In the Classical tradition, the final stage of education after Grammar and Logic is called the Rhetoric Stage. If you are unfamiliar with classical education, Rhetoric school is the high school equivalent. At VCS, we are so excited to be adding the Rhetoric school, initiating the first grade of high school in the fall. This is a very exciting stage of growth, as Classical education truly culminates in these final years - everything the students have been learning and have been shaped by begins to bear fruit. 

As a part of introducing our Rhetoric school, we would like to present the following as a “Portrait of a Graduate.” It will be a few more years before we have our first Valley Classical School graduates. But a critical piece of building this final stage of our classical school was starting at the end and working backwards. A team met together over a series of weeks to flesh out, name, and to dream and pray about what we hope our future graduates would look like. We want to present these prayers and hopes for our future graduates, acknowledging that this vision is the telos - the ultimate goal for our future students, and how we believe the Rhetoric school will operate towards this end. This portrait is not a model of a perfect student, but a vision for everything we hope God might shape them to be. We also want to acknowledge that these hopes for our graduates will be arduous, as VCS exists to cultivate the hearts, souls, and minds of our students for the glory of God, and that is not without struggle and difficulty. We do not want to graduate students who think they are perfect, but students who have a deep and accurate knowledge of God and themselves. We are building a new stage of our school, with broken people in a broken world, but we are hopeful that God’s grace will cause us to raise up agents of reconciliation who will leave VCS, going out into the world cultivating beauty, bringing life and peace to the people, times, and places God sends them. 

That being said, here is our portrait of a VCS graduate - the telos, highest goal, culmination of what a student who graduates from Valley Classical School will by God’s grace, be shaped by and be prepared for the rest of their lives. 

Students Oriented Towards God - Knowledge of God and Self 

We want our students to develop an ongoing ability for healthy self-awareness and a deep hunger for understanding more of God. We believe that when we understand who God is, that He is our Creator, our Savior, and the source and end of all truth, goodness, and beauty, then we can see all of our work as worship unto Him.  Alongside that, a right understanding of who we are as humans results in us being able to appreciate the givenness of all of our abilities (mind, soul and body), a comprehension of the inherent dignity we and our neighbors have as image-bearers of God, and a better consciousness of our responsibility to steward what we have been given. 

We pray that an accurate knowledge of self, and a lifelong desire to know more of God together moves students towards a life of wisdom and virtue. Our prayer is that our graduates would humbly orientate themselves towards the people, ideas, and stories from the past; engage faithfully, generously, and empathetically with the present in their communities, work, and worship; and to begin to prudently move towards the future with wisdom, curiosity, courage, and hope.

Students With a Hunger to Learn - Curriculum in the Rhetoric Stage 

At VCS, we view curriculum as the pathway on the journey of education. We believe in cultivating a good path  from K to 12th grade, that students will complete at the end of the Rhetoric stage by crafting and defending a Senior Thesis. Curriculum in the Rhetoric stage goes deeper and broader than in the Grammar or Logic stage. It is designed to allow students to taste and see the wonder of science, the elegance of math, the complex beauty of languages, the intrigue of ideas in the great conversation of literature, and the perspective of ancient to modern history. We have been training students all the way through the grades to get to this level, and now we give them opportunities to enjoy their studies since the base from Grammar and Logic has been set for them. Their thesis will be the conclusion of their K-12th education, as an apologetic, classical, relevant defense that the student will develop throughout their junior and senior year. We see this thesis as more than a capstone project, but a culmination of their Trivium journey and a powerful and beautiful way to use every stage of education to present what they are passionate about. 

Students who are Holistic and Healthy - Habit Formation in the Rhetoric Stage 

Though we hope that students retain the content of our carefully considered curriculum, we know that the habits, patterns, and liturgies that are formed during their years at VCS will remain far into the future. We desire holistic, healthy habits for our students: for their bodies, minds, and souls. Our aim is that VCS students graduate with a clear understanding of the patterns of work and rest that God gifted and designed for His creatures. Some of those patterns are practiced on campus with beginning the day in worship; a pattern of prayer woven throughout the day; and the continuous training of students to deeply engage with classmates, content, and discussions. Across grades, it is one of VCS’s highest priorities to work with teachers who are worth imitating as they lead class and disciple students in these liturgies. In the Rhetoric school, additional patterns will be developed through an intentional combination of structured class time and unstructured play or rest time during the campus days. 

Because VCS is a collaborative model, in working with families, other habits are cultivated at home. We hope to equip families with the same culture of training students  to engage and wrestle with an idea from beginning to end through deep and hard work in order to be able to taste the good fruit on the other side of that struggle. Families are encouraged to practice this habit of working from rest through the VCS weekly liturgies. Though a VCS Rhetoric week is full, if it is run well, it also allows for family evenings spent together without homework, an ability to rest on the Sabbath, and time to explore other interests and serve the community. We earnestly pray that as families and the school partners together, the Holy Spirit will bring fruit from these liturgies, for the good of the student.

Looking forward - Our prayer for the future

As we embark on the final stage of building VCS into a PreK-12th grade school, we pray that God will continue the good work that He started and shape VCS into a school community that blesses the lives of these Rhetoric students, their families, and the teachers during the last four years of their education with us. We are praying that this gift of education our students receive will be able to help them see God's goodness and faithfulness, to have the courage to help bring God’s restoration to our broken world, and to know God's voice saying "You are My child, whom I love". Please join us in praying that this might be so.

In many ways, I think an education - particularly a Classical Education - is like a scalpel. When wielded with wisdom, understanding born of toil and time, with the intent to heal and restore, it leads us to living what is true, good, and beautiful - walking humbly with the Lord our God. 

However, a scalpel in the hands of a clumsy, arrogant, or unpracticed surgeon can lead to great harm and devastating consequences. 

The difference between the two is not the knife itself, it is the person holding it - it is the lessons lodged in the psyche garnered by suffering, complexity, and time. (I’m married to a doctor, so maybe this is why the analogy of the scalpel resonated so deeply with me.)

