I can't believe that the end of summer is already within sight! School will be starting again in a couple of weeks, and my children are dreading it. Is there anything I can do to help smooth the transition? What would you recommend?

Believe it or not, your attitude can be a determinative factor in this equation. Read more

In this podcast, Dr. Skinner is interviewed by Dr. Althea Penn, the Vice President of Early Education at ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International), host of the Christian Education Podcast. Dr. Skinner discusses the founding of Champion School in 1981 and his work in Christian education. The dialogue proves insightful for any education professional, emphasizing child development, family roles, and cultural values in today's Christian educational landscape.

During the discussion, Dr. Skinner and Dr. Penn highlight mental health concerns concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. They stress the importance of social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practice in Christian schools, tackling mental health challenges head-on. Within the conversation, professionals will discover practical solutions for anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among students and educators.

Addressing some of the significant challenges in Christian education today, they touch upon the 'great resignation,' teacher shortages, burnout, and liability in child handling. The duo explores how Christian educators can better advocate for funds and programs that benefit their school communities, encouraging Christian educators, parents, and stakeholders to stay resilient and actively shape the future direction of Christian education.

The episode concludes with a call to action. Despite the contemporary challenges, Christian educators are encouraged to stay strong, supportive, and continue their excellent work. With the transformative power of Christian education, future generations can significantly benefit. Tune in to this invaluable episode for anyone involved in or interested in Christian education.

Listen to the podcast now.

“Do you have any homework tonight?”

A simple question, yet it can spark what becomes a familiar argument throughout a child’s school years.

Haggling over homework is nothing new (most parents can remember protesting their own responsibilities on school nights), but homework battles in the 21st century are aggravated by a culture flooded with technical distractions.

According to research, 97 percent of youth play video games; nearly three quarters of them have a social media profile; 91 percent have a cell phone; and the typical teen sends an average of 10 text messages an hour. Is it any wonder parents will repeatedly hear their children complain that homework is boring and pointless? Even with the advent of computers in the classroom, formal education doesn’t even come close to holding a student’s attention like the competition. Fortunately, you don’t have to be as tech-savvy as your kids to keep them engaged in their schoolwork.

Even if the assignments are boring and pointless, you can use these opportunities to help your children develop the skills and attitudes they’ll need to be successful. You can get them thinking about the way they learn best, how they can motivate themselves and what it will take to succeed. You can teach them to be confident learners. Read more

Christian Counseling Associates (one of the Center's ministry partners) featured our Executive Director, Dr. D. Merle Skinner, on their podcast, titled "Christian Education is Back."

Christian education is a very important conversation for us to have as Christian schools are places where kids can be surrounded by traditional values, truth, and the space they need to simply just be a child, so the podcast does cover a lot about the topic of Christian education, BUT it is jam packed with a lot of great content and covers much more than just a conversation about Christian education. In this podcast you'll hear Dr. Skinner & Dr. Rich Hoffman discuss things like....

• public school, christian/private education, and current trends seen in schools that kids are facing
• current political and legislative happenings surrounding Christian education and school choice
• the importance of worldview
• mental health crisis
• Christian counseling, current trends seen in this field, and how this relates to students today

 

You can find the podcast on youtube or podomatic.

 

Every year at the end of January school choice becomes a topic of yellow scarves and celebrating the ability of parents and students to choose which kind of education best meets their needs. Many people around the country find it exhilarating, but for most, they just miss the whole issue. It is a shame, but it happens with hundreds of issues each day in our media-driven culture.

However, one of the voices that continues to be generally absent in this conversation is the evangelical protestant church. Now, I am not naive.... Read More