Classically inspired curriculum offers advanced learning opportunities

Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.”
 

Taking inspiration from their patron, St. John Paul II High School has elevated its core teaching with the addition of the “Classically Inspired Curriculum,” a new initiative to introduce young minds with opportunities that inspire deep thinking alongside enhanced learning.

The advanced curriculum will include the deep dive study of various subjects, literature and encyclicals designed to inspire deliberate thought and insight from students.

“If we want to help form disciples, we need to do what we can to help form their minds in a way they can discern what is real, what has authentic value, and what is true,” said Michael Edghill, principal at St. John Paul II High School. “If we can help them to learn how to find the truth in science, the truth in math, the truth in every academic discipline, then it will ultimately lead them to the source of all truth, which is Jesus Christ.”
 

Principal Michael Edghill

Edghill said moving toward this curriculum is inspired by the work to refine the school’s Mission Statement and Philosophy of Education. 

“We recognized that for our students, the world they are growing up in is full of all sorts of information that is available to them at any time. A classical/liberal arts approach to education places the greatest value in thinking deeply about things that matter and in teaching students to read well, to write well, and to speak well in order to think well,” he added.

Matthew Heeder, a math teacher at the high school, said his department focuses on the theoretical and applied approaches to math.

“We want to push our students beyond the trope of memorizing a rule, regurgitating it on an assignment, and then promptly forgetting it in order to memorize the next rule,” he said. “We want our students to see the cohesiveness of mathematics, the beautiful theory out of which the rules we see are born, and the manifold applications of mathematics in our world. We seek to train our students in logic via the mathematical lens, studying not only a solution to a problem but why the solution is true and why the solution works.”

Heeder explained the idea is to encourage students to expand upon their theories on why a particular formula works, which helps them strengthen their logic and reasoning skills beyond merely solving mathematical equations and problems. He describes the process using the analogy of teaching students how to drive a car.

“Instead of only teaching our students how to drive a car, we want to open the hood and also teach them how the inner mechanisms work, how one part connects to another, and how and why certain operations from the driver’s seat are made possible by the car’s inner workings,” he said. “We must also show and teach them the beautiful theory that drives the rules and applications. When a car breaks down, knowledge of the inner workings is necessary to fix it. When rules and application break down, and mathematical processes aren’t working, one needs knowledge of theory to remedy the malfunction.”

Principal Edghill invites anyone thinking about a Catholic education for their high school student to consider St. John Paul II for a high school experience that is authentically unique. Both in the classroom and how a student’s formation in the Catholic faith is fully supported.

“I encourage parents to step out in faith and reach out to us to discover more about our academic program, athletics and fine arts programs. Learn about our amazing Theology and retreat programs, or about how this school truly is affordable for your family,” he added. “The Diocese of Corpus Christi generously supports this school and it is our duty to make this unique, high-quality education available for all of those within the Diocese of Corpus Christi.”

For more information about scholarships or enrollment deadlines at St. John Paul II High School, visit jpiihighschool.org or call (361) 855-5744.