I, too, was raised in a Christian home that prioritized Classical education. For much of my adult life, I have been grappling with what I was taught to do with the “scalpel” that was handed to me. So often, the desire behind my learning of great literature or complicated theology was a subtle superiority and a desire for certainty and “being right.” The scalpel I was handed gave me a tool to damage relationships by both pride and callousness. My posture was not one of humble inquiry and graciousness. 

But… it also gave me a hunger for Truth, for learning, and a love for things that “make sense”. As I am teaching your 5th-8th-grade kiddos, this tension is always in my mind. Getting to have a practice run at parenting with a Kindergartener this year has pushed me to analyze what sort of motive and framework I might want to give to her… and, by nature of my current profession as a teacher and school coordinator, what I hope to build within our school. 

As parents and as teachers, I think sitting with this tension can be a useful guide for us. 

However your school year has gone up to this point, I want us to pause for a moment today, remind ourselves that we are here by the grace of God, together, to love these students and press towards Wisdom, healing, restoration, and to rejoice that God “remembers our sins and lawless deeds no more.” 

Here is my list of what I prayerfully imagine for our students and pray is a reality for them: 

• We will lead them in the essential work of caring deeply about what is right and wrong, truth and falsehood, fairness and injustice, helpful and harmful, selfish and unselfish. But we will also remind them that even if people do wrong, they are still worthy of love as bearers of the Imago Dei.  

• We will lead them in understanding the values of excellence, the pride of doing one’s best, (in a carefully curated sense) the value of competition and winning. We will simultaneously warn them of the dangers of pride and superiority, and of the dangerously addictive power of winning, and we will teach them about the precious lessons that often come through loss, defeat, and failure. 

• We will teach the value of study and learning as an expression of our love for God, for others, and for ourselves - developing our minds and other capacities to their highest potential for the glory of God and service of His Church. 

• We will help our children develop critical thinking, honest questioning, and the ability to challenge and critique. We will help them critique and challenge without hate or disrespect, driven instead by love for the truth and for the common good. Love for God and love for others requires this kind of critical thinking. 

• We will guide them as they turn their eyes inward and face their own hypocrisies, their own shadows, their own blind spots, not to foster self-hatred or self-condemnation, but as a way of remembering that “He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” In this way, our children can learn to critique both others and themselves with the same graciousness and loving gentleness as Christ. “I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds...and I will remember their lawless deeds no more.” 

For thought and discussion: 

• Reflect on the analogy of Classical Education as a scalpel. How do you desire your child’s education to “heal and restore”? 

• What would you add to the list of things you pray for your children’s/students’ education?

• How do I want ____ subject to shape my children/students? 

• What are some areas the students collectively excelling at that subject right now? In what ways can they collectively improve? 

As a teacher, our day to day is filled with many periods of waiting. Though we accomplish a great deal with our students, that hard work is mixed with these times of waiting: waiting for students to all arrive, for students to finish assignments or tests, for students to be picked up at dismissal, among other things. Through my years of teaching, these times of slower pace have instilled more patience in me, as well as in my students. Our day runs most smoothly when all students are present and ready to learn. 

However, we know that students, and teachers, work in different manners and at different paces. Additionally, there are circumstances that prevent us all being physically present each day. When we are present, we’re not always engaged and ready for the school day. When this happens, we (both the students and I) have a unique opportunity. Instead of becoming frustrated or impatient with others or circumstances, we can demonstrate a servant’s heart and love when we extend grace and patience to those around us. 

Through the years, when the classroom’s daily rhythm is upset by absences, disengagement, or other circumstances out of my control, by God’s grace, I’ve learned how to better model love and patience for my students. However, as a teacher, there’s one area where I often find my heart growing impatient: a student’s progress, or rather lack of progress. If I have a student who’s struggling, whether it be behaviorally or academically, as the teacher I start to analyze and problem solve how to best help the student. It’s my job to help them navigate difficulties and persevere through the hard. When I’m unable to help the student come through the struggle and out on the other side, or  when my prayers and efforts seem fruitless, I find myself becoming impatient - with myself, my student, the circumstance, or even at times with God. My desire is to encourage and walk alongside students, especially in the difficult times. However, when it’s hard to see the light at the tunnel, it can be easy to lose hope and lose sight. I find it especially difficult to be patient in the waiting, when I see the student working hard, when the parents are committed and supportive, and when I have implemented all of the ideas and strategies I can come up with. As an educator, and as a human, these are the times where I tire of waiting to see what will happen, or how God will work.

The struggle I've faced in learning how to weather these circumstances as a teacher, have only expanded this past year, with the current climate of our communities and the pandemic’s effect upon them. I’ve found myself asking, “How long will this last?” or “When will it get better?” or even “Will this ever end?” Similarly to how I would approach a student experiencing difficulty, I have looked at our current reality and the pandemic with an analytical mind and tried to find ways to persevere through, and live well day to day. Though it probably comes as no surprise to anyone, I was unsuccessful, in my own efforts, to find the formula for what I could do to make it all better. However, God, in His rich love and mercy, brought me back to Him, and used scripture to encourage my spirit as I wrestled with these things. 

Back in the early fall, our church introduced a new song, “I Will Wait For You,” by Shane & Shane. I was already familiar with this song, God brought new life to the words as I sang them. A short time later, my husband and I led this song in congregational worship, and as we practiced, the words continued to penetrate and speak to my heart in new ways. 

God will meet me where I am. 

Psalm 130:1-2

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

    O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

    to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

“I Will Wait for You”-Verse 1

Out of the depths I cry to You

In darkest places I will call

Incline Your ear to me anew

And hear my cry for mercy Lord

The beginning of the psalm and the song showed me that we don’t always cry out to God from the mountain top, when the sun is shining, and all is well. There are many times when what we are facing is dark, hard, and deep, and God knows this, understands this, and loves us in this. He meets us where we are. 

My satisfaction comes from Him, and is in Him.

