This creative approach to Christian Education is based on Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory. Research on this theory tells us that all people possess different intelligences - visual, verbal, musical, etc. - that work together to help us learn. We all learn in different ways - the more ways we learn, the more complete the learning can be.
Using the PowerXpress Bible-based curriculum, we will explore a different Bible theme every five weeks of the school year. Over the five-week period the Bible story will remain the same, but the children will encounter it in different ways. Our new "learning center" classrooms for art, science, music and storytelling, cooking, and games will provide environments for hands-on engaging activities that will make the Bible story come to life! Each week the children will "rotate" to a different learning center so that they will have the opportunity to experience the story in different ways.
Repetition is an important part of the learning process. The more ways the children explore a story or concept, the more it is reinforced in their memories. The variety of interactive experiences offered by the PowerXpress curriculum keeps interest high throughout the rotation. Teachers can teach in the learning center where their individual gifts and passions lie. They teach the same lesson, with age-level adjustments, for the five week rotation. Each age-grouped class has monthly helpers, or "Shepherds" who stay with the class, rotating with the children to each of the learning centers. The exception to this will be our 4 & 5 year old children (pre-k or younger), who will have a dedicated classroom and teacher for each five week period.
In addition to our Faith Adventure Children's Program, offered Sundays at 10AM (during Worship Service), our we offer Confirmation Class for children in eighth grade. This class is taught by Reverend Sue Foster, with help from the Deacons and other members of our congregation. Children are confirmed during a special worship service at the end of May each year.
