Tag Archive for: Transformational Education

The Transformation Solution

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I was interested to see an announcement from the Canadian government that they were initiating a transformation contest.[1] Applicants are to submit a practical proposal to transform society by creating a significant positive change.  Perhaps TeachBeyond should enter. Grants are available…it is the government after all.

If I were to enter this competition, my project would address what we can do in the classroom to see children transformed. There are three different aspects to the biblical view of this transformation, and all of them are a work of grace, unleashing the power of God to bring about change in people.  Perhaps this is the biggest difference between my proposal and others submitted by well-meaning people trying to change the world without God.

The first and most important of these aspects involves a transformation of the heart. When we receive Christ, we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again to become children of God. We receive the Holy Spirit. We pass from death to life. At the heart of this proposal is the goal of revealing Christ to the children in word and action, initiating a life-giving relationship.



While the theme of transformation is a common one in the bible, the word only appears twice in the New International Version. Second Corinthians 3:18 speaks of being transformed into the image of Christ. This refers to a transformation of character, where we become more and more Christ-like. Character development is woven throughout the fabric of life in a transformational classroom.

The third aspect of personal transformation is mentioned in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…”[2] It seems that we cannot continue to experience the transformed life that we have in Christ without a renewal of the mind. This is right up the alley of Christian education. As teachers, we are charged with the responsibility of teaching children about the world.  What we want for our students is that they see every aspect of life clearly from God’s perspective.  The easy answer on how to do this is simply to teach students the whole truth. Since God is the Creator and Redeemer, the whole truth will always include God. This is what is at the heart of the idea of a Biblically integrated curriculum. What we teach and how we teach it results in a transformation of the mind that connects students to reality by showing them God’s perspective. In order for this type of transformation to happen, two things must be present in the process: knowledge and commitment. 

Knowledge is learned at three levels for it to impact student lives. The information level teaches the facts about the subject that students need to know. The understanding level contains concepts or principles that students can explain. They don’t just remember it, they “get it.” The application level is where students are able to use what they have learned.

These skills work together to help ensure that knowledge affects positive change in a student’s life. They also give students the tools they need to live in the world; discerning true from false and right from wrong, and not conforming to the values, attitudes and behaviors of the culture around them.



Commitment is more complex. The importance of commitment is that while we may be successful in teaching students the knowledge they need, they still have to “buy into it” if transformation is to take place. There are three stages that a student passes through as they make what you are teaching a part of their lives. At first, it is simply an idea, coming to them with all the other information that floods their lives every day. As they gain understanding of the validity and importance of that idea, it becomes a belief. Sometimes the process of developing a belief is a long one, with lots of discussions and arguments with others and with themselves.  Conviction is the highest level of buy in. Transformation occurs when the students reach the stage where they begin to incorporate a belief into their decision-making and act on what they believe. Our convictions give us a place to stand in the world and define who we are. This is true whether the topic is common denominators, climate change or the existence of God.

This type of transformational education leads students to the place where they have a new nature, a positive character change, and a new way of thinking; where truth affects all knowledge and where conviction makes what they learn a permanent part of their lives.

I’m not sure the Canadian government will accept my proposal, but I can’t think of a better way to transform society.
 

Bob Adams
Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond Global

[1] “2020 Transformation Competition.” Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/nfrf-fnfr/transformation/2020/competition-concours-eng.aspx
[2] Romans 12:2, taken from The Holy Bible. New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide
Photo Credits: Black swallowtail (caterpillar) by Spinus Nature Photography, CC BY-SA 3.0; Black swallowtail (butterfly) by Spinus Nature Photography, CC BY-SA 3.0; Building Process via Microsoft Clipart.

Leading Students Spiritually

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Hopefully I don’t lose credibility with what I’m about to admit, but here it is: I cannot properly pack away my tent after camping. Whenever I try to put it back into the storage bag, it never fits right. I’m not sure if the case has shrunk or the tent has grown, but I do know that I can never do it well.

This image of an overflowing tent kept coming to mind as I considered how we lead our students spiritually. There is no way to cover it all, so in the spirit of trying to fit my tent into the storage bag, let me share a few things that I think will make the biggest impact when trying to spiritually lead your students.

The Big Three
There are three spiritual disciplines that are foundational to our spiritual life: Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship. Whatever your context, you should include these disciplines throughout your day as an example for students to consider.

