christian teacher's journal may 2012

Th

e

JournalChristian teaChers

Vol 20.1 May 2012

voCational eduCation

Careers

20celebrating

years

2 The ChrisTian TeaChers JournaL May 2012

3 editorial

Allan Long

4 What makes an effective Christian teacher?

Teaching as a career

Dr Fiona Partridge

9 a theology of career selection

Vivienne Stapleton

12 explore the possibilities

Donvale Christian College Career expo

Vivienne Stapleton

14 Biblical guidelines for the practise of

accounting

Wendy Collins

18 Business and worldview

Nathaniel Gray Sutanto

20 Towards a Christian perspective on

vocational education

Dr Andrew Schmidt

23 ranges TeC

More than just skills

Ellen Prior

25 offering hope

The Fabrication and Construction Trade

Training Centre at Marrara Christian College

Richard Hart

30 events 2012

sTaTeMenT oF PurPose

The vision of the journal is to affirm the lordship of Christ in education. It aims to serve Christian educators, challenging them to a fuller understanding of their task and responsibilities; raising issues critical to the development of teaching and learning in a distinctively Christian way.

The Christian Teachers Journal is published by teachers as a forum for the exchange of ideas and practices for teachers to advance the cause of Christ in education.

a MaGaZIne For ChrIsTIan eDuCaTors

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CoVer: Fabric and Construction Trade Training Centre at Marrara Christian College

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PrInTer: signs Publishing Victoria

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CoPyrIGhT all material appearing in the Christian Teachers Journal is copyright. It may be reproduced in part for study or training purposes subject to an inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source and with permission of the publisher.

contents

3The ChrisTian TeaChers JournaL May 2012

Down MeMory laneIt is strange to think that The Christian Teachers Journal (CTJ) has been with us now for 20 years. I remember when Andy White, who at that stage worked at the national office of Christian Parent Controlled Schools (CPCS, now CEN), approached me with a concept for a journal for Australian Christian teachers. Andy and I had previously worked together at Mount Evelyn Christian School. He had heard that I was taking a year off from teaching to be a ‘Mister Mum’, looking after my two pre-school daughters. He figured I would have some time on my hands. This was actually far from the truth (as any parent at home with small children can tell you) but nonetheless, I said yes when he asked me to head up a small group of people as the founding editorial team for the journal.

The team included very capable Christian educators such as Harry Burggraff from Donvale Christian School and Doug Peck from Plenty Valley Christian School. We knew that hard work would be involved, yet we were still quite idealistic. We saw the journal as a means of fostering collegiality among Christian teachers, of sharing insights, struggles and encouragements. We hoped that despite the reality that Christian teachers are very busy people, they would find the journal worthwhile and helpful as they sought to faithfully approach teaching in a distinctively Christian manner. We understood that being a Christian teacher involves more than simply being a Christian and a teacher. The journal was seen as a way of promoting biblically informed critical reflection, creative endeavour and mutual support among Christian educators. We imagined a journal that contained articles that would challenge us, stimulate us, inform us and equip us as we honed our teaching craft together. I feel that recent developments in our movement, such as the formation of Christian Educators Professional Association (CEPA) stem from a similar vision.

In the early planning days, we struggled to agree on a suitable name for the journal. I was personally very keen for something less obvious than The Christian Teachers Journal. I actually wanted the journal to be called ‘Qoheleth’ (which is an alternative name for the book of Ecclesiastes, meaning ‘The Teacher’). Not surprisingly, I was totally outvoted by the rest of the editorial team

who believed such a title was too obscure and esoteric. I suspect you are glad the rest of the team had their way.

An early highlight for me was when I had the opportunity to interview Harro van Brummelem about a book he had recently written, Walking with God in the Classroom. Harro is such a humble man despite his great depth of wisdom and educational experience, and it was a real treat to just spend an hour with him, one to one, and ‘pick his brain’ about Christian teaching. His books generally, and Walking with God in the Classroom in particular, remain as fantastic resources for Christian teachers, containing a great blend of biblical insight and practical advice.

In 1992 I attended an ‘Education in Focus’ conference in Canberra and nervously stood before the gathered assembly of hundreds of Christian teachers from around Australia, and beyond, to promote the first edition of the journal. I commended the journal to those keen to grow as Christian educators, and I likewise commend it to you now. As the journal enters its third decade can I encourage you to embrace it, and to take the time to both read and contribute. I trust that with God’s help, the journal will continue to be a mechanism for fostering Christ-centred education for years to come.

Allan Long [email protected] Sattler Christian College Allan was the first editor of the Christian Teachers Journal in 1992.

eDitorial

Future issuesJuly 2012 Teaching history

OcTOber 2012 20th anniversary edition Due date: 25 June 2012

February 2013 Indigenous studies

articles will be considered for publication by the editorial committee. email to [email protected]

as the journal enters its third decade can i encourage you to embrace it, and to take the time to both read and contribute.


As we seek to identify some desirable characteristics for Christian educators, I suggest there are two main concepts we need to frame our thinking. The first concept concerns the stages in teacher career development. The second concept is to do with faith development stages.

Considering teacher career development stagesResearch concerning teacher career development often presents the stages in a teacher’s professional career as a continuum, using labels from ‘novice to expert’; for example, the National Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL 2011) identifies four main career stages:

• graduate teachers

• proficient teachers

• highly accomplished teachers

• lead teachers.

One model of career development stages by Huberman (1989) suggests teacher career development isn’t quite so simplistic (see figure 1).

According to Huberman’s model, in the first two to three years of their career, teachers find themselves in discovery and survival mode – just working out what it is to front up each day in a classroom and survive. As time rolls on, in years four to six or so, teachers start to stabilise in their teaching – they start to feel comfortable enough to try new ideas and work from experience. After this stage in their teaching career (after six to eight years of teaching), teachers start to go down one of two possible directions:

What it is to ‘prepare young people to lead successful and productive lives’ depends on one’s worldview: what one believes ‘being successful’ and ‘productive’ actually is. The notions of being a ‘professional’ and an ‘effective educator’ prompt us to consider what effective Christian educators look like in the light of a biblically informed worldview; that is, what do we believe it means for our students to live successful and productive lives – and what characterises the practice of Christian teachers who strive to do this?

For Christian schools, the purpose of learning and what it is to gain knowledge is defined by the Bible’s view of what it is to be wise and to know. In Colossians we are told that all knowledge and wisdom is found in Christ alone; without Christ, any learning is lacking and incomplete. It is not enough for us as Christian teachers to teach our students about the world they live in without knowing whose world they are in, who created all things, and who calls them to live in the world responsibly. This biblical understanding must be integral to everything that effective Christian educators do.

in the Preamble of the recently published National Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL 2011), the ‘crucial role of the teacher’ is outlined, noting that:

Teachers share a significant responsibility in preparing young people to lead successful and productive lives….A teacher’s effectiveness has a powerful impact on students, with broad consensus that teacher quality is the single most important in-school factor influencing student achievement. Effective teachers can be a source of inspiration and, equally important, provide a dependable and consistent influence on young people as they make choices about further education, work and life (AITSL 2011, p.1).

experimentation/

Diversificationstock-taking

Themes/Phases in teacher career

1-3

4-6

7-18

19-30

31-40

Career entry: survival &

discovery

stabilisation

Disengagement: serene

or bitter

serenity Conservatism

years of Teaching

Figure 1 huberman’s (1989) Teacher Career Cycle

In Colossians we are told that all knowledge and wisdom is found in Christ alone


school; what we’d think of as positive and negative life experiences, planned and unplanned - illness, family concerns, or broken relationships. According to this model, personal experiences impact and shape a teacher’s career development - sometimes reinvigorating them, making them more compassionate, or learn new skills – or, causing disengagement from the craft of teaching.

Together, these two teacher career models point to the need for our schools to provide strong professional development and teacher support. We need to look out for one another, sharing each others’ joys as well as the burdens when tough times come. Being aware of ourselves and the stages we are going through in our individual teaching career is important if we are to be an effective Christian educator. The decisions teachers make about attending conferences, taking on further study or learning a new skill can influence them as an effective educator.

Considering faith development Believing in Jesus Christ does not mean that one always lives in certainty – that’s what faith is! However, it is important to consider faith development stages, pondering what we can learn about our students and ourselves as we strive to be effective teachers.

According to those who write about faith development (such as James Fowler), the first faith stage for a child is one of experienced faith. Young toddlers and children simply follow the beliefs of their parents, intuitively at first. They respond to religious stories and rituals literally, rather than symbolically, and can be motivated by stories emotionally, shaping what they do and say.

