7 Quick Takes Friday: Why We Choose Catholic Schools Edition

 

In honor of Catholic Schools Week, here are some of the reasons why we send our children to Catholic schools:

1) The charitable service aspect of the schools.  The Catholic schools in our area are constantly accepting clothing for the homeless, raising money for good causes, buying gifts for children who would otherwise go without, donating their time at soup kitchens, fixing up homes and buildings for lower-income people...the list goes on and on.  Catholic school students learn how important it is to give of their time, energy and talents. 

2) We support the Church and Diocese.  I believe if parents can afford to send their children to Catholic school, then they should strongly consider it.  Otherwise, Catholic schools suffer and those teachers are out of jobs. 

3) The uniforms!  I love that they don't feel the need to worry about fashion, and that I don't have to argue with them about what to wear.  It saves tons of money on clothes too.  Just buy three sets of uniforms, and wash and repeat.  Easy!

4) The family-style feel of the schools.  Where little preschoolers have "big buddies" that come read to them, sit with them at Mass, and say hello to them in the hall.  Where bonds are formed so deeply because there is a common set of core values and morals amongst the student body.

5) The teachers who teach purely for the love of teaching.  Because it's obviously not for the paycheck ;)

6) The students are disciplined and taught to respect authority.  No backtalk or rude behavior is acceptable, and the teachers have no problem communicating with the parents if anyone comes up below those expectations.  And you know what happens in a disciplined classroom?  Teachers are free to teach, and therefore children learn more!  The academics at the Catholic schools Phil and I have attended far surpassed the academics at the public schools we attended.

7) Our children learn about their faith in every aspect of their day, not just in religion class.  Our four year old sings songs about Mary and Jesus as if it's as normal as singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider.    Even in the Catholic high school where we work, they have morning prayer, grace before lunch, and each class begins with a prayer.  That means students are praying 7 times a day before 2:00!  It's important to us that our children view their faith and prayer life as part of their everyday routine, and not just when they go to Mass on Sunday.  While we strongly believe that parents are the primary educators in the matters of faith, why not get the help and support we need from a place where our children spend most of their waking hours?

Have a great weekend everybody!