and administrator’s favorite topic. Perhaps it’s a topic that your family has thought a good deal about as well. How much access should students have to computers? How much screen time is too much screen time? Why use pencil and paper anymore? Should schools really have an allocated “technology” budget?
You get where I’m going with this. In districts across the country, the mere mention of an iPad in elementary classrooms will turn teachers against each other faster than the debate over mechanical vs. Number 2 pencils. Well, at least that’s a pretty hot debate at my school.
I get it. We’re in an age where business is conducted and relationships are formed and sustained through technology. It might seem nonsensical to even question its place in our lives since it is tied to almost everything we do.
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Progymnasmata for Life
https://youtu.be/z2C3y8xOa9o
OSL’s Early Childhood Program
Our Savior Lutheran’s classical early childhood program strikes a harmonious chord between school ready academics and purposeful play all within a nurturing Christian environment spring boarding the beginning of their classical Christian education.
Some of the ways we highlight those school ready academic skills is by intentional teaching and using carefully chosen curriculums and practices which marries classical education with early childhood education. Our highly trained teaching staff is intentional about teaching early math and literacy skills. We start with the basics of learning the alphabet and numbers and then build on that foundation using the children’s natural curiosity as an opportunity to learn these basic facts and build that solid foundation. Young children love to memorize, sing, chant and rhyme which gives our teachers developmentally appropriate tools for teaching these young children an amazing amount. Our curriculums have been carefully chosen to introduce our scholars to the good, true, and beautiful all seen through a Biblical lens. Our literature and poetry are timeless and teach Christian character development. Our teachers emphasize phonemic awareness and proper formation of letters. Early math skills are taught through practicing hands-on experiences and memorization of basic math concepts. Again, songs and chants help our scholars to learn the material in a way that is enjoyable for them. Our teachers use whole group, small group, and individualized instructional methods depending on the activity for the day.
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Why study Latin?
Learning Latin is foundational to giving your child a classical education. Studying Latin improves mental discipline, indirectly improves English vocabulary and usage, and opens the doors to reading classical and technical literature.
One benefit of studying Latin is that it develops mental discipline. Studying any foreign language involves memorization and application. In Latin, students develop mental discipline by memorizing verb endings.
Click to read the entire article that appeared in the Houston Leader Newspaper: Full Article
Classical Education and Learning Differences
Our Savior Lutheran School is a classical Christian school in the Houston areas serving the community of Garden Oaks/Oak Forest. Classical education is an education for “all” and is a wonderful way to serve all abilities. The classical model is a way to teach “with the grain” ensuring that all students of all abilities learn how to learn and how to think. As a classical school of excellence, Our Savior Lutheran School has served non-neurotypical scholars well.Click to read the entire article that appeared in the Houston Leader Newspaper: Full Article