Amy McCutcheon

Professional Biography:
My parents are strong believers in Christian education, and for this reason I attended Central Valley Christian School in Visalia, California for thirteen years of my life. I was always told that I had the personality of a teacher.  I’m still unsure of the specific characteristics that brought about those remarks, but I always brushed off comments of that nature. During my senior year of high school I decided to become a teacher’s aide for the kindergarten at CVCS. In that role, I eventually realized that all those comments I had brushed off had a purpose! After high school I attended Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. In 2007 I graduated with an elementary education degree with a minor in English and middle grades endorsements in social sciences and language arts.

Personal Biography:
I grew up in Tulare, California, a small farming community, where my dad owns a dairy. Some might consider me a country girl for this simple reason, but my family would disagree. Ever since kindergarten I loved to read and thoroughly enjoyed “teaching” my younger siblings all sorts of things. I am the oldest of four children with two younger brothers and a younger sister. My husband, Matthew, is currently attending Palmer Chiropractic here in San Jose. We currently worship at Grace Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto.  Together we love taking road trips and watching movies. I spend much of my free time reading novels. Tom Sawyer and Treasure Island are among my favorites. When I am not in San Jose I am usually down in the central valley catching up with family and friends.

Christian Philosophy of Education:
As a middle school teacher I have a unique viewpoint toward Christian education. Every day I see the students entering my room growing more and more into adults. My students are now at a point in their lives when the novels, writing, and movies they encounter are more controversial than ever before.  I try to walk alongside them as we discover how to be Christian writers and readers in a secular world.  It is so important to me that the students at SJCS have Christian role models in their lives as they chart the occasionally choppy waters that bring them from childhood into adulthood. While some young people handle this change relatively easily, I know that for many, there are times of doubt as to who they are, and even where they fit into God’s plan. At SJCS we strive to “teach” the whole child, focusing not just their academics but also their spiritual health. To me, Christian education goes beyond just teaching from a Christian perspective in the classroom. The church, school, and home should be working together to help these young adults become the adults Christ has patterned them to be.