Resources – Page 6 – TeachBeyond Argentina

Transformational Perspectives: Scriptural Underpinnings of Transformational Education with a Christian Worldview

January 25, 2017/in Featured, Resources/by admin

For the Christian educator, be that person a teacher or leader, the primary goal of teaching and learning is to present everyone mature in Christ [1]. Christian education fosters maturity in Christ, preparing students for both life beyond school and eternity, for honouring and glorifying God.

The first Scriptural underpinning for this is the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:16-19, Jesus states “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. The global perspective that Christian education should hold is clear; all nations and all cultures are to be baptized and made disciples. Thus an understanding of how the world works, and how people, cultures and nations interact with each other, is important if the goal of Christian education, the presentation of everyone mature in Christ, is to be realized.

One way such a goal is realized through teaching everyone with all wisdom. This means that all learners receive a quality teaching and learning experience. Christian learners are prepared to impact their world for Christ and non-Christian learners are shown a meaningful faith that possesses at its core an intellectual credibility applicable to the wider world.

Thus, the learner is the focus of Christian education. Each learner is considered unique as he or she is made by God [2]. Learners are also acknowledged to be complex, entering the classroom at different stages in their learning, with different experiences, and different levels of knowledge or skills. Christian educators recognise the complexity in all learners and that they are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance [3]. Thus, Christian education is something that helps learners mature by unwrapping their God-given gifts so that they can find their place in service of others and have an impact on the world for Christ.

In the closing remarks of his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul exhorts Christians to strive for excellence [4]. His point is made on an understanding of human nature. To dwell on matters not conducive to a healthy mindset adversely affects thought, character and action. It stunts maturity in Christ. For the Christian learner, Philippians 4:8 makes a clear call to excellence as the standard for living a Christian life. For the non-Christian learner, the call for excellence in all things deflects criticism that in some way, shape or form, Christian education is not good enough, that it is in some manner deficient or irrelevant.

Additionally, Paul reminds us that we are called to be Christ’s ambassadors [5]. Such a description is no small thing, for an ambassador is someone who represents the interests of his or her nation in a foreign country, someone who is completely knowledgeable about whom they represent and their worldview. In the context of Christian education the directive from 2 Corinthians 5:20 calls schools to be prepared to represent God and His message faithfully and accurately in all that they do. Christians will attract the attention of those around them and so it is therefore critical that Christians act in the same manner as an envoy or representative. Teaching and learning programs must engage in the wider world knowledgably and with certainty about that message.

Education is therefore a life-long process [6]. It focuses on the intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth of the individual through all domains of knowledge [7]. Education prepares learners for a life of active, responsible citizenship with both a local and international outlook [8]. It instills in them a passion for lifelong learning, inspires them to excel academically, to work towards intellectual and emotional maturity and to ensure they are prepared for the world beyond the classroom [9]. Through Christian education, learners develop a deep subject expertise alongside the ability to engage with a diverse range of people, embrace both traditional and innovative thinking, and be able to bridge cultural boundaries genuinely. This is what we should strive after as we seek to develop learners who will be presented mature in Christ. This is transformational education.
BFA
Timothy Scott, Ph.D.
Director of Student Learning and Head Principal
Black Forest Academy, Germany

[1] Colossians 1:28

[2] Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 139:14

[3] Ephesians 2:10

[4] Philippians 4:8

[5] 2 Corinthians 5:20

[6] 1 Timothy 4:13

[7] Proverbs 1-4; Romans 12:2

[8] 1 Timothy 2:2-8

[9] Philippians 4:8

Photo Credits: Great Commission. Christian Cross Clipart. Lab II. BFA.TeachBeyond.

Timothy Scott is the Director of Student Learning and Head Principal at Black Forest Academy (BFA) in Germany, where he leads the school’s academic program operating across three campuses and is involved in curriculum management and development, and student pastoral care. Additionally, Tim manages the partnership between BFA and several German Christian schools. He has a passion for teaching ancient history, historiography and philosophies of history, holding a PhD in the subject. Tim has 20 years of experience in education, having taught and held leadership positions in several large independent schools in Sydney, Australia.

