Re: Accelerated Christian Education
Date: March 16, 2010 09:43AM
I was deeply saddened as I read through these posts about the A.C.E school system. I personally just recently graduated from an A.C.E school with Honours. In regards to the complaints about the system, I would first like to say that no any one thing or person is perfect, and this includes A.C.E. True, there are a number of problems with it, but there are also a vast number of benefits.
I noticed there was mention made against the stance A.C.E. (School of Tomorrow) has towards Catholics and towards Evolution. I have been through the system, and I would have to agree that it does come from a certain viewpoint, but who doesn't. The World History PACEs look at History as it was... They do not paint the Catholics to be the bad guys and the Protestants to be the good guys. Each of them did have their short comings. Also, as Christians, we are given the Creation account in the Bible as the basis for our worldview... Yet why do so many of us wish to take the unproven theory of Evolution and state it as fact and choose to accept it over the authority of the Bible? A.C.E. has done a very good job of presenting science as it is - fun and interesting - from a Biblical standpoint. Overall, the system is up to par with other schools and has put out a lot of very intelligent students.
I was saddened to read of the stories of those who have been abused or mistreated by schools that run on the A.C.E. system. They are right, there is no place for such behaviour, but just because the A.C.E. system was used, doesn't mean that it is their fault.
The A.C.E. system is designed specificaly so that each student can enjoy learning at their own pace and speed without being hastled and pushed through without actually getting to learn anything. Yet I must admit, each student is unique, and therefore needs a different amount of supervision and care. I guess this is why the system has done better as a home school system. Yet I wouldn't count it out. The A.C.E. school I attended had no church backing and was run by a group of concerned parents. The standards in the school were high, but no painful. There was no physical corporal punishment, each child was given an one-on-one talking to by the principal or Director of the school board. Everyone in the school loved the school and they functioned like a family. As for grades, they were all high, even though there were a large number of not so bright students.
I cannot deny that simply because a school is a christian school it won't have its weaknesses, and every school has its fair share of them. But lets look at it from the big picture.
I am extremely happy with how I did at school and I very muched enjoyed the system. I give a big hats off to the School of Tomorrow for its diligence in attempting to bring us a godly education.
Sorry if I offended any with my views. I merely wished to show that A.C.E is not what it has been put out to be. I would encourage parents to individually look into the school that they wish to send their child to if it uses the A.C.E cirriculum. Check to see if the School's mission statment and vision are up to scratch. Don't let any Christian Cult ruin your child of his or her future capability simply because of a poor education... All the Best...