You hear a student say: I like this Biblical perspective stuff. But to really get it, I need time to think about what I’m learning. We don’t really do this in class. I’ve got sports after school and homework at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect?

You think: He’s right. He’s busy, and having time in class to reflect would help him better understand and apply a Biblical perspective.

Question: How can you provide time during class for reflection?

Answer: Build reflection into your lesson plans. How? Use discussion and journaling.

Provide reflection time today. Help your students understand and apply a Biblical perspective.

Kim Essenburg serves with Christian Reformed World Missions by teaching English 10 at Christian Academy in Japan. Kim shares about the power of using 1 test question:

Learning involves reflection. Increasing understanding and application of a Biblical perspective involves reflection. And reflection involves time.

To cultivate student reflection and student understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, I provide 1 open-ended test question on each unit test.

What’s the question? “What is something significant that you learned this unit and have not yet had an opportunity to show on this test?”

My students take this question seriously; I take their responses seriously. Their responses are encouraging, and some of their responses involve Biblical perspective—which is great!

For example, we just finished a unit on Dante’s The Divine Comedy in English 10. Students took the unit test, which included my open-ended question. Below are 7 sample responses, 2 of which involve Biblical perspective and all of which encouraged me. My students are learning!

I recommend putting 1 open-ended question on each of your unit tests. It’s easy to do, it encourages student reflection, and it results in students thinking about Biblical perspective. And reading the answers always energizes and excites me.

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Sample student responses:

1. I learned that using strong imagery is more effective in writing than using a lot of difficult, vague words.
   
2. I had heard of The Divine Comedy but assumed it would be much too hard and boring to read, considering how long ago it was written and its subject matter (I expected it to be some dry, religious epic). After reading it, I was impressed by the vivid imagery and the fanciful imagination Dante must have had. The images were unconventional like Satan being trapped in ice and all the sinners frozen in grotesque positions. Also, I realized while writing my allegory what an insanely difficult task writing creatively is. Coming up with original images instead of using clichés was a challenge—and I am able to further appreciate Dante’s fresh images even more.
   
3. Reading some of Dante’s work made me realize the significance of sin has never changed even through a long period of time. Sin will always be my downfall, and the only way I can get back on my feet is to understand what sin really is, resulting in asking God to forgive me. Sin might be more powerful than I thought it was, and some how by reading Dante’s powerful descriptions of it has made me aware of that.
   
4. I learned to read, summarize what you just read, reread if you didn’t understand, and use the footnotes on the textbook. By doing that, I could understand the story more.
   
5. I learned that it becomes more fun in writing when I used stronger vocabulary.
   
6. While Dante used symbols to represent many things it made me realize how evil I am. I knew I was a terrible person to begin with. But the fact Dante was able to write so openly made me want to strive for something so pure, so innocent that it cannot be matched. That pure/divine love sounds like a beautiful thing and I want to try to be deserving of it.
   
7. I learned that I have to go through the painful things to achieve a goal.

To get an idea of how you can more effectively help students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, complete the following self-assessment on meeting student learning needs. Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans to meet student learning needs more effectively.

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

Self-Assessment for Teachers

1. I know what my students’ learning needs are regarding understanding and using a Biblical perspective.
   
2. I grade my Biblical perspective assessments.
   
3. Before assigning a Biblical perspective assessment, I show students samples of what applying a Biblical perspective looks like.
   
4. I teach students a Biblical perspective of what they are studying.
   
5. I explain how a Biblical perspective impacts my choice of course content and instructional strategies.
   
6. I use engaging instructional strategies when helping students to understand and apply a Biblical perspective.
   
7. I teach students the vocabulary words they need to in order to understand and apply a Biblical perspective.
   
8. I encourage students to think through my Biblical perspective questions for themselves.
   
9. I give time in class for students to reflect on how a Biblical perspective applies to what they are studying and to their lives.
   
