Meet Learning Needs

Meet student learning needs

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-10-23T14:11:00+09:00

If you want to help your students to better connect God’s world and Word, meet their learning needs. “Learning needs” are anything your students need in order for learning to happen. Watch this video about meeting 5 learning needs students have:

Want to work with your colleagues to better meet student learning needs? If so, then purchase Meet Your Students’ Learning Needs (US$25), a discussion-based kit with 7 sessions. As a result of completing these 7 sessions, you will…

Define and meet your students’ learning needs.
Help your students better understand the importance of connecting God’s world and Word.
Help your students better understand that God’s Word can be connected to the part of God’s world they are studying.
Help your students understand more biblical principles that connect to what they study.
Provide the engaging instruction your students need in order to connect God’s world and Word.
Provide time during class for your students to reflect on how God’s world and Word are connected.
Demonstrate your commitment to meeting your students’ learning needs.

Download a sample session.

Purchase Meet Your Students’ Learning Needs (US$25). This kit is 1 of a 4-part series:

Help Your Students Connect God’s World and Word
Use Assessment
Use Questions
Meet Student Learning Needs

How committed are you to meeting your students’ learning needs?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2011-05-11T20:23:00+09:00

If you see someone recycling paper and plastic, riding her bike instead of driving her car, and writing blog entries about taking care of the environment, you think, “Wow! She’s really committed to going green.” If you see someone who isn’t recycling, isn’t riding her bike, and isn’t writing blog entries on the environment, you don’t think, “Wow! She’s really committed to going green.” Why? Because you know that people who are committed take action, and you know that people who aren’t really committed don’t take action.

In Christian education, we're committed to helping our students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. We know that meeting learning needs helps students make connections. So, we're committed to meeting learning needs to help our students make these connections.

What’s your real level of commitment to meeting your students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches? To determine your response, reflect on the following questions:

What are your students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
What are you doing to meet your students’ learning needs?
How consistently do you take action to meet your students’ learning needs?
How committed are you really?

Want to raise your real commitment level? Take action on 1 student learning need.

Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Meet their learning needs. Today.

What will you do to better connect what you teach and what the Bible teaches?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2011-03-18T20:21:00+09:00

Want to help your students to better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches? If so, make sure you can make better connections.

Question: How can you do this?

By identifying your own learning needs. And then by developing an action plan to meet 1 of your own learning needs.

To develop your action plan, ask yourself the following 7 questions. Better yet, invite a colleague to ask you:

What subjects do you teach?
What excites/concerns you about connecting what you teach and what the Bible teaches?
Which learning needs do you have?
Which learning need would you like to meet?
What are some ways you could meet this learning need?
What action step will you take to meet this learning need?
When will you take this action step?

Bottom line: Meet your own learning needs. Take action. Today.

How can you better connect what you teach and what the Bible teaches?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2011-01-20T08:15:57+09:00

“I’ve got to find ways to help them.” You’re sitting at your desk, thinking: “I’ve got find ways to help my students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. But how can I help when I don’t really get how what I teach is connected to what the Bible teaches?”

Question: What can you do to better connect what you teach and what the Bibles teaches?

Start by identifying your own learning needs. To help get you started on identifying your own learning needs, ask yourself, “Which of the following 10 items describe how I feel about helping students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?”

(1) Speaking practically, this doesn’t seem to be a real priority. I mean, teachers model Christlike behavior, talk with students about Christ, and do devotions, Bible class, and chapel. Students get this part of a Biblical perspective—they encourage each other, help lead devotions and chapel, and participate in Bible class. And parents like what we do—seems pretty good as is. Is increasing student understanding and use of a Biblical perspective of course content a real priority?

I’m not asked to grade my students on this. It’s not part of ITBS, PSAT, SAT, or AP tests. It’s not on college applications. If my students don’t master a certain skill, parents are concerned—no parent has ever talked to me about how well their child understands a Biblical perspective of my course content. When my students don’t master certain content or skills, I hear about it from the teacher above me—I don’t think I really teach a Biblical perspective of my subject, and no teacher above has talked to me about this.

