ACADEMICS

Education as Formation

WHAT DO YOU LOVE?

"What if education wasn't first and foremost about what we know,

but about what we love?”

- James K.A. Smith

Education, in many schools, has been reduced to a transactional relationship between teachers and students regarding tests and grades. At the center of this type of education is information that is “covered.” This is such a common practice in schools that we are prone to believing that education itself is nothing other than the transfer of information.


At North Hardin Christian, we know this is not the case. The purpose of education is formation. It is about training students to become something, namely, lovers of God who are awakened and attuned to His beauty, goodness, and truth. A school that does not purposefully seek to form its students in this way will, intentionally or unintentionally, form them to become shallow intellectually and relativistic morally. Formation for a school is not optional.

  • The Purpose of Education

    Education is more than sharing facts—it is the formation of hearts, minds, and character. For generations, how we educate our children has reflected what we value most.


    At NHC, we follow a Christ-centered, Classical approach that prizes wisdom, virtue, and love above all else. We believe every child is made in God’s image, and our mission is to help restore that image through teaching that shapes both mind and spirit.


    Rather than reducing learning to memorization for tests, we cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for truth, beauty, and goodness. Through the study of the liberal arts within a biblical framework, we guide students toward wisdom, nurture godly character, and inspire them to serve Christ in every area of life.

  • Virtue Formation

    At NHC, education is more than academics—it is the intentional shaping of character. In the Classical Christian tradition, this means cultivating moral excellence, or virtue, so that students grow into wise, godly men and women who reflect the image of God.


    We emphasize seven historic virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, along with Faith, Hope, and Love. By practicing these virtues early, students build habits that will prepare them for the responsibilities of adulthood.


    While the home and church hold the primary role in shaping a child’s character, NHC partners closely with both to reinforce the same biblical values. Our school culture, daily practices, and rigorous liberal arts curriculum all work together to guide students toward truth, beauty, goodness, and a life that honors Christ.

  • The Liberal Arts

    The liberal arts are at the heart of our Classical education. These skills—rooted in the traditions of grammar, logic, rhetoric (the Trivium) and arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music (the Quadrivium)—equip students to think clearly, reason soundly, and communicate truthfully. They are called “liberal” because they lead to freedom: freedom to think, learn, and make wise decisions in light of God’s truth.


    Unlike the common arts, which are practiced for material needs, the liberal arts are pursued for their own sake because they are fundamental to being human. Through imitation, practice, and reason, students learn to discern truth from falsehood, beauty from ugliness, and good from evil—growing into wise image-bearers of Christ who can engage the world with joy and integrity.


    Our curriculum builds a strong foundation in words and numbers from pre-K through 12th grade. This foundation prepares students not just to succeed in specialized studies, but to approach all learning—and life itself—with depth, creativity, and godly discernment.