Huberman’s career development model suggests that the majority of teachers towards the end of their careers either become bitter or serene. Retirement starts to look attractive, and they are much less interested in learning anything new (of course, there are a few teachers we know who buck this trend!).

Another researcher, Joeger (2004) (see figure 2), suggests teacher career development is more dynamic, arguing that there are two main factors which influence teacher career stages which cause them to move in and out of various stages in their careers. These concern the organisational environment, and the teacher’s personal environment.

The organisational environment refers to the learning community in which the teacher works and the support that is provided there (or possibly – the lack of support), the colleagues they work with, and leadership provided. The broader context in which the school operates is also a factor, such as changes in state or national policy. An example for us would be the Australian curriculum: external influences like the introduction of a national curriculum can shape and motivate us as teachers, or perhaps cause us to be disengaged, tired of more change.

The second factor identified as influencing teacher career development by Joeger is the teacher’s personal environment – things that occur in the teacher’s personal life, outside

either they start to experiment and diversify in their careers, perhaps going into a new subject field, different year levels, taking up positions of responsibility or, developing and establishing new programs.

Alternatively, Huberman suggests teachers at this stage start to stock-take: questioning how they ended up a teacher. They may move straight into the next conservative

stage as represented in the diagram (right side Figure 1) or perhaps this stage will be delayed after they’ve been through the experiment and diversity stage (left side). If teachers take the conservative route, they begin to stop developing the ideas and programs that had previously excited them. They begin to think that new teaching ideas thrust upon them are probably what they’ve always done anyway. Teachers in this stage of their career tend to stick to what they know works.

Figure 2 Joeger’s Teacher Career Cycle – adapted from Fessier & Christensen 1992 (Joeger 2004)

We need to look out for one another, sharing each others’ joys as well as the burdens when tough times come

organizational environment1

Personal environment1

teacher Career Cycle(adapted from Fessier, r & christensen, J.c., 19921

union 1Publictrust 1

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Pro

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al d

eve

lop

me

nt

exp

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1

PolicyuClB

teachingstandards 2

Performanceappraisals 2

Professionalorganizations 1

societalexpectations 1

Managementstyle 1

Pro

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nal

de

velo

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mt 2

state &

local

Co

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Domain of AdultDevelopment (Bee, 1987)

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Ind

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Pre-service

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Competency Build

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Enthusiastic

& Growing

Career Frustration

Career Stabilit

y

Career Wind-Down

Career Exit

... 40 Years4 Years 6 Years


above yourselves.” I like the way Peterson paraphrases this. He writes:

Love from the centre of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

In an orchestra, the initial acknowledgement goes to the first violinist when the concert is a success and the applause is given. However, without the role of the second fiddle, which supports, provides harmony, contrast, depth, the first violinist would be left lacking. The idea of playing second fiddle is to practise supporting your colleagues and those in your wider community – from the cleaners, to the parent heading up the P & F, to the board members, and your leaders and colleagues as teachers – the young and the more experienced. Be there to support, encourage, pick up the pieces, fill in the gaps – create the harmony for others.

Second - ensure the faith we profess makes a difference: be real in your faith! If you’re not convinced that faith makes a difference in your life, then you’re teaching in the wrong school. This doesn’t mean you will always feel good about your faith – because that’s what faith is – living in hope, despite sometimes feeling unsure. However, strive to work out how the faith you profess influences and shapes your pedagogy, the curriculum content you select, and so on. Galatians 5 teaches: “Since this is the life we have chosen, the life of the spirit, let us make sure we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives” (Peterson paraphrase) - a great verse for us as Christian educators!

As we strive to be effective Christian teachers we need to be aware that our students know that the faith we profess (in our personal lives, and in and through our teaching) does make a difference. The curriculum, in a broad sense; what we expose students to in the classroom and beyond in the wider school community, needs to help students experience faith for themselves, question it, and experience why they should own the faith our schools are based on and develop an on-going relationship with God for themselves.

As we explore what it is to be an effective Christian educator, we need to be aware of where we are in our own personal career stage, asking ourselves whether we are heading towards the comfortable serene (or perhaps bitter!) stage in our careers. We also need to be aware of where we are in our own faith stage - are we simply living our faith as some sort of routine, but really no different to those around us who do not share the same faith we profess? We need to consider what influence our personal faith journey has upon the faith development of our students.

Characteristics of an effective teacherWe could add to this discussion several lists suggested by research identifying the characteristics of effective teachers. However, here are just a few key behaviours I think are important for us as we develop our craft (and that you won’t find in secular readings):

• Practise playing second fiddle

• Ensure the faith you profess makes a difference – be real!

• Develop a left foot

• Be determined to finish what you are called to do

First - practise playing second fiddle: Romans 12: 9-10 teaches us “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another

When children start to move through to young adolescence their faith often becomes affiliative in nature - needing to belong to a group of believers, working out their place in the church and the world. Many people brought up in Christian homes simply stay at this affiliative stage - accepting the faith they grew up with, never questioning it any further, or thinking through what some of their spoken beliefs mean for their own actions. Alternatively, some adolescents start to begin a radical shift from dependence on spiritual beliefs passed on to them by their parents, primary school and sunday school teachers, and go through a time of searching faith, questioning and doubting the faith passed on to them. They test their faith. They question whether faith really matters, asking if what their faith teaches is really true - not always in words, but through their actions. They start to choose beliefs, values, and relationships important to their self-fulfilment – who they think they are becoming, or want to become.

Adolescents and young adults brought up in faith based families may be touched by the Holy Spirit, and start to work out their faith, taking it on for themselves with passion and energy. Some move on to a stage of owned faith, fired up and enthused in their relationship with God (sometimes thinking everyone else is too staid in their faith!). Or they may reject their parents’ faith altogether – also with passion and energy.

the curriculum....needs to help students experience faith for themselves


of negative things. It takes listening to the crowd, people cheering runners on, willing them to keep going.

I am reminded of the determination of a marathon runner from the 1968 Olympics. John Steven Aquari from Tanzania was competing in the Mexican Olympic Games. During the marathon, in the early stages of the event, the Tanzanian runner fell hard on a knee, breaking the skin and injuring himself. He started falling behind the main pack of runners, limping, getting slower and slower. His legs stiffened up, his body hurt all over. The winner up ahead crossed the finish line. John Steven got further behind. It was getting dark, but finally, he limped over the finish line. When asked why he didn’t just give up, John Steven answered it was because his country didn’t send him 5000 miles to start the race, his country sent him 5000 miles to finish the race.

This is a lesson for us as Christian educators. We need to finish the race we started with the same enthusiasm we had when we were first appointed to our first teaching position – whether it was a year ago, 10 years ago, or 40 years ago.

We need to develop professional learning communities where we as staff question what it means to be effective Christian educators, beyond being punctual, well groomed, and approachable.

Cultivate thinking staff rooms. Fuel yourself with good teaching, further study, keep reading, putting good nutrition into your body. Developing your teaching career and as Paul writes in Hebrews 10:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we might spur

one another on towards love and good deeds.

Dr Fiona Partridge [email protected]

Fiona is coordinator of studies at Torrens Valley Christian School in Adelaide and is an adjunct lecturer with the National Institute. She is also lecturer at Tabor Adelaide and a member of the editorial committee of this journal.

Third - develop a left foot: As a mum of a couple of sons pretty serious about their Aussie Rules football, this is a footy phrase that I’ve heard regularly called by the coaches. In coming to understand what the saying means, I think it can easily be applied to us as teachers. Develop and cultivate and craft what you are good at – your main subject area – your main area of responsibility in your teaching or leadership position, what God has gifted you to do and be – but work on strengthening the other areas in your teaching too. Be flexible. Be willing to be used by God in a number

of different areas and different ways. Be creative, willing to change and learn….develop a left foot!

And finally: be determined to finish what you are called to do. Be focussed, determined and persevere. Work hard at your job. Several times in the scriptures Paul uses the analogy of the Christian life as a race.

Compare the calling we have to be Christian educators (often a career span of 30 or 40 years) to a marathon! It’s not a sprint race.... it’s long, and hard, but it’s rewarding when you reach the end. It takes months of training to prepare for a marathon – if fact, years of running to do it well. It takes good nutrition – feeding the body so that the runner can sustain the length of the race. It takes perseverance and sure grit, getting rid

Discussion for the staff rooM:1. What are some of the

characteristics / behaviours you believe should be evident/ developed in an effective Christian educator? Share and discuss.

