From the Teacher's Desk: 10 Tips for a Successful Start to the School Year
A new school year is underway, and with it comes the overwhelming piles of papers, endless events, homework assignments, and school projects. Families inevitably find themselves searching for the right rhythm to balance the demands of school, alongside extracurriculars, church, and social activities. While the days are long, the years are short, leaving parents and students undoubtedly wanting to make the most of foundational educational experiences. To help set children up for success, consider these 10 tips for a great school year.
From the Teacher's Desk: Building Community One 'House Block' at a Time
While school “houses” are well-known across Europe and have been popularized in film, community-building house systems are steadily making their way across the pond to American schools. Mount Paran Christian School finished another year of its middle school House system and shares lessons learned, key wins, and future plans for the program.
From the Teacher's Desk: 12 Tips for Preventing the 'Summer Slide'
School’s out for summer! Now what? To help prevent the academic summer slide, parents can help their children retain the knowledge they’ve learned this school year with a slew of fun activities. Faculty and staff at Mount Paran Christian School offer their advice to help students of all ages combine learning and fun to maintain essential skills across all subjects. Read on for ideas to get you started.
Innovation in Education: How to Teach Children to Love Learning
Learning is exceedingly complex. It is both highly personal and highly social. For educators tasked with facilitating and supporting learning, doing it, not just well but with excellence, requires a healthy dose of both art and science. And, while much is understood about the conditions and practices that support learning, facilitating learning that is durable, adaptive, inspiring, and innovative is a daily challenge for educators and schools. Moreover, creating school learning environments where students develop robust knowledge and skills is only the beginning. If students leave school today without the dispositions and skills to support lifelong, self-directed learning, they will not be equipped to tackle the challenges thrust upon them by an ever-changing world.
So, while learning is complex, let’s take a moment to examine one of the key drivers of school-based learning – the teacher’s ability to create learning cultures of excellence in which students and educators are highly engaged with one another, with rich ideas and robust thinking and creating. Blessed with highly-skilled faculty, examples of high-engagement learning cultures at Mount Paran Christian School abound across all school grade divisions.
Finding the Right Fit - An Individualized Approach to College Counseling
Mount Paran Christian School is a college-preparatory school for students in preschool through grade 12, but our aim is to do more than simply prepare graduates for college admission. Our goal is to find colleges that offer the best possible fit for each graduating senior. We help students cultivate their talents and interests to find their academic and extracurricular strengths and passions, then focus on colleges that will best meet student goals. College selection can be overwhelming for families, but the MPCS college counseling department helps facilitate the process. By answering questions and providing advice, students are guided in their choice of coursework and ultimately towards the college that is just the right fit.
ParentEd.: The Blessing of a B Minus
In an hour-plus conversation full of wisdom, laughter, and anecdotes, New York Times best-selling author and clinical psychologist Dr. Wendy Mogel explained the premise of one of her most popular books, The Blessing of a B Minus. To put it plainly, today’s standards imply that the “B” in a B- stands for “bad,” but Dr. Mogel attests that’s simply untrue.
Innovation Outside the Classroom
Real classroom innovation at Mount Paran Christian School starts from within; from the open hearts and minds of the teachers, students, parents, and school leadership. Never has this been more true than during the 2020 academic year, when the coronavirus pandemic put the innovative practices of MPCS to the test.
Exploring Heritage: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
The month of May marks the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. It is a time of self-reflection for students, especially seniors. And, it is a nationally-recognized time to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage. High school counselor Viola Lussier explains the significance of this recognition, shares her personal insights as a person of Korean heritage, and offers advice for students to explore other cultures and their family’s heritage.
ParentEd.: Here's What You Need to Know About College Admissions
Parents, do you remember applying for college? It was so easy! You likely had a paper application that asked a handful of questions, took the SAT once or twice and sent in your scores, and then your parents signed a check for $25. You may have been accepted to the three schools you applied to and chose the one that was close enough to home, but just far enough that your parents couldn’t surprise you without a phone call first. You may not have paid much attention to the ranking of the school’s degrees, if there was a football team, or the freshman retention rate. You and your parents decided you were going to college, picked one, and went for it. How times have changed!
Why Are Schools Cursing Cursive?
With the shift towards more technology in the classroom, it should come as no surprise that the majority of states—more than 40—no longer require handwriting instruction, especially cursive handwriting.
