Academic Departments
Guideposts for achieving our Student Outcomes.
A Worthington Christian School education is an intentional education. Our education at all levels and in all disciplines is designed to foster our Student Outcomes.
BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Business & Technology Department of Worthington Christian Schools is to equip students to address the growing need for using Godly wisdom in making financial and technology decisions. Students will develop critical thinking skills through analyzing, designing, and integrating information systems. They will recognize ethical and moral implications as they interact on social networks and through general internet use. They will learn skill sets in varying areas of computer science and engineering. A student’s view of money and its use will come from studying God’s word. They will develop an understanding of the nature of business, how it operates and is managed. From that foundation, they will have the opportunity to apply fundamental money management skills to meet the demands as adults in the workplace and everyday life. This hands-on approach will allow the students to discern how to successfully use business and technology in an effective and God-pleasing manner.
Statement of Integration
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17). We are called to be good stewards. Students in the business classroom will learn stewardship through personal giving and the recognition that all our goods belong to God, and we hold them in delegated trust. Students will learn to use technology as a tool to observe, think critically, analyze, and communicate with a Godly perspective to bring Him glory.
Statement of Method
Business and technology curricular areas are ever-changing fields. The instruction in these areas demands a constant examination of the world’s view of the idea at hand and training the students to consider how that idea aligns or fails to align with the Word of God.
Curriculum maps
CHRISTIAN STUDIES
Statement of Purpose
The Scriptures exist for God to reveal himself to man so we may know him, reach for him, and be reconciled to him in all of life. For this reason, we study the Bible, theology, and Christian worldview. Foundational to all our knowledge is the truth that God loves, God creates, God reveals himself, and following our sin, God restores us and finally, he glorifies us to be with Him. This pattern of God’s work is evident in every discipline, but in Christian Studies it is made plain and overt, and by seeing it we draw near to understanding truthfully. Without this foundation, we believe that all our studies are limited in their understanding and on their own incapable of producing real meaning and value.
Statement of Integration
While we may typically think of integration as the move to merge all truth with a full understanding of God’s truth, in the Christian Studies department this task means that we work from the inside out. The mission is to begin with God’s truth and to use it to shine a light on all aspects of life. So, we begin with the story of God’s love and how his love is his motivation for all action. Moving to creation we understand that the world God created was initially perfect, as it ought to be known and experienced, but sin has now corrupted everything. Nothing is left unblemished, and this includes every other discipline and area of life. But, the gift of God’s grace through Christ and his sacrifice also means that all things, when lived by faith can be redeemed. And in the end, because of God’s love, all things will be made new by God through the work of Jesus and the power of the resurrection and new life. The Christian Studies department strives to make this pattern known first in areas we believe to be solely “theological,” but by shining a light on this pattern we move on to see that it is available in every discipline.
Statement of Method
Instruction in Christian Studies relies on a diversity of approaches to reach many different students. The work of the Christian Studies department is more than cognitive, it is spiritual, and while the methodology may begin in the mind, it must move to the heart. This requires a lovingly relational approach to instruction that is just as important as the curricular content. Teachers seek to not only instruct but to guide as students inquire, doubt and grow.
Curriculum maps
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Statement of Purpose
Our department trains students to use language to engage God’s revelation of truth. Mastery of this curriculum will enable students to communicate with insight and precision, deepening their capacity to connect with truth, people, and God. We seek to foster a lifelong appreciation for literature, which exposes students to diverse human experiences and urges them to inhabit the minds of others.
Statement of Integration
Our study of language arts is rooted in the premise that all truth, regardless of its mouthpiece, belongs to God. As the author of language, God offers us the privilege of communicating with Him and the world around us, and we use this provision to engage in his revelation of truth.
Statement of Method
As students listen, create, reflect, wrestle, perform, analyze, and discuss, they engage the heart of the language arts curriculum. Through the study of literature, we build in students a variety of close reading skills: analyzing literary techniques, distinguishing themes, and supporting analytical claims with relevant evidence from the text. In developing these skills, we equip young people with the tools to wrestle with truth claims from diverse cultures, times, and worldviews. Mastery of the writing process awards students with the ability to express ideas with clarity and grace. As students outline, draft, proofread, conference, and revise, they sharpen their ability to express ideas in writing.
