by Kenneth Nehrbass<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smith’s book On Christian Teaching<\/em> builds on a (too small) body of literature on how our faith should impact the way we design and deliver courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 40% of Christian professors (n=2309)\u00a0said that their faith does not influence their teaching methods (Smith, 2018, p. 145).\u00a0 In a compilation of nearly 300 books and articles on integration of faith and learning; I noted that very few resources discuss how Christianity impacts the way we design learning activities and assessments. Smith noted that it\u2019s hard for us to get beyond trite principles like \u201cbe kind to students and behave ethically.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, Smith notes, faith informs not just the what and why, but the how <\/em>(p. 68). He developed a three-fold plan: <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1: See anew (question your discipline\u2019s approach to pedagogy): <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2: Choose engagement (should you do all lecture?); and,<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3: Reshape practice (ask how Christian approach to teaching impacts your timing and use of space). <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, you should consider the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other Christian educationists have suggested that faith integration is modeled in the way professors relate to students outside of class (Weeks & Isaak, 2012, p. 63). For example, Marmon (2008) encourages professors to apply the virtue of hospitality, with professors as the hosts, and students as the guests. Korniejczuk (1994) averred that \u201cthe most important manifestation of faith-learning integration is the daily life of the Christian teacher\u201d (p. 4). For this \u201csilent witness\u201d be efficacious, though, the Christian teacher must model distinctly Christian characteristics, such as a passion for Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dockery (2008) conceptualizes the Christian college\u2019s pedagogical as a \u201cfaithful community.\u201d He uses Romans 12 to develop a list of building blocks that contribute to such a community: loving with a Christlike love, exercising discernment and patience, welcoming difference, living in peace, bearing each other\u2019s burdens (pp. 95-97). <\/p>\n\n\n\n