Teaching Christian Religious Education – A Review

In ten chapters or one hundred and eleven pages, the author presents a compendia of methodology of teaching Christian religious education. The purpose of the study, countless misconceptions of students, the etymology of the word ‘methodology’, definition and reason for religious education, kinds of research methods and hints of note taking are discussed in the first chapter. These give students the opportunity of revising when writer rather than presenting new information to them. The importance of the second chapter is that it gives a systematic approach to finding research/project problems, approach to find a research topic, formulating the research topic, sources of information, reviewing relevant literature, sources of information, reviewing relevant literature, hypothesis and format for research writing. Like the first chapter, the dimensions are not new but serve as a useful guide. The Nigerian approach to moral and religious instruction as stated in the 1981 Revised National Policy on education moved from rote memory of biblical passages to affect the psychomotor and affective domains. Approaches to the study of Christian religious education discussed in Chapter 3 include the Bible-centered or salvation history approach, the phenomenological approach, teacher-centered approach, and the Bible to life, life experiences and life-centered approaches. New life was therefore injected in teaching religious education as students discovered the religious implication of their actions.

Working on the premise that there are several teaching methods in each discipline, the writer identifies some methods and factors that determine their suitability and the right time to use them in the fourth chapter. He rightly observes that the Christian religious studies teacher should not be dogmatic but should apply a method as the situation demands. These methods are divided into teacher centered (lecture, questioning), learner centered (project, assignment) and joint (drama, field trips, story telling, role play) methods.

In Chapter 5, the writer successfully defines technical terms like teaching and teaching practice. Parameters used to identify the competency of the teacher are discussed. The section of preparing to teach is in consonance with Hendrick’s law of readiness. The discussion on the management, organization and administration of teaching practice and micro-teaching and its advantages are geared towards enabling the teacher to teach effectively especially if the assessment instruments at the end of the chapter are implemented.

The sixth chapter clearly traces the history of the religious studies curriculum which protects the child from receiving any instruction that is contrary to the wishes of his parents. The origin and objective of the word ‘curriculum’ and the vital role of parents, learners, teachers, local community, religious bodies, ministries of education and other national bodies are discussed. The seventh chapter expands on the discussion in earlier chapters. The sample of a syllabus is a useful reference material to every Christian religious education teacher.

The eighth chapter on lesson plan logically follows the seventh since the classroom experience tests what has been planned. The writer realistically observes that the success of the teacher is dependent on the mastery of the subject and his/her job is incomplete until evaluation is done. The importance of educational objectives, the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains cannot be overemphasized.

Commenting on the application of teaching materials, the writer observes that a good material among others should relate to the objective and age of the learners, match their ability and elicit interest in them. The penultimate chapter presents a vivid description of the use of instructional materials in teaching. The impact of visual and audiovisual materials is amazing. Although they create an opportunity for students to come face to face with reality, they should be seen as a means to an end.

The last chapter clearly presents justification for moral education in the school in an era of moral decadence. The aim of religious education therefore is to facilitate desirable changes in an individual since it encompasses theoretical, practical, moral, spiritual, human and divine aspects. The entire society – the home, school, church, voluntary organizations, mass media- has a role to play.

Although the book presents a rather interesting evaluation of Christian religious education methods, the author himself admits that he is not trying to offer new dimensions in the first two chapters. Even though he presents a format for research writing, the technical terms are not defined leaving the reader in a difficult position to see the relationship among them. Several typographical errors undermine the richness of the presentation. The above notwithstanding, this illustrative text of the Nigerian educational experience has graphic illustrations and review questions which stimulate critical thinking. A commendable insight is the lucid distinction made between the curriculum and syllabus which are treated as synonymous terms. The clear presentation of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives is also imperative. Perhaps another insight is how the wrong use of textbooks could hinder self-initiative and transforms learning merely into a routine.

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The Law & Homeschooling?

Here is one fail-safe way to ensure you obey the law safely and your children get accepted into college.

Homeschooling carries various concerns, two being that of is homeschooling legal and are homeschoolers admitted into colleges.

Upon hearing the question of the legality of homeschooling, I though, well of course it is legal, but then again, is it? Do the states and the government control how individual families can educate their own children? They actually do.

