Frequently Asked Questions
What is "classical" education? How can a private classical Christian school avoid the dangers of materialism inherent in so many private schools? What is your policy on homework? Are you accredited? Where is the school? How can a private classical Christian school avoid the dangers of materialism inherent in so many private schools? What are the class sizes? Where do you find materials and teachers who are qualified? If Veritas Press is available to home educators and children can learn in a home environment, why send our children away to school? A Christian education is important to me for my children, but there are many Christian schools in the Oklahoma City/Edmond area. How is Providence Hall different? How are learning disabilities addressed? Much of classical education seems to focus on the intellectual life of the learner. How does classical education address the physical, emotional, and social life of the child? What grades will be available for Fall 2008? Is Providence Hall affiliated with any particular church? How can I support the work of Providence Hall? What is the tuition for Providence Hall?
Other questions? Please email us at info@providencehall.org
Answers:
What is "classical" education? Please read our philosophy of education for an answer specific to Providence Hall. For a comparison between
classical and modern educational philosophies,
click here. How can a private classical Christian school avoid the dangers of materialism inherent in so many private schools? The private classical Christian school is administered by and consists of sinful human beings. The only way any of us can avoid any of the dangers resulting from our sin nature is to rely entirely upon Christ who gives us the victory over our selfish desires. This is true of the individual, and it is true of a private classical Christian school. It is our desire to maintain humility before the Lord as we act as stewards over the gift He has entrusted to us—the gift of Providence Hall. What is your policy on homework? One of the benefits of classical education is that effective classroom teaching reduces the need for excessive homework, especially in the lower grades. While some homework is necessary to develop study skills, the amount of homework given to grammar-stage students at Providence Hall will not be excessive. Are you accredited? We are seeking accreditation through the Association of Classical Christian Schools. This is a multi-year process. Where is the school? Providence Hall is strategically located between Oklahoma City and Edmond at 14504 North Western Avenue. (1/2 mile north of Memorial Rd.) on the campus of Heritage Presbyterian Church. How can a private classical Christian school avoid the dangers of materialism inherent in so many private schools? The private classical Christian school is administered by and consists of sinful human beings. The only way any of us can avoid any of the dangers resulting from our sin nature is to rely entirely upon Christ who gives us the victory over our selfish desires. This is true of the individual, and it is true of a private classical Christian school. It is our desire to maintain humility before the Lord as we act as stewards over the gift He has entrusted to us—the gift of Providence Hall. What are the class sizes? Maximum class size for Pre-Kindergarten-Second Grade is 14 students. Grades Three – Eight have a maximum of 16 students. Any combined classes have a maximum of 16 students. Where do you find materials and teachers who are qualified? Over the last few years, the Lord has been blessing the classical Christian educational community with excellent teachers who have developed and shared a great deal of their knowledge and expertise through new curriculum and other related materials. Publishers such as Veritas Press and the Logos School are two fine examples. It is actually difficult these days to limit the needed resources for school because there are so many valuable options available to a truly classical Christian school. In the same way that the Lord has blessed with materials, He is also blessing by raising up godly men and women who have a desire to restore the proven classical educational methodology and philosophy If Veritas Press is available to home educators and children can learn in a home environment, why send our children away to school? Classical Christian education can take place at home, and indeed respecting parental authority is one of the core values of Providence Hall. Many home educators are doing an excellent job of training their children using the classical approach. Providence Hall is an attractive alternative for those parents who would like their children to have more interaction with learners at similar stages. Interaction is a major component of learning in the logic and rhetoric stages. Even in the grammar stage, when children are learning by rote, rhymes, and repetition, it is effective for each of them to hear others develop their learning strategies. A Christian education is important to me for my children, but there are many Christian schools in the Oklahoma City/Edmond area. How is Providence Hall different? Providence Hall is unique in that it is the first completely classical Christian school in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. There are many fine Christian schools in the area. Some exist for evangelistic purposes, some for the purpose of separation from public schools, some for purposes of college preparation. We honor these schools and wish them continued success. But in terms of content and methodology, Providence Hall is unique. How are learning disabilities addressed? The term “learning disabilities” must be defined in order to properly address this question. Most difficulties diagnosed as learning disabilities in today’s society might be more properly titled “learning differences.” This would include many deficits in visual, auditory, and cognitive functions that impede a child of average to above-average intelligence from being an independent learner in his or her classroom. A question that arises more and more frequently is, “Why is there such an increase in learning disabilities today?” It would behoove parents and educators alike to examine the current methodologies of education in order to find the answer to that question. The classical method of education has historically proven itself to be appropriately suited to meet the educational and intellectual needs of children of average to above-average intelligence. The youngest children in classical education are trained to develop phonemic awareness, language skills, and basic understanding of patterns of learning essential to early educational success. Further years in classical schooling enhance the foundational training to address fully the skills and thinking techniques critical to efficient learning, processing, and communicating. Providence Hall desires to serve entire families, however the school is not equipped or funded to address efficiently those children with certain extreme special needs; therefore, we are not able to accept students with severe learning disabilities. Much of classical education seems to focus on the intellectual life of the learner. How does classical education address the physical, emotional, and social life of the child? The word education most commonly refers to the act of bringing the intellect out of darkness into the light of understanding; therefore, there must be a focus on the intellectual life of the learner. While this is true, the best education concerns itself with the entire person—primarily the intellect, but also the physical, emotional, and social aspects of the individual. Because most people are more familiar with classical education through their contacts with classical publishers, it might look like the intellect is all that is involved in a classical education. However, addressing these other needs is the benefit of enrolling the child in a formal classical school setting. The school is an ideal place for addressing physical and athletic needs, as well as social needs. The home is the ideal place for addressing the emotional needs of the child. When the home and the school are working hand in hand, the child can be cultivated into a physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually mature human being. What grades will be available for Fall 2008? We will offer Pre-Kindergarten through grade 8 in the fall of 2008. We plan to add one grade per year until we have a full Pre-Kindergarten-12th grade program. Is Providence Hall affiliated with any particular church? No. Providence Hall is incorporated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is governed by a ten-member board of directors. How can I support the work of Providence Hall? Providence Hall invites you to support its unique calling to provide
classical Christian education through volunteering your time and energy toward
the many tasks that lie before us. Providence Hall also welcomes your charitable
contributions through financial giving. All gifts are tax deductible. Financial gifts can be made out to Providence Hall Classical
Christian School and sent to the school at 14504 N. Western Ave., Edmond, OK 73013. For more
information about where you can volunteer or how you can support Providence Hall
financially, please email us at info@providencehall.org. What is the tuition for Providence Hall? The tuition schedule is published under the Admissions section.
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