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Why is it imperative that Christian educators have a Christian philosophy of education?
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To be distinctively Christian in my Educational Philosophy is vitally important when teaching the next generation in a God honoring and purposeful way. We live in a media driven society, being inundated daily with overt and subliminal messaging through ad campaigns, news outlets, social media platforms, printed publications, you name it. And, these messages are not God honoring in most cases. There is a clear agenda that is being force fed to our students, our loved ones, and sadly even to the hearts and minds of believers like myself. The old saying, “you are what you eat”, always comes to mind when I see one of my own family members subjecting themselves to the latest Netflix series, online game, or music lyrics that, in all moral respects, aren’t deemed “bad”, but they just do nothing to feed the born again believers soul.
I have unfortunately found myself in educational workshops, listening to TED talks, or webinars, attending the local public school continuing educational classes that are offered and have heard some “not bad” ideas. However, when I took some of the notes and printouts, and published materials back to my distinctively Christian Classroom, there were some things that I did not implement because they were not edifying to the Lord or would not meet my standards of behavior modification or self-discipline, or instruction that I wanted my students to learn in the classroom.God wants our waters to run deep, He wants us to be grounded and not tossed by the influx of waves coming toward us daily. Self-reflection and growth is a wonderful part of the transition from baby Christian to mature Christian, from new teacher to seasoned teacher (as I age, I like the word seasoned better than other descriptions). This is the growth mindset that we should adapt as educators. However, before implementing or changing what we think, say, or do, we must have a foundation to check new ideas, thoughts, and actions against. This is true for our own personal homes and lives, as well as every aspect of our career. I believe A Philosophy of Christian Education is the foundation for which we as Christian educators reference new material, implement new teaching strategies, curriculum, or techniques of any kind into classroom.
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I have been a Christian for close to 50 years and taught art in a public school for 14 years. I fought the battle of not being able to talk much about God and now that I am in a Christian school I need to know how to share my beliefs with my students. I want to wrap all my lessons around God, His creation and plan for our lives.
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I taught science in a public secular school for 14 years. The past year and a half in a public Christian school have been a growth experience for me, for sure. It is so hard to turn from a “you are not allowed to mention your faith” to discipling your students is so difficult, yet refreshing!!!
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“I want to wrap all my lessons around God, His creation and plan for our lives.”
I love this statement!
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It is important that children learn the academic subjects. However, the most important thing is teaching about God. This country has seen a decline in good behavior, parent involvement, respect, and what kids actually learn in public schools since God was taken out. To clarify, I am not stating that every public school is bad. It is just a general viewpoint. With God as the center, it brings everything into focus. A Christian educator should have a Christian philosophy of education. A Christian’s life should be centered around God and His Word in all areas.
