Christian Ed
How can you better prepare seniors for their culminating event?
21/05/13 08:39
It's 4:30 on Wednesday afternoon. Each of the 46 seniors has just completed the final part of the senior culminating event—a 20-minute presentation to a teacher panel regarding biblical analysis of and response to an issue of his/her choosing (for example, child displacement, video game addiction, nuclear proliferation, media bias, and obesity in geriatrics).
You were on a teacher panel for presentations on video game addiction. You enjoyed seeing each student shine; you enjoyed seeing each senior using his/her learning to impact the world for Christ. As you finish your written evaluations, you wonder, "How can high school teachers better prepare seniors for this culminating event?"
Good question. Here's a suggestion—backwards design each part of the culminating assessment (paper, project, presentation). In other words, develop papers, projects, and presentations for students in grades 6-11 that developmentally prepare students for the senior culminating event.
If seniors are to write a 8-15 page paper in which they use research and a biblical perspective* to analyze and respond to an issue:
*If seniors are to use a biblical perspective in their papers, projects, and presentations:
You were on a teacher panel for presentations on video game addiction. You enjoyed seeing each student shine; you enjoyed seeing each senior using his/her learning to impact the world for Christ. As you finish your written evaluations, you wonder, "How can high school teachers better prepare seniors for this culminating event?"
Good question. Here's a suggestion—backwards design each part of the culminating assessment (paper, project, presentation). In other words, develop papers, projects, and presentations for students in grades 6-11 that developmentally prepare students for the senior culminating event.
If seniors are to write a 8-15 page paper in which they use research and a biblical perspective* to analyze and respond to an issue:
- What subject areas should be involved in preparing them for this culminating paper? (How can you help teachers in these subject areas take ownership for preparing students for this culminating paper?)
- What standards should be addressed?
- What types of papers would they need to write in grades 9-11 to make this a truly culminating paper? (What would the prompts look like? What type of research would be involved? How would they use biblical perspective? How many pages would each paper be?)
- What rubrics should be used for evaluating the papers?
- What subject areas should be involved in preparing them for this culminating project? (How can you help teachers in these subject areas take ownership for preparing students for this culminating project?)
- What standards should be addressed?
- What types of projects would they need to create in grades 9-11 to make this a truly culminating project? (What would the prompts look like? What type of research would be involved? How would they use biblical perspective? How big would the project be?)
- What rubrics should be used for evaluating the projects?
- What classes should be involved in preparing them for this culminating paper? (How can you help teachers in these subject areas take ownership for preparing students for this culminating presentation?)
- What standards should be addressed?
- What types of presentations would they need to give in grades 9-11 to make this a truly culminating presentation? (What would the prompts look like? What type of research would be involved? How would they use biblical perspective? How many minutes would each presentation be?)
- What rubrics should be used for evaluating the presentations?
*If seniors are to use a biblical perspective in their papers, projects, and presentations:
- What subject areas should be involved in preparing students to apply a biblical perspective? (How can you help teachers in these subject areas take ownership for preparing students to apply a biblical perspective?)
- What standards should be addressed?
- What biblical frameworks and biblical principles (in each subject area) would it be helpful for students to be grounded in by the end of grade 11?
- What skills do students need for researching and applying a biblical perspective? How will students learn these?
How do you prepare your students for an assessment?
08/05/13 08:35
Kim wants her students to make connections, including connections between God's world and God's Word. So, at the end of her course, she gives her students the following assessment:
Give a presentation (5-8 min. individual; 8-10 min. group) on something from 2nd semester English class that grabbed your attention in which you demonstrate 3 connections (literature, Bible, life), using your project as support. (Your project is worth about 1 week’s work / 5% of semester grade.)
One way she prepares her students for this assessment is by providing them with a list of the Biblical principles they studied in each unit, the questions they reflected on during the course, and questions about creation-fall-redemption-restoration framework they used. She does this to help her students review what they learned, use what they learned, and avoid prooftexting. Here's what she shared with her students:
Biblical principles we studied in English 10:
1. Meeting Image Bearers: Introduction
- 1.1. Because people are in the image of God (Gen. 1.27; 9.6; Jas. 3.9), we are creative (Gen. 2.19; Gen. 4.21-22; Exod. 35.30-36.1), communicative (Gen. 2.20-24; Exod. 4:10-12; Jer. 1.4-9) truth-seekers.
- 1.2. God charges us with developing the potentials of creation, including language. This is called the Cultural Mandate (Gen. 1.26-28; Ps. 8.5-8; Heb. 2.5-9).
- 1.3. All truth is God’s truth: truth people can deduce from creation (Ps. 19.1-6, Rom. 1.19-20, Rom. 2.14-16) as well as truth God reveals in scripture (Ps. 19.7-11, 2 Tim. 4.16-17).
- 1.4. The Bible is the clearest revelation of God’s truth, the touchstone for all other truth claims (Isa. 8.20; Acts 17.11; 2 Tim. 3.16-17).
3. Disregarding Human Dignity: Night
- 3.1. Because people are made in the image of God (Gen. 1.26-27), every human being is worthy of honor and respect and should not be murdered (Gen. 9.6) or cursed (Jas. 3.9).
- 3.2. Because the Bible tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must seek the good of anyone it is within our power to help (Lev. 19.18, Matt. 22.39, Mark 12.31, Luke10.27, Rom.13.9, Gal. 5.14, Jas. 2.8).
5. Weightlifting with Language: Grammar—As a person redeemed by God (John 3.16), you can learn and use different languages (Acts 2.5-12) to serve God and others (Gen. 39-41, 45.7; Acts 7.22; Dan. 1.3-4) by reducing alienation and restoring shalom.
6. Dancing with Language: Poetry
- 6.1. God values poetry: a large part of the Old Testament is poetry. (All of Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Solomon; most of Job and Ecclesiastes; vast portions of the prophetic books. Even the books of law and history contain passages of poetry.)
- 6.2. Poetry can communicate truth. Paul quotes it on several occasions to connect with his audience and support his point (Acts 17.28, 1 Cor. 15.33, Tit. 1.12).
- 6.3. Anything that sounds like truth must be checked against God’s Word—even if it comes from a Christian source (Acts 17.11). The writer of Acts praises the Jews of Berea because everything they heard from Paul about the gospel, they checked against the scriptures to see if it was true.
8. Finding Myself: A Doll's House
- 8.1. Every individual has value (Gen. 1:27, Psa. 139, Matt. 10.31, Luke 12.7, Rom. 12.3-9).
- 8.2. Secure in her worth in God's eyes, the Christian follows Jesus' example of service, humility, submission (I Cor. 10.24, 12.12-26; Mark 10.42-45; Phil. 2.1-11; Eph. 5.21).
- 9.1. Romantic love is a good gift from God when used according to directions (Gen. 2.18-25, Song of Solomon, John 2.1-2, Eph. 5.25-32) but devastating when used otherwise (Dinah, Gen.34; Samson, Judges 12 & 16; Amnon & Tamar, 2 Sam. 13).
- 9.2. The love God intends for a man and woman is a lifetime determination of the will to seek the good of the other person (Gen. 2.20-25, Matt. 19.3-9 [esp. The Message], Mal. 2.13-16, Eph. 5.22-33, I Cor. 13). Are you becoming the type of person capable of this type of determination?
- Who am I?
- Who is my neighbor?
- What’s wrong with the world?
- What is the significance of words?
- What was God’s intention for this thing when He originally created it?
- How has this thing been affected by the Fall? How do humans misuse or abuse it? What difference does Jesus make? What reason is there for hope?
- How can we be involved in God’s work of restoring this to His original intention?
These essays make me smile
12/04/13 08:48
I want my students to understand the words they hear. I want them to understand the song lyrics they hear, especially in terms of the theme and how poetry enhances the theme.
So 2 weeks ago, I asked them to write an essay on the following: “Your task is to write an article for a Christian teen magazine analyzing the poetry and truth of the lyrics of a song of your choice.”
It’s now Friday afternoon. I’m grading those essays. And I’m smiling.
I’m pleased because my students learned how the poetry of a song lyric affects the theme. One student wrote on the reflection that he handed in with his essay, “As a fan…I [previously had]…not noticed the depth of the song…. I myself learned that poems/songs still have deep meaning these days.”
I’m especially pleased because my students used creation-fall-redemption-restoration to critique the theme, for example:
- “The poet may not be aware of it, but the only rescue to a broken situation on Earth is through the hope God provides….”
- “Because of Christ’s act of redemption for us...we are able to forget these past wrongs and move forward; just like Bedingfield’s lyrics say, we have a blank page before us.”
- “The lyrics of Macklemore’s song ‘Wings’ allude to the meaning behind brand-name shoes…. Society continues its attempts at materialistic satisfaction, which can’t restore the broken relationship with God.”
Try using the 4Rs
08/03/13 12:05
Do you want to help your students learn even more? One way you can do this is by leveraging your unit maps on an ongoing basis. How can you do this? Try the 4 Rs:
(1) Review your unit map for 5 or more minutes before starting each unit—this will help you focus on what you want your students to learn:
(4) Regularly talk about your unit maps—this is fun and will keep you focused on your unit maps. Each year, talk through at least 4 units with a colleague. As necessary, talk through various parts of your unit maps, for example, enduring understandings, essential questions, and assessments.
To find out how you and your colleagues are using the 4Rs, rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4: Strongly Agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly Disagree
___ Before starting each unit, I take 5 or more minutes to review the appropriate unit map.
___ I reflect on how each unit went, noting possible ways to improve the unit.
___ I revise each unit (as appropriate) before teaching the unit again.
___ I regularly talk about my unit maps with colleagues.
___ Before starting each unit, my colleagues take 5 or more minutes to review the appropriate unit map.
___ My colleagues reflect on how each unit went, noting possible ways to improve the unit.
___ My colleagues revise each unit (as appropriate) before teaching the unit again.
___ My colleagues regularly talk about their unit maps with others.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- Review your unit map before starting each unit.
- Reflect on how each unit went.
- Revise each unit map, based on your reflection.
- Regularly talk about your unit maps.
(1) Review your unit map for 5 or more minutes before starting each unit—this will help you focus on what you want your students to learn:
- Look at your learning targets, enduring understandings, and essential questions. Ask yourself, "What do my students need to learn?"
- Look at your content and skills. Ask yourself, "How are the content and skills connected to my learning targets and enduring understandings?"
- Look at your assessments, noting which learning targets a given assessment addresses. Ask yourself, "To what extent do these assessment give high quality evidence for student achievement of the learning targets?"
- Look at your resources, making sure you know where all of them are. Ask yourself, "How helpful are these resources?" and “Do I use anything that is not documented in my map?”
- What did your students learn during the unit?
- What is encouraging/discouraging about what your students learned?
- To what extent did you carry out your unit plan?
- To increase student learning, what changes could you make to your unit map?
(4) Regularly talk about your unit maps—this is fun and will keep you focused on your unit maps. Each year, talk through at least 4 units with a colleague. As necessary, talk through various parts of your unit maps, for example, enduring understandings, essential questions, and assessments.
To find out how you and your colleagues are using the 4Rs, rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4: Strongly Agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly Disagree
___ Before starting each unit, I take 5 or more minutes to review the appropriate unit map.
___ I reflect on how each unit went, noting possible ways to improve the unit.
___ I revise each unit (as appropriate) before teaching the unit again.
___ I regularly talk about my unit maps with colleagues.
___ Before starting each unit, my colleagues take 5 or more minutes to review the appropriate unit map.
___ My colleagues reflect on how each unit went, noting possible ways to improve the unit.
___ My colleagues revise each unit (as appropriate) before teaching the unit again.
___ My colleagues regularly talk about their unit maps with others.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s are there?
- What excites/concerns me about the data?
- What can I do to increase the practice of the 4 Rs (review, reflect, revise, regularly talk)?
- What will I do?
Student reflects on biblical perspective
13/07/12 15:44
Anneke Essenburg, a recent graduate of Christian Academy in Japan, reflects on Biblical perspective assignments and questions.
Here are 8 assignments I have had that helped me to understand and apply a Biblical perspective:
Here are 8 assignments I have had that helped me to understand and apply a Biblical perspective:
- Project: My friend and I wrote a narration mimicking Sophie’s World that explained the Christian ethical system.
