EDUC521_BraxtonK_Article_Review2.docx.docx



Education is EssentialKatherine BraxtonID Number: 25778796Liberty UniversityDr. James FyockEDUC 604/B03AbstractEducation is essential to every person. In order to thrive in this life, some form of learning must occur. Every student is different in his or her interests, the way they learn, and what their needs are in order to be successful. A teacher must know their students in order to provide the correct balance of educational elements that it takes to ensure a positive learning experience. Creating a structured atmosphere, presenting topics in a new and creative fashion, and helping the students have a voice are all examples of educational elements teachers use. Education must be a flexible and fluent tool based in Christian care and love. Christian teachers must share the light of God with their students through everyday practice. These elements molded together provide the students, teachers, and parents the most successful learning environment.Keywords: structure, creative, learning, education, differentiation, successful, Christians, interestsIntroductionIn education, it is a teacher’s responsibility to deliver educational opportunities to all of their students. Students are not all the same; they come from different backgrounds, have different interests and learn differently. This requires the teacher to provide differentiation within the daily activities so the needs of all the students are met. Education is an essential part of life that provides opportunities to grow and learn while the students discover the love for themselves, their peers, and the ever-changing world around them.Worldview and Philosophy of LifeThe world is in a constant state of change, which is difficult thing for many people to understand and accept. In order to keep up with the face paced time here on earth a person must be grounded and connected to one another in some way. The Lord gave us his words to structure our, lives, beliefs, and practices around. As a Christian, using his word as a way of life provides stability and purpose. It is not that people are here on this earth to merely live but to have Christ live through you and to share the promise of God’s enteral graces. Throughout life you are given challenges and often struggle but with a Christian perspective you are able to present those struggles to the cross and always know that there is a greater force escorting you through this life. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;?male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27, New International Version). The nature of a human being is weakness and mistakes are made but the Lord always forgives. Christians must always be grounded in their faith in everything they do as a means to face the world around them.For the most part Christianity and education are two completely separate entities in the world today. Teachers are encouraged to keep religion out of schools today and in turn the education today is lacking the important education that a student needs. Religion was once the center focus and driving force of all education but those philosophies are lost in the world today. The result is a great deficit in moral and ethical lessons for students today.Philosophy of Schools and LearningA school should be a place where education of a child comes first. It is an environment of learning, growth and expression and should be a safe haven. All students should be accepted and appreciated for the traits they bring to the classroom. A school should be a place of structure where students can express themselves freely and through a multitude of outlets. Students come from different backgrounds, have a variety of interests, and have an array of learning needs. Shaprio (1988) suggests, our elementary and secondary school systems can provide other valuable learning experiences besides intellectual achievement. They can, for example, impart standards of judgment (values) concerning major areas of human endeavor, teach vocational skills, or stimulate an interest in and capacity for continued learning” (p. 2). It is imperative a teacher finds a way to allow each of the students to be true to themselves while allowing them to grow their learning in a structured environment. The great debate of allowing religion in schools is often lost in the courts. Darden (2012) suggests “school districts and building officials have the responsibility of maintaining neutrality by creating an environment that allows believers and nonbelievers to coexist without one having to endorse or adhere to the other’s beliefs”(p. 68). While Darden brings up a valid argument regarding the fairness of choosing one lesson (or religion) over another, there are many crucial learning opportunities being missed. The history of education is based in the fundamental study of the Bible. Gutek (1995) illustrates this point by writing that Jefferson, Owen, Pestalozzi, Rush, and Webster were driven by progress, the scientific momentum, and human equality, but they still has focus as well as credit for the creator (p. 161). Christian lessons are based in humanity and establish good moral decision-making skills. Since this is the case, Christian teachers should align lessons with moral and ethical lessons that are true to themselves.Froebel had a similar view on education and even aligned his work and the study of nature with the work of God. Strauch-Nelson (2012) wrote about Froebel, he “believed children's intellectual, moral, and spiritual development were all dependent on their relationships with nature. He described nature as the spirit of God revealed much as the spirit of the