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

To help your students increase their understanding and use of a Biblical perspective of course content, answer 3 of the following questions:

1. What 3 behaviors will you model?
   
2. What 3 questions will you train students to ask?
   
3. What 3 questions will you ask students?
   
4. What 3 Bible verses will you help students memorize, understand, and apply?
   
5. What 3 Biblical principles will you help students understand and apply?
   
6. What 3 skills will you help students improve?
   
7. What 3 types of assessment will you use?
   
8. What 3 engaging instructional strategies will you use?
   
9. What 3 student learning needs will you meet?
   
10. What 3 ways will you decorate your room?
    
11. What 3 things will you put on your course handouts?
    
12. What 3 classroom guidelines will you use?
    
13. What 3 ways will you involve parents?
    
14. What 3 things do you want from your principal or colleagues?
    
15. What 3 things will you do to stay focused?

Now that you have answered 3 questions, use your answers. Use one of your answers today. Right now.

Remember, success is using your answers to help your students, not having the answers in your head.

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:

1. How can peer coaching help your students use relevant Biblical principles?
2. How can peer coaching help your students use relevant Bible verses?
3. How can peer coaching help your students include Biblical perspective in their thesis statements?
4. How can peer coaching help your students apply a Biblical perspective throughout their essays?
5. How can peer coaching help your students apply a Biblical perspective to issues?

Remember: The real question isn't "How could peer coaching help your students apply a Biblical perspective?" The real question is "How will you use peer coaching to help your students apply a Biblical perspective?"

Help your students apply a Biblical perspective. Use peer coaching. Today.


*To learn more about coaching, click here.

As a Christian school teacher, you want to nurture your students’ faith. So, you want to help your students:

• Understand a Biblical perspective of what they study.
• Apply a Biblical perspective to what they study.

Question: How can you learn to nurture your students’ faith even more?

Answer: By reflecting on questions. By reflecting on questions about targeting Biblical perspective. Here are 65 questions, divided into categories:


Target Biblical perspective:

1. What happens in Christ-centered education?
2. How can you help your students love Jesus and live for Him?
3. What’s your mission?
4. In Christian education, what’s success?
5. What does “application of a Biblical perspective to course content” mean and not mean?
6. What role do connections play in Christian education?
7. What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
8. What 3 Biblical principles will you help your students understand?
9. What Biblical principles do you want your students to understand and apply?
10. What hinders you/your school from helping students increase application of a Biblical perspective?
11. How can you increasingly target Biblical perspective?

Use creation-fall-redemption-restoration to target Biblical perspective:

1. Creation: What’s God’s purpose?
2. Fall: What’s wrong?
3. Redemption: What difference does Jesus make?
4. Restoration: What will you do?

Use questions to target Biblical perspective:

1. Why use questions? (Read, Discuss)
2. Why does God ask questions? (Read, Discuss)
3. How valuable are questions? (Read, Discuss)
4. What does using questions look like? (Read)
5. What questions should your students respond to? (Read, Discuss)
6. What questions should your students ask? (Read, Discuss)
7. What makes a good question good? (Read, Discuss)
8. What question do you want to ask your students? (Read, Discuss)
9. What do you want your students to learn (when you ask a question)? (Read, Discuss)
10. How can you get your students to sincerely respond to questions? (Read, Discuss)
11. How can you use your questions effectively? (Read, Discuss)

Use assessment to target Biblical perspective:

1. How does assessment impact student learning?
2. What type of assessment can you use?
3. What makes a good assessment good?
4. How good is your assessment?
5. How can you make your assessment even better?
6. How proficiently do you want your students to use a Biblical perspective?
7. How much practice do your students need?
8. What makes a good rubric good?
9. How can you use a rubric?
10. How can you use assessment data?
11. What's your vision for using assessment?
12. How committed are you to having your students apply a Biblical perspective to what they learn?

Meet student learning needs to target Biblical perspective:

1. What are sample learning needs? (Read)
2. How can you meet your students’ learning needs? (Watch, Read, Discuss)
3. How can you help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective? (Read)
4. How can you help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content? (Read)
5. How can you show your students what applying a Biblical perspective looks like? (Read)
6. How can you help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective? (Read)
7. What vocabulary words do your students need to learn? (Read, Discuss)
8. What engaging instructional strategies will help your students? (Read, Discuss 1, Discuss 2)
   
9. How can you give your students opportunities to think through answers for themselves? (Read)
10. How can you provide time during class for reflection? (Read, Discuss)
11. How can you design assessments so that your students connect a Biblical perspective with their lives? (Read, Discuss)
12. How can you give your students more practice? (Read)

What 3 things will you do to target Biblical perspective?

