Teaching in Community  

This unit explores Biblical teaching patterns and relates them to the contemporary educational community. It examines a biblical concept of self and community and their outworking in the community of which the school is a part. It explores patterns for the relationships and attitudes that the teacher should cultivate toward students, parents, fellow teachers, administrators, the school's governing authorities, and governmental authorities outside of the school.
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When & Where Offered

Summer 2008, Maccquarie University Campus.
Offered as an online unit in Semester 2 2008.

Lecturers


Dr Neil Holm, Dip. Teach (CSU), B.A. (Hons)(UNE), Ph.D., MACE. 
Neil is the Dean of MCSI and Senior Lecturer in Education Studies and Christian Formation

His long interest in the integration of faith and work has been expressed through his membership of the Australian Christian Forum on Education, editing the international Journal of Christian Education for 10 years, and serving on the board of the Zadok Institute for Christianity and Society for 10 years. He is a life member of the Australian College of Educators.   Neil is also involved in the Wellspring Community.


Dr Thomas Smith, Teaching Certificate (NSW Dept Ed), B.A. (Macquarie), M.Ed.(Sydney), Dip Theol (ACT), PhD(Sydney.)
Thomas has recently retired from the position of Head of Religious Studies and Junior Science teacher at Cranbrook.  Formerly Director, Anglican Youth Department and Special Religious Education Consultant, Sydney Anglican Board of Education, Thomas brings a lifetime of wide experience in school education and Christian education to MCSI.
 


Unit Code & Details


IN427 (MCSI 232) Teaching in Community
This unit is equivalent to a standard semester unit at 2nd year level.  For example it is worth:
3 credit points at 200 level towards Maccquarie University undergraduate degrees
4 credit points at 400 level towards Australian College of Theology undergraduate degrees.
For advice on how to credit this subject to other institutions please contact our advisor.

Prerequisites: the equivalent of one semester full time study (4 subjects) of university level study should be completed before enrolling in this subject.  (Students not meeting this prerequisite can request permission from MCSI Dean to enrol)

Unit Content /Lecture Topics


1. Classroom Collaborators Completing Creation
2. The modern and postmodern world - the displacement of God, the search for spirituality and its implications for education
3. The nature of God - implications for education
4. The nature of persons - implications for education
5. Respect for persons: implications for relationship, communication, and conversation; Some scriptural ideals applying to persons
6. The nature of community - implications for education: Old and New Testament notions of community; The cultural mandate and the multi-cultural eschaton
7. Conversation: role in transforming persons into community; moral conversations
8. The classroom as a locus for God, persons and community
9. Collaborative instruction; Strangers and hospitality
10. School and community as a locus for God, person and community
11. Understanding and building community in schools; Schools as moral communities


Assessment

1. Seminar participation/presentation (including 1,250 word summary of all seminar presentations)(25%)

2. 1,750 word research essay exploring a biblically informed view of an aspect of education and teaching (35%).

3. Group research project (20%)

Each group will examine and/or apply perspectives on relationships in school and community and present its report using Powerpoint [equivalent of 1,000 words] to the class.

4. Research project report (20%)

Each student will then prepare a written paper of 1,000 words that outlines the research findings and details his or her personal participation in and reflection on the project.


Textbooks

Gaines, Ernest J.  A Lesson Before Dying. Sydney: Hodder, 2002

Palmer, Parker J. The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass, 1998
Peterson, Eugene H. Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005


Additional Reading:

Bellah, Robert N et al. Habits of the heart: individualism and commitment in American life. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985.

Bradie, L. and K. Kennedy. Curriculum Construction. Sydney: Prentice Hall, 1999.

Durka, Gloria. The Teacher's Calling: A Spirituality for Those Who Teach. New York: Paulist Press, 2002

Edlin, Richard.  The Cause of Christian Education.  Blacktown: National Institute for Christian Education. 1999

Good, Thomas & Brophy, Jere.  Looking in Classrooms 9th edition.  Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2003

Hill, Brian V. Exploring Religion in School: A National Priority. Adelaide: Openbook Publishers, 2004.

Ireland, Jill, Richard Edlin and Ken Dickens (eds). Pointing the Way: Directions for Christian Education in a New Millennium, Blacktown: National Institute for Christian Education, 2004

Lambert, I. and S. Mitchell, eds. Reclaiming the Future: Australian Perspectives on Christian Schooling. Sydney: Centre for the Study of Australian Christianity, 1996.

Palmer, Parker J. The courage to teach: exploring the inner landscape of a teacher's life. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass, 1998.

Russell, T. and H. Munby. Teachers and Teaching from Classroom to Reflection. London: Falmer, 1992.

Schluter, Michael & Lee, David.  The R Factor. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1993

Sergiovanni, Thomas J. Building community in schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993

Sergiovanni, T. Leadership for the Schoolhouse. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,

Starratt, Robert J. Building an Ethical School. A Practical Response to the Moral Crisis in Schools. London: The Falmer Press, 1994.

Stronks, Julia K. & Stronks, Gloria Goris. Christian Teachers in Public Schools.  Baker Books 1999

van Brummelen, H. Walking with God in the Classroom. Seattle: Alta Vista College, 1998.

Wenger Shenk, Sara. Anabaptist Ways of Knowing: A Conversation about Tradition-based Critical Education.  Telford, Penn: Cascadia, 2003

Films

To Be and To Have

Patch Adams

Hook