Education Commons^™

Barack Obama: The Story (Book Review), James C. Schaap

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Reviewed Title: Maraniss, David. Barack Obama: The Story. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2012. 672 pp. ISBN 10:1439160406 or 13:978-143916404.

Mission-Directed Governance: Leading The Christian School With Vision, Unity, And Accountability (Book Review), Ryan G. Zonnefeld

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Reviewed Title: Stob, Leonard. Mission-Directed Governance: Leading the Christian School with Vision, Unity, and Accountability. Grand Rapids: Calvin Press, 2011. 203 pages. ISBN-978-1937555-01-6.

Branding Obamessiah: The Rise Of An American Idol (Book Review), Charles Veenstra

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Reviewed Title: Taylor, Mark Edward. Branding Obamessiah: The Rise of an American Idol. Grand Rapids: Edenridge Press, 2011. 373 pages. ISBN 9781937532918.

John Owen, Richard Baxter And The Formation Of Nonconformity (Book Review), Keith C. Sewell

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Reviewed Title: Cooper, Tim. John Owen, Richard Baxter and the Formation of Nonconformity. Farnham, England: Ashgate, 2011. 343 pages. ISBN: 9780754663614.

Pusztai's "Religion And Higher Education In Central And Eastern Europe" - Book Review, David Fideler, Mária Farkas

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

A Workshop To Introduce Concepts Of Moral Math, Sarah Voss

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

"Moral Math" refers to the study of ideas drawn from mathematics which can positively impact moral decision-making and social behavior. This essay describes a workshop designed to introduce these ideas to interested individuals of varying degrees of mathematical and theological sophistication. Created by a retired minister and former math professor, the workshop details five sets of interactive exercises culled from game theory, theoretical complexity, fuzzy logic, basic algebra, and simple arithmetic. Exercises are user-friendly, interactive, and easily related by analogy to various social issues.

Pedagogy Of Promise: The Eschatological Task Of Christian Education, Jason Lief

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No abstract provided.

Academia Coram Deo, Gaylen J. Byker

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Dr. Byker delivered this paper as the spring Convocation Address at Dordt College, January 13, 2012.

Faculty Assembly Devotions: January 5, 2012, Karen Demol

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No abstract provided.

To The Hilt, Carl E. Zylstra

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Dr. Zylstra delivered this address at the Dordt College Commencement, May 4, 2012.

Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not A Truly Evangelical Reading Of Scripture (Book Review), Laurence C. Sibley

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Reviewed Title: Smith, Christian. The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2011. 220pps. ISBN 978-1-58743-303-0.

Recent Books By Palestinian Christians (Book Reviews), Charles Veenstra

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Reviewed Titles: Awad, Alex. Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People. Jerusalem: Bethlehem Bible College, 2008. 387pp. ISBN 978-0978-783907. Munayer, Salim J., ed. Journey Through the Storm: Musalaha and the Reconciliation Process. Jerusalem: Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation, 2011. 275 pp. ISBN 978-965-555-549-3. McRay, Jonathan. You Have Heard It Said: Events of Reconciliation. Eugene, Oregon: Resource Publications, 2011. xi+106 pp. ISBN 978-1-61097-054-9. Ateek, Naim Stifan. A Palestinian Christian’s Cry for Reconciliation. New York: Orbis Books, 2008. xvi+224 pp. ISBN 978-1570-757846. Saada, Tass Abu, with Dean Merrill. Once an Arafat Man: The True Story …

Not Sure (Book Review), James C. Schaap

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Reviewed Title: Suk, John. Not Sure. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. 207 pp. ISBN 978-0-8028-6650-9.

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 …

Actualizing Faith Learning Integration: Exploring The Tensions Of Mindful Teaching, Susanna Steeg

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This reflective paper describes the experiences of a first-year faculty member negotiating the meaning and living out of faith learning integration within her particular institution. The triple tensions of mindful teaching (ethics/power, individual/collective, and contemplation/action) are framing constructs for this discussion of faith learning integration. Autobiographical narratives of three particular experiences in the author’s first year offer opportunities for readers to reflect on the tensions inherent in mindful teaching as it pertains to faith and learning. The author invites consideration of the institutional supports and constraints within these conversations while sharing vignettes revealing the personal nature of these decisions.

How A Christian Ethic Of Care Can Inform The Organization And Structure Of Schools Of Education, Paul Shotsberger

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

A natural outcome of a Christian ethic of care is the adoption of structures and organizations that facilitate or enhance this kind of caring. This article investigates these kinds of structures as they relate to schools of education. Discussion and recommendations focus on moving away from a hierarchical model toward a more organic structure where authority and decision-making are more distributed, communication is emphasized, and collaboration is the norm.

Religious Identity Formation Among Adolescents: The Role Of Religious Secondary Schools, Timothy J. Wang

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The purpose of this article is to examine the role religious secondary schools play in the religious identity formation of adolescents. Although several research studies have found a correlation between enrollment in private religious schools and adolescents’ religious identity formation, the researchers of these studies have only speculated about which specific characteristics of religious schools are responsible for this formation in the lives of adolescents. Through a review of the literature, the present article identifies several characteristics of religious secondary schools that may contribute to the process of religious identity formation: a community of religious peers, the presence of religious …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Book Review: Metaphors We Teach By: How Metaphors Shape What We Do In Classrooms, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

As I sit to write this review, I find myself musing over the sub-title to this text, How Metaphors Shape What we do in Classrooms. Worthy of a place in educational texts, this context of shaping targets a consideration for everyone working educationally with students. In this context, this book provides readers with much to think about. In my perspective, it is this consideration toward what I will call the heart and dispositional sensibility of education, a Christian sense of place, so to speak, that makes this book valuable.

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.

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) …

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.

The Implications Of Arminius' Understanding Of The Intellect On Knowledge Exchange Strategies In The Mission Of The Sda Church, Terry Dwain Robertson

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

I am sitting in my study with a cup of coffee … (this only happens in summer). Prior to crafting this letter to you I paused to chuckle – as a miner of words – on this quote from C. S. Lewis:

Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. (Lewis, C.S. (1995) Letters to children. New York, NY: Touchstone)

I have learned a lot from C. S. Lewis. I may not yet write an editorial letter that …

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 …

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.