1. What 3 behaviors will you model?
2. What 3 questions will you train students to ask?
3. What 3 questions will you ask students?
4. What 3 Bible verses will you help students memorize, understand, and apply?
5. What 3 Biblical principles will you help students understand and apply?
6. What 3 skills will you help students improve?
7. What 3 types of assessment will you use?
8. What 3 engaging instructional strategies will you use?
9. What 3 student learning needs will you meet?
10. What 3 ways will you decorate your room?
11. What 3 things will you put on your course handouts?
12. What 3 classroom guidelines will you use?
13. What 3 ways will you involve parents?
14. What 3 things do you want from your principal or colleagues?
15. What 3 things will you do to stay focused?
    

Remember: The real question isn't "How can you learn to nurture your students’ faith even more?" The real question is, "What will you do to nurture your students’ faith even more?"


Now it’s time for action. To take action, answer 5 questions:

1. How do you currently nurture your students’ faith?
2. What excites/concerns you about nurturing your student’s faith?
3. How does targeting Biblical perspective help you nurture your students’ faith?
4. To nurture your students’ faith even more, which 3-5 questions do you really want to reflect on?
   5 What will you do?

Take action. Nurture your students’ faith by targeting Biblical perspective. Today.

*Additional resources:

• Videos
• Self-assessments: Target Biblical perspective • Use questions • Use assessment • Meet student learning needs
• Tutorials
• Downloadable resources (articles, tools)

You want your students to develop a Christ-centered worldview. So, you want your students to increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective. To help them, you know you’ll need to meet their learning needs.

Question: How can you learn more about meeting your students’ learning needs?

Answer: By exploring the following list of 12 questions. The list comes with readings and discussion guides:

1. What are sample learning needs? (Read)
2. How can you meet your students’ learning needs? (Watch, Read, Discuss)
3. How can you help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective? (Read, Discuss)
4. How can you help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content? (Read, Discuss)
5. How can you show your students what applying a Biblical perspective looks like? (Read, Discuss)
6. How can you help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective? (Read, Discuss)
7. What vocabulary words do your students need to learn? (Read, Discuss)
8. What engaging instructional strategies will help your students? (Read, Discuss 1, Discuss 2)
   
9. How can you give your students opportunities to think through answers for themselves? (Read, Discuss)
10. How can you provide time during class for reflection? (Read, Discuss)
11. How can you design assessments so that your students connect a Biblical perspective with their lives? (Read, Discuss)
12. How can you give your students more practice? (Read, Discuss)

Remember: The real question isn't "How can you learn more about meeting your students’ learning needs?" The real question is, "How will you help your students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective?"


Additional resources:

1. Self-assessment: To better meet your students' learning needs, take this self-assessment
2. Tutorial: Meet your students’ learning needs
3. Use the IDEAL process to help your students internalize a Biblical perspective
4. Action plan bank for meeting student learning needs

You want your students to understand and apply a Biblical perspective—to connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. To help your students do this, you know you need to target Biblical perspective even more. So, you want to learn how to do this.

Question: How can you learn more about targeting Biblical perspective?

Answer: By exploring the following list of 12 questions:

1. What happens in Christ-centered education?
2. How can you help your students love Jesus and live for Him?
3. What’s your mission?
4. In Christian education, what’s success?
5. What does “application of a Biblical perspective to course content” mean and not mean?
6. What role do connections play in Christian education?
7. What Biblical teaching connects to what students are studying?
8. What 3 Biblical principles will you help your students understand?
9. What Biblical principles do you want your students to understand and apply?
10. What hinders you/your school from helping students increase application of a Biblical perspective?
11. How can you increasingly target Biblical perspective?
12. What 3 things can you do to help your students?

Resources:

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

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 want to continue pursuing a growing relationship with God. You know this involves things like: 

• Understanding the Bible, God’s Word, and allowing it to guide your life 
• Loving God and others
• Bearing the fruit of the Spirit
• Practicing spiritual disciplines
• Participating in Christ’s Body, the Church
• Making Christian disciples of all nations
• Caring for God’s creation

Question: How can you pursue a growing relationship with God?