Neither has my principal. And my principal has not asked to see sample assignments in which my students demonstrate their understanding and use of a Biblical perspective. I think I could get this if someone would work with me and if I was held accountable to do this.

(2) This doesn’t come up at my church or at home. My family and my church talk about being a Christian. We talk about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. I’m not sure how my faith is related to my subject area. I’m not sure I could explain a Biblical perspective of my course content. I think other teachers might get this, so I don’t want to bring it up.

(3) I’m not sure what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—I read missionary biographies and I go on mission trips with my church. What does teaching a Biblical perspective look like? How do you assess student understanding and use of a Biblical perspective? And what does quality student work look like when a student is demonstrating that she understands a Biblical perspective?

(4) My colleagues say they teach from a Biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t get it. They have their students work in groups and learn muscle names, but I don’t understand how this is part of Christian education. They seem to mostly do the same things that my non-Christian friends who teach do. What’s the difference?

(5) I don't always understand the vocabulary—integration of faith and learning, worldview, just war theory, year of Jubilee. Could I get a vocabulary list with definitions on it?

(6) Teaching what the Bible teaches is boring. I mean, it’s black and white, and I mostly lecture—that’s not fun for me or for my students. Sometimes I do object lessons. I want my students to experience engaging instructional strategies. Any ideas?

(7) I need to think through the answers for myself. I hear answers at meetings and workshops. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. I probably need to write out what I think.

(8) I need time to think about what I’m teaching. I teach all day, am involved in after school activities, and mark papers at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect on my teaching? Is there any way reflection time could be built into my schedule? Into the meetings I attend?

(9) To really get this, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I teach in class. If I could connect the Bible with my daily life, I think I could get a better handle on teaching from a Biblical perspective. I read about current events, and I’m not always sure how the Bible applies.

(10) I need more feedback. I like getting feedback about my teaching from my colleagues and principal. To get better at teaching from a Biblical perspective, I need more feedback on my content, assessment, and instruction. And I need a way to know how many of my students are at or above standard on understanding and using a Biblical perspective. I know that everyone is busy, but I could really use some help.

Question: So, what are your learning needs?

Bottom line: Meet your own learning needs. Start by identifying them. Today.

How will you meet your students’ learning needs?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-11-19T09:11:33+09:00

Here are 8 ways to meet your students’ learning needs:

To help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective, give them an assessment that requires them to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
To help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content, show them an example.
To help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective, explain how you use a Biblical perspective to choose instructional strategies.
To help your students learn key vocabulary words, do a vocabulary lesson.
To help your students experience engaging instructional strategies, use case studies and questions.
To provide time during class for reflection, have your student journal during class.
To help your students connect what they study, what the Bible teaches, and life, give an assessment requiring students to connect all 3.
To give your students more practice connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches, give more assessments

Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Take action to meet their learning needs. Today.

What are your students’ learning needs?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-09-16T20:09:54+09:00

You want to help your middle school students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. You know that meeting their learning needs is a good place to start. And you know that in order to meet your students’ learning needs, you have to know what they are.

Question: What are your students’ learning needs?

To help get you get started on identifying your students’ learning needs, ask yourself, “Which of the following 10 items might I hear my kids say?”