  1. It cannot be stressed enough that using Biblical principles as you go through your day can make a huge impact on the spiritual life of your students. Second Timothy 3:16 reads, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful…”[1] If you are privileged to be able to openly use the Bible, make sure to take advantage of it throughout your curriculum as well as in non-curricular matters. Even if you are in a situation where overt use of the Bible is not allowed, you can teach scriptural principles as you lead and engage your students, and through the way you respond to them inside and outside of class.
     
  2. Prayer is powerful. We could talk a long time about how prayer needs to be a regular part of our school lives. In some contexts, you can pray for needs shared by the class at the beginning of the day, stop for impromptu prayers in the hallway, or take a few minutes at the start of class to get everyone calm and focused. These can serve as examples of how much we value prayer. In other contexts, your prayers may not be as visible, but there are still plenty of opportunities to lift your students up. God’s Word teaches us to “pray without ceasing.”[2] Let’s be an example of this for our students.
     
  3. When I was a student, I loved when a teacher would finish early. A rousing game of Heads Up, 7 Up was almost always going to be a part of the next 10 or 15 minutes of class. I would never suggest eliminating the favorite free-time activities of students, but what if on occasion you used this extra time to lead students into spiritual fellowship? If appropriate, let students pray together or share their favourite Bible stories, or maybe even create an atmosphere of worship. In more restricted environments, perhaps you could lead students in conversations about character and moral formation.

Though it may look different, all three of these disciplines can still be done in the current world of online learning. The key is to be intentional about allowing spiritual formation into your lesson plans.

Lesson Plans
Speaking of lessons plans, one of the best habits that I included in my planning was to connect our expected student outcomes to the lessons.  You might do something similar with your school’s expected student outcomes, or maybe you could create a section connecting your lesson to the “Big Three” mentioned above.  What If Learning uses faith, hope, and love as their template.[3] Perhaps you want to focus on loving God and loving others. You can come up with your own focus based on your students and your experience. As mentioned above, the key is to be intentional.

Your Personal Walk
Your personal walk with the Lord is an often-overlooked part of leading your students spiritually. God teaches us through the Apostle Paul, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” [4]  I know this was written to a young pastor, but the principle is valid – when your life is where it needs to be in the Lord, it can make a huge difference in the spiritual walk of your students as you have opportunity to lead them.

Observation
One last tip to encourage you with is to watch and listen. As you observe what is happening in the lives of your students, you can begin to tailor your spiritual investment to their specific needs. Recognising the very real needs of your students takes time and effort, but it is an essential piece in figuring out how to help them grow spiritually.

Your students need you to help them grow. I pray that you will challenge yourself to consider using at least one of these ideas in your classroom. May the Lord help you do it well.
 

Dan Bishop, D.Min.
Assistant Regional Director
TeachBeyond, Europe
 

[1] 2 Timothy 3:16, emphasis added; taken from The Holy Bible. New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

[2] 1 Thessalonians 5:17, taken from The Holy Bible. King James Version, Public Domain.

[3] What If Learning is a website aimed to support teachers in making the connection between Christian faith and teaching. It offers articles, templates, and examples that address this connection at various grade levels.

[4] 1 Timothy 4:16, taken from The Holy Bible. New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 Photo Credits: Man Praying and Reading by Chat Karen Studio/Shutterstock.com. Teacher working with students by Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

Transformational Education from a Distance

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Lesson plans shape how your students learn, and while sliced up differently, the approaches to planning are often similar. For years, a favourite approach of mine was this:

  1. Students: Know your learners. Consider previous learning, abilities, disabilities, culture, attitudes, etc.
  2. Outcomes: What are you trying to have the learner know (cognitive), feel (affective), and do (psychomotor)?
  3. Methods: How will you take these learners from where they are to where they need to be (learning outcomes)? Methods are not the end; they are the creative tools to get there.
  4. Assess: Did your learners achieve the outcomes? Use summative assessment, yes, but more important for learning is formative assessment: minute by minute, are they getting it? And how do you adjust?

I encouraged my teachers to use this approach. We built planning around it and had success.

A Missing Part
But something was missing. The essential part for powerful, wholistic transformational education.

The part that makes what you do different than most classes in the world, online

or in person.

