Christian Educators Journal: April 2023

Christian Educators Journal April 2023 Vol. 62 No. 4

Resource Review Teaching Shūsaku Endō’s Silence Disability in Children’s Literature Found Families Hi, My Name Is . . .

Making Sense of Science and Religion You’re Only Human Education for Hope

Future Issues Each April, we announce the themes for the next volume of Christian Educators Journal and invite all readers to consider submitting an article. Please email Abby at cejeditor@gmail.com with questions or to propose a piece.

October 2023 (guest edited by David Smith et al.) The Civic Hospitality Project How should Christian education prepare students to take part in civic processes in a society marked by deep disagreements and resentments? Christian faith requires more than tolerance of those with whom we disagree—Scripture calls us to love our enemies and exercise hospitality to strangers. What happens when we connect these themes to civic engagement and think specifically about civic hospitality? How can we help students to learn the dispositions that might enable them to love their neighbor in civic spaces amid tensions and differences? In this issue we will explore how a focus on Christian hospitality can shape education for civic virtue.

This issue is guest edited and is not accepting submissions.

December 2023—Parent Partnerships Connecting and communicating with parents is one of the most important yet challenging aspects of education in the twenty-first century.

While the media is filled with negative labels like “helicopter” or “snowplow” parents and political leaders have weaponized parent-run school boards, parents are actually vital and valuable agents in their students’ academic and spiritual education. So: how does your school work with them? What are the best practices for communication at various grade levels? How do you encourage appropriate levels of involvement from parents? What do parent-teacher conferences look like at your school? Do you get parents into the building for career chats, field trips, or volunteering? What assignments do you give in class that encourage students to engage with their parents? We want to hear the success story of how you reassured parents about a touchy curriculum choice or enticed parents of high schoolers to attend a college fair.

Proposals (informal—just email us your idea!) are due September 1. Articles are due October 2.

February 2024—Inclusive Education Christian schools have long been known as welcoming communities for students with a variety of learning needs. It has been more than a decade since CEJ has focused on inclusive education, and we are eager to hear how schools have found creative ways to include and support students with disabilities in the body of Christ. Ideally, this issue will include students with physical disabilities (e.g., Spina bifida, limited mobility, or visual impairments), cognitive impairments or emotional disabilities (e.g., Down Syndrome, emotional impairment), or neurodivergences (e.g., autism, ADHD). What are the best practices for serving these students in the general education classroom? What unique programs does your school offer to enrich these students and those around them (sports, clubs, tutoring partnerships)? How do you train aides, parapros, and faculty alike?

What physical spaces and adaptations do you offer? We’re hoping to hear from classroom teachers, support staff, inclusion coordinators, parents, and even students themselves.

Proposals (informal—just email us your idea!) are due October 13. Articles are due November 13.

April 2024—Resource Review Each year we highlight the best books, films, websites, teaching tools, and other resources for Christian school teachers. We publish reviews of student-facing material (like books to stock in your classroom library) as well as materials relevant to school staff (like curricula or books about teaching). Articles may focus on one text or may be written in a list style featuring multiple texts on a particular theme.

Proposals (informal—just email us your idea!) are due December 29. Articles are due January 29.

Contents

3 Editorial 5 The Overwhelming, Never-­Ending

Silence of God: Teaching Shūsaku Endō’s Silence in a Christian School ANTHONY BIGORNIA

9 Disability in Children’s Literature: Eight Books You Should Have in Your Classroom Library

CHRISTINE SCHOLMA AND BILL BOERMAN-­C ORNELL

19 Found Families: An Idea for

Blending Whole-­Class Novels and Student Choice in Middle School and High School English Classrooms ABBY DE GROOT

31 Hi, My Name Is . . .

SEAN ENGLERT

37 Calling All Boundary Pioneers:

Making Sense of Science and Religion ANDREW KIRK

43 The Tortoise Wins: You’re Only Human B. J. CONDREY

47 Three Nesting Dolls: A History of

Reformed Christian Education in Canada ROBERT BRUINSMA

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Christian Educators Journal Vol. 62 No. 3, February 2023 cejonline.com Editor Abby Zwart cejeditor@gmail.com The Christian Educators Journal (CEJ) encourages letters to the editor in response to articles presented in the CEJ. Letters must be accompanied by the author’s name and email address. The CEJ reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Where a letter addresses issues raised by the author of an article, the CEJ reserves the right to invite the article author to respond to the letter.

