What will my child learn in elementary school at Faith Christian Academy?
Phonics
The intense phonics approach from Abeka is the cornerstone of this academic development. This approach to reading is proven to increase reading ability. Success in reading translates to success across all academic spectra. Each student is graded in phonics through all four years of early childhood learning, K5 through 3rd grade. Students also begin reading groups in kindergarten and continue them through third grade. We realize that all students do not learn to read at the same moment in time, but we find that the Abeka phonics program meets the educational needs of the overwhelming majority of our pupils.
Writing
The Abeka cursive writing program enhances the phonics program and begins in the 1st grade. Educational studies indicate that efforts in teaching phonics, reading, and cursive writing complement one another. Again, cursive writing does not usually begin until the 3rd grade in the public schools (depending on the area), but you will be impressed by the manual dexterity of your students as they develop proficiency in this skill. The academic result is the positive educational impact on reading proficiency that results from teaching phonics, reading, and cursive writing interactively.
Math
The teaching of numbers and math begins in K5 with the mastery of counting from 1 to 100 by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s. Students at FCA continue to grow in math during these early years as they add math facts, math combinations, money recognition, telling time, and other arithmetic and basic algebraic applications of numbers.
Additional Classes
Lower elementary students, K5 through 3rd grade, also receive instruction in Bible, spelling, history, science, art, music and Spanish to round out their academic day.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO KNOW ABOUT K5 – 5TH GRADE?
Loving and consistent discipline radiates throughout the classroom. Repetition and project base learning are vital parts of the daily activity. Students have age appropriate homework that is designed to reinforce their daily learning and develop parental involvement in their learning process.
Fourth grade students enter their academic world with concrete educational abilities compared to the pre-concrete abilities of their younger counterparts. At FCA, we approach the upper elementary years, 4th and 5th grade, with a concentrated focus on verbal comprehension as well as vocabulary development, and a concentrated focus on mathematical problem-solving, as well as mathematical procedures. Curricular materials from Bob Jones Press are integrated during these years to increase the cognitive approach to learning and critical thinking.
The academic difficulty increases noticeably as the student’s progress through the upper elementary years. Many educators believe the transition from 3rd grade to 4th grade is the most difficult academic transition for students. The homework load increases through these years. Fourth and fifth grade students must develop study skills to be proficient on various forms of assessments. Help classes are incorporated as needed. Yearly achievement tests give ongoing feedback for the success of our academic goals and objectives.
Bible is the foundational subject for all of our educational philosophy. Students have Bible class every day and chapel once a week. Each class receives music instruction designed to enhance the worship of our Savior. Private music lessons are available at an additional fee should the parent want their child to participate. These lessons will be done throughout the school day to provide convenience of schedule for the parents.