Psalm 130:5-6

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits

    and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

“I Will Wait for You”- Chorus 1

I will wait for You, I will wait for You

On Your word I will rely

I will wait for You, surely wait for You

Till my soul is satisfied

As the psalmist cries out, he declares his reliance on the Word and puts his hope in God. The waiting on God doesn’t produce impatience, but rather satisfaction in God and Who He is. These words struck a chord, and continue to do so, as they challenge me to rely solely on God. When I am waiting, I can find true satisfaction, true hope, and true joy, because of God and His character and goodness. It has nothing to do with me or what I can do or accomplish. 

Even in my waiting, I can be active in trusting and delighting in God.

“I Will Wait for You” - Chorus 2

I will wait for You, I will wait for You

Through the storm and through the night

I will wait for You, surely wait for You

For Your love is my delight

Waiting often seems like a passive state to me. However, as the song and psalm demonstrate, there is action in waiting when we choose to actively pursue God. When we choose to trust Him, we are not being passive and wasting time. We are standing back, waiting on Him, expecting Him to work, and delighting in His goodness and love towards us. 

Through reading this passage of scripture and singing this song many times, God has worked on my impatient heart and opened my eyes to the beauty of waiting on Him. Whether I’m working to help a student, or living through a pandemic, there is joy to be found when I’m waiting on the Lord, and not just waiting for my desired outcome. As He so often does, God lovingly reminded me that I must continually shift my heart and focus back to Him. I will not experience any of His goodness when I’m centered on my own efforts, ideas, and outcomes. Only when I can surrender my will to Him, can I know true peace and true satisfaction. When I choose to rest and reside in His steadfast love, will I be able to know and experience the joy and beauty of waiting.

As a first-year teacher fresh out of college and new to VCS, I feel that it would be best for me to share with our readers some of the things that I have been learning this year. There is an excellent little Latin motto you may have seen before that actually comes from the writings of Seneca (c. 1 B.C. - A.D. 65) which reads: Docendo discimus. It simply means, “By teaching, we learn”. 

This has certainly been the case for me since August, and, given that I don’t have years of experience teaching, I think it will be most beneficial for me to share what I’ve been learning rather than attempting to share the wisdom which I have yet to attain. To make it simple, I have summarized some of my findings into three simple reflections. 

1) Be patient.

I have always been an overachiever and someone who strives to be on top of things in advance. However, one thing that has challenged me about teaching this year is trying to accommodate myself to many new things without having the time or ability to master it all in advance. The real-life challenge is that I am learning the curriculum while trying to teach it to the students. Granted, I have a degree in the subject and they do not (lest you started to panic there for a minute!), but I am still learning the ropes of something new and challenging. And that simply takes time. While I would like to learn everything quickly, master it, and then feel competent at my job, that’s just not how life or teaching works. Mastery and skill are attained over time through constant practice and work, and teaching is no exception. 

One of my professors, who is also a mentor and good friend of mine, gave me the stark encouragement that first-year teaching is analogous to boot camp: you only go through it once. It’s an uphill climb, and it takes longer to get comfortable with it than you think it should, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The light may be a couple of years out, though, in all honesty. And in the meantime, I have been learning the value of being patient with myself and the virtue of perseverance in the task at hand, even if I feel I am only a few steps ahead of the students at any time. 

2) Be enthusiastic.

It may sound redundant, but students will perform better in a classroom where the teacher is enthusiastic about the material. Fortunately for me, I studied History, Christian Studies, and Music in college, and I have the opportunity to teach many of those very things I studied, which is simultaneously what I love and enjoy. This doesn’t mean that I am always thrilled about what we have to do in class each week, but I have seen that when I bring enthusiasm to the topic, it tends to invite enthusiasm from my students, too. 

For example, I have been teaching the story of the Trojan War from Homer’s Iliad to the students in my 5th Grade Humanities class. If taught poorly, this can be a tedious tale full of characters with confusing names and a long, complicated plot. However, if taught well, it can be an epic story featuring heroes, war, tragedy, romance, and deep questions about life and human nature. I have actually really enjoyed teaching this story this year because I recall being their age myself when I was learning the story of the Trojan War. When I was that age, I loved it so much that my siblings and I enacted the characters and pretended we were them. As a teacher, I have sought to channel this enthusiasm for the story in my teaching of it, and I have seen the students get very involved in the story and enjoy it. That is honestly one of the best rewards I have had so far - the reward of seeing the students enjoy and appreciate something that I enjoy and am enthusiastic about. The simple touch of enthusiasm can bring a subject to life as surely as a touch of tedium can kill it. 

3) Be grateful. 

Finally, I have been reminded of the importance of being grateful. 2020 has certainly been a tough year, and it has been very easy to fall into ingratitude along the way at many points. However, I have sought to remind myself of all of the things I can be grateful for in the midst of that. While this is something that I have learned as a teacher, it is not at all limited to teaching. As a teacher, I have a lot to be grateful for: I have a job that I love and enjoy, families that are very cooperative and easy to work with, students that are attentive and respectful, and a school setting that has been able to maintain in-person learning for 16 weeks so far without having to go remote. All of those are blessings this year. Furthermore, there are countless little scenes, moments, and events to be thankful for such as random words of encouragement from parents and other teachers or moments when I get to see the students’ enthusiasm for learning stand out clearly. My goal is to take none of these for granted. 

Reflecting on 2020 as a whole in a moment of particular stress and frustration, I was tempted to wish that I could just nix the whole year and flow seamlessly from a time of past normalcy into a time of future normalcy - to just skip over this hectic and discouraging in-between. Then I realized all of the many blessings and graces I have experienced this year at VCS and elsewhere, and my perspective changed. 

I thought to myself that if the only way to experience those moments of happiness, joy, and good memories this year was to experience them alongside and through the pain and frustration of 2020, then I would rather choose that - good and bad together - than throw out the good with the bad. Even if that is a hypothetical dilemma and none of us actually get the luxury of choosing, it was still a moment of reflection for me that reminded me of the necessity of stopping to intentionally be grateful to God. 