To find out, pray and then reflect on the following 7 questions:

1. What can you do to understand and apply the Bible even more?
2. To love God and others even more, what do you need to KeepStartStop doing?
3. How can you bear the fruit of the Spirit even more?
4. How can you practice the spiritual disciplines even more?
5. How can you participate in Christ's Body, the Church, even more?
6. To make even more disciples, what do you need to keep doing? start doing? stop doing?
7. How can you care for God's creation even more?

Pursue a growing relationship with God. Today.


*To talk a self-assessment on your relationship with God, click here.

You want to train your teachers to help their students apply a Biblical perspective to course content. Your task is to provide teachers with challenging, coherent, relevant training. Not an easy task. Why? Because you don’t have curriculum. More specifically, you don’t have a set of curriculum/training standards for teachers.

The result? Well, it's the same as when you teach students using a curriculum that is not standards-based (or one that does not have department objectives)—the content is not sufficiently challenging, coherent, and relevant. Consequently, students don't learn as much as they could.

Question: Where can you get a set of teacher training standards for helping students apply a Biblical perspective to what they study?

Answer: Right here! These standards were developed by Christian educators living in Germany, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, the US, and South Africa.

---

Download: Biblical Perspective Teacher Training Standards

1. In response to Christ’s love and as the foundation for ministry, teachers have a growing relationship with Him.
2. Out of a desire to love God and be transformed by the renewing of their minds, teachers articulate a Christ-centered worldview.
3. To love God and impact the world for Him, teachers apply a Christ-centered worldview to education.
4. To help students love God and impact the world for Him, teachers develop a curriculum that targets students understanding and then applying a Biblical perspective to course content and skills, and ultimately to their lives.
5. To help students love God and impact the world for Him, teachers design and implement unit plans that result in students understanding and then applying a Biblical perspective to course content and skills, and ultimately to their lives.
6. To help students love God and impact the world for Him, teachers design and implement lesson plans that result in students understanding and then applying a Biblical perspective to course content and skills, and ultimately to their lives.
7. To increase student application of a Biblical perspective to course content/skills and to life, teachers collaborate with other teachers.

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.

You want your school to achieve its mission. You know you need to define what it takes to achieve your school’s mission. You’ve hear that developing student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes) might help. So, you want to learn more. Good.

Question: How can you learn more about developing student objectives?

Answer: By exploring the following 7 questions:

1. How can you define what it takes to carry out your school's mission?
2. Are student objectives right for you and your school?
3. What's developing student objectives look like?
4. What questions should you consider before developing student objectives?
5. What makes good student objectives good?
6. What are some reasons for developing student objectives?
7. How are mission, student objectives, and curriculum connected?

Focus on your mission. Use student objectives to define the achievement of your mission. Today.

You want your students to apply a Biblical perspective to what they study. You’ve heard that assessment can help. So, you want to learn more. Good.

Question: How can you learn more about using assessment?

Answer: By exploring the following list of 12 questions.

1. How does assessment impact student learning?
2. What type of assessment can you use?
3. What makes a good assessment good?
4. How good is your assessment?
5. How can you make your assessment even better?
6. How proficiently do you want your students to use a Biblical perspective?
7. How much practice do your students need?
8. What makes a good rubric good?
9. How can you use a rubric?
10. How can you use assessment data?
11. What's your vision for using assessment?
12. How committed are you to having your students apply a Biblical perspective to what they learn?

Remember: The real question isn't "How can you learn more about using assessment?" The real question is "How will you use assessment help your students apply a Biblical perspective to what they study?”


Additional resources:

1. Videos: Teach and assess Biblical perspective, Biblical perspective assessment helps, Assessment helps students value and get proficient at Biblical perspective,
2. Teacher testimonials regarding using assessment
3. Self-assessment: To get started with using assessment, take this self-assessment
4. Tutorial: Use assessment to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective
5. Use assessment

You want your students to connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. You’ve heard that asking questions is an effective way to help students make connections. So, you want to learn more. Good.

Question: How can you learn more about using questions?

