Helping Students with Disabilities Thrive in Classical Christian Schools, Part II

Posted on by Paul Drake

How disability benefits the classical Christian school. Distinguishing between stumbling blocks and caving to culture. Myths and mysteries of student support. Staying in charge of your program. Understanding Language Development—With a Speech Therapist if possible. Understanding Physical Development– With a PT or OT if possible. Understanding Dyslexia intervention – With A Reading Specialist if possible. Improving Reading Instruction for Everyone. Nurturing Emotional Development. Observations on How Adoption Impacts Learning

Leslie Collins

Leslie and her husband, Dave have been working in classical and Christian education since 1995. Leslie was the founding headmistress of Rockbridge Academy in Millersville, Maryland and was privileged to briefly serve in Kailua, Hawaii as Trinity Christian School transitioned to a classical model. She is currently the Head of School at Covenant Academy in northwest Houston. Leslie and Dave have four children and one adorable granddaughter. Leslie holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling from The Master’s University and a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from the University of Maryland.

Helping Students with Disabilities Thrive in Classical Christian Schools, Part I

Posted on by Paul Drake

How disability benefits the classical Christian school. Distinguishing between stumbling blocks and caving to culture. Myths and mysteries of student support. Staying in charge of your program. Understanding Language Development—With a Speech Therapist if possible. Understanding Physical Development– With a PT or OT if possible. Understanding Dyslexia intervention – With A Reading Specialist if possible. Improving Reading Instruction for Everyone. Nurturing Emotional Development. Observations on How Adoption Impacts Learning

Leslie Collins

Leslie and her husband, Dave have been working in classical and Christian education since 1995. Leslie was the founding headmistress of Rockbridge Academy in Millersville, Maryland and was privileged to briefly serve in Kailua, Hawaii as Trinity Christian School transitioned to a classical model. She is currently the Head of School at Covenant Academy in northwest Houston. Leslie and Dave have four children and one adorable granddaughter. Leslie holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling from The Master’s University and a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from the University of Maryland.

Strength in Diversity

Posted on by Paul Drake

This workshop will help you understand how diversity in your student body, faculty, staff, and administration makes you a better and stronger school. This session will highlight how experience with diversity helps students to develop better cultural competence and ultimately better results in their work. This presentation will also include a brief review of the theology of diversity.

Peter Vandebrake

Peter Vande Brake attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan (BA 1988) where he was an All-American decathlete and philosophy major. He attended seminary at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia (M.Div. 1992) and then did his doctoral work at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan (Ph.D. 2000). He taught, coached, and was headmaster at North Hills Classical Academy from 1996-2010. He worked at The Potter’s House in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 2010-2019 as a teacher, coach, curriculum director, and high school principal. He is a leadership consultant for the CiRCE Institute and the Director of the Upper School at The Geneva School in Orlando. He is married and has two daughters.

Alfonso Clark

Alfonso "Alf" Clark has spent a combined 20 years working in public and private education. With Alf’s educational, personal, and professional experience, he brings a unique approach to better understanding the need for diversity in leadership and gives the tools and support for successful implementation. Alf attended Grand Valley State University where he played basketball and majored in Psychology-Special Education with endorsements in Emotional and Cognitive Impairment and a Minor in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in conflict management. He received his Master’s in Educational Leadership at Cornerstone University, with his master’s thesis titled “Cultivating Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Leadership: Moving Beyond Awareness”. He is the principal at The Potter’s House High School in Wyoming, Michigan where he has taught, coached and administered for the last 14 years. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife of 24 years and 7 wonderful children.

Panel Q&A on Christian Classical Education for the World

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Chris Perrin

Christopher Perrin, MDiv, PhD, is the CEO with Classical Academic Press, and a national leader, author, and speaker for the renewal of classical education. He serves as a consultant to classical Christian schools, classical charter schools, and schools converting to the classical model. He is the director of the Alcuin Fellowship, former co-chair of the Society for Classical Learning, an adjunct professor with the honor's program at Messiah College, and previously served for ten years as a classical school headmaster.

Robyn Burlew

Robyn has served as Head of Upper School at Veritas School in Richmond, Virginia, for six years, after serving for fifteen years as a teacher and administrator at Covenant Christian Academy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She has a B.A. in Biology from Houghton College and a M.Ed. in Integrated Curriculum and Instruction from Covenant College. She enjoys spending time with her three adult daughters and a son-in-law, all of whom live in Richmond. Robyn's leisure time is filled with kayaking, gardening, two golden retrievers, and piano playing. She is a member of Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond.

Ravi Jain

Robyn has served as Head of Upper School at Veritas School in Richmond, Virginia, for six years, after serving for fifteen years as a teacher and administrator at Covenant Christian Academy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She has a B.A. in Biology from Houghton College and a M.Ed. in Integrated Curriculum and Instruction from Covenant College. She enjoys spending time with her three adult daughters and a son-in-law, all of whom live in Richmond. Robyn's leisure time is filled with kayaking, gardening, two golden retrievers, and piano playing. She is a member of Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond.