Integral Units: Presenting the World to Students as God Created It

January 11, 2017/in Resources/by admin

Imagine a trip to the grocery store. You think through your meals for the next week and make a grocery list. Obeying traffic laws you travel to the store you’ve chosen. Once you get there, you notice something special is on sale and evaluate if it’s worth getting. You also remember that your flatmate wanted bananas, so you get some even though they aren’t on the list. As you check out, you exchange pleasantries with the cashier.

Now think about all the different knowledge sets you used: language skills–to write, read, communicate; maths skills to calculate, analyse, and evaluate; a knowledge of science, economics, civics, and nutrition. You also made a dozen ethical decisions in conjunction with these other knowledge sets. The food you choose to eat, where you choose to shop, the laws you follow to get there, how you chose to get there, your consideration of others: practically every step of this trip required you to use both analytical reasoning and moral conscience [1].

In general, most schools separate the instruction of different fields of knowledge. In doing so they also separate the moral underpinning of that subject. However, we live lives that constantly combine all the disciplines fluidly. This is especially true of our faith, which is not something that we occasionally reference, but something that is quintessential to everything we do.

One way to present the world in a more holistic way to students is through integral units. An integral unit focuses on a topic instead of a subject. Just as a traditional unit can combine multiple topics, an integral unit combines multiple subjects.

Integral units are first and foremost about presenting the world to students as God created it: a holistic blending of the different aspects of Creation. Traditional, segmented curriculum compartmentalises knowledge into man-made spheres. This traditional approach to curriculum reinforces a dualist ideology for students, teaching them that God and His realm are separate from the realms of science, history, and writing [2]. The impulse to avoid this pitfall is why so many schools emphasise Biblical integration in all subject areas. However, there are differences between having Biblical integration and using an integral unit or curriculum. Biblical integration seeks to show that Christ is relevant in each sphere of knowledge; Integral curriculum seeks to show students that all of life and learning is inherently full of religious meaning [3].

Integral units are easier to plan and execute than you may think. Start by thinking about a meaningful topic that has practical significance. Kindergarten teachers might choose plants as a topic, while senior history teachers might choose international government policy. Harro Van Brummelen outlines the process of creating an integral unit in detail in his book Steppingstones to Curriculum [4]. In essence, the teacher develops a central theme and key questions about the topic. These questions should focus on ways the topic is actually relevant to the students and the central theme should point to God’s sovereignty over that part of creation.

Topic: Oceans

Theme:

The ocean actively shapes how many people live and is used in many ways, some of which are honouring and some of which are dishonouring to God.

Key Questions:

What is in the ocean? (science & geography)
What do oceans mean to people? (social studies, Bible, arts, writing)
What things affect how the oceans work? (science, maths)

Once these initial steps are completed, teachers should design activities that help students answer the questions (ideally reinforcing the central theme). These activities should involve skills across subject areas. For an ocean-themed unit, students could chart tides, do a dissection, or investigate ocean pollution in maths and science classes. Humanities classes could study how the ocean has been represented and is used. Writing classes should encourage students to research and write about the topic. Discussions of God’s sovereignty and how humans can be good stewards of oceans could take place in both humanities and STEM classes. And, of course, any integral unit on the ocean would be incomplete without enjoying some good seafood!

Integral units are successful when the topic, theme, and questions are truly relevant to students and the activities explore the topic in diverse ways. Teachers can get help from others when planning learning activities outside their own subject. In designing assessments teachers should be particularly careful to consider how they can assess progress in the students’ understanding of the theme and answers to the key questions. Ideally the unit will be different and exciting for the students, the primary teacher, and the other teachers involved in the unit.

For more detailed ideas on how to develop an integrated unit, check out van Brummelin’s work or this resource from ASCD.

David Christians
International Academy, Saint Petersburg
TeachBeyond

[1] Steensma, Geraldine. Shaping School Curriculum, Integral Learning: A Biblical View. Reformed Educational Publishing, 1987. 2-3.

[2] Blomberg, Doug. Wisdom and Curriculum. Dordt College Press, 2007. 26.

[3] Blomberg. 18, 27.

[4] Van Brummelen, Harro. Steppingstones to Curriculum. Purposeful Design Publications, 2002. 167-199.