This doesn’t seem important. My teachers don’t grade me on this. When I wasn’t doing well in science, my teacher talked to me—I don’t think I understand a Biblical perspective, and no teacher has talked to me about this. Do teachers really think this is important?
This doesn’t come up at my church or at home. My family and my church talk about being a Christian. We talk about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. I don’t get what my faith has to do with the Greeks or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The teacher did mention this in the beginning of the year, but that was a long time ago, and I kind of forgot how it all connects. I think other students might get this, so I don’t want to ask.
I don't know what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—we read missionary biographies at school and I go on mission trips with my church. What does doing a good job on using a Biblical perspective look like in an essay? And what does this look like in the computer world? I want to work for Apple.
My teachers say they teach from a Biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t get it. They have us work in groups and learn parts of speech, but they don’t explain how this is part of Christian education. We seem to mostly do the same things my friends do at schools that aren’t Christian. What’s the difference?
I don't understand the vocabulary—Biblical perspective, integrate faith and learning, image bearer, temple of the Holy Spirit, worldview. Teachers talk, but I don’t always understand the words. Could I get vocabulary list with definitions on it?
Learning what the Bible teaches is boring. Well, Bible class isn’t boring, but the way teachers teach about the Bible in other classes is boring. Mostly lecture–this doesn’t really help me understand a Biblical perspective of what I’m studying. I like discussing things. So do my friends.
I need to think through answers for myself. I listen to teachers talk. They give good answers. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. Maybe the teachers could ask more questions. Questions that have more than one right answer. One of my teachers asks us “Where do you belong?” all the time.
I need time to think about what I’m learning. We don’t really do this in class, and I’ve got sports after school and homework at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect? Could we do some journaling during class?
To really get this, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I study in class. If my teachers would give me chances to connect the Bible with my life–my music, my relationships, my problems—I think I could get it. One of my homeschooler friends got to analyze a CD from a Biblical perspective. That sounds pretty cool.
I need more chances to practice. It’s hard for me to get good at using a Biblical perspective when I don’t get enough practice. Using a Biblical perspective takes skill. I get repeated skill practice in math, and I’m good at it. Can I get more skill practice?

Question: So, what are your students’ learning needs?

Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Identify their learning needs. Today.

How can you more effectively meet student learning needs?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-07-11T00:08:10+09:00

To get an idea of how you can more effectively meet student learning needs to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, complete the following self-assessment for 1 class you teach: ___________________ (name of class). Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.

Rate each statement below. Use the following scale: 4 Strongly Agree • 3 Agree • 2 Disagree • 1 Strongly Disagree

___ I know what my students’ learning needs are regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I meet my students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
___ I know what my own learning needs are regarding connecting what I teach and what the Bible teaches.
___ I meet my own learning needs regarding connecting what I teach and what the Bible teaches.
___ I am committed to meeting my students’ learning needs in order to help students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.

Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
What excites/concerns me about the data?
What can I do to more effectively meet my students’ learning needs regarding connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
What will I do?

Bottom line: Help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. Meet their learning needs. Today.

*Here are additional resources that can help you target Biblical perspective:
Tutorials
Videos
Self-assessments

Ask questions to DRAW others out

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-12-28T09:53:54+09:00

Your fellow teachers want to help their students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. You can help your fellow teachers by asking questions to DRAW them out.

To better meet your students' learning needs, take this self-assessment

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-28T08:36:17+09:00

You want your students to increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective. You know that 1 way to do this is by meeting your students’ learning needs.

Question: How can you get started?

Answer: By taking the following self-assessment. Rate each item, using the following scale:

4: Strongly agree • 3: Agree • 2: Disagree • 1: Strongly disagree

___ I know what learning needs are. (Read)
___ I use an effective process for addressing my students’ learning needs. (Watch, Read, Discuss)

___ My students understand the importance of Biblical perspective. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students know what applying a Biblical perspective looks like. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students can explain how I teach from a Biblical perspective. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students understand the vocabulary words necessary for understanding and applying a Biblical perspective. (Read, Discuss)

___ My students experience engaging instructional strategies. (Read, Discuss 1, Discuss 2)
___ My students have opportunities to think through answers for themselves. (Read, Discuss)
___ My students have time in class to reflect. (Read, Discuss)
___ My assessments require my students to connect a Biblical perspective with their lives. (Read)
___ My students get regular practice in applying a Biblical perspective to what they study. (Read, Discuss)

___ To help my students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, I meet their learning needs.
___ I want to learn more about meeting my students’ learning needs.
___ I am committed to helping my students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective.