Answer: By exploring the following list of 11 questions. The list comes with readings and discussion guides:

1. Why use questions? (Read, Discuss)
2. Why does God ask questions? (Read, Discuss)
3. How valuable are questions? (Read, Discuss)
4. What does using questions look like? (Read)
5. What questions should your students respond to? (Read, Discuss)
6. What questions should your students ask? (Read, Discuss)
7. What makes a good question good? (Read, Discuss)
8. What question do you want to ask your students? (Read, Discuss)
9. What do you want your students to learn (when you ask a question)? (Read, Discuss)
10. How can you get your students to sincerely respond to questions? (Read, Discuss)
11. How can you use your questions effectively? (Read, Discuss)

Remember: The real question isn't "How can you learn more about using questions?" The real question is "How will you use questions help your students connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives?"


Additional resources:

1. Video: Why ask questions?
2. Self-assessment: To get started with using questions, take a self-assessment
3. Tutorial: Use questions to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective
4. 99 questions
5. Ask questions—help your students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective 
6. Teacher and student testimonials regarding how using questions helps
7. Ask your students questions about creation-fall-redemption-restoration

You want your students to increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective. You know that 1 way to do this is by meeting your students’ learning needs.

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 know what learning needs are. (Read)
___ I use an effective process for addressing my students’ learning needs. (Watch, Read, Discuss)

___ My students understand the importance of Biblical perspective. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students know what applying a Biblical perspective looks like. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students can explain how I teach from a Biblical perspective. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students understand the vocabulary words necessary for understanding and applying a Biblical perspective. (Read, Discuss)

___ My students experience engaging instructional strategies. (Read, Discuss 1, Discuss 2)
___ My students have opportunities to think through answers for themselves. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students have time in class to reflect. (Read, Discuss)
___ My assessments require my students to connect a Biblical perspective with their lives. (Read)
___ My students get regular practice in applying a Biblical perspective to what they study. (Read, Discuss)

___ To help my students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, I meet their learning needs.
___ I want to learn more about meeting my students’ learning needs.
___ I am committed to helping my students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective.

Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

1. How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
2. What excites/frutrates me about the data?
3. Which items do I want to learn more about?
4. What will I do?

Additional resources:

1. Tutorial: Meet your students’ learning needs
2. Use the IDEAL process to help your students internalize a Biblical perspective
3. Action plan bank for meeting student learning needs
4. To meet your students' learning needs, explore 12 questions

You want your students to connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. You’ve heard that asking questions is an effective way to help students make connections. And you want to use questions to help your students.

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 want my students to connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. (Watch)
___ My students connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. (Read)
___ I understand how using questions can help my students connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives. (Read)

___ I understand why God asks questions. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students would say that I value asking them questions. (Read, Discuss)
___ I can give a colleague a clear description of what using questions looks like. (Read)

___ I know what questions I want my students to respond to. (Read, Discuss)
___ When faced with an issue, my students know what questions to ask. (Read, Discuss)
___ I can identify and explain 6 characteristics of a good question. (Read, Discuss)
___ I ask good questions. (Read, Discuss)
___ I ask my students questions about creation-fall-redemption-restoration. (Read, Watch)
___ I have documented the questions I want to ask my students. (Read, Discuss)

___ I know what I want my students to learn when I ask a question. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students sincerely respond to the questions I ask. (Read, Discuss)
___ I use questions effectively. (Read, Discuss)

___ I ask questions to help my students connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives.
___ I want to learn more about using questions to help my students make connections.
___ I am committed to helping my students connect what they study, the Bible, and their lives.


Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

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

Additional resources:

1. Video: Why ask questions?
2. Tutorial: Use questions to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective
3. 99 questions
4. Ask questions—help your students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective 
5. Teacher and student testimonials regarding how using questions helps
6. To learn more about using questions, explore these 11 questions

You want your students to apply a Biblical perspective to what they study. You’ve heard that assessment can help. So, you want to use assessment.

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 how assessment impacts student application of a Biblical perspective.
___ I know what type of assessment to use to help my students apply a Biblical perspective.

___ I know what makes a good assessment good.
___ The assessments I give my students are good.
___ I work to make my assessments even better.

___ My students proficiently apply a Biblical perspective to what they study.
___ My students apply creation-fall-redemption-restoration to what they study.
___ My students get sufficient practice in applying a Biblical perspective to what they study.

___ The rubrics I use to score my assessments are good.
___ I use my rubrics effectively.
___ I use my assessment data to modify instruction.