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Scripture All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Statement of Purpose The Christian Educators Journal Association publishes the Journal as a channel of communication for all educators committed to the idea of Christian day school at the elementary, secondary, and college levels. The views expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the association.

Reprint Policy We allow free reprinting or photocopying of individual articles that have appeared in our journal, as long as the copied articles are used within the context of schooling and the source is acknowledged.

Editor Abby Zwart Copyeditor Bethany Murphy Design Editor Klaas Wolterstorff Business Manager Klaas Wolterstorff Web Shepherd Heather Altena Board of Trustees Dr. Henry Algera Heather Birch Justin Cook Sara Leo Albert Kok (Chair) Gayle Monsma Ed Noot Jim Rooks Sean Schat Christine Scholma (Secretary) Tricia Stobbe Edith Van Der Boom Heather VanDyke Christine Webb Supporting Institutions Calvin University Edvance Christian Schools Association Institute for Christian Studies The King’s University Redeemer University Trinity Christian College Tyndale University Subscribing Organizations Christian Educators Association Christian Educators of British Columbia Prairie Centre for Christian Education Printed back issues (if available) can be purchased for $7.50 per copy (cost of shipping to be added to total).

Some back issues may be available in digital format.

Editorial

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bout four years ago, I bought a house built in 1876 with a ton of history and a genuine “Michigan basement”—a six-­foot hole in the ground with dirt walls and floors and a whole lot of spiders. It stays pretty damp down there and can’t host anything not made of plastic or metal, so I knew storage was going to be a challenge before I even moved in. Luckily, it’s got two bedrooms and I only needed one for sleeping purposes, so the second bedroom became affectionately known as the “room of requirement” (what’s up Harry Potter fans!). For four years it was what some would call a disaster but I called “storage for all my stuff that I will someday spruce up and organize, I promise!”

It just never happened until this past January, when a friend broke into my house while I was away on a trip with some students (okay okay, he had a key) and surprised me by installing a whole wall of IKEA’s signature product—the Billy bookcase. Newly outfitted with fifteen shelves worth of storage space, I transformed the room into a library/media center/craft space/ extra clothing storage hub. As I donned the shelves with dozens of books that used to live on the floor and/or were sprinkled among the four small bookshelves in other areas of the house, I came across some old favorites, as well as whole stacks I hadn’t read yet. I’m guilty of letting my books simply become decoration, but I’m hoping these beautiful new shelves will inspire many hours of reading this spring and summer!

When’s the last time you browsed your own bookshelves? You’ll likely find some you’re ready to pass on (thrift store? Little Free Library? a friend?), some you’re excited to reread, and a few you forgot you had. But just in case you find your shelves lacking, we’ve got a whole slew of suggestions in our annual resource review issue. This year, Anthony Bigornia brings us a novel suggestion for your high school English class, Christine Scholma and Bill Boerman-­Cornell have suggestions for books featuring characters with disabilities, B. J. Condrey wants to help us slow down and do some self-­care, Andrew Kirk reviews a book about teaching science and religion, Sean Englert shares texts from a successful high school religion course, and Robert Bruinsma reviews a history book of interest to Christian school teachers. Plus, we are joined this year by a group of student writers from Abby De Groot’s education courses at Dordt University who have a slate of books about found family for your middle and high school readers.

And just in case your reading adventures inspire you with new ideas, CEJ will be here as a venue to publish your findings. We announce our issue themes for the coming school year each April, and we’ve got some great issues coming to your mailbox next year. We’ll think about civic hospitality, parent partnerships, inclusive education, and the books and curricular Christian Educators Journal

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material we want to share with friends. See the inside cover of this issue for more information about next year’s themes as well as how to propose a piece. We’d love to have you!

Happy reading.

