Christian Education: The Pros and Cons of Enrolling One's Child in a Christian School
Christian parents who are looking for the right school for their kids may not necessarily choose a Christian school because of its cost. But before dismissing the idea of spending extra for their children's education, weighing the pros and cons could help them make a final decision.
First, students from Christian schools will be guided by godly teachers who possess the same values that their parents want to instill at home.
A report mentioned that teachers employed by Christian schools will constantly shape their students to be good, loving, and disciplined kids with a strong relationship with the Lord. This is something that they can never learn in public school.
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Christian educational facilities also allow students to make friends with one another in a safe environment. This will make them more comfortable with their surroundings and avoid instances of animosity and bullying.
The report also mentioned that punishment is not freely given whenever someone breaks a rule. Instead, the teachers will use the opportunity to introduce a value based on the lessons from the Bible such as humility, kindness, and forgiveness.
The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) also claimed that aside from honing the academic skills of their students, Christian schools also develop the behavior of all their enrollees.
"Although academic performance was a key focus in the report, the study also examined student behavior and found an even larger advantage, or effect size, for religious schools," Professor William Jeynes from the Witherspoon Institute in Princeton, New Jersey told CAPE. "Students who attend religious schools have fewer behavioral problems than their counterparts, even when adjusting for socioeconomic status, race, and gender," he added.
Also, a major benefit that students will get if they are enrolled in a Christian school is the opportunity to be surrounded by fellow believers all the time.
Based on a separate report, Young Christians need to be exposed to people who share their thoughts and beliefs. While they are surrounded by fellow believers at home and in their church, it would also be helpful if they will also develop relationships with other Christians at school.
However, there are also several disadvantages of being contained in a Christian school. One of these is the limited exposure to other points of view, which means that will have less opportunity to talk about other beliefs that they are not accustomed to.
Another disadvantage if the implementation of stricter rules and regulations. Most of the time, Christian campuses have dress codes or a specific uniform as well as separate instructions for male and female students. Partying with alcohol is also prohibited, and curfews may also be the norm in such campus.
More importantly, Christian education tends to be very expensive compared to public schools. This means that parents must shell out a huge amount of cash in order to enroll their kids in such institutions. But if they want to make sure that their child will have a well-rounded education, paying extra for their kids' tuition fee should not be a problem.
With all these in mind, making a decision to enroll one's child in a Christian school should be easier.