I am not a lawyer, however, I want to share some information with you, so you know about your state laws, concerning homeschooling. For instance, which records to keep, what type of testing is required of your child and so on. You can find all this information and more concerning the laws of each state, by visiting:

homeschooling.about.com/od/legal/Staying_Legal_Homeschool_Laws_and_Requirements.htm

You should know your rights, you local homeschooling requirements, while keeping detailed records of everything.

Other essential issues to consider include, knowing the requirements for your homeschooled student to enroll in college. Various resources can assist you in finding the various types of secondary education requirements. For instance, the requirements of a university is much different from that of a community college. One wonderful resource of learning what is required and how to make sure your student gets into college is located here:

learninfreedom.org/colleges_4_hmsc.html

You can make life easier by making sure your child is getting the best education they can, while following all the homeschooling laws, when your student enrolls in an accredited program. Being homeschooled in an accredited distance learning school, such as Laurel Springs, enables them to have a school on their records, transcripts available and the record of prerequisites required for enrolling in a good college. In addition to receiving and education designed for their level of knowledge and learning style.

What you should look for in a Homeschooling Program

In the past few years, distance learning education has become an available option for families to provide a quality, student centered education. However, how do you know which is the best choice, with various schools offering their programs? Keep these ten questions in mind to ask of prospective schools, before you enroll your child.

1. Do the offer and individualized approach to education?

- Is each new student tested to determine their learning style?

This is one of the benefits of distance learning education. You should look for programs that take advantage of this distinctive relationship, whether it is a customized curriculum or self-paced, with a mastery based learning philosophy which accents wide ranging abilities at every stage of the process. Understanding the learning strengths and weaknesses of a student, as well as their specific learning style is an essential asset for efficient, long lasting learning.

2. Are their teacher services personalized?

- Are assignments as well as tests graded by the teacher?

Teacher services should always focus on the needs of the student. One of the keys of locating a good distance learning school, is asking about the assignment grading. When a teacher grades each assignment, they learn where a student is accelerating and where they have need of help.

3. Is the school accredited?

- Find out if they are accredited by a regional accreditation such as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges or the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

These associations each require schools to hold a meticulous set of practices which guarantee excellence in education. Accredited schools establish state-of-the-art learning goals, while tracking progress of their students, they are subject to periodic site visits as well as reporting. When colleges and universities require applicants come from accredited schools, it is essential, however, not all distance learning schools are accredited.

4. How do they offer their curriculum?

Distance learning schools teach in various ways, for instance their programs may be text based, project based, customized or online courses.

Search for programs that are correlated to national and state standards, to determine that the key skills and concepts are reinforced properly. The school should offer a wide range of honors, ad College Prep courses, advance placement, technology, academic electives as well as a set of art.

Beware of too much question and answer style, auto-generated courseware. Rather you should search for a program offering a quality curriculum, which highlights, higher level critical thinking skills, with various opportunities for their students to have complete access and the assistance of their teachers.

5 When was the school established?

The market has been flooded, what with the recent boom in online learning start up programs. Do not be taken it by appealing features and stunning graphics. Pay close attention to the actual track record of the school’s assessment and accountability.

You want qualified educators and long running programs, which are worth their expertise in the field, as are schools that offer the best practices, established by such organizations as NACOL.

6 What are their college placement statistics?

Distance learning focuses on many things, including the preparation of their students to enroll in a university or college of their choice. Due to the individualized, self-paced learning style taught through distance learning education, distance learning students tend to do well when applying to various colleges as well as achieving higher scores on standardized tests, such as the SAT. Remember to ask for their:

- Graduation Rates

- Percentages of students who enroll in two and four year post secondary schools

- The names of the schools accepting their students

For a reference of comparison, you will find here the college placement statistics from Laurel Springs School, a leading distance learning school.

- 85 % of seniors attending colleges

- 90% were accepted into the colleges of their choice

- 15 % of those who postponed college, were either elite, professional actors or athletes

They scored higher than the national and state average on their SAT.

7. What additional academic opportunities are offered?

A well rounded distance learning program provides a broad range of academic opportunities, while working closely with other educational institutions. For instance, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the University of California pre-approves coursework as meting admission requirements. Community service and academic achievements among outstanding students is recognized when several of the schools participate in the National Honor Society.

