What Could be More Important?

Dan Beerens | December 2008

First, some prophetic questions around the topic of teaching Bible:

  • Of course, anyone (who is a Christian) can teach Bible! True? While it may not be stated, we are sometimes guilty of assuming that little or no training is needed to teach Bible to students.
  • Why do we not value the teaching of Bible more? When was the last time your staff spent a staff development day on the teaching of Bible?
  • How many of your teaching staff have taken any graduate courses that would benefit Bible classroom instruction? When we think about paying for graduate hours how many times isn't our decision based on "what the state or province" requires and not for courses that don't translate to our own economic advancement?
  • Why does Bible get the "sandwich" treatment in some classrooms by being fit into time remaining in the day? Why is it not taught five days a week in some schools? Is our test driven focus on academics taking priority over the Greatest Story Ever Told?
  • Why are we surprised that kids are coming in with lower and lower levels of biblical literacy when we look at our own behavior and levels of media consumption? This is a growing problem, even recognized by public institutions (see Nurturing Faith blog of 10.24.06).
  • Given that many kids come into school with lower levels of Bible knowledge, why don't we think more about differentiation in the area of Bible instruction? Is this area of instruction less critical than reading or math? Is it any less deserving of time and energy from special education teachers? How about after school study times to catch kids up in the area of Bible knowledge?

Second, about this issue:

  • Johanna Campbell researched several schools as part of her doctoral dissertation on the classroom instruction of Bible in Christian schools. I think you will find her observations thought provoking and challenging.
  • Rebecca Schelhaas is concerned that in her experience, and that of several peers, the teaching of Bible was less than compelling. In fact, she wonders if we are boring kids during Bible class. She suggests several great ways to engage kids through retelling Bible stories.
  • Michael Essenburg believes that biblical perspective must permeate the curriculum and suggests 10 ways to incorporate a biblical perspective throughout all of your teaching.
  • Kathleen VanTol reminds us to connect with each student in her latest As They Are column.
  • David Mulder suggests that there really is no good reason why we shouldn't be able to put together our own websites and provides us the tools and steps to do it. (Editorial comment—I tried it and had it going in minutes—it works!)

Third, some unabashed commercialism:

  • We are really excited about the newly revised Bible curriculum Walking with God and His People that we are in the process of completing at CSI! For an update on the process click here.
  • For the introduction and scope and sequence for the new Bible curriculum please click here. By clicking on a particular grade on this page you can also view a sample teacher guide lesson, a sample student workbook activity page, as well as view the changes from the current curriculum sequence to the new revised curriculum.
  • Best Practices in teaching Bible K – 6: At our teacher workshops about our new curriculum, Andrea Kamper has been collecting the best teacher lesson plan ideas for teaching Bible. Check out these field tested lesson plan ideas from your colleagues on the right hand side of the page by clicking here.

Fourth, ongoing invitations:

  • We appreciate your participation in this magazine and are interested in considering your articles, stories, poems, etc. for publication. The theme of our next issue in February will be Passion for God through Teaching and Worship. If you have a story of a teacher who has impacted you, or if you have been involved in helping students to lead worship, I am particularly interested in hearing from you. Our spring issue in April will focus around science and math. I have several new books on science on my shelf and will send you one in exchange for a helpful book review.
  • If you have a story about nurturing faith with students, a memorable faith nurturing learning experience that worked well, observations about the challenges of nurturing faith with kids, or a particular way you saw God at work in a student's life, please send them along for possible inclusion in the Nurturing Faith blog that I write regularly.

May your heart overflow with joy at this time of thanksgiving and praise for the unbelievable gift of our Savior and Lord!

Dan Beerens
Editor, Christian School Teacher
Vice President of Learning Services