In a world where information is as close as the nearest smartphone or tablet, it doesn’t make sense for students to spend an inordinate amount of time memorizing facts. However, they have so much to gain from becoming adept at critical thought and analysis. That’s why at North Tampa Christian Academy, we encourage our students to be dreamers, leaders, and trailblazers.
THINK
Students in today’s schools are preparing for jobs that aren’t even invented yet. So at NTCA, they learn to pose questions and seek solutions through lessons that are authentic, relevant, and integrated into real-world problems. “I tell people that if you’re going to ask a child to do something that they could just ask Alexa, then what’s the point?” said Dr. Sandra Doran. “We have to teach children how to think critically, how to use knowledge, how to make a difference. And at NTCA, making a difference is what it’s all about.”
NTCA students learn to utilize online search engines so that they deliver information from varied perspectives. For example, if a student is working on a project about China, they might video chat with a person who lives in China. “There are ways to learn how to navigate the internet in an intelligent fashion that will get you to the actual sources,” said Dr. Sandra. “Good research is not about typing something into Google. It’s about comparing and contrasting varied perspectives and discovering what people in different parts of the world have to say about the events that shaped their lives.” At NTCA, our students learn how to think – not what to think.
CREATE
We emphasize the power of creativity to solve problems and add beauty to the world. After establishing mastery of our core curriculum, every member of our campus is encouraged to unleash their creative side and pursue their passions and interests in our interdisciplinary curriculum. With opportunities in music, art, digital media, painting, video production, and more, students use their God-given gifts to make a difference.
CHOOSE
Students will learn to choose empathy, trust, service, integrity, and responsibility. They will learn the value of choosing an active, healthy lifestyle that benefits them as a whole person. They will choose order, knowing that we plan and organize in order to discover and enjoy; they will choose to value, protect, and treasure God’s creation; and they will choose to use their unique passions and talents to make a difference.
SOLVE
We foster a culture of curiosity, growth, and risk-taking, where faculty and students alike push the envelope in developing new ideas and creating products and solutions. Students are constantly encouraged and challenged by their school family. We pursue solutions for the world around us with diligence, passion, and purpose, equipping students to transform today’s dreams into tomorrow’s reality.
At North Tampa Christian Academy, a private elementary school in Tampa, FL, the faculty, staff, and families work as a team. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.