Pedagogical Practices from a Biblical Perspective
If the core reason to learn mathematics is to worship God, how will this “look” in the everyday practice of the mathematics classroom? Does this occur separately from the business of teaching and learning, or are worship and learning somehow entwined?
Classroom culture needs liturgical and worshipful practices, intentional with rhythm and regularity: to form the imagination, shape character and direct passion to the kingdom of God.
“One of the most crucial things to appreciate about Christian formation is that it happens over time. It is not fostered by events or experiences; real formation cannot be effected by actions that are merely episodic”
Smith, 2009, p. 204
Worshipful practices are all about story.
Often, there are already good practices that exist in our classrooms. These just need to be fine-tuned to let students into our thinking and to provide context and intentionality around what is practiced.
There is a “story” attached to everything that is done in the classroom, whether articulated or not, and these need to be “told” as part of the biblical story.
These 10 practices enable students to imagine, model, and taste God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven and demonstrate this to others. Deep learning is fostered. God is enjoyed and glorified!
The story of God’s purposes for life, education, topics, activities, and even mundane mathematics skills needs to be told in daily worship of God.
Celebrate God’s beautiful work in creation, which is reflected in humankind.
Living out of Christian values is an obedient response, by faith, to God’s saving work done through Christ and the fruit of abiding in Christ.
God’s great love: His goodness, grace, mercy, and forgiveness demonstrated through Jesus, compels humans to respond in grateful worship and to lay down their lives for others.
God is the source of truth. Jesus is the truth. Christians respond by worshipping God in spirit and truth.
God uses the Christian community to bring light and share His praise. Each person is a valued member of the body, and by coming together, Shalom can be experienced.
God placed His good creation in the hands of humans to develop it and be caretakers of it. They were given this task to glorify God.
Worship is heat, mind, soul, and body: thinking, devotion, and action.
God’s wisdom, revealed in and through the person of Jesus, is gifted to those who seek Him.
God has created humans, in Christ Jesus, to do the good works that He has prepared in advance for them. The response is to do this work wholeheartedly, in gratitude, for the Lord.
The classroom environment
Humans, created in God’s image, are called to worship Him, and bring Him glory. They pray to see God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). Therefore, the classroom environment integrates learning and faith through:
- Seeking transformation: Through the Holy Spirit, students strive to conform to the likeness of Christ (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
- Seeking wisdom: not just head knowledge.
- Valuing learning in community: Each student contributes uniquely to the learning process, as a valuable member of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12).
- Tests ‘facts’ against biblical truth: Instead of accepting worldview understandings and information uncritically, students evaluate them against a Biblical framework.
- Celebrating God’s image in students: Recognising that students, made in God’s image, produce beautiful work that can draw others to worship God.
- Engaging in holistic activities: The curriculum includes diverse, rich, and complex experiences, reflecting the diversity of God’s creation and humankind.
- Wholehearted work: Encouraging students to approach their tasks with dedication, recognising that all work is ultimately done for the Lord (Colossians 3:23–24).
- Biblical stewardship: Understanding, practicing, and participating in stewardship as outlined in Genesis 1:28.
- Critical Reflection: Considering the context and story behind texts and resources used in the classroom.
- Re-Storying (or reframing) learning outcomes: Provides context for activities within the larger Biblical narrative.
- Cultivating a culture where students can flourish: Operating within an atmosphere of love, grace, gratitude, and forgiveness (Colossians 3:12–17).
These practices enable students to imagine, model, and taste God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, demonstrating it to others. Deep learning is fostered. God is enjoyed and glorified!