According to a report from 11Alive news, Georgia requires instruction of cursive writing, typically beginning in grade three. However, since cursive writing is not assessed at the state level and is left to local determination for assessment, in most Georgia schools, cursive writing is no longer being taught.
Legal Eagles: A Mock Trial Primer
GUEST MPCS STUDENT AUTHOR
Mock Trial is an enriching extracurricular activity that enables students to live out a courtroom experience and compete from both the attorney and witness roles. In addition to being competitive in nature, Mock Trial presents different challenges that both stretch students’ critical thinking skills and educate them on the law.
ParentEd.: How to Overcome the Pressures of the Teenage Years
"Perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life-paralysis." ― Brené Brown
In a world where we feel the pressure to be perfect, it’s easy to forget that chasing perfection is an angst-riddled and lonely journey. We are not meant to do life alone, and, yet, in the spirit of appearing “perfect,” we often forget that parenting requires a village, not an Instagram filter.
Letter to My Alma Mater: Servant-Leadership
One of the many benefits of an independent school education is that school leadership has the freedom to choose curricula, which can include biblical teaching and religious discussions. The benefits of such an educational opportunity have an eternal impact on young lives, with students deepening their faith and developing servants’ hearts.
In this final installment of the “Letter to My Alma Mater” series, alumni share how their relationship with God transformed during their time at MPCS and how developing a strong belief system has shaped their future.
Letter to My Alma Mater: Athletics
For this third installment of the “Letter to My Alma Mater” series, former MPCS athletes offer their perspectives on making the transition from the field to the real world. Along the way, these alumni have made the MPC Way a part of their core values, demonstrating humility, passion, integrity, relentless pursuit, and a commitment to excellence in all they do.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Letter to My Alma Mater: Arts
From encouraging creative thinking to working collaboratively, from honing skills to building confidence, the arts provide both an outlet for expression and input for developing innate artistic talent.
For the second part of the “Letter to My Alma Mater” series, MPCS alumni share how participation in the arts at the school changed their lives and offer advice for aspiring artists.
Letter to My Alma Mater: Academics
To accomplish its mission of uniting with home and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth, Mount Paran Christian School focuses on four pillars in everything we do: Academics, Arts, Athletics, and Christian Life. Through participation in these key areas, MPCS students graduate with a strong foundation for beginning their adult lives. For this “Letter to My Alma Mater” blog series, we asked several alumni to share their experiences at MPCS and how their time at the school made an impact on the path they took upon graduation.
WingTips
Welcome to WingTips, a Mount Paran Christian School Blog. The MPCS Blog features many independent school contributors and thought-leaders.
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Recent Posts
Learn More About MPCS
Recommended Series
PRIVATE SCHOOL PRIMER:
- How School Choice Programs Increase Educational Opportunities for Families
- 5 Tips for Making the Middle to High School Transition
- What Families Should Expect
- 2 Most Important This to Consider When Choosing a Preschool
- 4 Benefits of Choosing a K-12 School for Life
- 3 Reasons Why I Believe in Christian Schools
- 7 Tips for Affording a Private School Education
- 4 Reasons We Chose Mount Paran Christian School
- How to Choose the Best Private School for Your Family
PARENTEd. TALKS:
- Helping Students Boost Their Brain Capacity for Success
- Teaching Children Fiscal Responsibility
- Tips for Parents to Help Teens Avoid Drugs and Alcohol
- Excelling in the Midst of Adversity
- 3 Tips for Navigating the Hidden Dangers of Social Media
- The Blessing of a B Minus
- Real Talk for Moms
COLLEGE SERIES:
- Finding the Right Fit - An Individualized Approach to College Counseling
- ParentEd.: Here’s What You Need to Know About College Admissions
- To Save or Not to Save: 529 Plans are the Question
FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK:
- The Importance of Play
- What Families Should Expect
- Play is Learning Through the Arts
- 4 Tips to Capture the Minds of Your Students
CHRISTIAN LIFE:
- What is a Covenant School?
- Seeing Through a New Lens: A Biblical Worldview
- Faith and Intellect as One
- Philosophy of Belonging: 4 Tips for Fostering a Diverse Culture
- Innovation in Education: Teaching Cultural Awareness
- A Call to Brotherhood: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Wisdom for Today
- CommUNITY: How Do We Love One Another?
- Campaign for CommUNITY
- How to Raise Empathetic Children in Today’s Culture
- Imageo Dei: Why Diversity Matters
Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.
