Philosophy of Education of University Model Schools

University-Model Schooling (UMS) was developed as a result of two guiding concerns: to offer students the opportunity to acquire a high degree of academic achievement and to preserve and strengthen the God-ordained family relationships in which the Christian faith is most effectively fostered.

The structure in which these two concerns are brought together, University-Model Schooling, provides an academically challenging education while integrating the home and school in the common goal of discipling children.

More importantly, however, is the UMS goal of helping to preserve and strengthen the God-ordained family relationships in which the Christian faith is most effectively fostered. According to information gathered by well-known pollster George Barna, the most critical period when 94% of all boys and girls come to a saving faith in Christ is before the age of 18; 90% before the age of 14! Only 6% will make that soul-saving decision between the age of 18 and their death.

Since parents are the most influential factor in this decision, it is vital that models of education exist that recognize the significance of keeping parents involved with their children during the early, critical years of a child's education. 

The key to success for the UMS model is the integration of a biblically based, parentally guided, Christian faith and a sound, teacher-facilitated, academic environment. The Bible gives parents authority and responsibility for raising their children with the goal of becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.

In matters of education, that parental authority and responsibility, although not surrendered, may be shared with an educational institution when the parents consider it desirable or necessary. In such cases, a University-Model SchoolŪ will assist, and not supplant, parents in their work of training and educating their children.

Parents will retain the oversight of their children's educational progress and will determine the manner and extent to which they will be involved in the academic institution. Parents will help place each child in the proper stage of academic progress. Parents will also be involved in the out-of-class instructional responsibilities of their children's courses based upon each child's age and stage of academic development. In addition, parents will continue to build into their children those character qualities that reflect their own understanding of the Christian faith.

The University-Model School, on the other hand, will operate under the umbrella of parental authority by offering a challenging academic track in the context of Christian values. The school will unapologetically speak and teach in a manner consistent with the school's statement of faith, emphasizing the necessity of a personal relationship with Christ and growth in Christ-like character. The school will also help parents properly place each of their children in an appropriate stage of academic development. In addition, the school will develop and implement academically challenging, college-preparatory courses that integrate an appropriate level of parental involvement into each student's out-of-class study. The school will encourage and expect the student to learn the material assigned and will provide regular feedback to both the student and parents concerning the student's progress in each class enrolled. Finally, the school will integrate the Christian faith and a biblical worldview into the context of the various subject areas offered, to the end that Christian character-building will receive support and enhancement outside the home.

University-Model Schooling is designed for those families in which parents take an active role in the oversight and implementation of their children's education.

As the level of parental involvement progresses from being a private tutor in the elementary years to a guide for dependent study in Junior High to more of a course monitor in the Senior High courses, parents are expected to continue exercising  loving and active responsibility for their children all the way through graduation. In partnership with these committed parents, the school is then able to integrate the home and school effectively toward the common goal of Christian character development and solid academic preparation for college.

http://www.naums.net/images/UMS_Philosophy.pdf