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Professionally... I attended Elizabethtown College, graduating in 1980 with a B.S in Elementary Education. I have continued my education with graduate level education classes from McPherson College, Wilkes University, and Millersville Univeristy. I am liscensed to teach both in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and have obtained ACSI certification in Elementary Education. The Lord led me to Champion Christian School when my husband and I were transferring back to Pennsylvania after living out of state for 12 years. . Personally... My husband Jim and I live in Melcroft with our three children. I attend Indian Head Church of God. I remember deciding I wanted to be a teacher on my very first day of first grade (We didn't have kindergarten back then!). I have taught ESL to students in grades kindergarten through twelfth, middle school English, History and Bible, and 3rd and 4th grade, my age of choice. I have taught in public schools, Christian Schools and have even home schooled my own kids for 4 1/2 years. I have also taught Bible Studies, guitar lessons and even lamaze classes! My hobbies and interests include music ( I sing, write songs and play the guitar. Next to teaching, worship in music is my passion.), reading, writing, cross stitching, crocheting and camping. I love to fly with my husband whenever I get the chance. He is a private pilot. Favorites: color is blue, but I also like pink and purple; movie Runaway Bride and anything with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; person is my husband Jim, flowers are daisies, and place visited is Hawaii. KATHY L. FOOR PO Box 141, Melcroft, PA 15462 724-455-5262
Millersville University, Millersville, Pennysylvania, graduate studies Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, B.S., cum laude, May 1980 Major: Elementary Education Honors: Dean?s List of Honor Students; Academic Scholarship, Elizabethtown College Teacher. Champion Christian School, Champion, Pennsylvania. (August 2004-present) Teacher. West Suburban Christian Academy, Waukesha, Wisconsin. (January 2000-June 2004) Taught Grade 4 in a self-contained classroom. Teacher. West Suburban Christian Academy, Waukesha, Wisconsin. (August 1995-June 1997) Taught English, History and Bible to students in Grades 7 and 8. Substitute Teacher. Waukesha School District, Waukesha, Wisconsin. (November 1994-June 1995) Taught ESOL as a long term substitute in Kindergarten through Grade 5. ESOL Teacher. Lebanon School District, Lebanon, Pennsylvania. (October 1993-May 1994) Developed an ESOL Program in four elementary schools, taught ESOL to students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 of varied backgrounds (Hispanic, Russian, Polish, Indian, and Pakistani). ESL Teacher. Lebanon School District, Lebanon, Pennsylvania. (March 1981-December 1986) Taught English, math, and science to students who speak English as a second language. Taught Kindergarten through Grade 12. Taught students of varied backgrounds (Hispanic, Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian). Substitute Teacher. Lebanon School District, Lebanon, Pennsylvania. (October 1980-March 1981) Taught as a day to day substitute teacher in Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Crucial Elements of a Christian Philosophy of Education by Kathy Foor
Since the fundamental principles of what we believe significantly affect the way we teach, it is essential for every Christian educator to have a clearly defined philosophy of Christian education. Though it is possible to teach without having given thought to a Christian philosophy of education, an educator who reflects on why and how they teach will usually be a much more effective teacher. What makes Christian education different from public school education? Why is this important? How is one?s philosophy reflected in the classroom?. Following is a statement of my personal philosophy of Christian education.
A Christian Worldview Genesis 1:1 tells us, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;" Psalm 24:1 "For from him and through him and to him are all things...." Romans 11:36 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6 A Christian?s worldview holds that God is the Creator of everything that is, and everything and everyone that has been created belongs to Him. God has created man with a purpose within that creation, to glorify Him. Without God, everything is meaningless Solomon tells us. Since this is true, all of life ought to then be brought into the light and truth of God. All that we do ought to honor and glorify Him. We should desire that Jesus be Lord not just in our life, but in our school and in our classroom. If we understand as educators that the students in our care belong to God, then it is a sacred trust that He has given us to teach them! If we understand that God has a wonderful purpose for each student, faculty member, or parent whose life touches ours, then we will be more deliberate in our attempt to cooperate with Him by encouraging growth and understanding of His Truth in all that we do.
The Role of the Christian Educator The role of the Christian educator must begin with a personal and vibrant relationship with the Savior. If the teacher does not have a first hand knowledge of God, it is impossible to lead others to Him. Though it is possible to know about God, only the one who knows God through personal relationship has the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to lead others to Him. Only God has the wisdom that we as educators require to meet the needs of the students who have been entrusted to our care. And though it is possible to teach in our human giftedness (I know this from years of experience!), there is no greater joy than teaching as a partner with the God of all creation! He knows how to meet every need, solve every problem, reach every child, and make the most of every opportunity! He promises in James 1:5 wisdom to all who ask Him believing that He will give it. The most important commandments that God has given us are to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). A Christian teacher has received a high calling, not only to live these two commands, but to do it in front of impressionable children, to set the example for others to follow. When Jesus left his disciples with the charge to "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19), He was talking to all of us. Christian educators, though, are particularly called to this task all day, every day. To make disciples, one must first be a disciple. A disciple is one who follows Christ. The Christian educator must, above all, first demonstrate a love for God that is undeniable. This love for God will be demonstrated in prayer and personal study of His Word. The Christian educator must have a growing relationship with the Lord, for it is only in complete dependence on Him as we teach that we are truly able to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.