A new school year is underway, and with it comes the overwhelming piles of papers, endless events, homework assignments, and school projects. Families inevitably find themselves...
While school “houses” are well-known across Europe and have been popularized in film, community-building house systems are steadily making their way across the pond to American...
School’s out for summer! Now what? To help prevent the academic summer slide, parents can help their children retain the knowledge they’ve learned this school year with a slew of...
Learning is exceedingly complex. It is both highly personal and highly social. For educators tasked with facilitating and supporting learning, doing it, not just well but with...
Mount Paran Christian School is a college-preparatory school for students in preschool through grade 12, but our aim is to do more than simply prepare graduates for college...
ParentEd.: The Blessing of a B Minus - 03/10/2021
In an hour-plus conversation full of wisdom, laughter, and anecdotes, New York Times best-selling author and clinical psychologist Dr. Wendy Mogel explained the premise of one of...
Innovation Outside the Classroom - 10/07/2020
Real classroom innovation at Mount Paran Christian School starts from within; from the open hearts and minds of the teachers, students, parents, and school leadership. Never has...
The month of May marks the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. It is a time of self-reflection for students, especially seniors. And, it is a nationally-recognized...
Parents, do you remember applying for college? It was so easy! You likely had a paper application that asked a handful of questions, took the SAT once or twice and sent in your...
Why Are Schools Cursing Cursive? - 03/05/2020
With the shift towards more technology in the classroom, it should come as no surprise that the majority of states—more than 40—no longer require handwriting instruction,...
Legal Eagles: A Mock Trial Primer - 02/26/2020
GUEST MPCS STUDENT AUTHOR
Mock Trial is an enriching extracurricular activity that enables students to live out a courtroom experience and compete from both the attorney and...
"Perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life-paralysis." ― Brené Brown
In a world where we feel the pressure to be...
Letter to My Alma Mater: Servant-Leadership - 11/14/2019
One of the many benefits of an independent school education is that school leadership has the freedom to choose curricula, which can include biblical teaching and religious...
Letter to My Alma Mater: Athletics - 11/07/2019
For this third installment of the “Letter to My Alma Mater” series, former MPCS athletes offer their perspectives on making the transition from the field to the real world....
Letter to My Alma Mater: Arts - 10/24/2019
From encouraging creative thinking to working collaboratively, from honing skills to building confidence, the arts provide both an outlet for expression and input for developing...
Letter to My Alma Mater: Academics - 10/17/2019
To accomplish its mission of uniting with home and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth, Mount Paran Christian School focuses on four...
WINGTIPS
Welcome to WingTips, a Mount Paran Christian School Blog. The MPCS Blog features many independent school contributors and thought-leaders.
Recommended Series
PRIVATE SCHOOL PRIMER:
- How School Choice Programs Increase Educational Opportunities for Families
- 5 Tips for Making the Middle to High School Transition
- What Families Should Expect
- 2 Most Important This to Consider When Choosing a Preschool
- 4 Benefits of Choosing a K-12 School for Life
- 3 Reasons Why I Believe in Christian Schools
- 7 Tips for Affording a Private School Education
- 4 Reasons We Chose Mount Paran Christian School
- How to Choose the Best Private School for Your Family
PARENTEd. TALKS:
- Helping Students Boost Their Brain Capacity for Success
- Teaching Children Fiscal Responsibility
- Tips for Parents to Help Teens Avoid Drugs and Alcohol
- Excelling in the Midst of Adversity
- 3 Tips for Navigating the Hidden Dangers of Social Media
- The Blessing of a B Minus
- Real Talk for Moms
COLLEGE SERIES:
- Finding the Right Fit - An Individualized Approach to College Counseling
- ParentEd.: Here’s What You Need to Know About College Admissions
- To Save or Not to Save: 529 Plans are the Question
FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK:
- The Importance of Play
- What Families Should Expect
- Play is Learning Through the Arts
- 4 Tips to Capture the Minds of Your Students
CHRISTIAN LIFE:
- What is a Covenant School?
- Seeing Through a New Lens: A Biblical Worldview
- Faith and Intellect as One
- Philosophy of Belonging: 4 Tips for Fostering a Diverse Culture
- Innovation in Education: Teaching Cultural Awareness
- A Call to Brotherhood: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Wisdom for Today
- CommUNITY: How Do We Love One Another?
- Campaign for CommUNITY
- How to Raise Empathetic Children in Today’s Culture
- Imageo Dei: Why Diversity Matters
Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.
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