"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

Adam and Eve. The Garden of Eden. One off-limits tree. A serpent. 

Jesus. A sinless life. A cross. 

Many people are familiar with the Christian account of Creation and the Fall, and Jesus' work on the cross that redeems us. Perhaps what is less familiar is how this pattern is echoed throughout history, and how it shapes education.

When a child, or any learner, is confronted with new information that she does not already know, she must do something with it in order to make it fit into her already existing body of knowledge. How she makes it fit determines whether the new information actually gives her a better and truer understanding of the concept.

[Editor's Note: This post first appeared on our blog for parents of preschoolers. The message is so foundational to navigating a child's education that we want to share it here, too.]

At some point, all parents face a decision about how they will provide for the education of their children. There are, perhaps thanks to our consumerist society, more options today than ever before. As I listen to parents talk about how they will make their decision, I hear the criteria they use to filter their decision-making. These often include things like reputation and tradition, test scores and student performance, accessibility and location, cost and affordability. These are all worthy considerations.