I have been having many fun conversations about education recently, and have other blogs that I am working on entitled “NCLB Reauthorization and Private Schools”, “I Hate Homework”, and a follow-up to “Innovation and Digical Schools”. However, March 2015 is Multiple Myeloma Awareness month, and I thought I would share some leadership lessons from my journey through the early days … Read More
Our Quest for Congruence, Part 2: Exciting Developments
A student centered learning movement is emerging in North American Christian education – this is a very exciting development! Now you might say, “Hasn’t Christian education always been about viewing students as image-bearers of God and being student centered?” I would contend, however, from my perspective as a recipient, participant, and observer of Christian education for the past 50 years, … Read More
Marketing Research: When is it Healthy to Compare?
I am a marketing researcher by profession and training. I have been conducting research and leading teams that do research for 20 years. Prior to that, I studied statistics and research methods and used what I learned (sometimes with difficulty) for my own research, not realizing that as a student in a political science graduate program, I would actually use … Read More
Christian Education and the Argument
If a biblical worldview is the shared distinctive of all Christian schools, regardless of other distinctives unique to a particular school, then it makes sense for Christian schools to spend time thinking about what that looks like. Even in schools where worldview integration is more aspirational, schools generally know what they are aiming for—instruction that reflects the notion of creation, … Read More
Innovation and the ‘Digical’ School
My View: Innovation in Christian Schools Educators in general and Christian schools in particular are often ridiculed for their lack of innovation, forward thinking, and risk taking. That criticism is what brought a small group of us together in 2010 to improve our own schools, and we found a group that was anxious to do something in an attempt to … Read More
Our Quest for Congruence, Part 1
It just didn’t feel completely right, but I was acting on a combination of how I had been taught and the current prevailing wisdom, even though I was uncomfortable with the ideas and principles behind what I was doing. How many of us have had this thought as we work in our chosen field of education? We engage in practice … Read More
Changing Views on Church: Considering The Impact on Christian Schooling
There has been much written recently on the changing attitudes towards church in American culture. It is doubtful that many of us are surprised at what the data is showing; a shrinking percentage of people feel church involvement is a priority. The data is particularly concerning for Gen Xers (ages 48-30) and Millennials (29 and younger). A March 25, 2014 study by … Read More
For Christian Education?
When we say we are for something, what does that mean? When we say we want something, what does that look like? I have been involved with Christian education now for almost 20 years professionally. As a graduate student, I chose Christian education and as a parent, I have chosen it as well. When we say we are pro-Christian education, I think a question that needs to be asked is what does that mean?
Navigating the Ed Policy Storms: Are you Connected?
Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity, and time. – Alan Collins Over the past few months, I proposed that each Christian school leader must answer the following questions about their institution in order to navigate a way through the current turbulence in education policy: Why does your school exist? (Part I) What makes your school distinct? (Part II) How … Read More
Being Biblical in our View of Leadership
Anyone that is familiar with marketing messages of Christian schools can attest to the fact that leadership is high on the list of promised deliverables. In fact, developing leaders, probably more than any other objective, is nearly universally promised. While there are some good opportunities to talk about the challenges associated with what are, at times, wildly optimistic promises, I … Read More