Philosophy of Schooling
Knowledge and understanding is the underlying reason for schooling. As a schoolteacher, I feel that m duty is to be an extenuation to the home and do the things that the home is not prepared to do. One of the primary duties as an educator is to instill my students with a love of learning, so that they can search for answers to their questions on their own. Since Man is accountable for himself, and must be ready with an answer to man and to God, (I Peter 3:15), it is imperative that he be given the tools he needs to prepare for those answers. Men and women alike are to be knowledgeable about life and how to obtain happiness and joy. In Titus 2:4, the bible teaches that the older women are to teach the younger women how to love their husbands and children. The Bible continues on to also talk about men and how they are to love their wives. Could men and women learn this on their own? Maybe, but how convenient is it for man to be taught by experienced people the things that are pertinent to living happier lives. This is the purpose and intent of the school; to pass on knowledge and understanding that will help people live better more fulfilled lives.
Philosophy of Students
John Locke looked at man as an open slate, ready to be filled with information from any direction. In many ways I believe this is true, not to the extent of empiricism, but on certain fundamental levels. Often Bible refers to man as sheep. In Isaiah 5:36 the Bible says that “all we like sheep have gone astray, and turned everyone to his own way”. This is the first Bible verse that I was taught as a child. Looking back, I see why, because the first thing that we as children, both in age and in maturity, need to understand is that we are not born with all the answers. Finding answers that are pleasing to God take diligence and understanding. Children are impressionable and need to be guided into all manner of truth. It is no wonder then that Jesus Christ is referred to as the shepherd. The second verse I was taught was Psalms 23:1 “the Lord is my shepherd”. The Lord guides the Christian into truth and life, John 16:13. As servants of the Lord we have a responsibility to teach the same truths that Christ taught us to our children, Proverbs 22:6. This is the basis for parents sending their children to a Christian school? Students need good role models and influences in their lives, this can be found by surrounding them with people who live their lives by the bible. A Christian school does not guarantee success, or a happy life, but it gives them the opportunity to succeed. Opportunity, is the key. Christ did not create men as robots, but he gave us a free will. Even children that are raised with great wealth and abundant opportunity often times waste their lives. The best example of this is found in Luke 15 with the parable of the prodigal son. It is our duty as parents and educators to give children every opportunity to do right, and love them when they do wrong.
Children as well as adults have a sinful, fleshly nature. They behave badly and ruin their lives because they have this old nature. We are prone to do wrong. Even the apostle Paul admits that he is prone to do wrong, and even when he wants to do right he doesn’t. But, Paul had the underlying principles of God governing his life. This is what the student needs. Yes, he is a blank slate, but not without instruction on what should be written on this slate. Students should be giving Biblical principles, as well as fundamental knowledge that gives them the opportunity to live a successful life. There is no guarantee to their living a good life, but they will learn by instruction and examples of others that live by principles and succeed.
Philosophy of Teachers
Teachers are expected to be authorities on their content area. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they often times are not. On the news we here about the decline of education in the schools; how the public education system is a failure. Why? Have students changed? Of course not, children in any generation will avoid learning if at all possible. Look at the classic literature by Mark Twain, many of his books were about children avoiding work and school. So who is to blame? In my opinion some of the blame must be put on the backs of the educators. If someone has chosen teaching as a profession then it is their duty, as well as responsibility, to be authorities on their subject matter. They must know their content well enough to convey the basic foundations of that knowledge to others. I believe students are not receiving a good education because many teachers were never required to have one, they just take the necessary courses and pass through our system without any accountability. How many interviews do teachers have where their knowledge of their content area is examined? In many businesses you are expected to have a portfolio, prove your worth. Galatians 6:4 states “but let every man prove his own work, then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another”. This concept seems to be lost in many of today’s educators. It is not the responsibility of the school board to teach a subject, it’s the teacher’s job to teach a subject. Teaching a subject goes far beyond the pages of a textbook. A person that is doing his job, and doing it well, will not be ashamed of his work as II Timothy. 2:15 states.
A teacher is also expected to be an authority figure. This in my opinion is the teachers’ greatest challenge. A teachers life, weather he likes it or not, is a life in the public eye. A person should consider this before becoming a teacher. How can we train youth, if we do not have subject over ourselves and our families? The Bible uses preachers as an example of a Biblical authority figure, and commands preachers to have control of their own family, before trying to maintain a ministry. Must take this same responsibility. Teachers must live their lives to be models to those whom they teach.