***

I’ve now spilled more than enough “ink” on describing a few things I’m learning this year. I can only hope my students are learning as much, though I will leave that in the hands of qualified parents to answer. ;-) While it is true that we don’t know what we don’t know, I’m thankful that God (and coworkers, mentors, and parents!) are gracious to teach us slowly and patiently over time. Truly, docendo discimus. I’m no exception!

I tried something new this year with 3 of my 4 science classes. We grew bioluminescent bacteria. I am embarrassed to tell you the amount of time I have spent this fall keeping glow-in-the-dark microbes alive...and the number of protests I have received from members of my household about the incubation of bacterial species in our oven. We all know that scientists are eccentric- but I insist that individuals who bridge the gap between science and middle school education must make unique sacrifices combined with creative innovation somewhere on the order of Miss Frizzle. So why all this fuss? Because one of the key goals of Classical education is to instill wonder and awe in our students...and what better way than to let them hold their very own vial of bioluminescent bacteria? I felt it important to look for a way to include this activity in our study of symbiosis because I remember my own amazement when my molecular biology class performed a similar lab in college. I think I was supposed to remember important information about the bacterial genome and RNA splicing, but what I actually remember was pulling my plates out of the incubator and being floored by how beautiful such tiny and seemingly unassuming organisms could be. To press the matter further, I also believe these tiny organisms have something to teach us as Christians about community and connection. 

John Mays, author of the textbook we use for 7th grade science, shares a similar sentiment in his book about teaching science. He writes, “Science provides us with an excellent forum in which to love our neighbor, and in which to learn what loving our neighbor means.” If there has been a year in my lifetime where I have felt more keenly the need to press into what it means to “love my neighbor,” I cannot remember it. The spectrum of opinions regarding the election and COVID-19 have brought this issue to the forefront of my brain- and to the forefront of theological and political discussion in the world at large. While I am not here to outline specific behaviors or principles that I believe define precisely what it means to love our neighbor, I do think this little organism, Vibrio fischeri, might give us some things to ponder as we seek to live well in God’s world. 

In her 2009 TED Talk, Bonnie Bassler, a microbiologist at Princeton University who studies cell-to-cell communication in bacteria, shared her lab’s discoveries in what we now call “quorum sensing” (where are my Latin scholars at :). Before we jump into quorum sensing, let’s talk about Vibrio fischeri, the species that Dr. Bassler studies, and how its incredible symbiotic relationship works. This is literally the coolest. These bacteria live on the underside/belly of Hawaiian Bobtail squid. The squid prefers shallow water and does most of its exploring/hunting at night. From a predation standpoint, swimming around in shallow water at night is a suicide mission- your shadow is clearly visible. So how does the squid get around this problem? It has a special shutter-like organ on its belly that houses the bacteria. This shutter flushes them out in the morning, and then allows the few remaining Vibrio to slowly replicate during the day while the squid is asleep. At night, the squid opens the shutter and light is emitted. Now if that’s not amazing enough, get this. The amount of bioluminescence emitted is based on the amount of light detected from special sensors on the squids back that assess the amount of moonlight/starlight above. In response, the bacteria release exactly the amount of light that matches the light from above. Incredible. This led Dr. Bassler’s laboratory to ask, how do the bacteria know when to turn on the light? And how do they know how much light to make? 

Here is where the discovery of quorum sensing comes in. They found that Vibrio fischeri makes a special hormone that sends a signal saying, “This is me, I am here!” As the bacterial cells grow, they are all making this hormone that is being released into the environment where their neighboring bacterial cells can recognize its presence. These neighboring cells are able to recognize the “This is me, I am here!” molecule because they also have special receptors on their cell surfaces that fit the “this is me!” hormone perfectly, like a lock and key. When this molecule reaches a certain amount, which tells the bacteria something about the number of neighbors present, the receptors absorb it into the cells and they collectively turn on their light. Dr. Bassler explains, “Why this is interesting is because in the past decade, we have found that this is not just some anomaly of this ridiculous, glow-in-the-dark bacterium that lives in the ocean -- all bacteria have systems like this. What we now understand is that all bacteria can talk to each other. They make chemical words, they recognize those words, and they turn on group behaviors that are only successful when all of the cells participate in unison. So now we have a fancy name for this: we call it quorum sensing.” 

Where am I going with all of this? To tie theology to bacteriology- the Body of Christ functions in a Christ-like way when all the parts participate in unison. In addition, there are human parallels to the Vibrio fischeri with their  “Here I am!” hormone, which requires the bacteria cells around them to be producing signals as well before they can truly orient themselves. We need each other to know something about ourselves. Paul’s writing reflects this idea throughout his letters to the Corinthians, insisting that if one part is hurt, the others are hurt too (1 Cor. 12:26), and that one believer’s sin is the lapse of all (1 Cor. 6). He holds them accountable as a group, a family whose lives are connected and held together by the gospel. Pain and sin belong not only to the individual, but to the Church as a whole. In his essay, On Being a Human Body, Rowan Williams describes it this way, “Living in the Church entails the difficult knowledge that my identity as a believer is not my business alone and that I am affected by the failure of another. Christians live in one place as members of the Body- for good and ill. No one resolves the question of their salvation alone.” 

I think God has designed humans with the capacity to know ourselves and Himself better in the context of relationships with others. To allow ourselves to be known by another person is hard stuff- but it is the gold transformative relationships are built on. Marriage comes to mind as a profound example, reinforced by it’s covenantal nature. God relates to Israel through covenant, we in turn relate to each other through binding relationships. Later in his essay, Williams expounds on why this process is so hard, “So this is a body in which the vulnerability of the whole organism is accepted, in which there is normally no quick solution to the problem of disease or suffering...Healing the Body of Christ, in Paul’s perspective, seems to be a long job, one in which everyone involved is summoned to self-scrutiny in their relationships with others.” To circle back then, how does this connect to loving our neighbors? Perhaps loving our neighbors and living in community begins with having the courage to say in openness and vulnerability, “Here I am! This is me!” Staring at my own self with genuine authenticity is hard work, but allowing another to do so is an act of unprecedented courage. My prayer for us as believers, and families who are seeking to labor together in the education of young minds- is that we would lean towards each other with love, grace, and gratitude knowing we are healing as the Body of Christ together. We are laboring together towards the Kingdom of God being a present reality in our lives and in our world. Even more specifically, I pray my students would learn the beauty of being known and treasured as a part of this beloved community, and they would see God’s presence clearly in the precious masked face sitting next to them.

