Philosophy of Education
Nature of Learner Role of Teacher Learning Process Curriculum
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
The Role of the Teacher
The primary role of the Christian teacher is to model what it means to be mature in knowing and obeying God and living that out in relationship with others. The more the teacher relies on God’s grace and applies God’s word personally, the more qualified he or she becomes as a role model. Jesus declares that welcoming a child is the equivalent of welcoming him, but gives dire warning against causing a child to sin (Matthew 18:5,6). As the truths of the Bible overflow from the life of the teacher into the students’ lives, they all grow in maturity and are equipped for life (2 Timothy 3:14b,15a).
God gives parents the authority and responsibility to raise their own children. To fathers God says, “Bring [your children] up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4b). Further, God instructs that children are to be taught biblical values and everyday life skills (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). However God addresses those instructions not only to parents but also to the entire community of faith (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Therefore it is appropriate for parents to seek help in raising their children from their faith community thus, the Christian school. However, authority of the teacher and school over a student comes only as it is delegated by the parent. Therefore, teacher and parent must work together or else the job of training up the child must be left to the parent alone. For a teacher to neglect or avoid parental involvement in the education process falls short of the pattern God has established. Because the parent is the student’s primary teacher, the teacher will appropriately include parents in the classroom and in assignments, include parents in the discipline process, and will refrain from so monopolizing the student that he or she has no family time.
TCPS serves as a tool to assist parents in carrying out their God given responsibility. In choosing a TCPS education for their child, parents agree to cooperate with the school’s values, policies and standards. Although TCPS strives to provide each student with the best possible education, TCPS humbly recognizes that home-schooling, other private schools or a government school can be valid options for a parent to choose.
Cooperation between teachers and parents requires both structured and spontaneous communication, and mutual support and trust. This is possible because Christ was revealed so that people could have fellowship with each other because of their relationship with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3). For this to work, teachers and parents and students must acknowledge and confess the sins that would drive them apart. Then love and trust can develop on the basis of God’s commitment to love sinners, not because the teacher or parent or student is so good.
A third role of the teacher is the development of discernment, which comes through personal interaction with God and applying his word to life situations. As the teacher applies a Christian worldview to course materials and to life itself, the students learn to see things from a biblical perspective.
The Christian teacher presents each subject with values and application to the learner that reflects that the teacher knows the Creator and Sustainer of that subject. This is necessary because mankind’s interpretation of the general revelation that is evident to all by observation of nature distorted by sin. Every subject will only be understood with a proper perspective when it is interpreted in light of God’s special revelation, the Bible (Romans 1:18-22. See also Psalm 19). Consequently, although they may have personal faith, secular educators without experience teaching subjects from a biblical perspective require special training and coaching before they can lead students to develop spiritual discernment and true understanding of the world around them.
Knowing God and his word does not preclude or substitute for academic expertise. The rigorous academic performance expected from students begins with rigorous preparation by the teacher. The teacher’s knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject is the best motivator for students. Preparing students for life today, college tomorrow, leadership in the future and heaven eternally begins with teacher accountability.
Accountability establishes trust that will allow the teacher to exercise creativity within the parameters of established scope and sequence rather than being a slave to a textbook. Key to being a creative and effective teacher is the ability to understand your students' various learning styles, their backgrounds, their strengths and weaknesses, and their physical and emotional needs. This understanding allows the teacher to vary the way the curriculum is presented to address student needs. Therefore, the teacher will employ different methods of presenting knowledge, testing knowledge, and applying knowledge. The implication of Deuteronomy 6 is that the teacher is to be teaching while the students are interacting, sitting, standing, walking and living life (Deuteronomy 6:7).