One might ask, “Why would small classes make such an impact on the families and classrooms of a school?” “Why is it so essential?” “What really is its value?” These are honest questions to ask yourself as you evaluate the quality of your child’s education. I can say from personal experience that my husband and I have seen the beauty of this model played out in the lives of our three girls that attended WCA from Kindergarten through 12th grade. I believe WCA’s commitment to small classes provided an atmosphere for the teachers to shepherd hearts well, created space to dig deeper into curriculum, and promoted honest and transparent conversations and relationships. 

Every child journeys through the ups and downs of growing up. We, as parents, walk them through these times pointing them to Jesus and surrounding them with mentors that will do the same. We pray over their lives when they are not in our home that those who have the privilege to teach them would do that with boldness anchored in a biblical worldview. Each heart, whether big or small, needs a shepherd. Small classes created an environment in which the teachers could intentionally shepherd the hearts of our girls at WCA, providing them with Biblical truth and a blueprint of godly living when their hearts were joyful or at a point in their lives where they found themselves wrestling with Who God is and what His plan is for their lives.

One of the distinctions of classical education is the depth of its studies. It digs deeper to prepare the minds of its students to study, reason, and articulate with excellence. I believe this is seen at WCA, and enabled in its small classes, even down to our youngest learners in Kindergarten. Year after year, our girls were given an education that promoted deep studies as they learned the art of spelling, were guided through the study of the Odyssey, or counseled as they prepared for their thesis. My husband and I have been amazed at watching a curriculum that could never be defined as “shallow,” but transformative, as it intentionally aims to train the minds and hearts of each of its students.

Finally, small classrooms at WCA provided safe greenhouses where our girls were able to grow as they engaged in honest and transparent conversations and relationships. This was seen in the relationships with their classmates, as evidenced in one of this year’s senior’s graduation speeches entitled “10 Best Friends.” It was also seen in the environment that the teachers cultivated so each student would feel free to share what’s on their hearts or just be a fun-loving teenager. I would often sit and listen to our girls in wonder and thanksgiving as they openly shared about the conversations they had at school with friends and teachers that circled around food, family, friends and even doctrine.

You might say, “Is it worth it?” Absolutely! Jesus had just 12 disciples during His three year ministry on earth that He taught to love Him more than anything, with all their hearts, soul, and mind. After Jesus returned to heaven, those very disciples were instrumental in turning the world upside down with the Gospel. I continue to pray this transformative power over our three girls, that God would use the small classes that were taught by God fearing and qualified teachers to embolden our girls to stand for God’s Word and use the skills that He has gifted them as a platform for the Gospel. 

In Christ, 

Linda Kuyper