- Project: As part of a semester presentation, I had to actually live out the biblical principle I used in my presentation in one specific way.
- Project: In groups, we created posters that analyzed different worldviews’ perspective of a crime.
- Essay: I wrote several papers on different philosophical topics (e.g., souls and free will), explaining and supporting my view.
- Essay: I analyzed a piece of media (first a song and then a movie) to discern its worldview.
- Discussion: My classmates and I watched short video clips of people reacting to different situations (e.g. an unconscious homeless man and a child bride) and then discussed which ethical system each person acted by.
- Debate: My partner and I debated another pair over several topics (e.g., smoking and lying) for two minutes each, being randomly appointed to the pro or con side for each argument.
- Presentation: In a group, we presented on an ethical system, including elements such as a short skit enacting that system and a comparison between that system and Christianity.
- What do you believe and why?
- How will you live out your beliefs?
- What do other people think and why?
- Why do people act in certain ways?
- If you thought in a different way, how would you act?
- How would different perspectives view one event?
- What are the similarities and differences between the way I think and other people think?
Teachers, use enduring understandings
13/07/12 07:24
As Christian school teachers, we want to help our students develop a Christian worldview. An effective way to do that is using enduring understandings that help connect the part of God’s world that they study with God’s Word.
Here are 31 sample enduring understandings used in secondary English at Christian Academy in Japan:
Here are 31 sample enduring understandings used in secondary English at Christian Academy in Japan:
- A Christian speaker seeks to serve her neighbor/audience.
- All truth is God's truth.
- An author's personal values and ethical beliefs shape the worldview presented in his/her writing.
- An identity rooted in God allows for the flexibility to listen carefully to others.
- As God's creatures, we exist within nature in a special role as stewards; a role that is often neglected or distorted.
- As image-bearers, we're responsible to seek out and listen to the stories of others so that we can better understand the world we live in, and better understand ourselves.
- Because people are in the image of God, we are creative, communicative truth-seekers.
- Being made in God's image means that we must learn to communicate to the best of our ability with a variety of audiences.
- Belief systems set the precepts from which we live our daily lives and understand the world around us.
- Christians must act whenever and wherever human dignity is disregarded.
- Comparing motivations and actions of literary characters from different historical eras reveal man's sinful nature.
- Creation was designed to function according to God's design and those patterns are still visible despite the fall.
- Defects in society are directly related to the defects in human nature.
- God created people to exist in shalom: flourishing in right relationship with God, others, creation, and ourselves.
- Greed affects everyone, regardless of racial, gender or financial positions.
- Humans long for restoration and search for transcendence.
- Humans make sense of the world around them through various art forms, including narrative.
- Knowing grammar helps us learn other languages, giving me opportunities to restore shalom by increasing understanding of, collaboration with, and responsibility for the neighbors I am to love, regarding both salvation and justice.
- Knowledge implies responsibility. (If you know a biblical principle, it should make a difference in how you live.)
- Leaders set the pattern for the whole group, leading to sin or to righteousness.
- Nature is part of the created order, worth caring for but not worth our worship.
- Personal belongings and riches do not bring satisfaction; satisfaction lies in being content with what one has.
- Reading and talking about literature helps humanity understand how to restore what is broken in the world.
- Romantic love is a good gift from the Creator that has been twisted by the Fall, but can be redeemed through Jesus and restored by his followers.
- Seeking God's perspective in the midst of chaos brings cosmos and heals the human tendency to escape or blame God in the midst of chaos.
- The same disregard for humanity that allows for slavery also allows for much more common-place problems like gossip & bullying.
- Though fallen creatures, we're significant because we bear the image of God.
- Truth is not relative; the basis for truth can only come from God and His Word.
- Understanding God's nature offers a healing response to the problem of evil and suffering.
- We are called to care for and develop culture--Knowing how to engage information is part of this cultural mandate outlined in Gen. 1:26-28 and 2:15-25.
- We are fallen and incapable of achieving God's standard of goodness (perfection) on our own. Our instinct itself has been corrupted, and our "natural" drive is to satisfy and serve ourselves.
My revised plan is working!
21/06/12 07:04
She isn’t connecting what she studies and what the Bible teaches. Hiroko, a Japanese student from a Christian family, is talking with me about a book she has read.
I ask, “What is the theme of the book?” Hiroko says, “It’s about friendship and how giving your life for someone is the ultimate act of love.” I respond, “What’s a biblical perspective of the book?” And she says, “The book didn’t talk about God, so I don’t think there’s a biblical perspective.” Bummer.
Clearly, my instructional plan hadn’t worked for Hiroko. I had modeled making connections between what we read and the Bible. I had taught a biblical principle for every short story, novel, and play we studied—for example, that people’s desperate search for belonging can only be completely fulfilled in God. I had then required students to articulate each biblical principle and how it connected to the work we studied.
But I hadn’t actually taught them that God created everything with a purpose and for His glory. I hadn’t actually taught them that there is nothing to which God and His Word are irrelevant. Bummer.
My revised plan? To start by teaching a biblical principle about the possibility and necessity of seeing every piece of literature through the lenses of Scripture. And then to teach several broad scriptural themes to which every piece of literature could connect—creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.
The result? Book talks are now about the brokenness of the world and about the importance of pursuing biblical justice, reconciliation, faithfulness, and wholeness! And not a single student says, “The book didn’t talk about God, so I don’t think there’s a biblical perspective.” My revised plan is working!
Develop a Biblical perspective standard (4 of 4)
11/04/12 11:15
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively help his students develop a Christ-centered worldview. He walks down the halls and see his instructional coach.
How are you doing, Tom?
Long day—grading essays. My students are doing better on their thesis statements, which is good, since that’s what we worked on. But I wanted to tell you that our department adopted a Biblical perspective standard!
Students connect God's world (standards 1-9) with God's Word (creation-fall-redemption-restoration).
That’s great! So, I take it that your presentation to your department about this went well. Good for you.
And good for our students. Having this standard will focus us more on helping our students connect God’s world and Word. I think we’ve started something. A couple of teachers in other departments have talked to me about this. They want to learn more about how and why we developed our Biblical perspective standard.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
Questions for discussion:
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively help his students develop a Christ-centered worldview. He walks down the halls and see his instructional coach.
How are you doing, Tom?
Long day—grading essays. My students are doing better on their thesis statements, which is good, since that’s what we worked on. But I wanted to tell you that our department adopted a Biblical perspective standard!
Students connect God's world (standards 1-9) with God's Word (creation-fall-redemption-restoration).
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of creation—God’s creational purposes and what creation reveals about God.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of the fall—the impact of sin on God's creation and how we misuse God's creation.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of redemption—Jesus' work and its impact on God's creation.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of restoration—how we can apply God's Word to restore His broken creation.
That’s great! So, I take it that your presentation to your department about this went well. Good for you.
And good for our students. Having this standard will focus us more on helping our students connect God’s world and Word. I think we’ve started something. A couple of teachers in other departments have talked to me about this. They want to learn more about how and why we developed our Biblical perspective standard.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
Questions for discussion:
- Do you want your students to connect God’s world and Word?
- What can you do to help your students better connect God’s world and Word?
- How can you help your colleagues help their students make connections?
- Connect God's world, God's Word, and life
- Start small and get started
- What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
- How can you more effectively target Biblical perspective?
- Help your students connect what they study and creation-fall-redemption-restoration
- Develop a guaranteed, viable, Biblical perspective curriculum
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
- 2.2. Explain the creation-fall-redemption-fulfillment/restoration framework.
- 4.4. Develop, document, and explain content and skill standards/benchmarks.
- 4.6. Develop, document, and explain enduring Biblical perspective understandings.
Students make connections in presentations
02/03/12 14:16
S, T, C, and K gave a presentation on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. When another student asked about their personal application, S said that we can't right now do anything for people in Zimbabwe, but the most important thing is to learn empathy for the people around us. Then we will become people who will someday do something for people across the globe.
M, J, and T gave a presentation on the disregard of women's human dignity. They had started with the introduction to Half the Sky I had available for jigsawing, and each of them researched abuse of women in a given part of the world. They did a great job and were quite informed and passionate.
They had quite a full-orbed biblical perspective, including that the subjugation of women to men was a part of the curse, that the creation story includes the statement that both male and female are equally in God's image, and that the word for helper that women were created to be is also used of God as a help to us—so not necessarily subordinate. They also told their classmates in no uncertain terms that while sexist jokes are funny, in the long run, they communicate that women are inferior and are not appreciated.
Their concrete application, though, was to write "thankful" at the top of their agenda for each day of this past week, to remind themselves to be thankful for all the opportunities they have as females in a developed nation that others don't have. They had a powerful quote about a black man knowing the fear of walking down a dark street in a white neighborhood, and a white man knowing the fear of walking down a dark street in a black neighborhood, but a woman knows the fear of walking down a dark street in any neighborhood, because it is someone else's territory.
C, B, S, and K tackled the tough topic of morality. They ended up saying all humans share a common sense of morality, but we use our frontal and prefrontal cortex to decide to do what we know is right or what will benefit us.
For their personal application they each talked about being metacognitive about that decision-making process in themselves—whether it was S sitting on the train after an exhausting wrestling practice and struggling with whether or not to give up his seat for an old woman who was having problems standing, or C making excuses to himself for why he didn't have to pick up trash he saw on the ground next to the trash can when it was not one of his mornings to be on the job.
A, M, K, and E presented on the topic of taking action—not being a bystander. A had a lovely personal application. She said an old people's home was recently built near her house. Before, she had just complained about the noise of construction and then ignored the new residents when they moved in. But because of this project, she had started saying hi to them when she saw them on the street. And there's one old woman who she always talks to now. M also told about trying to speak up for someone who was being dissed in a group, though she didn't feel terribly effective.
The audience asked questions like, "Does it ever happen that taking action makes things worse?" A asked for clarification, "Do you mean for the person intervening, or for the person being targeted?" Several girls answered about the person intervening that in a fallen world, yes, often it does make things worse. But that shouldn't stop us because it's what God wants us to do.
Students make connections in essays
21/01/12 15:21
- "Selfishness, pride, and the desire for power are the driving forces for one to ignore, insult, hurt, and kill others. That is why Christians have been called to carry out the only thing that can rise above these troubles and give hope to life: love."
- "Within my own life I can see myself disregarding others' importance compared to what I want to accomplish and do. The most clear example for me is when friends ask me for help on homework. Some of the time I find myself thinking that as long as I understand it, it's fine; what a waste of time to teach. In these times I am placing myself and my own convenience over someone else's learning. I am stating that they are not worth my time and effort....In his letter to the Philippians Paul clearly states, 'Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves' (New International Version, Phil. 2.3).”
How can we more effectively prepare students to connect God's world and Word?
09/12/11 08:43
I'm smiling. I'm reading an introductory paragraph of an essay written by an alum of Christian Academy in Japan (who is now in her senior year of college):
There are over 27 million image bearers of God enslaved today.1 Twenty-seven million men, women, and children whom Jesus died and rose again to save are trapped in an existence in which they are told that they are not human, that they have no worth, that they cannot escape, and that they do not even own themselves. This invisible population is woven into our global economy and touches most of the products we buy—"[h]uman trafficking tears apart the structure of local economies, adds to the bureaucratic and law enforcement burden at all levels of government, and destroys people's lives."2 And because of the complicated nature of supply chains in our world, casual consumption indirectly supports slavery by buying products that were in part made by slave labor. In order to faithfully live out our Christian call to justice in this new global society, it is necessary to carefully evaluate our consumption practices in order to be faithful stewards of our resources in the restoration and bring shalom.
2 questions:
1 K. Bales. Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004), 8.
2 E. M. Wheaton, E. J. Schauer, and T. V. Galli. "Economics of Human Trafficking." International Migration 48.4 (2010): 114-141, esp. 132.
There are over 27 million image bearers of God enslaved today.1 Twenty-seven million men, women, and children whom Jesus died and rose again to save are trapped in an existence in which they are told that they are not human, that they have no worth, that they cannot escape, and that they do not even own themselves. This invisible population is woven into our global economy and touches most of the products we buy—"[h]uman trafficking tears apart the structure of local economies, adds to the bureaucratic and law enforcement burden at all levels of government, and destroys people's lives."2 And because of the complicated nature of supply chains in our world, casual consumption indirectly supports slavery by buying products that were in part made by slave labor. In order to faithfully live out our Christian call to justice in this new global society, it is necessary to carefully evaluate our consumption practices in order to be faithful stewards of our resources in the restoration and bring shalom.