Photo Credits: Grocery Shopping; amsfrank Flickr via Compfight cc; Seafood, Leonard J Matthews Flickr via Compfight cc.

David Christians has been teaching with TeachBeyond for four years at International Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Having taught everything from AP Calculus to freshman literature to fourth grade, he enjoys teaching art history the most. He’s currently working on a Masters of Education at Covenant College.

Connecting with Coaches

December 14, 2016/in Resources/by admin

“What do you think heaven is like? Do you think we will get bored?” Many questions peppered my sixth grade Bible lessons. While we couldn’t stop to discuss every one, how could I ignore my students’ curiosity about the Word? Because of this, I had each student conduct a research project based on a self-selected topic of interest. I asked several trusted adults from the community to guide small groups of students, and they became the mentors and managers of the project. Students were evaluated based on completion, but they gained so much more than knowledge from their interactions with coaches.

Similarly, adult coaches were an invaluable resource for an ungraded middle school research unit. Students developed inquiry questions for independent study and were matched with coaches – my family and friends around the world – who had experience with the students’ topics.

One supporter sent a soccer ball for his middle school researcher, while my brother emailed with a student constructing a model trebuchet. It was fascinating to watch student motivation and creativity blossom through this intergenerational, interest-based learning experience!

Why Involve Coaches?

When designed effectively, projects involving adult coaches can have numerous benefits. Hearing other voices will enhance student understanding about a topic and potentially expose them to differing viewpoints. Communicating with coaches will build their confidence and grow their enthusiasm for learning. Furthermore, local community members and long-distance contacts may enjoy this “window” in your classroom. This is a great way to involve supporters, former professors, and nearby experts!

Where Do I Begin?

Consider Curriculum: Review curricular themes and goals, and think about whether adult coaches could help students learn specific content or skills. Brainstorm ways to integrate community mentors into already existing activities, or design a purposeful project with a coach-based approach.

Connect with Coaches: Contact people directly or create an online survey to recruit potential coaches. Be sure to clearly communicate your expectations for these mentors, and for longer projects, check in with coaches periodically for feedback.
Make it Developmentally Appropriate: Guided independence worked well for my middle school classes, but high school students would likely thrive with greater freedom. At the elementary level, coaches could communicate with the whole class or provide enrichment for gifted learners.
Integrate Technology: Besides allowing for communication with long-distance coaches, tech tools may be useful for student research, peer collaboration, and teacher supervision of project progress. When introducing new tools, be sure to incorporate mini-lessons and provide scaffolded practice.
Protect Students: Student privacy is of utmost importance. When I connected my middle school students with remote coaches, I moderated all communication. I sent student e-mails to their coaches and forwarded coach responses back to the students. This was a bit cumbersome, but it was worth it to maintain student privacy and allow me to monitor the process.

As you look ahead to the new year , how will you connect on a deeper level with your students? Perhaps involving coaches could be the next step for facilitating transformational education in your classroom.

Heather Brown

Associate Director of Mobilsation and former middle school teacher

Photo Credits: both photos provided by Heather Brown

Bearing with the Failings of the Weak

November 23, 2016/in Resources/by admin

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up. Romans 15:1-2

As teachers, we have all seen them: the compliant, dutiful student who loves to follow rules and get stickers and the distractible, rambunctious one who just will not conform to the classroom expectations. Both are dearly beloved. Both are made in God’s image. However, managing a class with the latter, (whether they be girls or boys!) can exasperate us and cause us to respond in a less than ideal manner.

The way a teacher approaches this common scenario is one way a transformative classroom is different from one which is not. The transformative teacher will correct a student while also finding ways to establish the student as a child of God. The transformative teacher builds up all students in an honest way, recognising the God-given worth and value of each one. Just as a transformative teacher corrects the non-compliant child, helping him understand the motives behind the non-compliant behaviour and develop strategies to change his behavior, she also lovingly challenges the compliant child, encouraging him to examine the motives behind his behavior. (Is he good for the love of stickers? To be better than everyone else?)

One practical way teachers can build up and encourage children is through an exercise called “putting their name in the heart.” This exercise is effective with very young children, but can also be used with older elementary students.

