St. Augustine Prep Blog
The #1 Way to Prepare Your Middle-Schooler for High School
Posted February 21st, 2020
Look beyond the books.
You know your child — he’s more than a test-taker. He’s a musician, an athlete, a future leader, a friend. He has a mind, a body, and a spirit. It makes sense that his high school education should engage his entire person. This philosophy of schooling is often called character education.
An Education Based on Values
Character education is necessarily based on values. A school’s values will translate into all areas of your child’s experience: his relationships with teachers, his activities involvement, and ultimately, his sense of self.
A faith-based curriculum seeks to maximize students’ potential through values such as leadership, passion, curiosity, and service. When a student is educated to lead and serve, his chances of success extend beyond the classroom walls. He’s not only ready for college; he’s prepared to impact the world.
Surrounded by Leaders
To become a leader, your child needs to know what a leader looks like. The most influential examples of leadership in your son’s high school will come from teachers. Teachers and faculty advisors who value character education recognize the vital importance of the student-teacher relationship. Their goal is to demonstrate traits like curiosity and passion — then identify and nourish those traits in their students.
Is your child interested in technology? Law? Business? It can be extremely beneficial for students to see and hear leaders in their respective fields of interest. A school that connects students with real-world leaders, whether through lectures or research facilities, can make all the difference in developing a student’s focus and potential.
Built to Lead, Built to Grow
To become a leader, your child also needs practice. Schools that are focused on character education know that character must be built — and that one of the best ways to do so is through service. Faith-based education has the advantage of strong connections to service — both philosophically and practically, through partnerships with the outside community.
Of course, it helps to have leadership programs within the school’s walls as well. A wide range of faculty-sponsored clubs and activities will pique your child’s particular interests and give him a space to learn collaboration and creative expression. It is in this value-conscious space where his character will begin to grow.
Learn more about character education at St. Augustine Prep
St. Augustine Preparatory School believes in education that builds character. Schedule a tour today to learn more about our leadership programs, like the Caritas Project and the Veritas Lecture Series, and the more than forty co-curricular clubs and activities available to St. Augustine students.