2 questions:
- How can we more effectively prepare students to connect God's world and Word?
- What can we do to make it possible for students to write essay introductions like this at an earlier age? Say, during their senior year of high school?
- Connect God's world, God's Word, and life
- Start small and get started
- What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
- How can you more effectively target Biblical perspective?
- Help your students connect what they study and creation-fall-redemption-restoration
- Develop a guaranteed, viable, Biblical perspective curriculum
1 K. Bales. Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004), 8.
2 E. M. Wheaton, E. J. Schauer, and T. V. Galli. "Economics of Human Trafficking." International Migration 48.4 (2010): 114-141, esp. 132.
Develop a Biblical perspective standard (part 3 of 4)
15/08/11 10:05
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 4
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively help his students develop a Christ-centered worldview. He schedules a coaching session every 2 weeks to help himself make progress.
Tom, good to see you again!
Good to see you, too. Sorry I had to cancel a couple of weeks ago. Glad my flu wasn’t too bad—I only missed 2 days of school.
How’s it going?
I’m still focusing on helping my students better connect God’s world and Word. Last time we talked, I said I’d teach my students a Biblical principle related to creation and to speaking. I taught them that we should use speech to love God and our neighbors. We discussed the principle, including how we can use presentations to serve those around us. Went pretty well.
I also talked with Mark and Judy. I shared how I used the Biblical perspective standard to crosscheck my 4 Biblical principles and what I learned from doing that.
Students connect God's world (standards 1-9) with God's Word (creation-fall-redemption-restoration).
They responded by asking for help in crosschecking their principles. Mark had principles that addressed creation and the fall, while Judy had principles that addressed the fall and restoration. Like me, neither of them had principles for redemption and neither of them had principles that addressed the majority of the standards. We all agreed that having the Biblical perspective standard was helpful, and we talked a little about next steps.
Like what?
Like how to move the discussion to the department level. That’s what I want to think about today. We think it would be good to get our department to consider adopting the Biblical perspective standard. Before doing so, I want to think about how we can do that effectively.
OK. What would help you do a good job of getting your department to consider adopting the standard?
Well, the process I used with Judy and Mark seemed to work well—talking about how to help kids better connect God’s world and Word, then having them use the standard to crosscheck their Biblical principles.
Sounds good. What else?
I probably need to be prepared to answer some of their questions.
What questions do you think they’ll ask?
Maybe why we’re proposing this. I know of at least one person who’s concerned about turning off kids by pushing creation-fall-redemption-restoration too much.
What else?
Well, how much work this is going to involve. I probably should think about my responses to those questions.
Would you like to do that now?
Yes. Could you ask me those questions so I can think through my responses?
OK—why, turning kids off, and amount of work, right?
Right.
So, why make this proposal?
We need to treat connecting God’s world and Word like we treat the other parts of the curriculum—by having a standard for it.
Won’t pushing creation-fall-redemption-restoration too much turn kids off?
It might. But using this standard won’t necessarily result in overkill. We’re not suggesting that we talk about creation-fall-redemption-restoration every time we teach a Biblical principle.
How much work is this going to be?
We’re not sure. But we think it’s worth it for the kids. Doing this will help us help them develop a Christ-centered worldview.
How do you feel about your responses?
Pretty good. Before our next session, I’ll talk with Mark and Judy about how we can do a good job of getting our department to consider adopting the Biblical perspective standard. Once we settle on an approach, I’ll ask them about scheduling a date to present this to our department.
Highlights or insights?
When I take action, things happen. When I work on helping my students, they make better connections That’s encouraging, and it’s scary—it means when I don’t work at helping my students, they don’t make better connections.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 4
Questions for discussion:
Related resources you might want to explore:
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively help his students develop a Christ-centered worldview. He schedules a coaching session every 2 weeks to help himself make progress.
Tom, good to see you again!
Good to see you, too. Sorry I had to cancel a couple of weeks ago. Glad my flu wasn’t too bad—I only missed 2 days of school.
How’s it going?
I’m still focusing on helping my students better connect God’s world and Word. Last time we talked, I said I’d teach my students a Biblical principle related to creation and to speaking. I taught them that we should use speech to love God and our neighbors. We discussed the principle, including how we can use presentations to serve those around us. Went pretty well.
I also talked with Mark and Judy. I shared how I used the Biblical perspective standard to crosscheck my 4 Biblical principles and what I learned from doing that.
Students connect God's world (standards 1-9) with God's Word (creation-fall-redemption-restoration).
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of creation—God’s creational purposes and what creation reveals about God.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of the fall—the impact of sin on God's creation and how we misuse God's creation.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of redemption—Jesus' work and its impact on God's creation.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of restoration—how we can apply God's Word to restore His broken creation.
They responded by asking for help in crosschecking their principles. Mark had principles that addressed creation and the fall, while Judy had principles that addressed the fall and restoration. Like me, neither of them had principles for redemption and neither of them had principles that addressed the majority of the standards. We all agreed that having the Biblical perspective standard was helpful, and we talked a little about next steps.
Like what?
Like how to move the discussion to the department level. That’s what I want to think about today. We think it would be good to get our department to consider adopting the Biblical perspective standard. Before doing so, I want to think about how we can do that effectively.
OK. What would help you do a good job of getting your department to consider adopting the standard?
Well, the process I used with Judy and Mark seemed to work well—talking about how to help kids better connect God’s world and Word, then having them use the standard to crosscheck their Biblical principles.
Sounds good. What else?
I probably need to be prepared to answer some of their questions.
What questions do you think they’ll ask?
Maybe why we’re proposing this. I know of at least one person who’s concerned about turning off kids by pushing creation-fall-redemption-restoration too much.
What else?
Well, how much work this is going to involve. I probably should think about my responses to those questions.
Would you like to do that now?
Yes. Could you ask me those questions so I can think through my responses?
OK—why, turning kids off, and amount of work, right?
Right.
So, why make this proposal?
We need to treat connecting God’s world and Word like we treat the other parts of the curriculum—by having a standard for it.
Won’t pushing creation-fall-redemption-restoration too much turn kids off?
It might. But using this standard won’t necessarily result in overkill. We’re not suggesting that we talk about creation-fall-redemption-restoration every time we teach a Biblical principle.
How much work is this going to be?
We’re not sure. But we think it’s worth it for the kids. Doing this will help us help them develop a Christ-centered worldview.
How do you feel about your responses?
Pretty good. Before our next session, I’ll talk with Mark and Judy about how we can do a good job of getting our department to consider adopting the Biblical perspective standard. Once we settle on an approach, I’ll ask them about scheduling a date to present this to our department.
Highlights or insights?
When I take action, things happen. When I work on helping my students, they make better connections That’s encouraging, and it’s scary—it means when I don’t work at helping my students, they don’t make better connections.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 4
Questions for discussion:
- How could you get your department to consider adopting the Biblical perspective standard?
- What questions do you think department members might ask? How would you respond
- What’s next?
Related resources you might want to explore:
- Connect God's world, God's Word, and life
- Start small and get started
- What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
- How can you more effectively target Biblical perspective?
- Help your students connect what they study and creation-fall-redemption-restoration
- Develop a guaranteed, viable, Biblical perspective curriculum
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
- 2.2. Explain the creation-fall-redemption-fulfillment/restoration framework.
- 4.4. Develop, document, and explain content and skill standards/benchmarks.
- 4.6. Develop, document, and explain enduring Biblical perspective understandings.
Develop a Biblical perspective standard (part 2 of 4)
15/08/11 09:53
Part 1 / Part 3 / Part 4
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively equip his students to impact the world for Christ. To move forward, he schedules a coaching session every 2 weeks on Tuesday afternoon.
How are you, Tom?
I’m doing OK. My students wrote good essays on Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. A lot of them addressed the question “What’s wrong?” And I’m excited about the progress I made on my 2 action steps.
Good!
Since our last session a couple of weeks ago, I talked with Judy and Mark. It was kind of exciting to talk with them about helping kids connect God’s world and Word. I got an idea from Judy—when teaching a Biblical principle, start by having kids get into small groups to read and discuss at least 3 supporting Bible verses. Then state the Biblical principle and have them discuss the connections between the verses and the principle.
I also got an idea from Mark—have my students ask all 4 of my bulletin board questions when discussing something, not just 1 or 2 of them. Using 4 of them at once will help them get the creation-fall-redemption-restoration framework.
Both Judy and Mark were excited about the idea of developing a Biblical perspective standard. Excited enough to schedule a lunch meeting so we could continue the discussion. Things just seemed to come together. Before I could suggest it, Judy said we should try using the creation-fall-redemption-restoration framework. Mark liked that idea, and we generated an initial draft on a napkin! I agreed to type it up on a Google Doc, and we all agreed to get feedback from at least one other person and use the feedback to make revisions. We actually made quite a few revisions. I’m really excited about the progress we made!
We wrote it so that it connected our standards with the Biblical perspective standard. Here’s what it looks like:
Students connect God's world (standards 1-9) with God's Word (creation-fall-redemption-restoration).
You really made a lot of progress. How can you leverage your progress?
I want to use the ideas I got from Judy and Mark. But I want to think about those at a later date because I want to build on the momentum we have for a Biblical perspective standard. And I want to see how a standard could help me know what, if anything, I need to do to more effectively help my students make connections.
For example, I could check which parts of creation-fall-redemption-restoration my Biblical principles address. And I could check which standards my Biblical principles address. That might help me know if I’m missing something. I teach 4 Biblical principles—you can see them on the bulletin board over there.
What would you like to think about now?
I think I’d like to go ahead and check my principles against creation-fall-redemption-restoration and against the other English standards.
OK. Which parts of creation-fall-redemption-restoration do your 4 Biblical principles address?
Let me see. The fall has 2 principles, and restoration has 2 principles.
Implications?
I’m addressing the fall and restoration. I’m not addressing creation and redemption.
Which standards do your 4 Biblical principles address?
Let me pull up my standards online. Just give me a second. OK.
There are 9 English standards—3 for reading, 2 for writing, 1 for listening, 1 for speaking, 1 for research, and 1 for media analysis. Looks like my principles address standards 1 and 2 on reading and standard 5 on writing.
Implications?
My Biblical principles address standards 1, 2, and 5. They don’t address standards 3, 4, and 6-9. They don’t address listening, speaking, research, and media analysis.
So, to what extent does your Biblical perspective standard help you know how you’re doing?
It provides me with helpful information. Looks like I need to add Biblical principles that address redemption, restoration, listening, speaking, research, and media analysis—you know, standards 3, 4, and 6-9.
To be honest, I’m not sure I wanted that much helpful information. And on the other hand, the standard does give me a way to measure if I’ve done a good job.
What’s next?
I’ll commit to adding 1 Biblical principle that addresses creation or redemption and that addresses something related to listening or speaking.
Can you make that more specific?
That’s a good idea. In the next unit, my students will be giving a presentation. I’ll commit to adding a Biblical principle that addresses speaking and that addresses creation in terms of God’s purposes for speaking.
What else would you like to commit to?
I’ll commit to talking with Judy and Mark about how I used the Biblical perspective standard to crosscheck the 4 Biblical principles I teach. Maybe they’ll want to give it a try.
Highlights or insights for today?
Another blinding flash of the obvious—having a Biblical perspective standard actually does help me know how I’m doing and what I need to do.
Part 1 / Part 3 / Part 4
Questions for discussion:
Related resources you might want to explore:
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively equip his students to impact the world for Christ. To move forward, he schedules a coaching session every 2 weeks on Tuesday afternoon.
How are you, Tom?
I’m doing OK. My students wrote good essays on Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. A lot of them addressed the question “What’s wrong?” And I’m excited about the progress I made on my 2 action steps.
Good!
Since our last session a couple of weeks ago, I talked with Judy and Mark. It was kind of exciting to talk with them about helping kids connect God’s world and Word. I got an idea from Judy—when teaching a Biblical principle, start by having kids get into small groups to read and discuss at least 3 supporting Bible verses. Then state the Biblical principle and have them discuss the connections between the verses and the principle.