artist is revealed in his masterpieces” (p. 35). Bringing a greater perspective to the lessons taught and opening the student’s eyes is one of the ways teachers may bring a Godly lesson into the classroom even without speaking His name. As a Christian you are called to provide a Godly perspective in all aspects of your life, and as an educator it is not any different. Exemplifying God’s word in everyday life is spreading His light in this world.Educational PracticeAs a Christian educator, the author has seen many trials and conflicts between the public school system requirements and personal beliefs. Deciding when and how often a teacher can share their personal beliefs is often a matter of trusting in faith and using discretion. Teachers have a very emotionally connected job where knowing students you work with and their potential can drive a teacher to connect through a higher being. Shapiro (1988) illustrates the struggle in schools today by saying “ We have begun to strip away the role of both the parent and the school in setting boundaries and values that could guide the social, cognitive, and moral development of children. We have systematically stripped the school and the teacher of their social authority (p. 3).Despite the truth in Shapiro’s statement, teachers who live by their faith exude the Christian principles in everything you do. A person’s faith does not stop at 7:15 in the morning and then continue again at 2:45 when the workday is over. A Christian is a Christian ever minute of the day.Working in a public school setting, government mandates may make the ideas of sharing ones faith taboo. A Christian teacher must set the example for a Godly person by exhibiting Christian traits. Having a caring heart, using ethics and morals in decisions, and respect and kindness are all examples of traits a Christian teacher would have. A Christian run classroom would have a clear set of expectations and rules, respect for one another and high expectations of every student.Teacher-Learner RelationshipsThe students come from different backgrounds, have a variety of interests, and have an array of learning needs. A teacher must get to know their students well enough to ensure all of the students’ needs are being met. Lessons should be differentiated based on all the elements the student brings to the classroom. Gutek (1995) refers to a teacher as a facilitator in the classroom. Learning really begins after the lessons are taught and the implementation is being conducting. As the constructivist theory suggests, students learn best by doing and the teacher is there for support. A teacher should have invested interest in his or her students. Cultivating a relationship of love and respect for one another. Students should feel safe and welcomed in the classroom. Learning cannot occur until these practices are put into place. Scripture says “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us” (Titus, 2:7-8, NIV).A Christian teacher’s greatest role is in teaching through the fundamental principles of the bible, such as love, kindness, and respect.DiversityTeachers need to be sensitive to the fact that most students in their classroom are from different backgrounds. This can be a great learning tool for both the students and the teacher in the classroom to understand diversity within the community and to know the student’s in the classroom better. Beginning of the year assignments that illustrate what makes each student unique can be completed, shared, and studied as a getting to know each other activity. Another activity Mubina (1997) suggests to enhance the understanding and acceptance of diverse backgrounds in the classroom is to introduce multicultural folktales as a part of the curriculum. “Using multicultural folktales in the classroom not only gives teachers a vehicle to tackle moral issues, but also exposes children to the uniqueness of other cultures” (Mubina, 1997, p. 39). This gives the students a greater understanding of their peers in a more relatable context. ConclusionThe world is an ever changing fast paced environment and now more that ever, education is essential to life as a whole. In the classroom, student should be the love, kindness, respect, morals, and ethics that the Lord intended us all to know and practice. It is not just about being a good Christian but those are characteristics of good people and productive citizens. Education began based in these Christian principles for a reason and should continue today. Schools should be a place of comfort, growth, and love. As Scripture says “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV). From Christian to Christian, or person to person, the principles illustrated throughout this author’s perspective are ones that should be appreciated, learned, shared, and practiced by all mankind. ReferencesDarden, E. C. (2012). Religion in the schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(1), 68-69.Graham, D. L. (2003). Teaching redemptively: Bring grace and truth into your classroom. Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications.Gutek, G. L. (1995). A history of the Western educational experience. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.Mubina, H. K., & Frieman, B. B. (1997). Diversity in classrooms: Teaching kindness through folktales. International Journal of Early Childhood, 29(2), 39-43. Retrieved from , H. T. (1988). The purpose of schools should be learning. The Education Digest, 53(8), 2. Retrieved from , W. (2012). Reuniting art and nature in the life of the child. Art Education, 65(3), 33-38. Retrieved from ................
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