WordPress.com



Biblical FoundationsPamela L. JimisonLiberty UniversityBiblical FoundationsChristian Philosophy and WorldviewLakeside Church in Folsom, California, has a mission statement that states that members should become “passionate, productive followers of Christ” (Lakeside Church, 2012). As a Christian educator, this same statement serves to shape this writer’s philosophy. The effective Christian teacher ought to be a passionate, productive follower of Christ preparing students for kingdom service. Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version) statesTherefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.As a Christian educator, the call by God is to make disciples. By doing this, one is quickening his coming. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come” (Matthew 24:12).The writer’s worldview was shaped at a young age. As a product of Christian education from elementary through college, she has a strong belief that ultimate truth comes only through God’s Word. His Word states, “And we know that all things work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). God has a plan for each student. As a Christian educator, one realizes that the teacher must help each student understand the truth of God and his salvation so that the child will become a fully functioning Kingdom citizen (Jimison, 2012). Van Brummelen (2009) states that the major aim of Christian teaching and learning is to discover God’s laws and apply them in obedient response to God. Truth of SocietyThis writer feels that society is tainted by what it believes is truth. In fact, moral relativism appears to be rampant. According to Patton (1995), the majority of our culture believes that truth, all truth, is relative. A Peanuts cartoon even stated, “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere” (as cited by Patton, 1995). A Christian educator understands that while one needs to be tolerant of others, it does not mean tolerance at the expense of truth. One should not compromise God’s truth in order to make another human being feel happy. Agreeing with Patton (1995), many Christians overly stress their views on certain issues to an unbelieving postmodern, giving them the wrong impression. While some truth may be relative, not all truth is relative. Patton (1995) states that objective truths are truths that exist in and of themselves. Objective truth means it is true, even if no one wants to believe it. As a Christian, “it is our job to defend certain truths at all costs, it is not our job to defend all truth at all costs” (Patton, 1995). The fine line for the Christian educator is to defend truth with love. Curriculum development is hindered by this truth. Since society believes all truth is relative, curriculum reinforces this belief. Science texts often blur the lines between objective truth and relative truth. Science textbooks distort facts to fit man’s view instead of God’s view of truth. Roles Teacher and LearnerPsalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.” Discipleship means that a person accepts the way of life that has been taught and demonstrates that it applies in all aspects of life (Van Brummelen, 2009). The Christian teacher is a model and a servant-leader. Teaching gives the opportunity to spread God’s love and light to others throughout the school day. The effective teacher should facilitate learning in such a way that each child learns, feels loved, and un-wraps their God-given talents (Jimison, 2012). This includes meeting the needs of the many learning styles of students through differentiating instruction. Dr. Zuck (as cited by Cates, 1975) summarizes what the Bible expects of educators: Christian education is a supernatural task; a teacher must rely on the Holy Spirit; teachers are to relate God’s world to the pupil’s experiences; teachers should rest with nothing less than spiritual results; and ultimately the Holy Spirit is the teacher.Society and GovernmentThe society and government play a critical role in the development of curriculum. The Constitution of the United States gave control of education to the states. Standards are written statements about what students should know and be able to do. All states except Iowa have publically accepted standards (“Teaching to academic standards”, 2004). There are also national standards, and the newly adopted Common Core. The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) writes curriculum with its own set of standards, usually matching the national standards. Society and government are taking a bigger role in the development of curriculum than in years past. Laws are passed that infringe upon the rights of Christian believers. Our postmodern society has done away with prayer and God in public schools. The government forced curriculum developers to remove God from the curriculum. Some society members would like to remove the Pledge of Allegiance because of its reference to God. It is the view of this writer that the government will take more and more control. While some control is worthy, such as free public education, control than tries to take God away from students is not.Although society is often confused about truth, most people understand that character development is important. Families want their children to learn how to be constructive citizens. There are positive curriculum advancements relating to character development. The Josephine Institute (2012) created Character Counts, a popular nationwide program that focuses on ethics, integrity, and anti-bullying. Church and FamilySince America still has freedom of religion and speech, church and family both are able to play a role in the development of curriculum. Christian authors are able to write curriculum specifically from a biblical worldview. Sadly, public schools may not use this curriculum, but private schools may. Families also have a choice of schools and curriculum. They have the home-school option and may choose Christian curriculum. In contrast, gay right activists develop their own curriculum for what they believe. Students in public classrooms are taught that this lifestyle is true and good. With the influx of ebooks in education, the writing of curriculum has become easier than years past. Almost anyone may publish a textbook. The Internet has opened up countless opportunities for online publishing. While this makes it easy for anyone to publish, it also makes it easy for incorrect textbook material to make its way into homes and the hands of students. Indeed, it is even more important than ever for adults and students to understand the importance of content and biblical truth.ConclusionIt is important to this writer to be a passionate, productive follower of Christ, one that facilitates learning in such a way that students may reach their full potential. Curriculum development, in line with His truth, is of utmost importance. Christian teachers need to be fully aware of what they are teaching to young, absorbent minds. It is this writer’s desire to prepare strong disciples of Christ for His kingdom and His service.ReferencesCates, P. (1975). A Christian philosophy of education. Transforming Teachers. Retrieved March 13, 2012, from, P. (2012). Educational philosophy. EDUC 500, Liberty University, VA.Josephine Institute (2012). Character Counts. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from Church (2012). Our Culture. Lakeside Church. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from, M. (1995). Representing Christ to a postmodern world. . Retrieved March 13, 2012, from to academic standards. (2004). Concept to Classroom. Retrieved March 12, 2912, from Brummelen, H. (2009). Walking with God in the Classroom. Colorado Springs, Colorado.Purposeful Design Publications ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download