1. John Mays, Teaching Science So That Students Learn Science: A paradigm for Christian Schools, (Austin: Novare Science and Math Publishing, 2018), 12. 

2. Bassler, Bonnie. 2009. “How Bacteria ‘Talk.’” Filmed February 3-9, 2009 in Long Beach, California. TED video, 17:56. https://www.ted.com/talks/bonnie_bassler_how_bacteria_talk?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare.

3. Williams, Rowan, “On Being a Human Body,” In Sewanee Theological Review; 1999; 42, 4; ProQuest Religion pg. 403.

Below is an email from our 6th-7th grade Humanities teacher, Danae Edsall, to her co-teachers, following up on a campus day class discussion. One parent forwarded it on: “I love the tone of her email -- one of humility and compassion but also boldness in not shying away from complicated/hard topics.” 

Read it for a glimpse of 2 things we aim for at VCS:

• a rich trinity of relationships between parents, campus teacher, and students

• a classroom environment of discussion that digs into the big-picture insights and nitty-gritty applications of the books we read

It is shared here on the blog with Mrs. Edsall’s permission. 

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Good afternoon 7th Grade Co-Teachers,

I hope you're all doing well today! I wanted to share a bit of our class conversation with you all as it concerns a topic you may wish to follow-up with your student about: suicide and salvation. I first want to provide the context for the conversation, as well as my response to it, in the event that your student should bring it up, or that you choose to bring it up with your student. If, after reading this email, you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to ask, and I'd be happy to set up a meeting!

For context: today during our Literature time in Humanities class, we discussed our Pilgrim's Progress readings through page 164, which, if you've been reading along, means that we have followed Christian and Hopeful through their capture, imprisonment, and escape from the Giant Despair's dungeons. When they're in the prison, they are told by the Giant to give up all hope and to “carry themselves away”' (aka, commit suicide), as they will never find freedom from his dominion otherwise. Christian and Hopeful, both very upset by this proposition as well as by their current imprisoned state, debate the matter; in the end, Hopeful encourages Christian to stay his hand by reminding him of several truths (i.e., that murder is a sin, that they ought not to become murderers, that Christian has been brave in the past and ought to continue being brave now, etc), and they are eventually freed from the prison by the “key of Promise” which Christian discovers on his person. 

In my opinion, it's actually a beautifully written passage that deals both lovingly and firmly with the prospect of 'suicide-to-escape-imprisonment' -- a topic which may seem simple but can be in fact very complex for Christians of all ages to ponder and discuss. 

This part of our Literature discussion prompted a follow-up conversation about whether or not someone who commits suicide goes to heaven. This question has occupied hundreds of thousands of hours of discussion over the centuries, and is a topic about which there seems to be even varying beliefs among Christians. On top of the theological complexity of the question are the numerous psychological, spiritual, emotional, social, mental, and moral implications that the topic of suicide can stir up. 

As someone who has lost two family members to suicide, I feel particularly sensitive to this topic -- both from a desire to see mental health destigmatized in conversation among Christians and from a desire to respect and dignify the curiosities and genuine questions your Logic School students may have about this complex and very real issue. Furthermore, I am committed to the belief that education (in all content areas) is primarily the parents' role, especially as it regards personal and spiritual conversations such as this one, and that you all, as their parents, likely know best how to discuss this topic with your students. I care deeply about the health and safety of each of your students, and want them to explore and wrestle with life's hard questions with the foundation of Christ's redemptive work and omnipresence as their hope-giving guide. 

To these ends, then, our class conversation was grounded in what we could know from Scripture and from the lives of the saints. We talked about the Ten Commandments, as well as Christ's words in the New Testament to sum up the laws; we discussed God's omnipotence and mercy beyond our comprehension to forgive all sin. We were reminded of the personal nature of salvation and of God's sole intimate knowledge of each believer's heart and soul. We even tried to examine the question from different angles or justifications (e.g., what if the world is too painful a place to live, is suicide okay then to get to God sooner?), and we revisited Scripture's teachings on suffering and enduring the trials of this world with patience, fortitude, and faithfulness. 

I don't know that we ultimately answered the original question of the destination of someone who commits suicide, but we did conclude that murder -- of self or others -- is sinful and should not be pursued. I tried to stress that this is an incredibly complex question/situation, one that we have to treat with seriousness, compassion, and humility. 

I consider it God's providential guidance that we were able to look to Bunyan's great work to help guide our conversation: at the point when we, as a class, seemed most 'stuck' in this question, we looked at Hopeful's response to Christian's most desperate moment, and then to their eventual deliverance (by the "key of Promise"), which was a beautiful way for us to transition from the despair that talking about suicide can bring, to the less tense topic of discussing ways that we are encouraged by "the Promise" and what "the Promise" might look like in real life. I asked your students to reflect on (internally) a time that they were in a hard place, and to remember how they were encouraged in that time. I shared a few examples from my own experience -- i.e., that Scripture and hymns are often ways I'm reminded of "the Promise" or of what is true when I'm in a difficult situation. I didn't ask them to share these, as I didn't want any of them to feel pressured to make up an answer, or to share a personal answer with their peers if they weren't ready to do so, but it may be something to bring up with them at home.