Now, ask yourself 4 questions about the data:

How many 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s do I have?
What excites/frutrates me about the data?
Which items do I want to learn more about?
What will I do?

Additional resources:

Tutorial: Meet your students’ learning needs
Use the IDEAL process to help your students internalize a Biblical perspective
Action plan bank for meeting student learning needs
To meet your students' learning needs, explore 12 questions

To learn more about meeting your students' learning needs, explore 12 questions

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-28T08:19:24+09:00

You want your students to develop a Christ-centered worldview. So, you want your students to increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective. To help them, you know you’ll need to meet their learning needs.

Question: How can you learn more about meeting your students’ learning needs?

Answer: By exploring the following list of 12 questions. The list comes with readings and discussion guides:

What are sample learning needs? (Read)
How can you meet your students’ learning needs? (Watch, Read, Discuss)
How can you help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective? (Read, Discuss)
How can you help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content? (Read, Discuss)
How can you show your students what applying a Biblical perspective looks like? (Read, Discuss)
How can you help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective? (Read, Discuss)
What vocabulary words do your students need to learn? (Read, Discuss)
What engaging instructional strategies will help your students? (Read, Discuss 1, Discuss 2)
How can you give your students opportunities to think through answers for themselves? (Read, Discuss)
How can you provide time during class for reflection? (Read, Discuss)
How can you design assessments so that your students connect a Biblical perspective with their lives? (Read, Discuss)
How can you give your students more practice? (Read, Discuss)

Remember: The real question isn't "How can you learn more about meeting your students’ learning needs?" The real question is, "How will you help your students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective?"

Additional resources:

Self-assessment: To better meet your students' learning needs, take this self-assessment
Tutorial: Meet your students’ learning needs
Use the IDEAL process to help your students internalize a Biblical perspective
Action plan bank for meeting student learning needs

What are your students' learning needs?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-28T07:30:26+09:00

You want your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. One way you can help your students is by meeting their learning needs.

Question: What are your students’ learning needs?

Suggestion: To determine what your students’ learning needs are...

Read the list of 10 learning needs (below), considering which needs your students have. (The needs have been phrased in student language.)
Do something to meet 1 of the needs you identified.

(1) This doesn’t seem important. My teachers don’t grade me on this. When I wasn’t doing well in science, my teacher talked to me—I don’t think I understand a Biblical perspective, and no teacher has talked to me about this. Do teachers really think this is important?

(2) This doesn’t come up at my church or at home. My family and my church talk about being a Christian. We talk about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. I don’t get what my faith has to do with the Greeks or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The teacher did mention this in the beginning of the year, but that was a long time ago, and I kind of forgot how it all connects. I think other students might get this, so I don’t want to ask.

(3) I don't know what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—we read missionary biographies at school and I go on mission trips with my church. What does doing a good job on using a Biblical perspective look like in an essay? And what does this look like in the computer world? I want to work for Apple.

(4) My teachers say they teach from a Biblical perspective, but I don’t understand how that works. I believe them, but I don’t get it. They have us work in groups and learn parts of speech, but they don’t explain how this is part of Christian education. We seem to mostly do the same things my friends do at schools that aren’t Christian. What’s the difference?

(5) I don't understand the vocabulary—Biblical perspective, integrate faith and learning, image bearer, temple of the Holy Spirit, worldview. Teachers talk, but I don’t always understand the words. Could I get vocabulary list with definitions on it?

(6) Learning what the Bible teaches is boring. Well, Bible class isn’t boring, but the way teachers teach about the Bible in other classes is boring. Mostly lecture–this doesn’t really help me understand a Biblical perspective of what I’m studying. I like discussing things. So do my friends.

