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: 

1. How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
2. What excites/concerns me about the data?
3. What can I do to more effectively target Biblical perspective?
4. What will I do?

Target Biblical perspective. Today.
 

*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:

1. Tutorials
2. Videos
3. Self-assessments
4. Testimonials

You want your students to understand and apply a Biblical perspective—to connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. So, you want to target Biblical perspective.

Question: How can you get started?

Answer: By taking the following self-assessment. Rate each item, using the following scale:

4: Strongly agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly disagree

___ I understand what happens in Christ-centered education.
___ My students love Jesus and live for Him.

___ I understand the mission of Christian education.
___ I understand what constitutes success in Christian education
___ I can clearly explain to a colleague what “application of a Biblical perspective to course content” means and doesn’t mean?

___ I can clearly explain to a colleague what role connections play in Christian education.
___ I have documented what Biblical teaching connects to what my students are studying.
___ I have documented the Biblical principles I want my students to understand and apply.

___ I am taking action to eliminate what hinders me from helping my students increase application of a Biblical perspective.
___ I am taking action to increasingly target Biblical perspective.


Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

1. How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
2. What excites/concerns me about the data?
3. Which items would it be helpful to learn more about?
4. What will I do?

Resources:

1. Videos
2. To learn more about targeting Biblical perspective, explore these 12 questions
3. Testimonials
4. Tutorials

You’re a Christian serving in a school. In response to Christ’s love and as the foundation for your ministry at school, you want to have a growing relationship with God.

Question: How’s your relationship with God?

To find out, take the following self-assessment. Rate each item, using the following scale:

4: Strongly agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly disagree

___ I understand the Bible, God’s Word, and allow it to guide my life (2 Tim. 3:16).
___ I love for God and others (Matt. 22.37-39).
___ I bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5.22-23).

___ I practice spiritual disciplines (for example, meditation, prayer, fasting, Bible study, service, confession, and worship).
___ I participate in Christ’s Body, the Church (1 Cor. 12.7, 12.12-13; Heb. 10.25).
___ I make disciples (Matt. 28.18-20).
___ I care for God’s creation (Gen. 1.28).

___ My relationship with God is growing.


Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

1. How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
2. How do I feel about the data?
3. What helps me have a growing relationship with God? What hinders me?
4. Which item will I start with?

Take action. Make sure you relationship with God is growing. Today.


* To further explore how you can continue pursue a growing relationship with God, click here.

To get an idea of how your teachers can more effectively help students what they study and what the Bible teaches, complete the following assessment (download). Next, use your assessment data to develop action plans. For each statement below, circle the appropriate rating. Use the following scale:

4: Consistently • 3: Usually • 2: Sometimes • 1: Rarely

Worldview: To help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, my teachers…
___ Articulate Biblical answers to the big questions of life.
___ Explain the creation-fall-redemption-fulfillment/restoration framework.
___ Articulate a Christ-centered philosophy of education.
___ Articulate the implications of a Christ-centered philosophy of education.
___ Articulate that the target is students understanding and then applying a Biblical perspective to the course content and skills, and ultimately to their lives.
___ Articulate what student understanding and application of a Biblical perspective is/is not.
 
Department level: To help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, my teachers…
___ Develop, document, and explain a Biblical perspective of their academic discipline(s).
___ Develop, document, and explain content and skill standards/benchmarks.
___ Articulate a Biblical perspective of the content and skills they teach.
___ Develop, document, and explain enduring Biblical perspective understandings.
 
Unit level: To help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, my teachers…
___ Design and ask effective essential questions.
___ Document and teach students Biblical content.
___ Document and teach students skills.
___ Design and give a variety of quality formative and summative authentic assessments.
___ Use rubrics to clarify expectations, assess student learning, and provide feedback.
___ Give students specific, timely feedback.
___ Use assessment data to modify instruction.
 