10. I give students repeated practice in applying a Biblical perspective.
    
11. I meet student learning needs regarding understanding and applying a Biblical perspective.
    
12. I am committed to meeting student learning needs in order to help students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective.

Self-Assessment for Principals

1. Teachers know what our students’ learning needs are regarding understanding and using a Biblical perspective.
   
2. Teachers grade Biblical perspective assessments.
   
3. Before assigning a Biblical perspective assessment, teachers show students samples of what applying a Biblical perspective looks like.
   
4. Teachers use engaging instructional strategies when helping students to understand and apply a Biblical perspective.
   
5. Teachers give time in class for students to reflect on how a Biblical perspective applies to what they are studying and to their lives.
   
6. Teachers give students repeated practice in applying a Biblical perspective.
   
7. Teachers meet students’ learning needs regarding understanding and applying a Biblical perspective.
   
8. I am committed to having teachers meet student learning needs in order to help students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective.

You hear a student say: 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.

You think: She’s right. To really understand a Biblical perspective, students need to think through the answers.

You ask: How can I give my students opportunities?

Answer: Here are 10 things you can use to give your students opportunities to think through Biblical perspective answers for themselves:

1. Case studies
   
2. Discussions
   
3. Document-based questions
   
4. Field trips
   
5. Generating and testing hypotheses
   
6. Guest speakers students can interact with
   
7. Journaling, essay writing
   
8. Presentations
   
9. Projects
   
10. Open-ended questions

Which one will you use today?

You’re looking at the data from the Biblical perspective assessment you gave last week. The scores are OK, but not quite what you hoped they’d be. You think, “I thought this might happen. The students didn’t seem into it. I wonder why.”

You head for the workroom, where your see a colleague who tells you about something she heard a student say in the hall between 3rd and 4th periods: “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.”

Later, you think to yourself, “That’s why my students weren’t into it. Too much lecture. Not enough engaging instructional strategies.”

Here are 15 options you can use:

1. Asking questions
   
2. Brainstorming
   
3. Case studies
   
4. Cooperative learning
   
5. Discussion
   
6. Drawing pictures
   
7. Generating and testing hypotheses
   
8. Graphic organizers
   
9. Identifying similarities and differences
   
10. Role play
    
11. Journaling
    
12. Setting goals
    
13. Simulation
    
14. Storytelling
    
15. Using audio visuals

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Principals, to what extent does this describe your teachers’ thinking?

“Teaching what the Bible teaches is boring. I mostly lecture. That’s not fun for me or for my students. I want my students to experience engaging instructional strategies. Any ideas?”

If the above describes your teachers’ thinking, what are 5 engaging instructional strategies you could share with them today?

*For a set of discussion questions you can use to further reflect on this blog entry, click here.

You: I need to get a stable job.

Me: Do you mean you need a steady job or you need to get a job in a stable?

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Imagine the confusion if you and I aren’t clear on what you mean when you say “stable.” Now imagine the confusion if you and your students aren’t clear on what you mean when you use certain words. Words like abortion, abuse, animism, Buddhism, capital punishment, capitalism, civil disobedience, common grace, communism, image bearer of God, perspective, shalom, and worldview.

What if your students aren’t sufficiently clear on key vocabulary words that they’re expected to use when completing a biblical perspective assessment?

Yes, understanding vocabulary words is a key student learning need. You can help your students increase their understanding and use of a biblical perspective by using the IDEAL process to address this learning need:

• Identify the problem: Your students aren’t performing as well as they could on your biblical perspective assessments.
  
• Define the problem: You talk with your students and review the last biblical perspective assessment. You determine that your students don’t sufficiently understand key vocabulary terms.
  
• Explore the problem: You develop a list of vocabulary terms. You do this by asking students which words they do not fully understand and by identifying key vocabulary terms. You develop your next biblical perspective assessment, and identify the vocabulary words your students need to have a working knowledge of in order to complete it.
  