Brian WIlliams

Dr. Brian A. Williams is Dean of the Templeton Honors College and Assistant Professor of Ethics & Liberal Studies at Eastern University in Pennsylvania. Previously, he was Lecturer in Theology and Christian Ethics at the University of Oxford and Director of Oxford Conversations, a collection of interviews with influential Christian academics and scholars. He holds an MPhil and DPhil in Christian Ethics from the University of Oxford, an MA and ThM in Systematic and Historical Theology, and a BA in Biblical Studies. Currently, he is an Alcuin Fellow and a Research Fellow with the Institute of Classical Education. Dr. Williams is the author of The Potter’s Rib: The History, Theology, and Practice of Mentoring for Pastoral Formation.

Karen Elliot

Karen has served with the Rafiki Foundation since 1990, including twelve years on the mission field, most of that time in Jos, Nigeria. Upon returning to the U.S., she became the Director of Africa Operations for the Rafiki Home Office and was responsible for managing the ChildCare and Education Programs. She served at the Home Office for ten years before being named Rafiki's Executive Director in January of 2012. Karen was born in Houston, Texas and prior to joining Rafiki, she was in commercial banking in Houston, TX where she maintained multimillion-dollar loan portfolios for small businesses and managed the bank's credit division. She holds a BBA degree in finance/accounting from Southern Methodist University (and also a music minor), and earned her Masters degree in education from University of Texas at Arlington. Karen is a member of St. Andrews Chapel in Sanford, FL and was for many years a teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship while in Texas and in Africa. Karen views herself as simply a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ who desires to help others come to know God and become lifelong disciples of him and learners of all he has created.

Christian Classical Education: For Every Nation, Tribe and Tongue

Posted on by Paul Drake

Many have asked, “Why are people outside of Europe and America embracing Christian classical education? Isn’t it an inherently Western form of education?” Mr. Ravi Jain reveals how those practicing Christian classical education beyond the Western world are inspired to do so because it is the inheritance of the historic Christian Church—an inheritance for every nation, tribe, and tongue to receive.

Ravi Jain

Ravi Jain has taught calculus and physics at The Geneva School in Orlando, Florida since 2003. He has largely focused on understanding the role of math and science in a classical Christian curriculum, developing a unique integrated math and physics course: “The Scientific Revolution.” Students study and read the works of Kepler, Galileo, Pascal, and Newton in the course. He received a BA in Political Science from Davidson College in North Carolina, where he studied both the natural sciences and the humanities. Before teaching at The Geneva School, Mr. Jain taught math through AP calculus at Seminole Presbyterian School in Tampa, Florida and worked as an associate pastor while completing a master’s degree from Reformed Theological Seminary. He also earned a graduate certificate in mathematics from the University of Central Florida. He is the co-author of The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education. *Adapted from The Geneva School website

A Testimony: Implementing Classical Christian Education Internationally

Posted on by Paul Drake

This panel is reserved for leaders in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to make regional plans and discuss DFW issues in Classical Christian Education.

Eric Cook

Eric Cook is from Lexington, Kentucky, but worked in schools in Ohio and Virginia before joining Covenant Classical School in 2009. Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from Transylvania University, and a master’s degree in Instructional Leadership from Northern Kentucky University. He has taught history, political science, psychology and philosophy in public schools, and served as an assistant principal for several years. In 2006, Eric felt called to join the classical Christian school movement and became the Middle and Upper School Head at Faith Christian School in Roanoke, Virginia. In addition to his leadership roles, Eric taught apologetics, theology, philosophy of religion, and served as thesis director.

Jeff Hendricks

Jeff Hendricks is the Head of School at Providence Christian School. He joined Providence in 2005, first teaching algebra, and then middle school English and history before being appointed head of middle school in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Gordon College and a master’s degree from the University of Dallas. His wife Jessica is also an educator. The couple has three children, the oldest of which currently attends Providence.

Robert Littlejohn

Dr. Robert Littlejohn has served as Head of School at The Covenant School in Dallas Texas since April of 2018. Previously he served as Head of School at Trinity Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA and as Director of Distance Learning for a consortium of Private and State Colleges and Universities in Minnesota. As a Ph.D. Biologist (Washington State University), he has authored two College Biology Laboratory texts and has published 26 reports of original research in refereed journals in the fields of Ecology, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry, and Science Educational Theory. He is coauthor with Charles T. Evans of Wisdom and Eloquence: a Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning, published by Crossway Books. He was founding Headmaster for New Covenant Schools in Virginia, founding Executive Director for the Society for Classical Learning, and a founding board member for the American School of Lyon, France. He is a Certified Facilitator of Appreciative Inquiry™, a former Accreditation Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and Advance_Ed, and a consultant to colleges and schools across the nation.

The Classical Mandate for the Church

Posted on by Paul Drake
Why should Christians around the world take interest in classical education? Simply answered, they should because classical education is the heritage of the Christian Church. Dr. Brian Williams explores how this is so and how classical Christian education supports the mission of the Church—the flourishing of individuals and their cultures.

