Redemptive Education in a Nutshell

The Center for Redemptive Education exists to articulate, cultivate,
demonstrate and facilitate the quest to align with God’s design for teaching
and learning, using an approach that is Biblical, Relational, Integral and Experiential.

Biblical

A Biblical approach flows from the Person of Christ and a truth-centered worldview that permeates every aspect of the school, from curriculum, to methods, to board deliberations, to scheduling of classes and activities. It asks, “How does this thing we are considering match up with God’s original intent? How is it messed up? What is God’s message to us from this study? And finally, what is His mission for us now, in response to our study?” Biblical truth infuses and informs every lesson, game, activity and field trip, rather than being confined to “Bible class” or chapel.

Relational

A Relational approach to teaching and learning combines both delight in and respect for children, parents, teachers, individuals, the family, the community, the culture, the world, the Creator. This explains our commitment to parental involvement at school, multi-age classes, and nurturing the uniqueness of each child. It informs our interest in discipleship, stewardship, instruction, integrity, humility, collaborative work, individual work, obedience, honor, courtesy, dialogue, character development, service to others, love for God. It’s all about relationship!

Integral

An Integral approach to curriculum and instruction seeks to reflect the cohesive nature of God and His creation using multi-disciplinary thematic units of study organized meaningfully around important ideas. It minimizes the artificial separation of the typical school “subjects,” seeking to continually show the real connections between them, in order to create authentic and enduring understandings. It likewise informs our view of the child as a holistic being comprised of “head, hand, and heart” rather than merely an intellect to be filled with academic data and information.

"We are being challenged but I also sense that our teachers are enthused about Redemptive Education” 

                                                                                                                                                         - REACH schools principal

Amy Imbody | Executive Director & President

Amy Imbody has been teaching teachers (and kids!) for over thirty years. As of July 2016, Amy is the Director for the Center for Redemptive Education in Ashland, VA. She writes poetry, stories and songs; develops curriculum; offers professional development and spiritual formation for teachers; and corrals her little grandchildren in an endeavor called “Boots & Roots” while feeding the local birds.

Erica Reiter | Assistant Director & Secretary

Erica Reiter especially loves working with teachers and children in the outdoors and has worked most recently on developing school garden and outdoor education curriculum. At home, she enjoys illustrating children’s books, farming and playing with her nieces and nephews.

Susan Martin | Treasurer

Grace Andringa | Trustee

Biblical

A Biblical approach flows from the Person of Christ and a truth-centered worldview that permeates every aspect of the school, from curriculum, to methods, to board deliberations, to scheduling of classes and activities. It asks, “How does this thing we are considering match up with God’s original intent? How is it messed up? What is God’s message to us from this study? And finally, what is His mission for us now, in response to our study?” Biblical truth infuses and informs every lesson, game, activity and field trip, rather than being confined to “Bible class” or chapel.

Integral

An Integral approach to curriculum and instruction seeks to reflect the cohesive nature of God and His creation using multi-disciplinary thematic units of study organized meaningfully around important ideas. It minimizes the artificial separation of the typical school “subjects,” seeking to continually show the real connections between them, in order to create authentic and enduring understandings. It likewise informs our view of the child as a holistic being comprised of “head, hand, and heart” rather than merely an intellect to be filled with academic data and information.

Relational

A Relational approach to teaching and learning combines both delight in and respect for children, parents, teachers, individuals, the family, the community, the culture, the world, the Creator. This explains our commitment to parental involvement at school, multi-age classes, and nurturing the uniqueness of each child. It informs our interest in discipleship, stewardship, instruction, integrity, humility, collaborative work, individual work, obedience, honor, courtesy, dialogue, character development, service to others, love for God. It’s all about relationship!

Experiential

An Experiential approach to teaching and learning combines both delight in and respect for nature, people, ideas, literature, mathematics, the arts, science, the material and the immaterial. This explains our use of
multi-sensory teaching for whole-child learning; encouragement of student initiative; fresh instructional
and assessment practices. It leads us in engagement with all that is “true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise.”