Catholic
Education Benefits & Values
Faith-Filled Environments
Beyond teaching science, technology and many other advanced and core courses, our gifted teachers also lead meaningful and open classroom discussions about faith, morality and Catholic spirituality. Our teachers and staff are focused on instilling Catholic values and beliefs into the young hearts and minds of students so they understand they belong to a larger faith community, and have the character to make choices based on the teachings of Christ.
Personalized Development
Since many students in our schools begin in preschool and progress through eighth grade, our teachers and staff are uniquely positioned to proactively assess, refine and enhance each child’s individual development. Our teachers and staff invest themselves in the success of their students, and believe each individual deserves undivided love and thoughtful encouragement necessary to reach their full, God-given potential.
Preparation for High School, College and Beyond
Our schools offer a diverse collection of clubs, sports and activities to suit a
variety of interests. Our students’ academic achievements earn them valuable high school and college scholarships. Our schools empower our students with the knowledge, self-confidence, and moral compass to become leaders in college and beyond, changing and bettering their communities and their world.
Catholic Education Values
Our values reflect characteristics described in the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS) that summarize Church teaching and the deep Catholic identity of Catholic schools.
We value:
• Fostering a personal relationship with Jesus, loving God and neighbor and serving the world
• Expressing the signs of Catholic culture physically and visibly
• Achieving excellence in every aspect of school programs, life and activities
• Educating the whole child – mind, body and spirit – to ensure personal growth
• Imparting a Catholic worldview enriched with Gospel values to seek wisdom and truth, social justice, self-knowledge, ethical and moral behavior and transform the world
• Being a Catholic role model for students
• Collaborating among leaders, teachers and parents – the primary educators of their children – as an educational community of faith
• Availability and accessibility to all who desire a Catholic school education
Source: www.schools.diojoliet.org
Study tips for high school students
High school is an important period in students’ academic careers. High school curriculum tends to be more demanding than pre-secondary education. In addition, at this point in their academic careers, high school students may begin to ponder their future endeavors, including higher education. High school curriculum aims to prepare students for their future, which is why coursework tends to be more specialized, challenging and complex. It’s not uncommon for students to experience some difficulty as they adjust to the demands of high school curriculum. With that in mind, high school students can consider these study tips as they confront the rigors of academia.
• Schedule study time. An analysis from the U.S. Census Bureau found that children are engaging in more extracurricular activities than they did decades ago. Though research has found that participation in extracurricular activities among adolescents are associated with a range of positive outcomes, including higher academic performance, it’s important that students make time for academics in their daily schedules. Much like sports practices or drama club rehearsals are scheduled, study time can be included in students’
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daily schedules. Students can block off a set amount of time on their schedules each day for studying and commit to it just like they would for extracurricular practices or rehearsals.
• Designate a study space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, administrators at the University of Michigan created a web-based space reservation system to
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help students secure spaces to study in the face of social distancing limitations. Those efforts underscore the value of designated study spaces, and high school students and their families can create such areas in their homes. A quiet, distraction-free space can facilitate learning and help students excel in the classroom.
• Take notes and summarize while
studying. High school courses are more complex and it’s easy to get lost in that depth when studying subjects like English or history that feature a lot of reading. Students adjusting to this may find it hard to remember important details when they’re reading more in a typical study session than they’re accustomed to. Taking lots of notes and summarizing text while reading, such as at the end of each chapter, can help students recall the key points of reading assignments.
• Organize study groups. A weekly study group can help students gain a greater understanding of coursework and their own perspectives. Different perspectives can help students see materials through a new lens. One student may hit a snag on a particular point, and another may illuminate the issue and make it easier to understand, and vice versa. Sharing perspectives with other students also can help students sharpen their own ideas as they seek to explain themselves during conversations with classmates.
High school curriculum is more rigorous than pre-secondary courses of study. Some simple study tips can help high school students adjust to this more demanding academic environment. BS244847
Academic performance can be affected by eyesight
Many variables affect students’ academic performance. These include a willingness to learn, students’ attentiveness, having a great teacher, and kids’ commitment to studying and doing homework. One component of academic performance can be easily overlooked: eyesight.
The M.M. Joshi Eye Institute in India says vision problems in children can affect studies and restrict students’ academic development. Academic performance is directly linked to the ability to see clearly, as vision affects reading, writing, comprehension, and classroom participation. Clarendon Vision Development Center of Illinois advises that a substantial part of a child’s education is acquired through visual processing. When that vision is impaired, it can hinder the ability to learn and absorb information effectively.
Impaired eyesight may cause students to struggle and fall behind. This ultimately can lead to a lack of engagement in classwork and ultimately make them consider giving up, particularly when a student is unaware that it is eyesight and not another factor affecting their ability to learn. Furthermore, poor grades may cause parents to mistakenly conclude a child has a learning disability or is slacking off.
The relationship between eyesight and education underscores the significance of routine eye exams. Intervention can help prevent poor academic performance. Infants often get their first comprehensive eye exams around zero to six months of age. By age three, children should have a second eye exam, says Medical Optometry America. Around age five or six, children should receive a third comprehensive eye exam, just before entering school. Eye exams should then be scheduled at least every two years. These guidelines can be adjusted if any vision problems are detected and more frequent exams are needed.
Eyesight plays a key role in a child’s ability to learn and excel in school.
