When you hold your baby in your arms for the first time, you know you have something special. He is a unique individual created by our Lord. Our God knew your child even while he was in the womb. This child is an individual unlike any other. The DNA in his cells, the prints on his fingers, and the very essence of his personality are his and his alone.
As you watch your little one grow, you determine to be the best parent you know how to be. You desire to make wise and Godly decisions that will mold his life according to the will of his Creator. As a parent and a teacher, I realize one of the most important decisions you will make concerning your children is the school they will attend. It goes without saying that you will desire an environment that will love and care for him, a place where he will be given opportunity to learn, and a place which is safe and wholesome in its atmosphere. As a Christian, you will seek a place where he can learn of God’s Word and develop a Godly character. But what about a place which will recognize and stimulate his personal uniqueness? For that unique and special task, you will need a school with heart.
As I have opportunity to interview prospective staff members at Pathway Christian Academy, I always ask a very important question that is essential to our method of education. Can you love a child no matter what the need? For I believe our ministry is to the individual need of each child. God considers each hair on your child’s head to be important (Matthew 10:30). God knew him before he was even born (Jeremiah 1:5). Our Lord will also one day judge him on his own merits. The only logical conclusion is that if God treats your child as an individual, then we have no choice but to follow His example.
At Pathway, we maintain that uniqueness by developing a learning program that will proceed at your child’s own precise academic level. He may be advanced in mathematics but behind in reading. Your child is tested to determine his exact level of ability and then he is given realistic goals to help him continue to excel or catch up if he is behind. Throughout the day, your child has one-on-one tutoring as needed should he hit an academic roadblock along the way. His program of learning will evolve along with his needs. Our goal is simply to encourage each individual to achieve his own potential before God. Our country needs great doctors, missionaries, teachers, and construction and factory workers. Each one has his own special place in our nation’s economy, and likewise, in God’s economy.
One of the greatest challenges of an education system is to discipline the students in all areas of life. A system of rewards is in place in order for the student to earn privileges when he shows responsibility with his academic and social requirements. Obeying the rules is a necessary part of life. Therefore, it has to be a dynamic part of the school environment. At Pathway, respect for authority is a policy of paramount importance. We expect a child to be obedient. If a child will not obey in “small things” when he is young, then when he grows older these small things will only become larger things. Teaching respect for authority through obedience is the best way we know to teach obedience to ultimate authority–God. Working with the parent, we form a ministry team to guide the student in this area.
The greatest tool for teaching character is learning to follow the rules at home and school. If a student attends Pathway and graduates with honors, but does not exhibit character, then we have failed. Teaching accomplishment through goal setting, honesty through proper scoring, perseverance through completing a task, and Godliness through the identification of over sixty character traits is instrumental to the future success of your child. Without these qualities, he has no future.
God’s Word is the core curriculum for teaching obedience. The day begins with prayer and a short devotion. Each test is not complete unless the student is able to quote the corresponding Scripture verse on his test. Our staff will answer your child’s questions about the Bible in a way that will always honor God. We all strive to be living examples of what the Bible teaches.
Why do we consider Pathway to be a school with heart? Because our staff desires to reach the mind, but we realize to truly make a difference, we must reach the heart!
NOTE: We are extremely thankful for the many excellent home schools and Christian schools serving the needs of God’s people. As the government schools sink deeper into the evils of our modern society, we urge all parents to consider the alternatives available to them in the education of their children.
Mrs. Worthington has five children and nine grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.