In this talk, Dr. Justin Bailey suggests that the greatest contribution Christian education can make is to prepare students to become skilled interpreters of our world. Our job in Christian schools is to help students recognize that, while they inhabit a world tainted by sin, they can lead others toward faith, love, and hope through postures of curiosity, discernment, and presence.
Are You a Seeker/Explorer?
On March 7 and 8, an intrepid band of seeker/explorers met in San Diego to engage in school site visits and attend exploratory workshops at our latest Christian Deeper Learning conference (CDL5).
Celebrate and Imagine #6: Seeking a New Paradigm of Educating, 1990-2010 (Part 2)
In the mid 2000s it became clear that the long feared death of the “three-legged stool” (the educational partnership between home, Christian school, and the church) was very much becoming a reality.
More Than Words: Evidence of Mission Accomplished
More and more families are considering Christian schools. However, they may not have a clear understanding of what a Christian school is. As an administrator, it is easy to show test scores indicating academic progress, but how do we know and show that faith is truly being developed in each child? Do we have evidence to show that all students are learning and growing in their faith?
Celebrate and Imagine #5: Seeking a New Paradigm of Educating, 1990 to 2010 (Part 1)
The time period from the mid-1980s through approximately 2010 saw Calvinist/Reformed Christian educators further define and apply their approach to educating Christianly in response to a changing world. During these years, movement leaders sought to define both what being Reformed means and the essence of Calvinist/Reformed day school education.
Deepening Faith Through Science: A School Leader’s Guide
The exciting yet challenging work of guiding students through science and faith discussions is done primarily by teachers in the classroom. But teachers can be truly successful only if they have the full support of their administration.
Celebrate and Imagine #4: Ron Polinder–70 Years of Christian Education
When I think of a Christian education leader who combines the best of prophet, priest, and king leadership, my mind turns to Ron Polinder. Formed by the routine and discipline of farm life and educated in K-18 Christian schools, Ron is someone whose life and career passionately reconciles his deep faith with his vocational practice. Along with many others, I … Read More
From God’s Genius to Human Frailty: The Adventure of Teaching Science (and More) Christianly
From the very start of my career, I simply loved teaching. The fact that I was teaching in a Christian school was a plus, but as a rookie, I could not articulate a clear philosophy of Christian education. By the time I retired from full-time teaching two years ago, I had come to love teaching Christianly. I describe teaching Christianly … Read More
Celebrate and Imagine #3: Thought Leadership in the Boom Years, 1950 to 1990
In this post we will delve into the philosophical and curricular aspects of the movement, highlighting key individuals, particularly from the years leading up to the early 1990s. One could make an argument that these years were a key time in the Calvinist Christian day school movement in terms of articulating belief, uniting around a philosophical direction and identity, and at the same time assessing the effectiveness of the movement as leaders looked to the future.
Why Teach the Nature of Science?
Research shows that K-12 students, undergraduate students, graduate students, and even science educators themselves struggle with nature of science (NOS) concepts. Despite being identified as a critical component of science education, NOS teaching remains underemphasized in classroom settings.