I am praying even now that our conversation today was truth-filled and encouraging. You know your students best, and you may want to ask your student about this conversation at some point tonight or later this week, as it may rattle around mentally and not come out verbally without prompting. I don't know all of your families or your personal experiences with the subject of suicide, nor do I need to per se, but I do want your students to feel confident in their faith and their ability to talk about this topic with you all. I am praying for wisdom and charity for each of you all as you consider this topic and how to discuss it with your students if they are curious.

In closing, I was extremely impressed by how well your students handled the conversation today: they were respectful, patient, and humble as they asked questions and discussed our various tangential comments. This seventh grade group is so dear to my heart, and I thank you, parents, for how you've trained their hearts to be soft to truth and eager for justice and faith -- all of which was plainly evident to me during our discussion today.

I apologize for how long this email has gotten -- it was my intention to keep it brief. Please reach out if you have any concerns about how I handled it, or if you would like to discuss this topic further. I am grateful for each of you, and am excited to continue to partner with you this year in teaching and learning with your seventh grade students!

Blessings,

Danae

Why dress as a bird for school? Why drop off a bale of straw with your student? Why transform a classroom into a fantasy banquet hall?

One unique thing that we do at Valley Classical School is hold book parties. A book party, according to us, is a class celebration when a certain read-aloud is finished. Students are invited to dress up as their favorite character from the book. Parents and staff plan activities, snacks, and decorations to fit the story. 

The goal? To bring the stories of literature to life. 

At least, that’s one way to answer the question of, “Why book parties?”

To get a more complete answer, we asked our teachers and staff to share their perspectives. Their answers have some common themes, but also some unique highlights:

Book parties are the perfect way for the students to celebrate after finishing a book. They have the opportunity to remember all the best parts of the book with games, food, and crafts related to the story. The Pre-K students really enjoy dressing up as Stuart Little, Snowbell the cat, or even Margalo the bird, and digging through trash, shooting a bow and arrow, and eating yummy book-related treats.

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Students cultivate a love of reading by celebrating a book we’ve read together in class. They also encourage reading comprehension as students listen for silly characteristics or scenarios of characters in the book to represent at our party. Time for book parties in class is time well-spent!

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Book parties bring the book to life -- hopefully spurring the interest to read other books, to open thoughts of creativity in one's own writing. The kids really like dressing up as the characters.  They always have fun making the projects that have been created to go along with the book.  They enjoy the downtime interacting with their friends. In The Cricket in Times Square, the kids really enjoyed the animal characters and their friendship.

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Our read-aloud literature time is a time for students to sit, listen to good books, develop their listening skills, and just enjoy a good story. It is fun to stop and discuss the story, the characters, the themes, and the things that make these books interesting. We get to make predictions as well as make connections to our own lives. Being able to wrap up a good book, with a celebration of what we've read, is a wonderful way to instill a love of learning in our students.

By having book parties, the students get to pretend they are a character for the day, each fun snacks that remind them of the story's events, and do activities that engage their minds and take them back to the book! In 2nd grade, our book Peter Pan and Wendy, offers a whimsical and adventurous story filled with excitement, danger, and fun. It's a great way to start our year in literature, and the perfect story to dress up to and celebrate!

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One of the many things that make these book parties worth it and why I love them is because it's a group celebration! The whole class gets to experience the book read aloud to them at the same time, we all look forward to the party together, and the party is enjoyed together as a class. I appreciate this more than a book report or a solo book project because it keeps the purpose of good children's literature -- wonder, awe, enjoyment -- at the center; and wonder, awe, and enjoyment are even more impactful when multiplied and shared with friends. 

Book parties are awesome because the sole purpose is enjoyment. I structure my daily schedule so we read our book at the very end of the day, making it so that reading and literature is a reward, something to look forward to, a delightful way to finish a long day of work. Likewise, the book party is the perfect way to celebrate completing the book, and enjoying it for pleasure's sake! It is good for our students to taste and see the pleasures of feasts, and celebrations that exist simply for the goodness of wholesome enjoyment. While they may not fully know it in the moment, I think the highest goal of the book parties is ultimately pointing these students to taste and see the good pleasures God delights to give, the banquets He prepares for us. When I see the looks of pure glee on their faces at our book party, I can't help but think of what God must feel when he gives us good gifts for no reason at all but for us to enjoy them! 

A few things my students like about book parties: looking forward to something for weeks, getting a special day set aside for your own class's party, and finishing your schoolwork early for such a fun break from the normal, scheduled, rhythm of a typical campus day -- all of this feels extra special when you're a young student. My students start talking about what character they will dress up as and what treats from the book they hope to see long before we finish the book -- so I think there's something to be said for the expectancy of the book party just as much as the party itself! 

In 3rd grade, we read My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. The book takes place entirely out in the Catskill Mountain wilderness, so it makes for a really simple setting to come to life at our party -- all we need are the outdoors! I love that our book party is both a celebration of the great story, as well as the beauty and wildness of creation.  

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Having a book party is a fun way for students to have the opportunity to get excited about reading in general, and about the world(s) reading a book allows them to experience. I have found that my students really enjoy the fun games and activities and the delicious food that come with book parties. Some students get pretty excited about the possibility of being able to come to school dressed as a goblin; no one has done that yet, but it's the idea that it's ~possible~. Something fun about my grade's book? We read The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald in 4th Grade and I've always enjoyed being able to try out new goblin voices each year. My students get a kick out of these and it helps highlight the goodness of reading a book when the characters are brought to life.

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From a parent’s perspective, book parties offer the opportunity for my children to relive the story in reality. They eagerly plan the character they want to dress as, often changing their minds as the story develops. Along the way, we discuss why they want to be “that” character, and what has been a favorite part so far?, why is that their favorite part?, and other similar questions. Book parties allow the children’s creativity to flow into costume design and imagining what crafts and activities they might partake in that day. Book parties allow some of the best attributes of childhood (imagination, creativity, anticipation) to come into the realm of possibility.

Kate Orton, our Third Grade teacher and classical education alum herself, spoke to families and staff at our Vision Night in August. Near the end of the first quarter, her words are a good reminder -- why are we doing what we are doing? 

