A Biblical World View and Curriculum Development As Creator of the world, God knows all things and knows how life should be viewed and lived. (Sis. 46:9-10; Web. 4:13). Introduction Curriculum development has become a very heated topic over the years. How we go about ensuring that students have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in school is in the mind of many people these days.
For those with a Biblical World view, the process of selecting and organizing how and what children are taught in public, private and Christian Schools is based on their belief that God goes exist and that he Is the ruler by which all things are considered. The desire to love and serve God Is the primary reason for their existence. So how does having a biblical world view impact the belief about how school curriculum should be developed and how does having a biblical world view affect the belief in what roles do teachers, governments, families, students and churches play in developing school curriculum?
Biblical world View of curriculum Development Curriculum development described by authors Poster and Rotundity (2006) Is a process which “results in a design specifying the desired learning [the intended earning outcomes]; thus, curriculum Is analogous to a blueprint or an architectural design” (pig. 9). God too has clearly outlined the lives he wants for His believers to t Off tallow. Our “blueprint” is Dunn in the Holy God’s written instructions tort now his saints are to live.
One of the last commands Jesus issued to his disciples before his ascension was to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you”. (Matt 28:16-20, NECK) For that nomad to be fulfilled, the Word of God is to be learned, to be studied and to be taught to all. It is this author’s opinion that the selection of intended learning outcomes be based on fulfilling God’s word. God’s word should be incorporated in all instruction.
Curriculum should be designed to assist teachers to teach children to know and do what is true according to God. According to author Van Bremen , (2009) “The Christian approach to Curriculum opens up God’s revelation in His Word and His World. It upholds truth while encouraging students to apply it creatively to their personal lives and to their lives in society’ (pig. 1). The Role of a Teacher in In today’s times, teachers are viewed by some as the most critical person in a child’s life outside of their parents.
For many, teachers are not Just educators. They are leaders, mentors, surrogate mothers or fathers, the list can go on. Jesus himself holds teachers responsible for what they teach. He stated “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:2, NECK) In curriculum development, the role of a teacher is probably the most important facet that is used n the planning of what is to be taught.
It is at the classroom level where all the plans put into place by “others” is implemented. The life off teacher is that of having to constantly adjust those plans and to assess student understanding and achievement. (Van Bremen, 2009). A person with a biblical world view would see that the role of a teacher is that they are the “stewards or guardians of knowledge and instruction, choosing content and strategies that will enrich the lives of students” (Van Bremen, 2009). It is the teacher’s voice that could say if or whether the content and strategies will work.
The Role of the Learner in Curriculum Development Throughout the Word of God we are commanded to seek wisdom and knowledge. God’s word tells us if we have found it, there is hope (Proverbs 24:14, NECK) As a student the importance of being involved in what is being taught is critical for gaining the wisdom we need to be successful in God’s kingdom. God commands us to renew our mind. (Romans 12:2 NECK). The student can provide information on what the appropriate levels of expectations are and what practices can improve student performances (Alaska Department of Education).
The Roles Churches, Government, Families and Society play in Curriculum Development The role of communities, various religious groups and political groups can influence curriculum development as evidenced by the Common Core Standards Initiative. In 2010, various States throughout the country volunteered to adopt standards that would establish a single set of clear educational values for K-12th grade students in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
This initiative was led by governors and education commissioners. Parents, school administrators and experts trot across the country helped provide the intimation needed to develop the tankards (Common Core Standards, 2010). Although Common Core standards were developed for the good of the country, it clearly left out where God stood in what children were going to be taught about Him. The word of God is now only found in private Christian schools curriculums.
In Conclusion The difference between a Biblical World View and that of a Secular World view is becoming more and more blurred in today’s times. Society had thrown out the Word of God and has adopted a theology that tickles their ears. No longer are schools used to teach the Word of God as they were when they first were opened but now they are adulterously for those who oppose any mention of Jesus and his Word. Children today are being told if they give thanks to God, they are violating someone’s civil rights.
Jesus warned us in the later days that men “will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, untruthful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despiser of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power ” ( 2nd Timothy 3:2-5, NECK). The importance of teaching children today of the works of Jesus is even more critical than it was 20 years ago.