• Act: You use effective teaching strategies to engage your students in learning the vocabulary terms and then have your students apply their learning on a biblical perspective assessment.
  
• Look at the results: That’ll have to wait until after your students take your biblical perspective assessment.

Meet your students’ learning needs. Help them understand key vocabulary terms.

Here’s a sample vocabulary list:

1. Abortion
   
2. Abuse
   
3. Animism
   
4. Birth control
   
5. Buddhism
   
6. Capital punishment
   
7. Capitalism
   
8. Civil disobedience
   
9. Common grace
   
10. Communism
    
11. Competition
    
12. Creationism
    
13. Crime
    
14. Dance
    
15. Death
    
16. Deism
    
17. Disabilities
    
18. Discrimination
    
19. Divorce
    
20. Drug abuse
    
21. Ecology
    
22. Entertainment
    
23. Euthanasia
    
24. Evolution
    
25. Existentialism
    
26. Exploitation
    
27. Fair trial
    
28. Film arts
    
29. Gambling
    
30. General revelation
    
31. Health
    
32. Hinduism
    
33. Homosexuality
    
34. Image bearer of God
    
35. Integrity
    
36. Islam
    
37. Labor unions
    
38. Law
    
39. Modernism
    
40. Moral absolutes
    
41. Moral relativism
    
42. Nihilism
    
43. Pacifism
    
44. Pantheism
    
45. Perjury
    
46. Pornography
    
47. Post-modernism
    
48. Poverty
    
49. Power
    
50. Property
    
51. Racism
    
52. Recycle
    
53. Sabbath
    
54. Special revelation
    
55. Stewardship
    
56. Success
    
57. Technology
    
58. Theism
    
59. War
    
60. Wealth
    
61. Worldview

You finish marking a recent assessment in which you asked your students to apply a biblical perspective. They did OK, but you want them to do even better. So, you decided to use the 5-step IDEAL process:

• Identify the problem and ask God for help
  
• Define the problem
  
• Explore ways to address the problem, pick one, and make a plan to address it
  
• Act
  
• Look at the results

(1) Identify the problem and ask God for help: Your students didn’t do as well as they could have on applying a biblical perspective. You pray about this.

(2) Define the problem: You review your students’ work again. You think, “These are bright kids. They can do better. I know they can. What can I do to help them?”

You decide to use class time to talk with your students about how effectively they applied a biblical perspective on your last assessment and to ask them how you can help them.

Toward the end of conversation, Chikara says, “I know you teach from a biblical perspective, but I guess I don’t understand how that works. I mean, you have us work in groups and learn parts of speech, but so do my friends’ teachers at schools that aren’t Christian. So, I don’t get how those things are part of Christian education. I think I could do better on applying a biblical perspective if I could better understand how you teach from a biblical perspective.” Tanya adds, “Yeah, that would help me, too.

You think, “How can they not understand how I teach from a biblical perspective?” But then you decide to really focus on what your students are saying: They “know you teach from a biblical perspective,” and they could do better on applying a biblical perspective if they “could better understand how you teach from a biblical perspective.”

Then it hits you, and you think, “What an opportunity! If my students better understand how I teach from a biblical perspective, they feel they’ll be able to more effectively apply a biblical perspective to course content.”

(3) Explore ways to address the problem, pick one, and make a plan to address it: You reflect on what you’re currently doing and about your students not getting it. You realize that while you have been teaching from a biblical perspective, you haven’t routinely and explicitly explained how you teach from a biblical perspective.

You realize that you probably need to explain how you use a biblical perspective when you think about lesson content, when you develop assessments, and when you choose instructional strategies. You realize, that during the last unit on parts of speech, for example, you had opportunities to explain:

• That language is a gift from God, so we should use it effectively.
  
• That when you asked “What is the significance of words?”, you could’ve made it more clear that you were really inviting your students to think about how they could use words to bring healing, peace, and justice to a sinful world.
  