(7) I need to think through answers for myself. I listen to teachers talk. They give good answers. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. Maybe the teachers could ask more questions. Questions that have more than one right answer. One of my teachers asks us “Where do you belong?” all the time.

(8) I need time to think about what I’m learning. We don’t really do this in class, and I’ve got sports after school and homework at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect? Could we do some journaling during class?

(9) To really get this, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I study in class. If my teachers would give me chances to connect the Bible with my life–my music, my relationships, my problems—I think I could get it. One of my homeschooler friends got to analyze a CD from a Biblical perspective. That sounds pretty cool.

(10) I need more chances to practice. It’s hard for me to get good at using a Biblical perspective when I don’t get enough practice. Using a Biblical perspective takes skill. I get repeated skill practice in math, and I’m good at it. Can I get more skill practice?

Engage your students by telling stories and asking questions

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-02T10:28:15+09:00

Question: What are engaging instructional strategies you can use to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Answer: Storytelling and asking questions. Theses are a time-tested, user-friendly strategies that students find engaging.

Question: How can you use storytelling and asking questions to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Empower others to consider how to get students to understand that there’s a Biblical perspective of course content

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-01-11T08:45:00+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
What do your students think a Biblical perspective applies to? doesn’t apply to?

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.
What’s satisfying/unsatisfying about your students’ recognition that a Biblical perspective applies to what they study?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), how well do your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to what they study?
How would it help your students if they better understood that a Biblical perspective can be applied to what they study?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.

What are 5 things you can do to help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to what they study?
What will you do?

Empower others to help students see the importance of Biblical perspective

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-11-14T08:39:00+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
In your last unit or during the last week of instruction in 1 class, what was the fraction?

# of lessons in which you taught a Biblical perspective of course content / total # of lessons
# of class minutes students learned about Biblical perspective of course content / total # of class minutes
# of Biblical perspective assessments / total # of assessments (including homework, in-class assignments, quizzes, and tests)

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.

What excites/frustrates your students about Biblical perspective?
What excites/frustrates you about how your students see Biblical perspective?
What excites/frustrates you about teaching from a Biblical perspective?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

What helps your students see the importance of Biblical perspective? What hinders?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), what value do your students think you put on connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), what value do your students put on connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), what value do you want your students to put on connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.

To get your students to see the importance of Biblical perspective, what do you need to keep doing? start doing? stop doing?
What will you do?

Empower others to help students understand what effective application of a Biblical perspective looks like

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-03-17T07:44:00+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you help your students understand what effective application of a Biblical perspective looks like on a classroom assessment?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
What do your students think effective application of a Biblical perspective looks like?

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.

What’s encouraging/discouraging about your students’ understanding of what effective application of a Biblical perspective looks like?
What’s easy/hard about helping your students understand what effective application of a Biblical perspective looks like?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

To what do you attribute your students’ current level of understanding?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), how clear are you on what effective application of a Biblical perspective on a classroom assessment looks like?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.

What are 3-5 ways you could help your students understand what effective application of a Biblical perspective on a classroom assessment looks like?
What will you do?

Empower teachers to help students understand how teachers teach from a Biblical perspective

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-05-18T07:39:00+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective?”

Define: Get the facts defined.

How do you teach from a Biblical perspective?
What do you do to help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective?

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.

What satisfies/concerns you about how you teach from a Biblical perspective?
What satisfies/concerns you about your students’ understanding of how you teach from a Biblical perspective?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

What happens when your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective?
What helps them understand this?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.
What will you do to help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective?

Empower others to give students time to reflect

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-08T07:34:09+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you provide time during class for reflection?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
During the last week or unit, how much time did you provide students to reflect? to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Empower others to give students opportunities to think through answers for themselves

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-09-14T08:29:00+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you give your students opportunities to think through answers for themselves?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
During the last week or unit, what opportunities did students have to think through answers for themselves?

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.