The Role of the Christian School Having been a teacher in a public school prior to teaching in a Christian school, I have come to appreciate the unique role of the Christian school. God may put us in any number of places where he calls us to make disciples. In the secular school, it is quite difficult, if not impossible, to be true to our calling to make disciples. Though perhaps the fields are white for the harvest, the worldview of the secular school has come so far from God that it is often even antagonist to any discussion of Him. On the contrary, the Christian school, like the Christian educator, has a great responsibility to the Lord to create and maintain an environment that is conducive to making disciples. The Christian school must be committed first to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Every facet of school life must honor and glorify Him. To be a truly effective Christian school, there is no room for the personal agenda of any person to be promoted. Christ alone must reign in and through every decision, every program, every textbook, every policy. The Christian school must maintain an atmosphere that is first pleasing to the Lord. The love of Christ must be evident. The environment must be one that enables students and families of students to sense the very presence of God. Love rules there. Love of God and love of God?s children is evident. This is not just a mushy, emotional love, but a love that always wants God?s best for the student. Frequently that means a love that disciplines. However, the goal of discipline in the Christian school is always restoration, to God and to others. It is correction that leads to growth and change.
The Student In the book Teaching Redemptively: Bringing Grace and Truth into Your Classroom, Donovan Graham helps the educator to remember that the primary goal of the teacher is to make disciples of Christ. Unlike the world, the Christian educator recognizes that every human being is a sinner. The effective Christian educator clearly understands that unless the student has a personal and growing relationship with Jesus, all efforts to teach that student are hindered by a sinful nature. In other words, it is wise for a Christian educator to realize that attending a Christian school does not make one a Christian. Students attend Christian schools for any number of reasons, and quite frankly, it is often not the students personal choice. It is his parents? choice for him. So, the Christian educator must see the student as one who first needs to know Jesus personally. Everything we do in the classroom should point the student clearly to Jesus. Opportunities should be given to not only present the Gospel but for the student to respond to the Lord as He is dealing with the heart. A mature Christian educator will have experienced the grace and mercy of God first hand, and will always be aware that God?s desire is that we extend that same grace and mercy to those we teach. There is, however, wisdom that is necessary in this process. Only God knows what is in the heart of a student. We must depend on Him for direction and wisdom in leading the students under our charge. If our first goal in teaching is to lead our students to Christ, our second goal must be to prepare them as fully as possible to be used by God in fulfilling their purpose and calling in the body of Christ. It is not enough just to teach our students about God, we must equip them fully to be ambassadors for Christ in our world. We must train our students to be excellent readers, so that they can read God?s Word with understanding. We want our students to understand the world that God has created and how they fit into God?s plan for history. We must equip them with the skills necessary for whatever job God later will call them to do. While we are teaching them, we very rarely know what God?s design for their lives is, so we must train them well in every area. This is not to say that every student must excel at every subject we teach, but it must be our goal as Christian educators to help each student reach his/her highest potential in every area.
Curriculum and Bible Integration The Christian school curriculum must clearly present and represent the primary goal of the school, to make disciples. The Truth of God must be clearly and correctly integrated into every nook and cranny of the curriculum. This does not simply mean tacking on Bible references to everything we do, but making God?s Word an integral part of all that we do and teach. The educator who takes time to understand how and why one is teaching a particular subject in relation to God?s Word will be much more effective than the one who haphazardly applies Bible references to the beginning or end of a lesson. When I began to understand that a student needs to see how God fits into every area of life. The way to do that, at least in part, is to include God in everything that we are teaching. Principles for godly living can be taught even in subjects like penmanship or physical education! In a Christian school, we have the distinct privilege of teaching every subject with a clear understanding of why it matters in God?s Kingdom. This does not mean that we need Bible verses on every math or spelling page. Indeed, we should not be frivolous with our use of God?s Word. However, in teaching mathematical concepts, we have the wonderful joy of teaching what a genius God is to have created everything in such a logical way! Or when we are teaching small children how to count money that is also appropriate to teach them God?s principles for stewardship ? at their level, of course. In teaching penmanship, we will teach students the proper formation of letters, but we ought to also teach them that if they learn to write in a legible way that God might use them to encourage others in the body of Christ with their writing. At the very least, we ought to model with students the principle that everything we do ought to glorify God. Conclusion In summary, in our quest to be the most effective teachers that we can be, it is important to consider what our philosophy of Christian education is. To be most effective, we must understand why we do what we do and how we can do it in a way that honors God. Having drawn conclusions about what is important in our teaching, it is then just as vital that we practice what we believe! If we are wise educators, we will do this in partnership with the Lord, fully empowered by the Holy Spirit. We will look to Jesus as our most vivid example of a master teacher, and let Him daily lead us in our pursuit of making disciples of the students he has blessed us with the privilege to teach.
Bibliography Foundations of Christian School Education. Colorado Springs, CO: ACSI, 2003.
Love Your God with All Your Mind. J.P. Moreland. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1997.
Teaching Redemptively: Bringing Grace and Truth into Your Classroom. Donovan Graham. Colorado Springs, CO: ACSI, 2004.
Reclaiming the Future of Christian Education. Albert E. Greene. Colorado Springs, CO: ACSI, 1998.
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