Rethinking Academics in Christian Schools: Part II

Before We Change Methods, We Must Challenge Our Mindset

In Part I, we reviewed the academic data: declining SAT/ACT norms, widening learning variability, rising student anxiety, and shifting parent expectations. Taken together, one conclusion is unavoidable:

The current learning model works great — for some students. For others, it’s been broken for a long time now.

But before we jump into schedules, instructional practices, or interventions, we have to address something deeper:

For decades, our academic mindset has focused more on delivering information than ensuring students actually learn.

Christ-centered formation and biblical worldview development are the unchanging foundation of Christian education. But the methods built on that foundation must be examined. And the first place to look is the assumptions that quietly shape our thinking.

The Mindset Shift: Learning Is the Goal, Not the Delivery of Content

Before we redesign anything, we must establish this truth:

Our job is not to cover material. Our job is to ensure students learn.

I’ve coached sports at all levels, from kindergarten to varsity. I’ve had some great seasons and some stinkers. But nothing puts a smile on my face more than a dad who puts wrist bands on his son’s 3rd grade football team so they can run 183 different plays. Running a lot of plays (poorly, I might add) is the coach’s goal in this case, not the execution, or learning, of how to actually play football.

It sounds simple, but most of us were trained — implicitly or explicitly — to prioritize planning units, delivering lessons, and getting through curriculum at a predetermined pace. Learning became something we “hoped” would happen along the way.

I lived this early in my career.

A standard classroom for the last 100+ years

How I Learned the Instructional Ropes

When I was a student teacher preparing to earn my teacher license, I carefully prepared a unit of instruction for an Algebra I class. I did what every young teacher was trained to do:

• Wrote a detailed long-range unit plan

• Created the sequence (Lesson 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, etc. and on the days they’d be taught)

• Prepared activities, quizzes, pre- and post-tests, and a final project

• Set the dates for assessments

I administered a pre-test, collected all the scores, made bar charts, and then filed it away in my instructional binder.

Outside of turning it in for a grade, I never revisited it. I never asked what the scores meant. I never considered that some students already knew much of the material.

I simply taught forward, day by day, according to the plan, as if learning would magically happen just because I covered it.

At the end, I gave a post-test and compared the two. Then I repeated the instructional cycle for the next unit.

I wasn’t teaching students, I was teaching the sequence. My plans, my way, my timeline.

And that mindset is still shaping classrooms across the country, including Christian schools.

Five Traditional Assumptions That Need Rethinking

As we rethink academics in Christian schools, these five assumptions must be challenged and reframed:

1. “Learning is proven by points and percentages.”

Points show compliance, not mastery. Students can “earn points” without ever understanding the content. Traditional instruction and grading often rewards behavior and speed, not growth or comprehension.

2. “The class should move forward when the majority is ‘ready enough.’”

This approach leaves some students behind and holds advanced learners back. Readiness is not uniform. It’s messy. Pretending that all students will just ‘figure it out’ is never a sustainable strategy.

3. “Curriculum pacing determines the learning pace.”

When the calendar dictates instruction, learning gaps accumulate and compound. Coverage becomes the goal instead of comprehension. (I can hear some teachers screaming about vertical alignment — just wait for the next few posts.)

4. “Teaching is presenting; learning is receiving.”

This mindset treats learning as a passive activity. Real learning requires cycles of practice, feedback, and real-time demonstration of learning, not just listening, note-taking, memorization, testing, and moving on.

5. “The system that worked for us should work for today’s students.”

Today’s learners face different cognitive, emotional, and cultural issues. Our students are the most labeled and diagnosed students in the history of our educational system. Every child now has something, big or small, that impairs his/her learning.

Key Questions to Begin the Shift

As leaders and educators, we must ask:

• What evidence of learning are we actually collecting?

• Do our systems reward true understanding or just task completion?

• If a student does not grasp a concept in the time allotted, how do we respond?

• Are we willing to adjust pacing based on students, not the textbook?

• How do we help teachers see themselves as learning coaches, not merely content deliverers?

Final Word

Before we redesign schedules or grading policies, we must confront the assumptions beneath them. Learning, not delivery, must be at the center of everything we do.

In the next post, we’ll look at the practical matters, namely:

How do we structure classrooms, time, assessment, and instruction to honor learning as the goal?

Teaching is not an easy profession. In fact, I think it’s harder than it’s ever been. The expectations are often unsustainable. If you’ve been a teacher, or are currently serving in the classroom, I thank you for serving God’s children. Just like with students, perfection is not the goal, but progress, reflection, and growth are the lifeblood of a true professional.