Education Commons^™

Using Storytelling To Integrate Faith And Learning: The Lived Experience Of Christian Esl Teachers, Monir Nazir Atta-Alla

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

English as a second language (ESL) settings lend themselves more easily and naturally than others to storytelling-based discussions and activities that integrate faith and learning. Stories and storytelling offer students from diverse backgrounds a compelling mechanism for understanding their world and creating shalom learning community conducive to the restoration of wholeness of the learners. This qualitative study explores the perceptions and lived teaching experience of Christian teachers regarding the integration of faith and learning in ESL settings through using storytelling. Findings indicated that storytelling is an effective tool for the integration of faith and learning in ESL settings. Using storytelling …

Rausch's "Educating For Faith And Justice: Catholic Higher Education Today" - Book Review, Eloise Hockett

Faculty Publications - College of Education

No abstract provided.

Book Review Of Gearon, Liam: On Holy Ground - The Theory And Practice Of Religious Education, Ken Badley

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "With On Holy Ground, Routledge adds a thoughtful and welcome volume to its growing list of titles related to religious education and Christian education .Gearon begins by taking his readers on a sobering tour of the rejection of the sacred, which rejection he views as the root of the modern project .After making stops at Darwin, Kant, and Marx, Gearon notes that religious education in the modern period requires 'a close reading of the texts of modernity' (p. 4). While Gearon does not burden his readers with too many details of such a reading, he does provide evidence …

Book Review Of Shortt, John's Bible-Shaped Teaching, Ken Badley

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "What might it mean for Christian teachers to have their work shaped by the Bible? What might it mean for people who name Christ to have their whole lives shaped by the Bible, regardless of their profession? John Shortt wants to answer these questions in his accessible book, Bible Shaped Teaching .Shortt addresses his readers directly with the expository prose his readers will likely expect, but he seamlessly incorporates stories and even builds his answers around stories .This book is not about how to teach, but teachers who read it and take it seriously will likely view their teaching …

Book Review Of Ronald B. Hoch And David P. Smith’S Old School, New Clothes: The Cultural Blindness Of Christian Education, Ken Badley

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "In Old Schoo; New Clothes, Hoch and Smith accuse Christian schools of being blind to the forces and forms of modernity, in fact not only blind, but founded on the very same principles as public schools. This cultural blindness extends to the institutions that train Christian school teachers, to administrators, teachers and parents. Hoch and Smith want to explore the roots of this widespread cultural blindness and its effects, and they want to point to ways forward."

Grace (Chapter One In Faithful Teaching: Values And Themes For Teaching, Learning, And Leading Purposeful And Principled Education), Amy Lynn Dee

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "There was a large coatroom in the back of the class, perfect for storing the boots and coats required in the winter days of my third year in school. It also served as a great place to hide if math was not of particular interest. Mrs. Callahan, realizing she was missing a difficult and resistant math student, kept teaching as she made her way to the door of the coatroom to take the hideaway, Arthur, by surprise. She pushed the door open, and as she entered to sweep aside the hanging coats in order to reveal the missing student, …

Book Review: Cross Purposes: Pierce V. Society Of Sisters And The Struggle Over Compulsory Public Education, Amy Lynn Dee

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "Contradicting the unappealing cover and stodgy title, Abrams has crafted an engaging and revealing narrative connecting politicians, Klansmen, Masons, the Vatican, educators, parents, and citizens into an account that borders on intrigue but also elucidates and interprets the birth and defeat of a movement that resulted in landmark legislation. The book moves far beyond an explanation of Pierce v. Society of Sisters and provides an inside look at the major players and the motivations behind the Oregon School Bill. Readers witness the unbridled bigotry and hubris of the individuals supporting the School Bill in the early 1900s in Oregon …

Life (Online) Together: Practicing Presence In Social Media Spaces, Anderson Campbell

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Book Review: To Change The World: The Irony, Tragedy & Possibility Of Christianity In The Late Modern World, E. Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

In reflecting on James Davison Hunter’s thesis To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World, I must admit experiencing rising tension as to whether this book is to be a harbinger of hope, or another postmodern harbinger of doubt regarding the possibility of Christianity in our current environment.

