Dominion Academy

Mature and Growing:

• Born-again, growing followers of Jesus Christ
• Men and women of prayer, in love with God’s Word
• Active participants in a fellowship of believers
• Look at life through the lens of scripture, while modeling a Biblical worldview
• They model spiritual, professional and personal growth by desiring to be part of the ongoing work of discipleship in students’ lives

Happy and Healthy:

• Positive, outgoing people who have true joy in what they do
• Glass-half full kind of people
• Experience a well-balanced life to share at school
• They find the best in students, and see each student as an individual
• They catch students doing things right more often than doing wrong
• Students trust, respect and desire to be around these teachers

Humble and Trustworthy:

• Take to heart James 3:1, “…we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
• Possess an open mind and a sensitive spirit
• They are approachable and accept feedback as freely as they give it
• They understand the process of seeking forgiveness, working towards reconciliation and making restoration
• They model Matthew 18
• They talk to students, parents and colleagues, not about them, which earns them trust

Relationship Builders:

• Acknowledge Christ as the model for developing mentoring relationships with students and parents – relationships are the foundation of good education
• They replicate, replay and live the biblical values that are taught in the home and church
• They get to know each child individually as well as parents
• They take time to attend performances, sports events, and other functions as a way to support and encourage

*This material is based in part on “The Living Curriculum,” a publication of The First Academy, Orlando, Florida.

Nurturing Culture:

• Acknowledge that students thrive when treated with dignity and respect
• Sarcasm and embarrassment are not part of this culture.  However, effort is recognized and creativity rewarded
• Goals are clearly stated and time used effectively
• Students understand the concept of natural consequences, and choices bring logical and predictable results.  This culture focuses on self-discipline and self-control

Parent Partners:

• Teachers understand that parents crave feedback, not just information about grades, and establish continual communication with parents
• They communicate in a timely way – bad news before it becomes serious and good news even when it does not seem to be a big deal
• They acknowledge that parents know their children more than professionals or theorists, and so tap into that understanding
• They show respect even when there is a difference of opinion
• They respect the privacy of families and exercise confidentiality
• They believe the best education is one where parents and teachers work together, supporting students from both sides

Quality Instruction:

• Teachers are never content with mastery of their subject area.  They desire to stay current and know more by actively reading, attending conferences, and developing professional contacts
• They are organized and understand the importance of planning, organizing, record-keeping, and best use of space as it relates to quality classroom experiences
• They are effective communicators.  Students find them easy to understand and appreciate their consistent qualities.  They know how to explain things in a variety of ways and they work at teaching to a variety of learning styles
• They understand teaching content is essential but not the only goal
• Rote learning is foundational but not enough.  Study skills, analysis, critical thinking and problem-solving at age-appropriate levels  are all taught and practiced
• Creativity is evident in good instruction
• They provide a variety of ways for students to demonstrate understanding
• They take time with slower students while avoiding wasting time of faster students
• Assignments are necessary, meaningful, challenging, and reasonable, but never just busy work
• Teachers are mindful of the need for a balanced life, and are careful not to intrude on family needs or church activities when creating assignments
• They recognize that life learning may at times be more important than school work, and do not possess the attitude that schoolwork is the most important aspect of a child’s life
• Teachers recognize that mistakes are part of the learning process, and provide opportunities for students to earn enough grades so that they do to not suffer unjustly due to mistakes
• They understand that good behavior begins with good lesson-planning.  Students who are engaged, learning, and interested are not likely to make poor behavior choices