Making A Difference: Christian Educators in Public Schools

by Donovan L. Graham, Michael Reister (Illustrator)

What would it take for Christian educators to not only survive but even thrive in the challenging circumstances of the public school? What would it take for them to know a sense of calling and to have the power to faithfully pursue it? How might they reflect their faith in the classroom without crossing legal boundaries designed to restrict them? How would such educators hope to make a difference in students' lives when so many forces are against them? To make a difference in students' lives, educators must realize that just as with Jesus, lives are changed through relationship. Again, as with Jesus, such relationships are built on grace. The big act of grace is to treat students as image bearers of God-fallen, yes, but still image bearers. To do that, educators much receive that grace from Jesus themselves and live out their calling as His image bearers as well. To maintain that flow of grace from God to educator to students requires that educators have an intimate relationsip with Him. And finally, educators must find or create a community that can support them and join them in pursuit of their calling.Thare are the five major themes "Making a Educators in Public Schools" sets before teachers and administrators who seek to serve God in the public school arena.

Genres: Education

202 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jeremy Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is "Making a Difference." I was curious to read a fellow Christians perspective of working within the government school system. The author openly states that being a witness or evangelist to the truth of the Word of God is NOT the purpose of working for the government school system. The teacher is allowed, according to the author, to share Biblical principles with their students, as long as they do not say that the principles come from the Bible or God.

In other words, the author admits that to work for the government school the teacher must be willing to refuse to share their faith, speak of their God, or speak the name of Jesus.

I was not surprised that this is the case in the government system. I was just surprised that the author believed this to be acceptable.