In his book "The Cause for Christian Education," Dr. Richard Edlin claims that "teachers first of all teach people, not subjects." He goes on to explain that while teachers do teach math, science, reading and more, they are also teaching children about everything in this world. (As a side-note, Edlin's text is lengthy, but definitely worth a read)
This is true at Byron Center Christian School as we provide a quality Christian education in the Byron Center community. We recognize the importance of equipping children to impact the world for Christ. The impact a teacher has on his or her students cannot be understated. A good teacher will prepare students for the next grade, but our teachers want students prepared for more than that. The goal is to help students understand who they are as Children of God and how to act in this world. That, of course, includes academic achievement, but it also means emotional, social and spiritual growth as well.
To help accomplish this, our teachers have been trained and are implementing the Teaching for Transformation (TfT) instructional model. Doug Monsma, describes TfT as “a biblical framework for the development of authentic and integral Christian learning experiences that are grounded in a transformational worldview with a focus on seeing and living God’s story.” A strong understanding of math, science, history, and social studies is vital, but that knowledge without the proper Christian worldview goes to waste. Here at BCCS, we are are grateful for the opportunity to truly teach our students.
