“10 Ways to Increase Biblical Perspective” by Michael Essenburg was recently published in CSI's Christian School Teacher. The article provides practical tips, including teaching vocabulary, asking open-ended questions, and using engaging instructional strategies.

"Help Your Students Make Connections Between What They Study and What the Bible Teaches" by Michael Essenburg was recently published in ACSI's World Report. The article describes a process teachers can use to identify the relevant Biblical principles they want students to connect to course content and skills.

"Use Assessment" by Michael Essenburg was recently published in CSI's Christian School Teacher.

Writes editor Dan Beerens, "Michael Essenburg suggests that good assessment methods help students to improve their ability to apply a Biblical perspective."

“When You Ask a Question, What Do You Want Your Students to Learn?” by Michael Essenburg was published in CSI's Christian School Teacher.

“What Question Do You Want to Ask Your Students?" by Michael Essenburg was published in CSI's Christian School Teacher.

Close the Gap Now, in collaboration with staff of Christian Academy in Japan, has developed a tool that teachers can use to reflect how they are helping students understanding and apply a Biblical perspective. The tool focuses on a unit plan and includes key questions:

• What are you excited about?
  
• How did you prepare your students for the assessment?
  
• What modifications will you make to your unit?

To see teacher reflections, please download:

• English 10, Kim Essenburg
  
• Social Studies 6, Anda Foxwell

Close the Gap Now and Transforming Teachers announce the completion of Biblical perspective teacher training standards. These standards target helping teachers help their K-12 students understand and then apply a Biblical perspective to what they study. Contributors to the standards include Christian educators living in Canada, Germany, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, the US, and South Africa.

Says Michael Essenburg of Close the Gap Now, "At Christian schools, we train teachers to help their students apply a Biblical perspective to course content. These standards, which will serve as the basis of a teacher training program, will help us provide teachers with challenging, coherent, relevant training."

Download: Biblical Perspective Teacher Training Standards

 “10 Questions to Ask Students” by Michael Essenburg was published in published in CSI's Christian School Teacher.

 “Ask Questions” by Michael Essenburg was published in published in CSI's Christian School Teacher.

“Use Assessment to Increase Student Use of a Biblical Perspective of Course Content"  by Michael Essenburg was published in ACSI's World Report.

“Measure Mission Achievement” by Michael Essenburg was published in ACSI's World Report.

December 17-18, Dan Beerens (Christian Schools International, CSI) and Michael Essenburg (Close the Gap Now) collaborated to develop a draft of K-12 standards for CSI’s Bible curriculum. To develop the draft, Beerens and Essenburg:

• Built on a document formulated by the Eastern Ottawa (MI) Christian schools.
  
• Reviewed other Christian schooling documents.
  
• Cross-checked the draft of the standards with the head, heart, and hands outcomes that CSI is using for its Bible revision project.

Currently, CSI’s Curriculum Advisory Council and Christian Academy in Japan's K-12 Bible teachers are giving feedback on the draft of the standards.