MIDDLE SCHOOL
Head , Heart , Hands
A holistic Bible curriculum in the middle school engaged with the entirety of the Bible on an intellectual level . ( 2 . Hearts ) Our prayer is that students will love the Bible with their whole hearts and seek God ’ s grace as it is freely given . ( 3 . Hands ) We want them to know that if they want to have a relationship with Jesus , that it is not only possible , but wonderful . A relationship with Jesus changes the way we DO everything ,” says Mary Latta .
CPA Middle School Bible teachers are a tight-knit team . Educators with a common faith , a common passion , and a common goal- to help students come to know God and evaluate all knowledge and all life by His truth , and live transformed by His truth for His glory . This particular strand of instruction in middle school is met with a student body ripe for spiritual impact . A recent Barna study shared that 43 % of professing Christians identified ages 12-15 as critically formative to their walks of faith , if not the exact window of development where they committed their lives to Christ .
While statistical analysis neither dictates nor informs divine timing , it does speak to the middle school age student as uniquely equipped for tremendous intellectual and spiritual growth . Enter a holistic approach to Bible in grades 6-8 at CPA – a curriculum that unpacks both Old and New Testament theology and narrative while also embedding critical habits in Biblical literacy , prayer , Sabbath observance , personal introspection / reflection , and relationship-based mentorship .
Teachers are Keri Perry ( 6th ), Sally Weatherly ( 6th ), Mary Latta Brown ( 7th ), Ryan Doyle ( 7 / 8th ), and John Patton ( 8th ). The team outlines their goals in reference to what they want students to have learned by the time they enter upper school , engaging the heads , hearts , and hands of students . “( 1 . Heads ) We want students to begin upper school having
Teachers tailor lessons to grade-level , making the most impact for each developmental stage , but vertically align their curriculum to ensure that eighth graders have received a firm foundation of Biblical knowledge , mentorship , and engagement at the end of their time in middle school . All teaching is preceded with personal relationship and trust .
“ Relationship and trust is at the basis of everything we strive to achieve as a staff . Without it , even the most potent lessons fall short . Students need to feel safe , encouraged , and loved in order to engage spiritually ,” explains Ryan Doyle .
The Head
What does this passage of Scripture say about God , his Kingdom , and my life ?
Starting in sixth grade , students begin their survey of the Old and New Testaments , piecing the Bible together as one narrative . Teachers Keri Perry and Sally Weatherly use an abridged , retelling of the biblical narrative , The Story , to make
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