___ I use assessment to help my students apply a Biblical perspective.
___ I have a clear vision for using assessment to help my students apply a Biblical perspective.
___ I want to learn more about using assessment to help my students apply a Biblical perspective.
___ I am committed to helping my students apply a Biblical perspective to what they study.


Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

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

Additional resources:

1. Videos: Teach and assess Biblical perspective, Biblical perspective assessment helps, Assessment helps students value and get proficient at Biblical perspective,
2. Teacher testimonials regarding using assessment
3. Tutorial: Use assessment to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective
4. Use assessment
5. To learn more about using assessment, explore these 12 questions

Use assessment to help your students value and get proficient at connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.



What type of Biblical perspective assessment can you give your students?
Any type—provided the assessment prompt SCOREs.
 
What do I mean by “any type”? I mean you can give more than just tests. For example, you can ask your students to write essays, do projects, and give presentations.
 
What do I mean by “provided the assessment prompt SCOREs”? I mean that the assessment prompt needs to:
(1) Be Student-friendly in terms of vocabulary and length (75 words or less). That’s right. The assessment needs to be student-friendly because students are taking the assessment. The assessment doesn’t need to be teacher-friendly because the teacher isn’t taking the assessment. What do I mean by teacher friendly? I mean the prompt is written for the teacher. I’ve seen prompts only the teacher could really understand—500 words with no clear point.

(2) Require students to Connect content/skills, Biblical principle(s), and life. Don't give an assessment that leaves things disconnected. That’s like putting chocolate chip cookie ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate chips) in a bowl, but not stirring them together to make dough. Which would you rather eat: chocolate chip cookie dough or unmixed ingredients?

(3) Give Opportunities for student choice, as appropriate. Giving students the opportunity to make choices unleashes student learning and potential. I’ve seen this repeatedly. So have you.

(4) Be Rigorous. A rigorous assessment inspires student learning. In my experience, students enjoy challenging assessments and don’t enjoy easy assessments.

(5) Be Even worthy of being taught to. Prepare your students by teaching to the assessment. Just make sure your assessment is actually worthy of being taught to!


What’s an effective Biblical perspective assessment look like?
Here’s a prompt for a 750-word essay: How significant a part of what’s wrong with the world is the tendency to disregard the human dignity of others, and how should a Christian respond? Support your answer with (1) examples from literature, history/current events, and your own experience, and (2) the Biblical principles of respecting God’s image bearers and loving our neighbors. (54 words)
 
Action step: Develop a Biblical perspective assessment that SCOREs. Prepare your students for this assessment and then have them take it.

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.

Want to help your students to better connect the course content and Biblical principles they study to God’s story of creation-fall-redemption-restoration? Good. Reflecting on a set of DRAW questions can help you determine what action steps to take. What does “DRAW” stand for?

• Define the facts.
• Respond to the facts in terms of feelings/experiences.
• Analyze the facts, feelings, and experiences.
• What’s next?: Consider next steps.

As a result of reflecting on the following set of DRAW questions, you will identify 1 or more SMART action steps you will take to help your students better connect the course content and Biblical principles they study to God’s story of creation-fall-redemption-restoration:
 
Define the facts:

1. What class do you want to think about?
2. What do your students study in that class?
3. What connections do your students make between the course content and Biblical principles they study?
4. What’s creation-fall-redemption-restoration?
5. How are your students connecting the course content and Biblical principles they study and creation-fall-redemption-restoration?

Respond to the facts in terms of feelings/experiences:
What excites/concerns you about helping your students better connect the course content and Biblical principles they study to creation-fall-redemption-restoration?
 
Analyze the facts, feelings, and experiences:

1. How do you address creation-fall-redemption-restoration in the class you’re thinking about?
2. What units address creation? fall? redemption? restoration?
3. What questions do you ask about creation? fall? redemption? restoration? (What does a set of creation-fall-redemption-restoration questions look like?)
4. What Biblical principles do you teach about creation? fall? redemption? restoration?
5. What assessments do you give about creation? fall? redemption? restoration?
6. What helps your students connect the course content and Biblical principles they study to creation-fall-redemption-restoration?
7. What are your students’ learning needs regarding creation-fall-redemption-restoration?
8. What helps/hinders you in teaching your students about creation-fall-redemption-restoration?