You could say that biblical integration is missing. However, if you are weaving biblical truth into these steps it might not be missing. But biblical integration does not equal transformational education. TeachBeyond transformational education goes beyond.

You might say that God is missing. However, you can teach about God in this approach. He does not have to be missing. But just teaching about God is not transformational education.

I have heard teachers say that the piece missing is “heart.” This is a good answer. After all, when we do transformational education, we aim at the inside first, before outside behaviours.

But what brings “heart” into it? What makes transformational education work?
The missing part in this plan: you.

You see, transformational education is about life. It is about changed, transformed lives. It is about bringing together you, the learner, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word—all alive—and watching God “cause the growth.”

Transformational education is life on life, placing a transformed teacher in touch with a learner. You are the “living curriculum” that God uses. Excellent educational environments, one of our pillars of transformational education, brings this life together. It makes education about life in the subjects and in hearts. You are essential.
 
The Challenge of Online Learning
A teacher who walks into a physical classroom cannot help touching lives, for good or for bad. Students watch hour after hour. The teacher’s life becomes a book read by learners.

Good transformational educators bring themselves into class. Their love for God, lived out, impresses learners. Their unconditional love for students, shown in action, reaches hearts. Their love for their subject, the gift they give, shows in a passion that draws students into learning.

But, in an online class a teacher can hide behind the screen and present a relatively sterile lesson. It is possible to go through the steps, achieve curricular goals, and barely bring yourself into the class.

The challenge of online learning is to bring yourself, your whole self, transformed by the Holy Spirit, into your class. Here are some ideas that I have heard from great online, transformational teachers:

  • See your class as your space, your home. Make it unique and personal as you invite students into “your online home.”
  • Love, above all love. Ask yourself, how will I show love today? For God, for the learners, and for the gift you give them (your subject).
  • Know individuals. Get to know each learner. Have side notes or meetings. Treat each one as a whole, living person with interests and needs. Pray for individuals.
  • Show heart. Show your changed heart. Talk openly with learners about heart. Be real. Show your “inside.”
  • Plan engagement. Make space for active learner engagement. In the online world, everyone is starved for interaction. Use online groups, discussions, art, side chats. Help learners speak and connect.
  • Take care of yourself. “Zoom fatigue” is real. You need to care for your needs and not just keep plowing ahead. Take time to know that God is God and enjoy God’s goodness, even in lockdown.
  • Give yourself permission. Know that you not only have permission to bring “you” into class, but if you want to transform lives, you must.
  • Focus on the big things. Never forget that while students need to know nouns and verbs or equations, the more basic need is to know God and how life is lived with Him. Keep those in front of you.

You are probably thinking of other ways now. Talk with colleagues about what they do and keep the idea of bringing yourself into your class alive.

After I realised that I was missing the key to transformational education, I put this step between “students” and “outcomes” above: Teacher: What flows from your life and heart?

Transformational education needs you to be there. As God changes you, may your learners see Him and be transformed by His grace.
  Joe Neff, Th.M.
Coordinating Director of Education Services
TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Missing Piece via PowerPoint. Teacher Connection via Shutterstock.

Cascading Impact–Moving from Doing to Being

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One of my favourite moments is sitting beside a rushing stream in the mountains of Colorado. Dana and I have hiked from above tree line to the whitewater of the Arkansas River. Tucked in crevices on the mountains are hundreds of waterways that cascade from the high mountain lakes and melting snow to the Arkansas River, flowing towards the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.

Sitting along a roaring creek in an unknown little corner brings peace and perspective. I can’t hear anything but the water; it splashes and roars over and over but never the same as the moment before. There is a power that is beyond me and that I can’t control.

Our fourth pillar for transformational education is about cascading, and the streams falling out of the mountain help me understand.

Doing the First Three Pillars

We explored the first three “pillars of transformational education” this year. We looked at how transformational education works and what we can do to help it along, knowing that the Holy Spirit brings about transformation, not us.

Pillar one is about pursuing the Creator’s design while trusting the Spirit for complete transformation into the image of Christ—essentially our “teaching objective,” what we want to happen in a learner. Pillar two talks about the Spirit using excellent educational environments—our “teaching methods.” And  pillar three notes that transformation happens in the heart-mind before behavior—a reminder to always “know your learner” and how learning works.

These three pillars are things we can work at. They are rich in possibility as we live out transformational education and pray that God uses them.

