QUESTIONS PARENTS ASK

The following questions have been asked by parents of students at Westgate Christian Academy, as well as by visiting parents.

What is your view on discipline?

One of the greatest challenges facing parents today is raising disciplined children. Having a healthy respect for teachers and other adults makes a child teachable. Respect and obedience are the specific qualities that allow a child to progress in school, and make the transition from a less-structured environment of preschool to the more structured classroom setting easily.
Discipline is guiding a child in the right direction.

• The parent or teacher must let the child know what is expected, and how the behavior must change.
• A consequence must be carried out immediately when there is compliance and also when there is non-compliance.
  

Describe your curriculum at WCA.

Our curriculum at WCA is comprised of three parts: hands-on, integrated and Christian. This unique blend encourages students to become inquisitive, motivated learners. They can explore their gifts and abilities to their fullest potential.

Hands-on
This hands-on learning to understand concepts is taken from the methods of Dr. Maria Montessori. Dr. Montessori studied and documented the skills children need to learn math, reading, history and geography. She then created hands-on tools to teach these skills in a concrete way. Some examples are glass beads and wooden forms to each counting and fractions, as well as shape cards and wooden puzzles to teach geography.

Integrated
Dr. Montessori introduced the concept of integrated curriculum where new concepts are taught and then reinforced through other subjects such as art, music, language, history and writing. Lessons, books, projects, and field trips focus on a single theme, such as a particular concept or period in history. For example, when students study Egypt, in math, they may make learn Egyptian number symbols; in science, they study how mummies were prepared; and in art they design and construct Pyramids.

Christian
The most foundational component of our curriculum at WCA is our Christian philosophy. It is our mission to help students to develop their God-given gifts and abilities to their fullest potential. Teachers rely on their faith each day, as they teach, encourage and discipline.

What special programs or activities do you offer at WCA?
At WCA, we are able to offer students these wonderful features that contribute to an excellent learning experience:

• Low student/teacher ratio
• Computers in the classrooms
• Spanish and Latin studies
• Field trips, drama, art, music as part of the integrated curriculum approach
• Physical Education and Winter Swimming Lessons
• Weekly chapel services
• Science Fair
• Musicals

Explain the difference between curriculum and syllabus.

Curriculum
At WCA, our curriculum is divided into geographic or historical units. Examples include a particular time and place such as ancient Greece, or the Renaissance.
Each major unit contains science, Bible, art and music sections which relate to the era. Every year, all branches of science (biology, physics, chemistry, and earth science) are studied. All the continents are studied over a two year period. Art and music accompany all units throughout the year.
Students move forward through history during the school year. This year we began with Latin America during the age of exploration and ended the year with the Modern Age of the Twentieth Century.

Syllabus
Our syllabus ensures that specific skills, such as reading, writing and math are taught in a systematic way. Students learn to count in preschool, perform simple addition and subtraction in Early Elementary, and finally learn complex multiplication, division and geometry in Upper Elementary. Syllabus lessons are related to the unit being studied within the curriculum.