These are fast, little, worldview-biblical discussion bullets!
Discussion starters and reflection questions are a key strategy to frame learning.
Providing contexts around the skills learned in mathematics are a useful way to examine current issues and help students formulate responses.
Christian teachers need to model a biblical framework from which to shape wisdom thinking.
Framing learning with context helps students understand the purpose of their learning. It allows students to learn in community: from their teachers, from each other, and from their home community.
They do NOT need to detract from the time needed to learn specific mathematical skills & techniques as they only need to take 10 minutes of lesson time every few weeks!
Strategies
- Use these to ‘grab’ student attention at the beginning of a topic or a lesson.
- Make use of online learning platforms that contain discussion boards and take the opportunity to teach students digital literacy.
- Students can share ideas in groups and/or with the class.
- Assign these for homework and encourage students to formulate their responses in discussion with their family.
- Project online responses for the class to see, provide opportunities for students to sharpen their own understanding, and marvel at God’s world in worship of Him.
- Use as a ‘formative assessment’. Student responses provide valuable insights into their progress towards their life-long learning outcomes. The teacher can give feedback to their students in the form of a follow-up question to further challenge their thinking and move them forward in their faith journey.
- Design assignments that explore real-life issues. Have students come to expect a personal reflection question at the end of their assignments and even their exams.
- Discussion items provide a ‘springboard’ for further discussions!
- When ‘grading‘, marks should be assigned to “thoughtful answers” rather than “correct answers”.
Not sure how to bring a Biblical perspective to your mathematics class? Try asking one of these questions and you will be surprised by the insight that your students can provide!
Do we do a very good job of organising and controlling our world?
(Who is in control? Data and statistics; algebra and algorithms)
“I think humans have done a very bad job at looking after the world. The world is dying because we have been selfish and only looked out for ourselves. I think that human instinct in itself is good because we were made in God’s image, but then when we sinned, we let earthly desires pollute God’s will for us”.
Kia, age: 15, Oct. 2018
Can everything be predicted?
What do patterns and order reveal about the character and nature of God?
(Functions and graphs – Algebra)
“God is a God who values pattern and order. He is not a God of chaos. His patterns reveal that he never changes, just like patterns always stay the same. God has control over his creation/all things, and this is shown through him creating order. When we stuff that up, he has the power to turn the chaos into peace”.
Grace, age: 14, Sept. 2018
Why did God design so many things with symmetry in nature?
(Geometry)
“God created things with symmetry so that we can appreciate his perfection. Also, so that we can learn that in the horror of the world he is still there. That is why I think God created things with symmetry”.
Bella, age: 11, Oct. 2017
Reasoning: Do you need to scientifically or mathematically ‘prove’ something in order for it to be true?
Is truth only that which we can see and prove?
(Mathematical proofs)
“Most people don’t prove their truth – they just believe it anyway!”
Luke, age: 14, Oct. 2018
What do parabolas (or the fact that parabolas describe so many things) tell us about God/ourselves?
(Functions and graphs)
“The fact that there is an abundance of parabolas in nature and the rule is built into things like the flight of projectiles, this points to an intelligent design of the universe by a creative being, or in other words, it points to the God of the Christian bible”.
Elie, age: 16, July 2023