When you were a student, what excited/concerned you about thinking through answers for yourself?
What excites/concerns your students about thinking through answers for themselves?
What excites/concerns you about your students thinking through answers for themselves?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

How does thinking through answers for yourself impact your learning?
How does thinking through answers for themselves impact students’ learning?
How does thinking through answers for themselves impact students connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.

How can you provide opportunities for your students to think through answers for themselves?
How will you provide opportunities for your students to think through answers for themselves?

Empower others to help students connect course content, the Bible, and life

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-08-14T07:22:35+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you design assessments so that your students connect a Biblical perspective with their lives?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
In the past week or unit, what connections did your student make between…

Course content and life?
Course content and the Bible?

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.

What’s comfortable/uncomfortable about having your students connect course content and life? course content and the Bible? course content, the Bible, and life?
What’s comfortable/uncomfortable for your students in terms of connecting course content and life? course content and the Bible? course content, the Bible, and life?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

How does making connections impact student learning?
How does connecting course content and the Bible help students apply a Biblical perspective?
How might connecting course content, the Bible, and life help students apply a Biblical perspective?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.

What questions can you ask your students?
How can you use questions to help your students love God?

Empower others to give students more practice in applying a Biblical perspective

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-11-14T08:17:00+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you give your students more practice?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
In the last week or unit, how many times did you ask your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Respond: Get the facts responded to in terms of feelings/experiences.

What’s satisfying/unsatisfying about having your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches? about the amount of practice you give your students in connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
How do your students feel about connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches? about the amount of practice you give them in connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Analyze: Get the facts, feelings, and experiences analyzed.

How does practice/repetition impact learning?
What might happen if you increased the amount of practice you give students in connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?

What’s next?: Get next steps considered.

What can you do to increase the amount of practice you give students in connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches?
What will you do?

Meet your students' learning needs regarding creation-fall-redemption-restoration

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-05-30T08:05:29+09:00

Your students’ objective is to better connect what they study and God’s story of creation-fall-redemption-restoration. You want to help your students achieve their objective. Good.

Now what? Help your students achieve their objective by meeting 1 of their learning needs.

Question: What are you students’ learning needs?

To empower others to provide engaging instruction, DRAW them out (2)

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-05-14T08:16:56+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “What engaging instructional strategies will help your students?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
In the last week or unit, what instructional strategies did you use?

To empower others to help students learn key vocabulary terms, DRAW them out

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-03-11T15:22:48+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “What vocabulary words do your students need to learn?”

Define: Get the facts defined.
In the past week or unit, what vocabulary words have you taught your students?

Use the 1-2-3-2-1 lesson model

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-03-05T12:06:01+09:00

Here's lesson model that uses best practice to point students to God.

Use best practice to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-03-05T08:37:40+09:00

Question: How can you help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Answer: By using best practice, including engaging instructional strategies like asking questions.

Use case studies

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-02-28T10:29:33+09:00

To empower others to provide engaging instruction, DRAW them out (1)

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-02-14T12:56:02+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “What engaging instructional strategies will help your students?”

Define: Get the facts defined.

What are your students like?
What are your students studying?
What connections are your students making between what they study and what the Bible teaches?

To empower others to meet student learning needs, DRAW them out

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-02-14T12:35:36+09:00

Here's a set of DRAW questions you can use for a discussion of “How can you meet student learning needs?”

Define: Get the facts defined.

What are your students like?
What are your students studying?
What connections are your students making between what they study and what the Bible teaches?

Help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-01-30T13:34:09+09:00

Key idea: Understanding how you teach from a Biblical perspective helps your students understand and apply a Biblical perspective.

Meet 2 of your students.

Have your students do reflective writing

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-01-09T07:57:08+09:00

Dan Beerens, vice president of learning services at Christian Schools International, focuses on Christian education in his blog Nurturing Faith. In this blog entry, he writes about reflective writing, an instructional strategy you can use to help your students connect what they study and Biblical teaching.

