Educational Philosophy
These are my brief philosophy an approach to education. First, I believe that all students are created in the God’s image that has been fractured by their fall into sin so that they are separated from God and God is seeking each individual to restore His original plan to them. Therefore, I believe Christian education is one agent used by God to restore and reconcile the broken relationship through guiding students to know Jesus Christ and helping the students to discover that the world belongs to God. Then, I believe Christian teachers are the agents of reconciliations who work in the spirit of Christ to heal the broken relationship of the students with God, themselves, others, and nature by developing holistic units of students such as spiritual, social, physical, and mental aspects of students based on biblical worldview in order to shape them to have true knowledge, faith in Christ and Godly character and to prepare them to use God’s given talents to the work of service. It is my desire as a Christian educator to help my future students meet their fullest potential in God’s calling in them by building caring relationship and providing a learning environment that develop a deep love and respect for God and others to prepare them to be more Christ like for the present and eternity world. This philosophy is the basis for my growth to be the best Christian educator that I can be to glorify God.
Christian Conversion, Growth, and Experiences
Iwas brought up in Jakarta, in a Christian home, by good parents who went regularly to Bethel Church. As the last one of two sisters, I had a very happy childhood. When growing up and as a young man, my one and only ambition in life was to pursue excellence in every area. I loved reading, studying, teaching and had a high ideal for my study achievement. Even though I was Christian, I did not care too much about God. However, till one point, I realized my spiritual was death and I was living a meaningless life. One day, I came to Youth Camp in my church 2002 and in that moment, God powerfully spoke to me, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. From the word of God, I was reborn to know my creator, Jesus Christ who could reconcile me into the personal saving relationship with God. From that moment, I realized the part I need to do is submitting to Him and let Him mold my life in His beautiful plan. After receiving Jesus Christ as my savior at that time, my life was transformed to grow to be like Him. I become continually grow in my spiritual, mental, social and physical aspect. In spiritual, I was more than attended church every Sunday. I joined fellowship regularly and later on I served as Worship Leader and Singer in Sunday Service and Youth Community. Much of my time was spent in a small church which I loved. Spiritually, in general, I was very happy there, and worked enthusiastically. Mentally, before knowing Christ, I just accepted knowledge as additional information. Now, I grow in the knowledge of God’s words as the basis of all of my worldview through weekly bible study in my church so I could reflect and evaluate knowledge I got from biblical perspective. Socially, I grow to build relationship through sharing my life, my experience, my opinion in my youth community at church and my friends in UPH Teachers College. Physically, I was transformed to care about my body as the temple of Christ by doing exercise with my fellows and selecting healthy food for my body. Finally, I might not a perfect person but now I believe the moment I received Christ as my savior was a permanent transformation in which I learned to strive in continual improvement to balance my life as the new creation of God.
Discipline philosophy and practices
I believe the essence of Christian education is to discipline the students to disciple the students to be more Christ like. I believe discipline is the instruments to be used by God to train young people (Proverbs 22:6) in godly attitudes and actions that glorify the Lord through enabling them to think and act responsively and reflectively. I believe the aim of Christian discipline is self control in which students can relate to God by consciously choosing the living way and will of God. I believe discipline is an opportunity to redirect students to the grace of God and teachers receive authority to disciple students in love. Therefore, as a teacher, I practice discipline through becoming role model for students, in showing discipline in daily life through my respect, responsive, and responsibility to God and others. Then, I will structure my classroom learning so that students can work productively to have responsibility for their learning decisions and I will provide well planed, challenging, and meaningful activities that develop self discipline of students. Then, I will also establish relevant rules to encourage positive learning expectation by providing consequences that refocus student’s responsibility on classroom learning community.
Maybe you can bring up topic about how a christian education system could be look alike?
Thanks for your suggestions Irvan