Good evening! I’m going to share about one of the Three “C’s”, one of the three pillars that make up VCS -- Classical, Christian, Collaborative. I was asked to share some thoughts on what it means that we are a classical school. My hope is that this will be an encouragement to you.

I so desire to convey to you a hopeful vision of why we have all chosen probably the hardest road -- rigorous academics in home schooling through classical methods - so that when we all get into the trenches in a couple of weeks, you might have a perspective that gives you the courage and faith to keep going. We are after something really hard, but really beautiful, and that’s what I hope you hear tonight. 

Before I dive in, I feel that it’s important to first clear up what classical education is NOT. Classical education, the way we do it here, stands in opposition to many things, but I want us to clearly understand that classical education is not the perfect method. It’s not salvation, and it doesn’t guarantee salvation. Everything I hope to convey about what is GOOD in this endeavor will only bear fruit in your surrender to Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and by the grace and mercy of God. That needs to frame everything I’m going to share. 

So with that in mind, I want to speak to the ethos; the spirit, aspiration, and hope of what it means when we commit to classical education. 

When you think about your children 5, 10, 15 years from now, what are you praying for? Who do you hope they are becoming? It’s our hope, and probably your hope that your child has not just learned a lot when they finish their primary education, but that they are passionate about deep things. Passion and depth -- this is what we are after for ourselves, and this is what we hope our students go after in their lives. Classical education can be the route we take to get there. 

In the classical tradition, here is the route as outlined by the Trivium: 

We want to train grammar students to soak up all the facts they can, give them all the pieces that build a sturdy foundation. We do this through memorization and repetition -- it’s what they know and love. 

And then when they’re ready, we want to train logic students to take a good look at that foundation and let them question it, let them ask “Why?” When they start to look out at the world and process what they know, they begin to weave the different pieces of what they're learning together. 

And finally, once they have had years of building a strong foundation, and then time to process and practice the art of valid questioning, arguing, and defending, we want students at the rhetoric stage to learn what it means to articulate what they know, how to communicate what they mean: effective articulation gives them a sense of who they are! 

And so this is the route: the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages through God’s grace, leading students towards what it means to be more fully human, not just brains filled with all the right facts who can give the right answers and get the right test scores. We are laboring and praying for God to be gracious to them, and we are aiming to give them an education that leads them on the paths of becoming people who are passionate and deep. 

So as we lean into this hard work and begin another school year, this is what I’m praying for when I’m praying for our students to be passionate and deep: 

• That our students would know the taste of good fruit, the best-tasting fruit that is won by diligence, and persevering through difficulty

• That they would grow into people who don’t think they know everything, but they know how to learn for themselves and have a life-long desire to see where the pursuit of knowledge will take them

• That they would become people who are “all in” for the gospel because they are learning now how sweet it is, how much better the joy of obedience is than the all ways of chaos

• That God would turn their hearts to earnestly desire truth and wisdom, to seek God’s heart for justice and righteousness all their days

• That they would start to catch a sense of what is good, true, and beautiful -- that there is transcendence in all that God has made, and that they want to run after it, and find that they are running after HIM, and that HE is eternally good, always true, and unfathomably beautiful -- this is what it means when we pray for their souls to be passionate and deep. 

And as they grow up and go throughout their lives, my prayer is that this would spill over out of their beings and into the world around them to display God’s goodness to the whole world. By God’s grace, may you remember this year, that this pursuit of classical education can be the trajectory, the path towards this good life. 

So this being Vision Night -- it’s way easier to stand up here and talk about the vision we have for our students maybe a couple years down the road. Yes, we want all of this for them! But this isn’t about painting the picture of an ideal student or graduate. 

I want to circle this back around to you. Your family. Your homeschool days ahead of you… Because several weeks deep into the school year it might be really hard to remember that we’re after passion and depth when your kid just needs to finish their math facts!

I want to challenge you to remember this vision for your child, remember the goal. They’re going to catch that vision more fully when YOU are filled up and passionate:

• When YOU taste how sweet the Gospel is 

• When YOU earnestly seek truth and pursue wisdom

• When YOU are worshipping the Lord as the source of all goodness, truth, and beauty

• And when YOUR soul is burning for the deep things of God. 

But we can’t do this alone, so be encouraged in this: this is why we have the Holy Spirit. This is why we have each other, this sweet community -- so we can remember, so we can help each other remember, so we can put our hand to the plow of classical education and go after what really matters, and what will last in eternity. 

I want to close with Jeremiah 6:16 that came to me when I was thinking about this talk: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” 

Let’s ask God to show us the ancient paths, the good way, and let’s help each other along -- for our students, and for the sake of raising up these young souls for the gospel.

As we closed out May, the liberation from school work elated me. “It’s summertime!” I mentally exclaimed. The warmth of the weather and the brightness of the sunshine enlivened me. But as August arrives, and we head towards the start of another school year, the anticipation of routine and structure has lessened my carefree attitude. 

If someone were to ask if I am an intentional person, I would quickly respond with an ardent yes. I like to have a plan, I thrive in structure, and I find joy in the completion of tasks. However, if I am honest with myself, the plans I put in place can lead to a false sense of control and the goals I seek to accomplish can easily become an arbitrary wish list if I am not mindful to keep the proper constructs in place.

In 2019, our family moved to the New River Valley to pursue the lifestyle we desired to raise our children in. One component of that lifestyle was to have a farm. Our faith and big picture outlook propelled my husband and me to make some challenging decisions. We prayed, researched, saved, planned, and prayed some more about what we were doing and where we were heading. Looking back, I can see God’s providence in each step as He guided us here. We’ve now bought land with a fixer-upper house, started our farm with pigs, poultry, and goats, and our lifestyle dreams are slowly becoming a reality. My heart overflows with gratitude for all He has done and is doing in the life of our family, but still there is a small undercurrent of uneasiness that creeps in at times to steal my joy. While we have been mindful to plan the major events in our life, the focus in our daily lives has become blurred. The lack of forethought for the order of our days led to meandering throughout the week. The list of things to do inadvertently grows and time flies by without many of these activities being checked off.