When a student is observed doing something out-of-character in a positive way, the teacher draws a heart on the board and places the student’s name in the heart. The student is then invited to the front of the classroom while the teacher to honours them by explaining why they are being recognised. One child may be honoured for not calling out for an entire lesson, even though the rest of the class may never call out. Another child may be honoured for choosing not to broadcast her superiority on a recent test score. What the student did to earn the honour is completely individualised according to that student’s unique needs. The key is to recognise and celebrate all students (both those who are usually compliant and those who perhaps aren’t) for exemplifying character, perseverance, or success when the child is not expecting a reward. The goal is that students know that they matter, not because of their compliance or lack thereof, but because of who they are.

Putting the name in the heart does not eliminate using class rules or other classroom management strategies; it is used as a supplement to build up students for positive behaviors which do not come easy for them, whatever these behaviors may be.

As the holiday season—and attendant student “squirreliness”—approaches, I encourage you to look for the good in your students and honour it. Go put someone’s name in the heart!

Helen Vaughan, Ph.D.
Director of School Services
TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Classroom. pang yu liu Flickr via Compfight cc.

Teaching Content to Language Learners Creating order in (what feels like) chaos!

November 9, 2016/in Resources/by admin

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Teaching content to a classroom with diverse language proficiencies can feel overwhelming. We feel the pressure for our language learners (ELs) to gain more vocabulary, increase their linguistic complexity, and eliminate errors – all while they learn the class material! Here is some background information that will help you implement Jessica Weaver’s suggestions from a previous OnPractice article.

Expand knowledge of the language acquisition process. Understanding how language is learned provides a foundation for instruction that is comprehensible and for creating assessments that accurately reflect content knowledge instead of language proficiency. WIDA.us, TESOL.com, and the Council of Europe are excellent resources for this.

The progression of language acquisition might look/sound like the following…

*Entering:*	Fish swims.
*Beginning:*	The little fish swims fast.
*Intermediate:*	The small fish swam quickly in the fish tank.
*Advancing:*	The smaller, scared piranha was swimming around the tank in circles.
*Proficient*	The smaller of the two piranhas was frantically swimming around the tank in a desperate effort to escape from the attacks of the larger fish.

Lesson plans, activities, materials, and assessments can be geared toward the proficiency level(s) of your students for each of the modalities (listening, speaking, reading, writing.)

Plan lessons with both learning targets and language targets. Lessons with language goals help move the student to the next level of language proficiency while they are learning content.

Learning Target: I can…	Language Target: I can…
+ draw and interpret maps of a familiar place.	+ describe where things are using location words.
+ differentiate between potential and kinetic energy.	+ compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy using a Box & T-chart and phrases for comparing and contrasting.

Colorin’ Colorado and SIOP provide examples of language objectives, as well as lesson plans with learning and language targets.

Focus on key objectives. In a classroom with multiple levels, it is necessary to focus on the key learning objectives and eliminate information that does not meet the objective. Language targets also keep the focus on which language mistakes to correct.

Make connections. Experiencing content and seeing visuals allow students to gain knowledge without a heavy language load. Effective teachers seek ways to connect to students’ prior knowledge, while building background. Cross-curricular theme-based units with many activities allow students multiple opportunities to interact with information and language.

Teach vocabulary. Language learners benefit from vocabulary instruction across the curriculum, particularly instruction that focuses on frequently-used, academic terms that appear across a variety of classes (Tier Two), such as coincidence, reluctant, or analysis. The six-step process[1] (Marzano, 2004) for teaching vocabulary includes:

Teacher provides a description, explanation, or example of the new word.
Students restate the definition in their own words.
Students construct a non-linguistic representation.
Students interact with the words to deepen their knowledge (comparing, classifying, writing analogies/metaphors.)
Students discuss the terms.
Students play games with the words.

Provide supports. Anything that enhances learning and/or lightens the language load is a support. Support for students using new structures, grammar, vocabulary include word boxes (including Tier 2) and sentence frames. Sentence frames provide the structure for producing language, such as the ones below that supply responses for both comparing and contrasting.