I also got an idea from Mark—have my students ask all 4 of my bulletin board questions when discussing something, not just 1 or 2 of them. Using 4 of them at once will help them get the creation-fall-redemption-restoration framework.
Both Judy and Mark were excited about the idea of developing a Biblical perspective standard. Excited enough to schedule a lunch meeting so we could continue the discussion. Things just seemed to come together. Before I could suggest it, Judy said we should try using the creation-fall-redemption-restoration framework. Mark liked that idea, and we generated an initial draft on a napkin! I agreed to type it up on a Google Doc, and we all agreed to get feedback from at least one other person and use the feedback to make revisions. We actually made quite a few revisions. I’m really excited about the progress we made!
We wrote it so that it connected our standards with the Biblical perspective standard. Here’s what it looks like:
Students connect God's world (standards 1-9) with God's Word (creation-fall-redemption-restoration).
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of creation—God’s creational purposes and what creation reveals about God.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of the fall—the impact of sin on God's creation and how we misuse God's creation.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of redemption—Jesus' work and its impact on God's creation.
- Students connect God’s world (standards 1-9) with God’s Word in terms of restoration—how we can apply God's Word to restore His broken creation.
You really made a lot of progress. How can you leverage your progress?
I want to use the ideas I got from Judy and Mark. But I want to think about those at a later date because I want to build on the momentum we have for a Biblical perspective standard. And I want to see how a standard could help me know what, if anything, I need to do to more effectively help my students make connections.
For example, I could check which parts of creation-fall-redemption-restoration my Biblical principles address. And I could check which standards my Biblical principles address. That might help me know if I’m missing something. I teach 4 Biblical principles—you can see them on the bulletin board over there.
What would you like to think about now?
I think I’d like to go ahead and check my principles against creation-fall-redemption-restoration and against the other English standards.
OK. Which parts of creation-fall-redemption-restoration do your 4 Biblical principles address?
Let me see. The fall has 2 principles, and restoration has 2 principles.
Implications?
I’m addressing the fall and restoration. I’m not addressing creation and redemption.
Which standards do your 4 Biblical principles address?
Let me pull up my standards online. Just give me a second. OK.
There are 9 English standards—3 for reading, 2 for writing, 1 for listening, 1 for speaking, 1 for research, and 1 for media analysis. Looks like my principles address standards 1 and 2 on reading and standard 5 on writing.
Implications?
My Biblical principles address standards 1, 2, and 5. They don’t address standards 3, 4, and 6-9. They don’t address listening, speaking, research, and media analysis.
So, to what extent does your Biblical perspective standard help you know how you’re doing?
It provides me with helpful information. Looks like I need to add Biblical principles that address redemption, restoration, listening, speaking, research, and media analysis—you know, standards 3, 4, and 6-9.
To be honest, I’m not sure I wanted that much helpful information. And on the other hand, the standard does give me a way to measure if I’ve done a good job.
What’s next?
I’ll commit to adding 1 Biblical principle that addresses creation or redemption and that addresses something related to listening or speaking.
Can you make that more specific?
That’s a good idea. In the next unit, my students will be giving a presentation. I’ll commit to adding a Biblical principle that addresses speaking and that addresses creation in terms of God’s purposes for speaking.
What else would you like to commit to?
I’ll commit to talking with Judy and Mark about how I used the Biblical perspective standard to crosscheck the 4 Biblical principles I teach. Maybe they’ll want to give it a try.
Highlights or insights for today?
Another blinding flash of the obvious—having a Biblical perspective standard actually does help me know how I’m doing and what I need to do.
Part 1 / Part 3 / Part 4
Questions for discussion:
- In one of your classes, what Biblical principles do you teach your students?
- What’s satisfying about teaching those principles? What’s unsatisfying?
- Which parts of creation-fall-redemption-restoration do your Biblical principles address? Implications?
- Which standards do your Biblical principles address? Implications?
- To what extent does your Biblical perspective standard help you know how you’re doing?
- What’s next?
Related resources you might want to explore:
- Connect God's world, God's Word, and life
- Start small and get started
- What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
- How can you more effectively target Biblical perspective?
- Help your students connect what they study and creation-fall-redemption-restoration
- Develop a guaranteed, viable, Biblical perspective curriculum
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
- 2.2. Explain the creation-fall-redemption-fulfillment/restoration framework.
- 4.4. Develop, document, and explain content and skill standards/benchmarks.
- 4.6. Develop, document, and explain enduring Biblical perspective understandings.
Develop a Biblical perspective standard (part 1 of 4)
15/08/11 08:44
Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively equip his students to impact the world for Christ. To do this, Tom knows he needs to do some careful thinking. So, he schedules a coaching session every 2 weeks on Tuesdays at 4:00pm.
Hi, Tom. How’d your classes go today?
Pretty well. We discussed the ending of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. My students were really into it, especially in 4th period. And at the end of 6th period, Kento asked for help on his writing—a real breakthrough. He’s new this year. He hasn’t been happy, and he hasn’t taken me up on my offers to help. I told Kento I’d talk with him tomorrow before school!
Sounds like you had a good day. It’s been 2 weeks since we talked last. How about sharing progress you made on your action steps?
OK. My goal is to help my students better connect God’s world and Word. My first action step was to make a bulletin board featuring 4 questions I want my students to think about—What’s God’s purpose? What’s wrong? What difference does Jesus make? How can you join God in restoring His broken creation? I made the bulletin board. I used school colors—blue and gold. I used large lettering so it’s easy to read the questions from any part of the room.
My second action step was to ask my students my 4 questions at least once. Well, seeing the 4 questions on the bulletin board reminded me to ask my students those questions—which I did twice as we discussed Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Glad you made progress. It must have felt good to see your students responding to your questions. What do you want to accomplish as a result of our conversation today?
Well, based on the training I got on teaching from a Biblical perspective, I think I’m doing what I know how to do to help my students make better connections. I’d like to do more, so today I want to find another way to more effectively help my students connect God’s world and Word.
OK. How are you currently helping your students connect God’s world and Word?
I’m teaching my students Biblical principles and helping them connect those principles to the part of God’s world they study—language, literature, stuff like that. I’m giving my students assessments that require them to connect God’s world and Word. And to prepare my students for those assessments, I’m asking questions—like the ones on my bulletin board—and meeting student learning needs.
How do you feel about the student learning results you’re getting?
Actually, I’m feeling good about the learning results—kids are making connections in discussions, journal entries, and essays. The connections they’re making are for the most part heartfelt—not fake or shallow or because I assigned it. I’m looking forward to reading their essays on Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In the essay, they have to apply 2 Biblical principles we studied and answer 1 or more of the questions on the bulletin board.
Seems like you’re doing quite a bit and you’re feeling good about your learning results. What’s causing you to want to find more ways to help your students connect God’s world and Word?
I do feel pretty good about what I’m doing and about the learning results. But then I get these thoughts in the back of my mind: Maybe they should be learning more Biblical principles. Maybe I should be giving a Biblical perspective assessment in every unit. Maybe I should do more.
How do I measure if I’ve done a good job?
That’s a good question. How do you usually measure if you’ve done a good job?
I make sure I’ve taught and assessed the appropriate learning targets. We’re using curriculum mapping software, so that’s easy to check. I also look at learning results.
How do your usual ways of measuring compare with how you’re measuring connecting God’s world and Word?
I’m looking at learning results, but I can’t check on the learning targets. We don’t have a standard and learning targets on students connecting God’s world and Word. Hard to believe I missed that. I mean, we have standards and learning targets for other parts of the curriculum, so why not this part?
So, what can you do to help your students connect God’s world and Word?
I could talk with other English teachers to see what they think about how to better help students connect God’s world and Word. And when we’re talking, I could see what they think about developing a Biblical perspective standard. To develop a standard, I think we’d need to settle on a framework.
What do you mean by “framework”?
A way to frame the standard. For example, I could use worldview categories—God, people, morality, death, and history. I could use a basic set of Biblical principles like loving God/neighbor, caring for creation, making disciples, and being part of the Church. I guess I could also use the 10 Commandments or the Beatitudes.
But come to think of it, the framework I’ve been using most often is creation-fall-redemption-restoration. So have my colleagues. We got that training last year, and I think our department statement is based on that. My bulletin board questions fit creation-fall-redemption-restoration, and I saw a 9th grader give a good presentation at a PTA meeting in which she connected creation-fall-redemption-restoration to plants.
OK. What else can you do regarding developing a Biblical perspective standard?
The only other thing that comes to mind is actually developing a draft of a standard and learning targets.
What will you do?
I think I’ll talk with 2 other teachers (probably Judy and Mark) to get ideas about how I can help my students make connections. And I’ll see what they think of developing a Biblical perspective standard. Given my schedule, I don’t think I want to commit to developing a draft of a standard.
Sounds good. Highlights or insights for today?
I kind of had a blinding flash of the obvious—to develop a Biblical perspective standard. I can’t understand why I didn’t think of it before. Having a standard will help me measure my efforts.
See you in a couple of weeks.
Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4
Questions for discussion:
Related resources you might want to explore:
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
Tom, who teaches 7th grade English, wants to more effectively equip his students to impact the world for Christ. To do this, Tom knows he needs to do some careful thinking. So, he schedules a coaching session every 2 weeks on Tuesdays at 4:00pm.
Hi, Tom. How’d your classes go today?
Pretty well. We discussed the ending of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. My students were really into it, especially in 4th period. And at the end of 6th period, Kento asked for help on his writing—a real breakthrough. He’s new this year. He hasn’t been happy, and he hasn’t taken me up on my offers to help. I told Kento I’d talk with him tomorrow before school!
Sounds like you had a good day. It’s been 2 weeks since we talked last. How about sharing progress you made on your action steps?
OK. My goal is to help my students better connect God’s world and Word. My first action step was to make a bulletin board featuring 4 questions I want my students to think about—What’s God’s purpose? What’s wrong? What difference does Jesus make? How can you join God in restoring His broken creation? I made the bulletin board. I used school colors—blue and gold. I used large lettering so it’s easy to read the questions from any part of the room.
My second action step was to ask my students my 4 questions at least once. Well, seeing the 4 questions on the bulletin board reminded me to ask my students those questions—which I did twice as we discussed Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Glad you made progress. It must have felt good to see your students responding to your questions. What do you want to accomplish as a result of our conversation today?
Well, based on the training I got on teaching from a Biblical perspective, I think I’m doing what I know how to do to help my students make better connections. I’d like to do more, so today I want to find another way to more effectively help my students connect God’s world and Word.
OK. How are you currently helping your students connect God’s world and Word?
I’m teaching my students Biblical principles and helping them connect those principles to the part of God’s world they study—language, literature, stuff like that. I’m giving my students assessments that require them to connect God’s world and Word. And to prepare my students for those assessments, I’m asking questions—like the ones on my bulletin board—and meeting student learning needs.
How do you feel about the student learning results you’re getting?
Actually, I’m feeling good about the learning results—kids are making connections in discussions, journal entries, and essays. The connections they’re making are for the most part heartfelt—not fake or shallow or because I assigned it. I’m looking forward to reading their essays on Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In the essay, they have to apply 2 Biblical principles we studied and answer 1 or more of the questions on the bulletin board.
Seems like you’re doing quite a bit and you’re feeling good about your learning results. What’s causing you to want to find more ways to help your students connect God’s world and Word?
I do feel pretty good about what I’m doing and about the learning results. But then I get these thoughts in the back of my mind: Maybe they should be learning more Biblical principles. Maybe I should be giving a Biblical perspective assessment in every unit. Maybe I should do more.
How do I measure if I’ve done a good job?
That’s a good question. How do you usually measure if you’ve done a good job?
I make sure I’ve taught and assessed the appropriate learning targets. We’re using curriculum mapping software, so that’s easy to check. I also look at learning results.
How do your usual ways of measuring compare with how you’re measuring connecting God’s world and Word?
I’m looking at learning results, but I can’t check on the learning targets. We don’t have a standard and learning targets on students connecting God’s world and Word. Hard to believe I missed that. I mean, we have standards and learning targets for other parts of the curriculum, so why not this part?
So, what can you do to help your students connect God’s world and Word?