Watching and Praying for Pillar Four

But then we get to pillar four. It is different. We don’t do much. We affirm it and we hope for it and like the mountain stream, we mostly watch as it cascades to larger places. Pillar four tells us that “Transformation cascades from the individual to communities and beyond.”

We hope and pray that God will grow fruit from our work, “some hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty,” as Jesus says in Matthew 13:23. We hope we will see God “pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on dry ground.[1]” We look forward to God transforming lives and neighbourhoods, cities and nations. Even the world.

It is His way to begin with individuals. Look at the disciples: Jesus left them, and Christianity spread to millions and millions. When God is doing the work, nothing stops it. The Good News pours into crevices and to rivers and oceans, flowing out to more and more people and places.

How can we affirm this Cascade of Transformation?

  1. Know that transforming communities begins with individuals. Your moment by moment engagement with learners and neighbours is valuable. You don’t know what seed will spring up, grow, and drop more seed in places beyond you. Don’t minimise even the smallest transformation in one leaner. We value each person and look forward to what God will do.
  2. Know that transformation takes time. You will hardly ever see the downstream results of what you do tomorrow. But God uses your work, the life He gives you overflows and the Truth of His Word is molded in His great plan. Never give up. Changed communities take time that may be beyond your eyes.
  3. Don’t get in the way. Maybe we can’t stop a rushing stream, but we can certainly pile rocks in a small one or channel it in different ways. Encourage and support an outward view for learners and yourself. Arrange opportunities for your learners to reach others outside your walls and into communities. Then watch what happens.
  4. Enjoy moments when you can see a stream starting to flow. God is at work in our world. When you can hear or see His power, let it fill your heart and tell someone else.

Don’t forget that the streams cascading down a mountain start up high, they come from snow melt and peaceful lakes. Transformed communities begin with letting God transform you. One peaceful and loving classroom at a time. One sip of cold snow melt. This is where it starts. What you do and who you are is at the top of the cascade

Joe Neff, Th.M.
Coordinating Director of Education Services
TeachBeyond Global

[1] Isaiah 44:3
Photo Credits: all photos by D.Neff. 

Practical Ideas for Navigating a Global Pandemic without Losing Faith

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Thirty-one of Nashville’s Studio Singers pulled together a mobile phone choir to record the hymn ‘It Is Well With My Soul’. Their powerful performance proclaiming the peace of Christ during these unparalleled times of Covid-19 has become an internet sensation. The story behind the lyrics may be the reason for this hymn’s current popularity: Horatio Spafford wrote the words at the very spot in the Atlantic Ocean where his four daughters were drowned. It’s a hymn expressing a deep and comforting faith, an anthem for grieving people reminding them of the hope of Christ as the abiding, true peace which attends their way.

As comforting and true as this hymn is, it is not the one I would choose as the banner hymn for the Covid-19 crisis. The lyrics omit some important biblical messages about pain and suffering for the here and now, such as the solace of knowing that Jesus completely identifies with our suffering because he too suffered and grieved as a man. As we weep in prayer, the one hearing our prayer empathises as a fellow sufferer. Jesus comforted the grieving and told the body of Christ to go and do likewise.

Jesus also alleviated suffering and oppression. As His followers we are not to passively submit to fate or death. We are God’s image bearers tasked with taking care of the creation in order to do His will on earth as it is in heaven. We are to be researching cures for disease, developing immunisations, serving the sick, turning righteous indignation into justice seeking, and striving to improve the lives of others and ourselves as biblical responses to confronting suffering and oppression. Underlying all of this is the bedrock of God’s peace attending our souls.

Three Actions for Teachers to Consider

What does this mean for us in the classroom? Here are three practical ideas.