So how does one avoid the fog of unintentional living? What framework is needed for a life of purpose and calm? Philippians 4:8 and 9 provides insight to answer these questions:

“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” [emphasis personally added]

When my thoughts align with the virtues of His word, my trajectory is set. My response is to carry out my days with purpose guided by the mind of Christ. Being intentional in thought and disciplined in action will in turn lead to peaceful living.

So, as summer’s end quickly draws near, I look forward to the coming year of intentional living, peacefully enjoying the thoughtful ways of time well spent.

“The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.” -Ulysses S. Grant 

Ulysses undoubtedly faced “dark hours” as a general for the Union during the Civil War, but it seems as though he unearthed a golden truth in this epic quote already written in our precious scriptures.  Proverbs 17:17 states, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Although we are not engaged in a physical war, we too have the opportunity in the adversity and darkness of this global pandemic to “relieve the gloom” of others as well as to “cherish” Jesus Christ, our families, our friends, and VCS. 

Unsurprisingly, many of us are experiencing loss and anxiety at unprecedented levels during this time, and the acts of cherishing Christ and also using our gifts to relieve the gloom of those around us seems unattainable. Some of us are facing unemployment. Some have a family member sick in the hospital and aren’t allowed to visit. Some are struggling with depression or a fragile marriage. And many of us are adjusting to the loss of the routines and schedules we worked so hard to build for ourselves, our families and others, throughout the week.  So how do we as VCS parents, co-teachers, and more importantly, beloved sons and daughters of the living God, grieve these losses properly but keep going? How do we begin to strengthen what remains from this great upheaval and still live the gospel by relieving the gloom of others? How do we be the friend and parent “born for a time of adversity?” Here are a few things I have been meditating over that I have found helpful as it relates to our new normal in the areas of homeschooling, parenting, and our gospel mission in this hour. 

Recognize and trust in the sovereignty and grace of the Father in our present situation.

I cannot cherish what God has given me and stay present in the “now,” neither can I properly relieve the gloom of others until I recognize that my Heavenly Father has been working for my good, my family’s good, and His glory, in all things. God even saw fit to meet my family’s need in this pandemic by providing VCS this school year. All our needs differ, but for my family and I to “just keep swimming,” as stated by our favorite fish, Dori, in the brilliant film Finding Nemo, God anticipated we would need A LOT of help.  We would need the lesson plans, the co-teacher accountability, the models and leaders to go before us in these murky waters, and most importantly, the unceasing prayer of the board, teachers, families, and on-campus staff coordinators. 

Over the past month, I have been encouraged again and again by the VCS community: uplifting emails from co-teachers, a surprise letter in the mail to my kids, the teachers’ incredible patience with us during online learning sessions, and much more. Every time VCS sent us an uplifting verse to memorize, a hymn to sing, or an educational Bible video I was filled with awe and gratitude. Because of the tremendous effort and support from our VCS staff, I have been able to cherish Christ, who has proven time and time again that He is good and that He cares for us. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).  He anticipates and meets our needs. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matt. 6:31-32). A greater trust in and friendship with Christ indeed has arisen from this season as He relieves our gloom through His provision of VCS.  

Be willing to be “born” a friend for a time of adversity. Be willing to be cherished for the sake of the gospel.

We all have different tendencies in trials and tribulations.  Some of us run away from conflict and problems.  Some of us are unresponsive and apathetic in difficult times.  Some of us overcompensate, not knowing how to rest.  We work from our own strength rather than clinging to God. No matter where you may find yourself, there is always opportunity to arise from the dust of our sinful natures and be “born” for such a time as this!  The Apostle Paul, despite imprisonment, weeks on stormy seas, starvation, isolation from his spiritual community, and surrounded by hundreds of other prisoners, was able to step up by the power of the Holy Spirit to speak truth, and remember our Lord by breaking bread with the prisoners and feeding them at sea. He became so deeply favored and cherished by the Roman centurions that they ended up sparing the lives of all the prisoners on the ship because of Paul’s influence (Acts 27). Paul positioned himself to be cherished for the sake of the gospel. He wasn’t focused on what was behind him or his “losses.” He considered it all “rubbish” for the sake of knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8).  Neither did he allow the lies of the enemy to make him apathetic to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those around him, even while he was in chains. God is giving us an opportunity, like Paul, to suffer with others and be cherished for the sake of the gospel. 

There is something about suffering with others that creates a bond to cherish. God is opening doors for our children to cherish one another and their parents, and for parents to cherish their children in return. God is opening a door for us and our children to be “born” as friends in adversity for others right now. Are we willing to step through that door? We are surrounded by opportunities. Have a Zoom call with your class. Have your children send hand-written letters to classmates or teachers. Your family can spend precious time reading, praying, playing, and singing together. And I personally want to thank the co-teachers that have offered to help me homeschool or set up zoom meetings for our children to chat and play games. These are just a few examples of ways we can love and cherish one another as a VCS family in this difficult time. 

Furthermore, God is giving many of us ideas and open doors to be “born a friend” in this hour with those who do not know Him, are outside the community of VCS, or are simply our next door neighbors. I am asking God to help my children and I be “born” in this hour of adversity, and to use us to help relieve the gloom others are facing; to make ourselves cherishable. I have found that in order to make ourselves more cherishable, I have to continue to view my work in the home as holy, sacred, and important. As I prepare for the week of homeschool, plan ahead with meals, and stay focused on the “little things,” the ambiguity of how to reach and love others outside of the home, under the current pandemic orders, becomes more clear and possible. 

This time is challenging. There is no minimizing that fact.  May we as a VCS family, by the power of the Spirit, be “born” for a time of adversity, grow in our trust of the Father, and relieve the gloom of others by helping to foster an environment at home and around us that creates more moments of cherishing this precious time with our spouses, children, family, friends, and those who do not know Him as we are together apart.