What’s next? Consider next steps:
To help your students better connect the course content and Biblical principles they study to creation-fall-redemption-restoration:

1. What do you need to keep doing? start doing? stop doing?
2. What support, encouragement, and accountability do you need?
3. What 1 or more SMART action steps will you take?

*Additional resources:

1. Video: Have your students connect 3 things
2. Blog entries: Target Biblical Perspective, Use Questions, Use Assessment, Meet Student Learning Needs
3. Our World Belongs to God
4. Visual Valet (or download)

Want to use your curriculum to help students develop a Christ-centered worldview? Reflecting on the following 7 questions can help:

1. What’s the goal?
2. Regarding developing a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum, what are the opportunities/problems?
3. What’s your stakeholders’ perspective of a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum?
4. Where are you/your school in terms of having a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum?
5. Regarding developing a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum, what’s your/your school’s level of motivation?
6. To develop a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum, what do you/your school need to keep doing? start doing? stop doing?
7. How would you/your school develop a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum?

Reflect with others on these questions. Then, develop a guaranteed, viable Biblical perspective curriculum—and get your students to experience it!

Target Biblical perspective. Today.

*These 7 questions address Biblical perspective teacher training standard #4: To help students love God and impact the world for Him, teachers develop a curriculum that targets students understanding and then applying a Biblical perspective to course content and skills, and ultimately to their lives.

You want to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. But you’re having difficulty developing an effective lesson plan.
 
Question: Is there a lesson model that can help?

Answer: Yes! You can use Harold Klassen’s 1-2-3-2-1 lesson model, which includes these components:

• 1 story
• 2 connections
• 3 questions
• 2 objectives
• 1 assessment

These components must be present in the lesson and may be used in any order.

Let’s explore the components of 1-2-3-2-1 lesson further:
*1 story you will tell about your lesson content. Stories (biographies, anecdotes, fables, parables, proverbs, personal experiences, case studies...) help students understand lesson content and make connections to the Bible
 
*2 connections between your “lesson story” and God’s creation-fall-redemption-restoration/fulfillment story.

1. Making connections helps you and your students develop a Christ-centered worldview.
2. These connections should flow from God’s story, from an understanding that our world belongs to God, from a Biblical perspective of the subject area. These connections should take the form of Biblical principles (each of which is supported by 3 Bible passages). Here are samples.
3. Here’s a process and a set of questions you can use to identify your 2 connections.

*3 questions you will ask about your “lesson story” to help students make connections to God’s story. As you work to identify your 3 questions, you may find it helpful to consider the following questions:

1. Why does God ask questions? (discussion questions)
2. Why use questions? (discussion questions, video)
3. What makes a good question good? (discussion questions)
4. What question do you want to ask your students? (discussion questions) Might you want to use creation-fall-redemption-restoration questions, questions used by teachers at Christian Academy in Japan, WHWW questions, or 5 Ws and an H? (Who? What? Why? Where? When? How?)
5. How can you help your students sincerely respond to questions? (discussion questions)
6. How can you use your questions effectively? (discussion questions)

*2 objectives for this lesson.

*1 assessment you will use to find out if your lesson objectives were met. For example, you could have your students tell, show, make, write, do…

1. What type of assessment can you use?
2. Kim Essenburg, English 10 teacher at Christian Academy in Japan, uses a variety of assessments.

 
To develop your 1-2-3-2-1 lesson, answer these questions:

• What’s your lesson about?
• What’s 1 story you could tell about your lesson content?
• What are 2 connections between your “lesson story” and God’s creation-fall-redemption-restoration/fulfillment story?
• What 3 questions could you ask about your “lesson story” to help students make connections to God’s story?
• What are 2 objectives of this lesson?
• What’s 1 assessment you could use to find out if these lesson objectives were met?

 
Or you could answer these questions:
What’s your lesson about?
 
If Jesus taught this lesson…?

• What’s 1 story Jesus could tell about the lesson content?
• What 2 connections might Jesus make between the “lesson story” and God’s creation-fall-redemption-restoration/fulfillment story?
• What 3 questions could Jesus ask about the “lesson story” to help students make connections to God’s story?
• What might 2 of Jesus’ objectives for this lesson be?
• What’s 1 assessment Jesus could use to find out if these lesson objectives were met?

Now, teach your 1-2-3-2-1 lesson! Target Biblical perspective. Today.