I could talk with other English teachers to see what they think about how to better help students connect God’s world and Word. And when we’re talking, I could see what they think about developing a Biblical perspective standard. To develop a standard, I think we’d need to settle on a framework.
What do you mean by “framework”?
A way to frame the standard. For example, I could use worldview categories—God, people, morality, death, and history. I could use a basic set of Biblical principles like loving God/neighbor, caring for creation, making disciples, and being part of the Church. I guess I could also use the 10 Commandments or the Beatitudes.
But come to think of it, the framework I’ve been using most often is creation-fall-redemption-restoration. So have my colleagues. We got that training last year, and I think our department statement is based on that. My bulletin board questions fit creation-fall-redemption-restoration, and I saw a 9th grader give a good presentation at a PTA meeting in which she connected creation-fall-redemption-restoration to plants.
OK. What else can you do regarding developing a Biblical perspective standard?
The only other thing that comes to mind is actually developing a draft of a standard and learning targets.
What will you do?
I think I’ll talk with 2 other teachers (probably Judy and Mark) to get ideas about how I can help my students make connections. And I’ll see what they think of developing a Biblical perspective standard. Given my schedule, I don’t think I want to commit to developing a draft of a standard.
Sounds good. Highlights or insights for today?
I kind of had a blinding flash of the obvious—to develop a Biblical perspective standard. I can’t understand why I didn’t think of it before. Having a standard will help me measure my efforts.
See you in a couple of weeks.
Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4
Questions for discussion:
- How are you currently helping your students connect God’s world and Word?
- How do you feel about the student learning results you’re getting?
- What excites/concerns you about developing a Biblical perspective standard?
- If you were to develop a Biblical perspective standard, what framework would you use?
- What’s next?
Related resources you might want to explore:
- Connect God's world, God's Word, and life
- Start small and get started
- What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
- How can you more effectively target Biblical perspective?
- Help your students connect what they study and creation-fall-redemption-restoration
- Develop a guaranteed, viable, Biblical perspective curriculum
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
- 2.2. Explain the creation-fall-redemption-fulfillment/restoration framework.
- 4.3. Develop, document, and explain a Biblical perspective of their academic discipline(s).
- 4.4. Develop, document, and explain content and skill standards/benchmarks.
- 4.5. Articulate a Biblical perspective of the content and skills they teach.
- 4.6. Develop, document, and explain enduring Biblical perspective understandings.
Teacher incorporates creation-fall-redemption-restoration into grammar unit
27/07/11 13:53
What’s the focus of your grammar unit?
Kim: The content and skills focus of the unit is identifying the various parts of speech, parts of a sentence, phrases, and clauses. One of the unit’s essential questions I use to give a reason for learning the content and skills is “How does knowing grammar help me learn other languages?”
What led you to incorporate creation-fall-redemption-restoration?
Kim: One of my English periods is first period. We have an extra 5 minutes at the beginning of the period to allow for attendance and devotions. I do a 2 or 3 minute devotional every day that connects somehow to what we are studying.
As I came up with Bible passages that had to do with languages, I found that what was new and intriguing to my students was contrasting the 2 stories of Babel and Pentecost. At Babel, God made people unable to understand each other to separate them in order to prevent greater rebellion. At Pentecost, God made people able to understand each other to bring them together in order to hear His solution to separation and rebellion.
I thought, “That sounds like the core of a creation-fall-redemption-restoration pattern.” I also thought that I’d like to articulate that pattern clearly and concisely enough to be able to teach it in the other sections of my class that didn’t have the extra minutes at the beginning of the period.
What do you want your students to learn?
Kim: I want them to learn God’s purpose for languages, how sin impacted languages, the difference Jesus makes, and how we can use different languages to help restore God’s broken world.
Here are the specifics:
Creation: At creation, language was used to build shalom...
- Between people and God: God used language to bless people and give them a job (Gen. 1.28-30), to give guidance (Gen. 2.16-17), and to supply people’s needs (Gen. 2.18)
- Between people and other people: Adam used language to greet Eve (Gen. 2.23).
- Between people and creation: Adam used language to carry out his God-given job of naming the animals (Gen. 2.19-30).
- Between people and God: Satan used language to twist God’s words (Gen. 3.1), contradict God’s words (Gen. 3.4), and question God’s good intent (Gen. 3.5). Eve used language to exaggerate God’s words (Gen. 3.3). Adam used language to equivocate and to blame God (Gen. 3.12). God used language to curse people and to make the job He had given them difficult (Gen. 3.16-19)
- Between people and other people: Adam used it to shift blame to Eve (Gen. 3.12). Eventually, at Babel, God put a cap on united rebellion by creating language barriers and thus separating people (Gen. 11.1-9).
Restoration: God’s ultimate plan is to restore shalom. Overcoming language barriers is both a sign of and a tool for doing this.
- Both Old and New Testaments picture God’s ultimate plan for people of many different languages to worship him together (Zeph. 3.9, Rev. 5.9, 7.9).
- To join with God in bringing this plan into being, Christians are to go to people of all languages to proclaim the redemption from isolation from God and each other made possible by Jesus (Matt.28.19-20, Mark 16.15, Acts 1.8, Romans 14.11-12).
- In the meantime, God also wants people to use gifts of different languages to serve Him and others, as many Bible characters did, including Joseph (Gen. 39-41), Moses (Acts 7.22), and Daniel (Dan.1.3-4).
This blog entry addresses the following Biblical perspective teacher training benchmarks:
- 2.2. Explain the creation-fall-redemption-fulfillment/restoration framework.
- 4.5. Articulate a Biblical perspective of the content and skills they teach.
Reflect on the big picture
08/06/11 15:58
Part of being a Christian educator is reflecting on the big picture. Here are 3 questions I invite you to consider:
(1) What do you want your students to learn? I want students to achieve our school’s learning outcomes. Here are videos of our seniors giving presentations in which they demonstrate our school’s learning outcomes, in part by applying a Biblical perspective to media, violence, journalism, and tobacco.
(2) How do you help your students apply a Biblical perspective? Ways I’ve helped students is by targeting Biblical perspective, giving Biblical perspective assessments, asking questions, and meeting student learning needs. Want to learn more?
(1) What do you want your students to learn? I want students to achieve our school’s learning outcomes. Here are videos of our seniors giving presentations in which they demonstrate our school’s learning outcomes, in part by applying a Biblical perspective to media, violence, journalism, and tobacco.
(2) How do you help your students apply a Biblical perspective? Ways I’ve helped students is by targeting Biblical perspective, giving Biblical perspective assessments, asking questions, and meeting student learning needs. Want to learn more?
- Read about how teachers are helping students apply a Biblical perspective: Science 5, Social Studies 6, Science 8. and English 10.
- Watch videos about a curriculum framework and a Biblical framework you can use to help your students apply a Biblical perspective.
- Take a tutorial.
Math/science teacher reflects on using Understanding by Design
08/06/11 09:10
I am a more enthusiastic teacher than I used to be. Mathematics and science are courses traditionally loaded with content and light on connection to anything. I have been increasingly dissatisfied with this. Understanding by Design has given me the tools I need to turn this situation around.
The six facets of understanding have helped me to see what I really want my mathematics and science students to "get" by the time they leave my class. I especially like the facet that looks for how the students gauge the relevance of what they are learning to the world in which they live.
Focusing on enduring understandings has helped to weed out some content that has been there just because it is in the textbook. I now deal with what is really important and do not get tripped by extraneous detail. For example, our geometry course has often dealt with some obscure properties of quadrilaterals. They are interesting to mathematicians, but not necessary in a 9th grade course. Once we understood that measurements with quadrilaterals were more important, we only did that material. This left us time to deal with proportions and trigonometry in more depth, something we knew was important but had consistently not managed to reach in one year.
Mathematics and science do not have great track records with Biblical connection either. Adding an enduring understanding about, for example, how the extreme order of the periodic table supports the existence of a Creator and Designer of the universe, makes me address this and similar issues. The students then have a real connection to what they learn in Bible.
The whole Understanding by Design process has also helped my partner teacher and me plan effectively together. We have common goals, we have common assessments, and we have 47 students who are much more engaged in science classes than I have seen for a long time! We are hopeful that some of them will take their interest in science, combine it with a solid Christian worldview and impact the world of science for Jesus.
English teacher reflects on using Understanding by Design
08/06/11 08:10
Through their study of English, I want my students to understand that God created a good world so that we could enjoy it and participate in developing its potential. I want my students to understand that in this fallen world, God calls us to join Him in working to restore peace and justice. Language helps us all understand God’s truth and communicate it to others. Understanding by Design has helped me focus more effectively on helping students actually attain those goals.
In English 10, my students hone their thinking, writing, reading, and presenting skills as they grapple with world literature. I want them to connect this content with enduring understandings based on biblical principles they learn, for example:
- Human search for belonging is ultimately fulfilled in God (Ps. 90.1; Phil. 3.20; Heb. 11.8-10, 13-16). —short story unit
- God calls us to join Him in His work of restoration (Mic. 6.8, Isa. 1.17, Jer. 22.16, Hos. 6.6 and note, Matt. 23.23). —Cry, the Beloved Country unit
“In contrast to what Camus and Daru experienced, there is inherent meaning and moral guidelines in life given by God—a conclusion based on a Biblical principle. Truth, which is God’s teaching, is apparent everywhere…(New International Version, Romans 1.20). In fact, the truth of the only God is accessible…(Acts 17.20). We must learn what God’s truth is and apply it to our lives because as Daru understood, human wisdom is faulty…. Humans must establish God’s truth as their anchor and base their decisions on his truth, which may not yield the obviously ‘good’ consequences in this life, but are right because they are part of God’s perfect will.”
Articulating enduring understandings ensures that I’m focusing on what I really want students to know. Asking essential questions helps me engage the students with the enduring understanding. And as I use backward planning, I design the assessment and teach the content and skills that I know will enable students to perform well.
How committed are you to meeting your students’ learning needs?
11/05/11 12:57
If you see someone recycling paper and plastic, riding her bike instead of driving her car, and writing blog entries about taking care of the environment, you think, “Wow! She’s really committed to going green.” If you see someone who isn’t recycling, isn’t riding her bike, and isn’t writing blog entries on the environment, you don’t think, “Wow! She’s really committed to going green.” Why? Because you know that people who are committed take action, and you know that people who aren’t really committed don’t take action.
In Christian education, we're committed to helping our students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. We know that meeting learning needs helps students make connections. So, we're committed to meeting learning needs to help our students make these connections.
What’s your real level of commitment to meeting your students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches? To determine your response, reflect on the following questions:
Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Meet their learning needs. Today.
In Christian education, we're committed to helping our students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. We know that meeting learning needs helps students make connections. So, we're committed to meeting learning needs to help our students make these connections.
What’s your real level of commitment to meeting your students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches? To determine your response, reflect on the following questions:
- What are your students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- What are you doing to meet your students’ learning needs?
- How consistently do you take action to meet your students’ learning needs?
- How committed are you really?
Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Meet their learning needs. Today.
How committed are you to using assessment to help students make connections?
11/05/11 12:57
We know. We know our real level of commitment is best demonstrated by our practice. So, we know that the real commitment level of the following teachers is not high:
What’s your real level of commitment to using assessment to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches? To determine your response, reflect on the following questions:
Use assessment to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Today.
- I’m a second grade language arts teacher who is committed to students writing well. Each year, my students write 1 journal entry.
- I’m a middle school Bible teacher who is committed to students memorizing God’s Word. Each year, my students memorize 2 verses.
- I’m a high school science teacher who is committed to students doing labs. Each year, my students do 2 labs.
What’s your real level of commitment to using assessment to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches? To determine your response, reflect on the following questions:
- How many assessments do you give each year? (Include things like daily work, presentations, projects, essays, and quizzes, and tests.)
- How many of these assessments require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- What percentage of your assessments requires students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- How committed are you really?
Use assessment to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Today.
To what extent do you provide value-added content?
14/04/11 20:38
If you want to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, provide value-added content. How? By providing new Biblical teaching. And by providing new connections between what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Question: Why valued-added content? In other words, why “new” Biblical teaching? Why “new” connections?
Question: Why valued-added content? In other words, why “new” Biblical teaching? Why “new” connections?
- Because students attend Christian schools to learn new things.
