| |||||||
|
One of my favourite television shows is the Discovery Channel’s MythBusters. On the show, two daring stuntmen shoot, burn, blast and drop things – all to discover the truth about everyday myths. What exactly is a myth? Well, according to the Oxford Dictionary, the most common definition of a myth is “something that many people believe, but that does not exist – or is false.” A great number of myths are associated with Christian education, some of them rather amusing. My favourite is the notion that Christian school kids are close to perfect. After having four kids in Christian school, I can say for sure that this is not true – and I’m sure their teachers would agree. To help bust these myths, I have asked three seasoned Christian school principals to challenge them, including: Anne Ferguson (John Knox Christian School), Ellen Freestone (Vancouver Christian School) and Paul Tigchelaar (Carver Christian High School). – Dan Dowber, development director with Carver Christian High School MYTH 1: CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS ARE LIKE THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS OF THE 50s – WITH BIBLE CLASSES AND GOOD MORAL TEACHING. Ellen Freestone responds: Christian schooling is in my blood; maybe it’s even imprinted in my genetic code! My grandfather started the Christian school in his Dutch village, in the early part of the 20th century; my parents helped start a school in Alberta; and my mother’s cousin was a member of Vancouver Christian School’s first school board in the 1940s. After all that family history, I still feel like I am just scratching the surface of what a Christian school is supposed to be. It still feels like a never-ending task of possibilities, growth and plain hard work. But why? Isn’t it just a matter of hiring a group of Christian teachers, making sure the Bible is taught twice a week, and teaching children good Christian values and morals? If that’s all it takes, it would be a fairly simple task – and, frankly, that kind of school would not be much different from the kind of public or private school you might have found in the 1950s. So then, what is a Christian school? Yes, there are Christian teachers, Bible classes, morals and values. But what inspired my family members, and what continues to keep us very busy, is the quest to have children understand that all of life is to be permeated by faith. We are to look for God’s thumbprint everywhere, and to wrestle to understand his calling in all areas of life. We need to look for this in geological rock formations, ocean ecosystems, the heroes in children’s books, the history of this great country and our aboriginal people, the policies we practice regarding relationships, and . . . Well, you see the problem: our job is never done! More than ever, our children are shaped and influenced by a worldview that does not recognize God in the big picture or in the details – and that worldview bombards them relentlessly through media. What a privilege: to have an amazing alternative to offer them throughout their school career. This means hard work that goes far deeper – and beyond Bible class, morning devotions and good moral teaching. As parents and community members, we need to be teaching our children what it means to be faithful servants, on a daily basis – in all areas of life. What a daunting task! Can all this be done at home, at church, and by attending a ‘good’ school like the ones in the 50s? I know what my relatives would say! MYTH 2: CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS ONLY TEACH CREATIONISM. Paul Tigchelaar responds: The issue here is not one of a struggle between the Bible and science, and whether both get equally fair chances in our schools. We want our students to wrestle with real issues, such as evolution and the various accounts of creation, with their feet firmly grounded in a Christian worldview. In short, yes, we teach creation. We know from Genesis 1:1 that “God created the heavens and the earth.” You will find unlimited notable stories that address the question of what to teach about creation. I read an article written by a prominent scientist and Christian author, in which was described a spectrum of no less than 12 different versions of a Christian creation story. These were all based on biblical truths and scientific evidence, and each was compelling in its own right. They ranged from God’s use of an evolutionary process to a belief in a very young universe. Thirty years ago I attended Calvin College, a Michigan institution with a staunch Christian Reformed worldview. At the time, three professors presented a concerted view of an old creation model that placed the creation event billions of years ago. Their disciplines were biology, astronomy and geology. |
The perspective they shared generated huge controversy at the time, which since has settled into extensive, complex and generally reasonable dialogue spanning science, theology and time. Equally committed Christians who are experts in their fields of science don’t necessarily agree on a definitive model of the creation story; but I suggest that all Christians would agree that God created. We desire to lead our students in learning about the character of God, and deepening their very personal relationship with him. We do that by developing in our students a growing understanding of biblical revelation. We also do that by exploring math, science, literature and all the other disciplines through which God reveals aspects of himself — aspects that will never contradict the biblical account of who God is. Thus, we encourage our students to understand and to challenge traditional and contemporary thought, as we seek to learn together the truths of God’s revelation. We discuss, we agree to disagree, and we delve into the history and science of God’s creation. Finally, we acknowledge God’s sovereignty. We seek his wisdom and guidance as we struggle with a body of knowledge that supports the creation story. Ultimately, in our faith and learning communities, we seek to grow in relationship with God – as we develop critical thinking skills. This combination is what makes our Christian schools distinct. MYTH 3: TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN THOSE IN CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS. Anne Ferguson responds: The real question is whether or not Christian schools have good teachers. What makes a good teacher? A love for the Lord and a love for children are essential, and teachers at our Christian schools are both passionate about their faith and dedicated to their students. Teachers also need to be able to lead by example when encouraging students in faith; and they should be able to successfully teach the curriculum to their students. All this happens at our Christian schools daily! What makes a teacher professional? Teachers at Carver, Vancouver and John Knox Christian schools, for example, are highly qualified. Most of the teachers and administrators, like their public school counterparts, are certified by the B.C. College of Teachers, which requires the equivalent of at least five years of university training in order to attain professional certification. Several teachers and administrators have even shown their dedication to improving their teaching practice by obtaining Master’s degrees in various disciplines. Some choose to focus on a particular area in the curriculum, while others focus more on special education or leadership programs. All staff members are committed to professional development, and regularly take courses and workshops to improve and update their knowledge. For example, each October, all teachers and administrators attend a two-day CTABC (Christian Teachers Association of British Columbia) conference, where they go to various workshops and collaborate with their colleagues in other Christian schools. Many Christian schools are also members of the Society of Christian Schools – and take full advantage of their experts, who keep teachers up-to-date with the latest literature. Written into the contracts for all our teachers is language that mandates regular professional upgrading for teachers. All staff members review the curriculum within their schools in order to improve educational programs on a regular basis. In addition to all of the above, staff at all schools are held accountable for their teaching practice, by means of evaluations. Each person is encouraged to maintain a professional portfolio documenting their growth as a teacher or an administrator. Most importantly, all three schools are proud to have teachers and support staff committed to giving their best because of their passion for Christian education. Are teachers in Christian schools competent? Absolutely! Are they professional? Definitely! Are they less competent or professional than their public school counterparts? Certainly not! Christian school teachers are highly competent, take professional development seriously – and, most importantly, are motivated to excel, by their passion and love for educating children from a Christian perspective. February 2009 | ||||||