In unpacking such deliberations, I begin by outlining the form, content, and intent of Hunter as to his purpose, his theology for faithful presence and shalom, and my final musings. As with any review, the hope is to have the reader read the …

Faculty Perceptions Of Teacher Professionalism In Christian Schools, James A. Swezey, Donald E. Finn

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Able school administrators understand that teachers are their most valuable asset. If Christian schools are to effectively serve the families who entrust their children to their care, teachers must demonstrate both professional competency and godly character. This study was an investigation of faculty perceptions of teacher professionalism at ten Christian schools in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. An online survey of 24 items was completed by 230 teachers (males=30; females=200). The survey instrument was a modified version of Tichenor and Tichenor’s (2009) four dimensions of teacher professionalism. Data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis-of-variance (MANOVA) …

Cultural Humility: A Framework For Local And Global Engagement, Eloise Hockett, Linda Samek, Scot Headley

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Many institutions of higher education have implemented local and global engagement opportunities as a way to expose both students and faculty to different cultures and further their knowledge of those cultures. One of the primary goals of these cultural experiences is for students and faculty to become more culturally competent. However, it is possible that our current way of thinking and promoting cultural competency within education specifically may not go deep enough and could be considered limiting in the ways we partner, collaborate, and interact with people groups different than ourselves. Cultural humility, a construct currently accepted in some professional …

Toward An Agenda For Teacher Education In Christian Colleges And Universities, Daniel C. Elliott

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The first (United States of America) national symposium by major teacher educator organizations took place in December 1995. The Association of Teacher Educators, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the US Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement sponsored and conducted a National Congress on Teacher Education. Leading national figures in teacher education presented their views to the almost 500 delegates. Focus groups examined the views and reported to a conference coordinator. The coordinator, in turn, synthesized the concerns, ideas and recommendations into a daily log of issues. I list some of the salient points …

Iccte Spotlight: Dr. Laura Barwegen

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Dr. Laura Barwegen, Associate Professor of Education at Wheaton College, is an Associate Editor for the ICCTE journal. Laura assists the Editor in the process of manuscript reviews. Her careful diligence assures that your work is reviewed in a timely manner.

Letter From The Editor, E. Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

In the act of pondering the majesty of God’s Creation, I never tire of observing the slide of Autumn as it nestles into Winter and the beauty of the snow that follows. It is good to reflect on the comforting flow of God’s grace, beauty and consistency.

The ICCTE journal, in its rhythm of bi-annual publication, has seasons as well. As I end this year and prepare to enter the next one, I have the task not only of introducing what is in this issue, but what you can look forward to in the coming months.

Teaching Our Education Students To Teach Christianly, John Van Dyke

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

What does it mean to teach Christianly? We may not always agree on what it means. There can be no doubt, however, that the calling of teacher education departments in Christian post-secondary institutions is to prepare students to teach Christianly, whether in public or Christian schools. But how do we do this? I shall address this question by considering four themes:

• current conceptions of what it means to teach Christianly,
• an alternative model,
• the context of teaching Christianly, and
• some implications for our teacher education programs.

Iccte Spotlight: Dr. Susanna Steeg

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Dr. Susanna Steeg, Associate Editor, is the newest member of the ICCTE editorial team. She serves as both a reviewer for the journal, and editorial assistant for manuscripts prior to the final copy edit process.

Leadership In Private Christian Schools: Perceptions Of Administrators, Suzanne Harrison

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to discover the perceptions of private Christian school administrators about leadership characteristics, roles, and teacher professional development. The co-researchers first conducted a demographic survey and focus group interviews with six administrators from K-12 or secondary private Christian schools in Oregon and Washington. Themes that surfaced from the data were who we are as leaders, success and celebration, and what we do as leaders. Results showed that administrators of private Christian schools tended to focus on the importance of the vision and mission of their schools, keeping in mind their influence as spiritual …

Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions Of The Integration Of Faith And Learning As Christian Vocation, Laurie R. Matthias, Karen Wrobbel

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The overriding purpose of Christian liberal arts colleges in the United States is to offer a comprehensive education to their students. Inherent in this goal is the deliberate integration of Christian faith with academic content; it is, after all, what differentiates Christian institutions of higher education from their secular counterparts (Muntz & Crabtree, 2006). The mission statement of Trinity International University (TIU) in Deerfield, Illinois is to “educate men and women for faithful participation in God’s redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian fidelity and lifelong learning.” The Division of Education that prepares candidates for certification to …

Neither Jew Nor Gentile: Exploring Issues Of Racial Diversity On Protestant College Campuses (Book Review), David M. Johnstone

Publications from Student Life & Spiritual Life

No abstract provided.

Review Of Wright & Arthur's "Leadership In Christian Higher Education", David M. Johnstone

Publications from Student Life & Spiritual Life

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Peace Curriculum: One School's Story, Eloise Hockett, John Muhanji

Faculty Publications - College of Education

No abstract provided.

