Matthew 22:36-39
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
As Christian educators, we are to fulfill the creation mandate (Genesis 1:28) in our classrooms by obeying and living out the greatest commandment. Below is a list of ways Christian educators can implement the greatest commandment in their classrooms. The list was taken from the book titled "Steppingstones to Curriculum" which was written by Harro Van Brummelen.
- Teachers care and pray for their students and help them be and become what God wants them to be.
- Teachers encourage students to use their minds to the best of their ability in service to and love for God and neighbor, and to develop the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
- Teachers promote constructive and fair relationships. They implement strategies for conflict resolution based on repentance, recompense, forgiveness, and mutual respect.
- Rather than insisting on personal rights, teachers and students together observe personal and communal gratitude for God’s gift of grace.
- Praise and thankfulness are built into the curriculum. The school celebrates students’ diverse gifts.
- Students engage in learning activities in which they help and support classmates.
- Teachers set high but realistic expectations for all members of the school community.
- Teachers trust their students with meaningful responsibilities while holding them accountable for agreed-upon commitments.
- Curriculum content deals with issues in our society in which agape love can make a difference. It deals with the effects of sin in society, but it also proclaims hope in the future because God is faithful forever (Psalm 146).
- The school arranges for service projects through which students practice love for neighbor.
Reference
Brummelen, H. V. (2002). Steppingstones to curriculum. Colorado Springs, CO:
Purposeful Design Publications.
Purposeful Design Publications.
The mandate to "replenish the Earth" is one of the most liberating commands in Scripture. I love that God made us to DO! We need to make greater strides in enabling our students to fulfill God's expectations in this area.
ReplyDeleteI love the book Steppingstones to Curriculum! Those points are all important in training the students in practical application of Biblical principles. It addresses so many reinforcements and opportunities for students to be held accountable for good citizenship. It allows them to act out what they learn in class. Teachers have such an awesome responsibility to train up a child. And these points are a great checklist for teachers to do.
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