Mondays with Mike: Building a Stronger Learning Path at PCA
Dear PCA families,
| Good morning! This week’s Mondays with Mike is now available. Note: Between recording and post-production, some audio became distorted–I apologize. Still, I believe the message is worth hearing. The transcript/subtitles may be particularly helpful this week. Thanks in advance. In this second episode of our four-week welcome-back series, Nate Paul joins me for a conversation about what strong teaching and learning should look like at PCA—and how we are building greater coherence from one grade, course, and division to the next. We talk about the work already underway, the progress we have seen over the last several years, and the areas where we still want the student experience to become more consistent and dependable. Listen to “Building a Stronger Learning Path at PCA” |
Key Takeaways
- Coherence does not mean every classroom looks the same.
Our teachers bring different gifts, strengths, personalities, and approaches to their classrooms. What should become increasingly consistent are the commitments underneath that teaching: clear learning goals, meaningful challenge, useful feedback, and preparation for what comes next. - We want every student to experience a clear and dependable learning path.
As I say in the conversation, our aim is that each PCA student is known as an image-bearer of God, clearly taught, meaningfully challenged, given useful feedback, and increasingly prepared for the next step. - This work has been building over time.
Over the last several years, we have strengthened teacher retention, curriculum alignment, student outcomes, and collaboration across grades and divisions. We have also identified places where the sequence from one course or grade to the next can become stronger. That is the coherence work now underway. - Teachers are central to this work—and leadership must support them well.
Greater coherence depends upon teachers working together around shared outcomes, common expectations, and student readiness. Leadership’s responsibility is to provide clear direction, useful professional development, aligned curriculum and assessments, and the support teachers need to continue growing in their craft. - Parents have an important role, too.
In the episode, we encourage parents to ask good questions, help students persevere through appropriate challenge, and celebrate genuine growth. This is not simply an academic systems problem; it is human formation.
We also talk briefly about some of the next areas of focus, including continued math and science alignment and writing across grades 6–12.
Next Monday, Nate and I will turn directly to the spring family survey: what you affirmed, where you asked us to grow, and what responsibility we are accepting as a school.
Thank you for listening, reading, praying, and partnering with us as we prepare for the year ahead.
Grateful to be building this with you,
Mike Runey
Head of School
Portsmouth Christian Academy
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