Compare (Similarities)	Contrast (Differences)
Both….	X…, but …
X and Y both…	While X…, Y….
Both X and Y…	X…. However, Y….

Make accommodations. The sky is the limit when it comes to accommodations. Common accommodations used regularly by classroom teachers at ECA are:

bi-lingual dictionaries and Bibles
referencing to L1
note-taking using a print-out of the teacher’s PowerPoint
pictures, diagrams, charts, graphic organizers
eliminating choices on multiple choice tests
cloze/fill-in-the-blank for both notes or assessments

Check with your school administration to see if you need to differentiate between changes that lighten the language demand (accommodations) and changes that actually alter the learning expectations (modifications)[2].

Take a deep breath! Language acquisition is a process. Relax and enjoy the ride!

<a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/128901266@N05/29241766654/”>USEmbassyPhnomPenh</a> Flickr via <a href=”http://compfight.com”>Compfight</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/”>cc</a>

[1] Marzano, R. J. (2004). Building background kno wledge for academic achievement: Research on what works in schools. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

[2] For a more in-depth discussion on accommodations versus modifications, check out the posting on this topic in the TEFL Idea Exchange group on Yammer.

Developing a Sticky Faith

October 31, 2016/in Resources/by admin

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One of the books that has significantly influenced the way that I think about Christian education is Sticky Faith by Dr. Kara Powell and Dr. Chap Clark. The book is based on a longitudinal research project asking: why are so many young people—who would claim an active Christian faith position when they leave high school–unable to make the same claim five years later? “Most churches in America would give anything to develop a deep, growing faith in kids that ‘sticks’ and continues to mature long term. Yet…the reality is that almost half of their graduating seniors struggle deeply with their faith in college.”[1] The book explores a number of reasons for this catastrophic early adult drop out.

When I came across Sticky Faith I had been high school principal at a very international school in Asia for a number of years. We were wrestling with how to prepare our growing number of graduating students for the faith challenges that life after several years in a Christian mission school would bring. One key line from the book that struck me was: “…as eight years of research has shown, it is not doubt, or hard questions that are toxic to faith. It is silence.“[2]

This resonated with our experience, so we decided to fill the silence with some hard questions that allowed for, if not doubt, at least conversation. We did so in the belief that it would be better for our students to wrestle with these hard questions while still surrounded by their families and the faith community within our school.

As part of our biblical worldview agenda, we encouraged staff to add challenging questions to the learning outcomes already existing in our high school curriculum. Some examples are:

In English, we study The Crucible by Arthur Miller, so we added: “There are voices of fear in this book. Discuss what voices of fear, if any, are heard in your church.”
In Cambridge IGCSE Geography, learning outcomes exist around environmental safeguarding, so we asked: “Christians have differing views about global warming. Which of these differences are based on their Christian faith?”
In our IB Theory of Knowledge course we look at how we know the things we know. We introduced the question: “Some Christians think God has been creating the universe we see for 6000 years, others for 14.5 billion years, and others somewhere in between. What evidence do these Christians base their view on?”
Our grade 12 Christian Perspectives course explored the basis for the dominant cultural postmodern worldview. We asked: “What aspects, if any, of modern main-stream Christian faith positions reflect a postmodern worldview?”

We found the discussions that followed from these and similar questions could be challenging for us as a staff as they prompted us to share more of our own faith position. We also were forced to be vulnerable with students in admitting to our own lack of certainty around some questions. However, we also felt this process helped us to foster an environment where students could approach staff with other faith questions they encountered.

We were initially concerned with how our parents might respond to this approach, and this could be a significant issue in your context. I think one of the things that helped calm some concerns was that I, and others who were primarily involved in developing this approach, had been at the school for a number of years. Parents had learned to trust us, both professionally and as Christians who cared about their children’s developing faith. Another factor was that we limited this approach to our high school students (grades 9-12); and a number of parents acknowledged the benefits of taking some faith risks with older teenagers that they would not have considered appropriate for children even a year or two younger.

As you think about filling in the silence at your school, what questions would you ask in the cultural context of your educational setting to reduce the chance of your teenage Christians faith failing to stick through early adulthood?
Mark Prothero, M.Ed.
School Services Consultant
TeachBeyond

[1] www.stickyfaith.org

[2] Clark, www.stickyfaith.org.
Bibliography
Clark, Dr Kara Powell and Dr Chap Clark. Sticky Faith. n.d.
www.stickyfaith.org. n.d.

