CHRISTIAN CURRICULUM WIDELY USED IN AREA

Schools have changed much since the days of the one-room schoolhouse.

Teachers and administrators are regulated much differently on how they interact, teach and discipline students. The simple problems of cutting in line and pushing at the water fountain have been superseded by sexual harassment and guns in schools.

School administrators have to deal with these changes every day. They have the added responsibility of choosing a curriculum that best defines a school's teaching goals and strategies while helping students to develop in an academic environment.

Today it is all about choices, and the curriculum choices of parochial school administrations are becoming very varied.

"A lot of people with strong moral values have a need for something different, and these schools offer that," said Larry Kirby, school administrator for Cornerstone Academy, a nondenominational Christian school in Bertrand.

Kirby said Cornerstone Academy is one of five schools in Southeast Missouri and 7,000 in the United States that use the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum. The curriculum is based on the one-room schoolhouse concept and works to teach students to be self-motivated, he said. It also teaches moral values and Christian principles to students, he said.

"Each student has his own office where he or she works on their work," Kirby said. "They work at their own pace and are required to do so many pages each day."

In the ACE curriculum, workbooks have a religion-based text that teach students Bible verses as they work in each subject. "The students set goals for each workbook, and it takes 12 books to constitute studies for one year in a subject," Kirby said. "Some students work ahead, which allows them to start next year's study when they want."

The students are tested regularly, Kirby said, and cannot advance to a new workbook until they have passed a workbook comprehension test with a score of 80 percent or better.

Each student has a miniature American flag and a Christian flag in his or her office. The flags are used as signals to the instructor. When a child needs help, he places the Christian flag in the holder above his office and the teacher comes over. When a child needs to check, or score, his answers, he places the American flag in the holder and takes his work to the scoretable, where he checks his answers using the appropriate scorekey.

"This curriculum teaches them to set daily goals and work toward them," said Kirby. "ACE is more on an individual basis than other curriculums, because it prepares students for self-study.

"It's not for everybody, but it teaches students to be self-motivated and to follow instructions."

Another religion-based curriculum used in several area parochial schools is the A Beka curriculum. This system also incorporates moral and religious tenets into subject matter.

"The A Beka curriculum is not designed to teach one specific doctrine," said Beverly Smart, administrator for the Cape Christian School. "The reading program is phonics-based, and religion is incorporated into the textbooks. Sentences relate to Biblical principles." Smart said the A Beka science curriculum teaches creationism, and the history studies include historical aspects of Christianity.

St. Paul's Lutheran School in Jackson generally uses the same textbook materials as a public school, but teachers use the A Beka curriculum for the language programs.

"We think it's an excellent language series," said principal Alan Lipke. "Our general curriculum is basically Christ-centered, and of course, students are offered religious courses."

Lipke said his school relies on the teachers to help incorporate religion into the subject matter.

"Teachers in most parochial schools have a high degree of dedication," said Lipke. "They're doing the Lord's work, so they go the extra mile."

Other administrators agreed. Wesley Wrucke, principal of Trinity Lutheran School in Cape Girardeau, said his school uses a general curriculum similar to a public school curriculum, and teachers add moral and religious principles to everyday subjects. "We implement our religious beliefs and values when teaching evolution, for example, and other subjects that have a religious base."

Many parochial schools also rely on religion classes, worship time and religious leaders to help students learn religious concepts.

"We have religion class, which is considered one of our seven major subjects," said Carol Strattman, school administrator for St. Mary's Cathedral Grade School. "Students also attend Mass and various other religious observances. Parish priests also have a lot of input with students."

Many administrators said their schools may not be able to compete with public schools in the area of specialized services, but they do provide an equally strong educational foundation for students.

"It's a whole different program here than in a public school," said Kirby. "We can't provide all of the same services (public schools) do because we don't have the resources, but we don't have the same problems they have, either. Our curriculum is not for everybody, and some students do better in public school setting.

"Everybody has different ways of learning, and here everybody does their own thing in their own place at their own pace."