  1. Offer students opportunities to express their emotions—even the negative ones of sadness, grief, fear, disappointment, doubts, and anger.
  2. Give attention to the unsaid good-byes to classmates or staff members who had to leave suddenly with no guarantees that they will ever be back.
  3. Process the missed experiences and disappointments—especially for high school seniors. Not all losses are tangible and may be difficult for students to identify or describe, but this doesn’t negate the impact they have on students’ lives.
  4. Assign writing prompts to explore the topics above or encourage students to journal.
  5. Assign relevant blogs or podcasts as a part of your curriculum; ask for student responses.
  6. Hold age-appropriate group discussions on these topics.
  7. Share with students your own prayers, insights, praises, emotions, and vulnerabilities.
  8. Communicate your availability to listen as students process difficult questions and thoughts. Be a safe person.
  • Find safe ways for students to serve the school or local community during the pandemic.
  • This could be tutoring a younger student on-line or donating to local food banks. Remind students that intercessory prayer is itself a service to the community.
  • Have students plan alternative dates or reinvent the cancelled events they were anticipating: Easter celebrations, music recitals, dance or drama performances, banquets and proms, award nights, sporting competitions, special Senior recognitions, promotion and graduation ceremonies, etc.
  • Have students join or create a community esprit de corps event such as clapping for the health care workers, creating rainbow displays for hope, placing bears in windows for children on walking bear hunts, etc. Provide opportunities to share their experiences.
  • Embrace the spiritual disciplines.
  • Challenge yourself and your students (at their appropriate developmental level) to use this unusual time to practice more of the spiritual disciplines. You may want to study the disciplines or lead your students in such a study first.
  • Select scriptural passages to pray through corporately. Choose passages that address a wide range of responses, from acknowledging emotional needs, calling for repentance, or acknowledging God’s presence and sovereignty.

Lastly, as we journey through this pandemic, keep in mind that any continuation of stress has a cumulative effect. The dam may break for students well after we thought things had settled. As you care for your students, I pray you will also rest in the care of our God and faith which, among everything else, is 100% therapeutic both now and in the time to come.

Helen Vaughan, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant for Transformational Education
TeachBeyond/ CATE Centre (Christians Advancing Transformational Education)

Photo Credits: It is Well. by James Lee from Pixabay. Pixabay License. 

Transformation from the Inside Out

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Trees fall.

This one by our house collapsed and crushed the fence during a recent rainstorm. There was no outward sign of a weakness. Now, broken open, it lays across the fence and I can see the rottenness inside.

Sometimes people are like trees. We can look good outside but won’t hold up over time or in a storm. As much as we adjust and shape outside behaviours and appearances, it is the inside that matters. It is the inside where real transformation begins and continues.

Our third “Pillar of Transformation” is that real transformation comes from the “inside out,” starting with the heart and mind, rather than “outside in” starting with behaviour formation. Transformation is in the heart-mind before behaviour.

What about classroom management?

As a teacher, you may be saying, “But, I need my students to act right even if their heart isn’t there.” This is true. We do need to function as a class or a society and sometimes this means forcing or training behaviours. External influences, discipline and reward, are often necessary to provide order and achieve purpose.

The important difference is that we know that a tree can stand and look good even with a rotten inside. We don’t rest on appearances and are not deceived. We are never satisfied with good behaviour only. We are always looking and praying for inside change, reaching the heart and mind and pleading with God to do the inside work that only He can do.

Romans 12:1-2 comments on both behaviour and inside transformation. Paul says to “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.” This is an external action. He says to do this, not waiting for it as an overflow of inside transformation. There is nothing wrong with a behaviour that is good and right. It just shouldn’t end there.

Paul continues, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” As the inside is transformed, we then live out God’s desires in our lives as an overflow of inside transformation.

What can we do to transform hearts?

How do we help along “inside out” transformation knowing that heart change is God’s business?

  1. We provide excellent educational environments. This is our second “Pillar of Transformation.” God often uses good pedagogy. As in the parable of the sower and seed, we can “prepare the soil” of hearts with love, security, and positive practices.
  2. We plant seeds. God often uses His Word to transform hearts. We can teach scripture, or if in a closed context, we can share the truths embedded there. God is the one who causes the growth, as we plant, water and feed.
  3. We talk about changed hearts. We help our students know that it is the inside, the heart, that God wants. Even as we discipline using external behaviours, we discuss the heart. We show learners how to do things like Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV)
  4. We model changed hearts. We ask God to change our hearts, as Deuteronomy 6:6 says, “These words I am commanding you today shall be on your heart.” This means letting the Holy Spirit change you with His words. Though written to parents, this is a model we can use so students see inside out transformation.
  5. We pray. As God says in 2 Corinthians 3:3, “you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” We “care” for learners well; God writes on their hearts. And, as Paul continues in 3:4-6, we have confidence because “our adequacy is from God.”

