This blog represents the opinion of Barna’s research partner for this study, Cardus. Cardus is a non-partisan, faith-based think tank and registered charity dedicated to promoting a flourishing society through independent research, robust public dialogue and thought-provoking commentary. Barna president David Kinnaman served as an early advisor on the Cardus education study, one of the first of its kind to look … Read More
The Power and Limitations of Executive Function In Schools
I noted in the first post on this topic—the presence and impact of professionalism in private schools—that two upheavals have altered the ways in which professional standards are defined in faith-based schools. The first is the erosion of the social standing of spiritually oriented vocations, including private school teachers. Not only is this trend driven by secularization, but the economics of private … Read More
“Professionalism” In Faith-Based Schools: A Brief Primer
When I ask small groups of teachers in faith-based schools why they teach “here and not elsewhere,” invariably someone says, “Because God called me here.” Often, more than one person in the same interview will claim divine direction as their fundamental motivation. Erik Ellefsen, a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Advancement of Christian Education (CACE), asks good questions. … Read More
Marketing for Strategic Growth – Thoughts from GCSLS
On January 30 to February 1, I attended the Global Christian School Leadership Summit in San Antonio, Texas. CACE was one of the sponsors of the event that drew over 1100 attendees from all over the world. If you were not able to attend the summit you can gain access to some of the content by registering for the GCSLS … Read More
Favorability & Opportunity with Catholic Families for Christian Schooling: Are We Missing a Receptive Audience?
In April 2018, Charter Oak Research, conducted a national survey on Christian parents of school age children. The research explored favorability toward Christian school options. This research focused on evangelical protestant options and school profiles – descriptions were clearly noted as such for respondents. The sample included both protestant and catholic respondents and they were segmented by this self identification … Read More
Rethinking Recess
Some of my clearest memories of elementary school are the all-out sprints from the door to be the first to the basketball court, baseball diamond or the merry-go-round at recess. I remember, like it was yesterday, how hard it was to stay in the single file line from the classroom to the exit door, frustrated by how slowly the line had to … Read More
The Toughest Question about Christian Education
This fall I celebrated my 40th first day of school. Those 40 first days include 4 first days as a public high school teacher, 9 as a state university graduate student (including 4 as a graduate assistant), 6 as a public university adjunct instructor, 13 as a student at K-12 Christian schools (across 4 different schools), 1 as a community … Read More
The Importance of Being Attentive
We long to see our students have hearts that are tuned to, and turned toward, God. In our world of loud, conflicting, insistent, constantly streaming voices it takes purposeful intent and a good measure of self-discipline, on a personal level, to attend to what is needful and that which results in a flourishing life that bears good fruits. Author David … Read More
A Christian Deeper Learning Introduction
Out of its best motives, the Christian day school movement was born from the deep conviction by parents that God’s truth be recognized in every subject and every aspect of learning. Knowing that a teacher’s worldview has a powerful and undeniable impact on students’ worldviews, public schooling was not acceptable to these parents because of concerns over what core values/worldview … Read More
Thinking About Missions and Christian Schooling
I’ve recently been studying the modern missionary movement (date range of the 19th and 20th centuries) in preparation for a few articles and upcoming conference presentations. While learning more about the phenomenon of modern missions, I noticed some parallels and interesting implications for Christian schools. Was the modern missions movement of the 20th century the result of progress or an … Read More