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HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Statement of Purpose
As embodied people, made in God’s image, dwelling places of God’s Spirit, our bodies and our physical health matter to the Lord. We are meant to be healthy, but sin corrupts our bodies and our desires making it a difficult choice to “love the Lord with all our strength.” The health and physical education department at Worthington Christian attempts to redeem the time through the re-training of our minds and bodies to establish lifelong patterns of healthy activity, nutrition, and hygiene.
Statement of Integration
As God has made man in his image, we plainly see the glory of God through the intricacy of the human body. We are also able to see the many ways that sin has corrupted what God said was “very good.” But faithful and healthy living can be realized through informed discipline. We also seek to stand against the destructive doctrines of many programs that may idolize the body, creating an inflated view of the importance of healthy living to such an extreme that it may actually create unhealthy thoughts and behavior patterns.
Statement of Method
Our physical education program is intentionally active, providing students with opportunities for exercise and growth in fitness as well as a desire for further involvement in sports and active lifestyles.
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MATHEMATICS
Statement of Purpose
Everywhere we look at numbers and their significance surrounds us. From the chemistry going on in our bodies, to cell phones and computers we use daily, to the numbers involved in our visits to stores, to the physics unfolding before our eyes as we gaze skyward into space, numbers and their relationships describe the working of our universe which was created by the amazing God, the Father of mathematics. Number relationships enable us to discover, interpret, and invent. They supply the foundation for understanding, order, and progress. The purpose of the Mathematics Department of Worthington Christian Schools is to instruct young men and women in mathematics to train students’ minds to use logical, sequential thought processes. Mathematics will provide them with the necessary tools for competence in computational skills, problem-solving, application of mathematical principles, and use of current technology, in order to more effectively serve and glorify their Lord.
Statement of Integration
“Mathematics is the alphabet in which God has written the universe” (Galileo). Mathematics reveals the distinct and constant attributes of God. Students will learn that God is infinite, orderly, constant, accurate, and precise. God is transcendent, beyond human experience. He has no beginning or end and is not subject to limitations (Romans 1:20). He is the creator of all things and by His power, all things are held together (Colossians 1:16-17). Students learn to apply these principles to everyday life to honor Him and advance His kingdom. They will learn to compute, think critically, calculate, organize, and analyze with a Godly perspective to bring Him glory.
Statement of Method
A variety of teaching methods will help students achieve mathematical success. A high priority will be placed on discussion, the Socratic Method, and error analysis. Students will be asked to validate answers through logical arguments based on truth. Problem-solving methods will teach the students to use higher-level thought processes to determine viable solutions and to draw correct conclusions. Error Analysis will lead students to develop a deeper understanding of mathematics, thus allowing them to discover mistakes and guiding them toward a proper understanding of mathematical concepts. They will be asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to reveal mathematical truth and by so doing, they will bring glory to the Master Creator.
curriculum maps
PERFORMING ARTS
Statement of Purpose
Music and drama enrich our lives. They represent one of the most telling imprints of any civilization, self-expression that impacts a wide variety of audiences and venues and inspire the next generation of performing arts professionals.
Statement of Integration
As God created us in His image, He has given us the innate desire to create and be creative. In our performing arts classes, we instruct our students to develop skills to appropriately apply Biblical scriptures so that they can experience a deeper connection to God. These skills equip them to serve in their local church. Because God created music to evoke emotion and speak to us through His Holy Spirit, it gives both students and audiences an avenue for a deeper connection to Him.
Statement of Method
Students will be given the tools to successfully perform and critically analyze their own performance as well as the performance of others. A variety of teaching methods will be used to decode written notation form and style as well as develop oral and auditory skills and visual presentation. The culmination of these skills and experiences in every performance will build confidence, bring satisfaction and enjoyment while appreciating the beauty of God’s world.
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SCIENCE
Statement of Purpose
Each day students are exposed to the variety and vastness of the created universe. From subatomic particles of an atom to the discovery of new galaxies, Truth is revealed. The purpose of the science department of Worthington Christian Schools is to train students to discover Truth through a systematic method of experimentation, observation, and analysis. Students will learn to see the intricacies of God’s perfect design, the complexity of the simple, the creativity within the order and the connection to the world in which they live. As a result, students will be prepared to face intellectual challenges and differing worldviews, enabling them to communicate Truth and effectively serve and glorify their Lord.
