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ACSI Bible Curriculum
The Association of Christian Schools International with headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado publishes a Bible curriculum for schools which belong to its organization. This section will look at the preschool, Kindergarten and grade one workbooks, published in 1995.
The authors of this Bible curriculum are a group of eight qualified teachers from various states in the U.S. A number of resource authors, project manager designers, production artists, assistant illustrators and a photographer complete the team, under supervision of Dr. Sharon Berry, ACSI director of curriculum (who, along with a team of assistant editors, brought this Bible curriculum to fruition). Each of the three books has thirty-six lessons. The grade one and kindergarten workbooks begin with creation, while the preschool workbook devotes two lessons to “Jesus and the children” and then goes on to discuss creation. The inside cover of each workbook gives a six-step guideline on how to remember Scripture: read, reason, rearrange, reproduce, rehearse and review.
For these primary children, this six-step program would merely serve as a reminder for the teacher to help students remember God’s word; neither of the groups knows how to read as yet. Each of the three levels presents the story of Adam and Eve; in the preschool and kindergarten books (right after the stories of Adam and Eve) there is a lesson on good and bad behaviour (since Adam and Eve, “the first people, taught their children to obey God.”)211 The preschool book has a letter that is to go home to parents, asking them to explain to their children the importance of obeying God “the first time a request is made” (by a parent or grown up).
There is a chart on the letter with four categories of obedience exercises: picking up toys, going to bed, coming when called and saying Bible verse. There is a slot for each day of the week so parents can fill in the chart every day with their child. The chart is titled, “The Happy Way is to Obey.” Before the letter to parents is sent home, several pages of pictures depicting good and bad behaviour are noted and discussed. In the kindergarten workbook, the good and bad behaviour pictures are accompanied by happy and sad faces; students can put the right face beside the right behaviour.212 This chart is sent home again after Lesson 17, when students have learned how “the Boy Jesus obeyed His parents” (p. 71). The following page depicts a certificate, stating: “This is to certify that ___________ has obeyed right away all week.” This certificate is then signed and dated by the child’s teacher.
MEI Chilliwack: A Middle School Interview
On October 17th, 2004, I had the privilege of visiting the Mennonite Educational Institute in Chilliwack. This campus was formerly Valley Christian School, but was subsumed under the MEI wing in 2000. I talked with Mr. PH, the principal. MEI Chilliwack includes grades K-9; Hills teaches Bible for the upper grades (7, 8, 9) and plans the weekly chapels and yearly Bible themes.210 Principal PH noted that even though they were now a Mennonite school, the majority of parents, teachers and students are not Mennonites as such: “In fact, even fewer would assume a position of passivism as far as war is concerned.
Most don’t know it is one of the ground positions of the Mennonite faith.” Mr. PH is passionate about teaching Bible; he notes that students, parents and teachers alike need to use more precise language in describing faith, justification and sanctification. He considers the Holy Spirit totally essential in the teaching of Bible as well as the other subjects. “Only the Holy Spirit can transform a child.” In his school the Bible is viewed as the inerrant, infallible and inspired Word of God.
Since coming under the MEI umbrella, the school now has an open admission policy (children from Christian and non-Christian homes may attend the school). 210 D:15, p.367.
Thus, there will of necessity be an element of evangelism in the teaching of Bible. (Previously, at least one parent had to be a Christian in order to enrol his/her child in the school.)
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
I. History of the Project
II. Methodological Considerations
1. Historical Investigations
2. Research Questions
3. Qualitative Investigations
4. Data Collection and Interview Guide
5. Data Analysis and Comparison
III. Purpose, Structure and Intent
1. Purpose
2. Structure and Progression
3. Paradigmatic Perspectives
4. Limitations and Delimitations
IV. Conclusion
CHAPTER 2 REFORMED CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOLS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
II. Dutch Calvinists Start Christian Day Schools in BC
1. The Immigrant Experience
2. Roots of the Dutch Calvinist School Movement of British Columbia
3. Historical Influences on the Dutch Calvinists that gave Impetus to the Christian School Movement
i. `Het Reveil’ and `De Afscheiding’
ii. Abraham Kuyper
iii. The priesthood of all believers
iv. The Paedo Baptist position relating to Dutch Reformed Christian school
III. Christian Reformed Day Schools in BC, 1950-1960
1. The Structure of the Early Dutch Calvinist Christian Day Schools in BC
2. The Philosophy Behind Teaching Bible in the 1950s and 1960s
3. The Christian Teachers’ Association
4. The Birth of District 12 of the National Union of Christian Schools
5. Teaching Bible in the 1970s: Revelation Response Serie
6. Teaching Bible in the 1980s
7. The Interview Process: Implementing the Text
i. Bible 12: Knowing our Story, course outline
8. Teaching Bible, 1990-present
IV. Other `Reformed’ Day Schools
1. The Canadian Reformed Church Schools, 1950- present
i. History
ii. Teaching Bible at Canadian Reformed schools, 1990-present
2. Netherlands Reformed Congregation Christian Day School: Timothy Christian School, Rosedale, BC (TCS
3. The Netherlands Reformed Church of North America: Mt. Cheam Christian School, Chilliwack,
V. Summary
CHAPTER 3 OTHER DENOMINATIONAL DAY SCHOOLS IN BC
I. Mennonite Schools: The Mennonite Educational Institute (MEI)
1. History of the Mennonite People in BC
2. Establishment of ME
3. Teaching Bible at MEI
i. Teacher Interviews at MEI Elementary
ii. Intermediate Curriculum at MEI
iii. Teaching Bible in High School
iv. MEI Chilliwack-A Middle School Interiew
4. ACSI Bible Curriculum
II. Pentecostal Schools
1. An Interview
2. History: Origins of the Pentecostal Movement
3. Pentecostal Day Schools in BC
III. Lutheran Schools
1. History: Origins of Lutheranism
i. Luther’s view of scripture
ii. Luther’s view of the child
iii. Luther’s view of the Holy Spirit’s work
iv. Lutheranism in North America
v. Lutheranism in BC
2. Zion Lutheran School, Cloverdale, BC
i. Bible curriculum at Zion Lutheran School
CHAPTER 4 TOWARD A BLENDED IMPROVEMENT IN THE INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND LEARNING IN THE TEACHING OF BIBLE IN BC CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
I. Blending Process and Practice
1. Blending Roles of Church, Home and School
2. Blending Goals
3. Blending Curriculum and Best Practice
i. Overview of Interview Questions
ii. Blending Bible Curriculum
iii. Curriculum Coordinators
iv. Curriculum Frameworks
v. Classroom Learning Environment
4. Blending Pedagogy
i. Interview Question #3
ii. Interview Question #4
iii. Christian Pedagogy: How to Teach a Child
5. Blending Methodology: How to Reach a Child
i. Storytelling
ii. Following the canon
iii. Group and Individual Work
6. Assessment
II. Blending Faith Beliefs to Improve Integration of Faith and Learning
1. Blending Faith Beliefs About the Bible
i. Introductory Comments
ii. Interpretive Frameworks
2. Blending Faith Beliefs About God’s Community
i. Making Decisions in Community
ii. The Trinitarian Model
iii. ‘One Anothering’
iv. An Example
3. Blending Faith Beliefs About the Holy Spirit
i. Faith Beliefs About How the Spirit Works
ii. Special Gifts from the Spirit
iii. Varied Emphases
III. The Christian Teacher: Putting Faith Beliefs and Process into Practice
IV. Recommendations and Conclusion
BIBLIOGRAPHY
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT
SPIRITED TEACHING: THE INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND LEARNING IN THE TEACHING OF BIBLE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
