Independent study is necessary and helpful in developing discipline, independence, and creative thinking. However, no student can learn how to think, reason, and relate totally on his own initiative. Only a teacher challenging a student to higher mental feats can accomplish this task. If a Christian school is to be effective, there must be both independent study going on under the supervision of a well-trained teacher. Most students are not motivated or able to accomplish their potential without the efforts of a teacher.
Many studies point out the importance of the teacher in the classroom.
One such study was published by the National Science Foundation in 1978 on the status of science, mathematics, and social science education in the nation s elementary and secondary schools. Numerous studies indicate that the type of instruction does affect student learning. No doubt the teacher is the most important instructional variable. The critical role of the teacher in instituting changes in science teaching is well documented. This may seem an unreasonable expectation to teachers enmeshed in each day s teaching, but teachers and administrators within individual schools must find ways to provide time for unhurried thought and deliberate planning.