Parents/Home-School Relations
Proverbs 22:6 states “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he shall not depart from it”. This Biblical principle should be the basis of all school activity. In the school that I am presently part of, the mission statement sates “It is the Intention of Franklin Road Christian School to be an extension of the home”. This should be the primes, in my opinion, for all Christian Schools.
For too long have parents neglected their responsibility to raise a child. You have no greater example than that of the abortion rate in America. We are a society that condones murder and accepts immorality. It is no surprise, that society tries to shirk the responsibility of child rearing as well. It is not the duty of society to raise a child. For centuries, this has been the foundation for a socialistic society. We even see this philosophy in America. The former First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton, pushed this idea in her book It takes a village. Must we continue to ignore the order that God has placed in existence? Everything else in this universe runs by a designed order, child rearing is no different.
God has given parents the responsibility to raise children, not the government or the school system. If we assume the responsibility of educating the child, it must be in full cooperation of the parents. We must exalt and enforce those values set forth by God and the home. If education is to be successful it must be in full cooperation with the education that the child receives at home.
Philosophy of Curriculum
The development of a curriculum is a very tedious process and one that I had little concept of before entering the masters program. What should be taught and what should not be taught is often times a topic of much confusion. In my opinion, it is not the job to teach morals, but to enforce them. As a school, an educator’s job is to be an extenuation of the home, not the actual home itself. A child is first commanded by God to be trained by his parent. This is where the child is to learn basic Christian living based on Christian principles. If a child is not taught this at home, how can an educator expect them to abide by the rules at school. No, the schools job is not to teach morals, but subject children raised by the principles to an environment that promotes them.
Outside of promoting Christian ethics, it is also an educator’s job to teach them basic social skill that will help them as they get older. Every character in the bible had an occupation: Jesus was a carpenter, Luke was a doctor, and Mathew was a fisherman. Everyone has a role to play in society. If these roles were of no importance, then it is hard for me to see why Jesus and his disciple’s would have spent their time doing it. . Proverbs 24:12 talks of the importance of man being paid according to his works. The fact is, labor is an important part of our lives and education can help prepare men for these roles. The secular society already sees the need for this, and government has made it a law that everyone must have an education for this very purpose. As Christians we are to abide by the law of the land. It would be a sin for us to reject those in authority over us unless they are contrary to the word of God (Mathew 22:21), thus creating the need for the Christian school. It is the duty of the school to teach core curriculum needed to operate in today’s society.
The Bible also gives man a way to figure out what materials should be taught. The Bible teaches that instruction in Isaiah 28:10 should be “line upon line, precept upon precept”. This is a pretty simple and easy concept that should be applied to education. When is a child old enough to be taught something? Simple, when he’s proved himself able to learn. I believe we have underestimated the capabilities of the youth. During the Golden Age of the Roman Empire the Latin Grammar School was perfected. Here youth were taught Latin, something most college students today struggle with. I believe this lack of educational demand has caused many of the social pitfalls that we experience today.
Materials should also be a concern in the development of curriculum. Too often we depend upon what a company tells us is acceptable and therefor do not demand any more out of our pupils. It is every educator’s job to develop their own curriculum in correlation with the demands of the school. The administration of the school should take it upon themselves to evaluate their educational goals for their students and give teachers instruction on how to reach those goals. The use of all materials available that are not in violation of ethical or biblical principles should be used to obtain these goals.
Philosophy of Methodology
There are many different learning styles. In many teaching classes, one is taught to adapt ones methodology these different learning styles. Jesus, our greatest teacher, used various means of teaching. He did not stick to the same type of teaching method all the time. I believe educators should follow His example. There are many examples of the types of methods that He used throughout the gospels. Some of the more common would be parables, rhetorical questions, and object lessons. He was even known to use exaggeration to emphasize a point (Mark 10:25). We as Christian educators should be sensitive to the needs of others and should do our best to meet the needs of various learning styles.
Philosophy of Administration and Organization
Administration and Organization can not be separated. The way a school is organized will then determine the type of administration acceptable for that school. Each school is different and therefor must find personnel that fallow the same direction as the intent of the organization.
Regardless if the school is a church run, parent-society, or interdenominational schools they should all have the same philosophy. The philosophy is simply that the administration of the school should have the most power. If it is a church affiliated school, I believe it should be no different. This is no to say that the Pastor should not be involved in the school, I believe he should be much like the president of the United States and carry Veto power. If something or someone violates biblical or ethical principles, then the pastor or those leaders of the church or organization should have power to have the person, or persons, removed. I believe that the administration can be subject to investigation and review, but otherwise should be left alone to fulfill the delegated duties he was hired to perform. An administrator is not a puppet and should be give a job description of things to be preformed, then given the opportunity to perform them.
