ProD day
February 12, 2013
Teaching
for
Transformation
AN INVITATION
TO A BETTER
STORY
So … What’s your story?
If … is there a better way?
-
The primary goal of Christian education is
the formation of a peculiar people – a people
who desire the kingdom of God and thus
undertake their life’s expression of that
desire. Jamie Smith
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION: AN
INVITATION TO A
BETTER STORY
AN INVITATION TO A BETTER STORY
Will you recognize your role?

We won’t begin to understand our lives, or
what the gospel speaks of, until we
understand the Story in which we find
ourselves. For when you were born, you were
born into an Epic that is underway.
John Eldredge

“We need to know the Bible story well, to feel
it in our bones!”
AN INVITATION TO A BETTER STORY

… to be human is to desire some version of the kingdom …
many visions … many “roundtables” … kingdoms are hotly
contested … “
J. Smith
For most of us, the great danger is not that we
will renounce our faith. It is that we will become
so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that
we will settle for a mediocre version of it.
- John Ortberg -
AN INVITATION TO A BETTER STORY


If hearts are going to be aimed towards God’s
kingdom, they’ll be won over by good story
tellers, they’ll be won over by creators of better
stories.
If Christian education is going to have a future –
it needs to be attractive – and that pull won’t
come from arguments or activities, but by the
stories we tell… by the stories we live …by the
invitations that are extended … by the better
stories created.
Christian Educators Journal – Vol 51 No 1 – October 2011 – Learning (by) Stories – James K. A. Smith




AN INVITATION TO A BETTER STORY:
“The goal of Christian education “is not just a certain
way of thinking but a certain way of being in the world,
… to lead the student in a Christian way of being in the
world.”
Christian education provides a vehicle within which a
Christian community can learn how to live kingdom
priorities “on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
“we are called to reflect that coming kingdom of
peace, righteousness, and love in every dimension of
life and in all corners of society.”
Not just to “teach about kingdom priorities, but
intentionally provide opportunities to live these
priorities and be characterized by them.”
“AN INVITATION TO A BETTER STORY
“This world is His kingdom – He’s building it every
minute of every day. And He invites us, His
people, to join Him in His kingdom building. He is
working to restore the world, all of it, one step at
a time – and He wants you and me to be a part of
it.” TFT
“Welcome to another day in God’s Theater!”
“An Invitation to a Better Story”
“Lord Over All Things”
“Great Christian Education requires Great
Christian-Story Tellers”
AN INVITATION TO A BETTER STORY
is nothing but a pious wish and a grossly
unwarranted hope that students trained to be
passive and non-creative in school will suddenly,
upon graduation, actively contribute to the
formation of Christian culture.”
 “What if education is not about ideas and
information, but about the formation of hearts
and desires? Education most fundamentally is a
matter of formation, a task of shaping and
creating a certain kind of people. These people
are distinct because of what they love and desire
– the kingdom of God” Smith
 “It
Are you a
ChristianStory
Teller?
STONECUTTERS
Two stonecutters are asked what they are doing.
One responds:
“I am cutting this stone in a perfectly square shape.”
The other responds:
“I am building a cathedral!”
HTTP://YOUTU.BE/PK7YQLTMVP8
Alberta context
1951 - Edmonton Christian School opens
with 20 students
 1999 – 3 campuses, 775 students
 1999 agreement with EPS

 EPS
provides the resources for the daily
operation of Edmonton Christian Schools.
 As partners with EPS, the Society remains
responsible for providing a unique alternative
program
The Christian School society is responsible for:





Funding the Christian program vision, perspective
and content,
Preserving the integrity of the School's Christian
vision and mission. Elected Board members
participate in all school staff interviews and new
parent/student interviews
Teachers and Administrators are hired only with
Board approval
Owning, maintaining and enhancing all Edmonton
Christian School buildings, furniture and equipment
Jointly monitoring the program with Edmonton Public
Schools
A unique alternative program



ECS offers a distinctively Christian program that is an
alternative program of Edmonton Public School
As a partnership between the Edmonton Society for
Christian Education and the Edmonton Public School
Board, ECS follows the Alberta curriculum and meets
or exceeds all Alberta Education requirements.
This partnership enables Edmonton Christian School
to keep program fees affordable while providing a
strong, continuous Christian education program for
our students.
The Challenge
What exactly is unique and alternative
about the Christian schools?
 What is a distinctive Christian program?

Teaching Christianly - history
Woltersdorf , van Brummelen, Stronks
 Critical thinking
 Biblical worldview
 Responsive discipleship
 Distinct methodology


But … is it enough?
Distinct and alternative in content and
methodology
Start from the things that are most
worthwhile (our story)
 Start from the things that make us most
distinct
 [What must our students know?]
 Who must our students be(come)?
 >>> the Christian Through lines

•God-Worshipper
•Idolatry-Discerner
•Servant-Worker
•Justice-Seeker
•Beauty-Creator
•Image-Reflector
•Creation-Enjoyer
•Earth-Keeper
•Order-Discover
•Community-Builder
Biblical
Throughlines
Throughlines and TfT
TL – the unique / distinctive nature of the
student
 TFT – the alternative way of developing
that unique student

Transformational Living
Kingdom Building
Ensuring Learning
Essential Questions
Learning Outcomes
Through-lines
Biblical Story
Throughlines and TfT
The Prairie Centre of Christian Education
version of teaching for transformation is a
uniquely wedding of Christian thinking on
curriculum building and cutting-edge
technology
 Print sample of a unit: grade 9 social
studies unit on Economy.

Break time
YOUR PASSIONS
Select
a Throughline about which
you are most passionate and
connected to.
Join in groups of 2 or 3
A TOPIC RELATED TO A THROUGHLINE
Brainstorm as many topics as you can that
connect to the Throughline you have chosen.
 Select 2 or 3 Learning Outcomes and decide
how your group would teach using the
Throughline.
 For each Learning Outcome develop 2 – 3
Essential Questions that will help to ensure
learning.

Transformational Living
Kingdom Building
ALIGNMENT
Ensuring Learning
Essential Questions
Learning Outcomes
Through-lines
Biblical Story
Throughlines and TfT

Website: tftshare.ca (pcce.ca)

hvanderhoek@tftshare.ca
PW hugo54321
Sample of on-line developed grade 6
Language Arts unit.
 Curriculum builder
 Speed builder

The potential of doing this online - group
 Discuss a topic of common interest
 Log-in
 Begin the speed build process
Lunch time