A Weighty Issue: Finding The Balance Between Justice And Mercy In The Classroom, Ruth Givens

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Considering the conundrum educators face with administering ethical decisions concerning their students, the author discusses the options of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill, which utilize rationalism to adjudicate decisions requiring issues of equity in their classrooms. However, the author addresses the conflicts inherent among Christian educators whose spiritual perspectives transcend rational presuppositions as the only methods to make decisions that contribute balance and fairness to those deciding between justice and mercy.

Christian Special Educators Responding To The Call To Serve: The Perception Of Disability With A Christian Worldview Lens, Nilsa J. Thorsos

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Most Christian special education teachers respond to a call to teach children with disabilities and are inspired to share the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ; in other words to have the mind of Christ (Tucker, 1996, p. 29). This paper examines how the Old and New Testament traditions permeate the way people with disabilities are perceived in Western culture. An examination of the Old Testament shows a perception of disability as connected with sin, a manifestation of God’s punishment and exclusion of people with disability from the temple (Winzer, 1993, p. 17). The New Testament provides narratives of compassion …

The Effect Of Professional Development On A Mexican Mission School: A Case Study, Vickie S. Cook

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Since the early 1990s, there has been a growing body of literature regarding the facilitation of deeper thinking among educators based on the opportunity for in-service professional development (Darling-Hammond, 2003; Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman, & Yoon, 1999, 2001; Reeves, 2010; Smith & O’Day, 1991). In-service professional development provides teachers with the opportunity to consider alternative solutions to teaching and learning situations. Providing solid professional development is the goal of schools globally. This effort can be challenging to small private schools that are pouring as many resources as possible into the necessary materials and curricula for their students. Few budget resources …

Iccte Spotlight: Dr. James Swezey, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

As Editor of the ICCTE journal, I am so blessed to work with many other souls in our community of Christian Higher Education. In addition to our other tasks and interests in the service of teaching and learning, your Editorial Committee seeks to not only serve you, but know you and make ourselves known to you as peers, colleagues, and interdisciplinary collaborators. To assist you in knowing us as real people and not just names on a website, I shall be ‘spotlighting’ my appreciation for people in upcoming issues of the journal. For this issue, I would like to spotlight …

Letter From The Editor, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Once again, we stand at a new semester and share with you Volume 7, Issue 1 of the ICCTE journal. It is by God’s grace that we continue to be able to bless you with the fruits of the labours of others who faithfully send us their manuscripts. Our production is blessed by the tireless and joyful work of a wonderfully gregarious and collaborative editorial committee, of which I am blessed to be a member.

Book Review: Creation Regained – Biblical Basics For A Reformational Worldview, Heekap Lee

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

It is my hope that most Christian educators have read Wolter’s book, Creation Regained. Since it came out two decades ago, this book has had a tremendous impact on Christians to be equipped with sound Christian worldviews, a sense of identity, and godly responsibilities. However, one may ask, “Does this book say something about the roles and functions of a Christian education?” In fact, it does. This book provides many practical ideas and applicable points regarding teaching and learning in faith-based settings. In fact, Wolter’s revisions to his original manuscript emphasize the proper role of a Christian education. I …

Reflective Collaboration Practices To Explore Personal Belief Systems In Teacher Preparation Courses, Kathryn Picano

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The purpose of this article is to examine the need for intentionally designed faith integration conversations to explore the personal belief systems and concerns of teacher candidates through the use of effective reflective collaboration strategies in their preparation courses. The influence of one’s prior experiences and personal belief system cannot be underestimated when working effectively in a pluralistic society. This necessitates that all teachers be cognizant of how their belief system shapes interactions with students and families, as well as how they plan for instruction. Student voice and reflective collaboration techniques are important instructional tools that can be integrated into …

A Curriculum For Peace And Conflict Management: Teachers' Guide, Eloise Hockett

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This peace curriculum is currently being used by several Quaker secondary schools in Kenya. It promotes peace and effective conflict management. This guide was made in part through collaboration between Friends Secondary Schools, Kenya; Friends United Meeting, Africa; and George Fox University.

This resource has three parts: the syllabus and a resource guide, linked below under "additional files," and the teacher's guide at the "download" link to the left.

Book Review: The Role Of Religion In 21st-Century Public Schools, Amy Lynn Dee

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "Jones and Sheffield have collected essays that speak to a broad range of interests surrounding the topic of religion in public schools. From Jones’s commentary on the emotional underpinnings and historical context of the role of God in classrooms of children, to an account of the limitations of the establishment clause, and past a couple of reports on prayer in schools, the work takes readers through a course of chapters that touch upon many of the themes most popular in arguments about religion in school. Twelve unique chapters written by a diverse group of scholars grant the collection a …