2. Reflect on your own professional career. Using the Huberman model, where would you place yourself currently in the professional cycle? Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

3. Refer to the Joeger model. Where would you place yourself using this model? Can you identify events / people in your personal and professional lives that have influenced your professional career development? Consider both the negative and positive influences.

4. How can you be more conscious of your own career development and faith development?

Suggestion: Ask your staff members to each pair with a colleague. Encourage the pair to provide mutual positive peer support, holding each other accountable throughout the year.

We need to finish the race we started with the same enthusiasm we had when we were first appointed to our first teaching position

References

AITSL, 2011, National Professional Standards for Teachers, Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Ltd, MCEECDYA, Vic Aust, available at http://www.aitsl.edu.au/verve/_resources/AITSL_National_Professional_Standards_for_Teachers.pdf

Huberman M, 1989, On teachers’ careers: Once over lightly with a broad brush,

International Journal of Educational Research, 13, 347-361.

Joerger, 2004, The Teacher Career Cycle (p. 36), adapted from Fessler & Christensen, 1992, Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.


a theologY oF Career seleCTIon


are commanded to serve others with God given gifts, talents and abilities in order to build up both the community of faith, wider community and care for his creation (Genesis 4:20-22; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:4-21; Hardy, 1990:80,97; Stevens, 1999:94). Service to others does not limit people to a few select careers. In a rapidly diversifying job market, Christians are needed in all occupations to exert kingdom values and influence (Tabalujan, 2005:110).

There is no hierarchy of careers in God’s eyes, what matters is in all careers he is glorified. A particular job serves as the vehicle to fulfil every Christian’s vocation that is to be a faithful child of God. How one does their job is more important than the job itself (Romans 12:1-2; Tabalujan, 2005:105; Badcock, 1998:126; Sweet, 2000:116).

Unfortunately God’s kingdom values can be obscured when selecting a job and worldly, human desires for physical satisfaction, security, comfort, power, greed, reputation, success and a higher salary become the main factors for consideration (Ford, 1997:34; Hardy, 1990:88).

3 Persevere through tough times

Frequent change is characteristic of working life. School leavers today are expected to experience five complete career changes and average 29 employers in their lifetime. When someone has learnt all that a job has to teach it can be appropriate to change careers. However there are times when low job satisfaction or fulfilment as the sole reason for change can be self-focused, obscure a greater purpose and not be an accurate guide to the ‘right’ career (Hardy, 1990:98; Tabalujan, 2005:111).

Through divine providence God gifts his people with abilities, concerns and interests that can serve as indicators of his will in career choice (1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:4-21; Hardy, 1990 :92). Discovering these inborn abilities and aptitudes can narrow the overwhelming range of choice that exists in the rapidly diversifying field of work (Banks and Stevens, 1997:1082).

While seeking advice and confirmation of intrinsic gifts from others prevents the capacity for self-deception, the expectations of family and friends can distract from new possibilities or more suited careers (Hardy, 1990:89; Palmer, 2000:12). There is no replacement for thoroughly understanding ourselves. Selecting a career based on self-awareness of one’s God given abilities and strengths proves beneficial to others, and self, through greater job fulfilment (Romans 12:3; Palmer, 2000:31; Tabalujan, 2005:109). Being raised in a culture that promotes the myth anyone can do anything or be anything they want to be if they work hard enough, places challenges in the path to a realistic understanding of gifts. Inevitably limitations are reached and failure is internalised as having not worked hard enough (Palmer, 2000:39; Miller and Hendricks, 1999:30). Honesty is a valuable aspect in career selection.

2 Consider the world’s needs

Selecting a career should involve a God given concern for others and not just self-fulfilment (Hardy 1990:91) The Kingdom of God, being both ethical and present, has moral values that a disciple of Jesus must consider in career selection (Badcock, 1998:52). Of utmost importance should be service (Matthew 20:26). Christians

DeFInITIonCareer selection is a lifelong journey where people choose a particular occupation to exercise their God given gifts to serve others (Hardy, 1990:81; Miller, 2008:n.p.). Career selection is an individual, subjective focus within the doctrine of vocation, (meaning calling from the Latin vocare, ‘to call’; Badcock, 1998:54). A career is one part of fulfilling one’s vocation (Banks and Stevens, 1997:105). Vocation is a divine life purpose given to all Christians who are called to salvation, the gospel, its proclamation and the new life as a disciple of Jesus. That call may or may not be accepted (Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 1:2,9 1 Peter 1:9,15; Banks and Stevens, 1997:1078).

BIBlICal PersPeCTIVeThe New Testament does not consider the question of vocation in terms of career selection. As a modern concept that emerged from the Protestant Reformation, career choice was an option available to few in biblical times. For the majority, as it still is for many today, a paid occupation is imposed by external economic, family or social circumstances (Badcock, 1998: 41,42). Most biblical characters allowed God to use their lives within their existing careers and were frequently ill equipped for the task God set them. (Jeremiah 1:4-9; Tabalujan, 2005:104). This does not mean that God offers no guidance to those fortunate enough to have choice today. Against the prevailing misunderstanding that a career is a secular matter with a hierarchy of ‘Christian value’, an ethical approach to career selection considers all occupations as service to God (Ford, 1997:115). It deals with the point at which people make crucial decisions about life purpose, their influence in the world and management of resources such as talents and time (Robinson et al, 1991:130; Stevens, 1999:109; Ford, 1997:115). Responsible career selection assumes God is involved in every aspect of life and can include the following guiding principles.

1 Identify intrinsic gifts

Central to most career counselling and identification tests is the notion that one’s career choice should be based on individual strengths and talents. From the very beginning of life and throughout childhood, particular behaviours are strong indicators to intrinsic gifts (Psalm 139:13-16; Miller & Hendricks, 1999:26-28; Palmer, 2000:11).

There Is nO hIerarchy

OF careers In GOD’s eyes,

whaT maTTers Is In all

careers he Is GlOrIFIeD

11

Vivienne Stapleton [email protected] Careers Advisor Donvale Christian College, Victoria

Vivienne has been the Careers Adviser at Donvale Christian College for 5 years and has completed a Graduate Diploma in Theology in 2010. She was awarded a government scholarship to complete a Graduate Certificate in Career Education and Development at RMIT this year. Her passion is to help students to discover and align their God given strengths and abilities with career possibilities.

Bibliography

Badcock, G.D. (1998). The way of life; a theology of Christian vocation. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Banks, R.(Ed.) and Stevens, P.R. (Ed.; 1997). Vocational guidance, Career and Calling/Vocation. in The complete book of everyday Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.

Calhoun, A.A. (2005). Spiritual disciplines handbook. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.

Ford, D.F. (1997). The shape of living. London: Fount.

Hardy, L. (1990). The fabric of this world. Inquiries into calling, career choice and the design of human work. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Miller , D.L. (2008). Lifework: developing a biblical theology of vocation. Available Internet:

(http://www.transformingteachers.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=143#3)

Miller, A.F. and Hendricks, A. (1999). Why you can’t be anything you want to be. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Palmer, P.J. (2000). Let your life speak; listening for the voice of vocation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Robinson, I., Kaldor, P. And Drayton, D.(Eds) Growing in everyday faith. Sydney, NSW: Lancer.

Stevens, P.R. (1999). The other six days. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Sweet, L.I. (2000). Soul Salsa. Grand Rapids, MI:Zondervan.

Tabalujan, B. (2005). God on Monday, reflections on

Christians @ work. Melbourne, VIC: Klesis

5 Being precedes doing

Career choice should be viewed from within the wider vocation perspective (see figure below). People should identify themselves by who they are in Christ and not by what they do. A deeper sense of identity in Christ leads to more consistent integrity, more direction and ultimately career decisions that are consistent with who we are and what we believe in (Ford, 1997:48; Tabalujan, 2005:102; Banks and Stevens, 1997:1080; Badcock, 1998:3).

6 Trust God

Finally, in the twists and challenges of a career journey, we can be secure in the knowledge that God is not only with us but directing us. God gives wisdom and guidance to anyone who asks for it (James 1:5) Direction may not come in miraculous ways but through exercising faith, prayer and experiencing a peace that passes understanding (Tabalujan, 2005:106; Calhoun, 2005:99). It is not possible to know everything before one acts so career selection can be viewed as an exciting journey with God, with unexpected turns and unforseen opportunities (Psalm 37:3-5; Hardy, 1990:87).