Praise God that He makes us adequate for our part and gives us the privilege of being involved in His work of “inside out” transformation. We often can’t see it or even know what is inside, but by faith in Him, we trust His good work in the lives of our learners. We pray for the day of seeing students as strong, healthy trees standing in the wind and bearing fruit in other lives because of transformed hearts.

Joe Neff, Th.M.
Coordinating Director of Education Services, Director of School Services
TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Joe Neff

Sowing the Seeds of Transformation

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As we teach our students, what is the thing that will make the most transformative difference in their lives? Will it be the spiritual formation classes which we’ve laboured so hard to make relevant and practical? The opportunities to serve others in their school and greater community? The influence of godly teachers and school staff?

While all of these things are important, I don’t think they are the most important thing. These are all things that rely on us and what we do. These things reflect evidence of a transformed life, but they, themselves, are not what transforms us.  The psalmist declares, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”[1] Jesus told His disciples that He was giving them the Holy Spirit who, when He came would “guide you into all truth” and convict of sin and righteousness.[2] One of the most powerful ways that the Spirit convicts is through reminding us of what the word of God says. But in order for us, or our students, to be reminded of what the Word says and to be transformed by it, we must first have hidden this word in our hearts.

In Western educational systems, learning something by rote memory has a bad name.  We focus much of our attention and effort on spurring students to deep levels of cognitive thinking, and often dismiss activities that rely on memorisation.  However, rote memory does have its place in the classroom.  Students who have mastered their multiplication tables have an easier time completing more complicated mathematical processes. The time spent on the rote memorisation of one skill benefits students later as they are introduced to other skills that require deeper levels of cognition. Similarly, students who have memorised the word of God have a greater store of truth hidden in their hearts. This memorisation is the foundation for a deeper understanding and application of Biblical truth.

Verses that I memorised in elementary and middle school may not have meant much to me at the time. I’m sure there were times when I rebelled against having to memorise them. My understanding of the verses may have been limited at best. Despite all of this, I developed a deep reserve of truth that years later was brought forth at the prompting of the Spirit, teaching me, convicting me, and encouraging me. As we encourage young people to memorise scripture, we are equipping them and preparing the ground for the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.  We may not get to see the fruit, but that’s not the point. As we “train up a child in the way he should go,”[3] we plant seeds that the Holy Spirit can use as he grows older. We can rest in the assurance that “the word of God is living and active…penetrating soul and spirit, joints and marrow.”[4] We know that this word “does not go out void” but “accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent.”[5]

As teachers in Christian schools, we have the awesome privilege of teaching this Word of God to our students. We have the opportunity to plant the seeds of God’s truth. While we certainly want our students to engage with Biblical truths and principles at increasingly deeper cognitive levels, we would be foolish to neglect this critical first step: memorising scripture.  We cannot work transformation in the lives of our students; we can’t even work transformation in our own lives.  That is the job of the Holy Spirit. But we can, and should, provide opportunities for our students to hide the Word of God in their hearts. This, I believe is the most transformative thing that we can teach.  Let us not neglect this opportunity.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children.”[6]
 
Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed. 

Coordinator of Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond, Global

[1] Psalm 119:11
[2] John 16:7-15
[3] Proverbs 22:6
[4] Hebrews 4:12
[5] Isaiah 55:11
[6] Deuteronomy 11:18-19a

Photo Credits: Planting. podchef via Compfight cc. Bible. rykneethling. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48946094@N04/4543060842;  Seeds. waterlilysage via Compfight cc Article reprinted from 26 August 2015. 

Knowing your destination

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I travel a lot. As a result I have become pretty good at navigating through airports. I know all the tricks—how to pack so that I can whip out my electronics and liquids at security, how to dress so that I don’t freeze in the waiting areas or on the plane, where to wait to maximise my time and minimise the distance I need to travel to get to the gate. I’ve learned how to excel as traveller. But here’s the thing. None of this knowledge does me much good if I don’t know where I’m going.

A few months ago, I was headed out on a trip where I had a layover in Spain. No big deal. I checked in for my flight, headed to the nearest Costa to grab breakfast, and sat down to wait. When I saw the gate flash for the 10:15 flight to Madrid, I gathered my belongings and made my way to the boarding area. All was going swimmingly until the gate agent swiped my ticket. Turns out my ticket was for Barcelona, not Madrid. All my travel knowledge and preparation did me no good as I rushed back through the terminal looking for a monitor to find out where I was supposed to be. I did make the flight, but only just.