8. What type of student support services are offered?

Extensive personalized care for students beyond teacher support, should be available. Leading schools offer many student support services, such as these:

- Guidance counselors, monitoring ongoing progress

- Advisers who assist in selecting courses

- College Counseling

- A registrar that issues transcripts and report cards

9. Is there a school community?

When students and teachers are located in various areas, a long distance learning program will strive to create a sense of community. Do they provide:

- Posted announcements

- Student newsletter

- Message boards and chat rooms

- An annual prom and graduation ceremony

10. Is parent training offered?

Since students do not maintain a standard face to face interaction with their teachers, the role of a parent is essential with distance learning education. Comprehensive parent training and support, should be offered by a well rounded distance learning program. Find out if they provide parent training courses. You should be able to log on, online and check the progress of your child’s work, while being in frequent communication with his or her teachers.

The task of finding a great school should never be overwhelming, with the abundance of distance learning programs available today. You can locate a school that is right for your child, when considering these 10 questions, which cover all the important aspects of locating a strong distance learning program.

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Marketing Your Law Practice is Not Marketing Directed at You!

“What do you mean my marketing is not about me? Of course, it’s about me! I’m a professional. It is all about who I am, what I’ve accomplished, what my law firm stands for, and what actions I can take for clients.”

Ah, being a professional is tough when it comes to knowing about marketing and how to use it to grow your client list. Chances are good that you were never taught how to market. Consequently, you are likely following what other lawyers are doing… and hoping they know. That is a great way to shoot yourself in the foot because most lawyers do not know how to market themselves professionally and profitably with dignity.

As a result, too many simply let the public know they exist through ads, website or awards received. The problem is that too often these venues talk only about your credentials and the types of cases on which you work. These are features of your firm and do nothing to educate your prospects about their problems or work toward your creating a close relationship with them.

What do you know about your prospects? Perhaps you have determined their demographics (age, income, and residential area) or their psychographics (attitudes, values, lifestyle, opinions, and personality characteristics).But what does that do for you? Neither is particularly useful UNLESS you act on it in such a way as to establish a trusting connection and rapport with them.

Today lawyers-professionals who have to learn to act like other “business” people as well-need to drill down beneath the static, superficial data about their prospects to discover prospects’ real problems, fears, needs, and desires. Only by fully understanding your prospects’ needs and wants on an emotional level can you reach them and demonstrate that you have the solution for their unique and personal problem.

Focusing on your firm’s credentials, awards, and areas you cover (“features”) cannot show prospects what they need to see. They want to know why they should pick you from all the other lawyers in your speciality. Specifically, what can you do for them? And, why should they trust you to do it well?

To attract your prospects you you need to concentrate on the psychological benefits you can provide in solving their problem. That is, you are not just helping them get a divorce. You are helping them achieve independence, personal control, financial security or raised self-esteem, for example.

However, unless you have considerable data and experience upon which to rely, you cannot simply assume that you already know what prospects want from you-those things you need to emphasize in your firm’s marketing. The best way to discover what they really want is to ask them: “What is your most burning question about ___ (your law specialty)?”

You can then fashion your marketing around what your prospects want and providing them with practical and useful information. This can help set yourself apart from others in your specialty as a compassionate and experienced resource who wants to help them make informed decisions when addressing their legal issues.

By focusing on your prospects, and not your firm:

* You demonstrate your interest in what’s important to your prospects
* You begin to further develop a rapport and relationship with them
* You showcase your understanding and solutions to their problems
* You highlight the benefits that only your solutions can provide
* You create value as a caring and accessible expert who has their best interests at heart.

What all this boils down to is when you create visibility and credibility for your practice, you need to do it in such a way that prospects see immediately that you are client-centered. You need to demonstrate your sensitivity to their problem and its physical, psychological, and financial implications. You need to show the many benefits that accrue to them from working with you and not your competition.

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Black Education – Bill Cosby, Thank You

Recently, The Kennedy Center honored Bill Cosby, giving him the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Chris Rock made a joke about being able to feel equal in the presence of country music legend Willie Nelson, but when in the presence of Bill Cosby, Rock said that Cosby let him know that Cosby was the elder and deserving of commiserate respect. My mind must have processed something about having seen this clip because I awakened with a revelation about Bill Cosby, what he appears to represent to black education, black people and why he seems constantly to get into trouble with us.

Let me explain.

First, I have to discuss Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month. He started Negro History Week, wanting to establish a tradition, ensuring that black people would desire to learn more about themselves. The problem is that one of the many history books he wrote is now being widely read — The Mis-Education of the Negro, written in 1933. This book was a response to what co-founder of the NAACP and Renaissance man Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois called, “the talented tenth.”