• That you were giving your students an assessment on the parts of speech in an effort to help them effectively use God’s gift of language.
  
• That working in groups gives each student the opportunity to love their neighbors by helping them learn.

You decide that in the next 3-week unit on poetry, you will explain a minimum of 9 times how you use a biblical perspective regarding content, assessment, and instruction.

(4) Act: Your students are seated, the bell rings, and you say, “The other day we talked about how you applied a biblical perspective on a recent assignment. You shared that it would be helpful if I helped you better understand how I teach from a biblical perspective. So, that’s what I’m going to do during this unit. I’m going to explain how I’m using a biblical perspective. I’m doing this because I want you to more effectively apply a biblical perspective to what you study in my class. If it helps you, I’ll continue doing it. OK?”

(5) Look at the results: That’ll have to wait until you complete your unit. Meanwhile, you’re feeling good about explaining how you use a biblical perspective. You’re taking advantage of teaching opportunities God has provided for you.

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Teachers, to what extent does this describe your thinking? Principals, to what extent does this describe your teachers’ thinking?

My colleagues say they teach from a biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t really get it. For example, they have their students work in groups and learn muscle names, but I don’t understand how this is part of Christian education. My non-Christian friends who teach also have their students work in groups and learn muscle names. What’s the difference?

If the above describes your thinking or the thinking of your staff, what are 5 things you could do to increase understanding of a biblical perspective of education? Pick one and implement it. Today.

You’re ready. You have 3 sample student essays that demonstrate effective application of a biblical perspective to course content. You’re ready to show the essay samples to your students. You’ve carefully planned your lesson. Your goal is to help your students increase their application of a biblical perspective by addressing 1 of their learning needs.

You’re feeling confident that showing your students sample essays will really help, in part because you used a good process. The IDEAL process:

1. Identify the problem and ask God for help.
   
2. Define the problem.
   
3. Explore ways to address the problem, pick one, and make a plan to address it.
   
4. Act.
   
5. Look at the results.

Here’s how you used the 5-step IDEAL process:

(1) Identify the problem and ask God for help: You noticed that your students were not doing as well as they should on applying a biblical perspective. You prayed about this.

(2) Define the problem: Rather that reading a book or going to workshop, you talked with your students and reviewed their work. As a result, you determined that they had 2 key learning needs:

• They didn’t sufficiently value applying a biblical perspective.
  
• They didn’t know what applying a biblical perspective in a classroom assessment looked like.

You thought about both needs, and you talked again with some of your students. During the conversation, Ryoko shared, “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?”

Ryoko’s comment clinched it. You decided to help your students understand what applying a biblical perspective on a classroom assessment looked like.

(3) Explore ways to address the problem, pick one, and make a plan to address it: You brainstormed a total of 1 way to address the problem—show them samples of student work that demonstrate effective application of a biblical perspective. Show them samples of the type of assessment they are going to do. Show them sample essays, projects, presentations, and test answers. Show them samples of student work.

You decided to show your students samples of student work. And since your students were going to write an essay, you decided to show them 3 sample essays before assigning the essay.

(4) Act: You’re ready. You have your work samples. Your students are seated, the bell has rung, and you say, “Being able to apply a biblical perspective is really important. Today, I want to help you understand what using a biblical perspective in an essay looks like.”

(5) Look at the results: That’ll have to wait until you complete your lesson. Meanwhile, you’re hoping that, as a result of doing this lesson, your students will effectively apply a biblical perspective on the essay—and that you can use their work samples when you do this lesson again next year.

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Teachers, to what extent does the following describe your thinking? Principals, to what extent does the following describe your teachers’ thinking?

I’m not sure what applying a biblical perspective to course content 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 students are applying a biblical perspective to course content?

If the above describes your thinking or the thinking of your staff, what are 5 things you could do? Pick one and implement it. Today.