DEAL with student learning needs

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-01-08T16:12:01+09:00

To help your students better connect what they study and what the Bible teaches, DEAL with your students’ learning needs:

Define your students’ learning needs.
Explore the how you can respond to your students’ learning needs.
Act.
Look at the results.

Show your students what using a Biblical perspective looks like

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-11-21T13:41:15+09:00

It’s the end of your English class, and you assign a 750-word essay in which your students are to evaluate a theme from Hamlet, from a Biblical perspective.

Then the bell rings. One of your students, Ian, approaches you and says, “I don't know what it looks like. I know what telling others about Jesus looks like—we read missionary biographies at school and I go on mission trips with my church. What does doing a good job on using a Biblical perspective look like in an essay?”

Help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-09-25T16:21:25+09:00

Meet Tomoko, your new student. At home and at church, she talks about living for Jesus, doing devotions, and telling others about Jesus. At school, you talk about applying the Bible to what’s being studied. This is new to Tomoko.

Treat Biblical perspective like you really want your students to learn it

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-08-01T08:20:15+09:00

You know that your students can’t learn everything. To help them focus, you use certain strategies when you really want them to learn something and when you just want to expose them to something.

You think to yourself, “I’ve got to help them connect what they study and a Biblical perspective. What can I do?”

Want to turn your classroom into a hotbed of discussion?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-09-26T08:25:54+09:00

Deborah Carpenter and Dana Bincer of Biblical Integration Ideas share an engaging instructional strategy you can use to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches:

Want to turn your classroom into a hotbed of discussion? Get your students thinking about and discussing biblically based open-ended questions.

Ask your students difficult questions

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-08-08T07:38:45+09:00

Dan Beerens, vice president of learning services at Christian Schools International, focuses on Christian education in his blog Nurturing Faith. In this blog entry, he writes about asking questions, an instructional strategy you can use to help your students connect what they study and Biblical teaching.

Help students address difficulties and dilemmas

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-01-28T07:36:00+09:00

Dan Beerens, vice president of learning services at Christian Schools International, focuses on Christian education in his blog Nurturing Faith. In this blog entry, he writes about helping students address difficulties and dilemmas.

Give your students case studies

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-11-10T07:31:33+09:00

Dan Beerens, vice president of learning services at Christian Schools International, focuses on Christian education in his blog Nurturing Faith. In this blog entry, he writes about case studies, an instructional strategy you can use to help your students connect what they study and Biblical teaching.

Tell narratives and faith stories

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-09-26T07:28:14+09:00

Dan Beerens, vice president of learning services at Christian Schools International, focuses on Christian education in his blog Nurturing Faith. In this blog entry, he writes about telling narratives/faith stories, an instructional strategy you can use to help your students connect what they study and Biblical teaching.

Model the appropriate behavior

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-09-08T08:24:00+09:00

Dan Beerens, vice president of learning services at Christian Schools International, focuses on Christian education in his blog Nurturing Faith. In this blog entry, he writes about modeling, an instructional strategy you can use to help your students connect what they study and Biblical teaching.

10 ways to help your students increase their understanding and use a Biblical perspective

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-05-21T13:11:34+09:00

Looking for ways to help your students increase their understanding and use a Biblical perspective? Here’s a list of 10.

Cooperative learning helps students connect course content and Biblical teaching

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-04-21T19:53:44+09:00

Anda Foxwell, 6th grade social studies teacher, reflects on her Biblical perspective unit, concluding that having students work together helps students connect course content and Biblical teaching.

How can you give your students more practice?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-03-13T08:38:44+09:00

You know practice helps. When students practice their math skills, they get better at math. When student write essays, they get better at writing. When students practice the piano, they play better.

How can you design assessments so that your students connect a Biblical perspective with their lives?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-02-05T10:52:17+09:00

You hear a student say: “To really get this Biblical perspective stuff, I need to connect the Bible with my life, not just with what I study in class. If teachers would give me chances to connect the Bible with my life–my music, my relationships, my problems—I think I could get it. One of my homeschooler friends got to analyze a favorite song from a Biblical perspective. That sounds pretty cool.”