(Adapted from Stevens, 1999:73 and Hardy 1990:80,81)

A particular career does not exist primarily for the edification and realisation of one’s self. Although this is a good thing it should not be the main focus. Career selection may involve a degree of personal sacrifice or self-denial in order to meet the primary goal of using gifts in the service of others to glorify Christ (Ephesians 1:12,14; Philippians 2:3; Hardy, 1990:98).

Equally, the negative results from a poor choice can be as important as success (Palmer, 2000:7). God can use difficult situations and apparent failures to further develop an understanding of self, foster maturity and transform character to be more Christlike (Palmer, 2000:7; Tabalujan, 2005:111).

4 embrace uncertainty and take risks

Contrary to popular belief, God does not have a perfect plan precisely tailored to each individual that extends down to the details of career choice (Banks and Stevens, 1997:1079). Instead he has a purpose that can be discovered through experimentation, trial and error. Anxiety trying to find the ‘right’ career or serving an ego that desperately wants to believe it is in control causes more reliance on self rather than God (Palmer, 2000:97).

chrIsTIan VOcaTIOn

Discipleship

The call of the gospel to repentance, faith, fellowship with Jesus and to be holy

= to be saints

The call to love and serve neighbours with God given gifts = to do certain things

human VOcaTIOn

The divine intent for human life = to develop, give shape to, and care for the earth

PersOnal VOcaTIOn

citizenchurch

member

wife

husband

Occupation

(career

selection)

The ChrIsTIan TeaChers Journal May 2012

12 The ChrIsTIan TeaChers Journal May 2012

fter a couple of years as the Donvale Christian College Careers Adviser, I believed a Careers Expo night would greatly enhance the careers education program at Donvale. The idea

of providing an opportunity for middle and senior students to learn about a variety of professions from members of our school community (parents, friends and alumni)

originated from listening to other careers advisers endorse the benefits of such an event. While a work experience program provides students with an insight into one career, the reality is that students are faced with increasingly complex and varied career options combined with limited knowledge, time or opportunities to explore them. I wanted a ‘speed dating’ form of career exploration that encouraged parent engagement, alumni participation and meaningful insights into a range of professions. With these aims in mind the Donvale Careers Expo was born!

a Tuesday night in May, 200 parents and students,

40 speakers, 16 different rooms, 10 tertiary

institutions and mission displays all rotating

through four different time slots and in the midst

of the buzz, one careers adviser nervously hoping

for so many variables to go smoothly.

possibilitiesExplore the


PlannInG

Several months before the event, letters were sent out to our diverse and talented school community and alumni list, requesting their involvement and specify what was involved. They were asked to give an informal, 15 minute talk about their job, followed by the chance for students and their parents to ask questions for the last 10 minutes; then repeat the session once more to a new audience. A range of university, TAFE, Christian colleges and the Australian Defence Force representatives were booked to form a browse and display area at the start of the evening.

In some cases speakers in similar career areas were grouped together to form panels (eg. trades, allied health professionals, engineers). Recent alumni currently attending university formed a panel to discuss the topic What’s uni like? and answer questions. Repeat sessions over three time slots maximised opportunities for students and parents to hear from a variety of speakers or panels.

aDVerTIsInG

One of our year 12 studio arts students took a photo of her younger brother and this was used for large posters around the school, on postcards mailed out to year 10, 11 and 12 families and on the college website with the caption Explore the possibilities. As a first time event it was necessary to advertise frequently and in a variety of mediums to communicate the intentions and benefits of the night.

on The nIGhT

From 7pm onwards our senior building was a buzz of conversations. Walking around the rooms it was great to see

plumbers, journalists, teachers, physiotherapists, graphic designers, scientists and engineers provide insights that informed students’ career research and decisions. They spoke about their specific professions daily tasks, skills, personal attributes required, opportunities, highlights, challenges and pathways. One highlight was seeing former students back at the college sharing about their many and varied career journeys so enthusiastically to senior students. It was satisfying to hear the many positive endorsements of the night from speakers and audience at the end of the evening.

BeneFITs

As a college community event, the Careers Expo fostered deeper connections between parents, staff, students and alumni. Speakers shared generously from their life experiences and this willingness to mentor has extended to students taking up work experience placements in the months that followed.

Some students find the whole Open Day tertiary experience in August overwhelming in number and knowing which ones to go to. The Expo’s timing in May enabled students to collect general information, attend careers counselling and then be more strategic and informed prior to Open Day events.

Even though the Careers Expo proved to be a welcome addition to our growing careers education program, the fact remains that parents are the number one influence on their child’s careers choices. It was satisfying to be able to provide the opportunity for students and parents to explore possibilities

together utilising the wealth of experiences within our school community.

Vivienne Stapleton

possibilitiesExplore theDonVale Career exPo

as a college community

event, the Careers expo

fostered deeper connections

between parents, staff,

students and alumni.


BIBlICal GuIDelInes

For The PraCTIse oF aCCounTInG


and then one small step at a time, influenced by greed, and an apparent ease of deception, they ended up participating in unethical and dishonest accounting practices.

Our students should be reminded that Christians do not have the monopoly on ethics. The accounting profession is founded on ethical behaviour. The Australian Accounting Standards Board cite as underlying assumptions, concepts such as reliability (freedom from error and bias); faithful representation; prudence; true and fair presentation, and the stewardship or management and accountability, for the resources entrusted to it.

sTeWarDshIP

The well known parable of the talents, recorded in Matthew 25: 14-302 also talks about stewardship.

The master was going on a journey and called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents and to another one talent, each according to his ability. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

It is interesting to note later in the chapter, that the praise given to the servant who had five talents and earned five more was identical to the praise he gave to the servant who had two talents and earned two more. ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things, so I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness’.

students, a logical starting point is to consider this agnostic critic’s question, which can be rephrased as ‘Where do our material blessings come from?’ Deuteronomy 8:182 says, ‘Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth’. Jeremiah 9: 23 and 242 also reinforce this message and state:

This is what the Lord says, let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts, boast about this: “That he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” declares the Lord.

These scriptures are both based on the fundamental proposition that ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)2

I attended a finance seminar a few years ago, where the keynote speaker began by stating, “Money is not everything!” I thought, I think I’ll like this fellow’s presentation… we’re off to a good start. He then continued, “…but it’s right up there with air!” So much for that, I concluded! Money certainly helps us pay our rent, fill our vehicles with petrol, put food in our bellies, buy special gifts and meet the cost of enjoying some fun and relaxation. But it’s not everything. Most of us have encountered some particularly unhappy and unfulfilled wealthy people. In their lives there are voids that an abundance of money has failed to fill.

eThICs anD a WarnInG aBouT GreeD

Jesus warned his followers about greed and the love of money. Luke records Jesus’ words: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:152)

Jim Collins1 in his very readable book, Good to Great, has drawn attention to a gradual erosion of ethics, citing the Enron and WorldCom cases. There, he says, otherwise good business people gradually conditioned themselves to the point where they were prepared to do things which they would have previously sworn never to do. They rationalised that everyone else was doing it

For business teachers in Christian schools, exploring the links between accounting and the Bible should be a relatively simple exercise. Scripture is full of references to money, giving, stewardship, wisdom and generally accepted ethical principles. Yet somehow we accounting teachers tend to focus on debits, credits and transaction recording processes, and forget the key biblical principles underpinning what we teach.

Five key principles are briefly presented in the hope of encouraging business teachers to consider the powerful biblical themes undergirding our discipline.

The hearT oF The MaTTer

In my previous life as a Chartered Accountant and tax adviser to small and medium sized businesses, I was in the privileged position of gaining many confidential insights about my clients and their personal values, simply by reviewing the entries recorded on their cheque butts. The most unlikely people were often the most generous givers. Some were quite Scrooge-like with their spending. One successful project manager was still supporting his adult ‘wanna-be-actor’ son with an open-ended credit card. Another client would spend more on a bottle of investment wine, than I would earn in a week as a graduate accountant.

In Matthew 6:21 it says that ‘Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also’. Perhaps this is why Jesus talked so much about finance and stewardship. Our students can be encouraged to review their bank statements and EFTPOS receipts which can reveal much about what is thought to be significant to an individual or business.

At a recent business conference, before commencing our main course at the conference dinner, a local pastor was asked to say grace. After we had bowed our heads to acknowledge the Lord’s goodness, a colleague muttered a complaint: “Why are we thanking God? I paid for this conference and this dinner and I work hard to earn my living. I don’t know what God’s got to do with it!”

