How well do your students understand and use a Biblical perspective of the subject(s) you teach?

14/12/06 07:05 Filed in: Assessment | Teaching tips | Self-assessment
Your goal: For your students to understand a biblical perspective of your subject and to apply it to the course content they have learned.

Your SMART goal: By June of this school year, for 90% of your students to be at or above standard (C or above) on applying a biblical perspective to course content, scores being taken from rubric-scored classroom assessments (like presentations, projects, and writing).

Your current reality?
  • You have shifted your goal from your students learning course content to your students applying a biblical perspective to course content they have learned.
  • You have adopted an initial SMART goal.
  • You do not yet have classroom assessment data to determine if your goal is attainable.
What can you do? Take the following 10-item survey to make an initial assessment of how well your students understand and use a biblical perspective of course content. Before taking the survey, select 1 subject you teach and respond to the survey based on the students in that subject.
  1. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more biblical principles and explain how each principle is related to the subject I teach.
  2. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more biblical values and explain how each value is related to the subject I teach.
  3. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more Bible verses and explain how each verse is related to the subject I teach.
  4. ____% of my students can readily give a 1-3 minute explanation of a biblical perspective of the subject I teach.
  5. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more issues and give a 30-60 second biblical perspective explanation of each.
  6. ___% of my students when asked for an opinion regarding an issue will respond, “The Bible teaches…” (instead of “I think…”).
  7. ___% of my students, when processing an issue with a fellow student, readily ask the following 4 questions: What do you mean by…? How do you know? How does the Bible help? How can I respond?
  8. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily give reasonable answers to each of the following 3 questions: How can ___ help me learn about God and creation? How can I use ___ (subject/topic) wrongly? How does ___ (subject/topic) help me serve others?
  9. ___% of my students, when asked, can readily identify 3 or more biblical perspective questions related to the subject I teach.
  10. Based on my responses to items 1-9, ___% of my students are performing at or above standard (C or above) on understanding and applying a biblical perspective to the subject I teach.
Based on your response to survey item 10, review your SMART goal, revising it as necessary. Now, identify and take action steps to close the gap between the targeted percentage in your SMART goal and your current percentage. Start by exploring your options for action steps.

Your options? Here are 10—add some of your own to the list:
  1. Teach your students 3 or more biblical principles related to your subject and have your students apply them to course content.
  2. Teach your students 3 or more biblical values related to your subject and have your students apply them to course content.
  3. Teach your students 3 or more Bible verses related to your subject and have your students apply them to course content.
  4. Teach your students a biblical perspective of your subject area and ask your students to demonstrate their understanding through role play and on a short answer test essay.
  5. Teach your students 3 or more issues related to your subject and a biblical perspective of each.
  6. Teach your students, when addressing a key issue, to respond by saying “The Bible teaches….”
  7. Teach your students, when processing an issue with fellow students, to ask the following 4 questions: What do you mean by…? How do you know? How does the Bible help? How can I respond?
  8. Teach your students, within the context of your subject, answers to the following 3 questions: How can ___ help me learn about God and creation? How can I use ___ (subject/topic) wrongly? How does ___ (subject/topic) help me serve others?
  9. Teach your students 3 or more biblical perspective questions, and routinely ask your students these questions.
  10. Give a biblical perspective assessment 1 or more times each quarter, using the data to track progress towards your SMART goal.
Your “will do’s”? Select 1-2 action steps you are committed to taking to close the gap between the targeted percentage in your SMART goal and your current percentage. Got your 1-2 action steps selected? Good.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), what is your commitment level for each action step?
  • If you said 8 or lower, what would it take to move your commitment level to a 9 or 10?
  • If you are unable to move your commitment level to a 9 or 10, consider revising your action step.
Take action. Now. To achieve your SMART goal. Help your students increase their understanding and use of a biblical perspective of the subject you teach. Do something. Today.