Philosophy of Christian Education

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A paper presented to Association of Christian Schools International

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By Joel Elliott Auer April 24, 2014

Philosophy of Christian Education

My name is Joel Auer and I am a senior Christian School Elementary Education major at Barclay College in Haviland, Kansas. My years at Barclay have helped me mature and develop my relationship with Christ, as well as, being prepared academically to be an effective educator. I recently completed my student teaching at USD 474, Haviland Elementary School, in Haviland, Kansas. I taught 3rd grade and combined Science/Social Studies classes with the 4th grade. The experience that I had student teaching confirmed my passion for teaching and gave me confidence in my ability to be an effective educator. I learned a plethora of valuable lessons by teaching in the classroom, ranging from preparation to classroom management. An effective teacher is a teacher who loves the children and puts in the work to be prepared to present subject matter with excellence. I spent hundreds of hours before and after school in order to be prepared and confident in presenting the lessons. My classroom management improved substantially throughout my student teaching experience. I learned how to facilitate a learning environment that was efficiently operating with minimum distractions and maximizing the focus on the lesson. While at Haviland Elementary School I experienced and became a part of a great community of teachers and administrators. I learned so many lessons by simply asking for advice and offering my assistance to them whenever I could. A Christian philosophy of education is a teachers beliefs that revolve around the teaching and life of Christ and are implemented into the life and classroom of the teacher. A Christian philosophy of education is unique among other philosophies of education because it goes so much deeper than the pedagogy and results of education, it is a dedicated surrender of ones life to being obedient to the call that Christ has on their life.

My philosophy of education is a representation of who I am, who I strive to be, and who Christ has made me to be as a Christian man and an educator. My philosophy consists of living a life that displays trust and surrender to Christ in all aspects of life, serving and loving students, engaging as a community with fellow educators, and excellence in preparing, and presenting subject matter. Surrender to Christ in All Aspects of Life Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will ishis good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2). I believe there is nothing more important in life than pursuing a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lord. Surrendering and trusting God in all aspects of life is one of the most challenging but fulfilling processes a person can go through. It is challenging to put the desires of your flesh to death but it is so wonderful to be free from the bondage of sin and living in the truth and light of Jesus Christ. God calls us to surrender no to make us suffer, although suffering will undoubtedly occur while serving, but to live a life of true love, joy, and forgiveness. Without Christ, I have nothing of value to offer my students. With Christ, I am enabled to be a great teacher because I am following Gods plan for my life. We can hear from the Lord in many ways but it is very important for a Christian educator to turn to Gods Word frequently. The Bible is a book of life that can help guide and direct people through any trials that this life will bring. In recent years, the devil has used academia to put lies into the hearts and minds of many students. It is important for myself, as an educator, to

have my sword ready to fight the battle for truth and knowledge in the classroom and express that anything that goes against the Word of God is a lie, no matter where it is found. Serving and Loving Students Jesus said, Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul with all your mind. This is the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments. Christ made it very simple, and incredibly challenging, for us with these commandments. My prayer is that my life will be proof of Christs love and that my students will see and feel that love. I know that I am not capable of showing Christs love perfectly but I do pray that through my actions they will be encouraged to find Christ personally and live a life devoted to him. Actions will always speak louder than words and students need to see a true love in this world full of hate and darkness. Love is a sacrifice and requires the teacher being a servant to their students. This does not mean that the students have the authority in the classroom. I believe that everyone is called to ministry, teaching is my calling, and ministry is selflessly serving others to bring glory to God. Through sacrifice of time, talent, and effort students will be able to see the love that I have for them. This call to love is for everyone, even the most difficult students deserve to feel the love of Christ because he died for them too. Engaging in Community with Fellow Educators We live in a world in bondage to money and greed, full of adults who lash out and care about the well-being of themselves and dont really care about the welfare of others. Unfortunately, we as the church dont always look out of our cathedral walls and see the pain around us. I have a deep love for the church, the bride of Christ, and say this as an

encouragement to be active and not become stagnant and selfish in the drudgery of life. We always have room for improvement and we should strive to do the best we possibly can. I pray for a community of fellow educators that are dedicated to loving and serving Christ and modelling to students how the church, the body of believers, should treat and help one another. I am not nave enough to believe that all my coworkers will be best friend material but I believe that everyone has value and deserves to be respected and treated with love even if you dont see eye to eye on everything. I pray that transparency and vulnerability are prevalent in the work place so that we can support one another in prayer and action. I also pray that we hold one another accountable, not to judge or condemn, but to lovingly encourage one another to glorify God in everything we do. As educators we have a huge responsibility to prepare the next generation for life and that can be a heavy burden to carry. Coming alongside one another will not only enable us to teach more efficiently but will model to our students how the community of Christians, the church, should function. Excellence in Preparing and Presenting Subject Matter The academic aspect of teaching is, strangely enough, the least important piece of being an educator for me. This does not mean that I do not value education, because that is not the case, but I do not believe that education is what defines or gives value to a person. Our identity should be found first and foremost in Christ and then the gifts that the Lord has blessed us with. We need to nurture our students and encourage them to give their best effort in everything they do but they are not defined by the grades they receive. Education is a great tool that can be used to further the kingdom of God but if it becomes an idol and something that we put before God it is nothing but destructive.

I strive to be an excellent educator to my students in life and in academia. I am a servant to my students and being a servant requires that I spend my time and effort to prepare them for life to the best of my ability. This will translate into tireless hours of lesson planning and going above and beyond what my contract requires. I will set high expectations and standards for my students because I want them to perform and achieve to the best of their abilities. I strive to make my lessons understandable and challenging for my students and I will be there to help my students when they are struggling. Know my students and being sure to attempt to teach to their learning style can be challenging but I think it is important to be a student of your students, to be a better teacher for their sake and to bring glory to God. Conclusion St. Francis of Assisi said, Preach the Gospel always, speak when necessary. I believe that the way we conduct ourselves and live our lives is one of the most powerful tools that we have to minister to others. Words are important but until trust and bonds are formed most people will not allow you to speak into their lives. I am always conscious of the fact that eyes, big and small, are watching and assessing the way I conduct myself. I strive, though have failures along the way, to pursue God with my whole heart, soul, and mind. My life would mean nothing without Him and I want to serve Him all the days of my life. This is my philosophywho I am, who I strive to be, and who Christ has made me. My philosophy consists of living a life that displays trust and surrender to Christ in all aspects of life, serving and loving students, engaging as a community with fellow educators, and excellence in preparing and presenting subject matter.