When investigating the Bible and its implied messages for business and accounting

our sTuDenTs

shoulD Be reMInDeD

ThaT ChrIsTIans

Do noT haVe The

MonoPoly on eThICs


job and to pay attention to the fine details.

Christian teachers are in a powerful position to positively impact students. The biblical principles which underpin the business disciplines we teach are rich with wisdom to transform the thinking and future professions of those entrusted to our care and guidance.

Wendy Collins [email protected]

Wendy is a Chartered Accountant and lecturer in the School of Business, at Christian Heritage College, in Brisbane. She has a

Bachelor of Commerce, a Masters Degree of Management and a Graduate Diploma of Education (FET). Her special interests are in accounting, business planning and business communication.

Endnotes

1. Collins, J. 2001,Good to Great, Random House, UK.

2. Holy Bible, 1995, New International Version, Zondervan Publishing House, USA

even after ten successful years in business.” He says, “I still have a trusted group of advisers who act as my accountability team and when we meet fortnightly, I make sure I pay attention to their advice. I can become too emotionally involved, or too blasé, but they keep me focused and grounded.”

honour anD exCellenCe

A final principle throughout scripture, and which can be woven into our accounting and management subjects, is all about honouring others and ensuring that we take heed of Jesus’ words to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see our good deeds” (Matthew 5:162). Specifically, Christians in business should ensure that we honour those who lend us money. The suppliers who extend to us interest free credit for the goods purchased on account, should be paid on or before the due date of the invoice.

Sadly, too often it is the creditor who has supplied stock or materials in good faith, who is left to the last to be paid. Romans 13:8 2 reminds us “Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another.”

We need to encourage our students to aspire to build businesses which reflect excellence and thus honour God’s goodness. When the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon (as recorded in 1 Kings 102), she was overwhelmed not only by his wisdom, his palace and the food on his table, but by the manner of his officials and attending servants. His employees had learned, not just to do a good job, but to do an excellent

This parable illustrates one of my favourite themes of financial wisdom which can be gleaned from the Bible and discussed in class - the importance of investing with discretion and control, as opposed to merely hoarding the assets with which we have been entrusted.

JoyFul GIVInG

Another financial theme, which can be found sprinkled throughout the scriptures, is that of joyful giving.

Proverbs 3:92 says to “Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine”. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, reminds us that “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”. This opens the personal question as to whether each of us is effectively sharing our time, talents and treasures. As well as teaching about being good stewards and investing wisely, are we also training our students regarding joyfully giving part of their time, talents and treasures to influence their communities, their churches, their profession and their neighbours, with the overflow of God’s provision?

WIse Counsel

A principle of financial wisdom which I always share with my students, is that we should seek advice from other trained professionals. Contrary to what we might like to think, we actually don’t know it all. No business owner can be a tax professional, skilled accountant, legal expert, marketing guru, superannuation and insurance broker and human resource management practitioner. We are wise, if unsure, to seek counsel from others more highly trained and skilled than we are. Proverbs 12:152 says, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice”. Again in Proverbs 15:222, we are reminded that “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed”.

One multi-award winning business owner in Brisbane, attributes his success to the fact that he is always ready to listen to the advice of others. “I don’t presume to know it all

We neeD To

enCouraGe our

sTuDenTs To asPIre

To BuIlD BusInesses

WhICh reFleCT

exCellenCe anD

Thus honour

GoD’s GooDness

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What’s intrinsically valuable is what happens on Sundays and business people are just doing what is instrumentally valuable. Business is just good insofar as it produces financial support for the church, its missionaries and preachers. Many businessmen and business majors feel this way, often feeling guilty reading their business textbooks and feeling as though they have to make up for it by being more involved in church. But this is not right.

Christ is not just the Lord of Christians; He is Lord of all, absolutely and without qualification. Therefore the entire Church in their secular occupations are called to be signs of his lordship in every area of life - Lesslie Newbigin

If Newbigin is right, then there is something intrinsically valuable about Christians doing business and devoting their whole lives to the marketplace. Business is a God-given activity and it is an activity that is exclusively for human beings. Animals do not trade. It is an expression of being made in the image of God, as humans fill the earth and creatively help each other by trading not only goods but talents and quality for human development. It is a highly communal endeavor, as the marketplace shows to us the interdependent nature of people. Indeed we are social creatures made by

a trinitarian God. Business, as marred as it is by human sin, is inherently good. And because it is marred by sin, it requires much redemption. Since God is bringing about not only the new heaven but also a new earth, surely there will be trade in eternity! Most probably the musician will still be making beautiful music for the glory of God, and the baker will still be trading bread for the glory of God. There is eternal value in the things that we do here for him.

The GospelWhat is perhaps more familiar to us Christians is that the gospel consists of the good news of God’s plan of salvation. God has planned to redeem and save a people for himself through the atoning work of his son Jesus Christ. These people are saved from their sins and the wrath of God. Right. But it is much more than that isn’t it? When Jesus was on earth he preached about the coming of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of

WorldvIEW

We seem to believe that there is a great divide between the secular workplace and the mission field. Missions are what missionaries do.

Businessa

nd

19The ChrIsTIan TeaChers Journal May 2012

many ethical dilemmas and morally grey areas that are hard to overcome and often seemingly impossible to redeem. However, what a remarkable improvement it would be if we can get our Christian businessmen and women (missionaries living in the field of business) to view themselves as doing an essential and highly important part of the mission of God to redeem all things to his Son. Let us not therefore reinforce this dichotomy between ‘secular’ work on Mondays and ‘holy’ work on Sundays.

The particular ‘How’s’ would hopefully be a bit clearer after we get the ‘Why’ worked out. Christians are called to participate in God’s mission everywhere. And this means the redemption of the marketplace. Theologians should be actively seeking to influence this area of life. A Korean Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a retail company has hired a theologian to become his adviser. What a difference it would make if all CEO’s did the same. What a difference it would make when the churches pray for each business person as they proceed to a new job the same way they pray for those flying off to preach the gospel to the tribes of Papua.

All Christians are called to preach the gospel and to live the gospel life. This is the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, is it not?

Business majors, business people, you are called to engage in important, challenging and confronting work. Do it all for the glory of God, and seek him first as we strive to redeem the working environment. Work with integrity the best you can, and glorify the Lord who has established you exactly where he wants you to be.

Nathaniel Gray Sutanto [email protected]

Nathaniel Gray Sutanto graduated from grade 12 at SPH International, Indonesia in 2009. He is currently a student of Philosophy and Biblical Theological Studies in Biola University in the US. At the age of 20 he is already an active minister, teacher and preacher at New Life Baptist Church, Los Angeles, and a regular visiting preacher at IES Church in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Further reading:

Wayne Grudem: Business for the Glory of God, Crossway, Wheaton, IL. 2003.

Christopher Wright Mission of God, InterVarsity Press. Downer’s Grove, IL. 2006,

Christopher Wright Mission of God,’s people Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI. 2010

R. Paul Stevens, Doing God’s Business, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI. 2006.

sin in the business world are visible and obvious. Missionaries are to be called in the marketplace. Thus Christian business people are doing work that is just as important as missionaries being sent off to the rural parts of some third world country.

There are several reasons why the marketplace must be targeted.

• Time. People spend much more time relating to their co-workers in the office than they do at church. There are many opportunities for pastoral work if only our Christian businesspeople would be the lights where they are working.

• Access. The marketplace only offers access to people who work there. It enables access to countries and areas of the world that would never be opened to ministers or churches. The 10/40 window is an astounding example of this. The marketplace can penetrate areas that are thus resistant to the theologians.

• Relational communities. The marketplace is a highly social place, providing a relational context that would often be deeper than those offered in most churches. Much opportunity for serious discipleship for kingdom living can be done.

• Corporation cultures. Leaders of the business world have the ability to exercise their sovereignty to foster and establish a company culture that is based on kingdom living. This includes establishing a company identity and a workspace that not only has visible values and statements, but unstated kingdom life presuppositions.

• Proximity to people in need and in crisis. The business world is necessary for us to overcome poverty, and to improve the lifestyle of the community in general. Honest trade can provide jobs, and propel social justice in this world which is so marred with injustice as a result of sin. Indeed, Wayne Grudem even believes that it is the marketplace that will, in the long run, become the key for alleviating poverty. The world runs on business - and thus the world desperately needs a marketplace that is obedient to the lordship of Christ.

