Reply to EM

Positivechange is an important construct of success with almost every facet of life.Changes in curriculum could be considered positive and, most assuredly,negative. Curriculum dynamics and how curriculum relates to instruction,assessments, and programs for students are a hot topic discussed andimplemented every year. Many curricular issues that I have deemed significantin my surrounding area include lesson planning, with an emphasis on pacing withstate and local mandated assessments, and use of resources, by way ofassessment, that measure growth, instruction related goals, and other pertinentmeasurables. The main issue that I find with some of the mentioned curriculumissues is lack of differentiation amongst culturally diverse groups. Forexample, one of the state assessments that I know is being used, as part of apilot program, assess students on reading passages that are not relatable tostudents. Although it may seem minor, a student who can not relate to apassage; perhaps, will not be as successful, unless they had a culturallyappropriate passage. A strategy to mitigate this challenge would allow moreteacher input with culturally, and diversity appropriate content. Anotherstrategy to help with curricular issues, as it relates to diverse and cultureappropriate content, is to instill and refresh educators on valuabledispositions to exhibit in the classroom. One unique disposition that would behelpful is empathy. To me empathy is a crucial and valuable disposition tonurture; especially in how it relates to educating, nurturing, and promotingsuccess, as it relates to curriculum, for students. In the article (Bullough,R.V.) states, A central reason for focusing on empathy is that extraordinaryclaims have been made for its redemptive powers, including as a key educationalresource for achieving social justice aims, and the strong expectation amongmany teacher educators that empathy ought to be taught and increased. Amongstmany dispositions, and other valuable traits a teacher should presumably have,empathy is understood to be one of the most important qualities.

Oneway, amongst many, strategies to implement these strategies is to instillBiblical worldviews within our curriculum. In applying Christian philosophy toeducational needs of an educators classroom and/or school, one mustacknowledge and understand the axiological and metaphysical issues thataccompany the use of Christian philosophy in education. In applying a Christianphilosophical approach to education, knowledge of values or axiology, goes handin hand with using God, Jesus Christ, and their external and internal spiritualworks for the basis of learning. Jesus says in Mark 9:37 NIV, Whoever welcomesone of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes medoes not welcome me but the one who sent me. Christ has commanded his believersto serve, teach and love others. What is a biblical approach in perpetuating aChristian philosophy in simplistic form? Dr. Bunnie Claxton (2018) states, Weshould seek the Lord to see how we can make a childs life better based on thedecisions that the Lord places on our hearts as we seek his guidance (p.3).

Inconclusion, aligning philosophical ideas that are Christ centered is the key tounderstanding, maintaining, and applying a Biblical worldview, as it relates tocurricular issues, in the classroom. Next, to integrate a Biblical worldview inthe classroom, I would recruit the parents or guardians at the students home.Building and applying knowledge of values starts at home, it is only molded andcrafted at school.