—Abby Zwart

The Overwhelming, Never-­Ending Silence of God: Teaching Shūsaku Endō’s Silence in a Christian School ANTHONY BIGORNIA

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n our modern North American churches, we often sing of the “overwhelming, never-­ending, reckless love of God” to remind us of how powerful and far-­reaching God’s love is. This theme of the grandiosity of God’s love is predominant in today’s liturgy, and often writers seem to incorporate the vastness of creation to parallel the vastness of God’s goodness. Take, for example, the children’s worship song “Every Move I Make” that talks of “waves of mercy, waves of grace.” In this song, there is a connection between water and God’s goodness. In another example, the song “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” by Hillsong United, which held a ubiquitous presence in many worship ensembles’ repertoire of songs a few years ago, includes imagery of the ocean that inspires a sense of awe and wonder that we are invited to step into. In all of this, God’s love washes over us like the ocean.

Yet, in many of life’s experiences, we do not necessarily feel the sense of God’s love, but rather a sense of God’s silence. In times where we feel God is silent, the waters and ocean might not symbolize the breadth of God’s love as we’ve come to romanticize in our modern worship songs. But rather, the ocean symbolizes something dreadful, mystifying, and rather lonely. If I were to wordsmith the aforementioned Bethel song to contemplate this revelation, the chorus would become “Oh, the overwhelming, never-­ending silence of God.” This symbolism of the ocean as a terrifying and silent place that is evocative of God’s silence is what the Japanese author Shūsaku Endō accomplishes in his critically acclaimed novel Silence. This conception of the ocean is starkly different from the visions of the ocean that we hold in our modern liturgy. Silence, a novel originally written in Japanese, is hailed as one of the best novels of the twentieth century and has been turned into a film adaptation by Martin Scorsese, released in 2016. It is a historical novel based on the real-­life figure of Cristóvão Ferreira, a Jesuit missionary who renounced his faith after being captured in anti-­Christian purges in early seventeenth-­ century Japan.

In the novel, the fictional character Rodrigues journeys to Japan to discover what has happened to Ferreira, who was his mentor, and to serve as a missionary to the people there, alongside his missionary partner Fransisco Garrpe. This takes place at the start of the Sakoku (“closed country”) period in seventeenth-­century Japan, where Christian persecution was implemented and institutionalized. The Sakoku period (1633–1853) was a time in Japanese history where all foreigners (save for the occasional traders) were banned. It was implemented in order to remove the growing influences of European powers, and this included the Catholic Christian missionary orders who had been operating in the archipelago for decades. At the time, Christian Educators Journal

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Silence is a historical novel based on the real-­ life figure of Cristóvão Ferreira, who was a Jesuit missionary who renounced his faith after being captured in anti-­ Christian purges in early seventeenth-­century Japan.

High schoolers may not face the same dilemmas of persecution or death that the central characters experience, but they will likely resonate with the struggles of faith and doubt that Rodrigues experiences.

In the few years that I have covered this book as a literary unit, I have witnessed vigorous debates among students about the nature of faith, apostasy, and the presence of God during difficult times.

many Japanese people across socio-­economic classes were converting to Christianity, and thus it was perceived as a threat. Consequently, as the persecution intensified, the church was forced to go underground.

Throughout Rodrigues’s journey, he is accompanied by a drunk fisherman, Kichijiro, whom he meets in Macau and hires as a guide. From a literary perspective, Kichijiro serves as a foil to Rodrigues and ultimately becomes a Judas-­like figure. Rodrigues soon discovers that as a priest who is ultimately captured, he must make an agonizing choice involving his faith and the lives of the people he has come to serve. Like the other persecuted priests before him in Japan, he must either publicly renounce the God he has dedicated his life to by trampling upon a bronze figure of the crucifix (fumi-­e), or refuse and face the consequence of witnessing the local Japanese Christians be brutally tortured and ultimately condemned to death.

Silence is a work that deals with difficult questions that are relevant to senior high school students who are working through questions of faith.

They may not face the same dilemmas of persecution or death that the central characters experience, but they will likely resonate with the struggles of faith and doubt that Rodrigues experiences. In the midst of all the difficulties, the main tension that the main character Rodrigues faces is God’s seeming abandonment of the Jesuit missionaries and Christians in Japan.