There’s still much more to be said. And yes, the business world, as of now, is filled with

God is the rule of God and a people responding and obeying perfectly to his reign. It is the lordship of Christ fully realised, and people becoming fully human. The Kingdom of God is not just the announcement of salvation for God’s people, but also the coming of the great ‘shalom’; the full redemption of all things, the reversal of every aspect of sin. It is not merely individual salvation but universal reversal. It is the removal of poverty, disease, corruption, injustice and evil.

Election for a purposeThis is what we were chosen for. We were not chosen before the foundation of the world to merely enjoy individual fellowship with Christ. We were chosen before the foundation of the world to inherit the blessings of Abraham, to become a blessing to all nations (Read Galatians and follows Paul’s logic in Galatians 3). We were called to participate in the overarching mission of God - God’s mission to redeem all things from the effects of sin.

This means that the gospel is, on top of salvation and eternal life, the Holy Spirit’s work to cause a people to become disciples of kingdom living. Christians are to be the bearers of good news and the good

news themselves. We are the people through whom all people will see the goodness of God in his mission to reverse all the tragic effects of sin. This means that Christians are saved to do profoundly ethical and God-glorifying work; good works that redeem all aspects of life, whether in the pulpit, in the medical departments, law or the marketplace. The gospel is that the people of God - the people who live the kingdom life - will be engaged in the redemption of all these good things.

The market placeImagine what it would be like then, to view our Christian businessmen and business majors as missionaries. They are those people who are called by God to participate in his mission in the field of business. They are those people who are called by God to redeem the sphere of trade. And what an amazingly important and universal field it is. The business world is often marred by corruption, idolatrous demands and greed. Thus, what an amazingly needy area it is for the redemptive living that kingdom life is supposed to bring. The effects of

Business majors, business people, you are called to engage in important, challenging and confronting work.


VocationaltowarDs a christian

perspectiVe on

eDucation

In november 2010, as part of the steering team for a new trade centre in Victoria, I participated in a forum to share ideas about Christian trade teaching. I have always been interested in understanding the worldview and values ideas behind educational practice, yet when I focussed on trade or vocational teaching I was stumped.


Therefore:

• Christian trade training in its operations and course structure needs to celebrate and value all gifts and ways of learning. It should avoid setting up a soft/ hard or important / unimportant mentality to any aspect of its program. It ought to provide for its learners diverse ways of learning.

• In its practices it acknowledges the limitedness of any set of competencies or human theories to explain the world or events and be open to continued revisions of insights. A further implication of this is to regard prescribed courses as minimal rather than complete.

• Focussed concrete learning highlights the importance of a mentor to point out distinctions to a novice; therefore Christian trade training should incorporate a wide range of mentoring into its program and operations. A resource bank of experienced Christian trades people should be developed.

Principle 2 - Service and vocation

A Christian perspective that takes Corinthians 13 seriously could be paraphrased here to say that no matter how gifted, talented and skilled a trade person is, if they have not love they are an empty gong. The reason someone has been given a gift, then trains and hones it, ought to be to serve the community. The work of a trade person can improve and sustain the life of others. This understanding is enhanced if students understand that their daily work is a calling and a way of serving God (vocation).

Implications

• Christian trade training resists the world’s mantra of learning for learning sake or for personal growth or personal wealth but instead values learning for service.

• Every opportunity should be made to link the application and refining of skills to producing services and products for the benefit of others. In particular, groups that cannot afford to pay for services could be the beneficiaries of the work of Christian trade training. In this way the students of Christian trade training learn about service by doing not just by hearing.

• In various parts of the program, students should examine critically from a Christian perspective, the past and present definitions and attitude to daily work.

and focusses attention on details. The attention to the diverse details in each unique concrete entity is usually examined through repeated experiences over time with a guided observation and ‘pointing out’ by an older experienced person. A learned person in this context ‘sees’ details and connections that a novice doesn’t, for example, the closeness of the grain and patterns of knots in a piece of wood and how it may respond to the pressure that will be applied. This kind of learning requires patience, keen visual, hearing and coordination skills, or as Gardner (1999) calls them, kinaesthetic, musical and visual spatial intelligence.

In reality all learning courses use both kinds of learning. Medical courses use focussed concrete leaning to teach doctors to ‘hear’ in a stethoscope as well as many theories such as osmosis to explain the working of cells. However historically, because of the enlightenment and the glorifying of rationality in Western culture, the academic subjects became regarded as superior, a more trustworthy way to build up knowledge of the world.

A Christian perspective of knowledge values equally the distinct uniqueness of each part (diversity) through focussed concrete learning, as well as its unity. Diversity without unity points to chaos. Order and unity without diverse expressions will lead to stifling conformity. Christian knowledge as wisdom (Blomberg 2007) acknowledges that theories and ‘sets of competency’ are limited human expressions of reality, which never fully capture the complexity and order of the creation.

Similarly, a Christian perspective of gifts takes seriously the writing in Corinthians and Romans, where Paul acknowledges that all people have been given different gifts and that all of the various gifts are equally important.

Implications

Becoming a skilled trade person requires many hours of hands on, i.e., focussed concrete learning, in order to see the details, patterns and potential of materials such as wood, steel structures, land, food etc. and suits students whose strength is in creating visual, kinaesthetic and social distinctions. Learning and growing in wisdom through a focussed concrete approach is not a ‘soft’ option. Like all genuine learning it requires effort and discipline. All of the trades also benefit from theory and models to improve insight.

Despite using a variety of search engines to find articles and books written by Christians on this subject, I found nothing. One of the reasons for this is that our USA and Canadian colleagues have not entered the brave world of specific Christian technical colleges.

When the Christian schools in Australia began general primary and secondary education in the 1970s, teachers had some support from the work in Canada and USA through organisations such as the Institute for Christian Studies and the Curriculum Development Centre with publications such as Joy in Learning. It appears there is no such start for the Christian trade centres commencing in Australia at the moment. Several schools within CEN have received money to establish a trade centre, designated for students in the senior years to participate in pre-apprenticeship trade programs or traineeships in various industries.

As part of a Christian school and also part of a tradition that claims every area of life is religious, it was important to ask questions such as: -

• What are the principles and values that ought to shape trade teaching in these colleges?

• How are these distinctive compared to the current TAFE system

• What will these principles and values look like in practice?

In reflecting on these questions I came up with seven principles. These are by no means the definitive answer to the questions posed but they are a start and I hope others may contribute to further thinking on these important questions.

Principle 1 – Celebrating and embracing multiple ways of knowing the world and multiple gifts

Creation comes to us both in unity (similarity of patterns between events and experiences each day) and diversity (no one event/experience/person is exactly the same). Historically a focus on the unity in Western culture has led to the development of theories about the way the world works. These theories, through language and other symbols (particularly mathematical), try to capture that unity. Academic education mostly involves the inducting of students into mastering these historical theories and concepts. This kind of learning requires high levels of literacy and logical thinking.

A second way to understand the creation is through focussed concrete learning. This way of learning requires full (holistic) and regular experience with part of the creation

ThE Work of a TradE pErson Can IMprovE and susTaIn ThE lIfE

of oThErs.


Principle 7- Pastoral care

The current TAFE system was set up for adults. They usually operate as big institutions, employing many causal teachers. Therefore they are not naturally oriented for 15, 16 and 17 year olds who have a lack of adult maturity. As such, they often struggle at providing pastoral care and life guidance for students of this age attending their courses. By employing fulltime teachers to work with small classes, Christian trade teaching has the opportunity to care for the whole student including their spiritual dimension.

Implications • Students at a Christian Trade Training

Centre are not just assigned to courses but to a home group with a teacher, who has responsibility for the pastoral care of the students.

As stated, these thoughts are just a beginning and I look forward to the work these centres will be doing across Australia in the near future. As more people in the Christian school movement apply their faith to working in these places, not only will particular students be blessed but also the training they receive will assist them to become a blessing to their communities. It is only by acknowledging the King and his kingdom in every area that real shalom will be experienced amongst us.

Dr Andrew Schmidt [email protected]

Andrew has worked in three Christian schools as a teacher in Victoria for over 32 years. He

has a passion for school based curriculum development work looking at integral approaches to curriculum and for much of his recent time, alternative vocational based programs at the post compulsory years. Andrew is currently part -time senior lecturer with the National Institute and Curriculum Coordinator for Mt Evelyn Christian School. He is married to Kathy and has five children and five grandchildren.