Destination matters.

That’s true when flying, and it’s equally true when learning. How many of your students have mastered the art of school? They know all the tricks for being a good student—where to sit, when to take notes, how to navigate multiple choice tests, exactly how many sentences you require for short answer questions, etc. They come to class and appear to have it all together. This is great, but if they don’t know what they are supposed to be learning it may not actually do them much good. They need to know their destination.

This is where communicating strong learning objectives comes into play. In my experience, most teachers are aware of the learning goals they have for their students. They know what knowledge and skills they want their students to master at the end of each unit of study. They’ve considered the different thinking skills they hope their students will use in the course of the unit, and the outcomes that students should achieve.

Unfortunately, while most teachers are aware of where they are going, the same is not always the case with students. Many students come to class with a working knowledge of how to do school, but without any sense of their destination. They can go through all the motions of learning, appearing confident and capable, only to get to the test and discover they’ve ended up at the wrong gate. How demoralising!

When the ticket agent told me I was in the wrong place that day, my stress levels went through the roof. All my confidence in my travel expertise flew out the window. I felt frustrated, stupid, and incompetent. Even though I ultimately made my flight, I certainly did not count the experience a success.

This is not the experience we want for our students. So what can we do?

  • We can be intentional about communicating—clearly and often, orally and in writing—the learning objectives for a particular unit.
  • We can engage in a variety of formative assessments—formal and informal—and ensure that our students understand how these assessments connect to the unit objectives.
  • We can provide rubrics and scales to help our students know what steps they still need to take to master the learning objective.
  • We can draw explicit connections between past knowledge and skills and the current learning objectives—and ask our students to do the same.

The more that we can remind our students of where they are going, the more likely they are to find themselves successfully arriving at the right destination. This is a simple thing to add to our classes, especially as we already know where we are headed.

Knowing your destination is important! Let’s do what we can to be sure that our students end up at the right gate so they can reach their destination successfully.

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.

Coordinator of Teacher Education Services

TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Traveler. w4nd3rl0st (InspiredinDesMoines) Flickr via Compfight cc. Objectives. pic. B. Hunsberger, board design, L. Estes. 

Necessary Evils?

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Why did you go into teaching? I can guess that it was not because you like to grade papers, clean your classroom or make phone calls home to parents. In fact, you might say those tasks are necessary evils of our work as teachers.

Have you ever stopped to consider how our Christian worldview informs how we work, particularly the tasks we don’t like. Most of us have wrestled with how a Christian worldview informs how and what we teach, but how does it affect the way we work?

When we consider Genesis 1-2, we can see that work was actually created before the fall. Adam was tasked with caring for the Earth and naming the animals. He was invited to not only enjoy God’s work of creation but to join Him in it by creating further order and beauty. Therefore, work is sacred; it is good. But as we know, just one chapter later, sin entered the world and one of the results of the breaking of Shalom, is that from that point on work is cursed. The earth now pushes back and makes it difficult for us to work it. Thorns and briars get in our way and now work is toil.

Likewise, in our classrooms we have moments when the educational process is so good. Our teaching is full of creativity and passion. Our students are having those “light bulb” learning moments that invigorate us. But we all know that our tasks each day also include grading papers, not to mention sorting out late assignments, collecting field trip forms that are mangled in the bottom of a book bag, and tidying up our classroom. I’m sure you can come up with your own list of necessary evils. Is there Redemption for those pieces of our work? Or do we merely have to put our hand to the plow and toil?

I would like to assert the things we consider as necessary evils could be means of grace. First, they remind us that the world is broken and that even in our classrooms we do not reign supreme. We need God’s help to create order and beauty. These mundane tasks can be worship unto him. Secondly, they also allow us to model for our students how to do those things we would rather not do. Lastly, if we seek the Lord for his help with chores we dislike, maybe it would also remind us to seek him in the tasks we do like and with which feel more confident, so that we may see his glory in greater ways.  After all, Paul tells us in Colossians that we aren’t working for earthly masters, but “it is the Lord Christ you are serving[1].”

