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.
Project Lead The Way
"PLTW empowers students to develop and apply in-demand, transportable skills by exploring real-world challenges. Through our pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, students not only learn technical skills, but also learn to solve problems, think critically and creatively, communicate, and collaborate. Teachers are equipped with the training, resources, and support they need to engage students in real-world learning."1
Connected for the Future
CO-WRITTEN BY DR. TIM WIENS
"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts." — C.S. Lewis
Technology is playing a more significant role in the education of today’s student. More specifically, the teaching and learning taking place within our classrooms, in many regards, is becoming more dependent upon technological innovations that historically have not been necessary to produce well-rounded, holistic students. While technology does not answer education’s great questions, we know that our students’ abilities to thrive in the 21st century are dependent upon their aptitude to think deeply and logically and to apply modern methods of problem solving that are accessible due in part to greater technological innovation.
God-Honoring Imagination
I teach physics and engineering and I coach high school robotics. While I teach very different kinds of courses at MPCS, they all have one thing in common. I am always trying to teach students how to solve problems. So, my interest was piqued when I ran across a quote this weekend, made by the esteemed twentieth-century mathematician Howard Eves:
"An expert problem-solver must be endowed with two incompatible qualities: a restless imagination and a patient pertinacity."
How to Prepare Preschoolers for a 21st-Century Kindergarten
CO-WRITTEN BY SHAUNDA BROOKS
Inside the quaint and cozy Sewell Cottage at Mount Paran Christian School, groups of preschoolers are clustered around a SMART Table. They’re learning about habitats- dragging virtual animals on the touch-screen to the correct environments and clicking to make the animals howl or cluck. The children’s giggles indicate they’re having a ball, and they don’t even realize how much they’re learning, or that they’re mastering cutting-edge technology at the age of three.
Stanley Club
While the beginning of a new year causes me to look forward with excited anticipation of what God has planned for MPCS, it also allows me to reflect on the people who have brought us to this moment in time. A school is best defined by the people who commit long-term to the mission of a place; those who share in both the growing pains and struggles that naturally come with the educational adventure, as well as the joys and rewards of seeing a mission advanced and student lives transformed.
ParentEd. – Five Tips for Studying Smarter, Not Harder
The struggle is real. When asked about the top frustrations created by the challenge of guiding their children through thirteen years of school, parents listed these roadblocks related to their child's homework and study habits: no organization, lack of work ethic, procrastination, and failure to accept responsiblity. For many families, these challenges cause frustration, tears, and disappointment.
STEAM-Training Teachers
One of the most prominent questions in education today is how can we properly prepare our students for the world of the 21st century. MPCS leadership is answering this question in many ways. As an institution striving for academic excellence and best practices for student learning and retention, MPCS has placed a large emphasis on teacher training. While we expect our children to learn curriculum, it is equally important that our staff be continual learners themselves.
Makerspace
In today’s culture, information is readily accessible on laptops or digital devices. It’s time for library media centers to make a change from the information age to the imagination age.
Integration of Art, Technology, and Music
Individually, music, art, and STEAM classes in the MPCS lower school bring excitement and smiles to the faces of our students who thrive in these creative, hands-on environments. Add in a collaborative project that moves through all three classrooms, and the energy becomes contagious.
Connected Learning Program
MPCS has launched into high-tech, collaborative learning in middle school with the introduction of the Connected Learning Program. Personal learning devices and digitalized curriculum directly support our goal to create an environment that equips students to think skillfully and innovatively with greater opportunities to expand real-world application beyond classroom walls.
Uncovering the Eclipse
BRAD SMITH (from 2017 blog, republished for the 2024 eclipse)
"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being." — Isaac Newton, General Scholium to the Principia Mathematica, 1713
As many in America prepare for the impending total eclipse taking place on Monday afternoon, the phenomenon provides an opportunity for more than just an education in science and astronomy. It is a chance to focus on the wondrous Creator who has set in motion even the unperceived features of our universe.
Innovators
Ellis Island. Bees. Computers. Bats. What could these possibly have in common? They are the winning ideas proposed to MPCS administration for the inaugural year of the Innovation in Teaching Grant. Funds raised each year from the PTF auction are typically used for classroom needs and technology. However, this year a unique approach to the use of these funds was established. PTF contributed $10,500 toward “innovation grants.”
Pre-K Full STEAM Ahead
Innovation. We hear and see it often. It’s the latest buzz word in the field of education. What does this mean for Mount Paran Christian School? And more specifically, is STEAM truly beneficial for our younger learners?
Gears in Motion
Some of the most profound and enlightening experiences a student can have in high school involve authentic encounters with industry professionals. On rare occasions, a partner-in-education extends its influence far beyond a surface effect — and the results for students can be life-altering. One such opportunity has unfolded for the students in the Concepts of Engineering class at Mount Paran Christian School.
How to Build a Roller Coaster
What's new in middle school science? STEAM collaboration and research through interdisciplinary subjects. Not only are MPCS students grasping difficult concepts in mathematics and physical science, they are having fun while doing it.
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.
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...
Project Lead The Way - 09/20/2018
"PLTW empowers students to develop and apply in-demand, transportable skills by exploring real-world challenges. Through our pathways in computer science, engineering, and...
Connected for the Future - 09/10/2018
CO-WRITTEN BY DR. TIM WIENS
"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts." — C.S. Lewis
Technology is playing a more significant role in...
God-Honoring Imagination - 03/29/2018
I teach physics and engineering and I coach high school robotics. While I teach very different kinds of courses at MPCS, they all have one thing in common. I am always trying to...
CO-WRITTEN BY SHAUNDA BROOKS
Inside the quaint and cozy Sewell Cottage at Mount Paran Christian School, groups of preschoolers are clustered around a SMART Table. They’re learning...
Stanley Club - 01/05/2018
While the beginning of a new year causes me to look forward with excited anticipation of what God has planned for MPCS, it also allows me to reflect on the people who have brought...
The struggle is real. When asked about the top frustrations created by the challenge of guiding their children through thirteen years of school, parents listed these roadblocks...
STEAM-Training Teachers - 10/20/2017
One of the most prominent questions in education today is how can we properly prepare our students for the world of the 21st century. MPCS leadership is answering this question in...
Makerspace - 10/06/2017
In today’s culture, information is readily accessible on laptops or digital devices. It’s time for library media centers to make a change from the information age to the...
Integration of Art, Technology, and Music - 09/29/2017
Individually, music, art, and STEAM classes in the MPCS lower school bring excitement and smiles to the faces of our students who thrive in these creative, hands-on environments....
Connected Learning Program - 09/08/2017
MPCS has launched into high-tech, collaborative learning in middle school with the introduction of the Connected Learning Program. Personal learning devices and digitalized...
Uncovering the Eclipse - 08/18/2017
BRAD SMITH (from 2017 blog, republished for the 2024 eclipse)
"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an...
Innovators - 08/11/2017
Ellis Island. Bees. Computers. Bats. What could these possibly have in common? They are the winning ideas proposed to MPCS administration for the inaugural year of the Innovation...
Pre-K Full STEAM Ahead - 07/27/2017
Innovation. We hear and see it often. It’s the latest buzz word in the field of education. What does this mean for Mount Paran Christian School? And more specifically, is STEAM...
Gears in Motion - 07/20/2017
Some of the most profound and enlightening experiences a student can have in high school involve authentic encounters with industry professionals. On rare occasions, a...
How to Build a Roller Coaster - 07/13/2017
What's new in middle school science? STEAM collaboration and research through interdisciplinary subjects. Not only are MPCS students grasping difficult concepts in mathematics and...
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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