Photo Credits: BFA middle schoolers, TeachBeyond Facebook page.

Mark Prothero (mprothero@teachbeyond.org) has a M.Ed in curriculum studies from the University of Leeds. He has 16 years experience in 5 urban high schools in England, 3 years in a rural ex-mission school in Malawi, and 10 years as high school principal at Hope International School in Cambodia, from where he recently returned to the UK and became a member of TeachBeyond.

“You should be taking notes on this”.

October 12, 2016/in Resources/by admin

As teachers, we often give verbal clues in class to encourage students to record the information that we deem important. Unfortunately, rather than listening carefully to the information presented, actively synthesizing this information, and recording the key concepts and ideas along with unfamiliar terminology, students often simply try to record everything they hear. Instead of helping them process the information, note-taking becomes a distraction as students worry about writing down everything that is being said.

Rather than assuming that students know how to take notes in class, teachers can help students acquire this life-skill by overtly teaching them note-taking strategies. There are many different methods of taking notes, but effective note-taking strategies all emphasis a few key points.

Listen for and identify main ideas or key concepts. What is the purpose of the lecture? What words/ideas are frequently repeated? What verbal cues has the lecturer given? Has anything been written on the board?
Rather than recording exactly what is being said, students should note key concepts in their own words. A sentence, or even a phrase or two should be sufficient to record most key points in a lecture.
Employ organisational structure. Are notes labelled with the date and subject covered? Has enough space been left to add to or comment on the notes at a later time? Is the writing legible?
Develop a consistent set of symbols. Abbreviations, stock images, and symbols can be used to form a sort of note-taking shorthand as long as students remember what each symbol stands for. Developing this prior to taking notes helps free up mental space and allows students to focus their attention on the material at hand.
Make connections. As lectures progress, often the relationships between ideas become more clear. Arrows, colours, and other markings can be used to make these connections visible in notes.

There are a number of great resources available to help teach note-taking skills. Because we all think and organise information differently, there are many different methods that can be effective. This link offers suggestions for helping students learn the Cornell Method, outlining, mapping, and sentence notes. For students who are more visually or artistically inclined, visual note-taking might be a good option. This TED Talk by Rachel Smith offers a great introduction to visual note taking, or for a written explanation, check out this blog by KQED.

Note-taking, when done well, is a complex process requiring students to engage in higher order cognitive functions. Taking time to teach our students the basics of note-taking is an important first step. As with any other skill, however, we need to give them time for focused practice. Just as we spend time teaching students to read before we expect them to use reading to learn, we need to teach students to take notes before we expect them to take notes to study. Using short lectures, such as those found on TED Talks[1] or Q Ideas[2], to provide opportunities to help students practice this skill is time well spent, especially at the beginning of the school year.

Is this something you’ve considered doing in your classroom?

[1] “TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages.”—www.ted.com/about/our-organization

[2] Similar in concept to Ted Talks, Q was established to “explore topics that fall into four broad themes: culture, future, church, and gospel…At Q Ideas, you’ll see a broad spectrum of content represented in our small group curriculum, essays, videos, blog articles, and podcasts. These are all contributed and commissioned to shed light on unique areas of culture and the church.” —http://qideas.org/about/

Photo Credits: Visual Notes, B. Hunsberger. Cornell Notes, mattcornock Flickr via Compfight cc.

Transformational Perspectives

September 29, 2016/in Resources/by admin

TeachBeyond is registered in fifteen nations around the world. We serve in nearly fifty countries, and partner with over sixty other ministries. Our members represent a number of different nationalities, languages, and cultures. And while we all share the vision of providing education as an effective catalyst to bring hope to individuals and positive transformation to societies, this can look differently in our different contexts. No one nation or culture holds the definitive answer on how to cultivate a biblical worldview.