The challenge: At Christian schools, we want our students to develop a Christ-centered worldview, to see all of life through the lens of Scripture. This is a big challenge! One way we address this challenge is by having our students connect what they study with Biblical teaching.

Where can you get some help with this challenge?

Right here! In this 10-step tutorial, you'll learn how to help your students make connections. You'll learn to design a Biblical perspective lesson plan and a Biblical perspective assessment. And after you teach your lesson and give your assessment, you'll reflect on your lesson plan and assessment results.

Take these 10 steps:

1. Ask God for help.
2. Experience a Biblical perspective lesson.
3. Get clear on what connecting course content/skills and Biblical teaching is—and is not.
4. Reflect on how making connections helps your students develop a Christ-centered worldview.
5. Identify the Biblical teaching you want your students to connect with what they study. Here are sample Biblical principles you can teach your students.
6. Develop an essential question that GRACES your students' worldview understanding. Here's a list of 99 Biblical perspective questions.
7. Design a Biblical perspective assessment that SCOREs.
8. Design a Biblical perspective lesson that involves your students in connecting what they study, Biblical teaching, and life—and that prepares them for the Biblical perspective assessment. Here are some sample lessons. Here are 2 versions of a lesson plan tempate (lesson template pdf, lesson template Word).
9. Teach your Biblical perspective lesson and give your students the Biblical perspective assessment.
10. Reflect on your lesson plan and assessment results in order to modify instruction.

Teach and assess Biblical perspective. Today.

To help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, DEAL with your students’ learning needs:

• Define your students’ learning needs.
• Explore the how you can respond to your students’ learning needs.
• Act.
• Look at the results.

Take action: Take 4 steps to DEAL with your students’ learning needs.

(1) Define your students’ learning needs. You can do this by looking at your students’ work, talking with your students, giving them a survey, or using a list of 10 sample learning needs as an assessment tool. Once you’ve defined your students’ learning needs, select 1 student learning need you will address.


(2) Explore ways to address the student learning need you selected. For example, you can explore addressing a student learning need through reading and discussion. Below is a list of 10 sample learning needs phrased as questions. The list comes with readings and discussion guides:

1. How can you help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective? (Read, Discuss)
2. How can you help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content? (Read, Discuss)
3. How can you show your students what applying a Biblical perspective looks like? (Read)
4. How can you help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective? (Read, Discuss)
5. What vocabulary words do your students need to learn? (Read, Discuss)
6. What engaging instructional strategies will help your students? (Read, Discuss 1, Discuss 2)
   
7. How can you give your students opportunities to think through answers for themselves? (Read, Discuss)
8. How can you provide time during class for reflection? (Read, Discuss)
9. How can you design assessments so that your students connect a Biblical perspective with their lives? (Read, Discuss)
10. How can you give your students more practice? (Read, Discuss)

Now, choose 1 way to meet the learning need you selected. Make a plan to address it. Be sure to get the support, encouragement, and accountability you need to carry out your plan.


(3) Act. Just do it! Implement your plan. And be sure to tell your students what you are doing and why.


(4) Look at the results. Discuss them with your students and colleagues.


Question: What will you do today to DEAL with your students’ learning needs?

Christian education involves worldview education, education that helps students develop and apply a Christian worldview.

Here's a 6-part tutorial you can use to explore Christian worldview education:

1. Regarding providing worldview education, what helps/hinders you?
2. Everyone has a worldview. What helps students understand this?
3. You can help your students develop a Christian worldview by asking questions. What key questions do you want your students to consider?
4. A person’s worldview is connected to how s/he answers questions. How can you help your students understand this?
5. Worldview affects educational practice. How does your Christian worldview affect your educational practice?
6. Everyone lives out his/her worldview. You live out your worldview in your classroom. As a Christian teacher, how can you increasingly target students understanding and then applying a Biblical perspective to course content and skills?

Remember: The goal is to learn about Christian worldview education. The goal is to have students increasing their understanding and application of a Chrisitan worldview.

Question: What will you to do help your students increase their understanding and application of a Christian worldview?

A key goal of Christian education is students increasing their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective. Assessment can help! Here's a 4-part tutorial on how you can use assessment. The tutorial address the vision for assessment, assessment for learning, goal setting, and rubric usage:

(1) What's the vision for using assessment?

(2) Does assessment help improve student use of a Biblical perspective? Yes!