- Because in my experience, students are more likely to get engaged when studying new Biblical teaching and are more likely to get turned off by going over the same Biblical teaching.
- Because students like learning about new connections, like making new connections, and dislike overusing the same connections.
How committed are you to using questions?
14/04/11 20:32
For me, commitment results in action. So when I want to know how committed I am to something, I look at what I’m doing. At Christian schools, we’re committed to helping students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. And in my experience, teachers who are committed to using questions to help students make connections take action:
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Use questions. Today.
- They have identified effective Biblical perspective questions like “How can you relate to culture?”
- They ask their Biblical perspective questions.
- They frame each of their classes (and each of their units) around their Biblical perspective questions.
- They use one or more of their questions to start a unit.
- They have their students journal on a question.
- They use questions as a springboard to having their students read the Bible and articles by Christians.
- They use their questions to review a unit.
- They use Biblical perspective questions as the basis of unit and semester assessments.
- They post their questions on a bulletin board.
- They prominently feature their questions on their course syllabi and Web site.
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Use questions. Today.
How can you more effectively use questions to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
14/04/11 08:52
To get an idea of how you can more effectively use questions to help your students make connections, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ My Biblical perspective questions are effective.
___ I ask my Biblical perspective questions.
___ My Biblical perspective questions are posted in my classroom.
___ I talk with my fellow teachers about using questions to help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to using questions to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Testimonials
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ My Biblical perspective questions are effective.
___ I ask my Biblical perspective questions.
___ My Biblical perspective questions are posted in my classroom.
___ I talk with my fellow teachers about using questions to help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to using questions to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
- What excites/concerns me about the data?
- What can I do to more effectively use questions to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- What will I do?
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Testimonials
How can you use your Biblical perspective assessment data?
18/03/11 20:34
You designed your Biblical perspective assessment for your unit on short stories: “For one of the short stories you read, write a 500-word essay in which you identify a theme, analyze how the author uses literary conventions to communicate it, and evaluate it from a Biblical perspective.”
You prepared your students for this Biblical perspective assessment. You helped them identify themes. You gave them opportunities to analyze how authors use foreshadowing, irony, mood, plot, symbolism, characterization, and setting to communicate themes. You gave direct instruction on relevant Biblical principles and supporting verses, which you then had them apply to the short stories they were reading. And then you had your students write rough drafts, on which you gave feedback.
Earlier this week, you collected final drafts of the essay, used a rubric to score them, and provided written feedback.
Question: How can you use your Biblical perspective assessment data?
If you want your students to better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, I suggest that you:
You prepared your students for this Biblical perspective assessment. You helped them identify themes. You gave them opportunities to analyze how authors use foreshadowing, irony, mood, plot, symbolism, characterization, and setting to communicate themes. You gave direct instruction on relevant Biblical principles and supporting verses, which you then had them apply to the short stories they were reading. And then you had your students write rough drafts, on which you gave feedback.
Earlier this week, you collected final drafts of the essay, used a rubric to score them, and provided written feedback.
Question: How can you use your Biblical perspective assessment data?
If you want your students to better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, I suggest that you:
- Give your students time in class to read your comments, review their rubric scores, and think about 1 thing they can do to make better connections.
- Review your data and ask yourself, “How can I help my students make better connections?”
What will you do to better connect what you teach and what the Bible teaches?
18/03/11 20:21
Want to help your students to better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches? If so, make sure you can make better connections.
Question: How can you do this?
By identifying your own learning needs. And then by developing an action plan to meet 1 of your own learning needs.
To develop your action plan, ask yourself the following 7 questions. Better yet, invite a colleague to ask you:
Question: How can you do this?
By identifying your own learning needs. And then by developing an action plan to meet 1 of your own learning needs.
To develop your action plan, ask yourself the following 7 questions. Better yet, invite a colleague to ask you:
- What subjects do you teach?
- What excites/concerns you about connecting what you teach and what the Bible teaches?
- Which learning needs do you have?
- Which learning need would you like to meet?
- What are some ways you could meet this learning need?
- What action step will you take to meet this learning need?
- When will you take this action step?
To what extent do your unit plans and lesson plans target Biblical perspective?
16/02/11 09:33
You want to target Biblical perspective. You want to help your students apply a Biblical perspective to the course content they have mastered.
Question: To what extent do your unit plans and lesson plans target Biblical perspective?
Question: To what extent do your unit plans and lesson plans target Biblical perspective?
- Do your plans include essential questions that help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches? Questions like the following: What’s God’s purpose for ___? What wrong? Who is your neighbor?
- Do your plans include Biblical perspective enduring understandings?
- Do your plans include assessments that require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- Do your plans include engaging instructional strategies that get your students connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
How can you learn to use questions more effectively?
16/02/11 09:32
Do you want to learn how to more effectively use questions to help your students make connections? If so, keep reading.
I’ve found a way to more effectively use questions. It’s time-tested. It doesn’t cost any money. It’s easy and fun. And it works.
What is it?
Talking to your fellow teachers. Talking to your fellow teachers about how you can more effectively use questions to help your students make connections.
Need a place to start? Ask your fellow teachers questions like:
I’ve found a way to more effectively use questions. It’s time-tested. It doesn’t cost any money. It’s easy and fun. And it works.
What is it?
Talking to your fellow teachers. Talking to your fellow teachers about how you can more effectively use questions to help your students make connections.
Need a place to start? Ask your fellow teachers questions like:
- What questions do you ask your students?
- How do you feel about using questions to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- How do you use questions to help your students make connections?
How exemplary are your Biblical perspective assessments?
20/01/11 09:30
To get an idea of how exemplary your Biblical perspective assessments are, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Definitely • 3 Usually • 2 Sort of • 1 Rarely
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are standards-based.
___ My assessments require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments give students opportunities to make choices.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are rigorous.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are even worthy to be taught to.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are student-friendly in terms of vocabulary and length (prompts are 75 words or less).
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are exemplary assessments (SCORES).
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Definitely • 3 Usually • 2 Sort of • 1 Rarely
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are standards-based.
___ My assessments require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments give students opportunities to make choices.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are rigorous.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are even worthy to be taught to.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are student-friendly in terms of vocabulary and length (prompts are 75 words or less).
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are exemplary assessments (SCORES).
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
- What’s satisfying/unsatisfying about my data?
- What can I do improve my Biblical perspective assessments?
- What will I do?
How can you better connect what you teach and what the Bible teaches?
20/01/11 08:15
“I’ve got to find ways to help them.” You’re sitting at your desk, thinking: “I’ve got find ways to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. But how can I help when I don’t really get how what I teach is connected to what the Bible teaches?”
Question: What can you do to better connect what you teach and what the Bibles teaches?
Start by identifying your own learning needs. To help get you started on identifying your own learning needs, ask yourself, “Which of the following 10 items describe how I feel about helping students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?”
(1) Speaking practically, this doesn’t seem to be a real priority. I mean, teachers model Christlike behavior, talk with students about Christ, and do devotions, Bible class, and chapel. Students get this part of a Biblical perspective—they encourage each other, help lead devotions and chapel, and participate in Bible class. And parents like what we do—seems pretty good as is. Is increasing student understanding and use of a Biblical perspective of course content a real priority?
I’m not asked to grade my students on this. It’s not part of ITBS, PSAT, SAT, or AP tests. It’s not on college applications. If my students don’t master a certain skill, parents are concerned—no parent has ever talked to me about how well their child understands a Biblical perspective of my course content. When my students don’t master certain content or skills, I hear about it from the teacher above me—I don’t think I really teach a Biblical perspective of my subject, and no teacher above has talked to me about this.
Neither has my principal. And my principal has not asked to see sample assignments in which my students demonstrate their understanding and use of a Biblical perspective. I think I could get this if someone would work with me and if I was held accountable to do this.
(2) This doesn’t come up at my church or at home. My family and my church talk about being a Christian. We talk about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. I’m not sure how my faith is related to my subject area. I’m not sure I could explain a Biblical perspective of my course content. I think other teachers might get this, so I don’t want to bring it up.
(3) I’m not sure what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—I read missionary biographies and I go on mission trips with my church. What does teaching a Biblical perspective look like? How do you assess student understanding and use of a Biblical perspective? And what does quality student work look like when a student is demonstrating that she understands a Biblical perspective?
(4) My colleagues say they teach from a Biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t get it. They have their students work in groups and learn muscle names, but I don’t understand how this is part of Christian education. They seem to mostly do the same things that my non-Christian friends who teach do. What’s the difference?
(5) I don't always understand the vocabulary—integration of faith and learning, worldview, just war theory, year of Jubilee. Could I get a vocabulary list with definitions on it?
(6) Teaching what the Bible teaches is boring. I mean, it’s black and white, and I mostly lecture—that’s not fun for me or for my students. Sometimes I do object lessons. I want my students to experience engaging instructional strategies. Any ideas?
(7) I need to think through the answers for myself. I hear answers at meetings and workshops. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. I probably need to write out what I think.
(8) I need time to think about what I’m teaching. I teach all day, am involved in after school activities, and mark papers at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect on my teaching? Is there any way reflection time could be built into my schedule? Into the meetings I attend?
(9) To really get this, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I teach in class. If I could connect the Bible with my daily life, I think I could get a better handle on teaching from a Biblical perspective. I read about current events, and I’m not always sure how the Bible applies.
(10) I need more feedback. I like getting feedback about my teaching from my colleagues and principal. To get better at teaching from a Biblical perspective, I need more feedback on my content, assessment, and instruction. And I need a way to know how many of my students are at or above standard on understanding and using a Biblical perspective. I know that everyone is busy, but I could really use some help.
Question: So, what are your learning needs?
Bottom line: Meet your own learning needs. Start by identifying them. Today.
Question: What can you do to better connect what you teach and what the Bibles teaches?
Start by identifying your own learning needs. To help get you started on identifying your own learning needs, ask yourself, “Which of the following 10 items describe how I feel about helping students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?”
(1) Speaking practically, this doesn’t seem to be a real priority. I mean, teachers model Christlike behavior, talk with students about Christ, and do devotions, Bible class, and chapel. Students get this part of a Biblical perspective—they encourage each other, help lead devotions and chapel, and participate in Bible class. And parents like what we do—seems pretty good as is. Is increasing student understanding and use of a Biblical perspective of course content a real priority?
I’m not asked to grade my students on this. It’s not part of ITBS, PSAT, SAT, or AP tests. It’s not on college applications. If my students don’t master a certain skill, parents are concerned—no parent has ever talked to me about how well their child understands a Biblical perspective of my course content. When my students don’t master certain content or skills, I hear about it from the teacher above me—I don’t think I really teach a Biblical perspective of my subject, and no teacher above has talked to me about this.
Neither has my principal. And my principal has not asked to see sample assignments in which my students demonstrate their understanding and use of a Biblical perspective. I think I could get this if someone would work with me and if I was held accountable to do this.
(2) This doesn’t come up at my church or at home. My family and my church talk about being a Christian. We talk about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. I’m not sure how my faith is related to my subject area. I’m not sure I could explain a Biblical perspective of my course content. I think other teachers might get this, so I don’t want to bring it up.
(3) I’m not sure what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—I read missionary biographies and I go on mission trips with my church. What does teaching a Biblical perspective look like? How do you assess student understanding and use of a Biblical perspective? And what does quality student work look like when a student is demonstrating that she understands a Biblical perspective?
(4) My colleagues say they teach from a Biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t get it. They have their students work in groups and learn muscle names, but I don’t understand how this is part of Christian education. They seem to mostly do the same things that my non-Christian friends who teach do. What’s the difference?
(5) I don't always understand the vocabulary—integration of faith and learning, worldview, just war theory, year of Jubilee. Could I get a vocabulary list with definitions on it?
(6) Teaching what the Bible teaches is boring. I mean, it’s black and white, and I mostly lecture—that’s not fun for me or for my students. Sometimes I do object lessons. I want my students to experience engaging instructional strategies. Any ideas?
(7) I need to think through the answers for myself. I hear answers at meetings and workshops. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. I probably need to write out what I think.
(8) I need time to think about what I’m teaching. I teach all day, am involved in after school activities, and mark papers at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect on my teaching? Is there any way reflection time could be built into my schedule? Into the meetings I attend?
