I am so thankful for the blessing and privilege that I have had as a teacher at Sunrise. My husband and I feel that this school is an extension of our home even though our children graduated from Sunrise over ten years ago.
I began my teaching career over thirty years ago after graduating from WSU. I taught in the Derby school district until stopping to raise my children. Later, I was able to teach at a Wichita Christian School that is no longer open, and also provide some private instruction for homeschool families.
Since I started teaching at Sunrise twenty years ago, I have been blessed to have seen God work through the staff and students to create an exceptional school. The English department is a good example of this excellence. We have planned a course of action from 6th-12th grade which not only develops a strong base in grammar, but raises the performance expectation each year for students to use these skills while analyzing great pieces of literature. It has been my joy to work with students to mold their discernment through critical thinking in order to line up with the standard of truth found in God’s Word. Literature, writing, and research provide the platform for developing this maturity. I am proud to say that when our students graduate from Sunrise, they have become well rounded leaders with language skills that enable them to proclaim Truth to the world in an effective and convincing manner.
English 10:
Tenth graders concentrate on a study of literature from around the world. Figurative language techniques will be the focus as the student reads selections in the texts. Reading skills will be emphasized while critical thinking is stimulated by student consideration of tone, mood, and style. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet provides exercises for identifying imaginative comparisons, sound devices, as well as poetic technique. The student will work comfortably with long sentences and complex clauses while writing about class book studies such as Eliot’s Silas Marner, and Paton’s Cry the Beloved Country. Students are encouraged to conceive of writing as a craft to be practiced and a process to be followed. Three part construction of a quality essay will demonstrate a consistent flow of ideas and an ability to maintain the directed focus of the thesis. Literary analysis is introduced as the means for the student to identify an understanding of the figurative language techniques as the art of literature. The research topic examined is a spiritual life issue. Organization of research information will follow the MLA handbook, and the 10th grade focus will necessitate the use of a Bible concordance, commentary and other biblical reference materials. Two class book studies and individual quarterly book reports are required.
English 12:
English 12 is a survey of the British Literature from Anglo Saxon to present day. The student will learn major themes and worldviews of each period becoming familiar with major British authors. The course is designed to exercise critical thinking ability such as the synthesis of knowledge required to analyze the degeneration of the conscience in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Students will learn to evaluate information by lining up ideas with the standard of God’s Word while applying selected texts to life issues. Essay development will be the major evaluation of the student’s ability to draw complex conclusions from literature and to recognize biblical truth in life issues. Class book studies with a discernment focus will include Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Required writing assignments will include essays designed for each unit as well as an end project of an author biography, individual book study, and prepared lesson for the class. Individual student led discussions will help students to process information and present claims effectively. The first semester research paper will be focused on a persuasive controversial social issue. The research paper will demonstrate an accurate use of the MLA handbook and also show a quality method for the persuasive style. Francis Schaeffer’s How Should We then Live? will be used as a guide to learn discernment of the subtleties in relationship between people, ideas, and worldviews as they have progressed through British Literature to the influence of western thought and culture.
Philosophy and Christian Worldview:
Philosophy is an elective offered to the Junior and Senior student who has interviewed with the instructor prior to enrollment. The student may take one or two years for elective credit. Differing religions, philosophies and philosophers will be examined. The philosophy student must be able to do research and write a documented paper. Projects will be required each quarter as well as preparation for discussions on class topics. A laptop computer, for note taking and research, is not required but is beneficial.
Matthew 22:37 “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Every person has a philosophy of life. That philosophy and how a person lives that out are rooted in his view of God. A Christian mind and life must be rooted in the view of God given in His Word, but that Christian also must live in a world of competing ideas and a pluralism of beliefs. Today’s Christian has the challenge of understanding these positions yet standing firm in the truth. By loving the Lord with clear and proper thinking, we can better love others and be able to communicate truth to a dying world.