The novel also explores challenging but valuable topics for students in Christian schools to think through, including the European missionaries’ complicity in colonial endeavors, apostasy and the loss of faith, and finally Eastern vs. Western philosophies and ways of living.

Due to the nature of the content, Silence is undoubtedly a difficult book to read and process. There is unsettling tension between the sections describing visceral and violent persecution of the local Christians and the sections describing Rodrigues’s internal battles with faith in a land that is hostile to foreigners. The novel is also sharp in its critique of the colonial endeavors of Europeans in Asia, cleverly pointing out the folly and naivete of the Jesuit priests in their belief that they would save the Japanese who were “sheep without a shepherd” (Endō 14). In the few years that I have covered this book as a literary unit, I have witnessed vigorous debates among students about the nature of faith, apostasy, and the presence of God during difficult times. Due to the complexity of the issues and the graphic nature of some of the scenes, I recommend it for senior-­level students. Nevertheless, despite the difficult content, I contend that this book is a great inclusion into any language and literature teacher’s arsenal of texts in the Christian school, as it is rich in literary merit, nuanced in its critiques, and ultimately hopeful, despite a tragic ending.

Imagery and Allusions What Endō excels at as a writer is the atmosphere that he creates through language and how vividly he describes the setting that the Jesuit missionaries find themselves in. The novel creates tension by maintaining a constant unsettling silence, as if at any point, the missionaries could be discovered for their illegal presence in the Japanese peninsula. Everything seems to be quiet, from the ships that “move forward noiselessly” (30) to the villages that seem to be “surrounded by a fearful, eerie silence (83).

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Moreover, the ocean seems to be deathly quiet. In a harrowing persecution scene, the ocean serves as the backdrop for the brutal crucifixion of local Christians Mokichi and Ichizo. Rodrigues witnesses this event and likens the silence of the ocean to the perceived silence of God. As he watches helplessly from afar, Rodrigues laments, “And like the sea God was silent.

His silence continues” (89). It is a gut-­wrenching scene, and readers cannot help but feel empathy for the terrible situation that the characters have to go through in loyalty to their faith.

In order to understand this novel, one needs to be familiar with the stories of the Bible. In a heated discussion between Rodrigues and a local translator about the presence of Christianity in Japan, Rodrigues talks about his missionary activities through the lens of the parable of the sower. Contrastingly, the translator retorts that the Jesuit’s missionary activities are futile, as Japan is a swamp for Christianity. More significantly, the character of Kichijiro is often compared to Judas, a figure who ultimately betrays Jesus. Martin Scorcese himself praises Endō’s treatment of the Judas-­like character by stating, “Endō looks at the problem of Judas more directly than any other artist I know” (Scorsese ix). Without spoiling the book further, understanding these allusions helps to make sense of where the novel is going, and students in a Christian school should be able to easily access the novel in light of prior knowledge of the parables.

Critique of Missionary Activities What the novel also does well in a subtle way is provide a compelling story that can be viewed through a post-­colonial critique. It is no secret that in the pursuit of spreading the gospel to the ends of the world, the approach that the church has taken has been detrimental to the people they are trying to reach—sometimes even downright destructive. This harm manifests itself in the novel through the evident superiority complex the Jesuit missionaries hold. Rodrigues portrays the missionaries as saviors who are there to rescue the lost in Japan. At one point they congratulate themselves: “You and Garrpe are probably the only priests in this whole country. If you die, the Japanese Church dies with you” (95). Although the priests are well-­meaning, readers can tease out a level of self-­pride in their efforts, replacing the actual Christ that has come to save with themselves. In the process, they also describe with condescension the poor and powerless that they have come to meet in Japan.

In his first encounters with the local Japanese peasants, Rodrigues remarks on the severity of their lives when he observes, “I tell you the truth—for a long, long time, these farmers have worked like horses and cattle; and like horses and cattle, they have died” (38). The flaw of character is exposed when the priests liken the people they attempt to serve to livestock, rather than recognizing the image of God that they were created in.