(9) To really get this, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I teach in class. If I could connect the Bible with my daily life, I think I could get a better handle on teaching from a Biblical perspective. I read about current events, and I’m not always sure how the Bible applies.
(10) I need more feedback. I like getting feedback about my teaching from my colleagues and principal. To get better at teaching from a Biblical perspective, I need more feedback on my content, assessment, and instruction. And I need a way to know how many of my students are at or above standard on understanding and using a Biblical perspective. I know that everyone is busy, but I could really use some help.
Question: So, what are your learning needs?
Bottom line: Meet your own learning needs. Start by identifying them. Today.
Students learn from writing essays
14/01/11 11:55
- I learned that doing devotions can help form my Biblical perspective in both my life and in essays.
- Writing this essay really got me thinking. It scares me that so many people passively disregard human dignity. What's scarier is that I'm one of them.
- I was able to acknowledge and see clearly how we so often do put others down to try to feel better about ourselves, but how that actually has the opposite effect. I re-learned once again that in God alone can we truly know (not only feel) that we are valuable.
- A Christian perspective helps any essay bring its points to a satisfying conclusion.
- I have known the words "human dignity” for really long but never knew what it truly meant till I had to write this essay.
- I learned that we don't have to kill millions of people to disregard human dignity. It happens every day when we gossip or bully.
Kim Essenburg, English 10 teacher at Christian Academy in Japan
Students give great presentation
08/01/11 14:48
Kim Essenburg, English 10 teacher at Christian Academy in Japan
What’s your target?
15/12/10 09:31
You’re excited about teaching 7th grade social studies at Faithful Christian School. And you’re excited about helping your students learn about the world.
Question: What’s your target?
Target Biblical perspective. Today.
Question: What’s your target?
- Is your target for your students to master course content about the geography and history of Asia, North American, and South America?
- Or is your target for your students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered?
Target Biblical perspective. Today.
How important is it to post your questions?
15/12/10 09:28
You’ve identified the 3 Biblical perspective questions you want to use:
Reflect: Want to help your students who are visual learners reflect on your Biblical perspective questions? Want to receive a daily reminder to ask your Biblical perspective questions? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, then keep reading.
I want to share a strategy that I’ve used. I’ve used it with secondary students in Bible, social studies, and English, and teachers I know have used it with K-12 students in all subjects. We think it works. We find helps visual learners; in fact, we find helps all learners reflect on Biblical perspective questions. We also find that it helps us as teachers to ask our questions.
What’s the strategy? Post your Biblical perspective questions in your room. Put them on a colorful bulletin board, making sure the print is big enough to be easily read from anywhere in the room. Once your questions are up, your visual learners can see them. Once your questions are up, you can see them—which will be your daily reminder to ask your questions.
I’ve found that as a result of posting my questions in my classroom, I asked my questions more consistently. And when I asked my questions more consistently, my students made more connections between what they were studying and what the Bible teaches.
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Post your Biblical perspective questions in your classroom. Today.
- What is the significance of words?
- How does God want you to live?
- What’s your responsibility?
Reflect: Want to help your students who are visual learners reflect on your Biblical perspective questions? Want to receive a daily reminder to ask your Biblical perspective questions? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, then keep reading.
I want to share a strategy that I’ve used. I’ve used it with secondary students in Bible, social studies, and English, and teachers I know have used it with K-12 students in all subjects. We think it works. We find helps visual learners; in fact, we find helps all learners reflect on Biblical perspective questions. We also find that it helps us as teachers to ask our questions.
What’s the strategy? Post your Biblical perspective questions in your room. Put them on a colorful bulletin board, making sure the print is big enough to be easily read from anywhere in the room. Once your questions are up, your visual learners can see them. Once your questions are up, you can see them—which will be your daily reminder to ask your questions.
I’ve found that as a result of posting my questions in my classroom, I asked my questions more consistently. And when I asked my questions more consistently, my students made more connections between what they were studying and what the Bible teaches.
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Post your Biblical perspective questions in your classroom. Today.
Do your assessments require students to connect their lives and what the Bible teaches?
19/11/10 09:29
You: Got a minute?
Me: Yeah. What’s up?
You: I just had a great conversation after class with Josh, a senior in my English class. Do you know Josh?
Me: Yes, I do. He’s on the wrestling team, right?
You: Yes. Well, I told him that I really wanted to help him and the other seniors connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. And I asked him what I could do to help.
Me: What’d he say?
You: He looked at me and sat there thinking. I tried another approach that tied into wrestling. He’s on the wrestling team, you know. I asked him, “If I wanted to help you make connections as well as you want to wrestle in the tournament, what would I need to do?”
And he said, “You need to help me connect my life to what we’re studying and what the Bible teaches.”
Me: I can see why you said you just had a good conversation. What do you think about Josh’s emphasis on tying in life experience?
You: I think it’s a good idea. I mean, things make more sense to me when I can make connections to my life. So, I think things would make more sense to my students. I think they’d better understand what they’re studying and what the Bible has to say about what they’re studying.
Me: Makes sense. What are you doing to do?
You: I think I’ll put a “life” component into my next writing assessment. Instead of having my students analyze a designated poem and evaluate it from a Biblical perspective, I’ll have them analyze a favorite song lyric and evaluate it from a Biblical perspective. And if I let them know that they’ll be analyzing a favorite lyric at the end of the unit, they’ll probably pay more attention when we work on literary conventions and so forth. And they’ll probably be more vested in thinking through what the Bible has to say about their favorite lyrics.
Bottom line: Use assessment to require your students to connect what they study, what the Bible teaches, and their lives. Today.
Me: Yeah. What’s up?
You: I just had a great conversation after class with Josh, a senior in my English class. Do you know Josh?
Me: Yes, I do. He’s on the wrestling team, right?
You: Yes. Well, I told him that I really wanted to help him and the other seniors connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. And I asked him what I could do to help.
Me: What’d he say?
You: He looked at me and sat there thinking. I tried another approach that tied into wrestling. He’s on the wrestling team, you know. I asked him, “If I wanted to help you make connections as well as you want to wrestle in the tournament, what would I need to do?”
And he said, “You need to help me connect my life to what we’re studying and what the Bible teaches.”
Me: I can see why you said you just had a good conversation. What do you think about Josh’s emphasis on tying in life experience?
You: I think it’s a good idea. I mean, things make more sense to me when I can make connections to my life. So, I think things would make more sense to my students. I think they’d better understand what they’re studying and what the Bible has to say about what they’re studying.
Me: Makes sense. What are you doing to do?
You: I think I’ll put a “life” component into my next writing assessment. Instead of having my students analyze a designated poem and evaluate it from a Biblical perspective, I’ll have them analyze a favorite song lyric and evaluate it from a Biblical perspective. And if I let them know that they’ll be analyzing a favorite lyric at the end of the unit, they’ll probably pay more attention when we work on literary conventions and so forth. And they’ll probably be more vested in thinking through what the Bible has to say about their favorite lyrics.
Bottom line: Use assessment to require your students to connect what they study, what the Bible teaches, and their lives. Today.
How will you meet your students’ learning needs?
19/11/10 09:11
Here are 8 ways to meet your students’ learning needs:
Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Take action to meet their learning needs. Today.
- To help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective, give them an assessment that requires them to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
- To help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content, show them an example.
- To help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective, explain how you use a Biblical perspective to choose instructional strategies.
- To help your students learn key vocabulary words, do a vocabulary lesson.
- To help your students experience engaging instructional strategies, use case studies and questions.
- To provide time during class for reflection, have your student journal during class.
- To help your students connect what they study, what the Bible teaches, and life, give an assessment requiring students to connect all 3.
- To give your students more practice connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches, give more assessments
Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Take action to meet their learning needs. Today.
Meet student learning needs
23/10/10 14:11
If you want to help your students to better connect God’s world and Word, meet their learning needs. “Learning needs” are anything your students need in order for learning to happen. Watch this video about meeting 5 learning needs students have:
Want to work with your colleagues to better meet student learning needs? If so, then purchase Meet Your Students’ Learning Needs (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. As a result of completing these 7 sessions, you will…
Download a sample session.
Purchase Meet Your Students’ Learning Needs (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
Want to work with your colleagues to better meet student learning needs? If so, then purchase Meet Your Students’ Learning Needs (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. As a result of completing these 7 sessions, you will…
- Define and meet your students’ learning needs.
- Help your students better understand the importance of connecting God’s world and Word.
- Help your students better understand that God’s Word can be connected to the part of God’s world they are studying.
- Help your students understand more biblical principles that connect to what they study.
- Provide the engaging instruction your students need in order to connect God’s world and Word.
- Provide time during class for your students to reflect on how God’s world and Word are connected.
- Demonstrate your commitment to meeting your students’ learning needs.
Download a sample session.
Purchase Meet Your Students’ Learning Needs (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
- Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word
- Use Assessment
- Use Questions
- Meet Student Learning Needs
Use questions to help your students connect God's world and Word
23/10/10 14:09
To connect God’s world and Word, your students need to think. Asking questions is an effective way to get your students to think and to make connections. Watch this video to learn 5 things about using questions:
Want to work with your colleagues to get better at using questions? If so, then purchase Use Questions (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. These 7 interactive sessions will help you…
Download a sample session.
Purchase Use Questions (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
Want to work with your colleagues to get better at using questions? If so, then purchase Use Questions (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. These 7 interactive sessions will help you…
- Evaluate and improve your use of questions to help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Analyze and explain why God asks questions.
- Analyze and explain how questions help students connect God’s world and Word.
- Understand and apply the characteristics of good questions.
- Document and then ask your students questions to help them connect God’s world and Word.
- Get your students to respond sincerely to the questions you ask.
- Increase your commitment to using questions to help your students connect God’s world and Word.
Download a sample session.
Purchase Use Questions (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
Use assessment to help your students connect God's world and Word
23/10/10 14:07
Assessment helps your students learn. Assessment can also help your students connect God’s world and Word. Watch this video to learn 5 things about using assessment:
Want to work with your colleagues to better use assessment? If so, then purchase Use Assessment (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions.
These 7 sessions will help you…
Download a sample session.
Purchase Use Assessment (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
Want to work with your colleagues to better use assessment? If so, then purchase Use Assessment (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions.
These 7 sessions will help you…
- Evaluate and improve your use of assessment to help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Analyze and explain how assessment can help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Identify and explain what types of assessment can help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Make one assessment even better.
- Prepare your students for and give an assessment that requires your students to connect God’s world and Word.
- Use your assessment data to help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Increase your commitment to using assessment to help your students connect God’s world and Word
Download a sample session.
Purchase Use Assessment (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
Help your students connect God's world and Word
23/10/10 14:05
You want your students to connect the part of God’s world they study and biblical principles. This is a significant challenge. Want some help? Watch this video to learn about helping your students connect God's world and Word:
Want to work with your colleagues to better help your students connect God’s world and Word? If so, then purchase Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. As a result of working through the 7 discussion-based sessions, you will…
Download a sample session.
Purchase Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
Want to work with your colleagues to better help your students connect God’s world and Word? If so, then purchase Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. As a result of working through the 7 discussion-based sessions, you will…
- Evaluate and improve how you help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Analyze and explain the importance of helping students connect God’s world and Word.
- Identify and explain what connecting what God’s world and Word looks like.
- Document biblical principles you want your students to connect to the part of God’s world they are studying.
- Get your students even more engaged in connecting God’s world and Word by having your students learn new biblical principles and/or helping your students make new connections between biblical principles they already know and the part of God’s world they study.
- Prepare for and teach a lesson designed to help your students connect God’s world and Word.
- Increase your commitment to helping your students connect God’s world and Word.
Download a sample session.
Purchase Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:
- Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word
- Use Assessment
- Use Questions
- Meet Student Learning Needs
How often do you ask your Biblical perspective questions?
14/10/10 20:27
You want to want to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. So, you’ve worked to develop a list of effective Biblical perspective questions to ask your students. Questions like “What’s wrong with the world?” and “How should Christian respond to suffering?” Good.
Question: How often do you ask your Biblical perspective questions? Once a day? Week? Month? Semester? Year?
To help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, how often do you need to ask them? Remember, the goal is not to have a list of effective Biblical perspective questions. The goal is to help your students make connections—and to do that, you need to ask your questions.