References

Blomberg, D. (2007) Wisdom and Curriculum: Christian Schooling after Postmodernity. Iowa: Dordt College Press.

Gardner, Howard (1999) Intelligence Reframed. Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York:

Basic Books.

policies of care and concern for the welfare and property of others.

Principle 5 - Integrality

The world comes to us in a complex whole; everything is interconnected and ultimately connected to God as its creator through the one eternal Word. This is at the heart of respecting integrality. It is appropriate to look at the complexity before us in a specialised way, but it is also important to ensure that there are ways of looking and understanding events and specific parts of the creation holistically. Experiencing all of the dimensions and aspects of an event or part of the world with all of our senses leads to a sense of awe, wonder, appreciation and humility. This is a goal often missing in the modern world’s ambition for mastery over the world.

Implications

• For each event or task being examined in a specialist manner, such as the flow of electrical forces in a device, or the fertilisation of the soil for growing, some attention should be given to how other experts view this event or tasks.

• Each event, for example the making of a meal doesn’t occur in isolation but in ever widening contextual connections such as transport, legal frameworks, history etc. Some of these connections need to be made to point to the richness of the tasks, skills, and events.

• One natural way for integrality to be promoted is for each of the various trade areas to work on a common task or project.

Principle 6 - Concern for skill and character

Pragmatism in education has often removed the ethical dimension of learning, overly focussing on skills. There is also a deficiency in Western culture in dealing with the ‘why‘ questions and questions about source of the order and patterns we experience. Christian trade training understands that the development of competent trades people involves both skill and character. Character involves dealing with issues of direction and values, and is demonstrated by students in the way we respond to various situations.

Implications

• Teaching, assessment and reporting processes should in an integrated manner highlight the value of the virtues of integrity, honesty, justice, compassion and faithfulness. It should deal with more than just skills.

Principle 3 - Stewardship

We live in a paradoxical world where, on the one hand, there is excessive focus on efficiency both in time and cost for completing a task that robs the richness of working, and yet there is massive amount of waste and environmental degradation.

The biblical notion of stewardship cuts across both these. Wise use of the earth’s resources and time takes into account the love for our neighbours who are not yet born – the next generation. It supports the lordship of Christ over the earth by trying to understand and work with the God-given order for life and for diversity of expression.

Implications

• Christian trade training ought to teach and support work practices that place profit and efficiency as only one aspect of many that need to be considered, such as: -

• long term environmental health

• personal health and well-being

• enhancing community life

• aesthetic dimension

Principle 4 - Community

There is a constant temptation through the efficiency and accountability forces of today to organise teaching and learning groups into institutions. The scriptures call us to be a community of believers. Recognising that we are created relational beings ought to be also reflected in our callings. So in the case of Christian trade training this means becoming a community of learners.

Some of the characteristics of being community are; servant leadership, shared responsibility by all members for others, celebrating and accepting diversity, shared vision and having policies that are flexible and suit the needs of the learners, rather than the needs of the organisation.

Implications

This understanding should lead to:

• Servant leadership and clear understanding of roles in terms of authority, responsibility and power.

• Regular get-togethers to celebrate success and contributions and to work out problems and re-state or clarify our vision.

• All members sharing in the cleaning, development and maintenance of learning spaces.

• Wherever possible, employ the use of cooperative learning methods that share the responsibility of learning (both planning and assessing).

• Encouragement through example and


Ranges

TEC More Than JusT skIllsIt was with much anticipation

and excitement that ranges TeC

opened its doors to students on

30 January 2012. years of visioning,

planning and preparation by faithful

people from our three founding

Christian education national

schools; Mount evelyn Christian

school, Mountain District Christian

school and Donvale Christian

College, culminated when our 36

full time students arrived with their

loved ones to participate in our

inaugural assembly and week of

orientation.


at Coldstream Aerodrome. It is our vision to equip and train people for service, stewardship and work in God’s world and our mission is to provide quality vocational education and training within a learning community characterised by faith, hope, love, joy, peace and service. We aim for students to discover and develop their God given gifts, grow their biblical understanding of the world and to strive for authentic character in their lives.

Ranges TEC is unique in that we offer senior secondary students a full time Christian vocational education and training program in which they complete the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (Foundation, Intermediate and Senior) alongside a nationally accredited Certificate II pre-apprenticeship qualification in one of the following trade areas;

• Aeroskills

• Building and construction (carpentry)

• Engineering

• Furniture making

• Horticulture/rural operations

• Hospitality (kitchen operations).

As a Christian Trade Training Centre, we seek to be distinct from other vocational education settings. We do this by providing a nurturing environment, through pastoral care and mentoring, but also by affirming that each student is unique and valued as a person created and loved by God. We also do this through viewing all our activities, tasks, programs and spaces as sacred. As a Christian learning community, Ranges TEC aims to support our students to develop a deep sense that they are not just preparing for a job, but that they have been gifted for service, worship and stewardship in order that they may participate in God’s creative and reconciling work on earth.

If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at Ranges TEC you can go to our website www.rangestec.vic.edu.au and click on the green tab to register to receive our e-newsletter.

Ellen Prior [email protected] Ranges TEC Director

and successfully applied to the Federal Government to establish a Christian Trade Training Centre.

Several years later, after much hard work and perseverance, 36 full time and 23 part time year 10 and 11 students have commenced studies. We have three learning sites, our main campus in Hightech Place, a community farm in Monbulk and a hangar

• the Federal Government funding submission was first approved

• the farm was purchased

• the hangar was completed

• a Certificate of Occupancy was issued for the main campus

• the first enrolment was received

• the registration to operate as a school and Registered Training Organisation was granted

• our teaching staff commenced.

However, in the same way that God’s creation of humankind was the pinnacle of the creation story, so too Ranges TEC wasn’t really complete until the students arrived – it was then ‘very good’.

The idea to create a purpose built facility, offering a full time program to students in years 10, 11 and 12 was born out of the observation over many years by Christian educators, that mainstream schooling wasn’t providing the best learning environment for students who preferred to learn by doing and engaging in real-life projects and activities. So the three founding schools formed a partnership

Just like the wonderful creation story in Genesis, where

God takes moments to pause and delight in his work,

and declare it good, so too has ranges TeC celebrated

key milestones. These included;

Gerry Biemers, Ross Grace, The Hon Julia Gillard and Chris Prior receiving funding from the federal government in 2010.


The Fabrication and Construction

Trade Training Centre at Marrara Christian College

as they walk through the door you can see the attitude. he sits behind the desk, head down, prickly and frustrated with life; the image of the hopeless young man who sees no point in school. no confidence in his parents’ judgment about what makes a good school and yet another school visit is being pushed onto him. “school sucks!” already feeling a failure from previous efforts he knows this lot will be against him too. when you are told subtly and directly that you don’t measure up – you give up!

Offering hope


terms. They helped level, spread cracker dust, compact and pave the large space, chess patterns and squares for ball games, formed drainage and garden beds. They involved the whole community - preschool to year 12, parents, staff and friends in carrying pavers, concrete and blocks as garden beds grew.

The scale of the project captured the imagination of students, parents, staff and astounded the local Block Grant Authority who became fans of the new ‘no development without training’ policy.

Following the completion of this project, students began asking “What are we going to do next year?” “Rest!” was the immediate response from the worn out technical studies staff, but the Lord had planted the seeds of an idea that would not let go. The student enthusiasm and success both personal and practical, and the dramatic change in attitude to school demanded an innovative direction change that valued the skills, desire and passion of the students and the obvious success that could be achieved for this group of students, who loved working with materials, tools and their hands.

Clearly no one wants this young man. Not industry, not school, not parents. Even Centrelink is not interested because he is not old enough for support payments. So he just sits and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure!

But there is hope! A few encouraging words, a little understanding of where he is at and how he’s feeling. Someone who values what he has to offer, a little rearranging of his self-worth, an attractive promise of less days in class and more time ‘hands on’ in the real world and we see the potential of a new young man peeking guardedly through the ‘attitude’. A wary smile reveals a tentative sense of hope – “If only these guys can deliver”, he thinks.

Marrara Christian College Trade Training Centre in Darwin has been developing an approach to work with these young men and women over the past six years. Coming out of a school technical studies program we try to develop tool skills, hand skills, a use of God’s material resources, a (passion for ‘making’) and enjoyment of hard physical work. This requires innovative, risky and ‘big’ responses. The Trade Training Centre is now seeing a maturing of these responses through a new facility, a model for combining training and real work, a functioning business and most importantly, a deep trust that the Lord is in control even when it doesn’t feel like it. We are forced to rely on him in the day to day activities,

efforts and provision of students, work and staff. It’s big, risky; impossible by the world’s standards, simple yet complicated, different, real, challenging and successful.