How can you provide time during class for reflection?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-11-21T13:33:35+09:00

You hear a student say: I like this Biblical perspective stuff. But to really get it, I need time to think about what I’m learning. We don’t really do this in class. I’ve got sports after school and homework at night. When am I supposed to find time to reflect?

Use 1 test question to cultivate reflection and Biblical perspective

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-11-10T10:45:28+09:00

Kim Essenburg serves with Christian Reformed World Missions by teaching English 10 at Christian Academy in Japan. Kim shares about the power of using 1 test question:

Learning involves reflection. Increasing understanding and application of a Biblical perspective involves reflection. And reflection involves time. To cultivate student reflection and student understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, I provide 1 open-ended test question on each unit test.

Meet student learning needs more effectively

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-09-20T10:39:57+09:00

To get an idea of how you can more effectively help students increase their understanding and application of a Biblical perspective, complete the following self-assessment on meeting student learning needs. Next, use your self-assessment data to develop action plans.

How can you give your students opportunities to think through answers for themselves?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-07-09T09:06:59+09:00

You hear a student say: I need to think through answers for myself. I listen to teachers talk. They give good answers. But to really understand the answers, I need to think them through for myself. Maybe the teachers could ask more questions. Questions that have more than one right answer. One of my teachers asks us “Where do you belong?” all the time.

What engaging instructional strategies will help your students?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-05-24T19:52:49+09:00

You’re looking at the data from the Biblical perspective assessment you gave last week. The scores are OK, but not quite what you hoped they’d be. You think, “I thought this might happen. The students didn’t seem into it. I wonder why.”

What vocabulary words do your students need to learn?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-04-13T12:31:35+09:00

You: I need to get a stable job. Me: Do you mean you need a steady job or you need to get a job in a stable?

How can you help your students understand how you teach from a Biblical perspective?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-02-01T13:31:21+09:00

You finish marking a recent assessment in which you asked your students to apply a biblical perspective. They did OK, but you want them to do even better. So, you decided to use the 5-step IDEAL process.

How can you show your students what applying a Biblical perspective looks like?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-01-10T11:30:59+09:00

You’re ready. You have 3 sample student essays that demonstrate effective application of a biblical perspective to course content. You’re ready to show the essay samples to your students. You’ve carefully planned your lesson. Your goal is to help your students increase their application of a biblical perspective by addressing 1 of their learning needs.

How can you help your students understand that a Biblical perspective can be applied to course content?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-12-06T07:30:36+09:00

You (at a coaching session): They don’t seem to get it—that there’s a biblical perspective of what they are learning. My students get Bible class, devotions, chapel, and proper behavior. I know that a home and at church they talk about living for Jesus and telling others about Jesus. But they don’t get that the Bible can be applied to what they learn.

How can you help your students see the importance of Biblical perspective?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-11-03T12:30:20+09:00

You overhear: “This doesn’t seem important. My teachers don’t grade me on this. When I wasn’t doing well in science, my teacher talked to me. But since my teachers don’t grade me on this, I don’t know how I’m doing. And since they don’t grade me on this, teachers can’t know how I’m doing. Maybe that’s why they never talk to me about how well I can use a biblical perspective. Do teachers really think this is important?”

How can you meet student learning needs?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-09-22T11:30:03+09:00

Your students’ objective is to increase their understanding and use of a biblical perspective of course content. You want to help your students achieve their objective. Good. Now what?

What’s an IDEAL way to help your students?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-09-01T09:29:48+09:00

You’re sitting in your classroom thinking: “How can I help them get this? I’m supposed to teach them a biblical perspective. Maybe I should talk with Tom. Michele mentioned a good book and a workshop next month. What would be the best thing to do?”