Lesson level: To help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, my teachers…
___ Use effective lesson plan models.
___ Use effective instructional strategies.
___ Identify and meet student learning needs.
 
Collaboration: To help students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, my teachers…
___ Participate in professional learning communities that set student learning goals.
___ Participate in professional learning communities that provide support, encouragement, and accountability for achieving student learning goals through mentoring, coaching, and group interaction.
___ Contribute to a bank of quality instructional materials.
___ Lead Biblical perspective workshops for other teachers.


Now, ask yourself 5 questions about the data:

1. How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
2. What’s encouraging/discouraging about the data?
3. In terms of helping teachers help students make connections, how would I prioritize the 5 areas?
4. What can I do to address the area I ranked #1?
5. What will I do?

Target Biblical perspective. Help your teachers help your students connect what they study and with the Bible teaches. Today.


* This self-assessment is based on a set of Biblical perspective teacher training standards.

In terms of student learning at a Christian school, our stated definition of success is students applying a Biblical perspective to course content (not just learning the course content). However, our real definition of success is best seen in what we do, not what we say.

What’s your real definition of success? To determine your real definition, please respond to the following for a given unit of study:
Define success: Based on your responses, your real definition of success is…

• Having students apply a Biblical perspective to the course content they have learned.
  
• Having students learn course content.

Question: How can you further align your real definition of success (your behavior) with the stated definition of success (students applying a Biblical perspective content they have learned)? Here are 3 options:

1. Increase the number lessons in which students apply a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
2. Increase the number of instructional minutes in which students applied a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
3. Increase the number of assignments requiring students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content.

Take action. Target students applying a Biblical perspective to course content. Today.

To get an idea of how you can more effectively help students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, identify current learning results by completing the following self-assessment. Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.

Rate each statement below. Use the following scale:
5: Consistently • 4: Usually • 3: OK • 2: Sort of • 1: Rarely

Self-Assessment for Teachers

1. My students can identify 2 or more Biblical principles or values, and explain how each principle or value is related to the subject I teach.
   
2. My students can identify 2 or more Bible verses and explain how each verse is related to the subject I teach.
   
3. My students can give a 1-minute explanation of a Biblical perspective of the subject I teach.
   
4. My students can give a 1-minute Biblical perspective explanation of one issue or concept they studied in class.
   
5. My students understand that the goal is for them to apply a Biblical perspective to the course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
   
6. My students can apply a Biblical perspective to what they study in class.
   
7. My students are committed to loving God with their minds.

Self-Assessment for Principals

1. For each subject they study, students can identify 2 or more Biblical principles or values, and explain how each principle or value is related to that subject.
   
2. For each subject they study, students can identify 2 or more Bible verses and explain how each verse is related to that subject.
   
3. For each subject they study, students can give a 1-minute explanation of a Biblical perspective of that subject.
   
4. For each subject they study, students can give a 1-minute Biblical perspective explanation of one issue or concept they studied in that subject.
   
5. Students understand that the goal is for them to apply a Biblical perspective to the course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
   
6. Students can apply a Biblical perspective to what they study.
   
7. Students are committed to loving God with their minds.

In Christian education, targeting Biblical perspective is vital. Targeting Biblical perspective means focusing yourself and your students on understanding and applying a Biblical perspective. To get an idea of how you can target Biblical perspective even more:

• Complete the self-assessment below for 1 class you teach: _________________________________ (class name).
  
• Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.

Use the following scale to rate each statement below:
3: Consistently/Definitely • 2: Usually • 1: Sort of/Sometimes

1. My target is for students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered (not to master course content).
   
2. 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).
   
3. I understand the difference between object lessons and applying a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
4. I understand the difference between doing devotions and applying a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
5. I understand a Biblical perspective of my course content.
   
6. I can apply a Biblical perspective to my course content.
   
7. I provide value-added content by teaching students new Biblical perspective content and/or helping them make connections between what they are studying and Bible knowledge they already have.
   