In 2005,two teachers; Wilf Lahring and Richard Hart, took on the challenge of constructing a new covered area and protected verandahs in a college courtyard, which had become known as the Marrara ‘bog’ or dustbowl, depending on the season of the year. The task included the design, fabrication and construction of a courtyard within a year using two year 10 Technical Studies classes, some year 12 students and a budget of $180,000. Very brave, very trusting and the whole school would get involved.

It had always been a technical studies department practice to get involved in ‘real’ projects, such as bridges, platforms and trailers - so the courtyard was only a small step up. It was only two 40 metre verandahs, a large column supported verandah structure, 1400 square metres of paving, four raised garden beds, and a shade structure with five large sails and fifteen columns seven metres high at the centre. Even under the ground, the foundations went down 2.4 metres with concrete and steel!

Staff and students designed, planned, cut, bent, fabricated, erected and welded the structures into place over the early school

most likely this young man is

one of the 10% of students at the wrong

end of a school system that simply do not get what they

need. They don’t fit the model and catering for their needs is not a

financial priority. so they become a nuisance in class. They would be better off if they left school and got a job. but what job? no skills and no self esteem

before they even start the interview.


back on track, having purpose and direction, value and passion, happiness that is derived from work, tools, hand skills and the joy and ownership of seeing a structure built by a young powerful, strong man. As we work together, mentoring and encouraging, there is time to also speak into the life of young people.

Over the last six years many of our trainees have come from Indigenous communities and remote settings. It is a privilege to work alongside them as trainees and apprentices developing skills, building structures and fulfilling the requirements of competency. But the challenge to model, encourage and lead them through the daily difficulties of dysfunctional home and community life and help them to complete a qualification is difficult, time consuming and costly for them and staff. Through the business we have been able to keep many working beyond school, to complete their trade and eventually find valuable work. It is always a pleasure to build a structure in a community where a young trainee is known and to see the value it creates for him and the local people. One of our desires is to take training projects to local communities across the Northern Territory and have traineesdemonstrate their skills. Our practice in community is to include local youth in our training activity and development of any project.

In 2009, we received a grant from the Commonwealth Government that allowed us to build our own Trade Training Centre facility and over the next 12 months we completed a structure that today is home to our training and construction needs. We are now out of the sun, our equipment can be protected and our training program has room to grow. We have been greatly supported and encouraged by local industry, by our school leaders and our association.

What has worked

• Putting our faith in the Lord’s leading, direction and provision has been paramount from the start. Seeing God’s hand in the supply of staff, projects and young men as trainees has been special and often miraculous.

• Seeing the productive process of ‘making’ in building, growth of pride and passion in the achievement of tangible outcomes.

God was developing a new approach, in valuing the work of young people and giving them hope for a future and a new direction in life through career mentoring.

The timing was the Lord’s planning. Schools in our association needed metal wall frames and other fabricated components for new buildings. Other jobs appeared as people heard about what we were doing: a small local taxi office at the airport, trusses for the roof structures and base/roof substructures for demountable buildings, along with various small fabricated steel components.

Our training now covers Certificate II in Construction and Certificate II in Engineering (Welding Fabrication) with trainees covering the competency

requirements and practical skills as they build projects. The trainees work three days a week in the training business and return to the school classroom for two days - to complete their academic studies.

All this was happening in a corner of the new school car park, and over the next four years it grew to cover the whole car park and spill onto the road verges. In this time, we built wall frames, trusses, small houses for teachers at Tiwi College, large portal frame sheds, motel room demountables, lined a new library, demolished buildings, fabricated flat pack buildings, prepared wind turbine components and various other steel fabricated product. We drove thousands of miles, flew to remote projects and delivered tonnes of product. Each year the budget grew. Out of all

this effort, errors and new ideas, a model emerged that gave our students an authentic experience of the world of work, a new personal self worth, a wide range of skills and the attributes for future employment.

The model was developed to give, ‘as close an experience of industry as possible’, while still in school.It works, and the success is in good jobs, changed attitudes and lives

Through the Lord’s prompting, Wilf and I, with the support of the principal and the school council, started a Vocational Education and Training in School small business project in 2006, to build wall frames. The college tentatively put up $25,000 in a year when funds were short, we both worked part time in conventional classes and part time on the project with the understanding that there would only be wages if the project made money. Confident that God was behind this we self funded the costs of a small shed and Proverbs 3:5 became the projects foundation. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight’.


The growth of the Marrara Christian College Trade Training Centre as a training and business enterprise is a journey that is exciting, challenging and a faith building exercise on a daily basis. As we respond to the needs of trainees, staff and industry we are part of the wider blessing that God plans for our lives and those we encounter in our endeavour.

The hope is that we can continue to be ‘light and salt’, to our trainees, to the construction industry we work with, the communities we encourage and the lives of those we send out into apprenticeship and work settings across the north of Australia.

Richard Hart [email protected]

Richard has been a technical studies teacher for 35 yrs. He moved to Darwin a year after Cyclone Tracy in 1974 working in government schools for six years.

In 1981 he began teaching at Marrara Christian College as a technical studies/sports teacher and became a Senior Deputy Principal and Acting Principal (1 year) over the years, and back to teaching tech studies fulltime. In 2006 he began training in VETiS competency work and currently is managing the Fabrication and Construction Trade Training Centre at Marrara.

Richard is married to Lyn -who also teaches at Marrara -and together they have two daughters and a wonderful granddaughter.

settings and behavioral responses as trainees is difficult for schools and the students.

• Training in a ‘real’ environment is not for every student. They work a full eight hour day, in a tropical hot climate or participate in activities that can be hard, heavy and dirty work; those who struggle decide a traineeship is not for their future and find it difficult to return again to a school class room.

the challenges we face as a trade training Centre

• Keeping a Training Centre and business model functioning together. Both sides of the program need to be kept in tension so that each does not negatively affect the other. The training is our core reason for being, but the business activity is necessary to cover the financial costs, pay wages and keep the programs developing.

• Trusting that on Friday afternoon that the work will be available for Monday is a faith exercise. Being expectant of God’s supply is a constant exercise of the miraculous and joyful knowledge of the Lord’s blessing.

• Sharing the model of our training is a regular activity with many visitors keen to see how the Trade Training Centre works. The interest is in how well the project works, but the difficulties are to see how each ‘journey’ may be achieved in other places and circumstances.

• Staffing the Trade Training Centre with tradesmen, trade assistants and trainers who have a heart for mentoring young men and working alongside them in differing settings. In Darwin this is a continual challenge when the ‘worker world’ is very easily enticed by high pay rates and inducements from the mining and oil/gas industry.

• The challenge of distance and remote work when we need to deliver a project. We are required to use road-trains, barges, set up camps and fly our staff and trainees into the project, often hundreds of kilometres from Darwin. These are exciting experiences, which foster team building and offer great opportunities to share life.

• The authentic model, valued and owned by trainees, the business and industry.

• The training and practical application of working together. For our young men if there is no immediate outcome, there is no point.

• Treating the students as trainees and young men of value from the day they come to the Trade Training Centre. They are productive workers and given the respect as part of staff. This is a paradigm shift from the world of school.

• In our practical activity there are no machines or processes that trainees are not allowed to be trained on or involved in using. Every activity in our business, involves the trainees as the worker.

• Partnerships are a vital part of the success and of growing the training business. These have been with; our commercial arm Transforming Skills NT, who organise our contracts, accounting, project management, planning and certification; the Northern Territory Christian Schools Association(NTCSA), who provided us with school projects and encouragement; and other Darwin secondary schools, who send students who will be challenged and stimulated by our approach.

• Working with industry, shire councils, government departments and local building and mining companies that have provided project opportunities, support and valued introductions and employment for apprentices. Partnerships with Indigenous companies and land councils are opening new opportunities for work and training in remote Indigenous communities.

What has not worked

• The days that students spend back in their home schools, working to complete the academic requirements of year 11 and 12. The struggle is with the approach schools present to complete their work. Many are only offered one size fits all classes that do not relate to what they do. Some are asked to attend correspondence based classes during these two days, with limited support and subject work. They become frustrated and are behavioral challenges in the school. The change between school


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