Statement of Integration
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made”(Romans 1:20). His orderly, purposeful, and intelligible creation inspires scientific inquiry, revealing the true nature of God. Sin causes a discourse in the ability of man to accurately understand God’s creation. As Christ brings unifying truth to the study of science in the classroom through His word and the work of the Spirit, students will be equipped to confidently face today’s secular challenges. They will learn to observe, measure, think critically, analyze, and communicate with a Godly perspective to bring him glory.
Statement of Method
Science instruction demands experimentation. Students will ask and answer questions to stimulate critical thinking and to reveal scientific truths. Applying the scientific method, students will observe, measure and test, building an understanding of scientific principles. This will include experimental design, data collection, analysis and communication of their findings. Emphasis on exposing students to differing ideas and equipping them to evaluate, justify, and critique leads them to Truth.
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SOCIAL STUDIES
Statement of Purpose
Ever since creation God has been actively revealing Himself to mankind. Social Studies traces God’s hand at work in His world, man’s response to his working, and the resulting consequences. The Social Studies department aims to provide the tools for students to know who they are, where they came from, and how they can join God in what He is doing in the world. Students will observe, compare and evaluate geography, government, culture, and belief systems of people groups throughout the world and the effects of the interaction of these diverse cultures. Ultimately, our purpose is to engage students in the study of God’s word in such a way that they are both motivated and equipped to become productive citizens of the world, partnering with God to accomplish His purposes.
Statement of Integration
God is actively and sovereignly involved in world events. These world events are a reflection of man’s choice to either obey God and His commands or ignore them and act independently of Him. As students identify diversity in people and cultures, they also recognize that all people of every culture are created by God and bear His image and, therefore, have value. Students will be challenged to evaluate world events, world leaders, worldviews, and government systems in light of God’s truth as revealed in His Word. They will be encouraged to interact with and respond to God’s calling to join Him in the revelation of Himself to mankind and the restoration of His kingdom on Earth.
Statement of Method
A variety of teaching methods will be used. Students will compare, contrast, and analyze primary sources. They will investigate the development of communities, cultures, and geographical systems throughout the world, critically analyzing the rise and fall of civilizations and government systems. Students will be encouraged to communicate clearly, persuasively, and respectfully through both oral and written communication. They will be encouraged to question and challenge conventional thinking and seek to understand issues through the lens of God’s Word. Collaborative learning and investigation will be encouraged, and students will be asked to validate answers through logical arguments based on the truth. Students will be given the opportunity to apply what they learn in Social Studies to becoming responsible citizens of God’s world.
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VISUAL ARTS
Statement of Purpose
We study the arts to bring learning to life through connection with our affective sensibilities, to learn to see the world with greater diversity and empathy and to be challenged to think more critically about truth and honesty. The arts are unique as they require us to train our subjectivity to sense the beauty and to value what is truly glorious. The arts promote innovation, creative problem solving, and communication of ideas in forms that require new insight. Art generates parity between people and their neighbors. It reflects culture back to us for closer examination. It provides a platform for protest. And ultimately, visual art allows us to reflect back to our creative God the beauty of all that He has blessed us with.
Statement of Integration
Without beauty, without principles of color, pattern, and texture, where would we be? We all appreciate God’s Creation: the unexpectedly beautiful wildfire sunset, the swirl pattern in the rose petal by the walk, the textures of the pebbles in the creek. Genesis 1:1 says, ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.’ In the same way, being made in His image, we ourselves also make. We are amazed at Bezelel and the temple of the Old Testament, where the Lord’s priority to creative expression is shown even down to the smallest detail. We appreciate new inventions, new combinations of ideas, new ways of looking at things and experiments of men as expressing another part of our Creator. The study of art helps students appreciate the beauty of the world God has made while participating in the ongoing redemption of all things. Artists have the privilege of making many kinds of restorative gestures. Art is ultimately to help us better understand God. We want to imitate Him and be like Him. Our purpose is to ‘fill the earth and subdue it,’ restoring God’s creative purpose to the world.
Statement of Method
At Worthington Christian Schools, our emphasis is on developing the skills of the artist while also tuning the mind of the artist to think holistically about learning and academic growth. We use discussion alongside practice and creative expression to develop the artist. We visit museums and exhibits to experience the arts both historically and contemporarily. But ultimately we create. Our energy is focused on the wide range of creative pursuits and assisting students as they grow in those pursuits.