According to Du Bois, the talented tenth, the top ten percent of educated black people, would lead the rest of the race to liberation from the tyranny and impunity of American lynching, race riots, segregation and discrimination. Today, however, members of the talented tenth, like Cosby, represent, not liberation, but assimilation. Since black people still seek liberation, especially from police brutality and homicide, imprisonment, and now, the ever-encroaching white backlash for the Obama Administration, Woodson’s The Mis-Education of the Negro has resurfaced.

Woodson’s book posits that Western education was designed specifically to elevate the white race as supreme to all races and to destroy all other cultures, labeling them as inferior with special emphasis on the black race. This emphasis is shown in the negative — editing out of all texts the entire contribution to the world of black people. In Western education, Woodson says, blacks are only mentioned to “prove” black “inferiority”. Any cursory glance at Western textbooks from Woodson’s time period, 1933, would easily demonstrate what Woodson says. Although, today, special efforts to mention black people and other peoples of color are made, their contributions to world development, specifically those of Africans, are not mentioned or they are not placed in their proper contexts.

Dr. Woodson recommended that black people study themselves first and then study others. He suggested ways to heal the wounds of this neglect and mis-education. Also, he prophesied what would happen if black people continued to learn Western education without first developing an understanding of themselves, not just as Americans, but as Africans.

Bill Cosby appears to represent the mis-educated Negro, one who is thoroughly learned in Western education with little regard for what the lack of African history in education means. As mentioned before, Cosby can be classified as a member of the talented tenth. Instead of that group leading black people to liberation, many blacks consider that the talented tenth have merely led themselves to the bank, white neighborhoods and high level positions in white-dominated fields. “Is this all of the progress that we can expect?” some ask.

Although Cosby and his wife have donated millions of dollars to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, they seem to epitomize a growing separation within the black community that Woodson warned against. The Cosbys have been portrayed by the media as a couple who has conformed to Western society (the society that enslaved their ancestors) and adopted its standards as the highest that humanity can offer. I do not believe that the Cosbys see themselves in this manner, but they do appear to promote Western education without stipulation.

What is the harm in this?

I met a young black man at the bus stop in my hometown, Shreveport, La. The city council had just passed a law against wearing sagging pants in public. The young man, of course, was sagging so I asked him what he thought about the law. He dismissed me until I told him that I was against legislating one’s manner of dress.

He agreed with me and explained his disapproval of making a law against someone’s freedom of self-expression. Knowing that this young man was deliberately defying the law, which was adopted during the administration of the first black mayor, I pointed out that among all the other states, Louisiana had the highest percentage of its population in prison, comprised overwhelmingly of black people. During our exchange, the young man mentioned to me that he wanted to be a doctor. Immediately, I thought to myself that unless he conformed to society’s standards, which seemed unlikely, his dream would never come true.

The inconsistencies of this young man caused me great grief. It is very easy for a young man like him to end up in prison. Although he was obviously intelligent enough to become a doctor, he seemed unaware of why he adopted the sagging culture in the first place. He seemed to care more about defying a law that limited his personal freedom. Also, he seemed unconcerned about the consequences of defying that law. Finally, and, most importantly, he seemed ignorant of the total devastation that Louisiana criminal law could bring to a young man such as himself. Remember the Jena Six? An unpaid ticket and a little attitude could snowball, very easily, into life imprisonment.

The issue of conforming or assimilating into white culture was hot when Woodson wrote The Mis-education of the Negro. One could say that Bill and Camille Cosby are pieces that are helping to make clearer the puzzling effects of the talented tenth. Ronald Reagan’s trickle down economic policy did not work for him. Similarly, the trickle down liberation policy of Du Bois has not worked for black people. It merely has caused separation, abandonment, and the barren fruit of hopelessness. This imagery is even more striking while viewing the conformity of President and Mrs. Barack Obama. Their assistance to the black community is more indirect and implied than actual fact.

So, what is the answer to this never-ending debate of black education? Do we rant and rave about the talented tenth? Absolutely not. It does no good, anyway. We celebrate them as a great and noble experiment. They represent a theory that has been tested and found wanting.

Thank you Bill and Camille Cosby. Thank you Barack and Michelle Obama. Thank you to all black people who have contributed greatness in the name of the United States of America.

Now, let us return to the drawing board and not just read, but study, Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s The Mis-education of the Negro. Let us put African history back into its proper place – at the beginning of humanity and the beginning of civilization.

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