Beyond these two examples, the novel also contains riveting philosophical discussions between Rodrigues and the local authorities about their respective Western and Eastern worldviews that would seriously challenge readers to contemplate their beliefs further. These conversations are interesting in that the authorities challenge the Jesuit priests on the Eurocentric nature of their Christian beliefs. Ultimately, a post-­colonial analysis is relevant and important for students in Christian schools to engage in. Christian Christian Educators Journal

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Although the priests are well-­meaning, readers can tease out a level of self-­pride in their efforts, replacing the actual Christ that has come to save with themselves.

A post-­colonial analysis is relevant and important for students in Chris-

students might see themselves reflected in the missionaries and observe the mistakes that are made in the priests’ approaches to discipleship. Hopefully this challenges students to think thoroughly about their own future involvement in whatever calling God has for them in furthering his kingdom.

tian schools to engage in.

Christ Did Not Die for the Good and Beautiful From a literary perspective, Endō’s masterpiece is a worthwhile inclusion into an English teacher’s rotation. However, given all that I have described about the silence of God and the folly of missionary colonial activities, is there anything redemptive from a faith formational standpoint in a novel that is so painful on so many levels? Despite Rodrigues’s flaws, his experiences teach him valuable revelations that inspire a beautiful truth. He remarks: But Christ did not die for the good and beautiful. It is easy enough to die for the good and beautiful; the hard thing is to die for the miserable and corrupt—this is the realization that came home to me acutely at that time. (47)

For us—twenty-­first century Christians who have just celebrated the Easter season—the novel can serve as a powerful and reassuring reminder that “Christ did not die for the good and the beautiful,” but he came for the miserable and corrupt.

Throughout the story, Rodrigues describes the people he encounters, both officials and peasants, as corrupt and miserable. However, in his personal character development, Rodrigues finally comes to realize that he himself is corrupt and miserable and that all along he needed the love of Christ. At the end of the novel, amid all of his lingering doubts and uncertainties, he remarks, “But our Lord was not silent. Even if he had been silent, my life until this day would have spoken of Him” (91).

Rodrigues’s stark realization gives insight into the experiences of those in seventeenth-­century Japan and the historical events that Christians in that era went through. For us—twenty-­first century Christians who have just celebrated the Easter season—the novel can serve as a powerful and reassuring reminder that “Christ did not die for the good and the beautiful,” but he came for the miserable and corrupt. So while we bore a quiet and somber witness on Good Friday, and although we continue to wrestle with whatever is going on in our lives that makes us corrupt and miserable, we continue to live with the hope that the story did not end on the skull-­shaped hill of Golgotha. In his dying breath, Christ was not silent.

Works Cited Endō, Shūsaku. Silence. Translated by William Johnston, Picador, 2007.

Hillsong United. “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail).” https://hillsong.com/ lyrics/oceans-­where-­feet-­may-­f ail/.

Scorsese, Martin. Introduction. Silence, by Shūsaku Endō, Picador, 2007, pp. ix–x.

Anthony Bigornia is a teacher and the Student Life Coordinator at White Rock Christian Academy in Surrey, BC. He currently teaches IB DP Language & Literature 11 and 12. In his spare time he enjoys playing electric guitar, a game of chess, or pick-­up basketball. IG: @aye.bigs 8

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Disability in Children’s Literature: Eight Books You Should Have in Your Classroom Library CHRISTINE SCHOLMA AND BILL BOERMAN-­C ORNELL

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eachers face increasingly difficult challenges when they make choices about children’s and young adult texts to use within their curriculum and to place on the shelves of their classroom libraries. As educators strive to provide diverse representation in their classroom literature, they are also exposed to nation-­wide challenges and banning of books in classrooms across the country. Teachers want to provide texts that will help students experience and consider how to navigate a complex world. The books we have reviewed in this article will provide a roadmap for discerning teachers to choose literature with positive portrayals of disability in children’s and young adult literature. The texts reviewed are part of a study we are conducting that focuses on the labels used to describe characters with disabilities and how the characters speak about themselves. As educators present literature to students including characters with disabilities, it is important to consider concepts such as the personal portrayal of the character, social interactions, and exemplary practices (Taylor and Prater).