1. Teacher testimonial: Kim Essenburg, who teaches English 10, says, "Assessment helps students more deeply connect what they study, their lives, and a Biblical perspective."
2. What type of assessment can you use?
3. What makes a good assessment good?
4. How can you make assessment even better?

(3) Now that you more fully understand that assessment does help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective, you're ready to set a student learning target, determine your current commitment, and consider the amount of practice your students will need to achieve your learning goal.

1. How proficiently do you want your students to use a Biblical perspective?
   
2. What's the relationship between commitment to Biblical perspective and frequency of assessment?
3. How much practice do your students need?
4. Teacher tip: Give your students quality practice, says Michael Essenburg

(4) Before giving your students a Biblical perspective assessment, be sure your design a rubric. Using a rubric will help your students understand your expectations and provide you with assessment data you can use to modify instruction:

1. What makes a good rubric good?
2. How can you use a rubric?
3. How can you use assessment data to help students learn?
4. Teacher tip: Use a bookmark to prepare students for a Biblical perspective

Question: How will you use assessment to help your students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective?

You want your students to honor Christ and impact the world from Him. Consequently, you want to nurture faith in Christ. One way you do this is by helping your students understand and apply a Biblical perspective to what they study. You've heard that asking questions is a good way to do this.

You wonder, "Does asking questions help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective?"

• Heidi Schaeffer, who teachers Science 5, says, "Questions helped my students see how creation points to God."
  
• And in the following video, Michael Essenburg says that asking questions is a doable, effective way to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective.

Here's a 4-part tutorial you can use to learn more about asking questions:

(1) Explore the role questions:

• Why does God ask questions?
  
• How valuable are questions?
  
• Anda Foxwell, who teachers Social Studies 6, says, "Questions helped my students apply a Biblical perspective."

(2) Explore using questions in your classroom:

• What does using questions look like?
  
• What questions should your students respond to? (Here's a list of 99 Biblical perspective questions you can ask your students.)
  
• What questions should your students ask?
  
• What makes a good question good?
  
• What do you want your students to learn when you ask a question?
  
• Kim Essenburg, who teachers English 10, says, "Using questions works!"

(3) Explore ways to get your students to use questions to increase their understanding and application of a Biblical persepective:

• How can you help your students sincerely respond to Biblical perspective questions?
  
• How can you use your questions effectively?

Want to read another testimonial? Here's one from a school: At CAJ, we use questions to equip students to impact the world for Christ.

(4) Real Question: The real question isn't "Does asking questions help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective work?" The real question is, "How will you use questions help your students understand and apply a Biblical perspective?" Ask your students a good question. Today.

As a Christian school teacher, you want your students to love God with their minds. So, you work to help your students apply a Biblical perspective to the course content you teach. This is a challenge. To meet this challenge, target student application of a Biblical perspective. This tutorial can help!



Does targeting Biblical perspective work? Yes! (teacher testimonials)

How can you increasingly target Biblical perspective?

1. Start by journaling for 5 or more minutes on "What's important about your students applying a Biblical perspective to the content you teach?"
   
2. Read the 12 goals listed below for targeting Biblical perspective.
   
3. Select 1 or more goals.
   
4. Use the Action Step Bank to write down your goal(s) and the action steps you can take to achieve each goal. Make your action steps specific and bite size.
   
5. Review your action step list and commit to completing 1 action within the next 5 work days. Ask a colleague to give you the support, encouragement, and accountability you need to complete your action steps.
   
6. Take action.
   
7. Talk with your colleague about your progress. As appropriate, use a protocol (GROW Process).
   
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until you have completed all the action steps you wrote down.

12 goals for targeting Biblical perspective:

1. Ask God to help students understand and apply a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
2. Increase your commitment to helping students love God with their minds.
   
3. Focus on students applying a Biblical perspective to course content they have mastered (not mastering course content).
   
4. Determine current and desired performance levels for you and your students.
   
5. Brainstorm with a colleague about ways to help students apply a Biblical perspective.
   
6. Develop lesson plans that target students applying a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
7. 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. Provide time in class for students to apply a Biblical perspective to course content.
   
9. Measure student application of a Biblical perspective.
   
10. Use assessment data to modify instruction.
    
11. Share with others how students are applying a Biblical perspective to course content.
    
12. Identify factors that hinder student application of a Biblical perspective. Take action to alleviate these factors.

Target Biblical perspective. Today.