8. I know the percentage of students who perform above, at, and below standard on Biblical perspective assessments.
   
9. My supervisor actively holds me accountable to increase student understanding and application of a Biblical perspective.
   
10. I am committed to helping students love God with their minds.
    
11. I ask God to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective.

Your goal: For your students to understand a biblical perspective of your subject and to apply it to the course content they have learned.

Your SMART goal: By June of this school year, for 90% of your students to be at or above standard (C or above) on applying a biblical perspective to course content, scores being taken from rubric-scored classroom assessments (like presentations, projects, and writing).

Your current reality?

• You have shifted your goal from your students learning course content to your students applying a biblical perspective to course content they have learned.
  
• You have adopted an initial SMART goal.
  
• You do not yet have classroom assessment data to determine if your goal is attainable.

What can you do? Take the following 10-item survey to make an initial assessment of how well your students understand and use a biblical perspective of course content. Before taking the survey, select 1 subject you teach and respond to the survey based on the students in that subject.

1. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more biblical principles and explain how each principle is related to the subject I teach.
   
2. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more biblical values and explain how each value is related to the subject I teach.
   
3. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more Bible verses and explain how each verse is related to the subject I teach.
   
4. ____% of my students can readily give a 1-3 minute explanation of a biblical perspective of the subject I teach.
   
5. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more issues and give a 30-60 second biblical perspective explanation of each.
   
6. ___% of my students when asked for an opinion regarding an issue will respond, “The Bible teaches…” (instead of “I think…”).
   
7. ___% of my students, when processing an issue with a fellow student, readily ask the following 4 questions: What do you mean by…? How do you know? How does the Bible help? How can I respond?
   
8. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily give reasonable answers to each of the following 3 questions: How can ___ help me learn about God and creation? How can I use ___ (subject/topic) wrongly? How does ___ (subject/topic) help me serve others?
   
9. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more biblical perspective questions related to the subject I teach.
   
10. Based on my responses to items 1-9, ___% of my students are performing at or above standard (C or above) on understanding and applying a biblical perspective to the subject I teach.

Based on your response to survey item 10, review your SMART goal, revising it as necessary. Now, identify and take action steps to close the gap between the targeted percentage in your SMART goal and your current percentage. Start by exploring your options for action steps.

Your options? Here are 10—add some of your own to the list:

1. Teach your students 3 or more biblical principles related to your subject and have your students apply them to course content.
   
2. Teach your students 3 or more biblical values related to your subject and have your students apply them to course content.
   
3. Teach your students 3 or more Bible verses related to your subject and have your students apply them to course content.
   
4. Teach your students a biblical perspective of your subject area and ask your students to demonstrate their understanding through role play and on a short answer test essay.
   
5. Teach your students 3 or more issues related to your subject and a biblical perspective of each.
   
6. Teach your students, when addressing a key issue, to respond by saying “The Bible teaches….”
   
7. Teach your students, when processing an issue with fellow students, to ask the following 4 questions: What do you mean by…? How do you know? How does the Bible help? How can I respond?
   
8. Teach your students, within the context of your subject, answers to the following 3 questions: How can ___ help me learn about God and creation? How can I use ___ (subject/topic) wrongly? How does ___ (subject/topic) help me serve others?
   
9. Teach your students 3 or more biblical perspective questions, and routinely ask your students these questions.
   
10. Give a biblical perspective assessment 1 or more times each quarter, using the data to track progress towards your SMART goal.

Your “will do’s”? Select 1-2 action steps you are committed to taking to close the gap between the targeted percentage in your SMART goal and your current percentage. Got your 1-2 action steps selected? Good.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), what is your commitment level for each action step?

• If you said 8 or lower, what would it take to move your commitment level to a 9 or 10?
  
• If you are unable to move your commitment level to a 9 or 10, consider revising your action step.

Take action. Now. To achieve your SMART goal. Help your students increase their understanding and use of a biblical perspective of the subject you teach. Do something. Today.