Most of my Christian education work experience is at the K-12 level. However, I have some very rich experiences in Christian higher education that have given me insight into this portion of the academic world. I graduated from Calvin University in 1993 and returned several years later to teach Physical Education and coach baseball. Recently, I have mentored Dordt University and Colorado State University education graduate students and worked closely with student teachers and their supervisors. Using my years of experience to help shape and motivate these students brings me joy and this work enlarges my sphere of influence beyond Denver Christian School.
As I read through two Dordt University documents, “The Educational Framework of Dordt University” and “The Educational Task of Dordt University,” I gained a more specific understanding of Dordt’s views of Christian higher education. My personal philosophy of Christian education aligns very closely with these two documents. “The Educational Framework” in point number seven, states, “Christian education is an integral part of the Christian community’s contemporary responsibility before God” (page 4). I affirm my commitment to the Christian community every day through my work as a Christian educator. For example, I meet regularly with families for coffee and problem solving sessions. I spend very little time in my office and chose instead to have a mobile desk that roams the hallways and classrooms with me so that I connect to teachers and students throughout my day.
I appreciate that Dordt’s curricular goals are broken into four main headings: religious orientation, creational structure, creational development, and contemporary response. At Dort, none of these goals exist in isolation. Instead, each one highlights an important feature of the university’s curriculum and life (page 2). The brilliance of these four principles is that they work in concert with one another. They must work in tandem with the others for the fulfillment of Dordt’s mission. This integrated approach is reflective of my belief that “all things work for the glory of God”. As an educator, my ultimate goal is to help prepare students to go out into the world and restore the beauty and harmony of God’s creation. My work as a leader, and a trainer of leaders, is to reflect and create this Reformed vision inside of Christian schools. For example, I believe in ‘whole-child’ education. I believe that Physical Education, Math, English, Art, Choir, Bible, and History are connected and that each discipline informs the other. Each curricular area has the potential to develop key aspects of my student’s human nature. Each area is a reflection of our creator and thus has value. I try to help my staff understand and remember that a student’s participation in PE is connected to their development in Math just as a student’s faith development is crucial to his/her understanding of science or art. Christian higher education should strive to help graduate students think deeply about their relationship to their content, job duties, students and vocation and instill in them a firm commitment to God’s dominion over all of creation.
Outside of my daily role as a leader and educator at Denver Christian, I have had the opportunity to mentor fellow educators in Christian higher education. In my effort as mentor to Todd Zylstra, Head of School at Kansas City Christian and a Dordt graduate student, I have practiced some of the skills I imagine might be valuable as a Dordt University professor. Currently I walk with him as he navigates tough situations. For example, there are times when Todd needs to have really difficult conversations with his staff. He and I collaborate to develop a plan and strategize about what the conversation should look like. Or, when he has to manage more concrete issues like vacation days or sick days for his faculty and staff, we reflect together about his options and best practices before he makes any decisions. Again, we develop those plans together and my role is to counsel and guide. Over the years, Todd has been in need of my support, knowledge, and experience. I will bring this collaborative guidance to other educators as a professor at Dordt University. Walking alongside professional educators is how I live out my purpose and serve in the world. My desire is to help others clarify their purpose and utilize their gifts in service to our God.