Entry Points chapter 4-5

Outline Viewing The Whole Curriculum

I. The Nature of Knowledge
- The Biblical Concept of Knowledge
- Wisdom
- Knowledge and the curriculum
II. A Biblical view of the child
- The nature of humanity
- The child and learning
- The child with special needs
III. A question of methods
- What and why?
- When and where?
- Whom?
IV. The teachers role
- The changing nature of the role of the teacher
- Calling or profession?
- Developing relationships
- Commitment
V. Assessment

Notes
I. The Nature of Knowledge
Knowledge is seen to be objective and neutral, not necessarily requiring personal
commitment or a response.

- The Biblical Concept of Knowledge

know means yada (Hebrew), giving clues to the extent of the biblical concept of
knowing. Its various dimensions include:
- Knowing by learning
- Knowing in the intimacy of personal relationships
- Knowing in the context of distinguishing between good and bad
- watching over and caring for
Biblical view of knowledge involves multidimensional.
Knowing in the biblical sense requires a heart commitment and involves the will,
consciousness, emotions, and intellect. Thus, commitment has an impact on the
cognitive process and operations shaping motives, intention, desires, and values.
Knowledge, in a biblical sense, demands a response and requires wisdom.

- Wisdom
the fear of the Lord
Wisdom is mentioned in connection with.
- Skill in songs and proverbs
- Understanding and describing Gods creation
 - Mental working
- Seafaring
- Building
- Warfare, government
- Farming
Wisdom is the ability to make judgments and act on the basis of knowledge or to
discern modes of action with a view of their results.
Wisdom is practical and involves integrity; intellectual and critical faculties.
It is the ability to discern between right and wrong, administer justice and manage
affairs practically and sensibly so that we can live in right relationship with God.

- Knowledge and the curriculum

The existence of Christian and other schools is an indication that beliefs and values
influence educational systems and structures.
- A biblical understanding of love
- The inherent worth of individual human beings
- Caring for creation
- Restoring broken relationships

II. A Biblical view of the child

- The nature of humanity
Each person is unique, able to choose and act according to individual character,
nature and desires, but they are in fallen state. It creates a distorted image of God
humanity. The result is that judgments and decisions to damage the relationship with
God.
The human purpose is to be obedient to Gods will, to the norms, values and order
He has established, to reflect Gods glory, holiness, and righteousness.
- Created by God as a religious being; a creature; unique
- An image-bearer
- To glorify God
- To love the Lord
- To go and make disciples
- To care for and develop the earth

- The child and learning

Each child is unique with differing gifts and abilities which need to be recognized
and developed.

- The child with special needs

Whatever the disability, the child is completely loved and accepted.

III. A question of methods

- What and why?
If we know what we want to achieve, we can consider which techniques might help
or hinder us.
 - When and where?
Christian teachers understand that we are called by and answerable by God. Seek to
be sensitive of all the contextual factors; seek to make responsible choices.

- Whom?
Childrens education includes being socialized into certain pattern of learning.

IV. The teachers role

- The changing nature of the role of the teacher
traditional role focused on authoritarian methods of instruction and transmission.
progressive role focused on the personal growth and the development of the
individual.

- Calling or profession?
Some of the Christian teachers simply see teaching as a profession. It does not mean
that they have low priorities on Gods work.

- Developing relationships
Personal qualities and characteristics play a fundamental role. The relationship
developed between the teacher and pupil is not purely intellectual one

- Commitment
Aspect of commitments:
- Basic beliefs undergird the worldview, morals, and classroom practice
- Teachers need to share the values and purposes of the school

V. Assessment
Assessment and evaluation are necessary.
It is necessary if students are to gain a realistic picture of their own strengths and
weaknesses, progress and potential.
It is necessary if teachers are to gain a clear idea of the effectiveness of their teaching
approach; to be accountable to parents and to society.
- Assessment is not simply one kind of assessment
- Evaluation is necessary a valuing activity

Reflection
Even though this chapter has a subtitle about viewing curriculum but it focuses mainly
on the teachers character in making the curriculum. I believe this reading would be a great
reminder that I am called to be a Christian teacher. It is not just a profession, but rather it is a
calling that could only be done with Gods grace. For sure that character should be seen in the
way I make the unit and lesson plans that should refer to the true knowledge that is in Christ
alone.
Outline Models of Curriculum Development
I. Integrity in curriculum development
- The curriculum is not neutral
- Foundations are important
II. Curriculum Models
- The nature and character of God as a focus for learning
- The Christian worldview as expressed in Creation-Fall-Redemption and
Consummation, as a focus for the curriculum
- The creation order as a focus for curriculum development
- Knowledge of God as a central focus for learning

Notes
I. Integrity in curriculum development
- The curriculum is not neutral
The foundation of a curriculum is the knowledge itself; the teaching methodologies
used that based and contribute to the development to a particular worldview in the
minds of the pupils.

- Foundations are important

The foundation of a curriculum is particularly coherence.
Some schools relate their curriculum aims to the reasons for which their school was
established.
Teachers need to understand the implications of the content of the curriculum and the
teaching method employed to support the aims, beliefs, and values of the school.

II. Curriculum Models

The education equation:
- Romanticism/Progressivism
- Rationalism/Traditional
The key concerns:
- To maintain faithfulness to a Christian worldview
- How are the various possible curriculum contents to be brought into a harmonious
whole?
- How can the curriculum be structured in such a way that the hidden curriculum
as well as the explicit curriculum are communicating a Christian understand of
the world?

- The nature and character of God as a focus for learning

As Christian teachers we are ought to seek the insights from the study of Gods nature
and character which will help us to order our own experience of life and to order
childrens learning about the world.
- Know and enjoy God
- Understand the universe God has created
 - Be equipped to live constructively in contemporary society especially in God
given social units of family.

- The Christian worldview as expressed in Creation-Fall-Redemption and

Consummation, as a focus for the curriculum
e.g. a school that describe their curriculum as an integrated/interactive model, in
which knowledge is more than simply academics facts and more than segregated
pieces of information. It is seen in terms of integration and wholeness with God as the
source, center and end of each piece of information. They recognize that the model
might need to change to represent the curriculum more adequately as they themselves
develop their understanding of God and the world (Col 1: 17).

- The creation order as a focus for curriculum development

Divide the framework into three different man sections; what exists, how it functions,
it value.

- Knowledge of God as a central focus for learning

The knowledge of God is the key to understand the knowledge itself and how we
should understand the relationship between different forms of knowledge.

Reflection
From this chapter, I believe I would gain a better understanding that a curriculum
should be developed and should be integrated with other subjects. Especially, it should reflect
the true knowledge in God alone. Even though it is hard to make a coherence unit plan, but
this chapter could help me to think through the steps in constructing the proper unit plan and
lesson plan.