Here are a few practical ideas of how to be faithful in the unlikable duties,

  • Ask colleagues how they accomplish those everyday jobs, and don’t be afraid to steal what works!
  • Incorporate a new routine that makes these necessary evils much less annoying
  • Set a timer, work hard until the timer is up and take a break and come back to it
  • Put those tasks first, while you have enough energy to do them efficiently and well
  • Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, ask God to help you in all parts of your work. And then go a step further and give thanks in whatever you do[2].

By October, we are solidly entrenched in the school year with all the work that it entails. May we find the grace to move past calling these mundane tasks “necessary evils” and embrace the opportunity to bring a little touch of God’s goodness, order and beauty into all parts of our work.

Christy Biscocho, M.Ed.
Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond

Photo Credits: Gradebook. David Mulder, via Flicker. CC2.0. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Johann Wenzel Peter, public domain. Prayer. via Shutterstock.

[1] Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

[2] Colossians 3:17 NIV

Metaphors for Teaching

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Christian educators often talk about Biblical integration. Sometimes the discussion focuses on what we teach: ensuring that content points students towards a love of God and service of others. Sometimes it focuses on who we teach: recognising the image of God in our students and how we can serve them. Other times it focuses on how we teach: encouraging practices of education that honour God and student. It can also be viewed as a question of who we are as teachers: what does it mean to be a Christian teacher?

Metaphors can help us explore different answers to this question. In his book Walking with God in the Classroom, Harro Van Brummelen examines different metaphors for who the teacher is. Christ was, of course, the great teacher and He exemplifies all of these models.

Teachers are facilitators. We do not produce education in a vat and hand it to students, but we help guide students to reach knowledge[1]. Educators that use the Socratic method of asking questions to get students to find answers for themselves will likely connect to this model. Christ often used questions to help people better understand God’s kingdom. If you want to be a better facilitator, try a lesson of guided questioning to help your students discover truth themselves.

Teachers are story-tellers. Learning theory suggests that we can comprehend and use information much better when we can situate it in a story[2]. Van Brummelen says this model is especially useful for young students, who can comprehend even difficult material when it’s presented in a story[3]. Christ showed us this model when He spoke to us in parables, presenting God’s truth in a way simple mankind can understand. If you want to be a better story-teller, try opening a lesson with a story that incorporates the knowledge you’re going to teach in the lesson.

Teachers are stewards. We have been given a remarkable gift by God—our students—and we work to develop the potential within them[4]. Educators passionate about best practices and creative teaching methods will likely appreciate this metaphor. Jesus compared teachers of the Law to stewards who use both old and new material (Matthew 13:52). If you want to be a better steward, ask fellow teachers for different instructional strategies they use and maybe share some of your favourites.

Teachers are priests. We have authority over our students and a responsibility to lead them to righteousness[5]. As humans we have all sinned and education needs to be a place where broken people—ourselves and our students—move towards healing. As priests, teachers play a role in helping students that are causing pain and tension in the classroom towards repentance, bringing healing in our community. Christ is the Great High Priest and worked with man to bring God’s forgiveness to all who repent (Hebrews 4:14-16). If you want to be a better priest, start by modelling your own behavior as a person who seeks repentance after sinning and works towards restoration after forgiveness.

Teachers are shepherds. Like the facilitator, this model emphasises teachers as guides, leading students towards the desired outcome. However a shepherd is able to use a rod and staff to help bring students to where they need to be, occasionally using discipline to help students grow not only as holders of knowledge but also as better models of Christ. The Lord is our shepherd and leads us through both the highs and lows of life (Psalm 23). If you want to be a better shepherd, chat with some students about what is going on in their life outside the classroom and see if you can help them make Christ relevant to that situation.

­David Christians
Teacher 
TeachBeyond, Europe/Eurasia

There are many other great metaphors for teachers. Why not start a conversation with some colleagues about what metaphors best describe their teaching practice? That way as a community we can encourage each other to better integrate Christ not only into our lessons, but into our identity as teachers.

Photo Credits: Facilitator. via Shutterstock. Shepherd. AdamCohn Flickr via Compfightcc. 

[1] Van Brummelen, Harro. Walking with God in the Classroom. 3rd ed. Colorado Springs: Purposeful Design Publications, 2009. pg. 36

[2] Driscoll, Marcy. Psychology of Learning for Instruction. 2nd ed., Pearson, 2000. pg. 129

[3] Van Brummelen, pg. 37.

[4] Ibid. pg. 40.

[5] Ibid. pg 41.