In Ephesians 4, Paul reminds the church that “there is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call…But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” He goes on to point out that while we are given different callings (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers) these are giving for a common purpose “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…[that] when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”[1]

Paul reminds us that as members of the family of God, we are part of a unified whole. In our diversity, we see and understand different elements of God’s multi-faceted nature. We can learn from each other and grow together towards the common purpose of seeing God’s name glorified and His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

To that end, this year we’ve been intentional in asking TeachBeyond members from multiple passport and service countries to share their perspective on what it means to bring the gospel through transformational education. We’re calling this series Transformational Perspectives. Each author has been asked the following questions:

As you consider what it means to deliver transformational education, underpinned by a distinctly biblical worldview, what principles and themes stick out to you? How do these inform your professional practice?
What are the essential elements that make up a biblical worldview and how do these show up in the classroom?
What practical advice would you share with other teachers who want their lessons to reflect an integrated understanding of God’s word and world?

Our hope is that as we as the larger TeachBeyond community are exposed to and challenged by these different perspectives, that we will all grow in our own understanding and practice of biblically inspired, Holy Spirit empowered transformational education.

If you have a perspective that you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to contact us at onpractice@teachbeyond.org.

Becky Hunsberger

Coordinator of Teacher Education Services

TeachBeyond

[1] See Ephesians 4:1-16

Photo courtesy of HOPAC, Tanzania.

Finding Educational Resources On-line

September 19, 2016/in Resources/by admin

When you moved overseas you left behind your store of resources and now you need ideas for your classroom. Where do you go? We are fortunate to live in the digital age, and most of us have access to that wonderful resource of all resources—the internet. But where do you even start in your quest for that perfect lesson plan, classroom organisation idea, or curricular tool? Here are a few suggestions:

Educational Blogs:
Blogs can be a great resource for finding ideas. Some of our favourites include:

Voices 4 Christian Ed: sponsored by Christian Schools International, this blog offers insightful articles and case-studies that challenge readers to discern how to walk out their professional lives in a manner consistent to their biblical understanding of the world
Cult of Pedagogy: “an online magazine for anyone who teaches anything — that means high school geometry teachers, elementary school special ed. teachers, golf instructors, homeschoolers, corporate trainers, English tutors, preschool teachers, medical school instructors”
Teach 4 the Heart: offers a wealth of resources about all aspects of education
Teach Preschool: great for those working in early childhood education
The Source: a newsletter/blog from Independent School Management that offers excellent insights into the running of private-independent schools. If you are in school leadership, this blog’s for you.

And speaking of blogs, do you know that you can access the archives of OnPractice though the TeachBeyond website? Issues are organised chronologically, or you can find what you are looking for by searching the tags.

Transforming Teachers:
This website, curated by TeachBeyond’s Harold Klassen, houses an extensive collection of resources on Biblical worldview and transformational education.

How It’s Best Used: Search the site by topic or category to find articles, books, and other resources—often in multiple languages. Consider this your go to library for understanding the worldview and philosophy behind transformational education.

Yammer:
Yammer is an internal (to TeachBeyond) discussion board. All you need to access this resource is a TeachBeyond e-mail address.

How It’s Best Used: If you are looking for a specific resource, have a question, or simply would like to get feedback on an idea, Yammer is a great place to start. You will find groups such as Early Childhood Education, TEFL Idea Exchange, Science & Math Teachers and Educational Technology which exist to encourage TeachBeyond members to share ideas, resources and expertise. If there isn’t already a group for your subject or specialty, feel free to start one.

Pinterest:
If you already use this social media site, you’ll be happy to know that TeachBeyond has over 20 different boards covering a wide range of educational themes.

How It’s Best Used: Essentially on on-line bulletin board, Pinterest is a place to find and catalogue ideas. The communications and education services teams have curated several collections of teaching resources for your use. We also recommend boards by Kim and Michael Essenburg (Okinawa Christian School), Cult of Pedagogy, and Jessica Weaver (TeachBeyond TEFL).

If you have developed an idea or resource that you’d like us to pin, just let us know.

Compfight:
Looking for non-copyrighted images to use in presentations? Compfight “is an image search engine tailored to efficiently locate images for blogs, comps, inspiration, and research.”

How It’s Best Used: Type in a keyword or two and let this search engine look for pictures for you. You can refine your search to ensure that you are only finding images that are registered under the creative commons license and thus are free to use (with or without alterations).

