Mission of Van Lodenstein College

Van Lodenstein College is a Reformed college for secondary education for boys and girls between 12 and 16-18 years of age. Van Lodenstein College has ca. 4000 students, spread over four locations. VLC prepares young people, according to their own abilities, for their future under the slogan: ”Good for now and later”. The motivation for their education is mentioned by Christ in the pivotal command in Mark 12:30,31 ”And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like: namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these”.

From this principle VLC derives the following aims. It is a school where:

• Pupils of a Reformed background are being instructed in the Biblical truths according to the fundamental principles laid down in the Three Forms of Unity. They are taught that being born again is necessary and possible, so that they will lead a life according Christ’s main commandment.
• Students can develop their gifts and talents given by the Lord.
• Students can obtain knowledge, abilities and views that enable themselves to get a certificate that matches their talents and that gives them the opportunity to continue their studies.
• Students are being taught to defend biblical faith. They are being trained to be self reliant, responsible and have a social behavior, which enables them to fulfil their duties in society.
• Pupils feel there is a unity between school, church and families. However, each of these communities keep their own responsibilities.
• Staff will perform their duties of teaching and training and caring for young boys and girls, each with his or her special talents, from Reformed principles. Staff fully agrees with the Reformed standards.
• Staff and students will cooperate in a safe teaching and social climate.

So Van Lodenstein College is a place where students are taught in a way that prepares them for the near and far future.

Educational philosophy

Van Lodenstein college sets the following goals to implement its mission:

1. Teaching

Students at the Van Lodenstein College want to obtain a certificate that will enable them to continue their studies or to start at a job. Education at our college has to give students the best opportunities to reach their goals. Good instruction has the following connotations:

• It is rich in context. Instruction goes further than memorizing. It is important to bring theory into practice. Teaching rooms and playgrounds should be innovative and inspiring.
• Teaching is significant. Teaching matters have to make sense to students. Students with practical abilities have other objects in view than theoretically gifted students.
• Teaching is profound. Students in the pre-university department ( vwo/gymnasium) ought to get detailed instruction.
• Teaching takes into account the development of study abilities. Such a method of teaching aims at transferring from theory into practice.

2. Modeling

Teaching moulds characters. Our school has an important duty to prepare young people to live in a society that has different connotations than the Biblical values. Van Lodenstein college aims to instruct students in the Christian identity and apologetics; to teach them a correct attitude; to show them how to explain Christian values to non-christians and to train them in communicative techniques. One of our methods of preparing students is confronting our students with non – believers, in a safe and guided setting, and give them the assignment to defend Christian values, so that they accept their duties and responsibilities in society, by showing the Christian way of life.

3. Teaching staff

It is the teacher’s duty to do his utmost to make students learn. This responsibility applies for the content of the subjects and the methodology. Teachers have the aim to give students more and more responsibilities during the learning process. Teachers will apply a great variety of methods to get all students involved in the process. A teacher passes on values; he is a coach in the learning process; a teacher will provide the limits between which pupils can operate. Staff are aware of the fact that students are adolescents, that they are unique, that they are on their way to adulthood. Teachers can fulfil the role of example.

4. Students

Students can be involved in the school process by being members of the student panel. It is an essential duty to prepare students for society by teaching them good citizenship. A good citizen takes biblical truths as focal points. They should know that human beings are sinners and that mankind realizes there is redemption of sin in Jesus Christ. Students should also be convinced that a person cannot perform their own conversion, but that such is an act of the Lord God. These doctrines give structure to young people when they become citizens of a plural society.

Admission

Parents applying for a place of their child at our school, will be asked to sign the declaration of identity. Having done this, they agree with the identity of the school and the school policy. Students and their parents are expected to go to church twice on Sundays. Boys and girls should wear decent clothes. Girls should be dressed as girls and boys as boys. Modern magazines, television, pop music, discotheques and acting foolishly with sports should be avoided carefully. We have to be strangers ( cf. Hebrews 11:13) in this world.

School levels

Dutch secondary education starts at the age of 12. After having made a test at primary school pupils can be admitted to the” onderbouw” , that is the junior department. After three years a student enters the” bovenbouw”, that is the senior department. Students have options between the following studies:

• Vmbo. This level prepares for vocational studies. Students can do vmbo at a rather theoretical level, at a mixed theoretical-practical level, a practical level and at a very basic practical level. In year 3 and 4 vmbo students specialize in nursing, office work, technique, agriculture. Vmbo certificates give admission to vocational colleges at intermediate level. The study takes 4 years.

• Havo. This level prepares for higher vocational colleges. It is a theoretical course of 5 years. In year 4 students have to make a choice to specialize in culture, economy, nature, science.

• Vwo. This is a pre university level that takes 6 years. Students can take Latin and Greek as extra options. They can also apply for the CLIL classes. CLIL stands for Content and Language integrated Learning. In the Netherlands CLIL is called TTO. CLIL students in classes 1,2 and 3 are being taught for at least 50% in subjects as English, history, geography, arts and design, math, science, physical education in English. Some of their teachers are native speakers of English or near native speakers. As English is the international lingua franca, students are motivated to have a good command of this modern language. CLIL students sit an official English exam in year 3. Besides extra instruction in English, CLIL students perform international projects and meetings with students and teachers from abroad and enjoy extra cultural activities in the English language. VWO students also specialize in year 4 in culture, economy, nature, science.

• Van Lodenstein College offers two special classes for students with a need for individual attention. Students can be admitted to this class after being consulted by a special admission team.

•  Van Lodenstein College also offers a special rebound department. Here students after severe misconduct can work separately from their classmates for a few months.