Brian Williams

Dr. Brian A. Williams is Dean of the Templeton Honors College and Assistant Professor of Ethics & Liberal Studies at Eastern University in Pennsylvania. Previously, he was Lecturer in Theology and Christian Ethics at the University of Oxford and Director of Oxford Conversations, a collection of interviews with influential Christian academics and scholars. He holds an MPhil and DPhil in Christian Ethics from the University of Oxford, an MA and ThM in Systematic and Historical Theology, and a BA in Biblical Studies. Currently, he is an Alcuin Fellow and a Research Fellow with the Institute of Classical Education. Dr. Williams is the author of The Potter’s Rib: The History, Theology, and Practice of Mentoring for Pastoral Formation.

Recovering the Lost Tools of Loving: The Missing Link Between Truth and Goodness in Christian Education

Posted on by Paul Drake

Douglas Wilson’s 1991 Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning in classical Christian education enjoys continued growth to this day. Since that time, much has been written about the conservation of the Judeo-Christian liberal arts tradition of academics. Classical teaching methods and curricula have been emphasized as tools to help children learn how to think logically and biblically about the world. However, how do we teach our children to not only know what is lovely but also to love what is lovely? In this session, Dr. Aniol will discuss the Judeo-Christian tradition of Beauty, or rightly ordered loves, as the missing link between right thinking and right action, in order to teach our children to be complete Christians in mind, will, and emotions.

Scott Aniol

Scott Aniol, PhD, is an author, speaker, and teacher of culture, worship, aesthetics, and church ministry philosophy. He is on the faculty at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; he founded Religious Affections Ministries; he lectures around the country in churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries; and he has authored several books and dozens of articles. Scott is the Managing Editor of Artistic Theologian, a scholarly journal of worship and church ministry, and serves on the steering committee of the Biblical Worship section of the Evangelical Theological Society. Scott holds a PhD in worship and ministry (SWBTS), a master’s degree in Theological Studies (SWBTS), a master’s degree in Aesthetics (NIU), and a bachelor of music in Church Music (BJU). Scott has served as associate pastor, minister of music, and an elder in churches in Illinois, North Carolina, and currently at Church of Christ the King in Fort Worth. Scott travels around the country and internationally through the ministry he started in 2008, Religious Affections Ministries (www.religiousa ections.org), speaking at churches, Christian colleges, seminaries, and conferences. He has written three books, Worship in Song: A Biblical Philosophy of Music and Worship (BMH Books, 2009), Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World (RAM, 2010), and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture (Kregel, 2015). He has also presented academic papers at various meetings such as the Evangelical Theological Society and has dozens of articles and book reviews published in scholarly journals. Scott and his wife, Becky, classically homeschool their two children, Caleb and Kate.

Earth Science and Classical Christian Education

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Earth Science (ES) enjoyed a prominent place in classical scientific enquiry, and the weight given to ES continued through medieval and modern times and into the present. Unfortunately, the centrality of ES as a field of study is being lost, even in many classical schools. Increasingly, ES is diminished to facts learned in the Grammar stage or, alternatively, to fragmentary insertions into other Logic- or Rhetoric-stage classes; both approaches are ill-advised. ES lends itself to study in the Logic or Rhetoric stages for several key reasons, three of which will be explored in this seminar. Properly conceived and situated study of ES prepares our students for wise stewardship of the Earth, and for responsible involvement in societal dialogue and decision-making.

Steve Mittwede

Steve Mi wede is incredibly privileged to be an instructor of Earth Science and Bible at Providence Classical School in Spring, Texas. In 1981, he was graduated from “Their Majesties Royal College” (The College of William and Mary) with a B.S. in Geology, a er which he concurrently worked as a mineral resources geologist for the South Carolina Geological Survey and completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Geology at the University of South Carolina. He is married to Dana, and they are blessed with four sons in close succession – all now grown and married. Steve and his family served in Turkey for 23 years, during which Steve was awarded an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Columbia International University and an M.Th. in Modern Evangelical Theology from Wales Evangelical School of Theology. He is currently pursuing an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership at Columbia International University. Steve and Dana make their home in Tomball, Texas.

An Introduction to Christian Classical Education

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This seminar will introduce participants to the classical education movement as it has taken shape over the last 35 years. It will also go over much of the literature that the movement has spawned during that period which expounds on the content and structure of the Christian classical education movement.

Peter Vande Brake

Peter Vande Brake attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI where he was a 4-time All-American decathlete. He went to seminary at Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and then did his doctoral work at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids obtaining a Ph.D. in systematic theology in 2000. He was ordained in the PCUSA in 2001. He taught, coached, and was Headmaster at North Hills Classical Academy from 1996-2010. He is a leadership consultant for the CiRCE Institute and a teacher and administrator at The Po er’s House School in Grand Rapids, MI. H He is married and has two daughters.