Students engaged in the real world now…When asked to describe Christian Education at Northern, I frequently refer to our purpose: “Our purpose is to prepare and equip students for life by providing the highest quality Christ-centred education.”
What does ‘equipping for life’ mean? I still remember being challenged in my first year of teaching at a Christian school by a parent who felt that I was not seeing ‘equipping for life’ as also ‘equipping for now’. I had created a colourful Year Book submission, with two pages of photos of students each holding a blackboard with what they would like to be in the future. It was an eye-catching page, especially when you have Year 1 students who were smiling in every picture! Her child had written on his blackboard that he wanted to be kind and to help others. I was very thankful for this parent who spoke up, and it was a potent reminder that often, as educators, we focus on the ‘future’ and not on the ‘now’ as well. We know that most Australian families believe that the purpose of schools is to equip students with an educational basis and prepare students for employment. Martin Hanscamp, a well-known educator and advocate for Christian education, articulated that schools can cover literacy and numeracy. Still, schools have a much richer job than straightforward job preparation: “Schools are not places that simply prepare students for adult life as if a child at school is not already living in the real world. Schools are microcosms of life, places where students solve problems, settle disputes with each other, learn about their gifts, and so on, as in adult life.”
For us at Northern Christian School, equipping for life refers to a broad and deep educational purpose. We seek to provide the highest quality Christian education that prepares and equips students for life now and in the future. Our deep hope is that our students will be prepared for life in all its richness and variety, both while they are at school and after they leave. We want our students to be equipped as life-long learners – trustworthy, committed, informed, discerning, critical citizens, wise consumers of goods, services, and entertainment, friends, parents, community members, and leaders, sports players and leisure seekers. We want them to understand and be transformed by the gospel in all areas of life. We encourage them to be servant-hearted and hope that they will love their neighbours (local and global) We work to equip them to be responsible and caring stewards of God’s creation. Miss Bethany Armstrong - Principal
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