For other open source image banks, check out this article by the global digital citizen foundation. (The article can also be found in the Educational Technology group in Yammer.)

Where else do you go to find resources? We’d love to hear from you. Shoot us an e-mail, or post your suggestion on Yammer. The more we share, the more our students benefit!
Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.
Coordinator of Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond

Non-awkward Biblical Integration

August 22, 2016/in Resources/by admin

My stepson is 12. He amazes me with his ability to quote lines he sees on movies and YouTube videos all the time! I watch him talk with his friends, and it’s like they’re talking in code using only quoted lines. I don’t mean short quotes; they use long quotes! His friends know the lines as well, so they can help him finish them or correct him if he makes a mistake.

At 12 he is starting to try to enter adult society. His struggle is learning that adults do not want to play film quote conversation games like his friends, so his contribution to the conversation is terribly awkward. I have seen him sit on the edge of the adult group and watch, waiting for his chance to join. When he finally takes a chance to speak, it is because something reminded him of a scene in a film. He will retell the events or quote the funny line while the adults politely listen, chuckle, and then move on with their conversation. Sometimes he the awkwardness and sometimes he doesn’t.

Isn’t that how we sometimes feel about Biblical integration? We build a lesson plan and then look it over, trying to find a way to insert Jesus into it creating questions like, “The Bible says in Matthew 5:13 that Christians should be the salt of the earth. The salt content of the Atlantic Ocean is 30 ppt (parts per thousand) and the salt content of the Pacific Ocean is 35 ppt…”

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(Confession: I stole this question from a standardised test I took in 11^th grade. Second confession: I blew off the test when I realised all the questions were formatted this way.)

Questions like these are awkward and inauthentic, desperately failing at biblical integration. So how do we build lesson plans that honour God by using His Word professionally and in a way that exalts the Word of the Lord instead of making it look terribly cheesy? Don’t add Jesus as an afterthought. As you write a lesson plan, Jesus must flow out naturally, and the only way to do that is being so immersed in Him that He daily flows out naturally in all parts of our lives.

There is something very valuable we can learn from my stepson’s 12-year old attempts at conversation. “From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks[1]”. Absorb yourself in the Word so much that it is your first thought in every situation. Let the words of God be the first ones on your lips. See every subject and textbook through the lenses of God’s character and authority.

Know the stories. Know all of the stories. Do you know who Zelophehod or his daughters are? Find out! That is how well you should know the Bible. Read the genealogies. Read Revelation. Read the minor prophets. Don’t understand them? Join a Bible study focused on the stories or specific books. Volunteer to help or sit in on the elementary Sunday school. Every story is in the Bible for a reason. Even the stories of Nimrod, Tamar, and the young man running naked in the gospel of Mark. Read them!

Memorise scripture. Take a cue from my stepson and his friends. Memorise long portions of scripture, so it’s the first thing on your lips. The Psalmist understood the importance of this. Read Psalm 119 slowly (yes, the whole thing). Then read it again. Every time the psalmist uses the words law (and its synonyms) or word replace it with Bible or scripture.

I have hidden your word [Bible] in my heart that I might not sin against you.[2]

Can you say with integrity that you are doing this?

Meditate on the character of God. My stepson thinks about movies so much that he can’t have a conversation without bringing them up. He believes movies are applicable to every topic under the sun. May our intensity be the same with our understanding of the character of God. His grace, justice, truth, redemption, love, and more must be our first response to each situation.

The more practice my stepson has with adult conversation, the better he will get at participating in it. He will figure out how to connect his interests in ways that are appropriate and engaging. The same rules apply to Biblical integration. The Lord will bring His Word to your mind as you prepare lesson plans, and he will train you. Your job? Be obedient. You won’t get it right every time, but practice helps. So be bold! Join the conversation! “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…”[3]

Cindy Lucas

Mobilization Coach (and former English teacher)

TeachBeyond

Photo Credits: Awkward Adolescents, stirwise via Compfight cc; Ocean Waves, dudulandes via Compfight cc

[1] Luke 6:45

[2] Psalm 119:11

[3] Col 3:16