A Letter from the Head

For our January professional development day, the teachers and I spent a good portion of time discussing how we teach, reach, and lead Generation Z – the generation of children born between 2000 – present. We looked at the work of Dr. Tim Elmore, who is an expert on this topic Generation Z is the generation that follows the Millennials and is a generation of firsts. Dr. Elmore outlines several of the firsts to consider about Generation Z, which I list below:

• The first generation to not need adults for information. While they may not need us to acquire information, they do need us for interpretation. It is our job as we teach children to provide context to the content they have access to.
• The first generation who can broadcast their every thought or emotion in real time. As we help guide children in a world of social media, Dr. Elmore suggest that parents and teachers encourage children to “think big picture, think long-term, and take the high road”.
• The first generation to have stimuli at their fingertips 24/7. Generation Z has the ability to be the most socially connected generation of all time, yet faces isolation at growing levels. The reports of high levels of stress and anxiety in school-age children flood the headlines.

As parents and educators, what do we do with this information? Dr. Elmore shares how we can reach this generation by being an “EPIC” Parent or an “EPIC” Teacher. The acronym EPIC is defined below:

• E – Experiential: Children of this generation want to learn from experiences. At BCA, we intentionally create an environment where students can experience learning from real-world simulations and projects when possible.
• P – Participatory: Children support what they help create. It is so valuable that students take a participatory role in their learning. If you take a look in our classrooms, you will see that students are creating at every turn. It is a goal of the faculty at BCA for students to take ownership of their own learning.
• I – Image Rich: Generation Z is inundated with images in every area of their lives. We use pictures, videos, comics, etc. to help lead class discussions, solve problems, and express thoughts. The old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” rings very true with Generation Z.
• C – Connected: Generation Z has the opportunity to be the most connected generation through the use of technology. However, face-to-face conversation cannot be forgotten about. At BCA, we intentionally create opportunities for children to communicate with each other either through play, through group projects, and through presentations.

Would you please pray for the faculty and I as we seek God’s wisdom in teaching this new generation? his team of teachers is committed to their work with your children, and we are thankful for the support you provide. For more information on Dr. Tim Elmore’s work, please go to growingleaders.com.

In partnership,
Amber

 

K – 5th Highlight

On January 20th, Kindergarten – 5th grades participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service. Our all-school project for the elementary was painting kindness rocks, which we will distribute later this spring at Green Valley Bible Camp and local parks.

Additionally, several of the classes took on service projects of their own. Our first grade picked up trash around the campus to help make our school a more beautiful place. Second graders collected items to help a local family who lost everything in a recent house fire. Third grade visited a local retirement home where they took cards to the residents and played games with them. Fourth grade learned how to crochet infant beanies which were donated to the children’s hospital. And fifth grade made cookies and delivered to the fire and police station nearest the school.

It was a day that hopefully inspired our students to think about how we can serve others, just as God calls us to do!

Preschool Highlight

The PreK Box Car Derby is arguably the cutest event of the year! Each year students get to show off their personalities with their cardboard creations. We are alway so impressed with the
creativity and craftsmanship of the children and their families. This year, we had a shark, unicorns, a variety of superhero cars, and even the “Muss bus” representing the Arkansas Razorbacks.

It is fun to watch them proudly or bashfully race around the track. Some are built for speed, some go for style, but either way each child gets the opportunity to be in the spotlight and get a cheer from the crowd.