Christian Teachers In Public Schools

A guide for Christians teaching in public schools to (1) bring their faith to bear on their work and (2) understand the legal issues governing religion and public schools.

Written by veteran teacher Dalene Parker, this is an inspirational and encouraging book designed to prepare and equip teachers in the rough and tumble field of public education.

How many Christian "school teachers" are fully familiar with God's biblical mandates for their vocation? School teachers inherently hold a powerful influence over students, for good or bad. This sobering reality should motivate all school administrators, especially in Christian schools, to ensure that their teachers are spiritually qualified. Academic qualifications for teachers are essential, but spiritual qualifications are critical for meeting the biblical goals of education. In fact, it is the spiritual motivation and qualification of teachers that should be the greatest area of concern during the process of selecting faculty members to serve in Christian schools. Veteran teacher and Christian counselor Hooper offers twenty-one defining principles that separate Christian teachers from those who are not Christian. Do today's school teachers make the grade? This book is a must read for all who aspire to serve God effectively in the school classroom. Duane Hooper is a school teacher, principal, ordained minister, and board certified Christian counselor. His ministry was providentially redirected from the pastorate to education in 1990 when he began serving as teacher at Bay Area Christian School in League City, Texas. While serving as teacher and junior high principal, his passion for Christian education intensified. Concerning the influence held by teachers, especially in light of Christ's love for children, Duane was burdened regarding the need for Christian teachers to model not just Spiritual fruit, but Christ's express love for children. Duane's love for students is manifested in his several nominations to Who's Who Among America's Teachers. With both masters and doctoral degrees in Christian education and a Ph.D. in Christian Counseling, Duane has an ardent passion to share what he believes to be a Bible-based vision for the ministries of Christian school teachers-whether serving in Christian or public schools.

Companion book to documentary film, IndocriNation.

Parents send their children to school, and students attend school, with the expectation that they will receive knowledge, and that this knowledge will be the key to unlocking their future potential. The Bible teaches clearly that it is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). As such, acknowledgement of God is fundamental to any and all knowledge-based pedagogy. To teach academic subjects apart from Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (1 Co. 2:3), is to fundamentally disconnect the world we all see and live in from the One it was created by and for. In this work, the Christian teacher in the public setting is challenged to re-examine his/her fundamental pedagogical approach in light of the premise of Proverbs 1:7 and Colossians 2:3.

How does teaching Christianly differ from other forms of teaching? How might a Christian teach, in a biblical way, some commonplace set of facts from a mandated secular curriculum? This book considers what a biblical approach to teaching may involve as it emerges from a biblically grounded life and what that might look like in the classroom. Rather than speaking of integration of faith and learning, it starts from a foundation of Christ, the Truth and Lord of all, and moves to the development of a framework for classroom practice that includes a need to try to see things from God's perspective. All truly Christian education is seen, therefore, as a profoundly biblical pursuit leading to the revelation of God. To do this, the book explores the underlying theology and principles out of which our education should flow. These principles then allow us to examine such areas as the consideration of a Christian way to teach subjects such as geography and mathematics, or even what might be distinctive about the way a Christian teacher may do something as mundane as picking up a pencil.