How My Philosophy of Education Affects My History Class
History is the study of those who did not study history. I was told this about a year before I began teaching; this phrase has guided me more than any other phrase when teaching others my curriculum content area. This has guided my philosophy of teaching, and helped me realize the importance of my field.
My philosophy is centered on the accountability of man. In my opinion, man is capable of so much more than we achieve. Some of this failure is because our talents are used for much of the wrong reasons, and we do not take accountability for the mistakes we make. Sin is one thing that man is accountable for. God did not create sin, nor is he the author of confusion. If this is true than all the confusion and sin that takes place in the world is because of mans actions. God also gave man away to escape the punishment for our actions through the saving blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, this is proven all throughout the book of Roman. And though man is for given of his sins there is still a price to pay for our actions. There are many examples that can be chosen to demonstrate forgiveness and responsibility. God has held man responsible for his actions since the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, although forgiven by God, was accountable for the sin of disobedience that they committed. David, although forgiven by God for his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, still had to take responsibility for the troubles he caused. So will we be accountable to God for the sins, which we commit. History is a testimony to this, and I try to teach this to my students in every lesson.
Man’s sin is not the only thing that man is accountable for, however, he is also accountable for the talents that God has given him. It is encouraging to study history and see the hundreds of men that used their talents and had successful lives. Many others, although brilliant, have used their talents for things that are not pleasing to God. I make these points evident in my teaching. I feel my philosophy of the education, and his accountability for himself, continually forces me to address the application of history much more than the sheer content of the subject. I do not feel that an “A” on a test has fulfilled my educational duties. If a student walks away from my classroom not knowing why he believes what he believes then I have failed. Facts do not change lives; it is the application of these facts that make the difference. The projects given in my class, is not just busy work for the students to accomplish and then put into a stack in the corner with the rest of the things that others have taught them over the years. I feel that diligent work is the only way a student will ever truly learn. The Bible says in II Timothy 2:15 that we must study to show thyself approved. It mentions nothing about listening, or paying attention, it says study. I try to make my projects applicable, to develop character and responsibility in my students. They may not take the information I give them and use it later in life, but at least once in their lives they were forced to take it, study it, and apply it. I believe my philosophy of students being under challenged and underestimated has driven me to teach much more hands on, and fewer lectures based classes. When having done the best I could to make them use history, I feel my goal of teaching students is accomplished.
Man is also accountable to others. The Bible gives numerous examples of this: In Peter 3:15 “be ready always to give an answer”, Mark 12:17 “render unto Caesar, the things which are Caesars”, and in Luke 28 the parable of the servant being accountable to his master. God established order, and as man we are to fallow that order. This is always the basis for my government class. We study government in the light of obedience. I try to apply these principles with the duties that my administration delegates to me. I that believe in all areas of administration, financing, and organization, we are to do them as unto God. As my philosophy paper contends, God has put me in charge of many students lives, the way I conduct myself will prove if I am a good steward with what God has given me or not.
Lastly, my philosophy guides me in how I teach my class each day. I’ve read a lot of books, many of which I found exhausting. The Bible is not one of those. I believe Jesus did all that he could to captivate the attention of the audience. Christ could have used a lot of different means to get his point across. At times I have wondered why he didn’t. Would it not have been enough just to die upon the cross? Did he have to be wiped, stabbed, and beaten as well? Christ did these things for us; he bore our sins when we could not. Christ went through trials before death. He had heartache that no man could ever bear. And he did this for me. As a teacher, my job may not end at three o’clock. I may have to come in early and stay late. Little is that in the light of what Christ did for me. Christ could have given short, sweet, and to the point answers for the questions of man, yet many times he chose stories and examples. I could do the same in my history classes, lecture every day, and not answer any questions. Instead, I find myself challenged to make my class interesting, captivate the attention of my students just as Christ did.
I hope my philosophy is pleasing to Christ. I hope he gives me an “A”. If I do not apply the things that I believe to my classroom, then I am a failure. It’s easy to say what you believe, much harder to apply it. Through this application, I find myself more challenged than ever to give reason to my efforts. Although this may be the philosophy that I turn in, it is just a work in progress. I hope with experience and wisdom my philosophy continues to grow and expand, making me a better teacher.
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