I left my last post giving you homework. I asked you to go and research laminin, the protein that holds our bodies together, and find out what it looks like. Did you do it? Were you amazed to find that it looks like this…
That’s right, the very thing that holds our bodies together is … a cross. The substance that makes our life on earth possible is shaped like the greatest symbol of our faith, of our redemption, of our eternal life. Incredible.
Now, I know there are some of you out there saying, “That’s interesting but what on earth does it have to do with education?” That’s a great question…
I believe that there is something, like laminin, that can hold all of the pieces of our education system together. Something that can take all of the standards and benchmarks and objectives and pedagogy and, and, well, you get the picture. Something that can take all of that stuff and refocus it into something that can change lives.
In my last post I said that our goal as Christian educators should be for our students to grow in the spirit and in the unique gifting God has given each of them… in a word, to be saved. The problem with this goal is that it is nearly impossible to know if it has happened. Notice I said “nearly” impossible. I believe there is one major difference between someone who is a believer and one who is not and that is; they look at the world differently. They have a Christian worldview.
I know a lot of you are groaning right now. Worldview is something that has been almost as big a buzzword as Biblical integration lately. However, I do believe it is the key to holding all of the pieces together. Worldview is the laminin for Christians in education.
The key for Worldview to be a useful tool for Christians in education can be found in how it is used. We need to help our students develop their worldview not dictate it to them. We need to disciple them along the path toward wisdom not browbeat them with it. Doing so will only create puppets not true believers who understand and can articulate what they believe.
Easier said than done? Maybe… but maybe not. Before I get ahead of myself I’m going to stop here for today. But I’ll leave you with a question.
How can we as teachers help our students develop their worldview in such a way that we aren’t creating brainwashed puppets? What’s the key to disciple them towards wisdom?
(image from www.seiyaku.com)
