Primary School Academics
Primary School classes at Regent Academy are nurturing, creative, and exploratory in nature, while still offering our students structure and routine.
We believe students at the Primary level need to be well grounded in literacy and numeration, and these are therefore a main focus of our class time.
Reading and Writing
Reading is an integral part of an RCA Primary Classroom. The students learn to read through a variety of curriculum; Literacy Place Through the Early Years for Kindergarten through Grade Three, Moving Up for Grade Four, and ACSI Christian reading series. On a daily basis, students experience Read Alouds, Shared Reading and Writing, Guided Reading and Writing, as well as reading and writing opportunities independently. RCA students learn the importance of reading and communicating through writing. With these essential tools, we can learn through God’s Word, learn about God’s world, and learn to communicate His love and gift of Salvation.
Spelling
Spelling is taught using the Sequential Spelling program which teaches students how to recognize and build upon letter/sound/meaning patterns in words.
Students are given opportunities to explore and develop their creative writing skills through journals, poetry, stories, and a variety of other writing experiences.
Along with these opportunities, we believe that students need to be given the tools to be creative, and therefore we deliver a strong language mechanics program.
Math
Our primary grades use the highly effective Saxon Math program. Through a combination of clear, directed instruction followed by related practice and review, students develop and build upon foundational math skills. Mastery of basic addition, subtraction and multiplication facts is an important facet of the program with timed drills at the beginning of each lesson.
Students are taught to use a variety of problem solving strategies to solve word problems. The use of correct math language is encouraged in each area of study.
Social Studies
As with our entire curriculum, Social Studies classes follow the BC Ministry of Education curriculum guidelines, but are taught from a Christian perspective, teaching our students to see their world from a Biblical viewpoint even at a young age.
Science
Science classes explore the wonder of creation and strive to strengthen students’ faith by providing instruction in truth.
Scriptural truth is also taught through Bible classes, where students starting in Kindergarten begin to learn how to use the Bible and apply Biblical truths to their lives.
Scripture memory is a key component in every grade at RCA. Our desire is to teach all our students to have answers ready for what they believe.
French
At RCA, we believe that our students benefit from an early introduction to the joys of learning a second language.
French language instruction is begun in Kindergarten and continues through the primary grades.
Students have fun learning new vocabulary through songs, stories, and games. Each year we also get a taste of French culture with our participation in the school-wide “Fete d’hiver” (Winter carnival) in February.
Many of the academic programs and principles taught in our Primary School are common to those taught in Middle School and also throughout High School. In this way, our students are offered a thread of learning that carries them through their entire education at Regent Christian Academy.
Middle School Academics
As in our other departments, middle school classes at Regent Christian Academy are characterized by order, and within their structure offer students a safe place to explore creativity and knowledge.
English, French, science, social studies, and math classes follow the British Columbia prescribed learning outcomes, but with an added focus on Christian perspective.
Mathematics
The study of mathematics brings out a sense of awe and wonder in the design and order of God’s creation.
Students receive formal instruction and practice on the concepts mandated by the B.C. prescribed learning outcomes.
We work towards developing students who think mathematically and are able to recognize the connection between the math they are learning and the math they encounter in everyday life.
Science
As students are introduced to the science concepts designated for their grade, they experience the joy of discovering the wonders of creation and understand that the world is an ordered and consistent creation reflecting God’s laws.
By teaching science from a biblical worldview, students learn that science activity is directed by scientists’ worldviews and values, and they begin to see the holes in errant theories.
Students discover there is overwhelming evidence to support their own biblical beliefs, and they receive the tools they need to defend their beliefs.
English Language Arts
The main goal of language studies is to learn to communicate effectively with others. Middle school students have opportunities to develop communication skills through speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Students study a wide variety of literature including novels, short stories, poetry, fables, and myths. Each middle school class studies a minimum of three novels, one of which is a Christian biography. They receive structured writing instruction and then explore the writing process through journal writing, creative writing, and expository writing. Language learning takes place across the curriculum.
Social Studies
Social studies explores the elements that shape cultures, countries, communities, and individuals.
Units include content mainly from history and geography, but also from anthropology, sociology, economics, law, and political science. We explore how the dominant worldview of a culture influences that culture’s framework of human endeavour.
Specifically, we study the kind of society a biblical worldview produces.
Bible
Bible is integral to each grade level’s course make-up. Biblical principles are covered and students learn how to apply these principles to their lives.
Scripture memory is a key component of the Bible program, and students are required to keep their memory work up to date to qualify for honour roll status or other major awards. In the middle school grades, teachers integrate Bible themes into other areas of the curriculum wherever possible.
Information Technology
Students in grades seven and eight receive instruction from our I.T. specialist in the networked computer lab.
They learn basic keyboarding and word processing skills, and then move beyond the basics to use graphics, spreadsheets, and other applications.
Students are encouraged to produce some of their course work using the skills they have developed in the I.T. class.
French
A French language specialist teaches our middle school French courses. Students are actively involved during class time by practicing their skills. Foreign language study helps students develop a greater understanding of other cultures, and they see how culture and language are related.
High School Academics
At Regent Christian Academy, we recognize the importance of successfully completing academic subjects in preparation for today’s changing job markets. Students who plan to pursue post-secondary education must realize that competition is great and that opportunities are granted to those who are willing to earn high grades. To assist them in achieving a high standard in both academics and discipline, High School students at RCA should expect a demanding homework load and be willing to postpone other interests to fulfill academic goals.
We at RCA also believe that academics are an avenue that has the ability to develop Christian character. The development of good study habits, goal setting, and personal integrity is paramount.
The academic policies of Regent are founded upon the following principles:
RESPONSIBILITY – All persons in our school have specific responsibilities to fulfill
towards themselves and each other.
INDIVIDUALITY – We recognize that not all students have equal aptitudes or interests,
yet all are equally responsible to be faithful in using what God has given them.
ACCOUNTABILITY – As a Christian school, we are accountable to God for the training
of our students as far as our scope of influence extends into their lives.
DISCIPLESHIP – Although we are individually responsible for our own actions,
we are able to shape each other’s lives for good through correction,
exhortation, and encouragement.
In addition to Bible courses taught at each grade level, students at Regent are offered a BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE integrated into the British Columbia curriculum. Our goal is to provide quality education and to develop Biblically creative and constructively thinking young people; young people who are prepared for vocational callings and other God-given responsibilities in life.