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Ask Biblical perspective questions. Today.
Question: How often do you ask your Biblical perspective questions? Once a day? Week? Month? Semester? Year?
To help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, how often do you need to ask them? Remember, the goal is not to have a list of effective Biblical perspective questions. The goal is to help your students make connections—and to do that, you need to ask your questions.
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Ask Biblical perspective questions. Today.
How can you more effectively target Biblical perspective?
14/10/10 20:26
To get an idea of how you can more effectively target Biblical perspective to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale:
4: Strongly Agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly Disagree
___ My target is for students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
___ My unit plans and lesson plans demonstrate that my target is for students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
___ I provide value-added content by teaching students new Biblical perspective content and/or helping them make new connections between what they are studying and Bible knowledge they already have.
___ I am committed to targeting Biblical perspective.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale:
4: Strongly Agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly Disagree
___ My target is for students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
___ My unit plans and lesson plans demonstrate that my target is for students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
___ I provide value-added content by teaching students new Biblical perspective content and/or helping them make new connections between what they are studying and Bible knowledge they already have.
___ I am committed to targeting Biblical perspective.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
- What excites/concerns me about the data?
- What can I do to more effectively target Biblical perspective?
- What will I do?
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Do your assessments require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
16/09/10 20:27
Me: Yes or No—Do your assessments require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: I can see why you’re asking that question. I mean, I did say that I want more of my students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Assessment is way to get them to make connections. But some of my students already make connections, even though I don’t ask.
Me: So, are you saying your assessments don’t require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: I’m saying that some of my students already make connections. Why can’t all my students just do that? Do I really have to require them to make connections on my assessments?
Me: I’m sorry. I’m not sure I got an answer to my question. Do your assessments require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: Well, no. My assessments don’t require my students to make those connections. They don’t actually have to make those connections in order to do a good job on my assessments. They could even get an A without making any connections.
Me: You said that you wanted to help your students to make connections and that assessment is a way to do that. What might happen if you developed an assessment that required your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: I guess more of my students would make connections. I mean, they’d have to if they wanted to do well—and I think my students want to do well. If I required connections in my assessment, I’d probably spend more class time on helping kids make connections. And if I spent more time helping kids make connections, more kids would make connections.
Me: So, what’s next?
Joel: Could you show me some assessment prompts that require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Me: Sure. Take a look at these 3 prompts:
Bottom line: Use assessment to require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Today.
Joel: I can see why you’re asking that question. I mean, I did say that I want more of my students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Assessment is way to get them to make connections. But some of my students already make connections, even though I don’t ask.
Me: So, are you saying your assessments don’t require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: I’m saying that some of my students already make connections. Why can’t all my students just do that? Do I really have to require them to make connections on my assessments?
Me: I’m sorry. I’m not sure I got an answer to my question. Do your assessments require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: Well, no. My assessments don’t require my students to make those connections. They don’t actually have to make those connections in order to do a good job on my assessments. They could even get an A without making any connections.
Me: You said that you wanted to help your students to make connections and that assessment is a way to do that. What might happen if you developed an assessment that required your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Joel: I guess more of my students would make connections. I mean, they’d have to if they wanted to do well—and I think my students want to do well. If I required connections in my assessment, I’d probably spend more class time on helping kids make connections. And if I spent more time helping kids make connections, more kids would make connections.
Me: So, what’s next?
Joel: Could you show me some assessment prompts that require students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Me: Sure. Take a look at these 3 prompts:
- Social Studies 6: Teach your classmates about the aspect of ancient Egyptian culture/history you researched. Show what the Bible teaches about it and how it connects to you.
- Science 8: Give a five-minute presentation on a piece of electricity-related technology in which you present the electrical device, the science of how it works, and a response to the following questions: How has this device impacted society? What’s a Biblical perspective of that impact?
- English 10: Compare/contrast how 2 characters from Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country illuminate the Biblical concept of shalom and apply that to a current event or personal situation.
Bottom line: Use assessment to require your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Today.
What are your students’ learning needs?
16/09/10 20:09
You want to help your middle school students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. You know that meeting their learning needs is a good place to start. And you know that in order to meet your students’ learning needs, you have to know what they are.
Question: What are your students’ learning needs?
To help get you get started on identifying your students’ learning needs, ask yourself, “Which of the following 10 items might I hear my kids say?”
Question: So, what are your students’ learning needs?
Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Identify their learning needs. Today.
Question: What are your students’ learning needs?
To help get you get started on identifying your students’ learning needs, ask yourself, “Which of the following 10 items might I hear my kids say?”
- This doesn’t seem important. My teachers don’t grade me on this. When I wasn’t doing well in science, my teacher talked to me—I don’t think I understand a Biblical perspective, and no teacher has talked to me about this. Do teachers really think this is important?
- This doesn’t come up at my church or at home. My family and my church talk about being a Christian. We talk about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. I don’t get what my faith has to do with the Greeks or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The teacher did mention this in the beginning of the year, but that was a long time ago, and I kind of forgot how it all connects. I think other students might get this, so I don’t want to ask.
- I don't know what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—we read missionary biographies at school and I go on mission trips with my church. What does doing a good job on using a Biblical perspective look like in an essay? And what does this look like in the computer world? I want to work for Apple.
- My teachers say they teach from a Biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t get it. They have us work in groups and learn parts of speech, but they don’t explain how this is part of Christian education. We seem to mostly do the same things my friends do at schools that aren’t Christian. What’s the difference?
- I don't understand the vocabulary—Biblical perspective, integrate faith and learning, image bearer, temple of the Holy Spirit, worldview. Teachers talk, but I don’t always understand the words. Could I get vocabulary list with definitions on it?
- Learning what the Bible teaches is boring. Well, Bible class isn’t boring, but the way teachers teach about the Bible in other classes is boring. Mostly lecture–this doesn’t really help me understand a Biblical perspective of what I’m studying. I like discussing things. So do my friends.
- I need to think through answers for myself. I listen to teachers talk. They give good answers. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. Maybe the teachers could ask more questions. Questions that have more than one right answer. One of my teachers asks us “Where do you belong?” all the time.
- I need time to think about what I’m learning. We don’t really do this in class, and I’ve got sports after school and homework at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect? Could we do some journaling during class?
- To really get this, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I study in class. If my teachers would give me chances to connect the Bible with my life–my music, my relationships, my problems—I think I could get it. One of my homeschooler friends got to analyze a CD from a Biblical perspective. That sounds pretty cool.
- I need more chances to practice. It’s hard for me to get good at using a Biblical perspective when I don’t get enough practice. Using a Biblical perspective takes skill. I get repeated skill practice in math, and I’m good at it. Can I get more skill practice?
Question: So, what are your students’ learning needs?
Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Identify their learning needs. Today.
What 3 things can you do to help your students?
16/09/10 16:02
To help your students increase their understanding and use of a Biblical perspective of course content, answer 3 of the following questions:
Remember, success is using your answers to help your students, not having the answers in your head.
- What 3 behaviors will you model?
- What 3 questions will you train students to ask?
- What 3 questions will you ask students?
- What 3 Bible verses will you help students memorize, understand, and apply?
- What 3 Biblical principles will you help students understand and apply?
- What 3 skills will you help students improve?
- What 3 types of assessment will you use?
- What 3 engaging instructional strategies will you use?
- What 3 student learning needs will you meet?
- What 3 ways will you decorate your room?
- What 3 things will you put on your course handouts?
- What 3 classroom guidelines will you use?
- What 3 ways will you involve parents?
- What 3 things do you want from your principal or colleagues?
- What 3 things will you do to stay focused?
Remember, success is using your answers to help your students, not having the answers in your head.
How effective are your Biblical perspective questions?
16/08/10 20:26
Asking questions is good way to help your student connect what they study and what the Bible teaches—provided that the questions you ask are effective. Here are 5 examples:
Effective Biblical perspective questions:
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Use effective Biblical perspective questions. Today.
- How can you use your learning to serve others?
- How are God's mercy and justice related?
- How aware should you be of culture?
- How can art express your beliefs?
- How can you be a good caretaker?
Effective Biblical perspective questions:
- Grab your students’ attention
- Require upper-level thinking
- Allow a variety of acceptable answers
- Help your students connect course content, life, and a Biblical perspective
- Are essential—universal, timeless, at the heart of learning
Help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Use effective Biblical perspective questions. Today.
What 3 classroom guidelines will you use?
16/08/10 20:25
You know good discussions help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. And you know that classroom guidelines can help create an environment that encourages good discussions.
Question: What 3 classroom guidelines will you use for discussions?
Here are sample discussion guidelines:
Target Biblical perspective. Use classroom guidelines. Today.
Question: What 3 classroom guidelines will you use for discussions?
Here are sample discussion guidelines:
- Work to understand what others are saying (before your critique what they’re saying).
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Once you’ve participated in a discussion, encourage others to participate.
Target Biblical perspective. Use classroom guidelines. Today.
How can you more effectively use assessment?
11/07/10 00:24
To get an idea of how you can more effectively use assessment to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ My assessments require my students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ My assessments require my students to connect what they study, what the Bible teaches, and their lives.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are exemplary assessments.
___ I use my Biblical perspective assessment data to help my students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to using assessment to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
*Here are additional resources that can help you use assessment to target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Testimonials
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ My assessments require my students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ My assessments require my students to connect what they study, what the Bible teaches, and their lives.
___ My Biblical perspective assessments are exemplary assessments.
___ I use my Biblical perspective assessment data to help my students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to using assessment to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
- What excites/concerns me about my data?
- What can I do to more effectively use assessment to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- What will I do?
*Here are additional resources that can help you use assessment to target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Testimonials
How can you more effectively meet student learning needs?
11/07/10 00:08
To get an idea of how you can more effectively meet student learning needs to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ I know what my students’ learning needs are regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I meet my students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I know what my own learning needs are regarding connecting what I teach and what the Bible teaches.
___ I meet my own learning needs regarding connecting what I teach and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to meeting my students’ learning needs in order to help students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Meet their learning needs. Today.
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ I know what my students’ learning needs are regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I meet my students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I know what my own learning needs are regarding connecting what I teach and what the Bible teaches.
___ I meet my own learning needs regarding connecting what I teach and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to meeting my students’ learning needs in order to help students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
- What excites/concerns me about the data?
- What can I do to more effectively meet my students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- What will I do?
Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Meet their learning needs. Today.
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
How can you more effectively use questions to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
14/06/10 20:24
To get an idea of how you can more effectively use questions to help your students make connections, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ My Biblical perspective questions are effective.
___ I ask my Biblical perspective questions.
___ My Biblical perspective questions are posted in my classroom.
___ I talk with my fellow teachers about using questions to help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to using questions to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Testimonials
Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree
___ My Biblical perspective questions are effective.
___ I ask my Biblical perspective questions.
___ My Biblical perspective questions are posted in my classroom.
___ I talk with my fellow teachers about using questions to help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to using questions to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:
- How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
- What excites/concerns me about the data?
- What can I do to more effectively use questions to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
- What will I do?
*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments
Testimonials
How can peer coaching help your students apply a Biblical perspective?
15/04/10 21:01
You just finished your peer coaching session. During your peer coaching session, your peer coach helped you to focus and work smart by asking questions, questions that provoked you to think. You really appreciate that your coach asks you questions, instead of giving advice—because getting asked questions really gets you thinking and helps you take responsibility to achieve your goals.
You think that using peer coaching with your students might help. And you’re thinking, “How could peer coaching help my students apply a Biblical perspective?”
To find out, explore the following list of 5 questions:
Help your students apply a Biblical perspective. Use peer coaching. Today.
*To learn more about coaching, click here.
You think that using peer coaching with your students might help. And you’re thinking, “How could peer coaching help my students apply a Biblical perspective?”
To find out, explore the following list of 5 questions:
- How can peer coaching help your students use relevant Biblical principles?
- How can peer coaching help your students use relevant Bible verses?
- How can peer coaching help your students include Biblical perspective in their thesis statements?
- How can peer coaching help your students apply a Biblical perspective throughout their essays?
- How can peer coaching help your students apply a Biblical perspective to issues?
Help your students apply a Biblical perspective. Use peer coaching. Today.
*To learn more about coaching, click here.