Although these books have been chosen as examples of a positive portrayal of disability in children’s and young adult literature, we believe that conversations with students will enhance the reading of the texts and provide context. For example, several of the texts use the R-­word to refer to a person with a disability. It is our recommendation that any book containing the R-­word be prefaced with a conversation about the social harm that the use of this term causes. However, many of the books deal with important social topics such as diversity, grief, foster care, and advocacy. Rich discussions that include students with different abilities will help to broaden student perspectives in meaningful ways.

Rudine Sims-­Bishop originally proposed a now widely known analogy for the way students interact with fiction (1). She suggested that children’s fiction books can act as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. In the case of the books we are working with, they can be valuable for your classroom because they act as mirrors, allowing students with disabilities to see characters like themselves in the books. It would be a mistake, however, to think of books with characters who have disabilities as being only for readers who mirror them. Sims-­Bishop also talks about the value of using a book as a window to look though (or even a door to step through) into someone else’s life. That is to say that a student who does not have a disability can learn a great deal from a book that allows the student to step into the shoes of a person with a disability, at least to some extent. So, we recommend the following books for your whole class either as a mirror, a window, a door, or all three.

It is also important to remember, when reading any book in order to Christian Educators Journal

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As educators strive to provide diverse representation in their classroom literature, they are also exposed to nation-­wide challenges and banning of books in classrooms across the country.

Children’s fiction books can act as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.

really understand a group of people, that it is necessary to read multiple stories about multiple lives from multiple perspectives. When we read one book about someone with a disability, we run the risk of assuming the character is reflective of all lives of people within that group. Multiple stories help us to identify both universal experiences (which often cross over the border between the disabled community and the non-­disabled community) and experiences that are specific to individual people, but may not apply to everyone in that group.

Sharon M. Draper, Out of My Heart (Atheneum, 2021)

Opening lines: “The firefly hovered over the back of my hand, then landed— slowly, effortlessly. I could hardly feel its delicate touch.”

Interesting quote: “I know quite a bit about speaking out loud, without saying a word” (2).

Genre and format: Regular text realistic fiction Short summary: Melody thinks her life is pretty good. She has a family and friends that she loves, a wheelchair to get around in, and a Medi-­Talker that allows her to be able to communicate out loud using a keyboard. But when she finds out about a camp that is designed for children with disabilities to have a safe and full summer camp experience, she is excited, deeply desires to go, and is terrified all at the same time. Summer camp proves to be everything she had hoped for and more. She discovers more freedom than she has ever had before but also finds herself in a position to advocate for even more freedom.

Melody, in her relatively quiet way, may be one of the most interesting and sympathetic characters I have ever read.

Why should I read this book? This isn’t a book that goes from one adventure to the next, but Melody, in her relatively quiet way, may be one of the most interesting and sympathetic characters I have ever read. And yet, the deep emotional connections that readers form to Melody are, I believe, not based on sympathy, pity, or charity. Melody is more like a really interesting friend who is daring and can take care of herself but still likes to be around others.

Who is this book best for? This would be a great book for an elementary and middle grades library, or a classroom library. And while it could certainly sustain being a choice for reading groups anywhere from fourth through sixth or seventh grades, it might be most effective as a read-­aloud in fifth or sixth grade.

What classroom discussion could this book foster? This book raises some really interesting questions about freedom, independence, agency, and adventure on the one side, and safety, responsibility, and care on the other side. There are also some interesting questions of equity. Melody’s family is lucky enough to be able to afford this experience, and there is some mention of a financial assistance program, but it is certainly the case that not every 10

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kid like Melody can access programs like these. Also, society refers to people like Melody and her friends at camp as disabled. Is that an appropriate term for someone who can do everything that Melody can do? How does Melody refer to herself? How do others refer to her? After students have read the whole book, these might be interesting questions to ask.

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, The War That Saved My Life (Dial, 2015)

Opening lines: “ ‘Ada! Get back from that window!’ Mam’s voice. Shouting.

Mam’s arm, grabbing mine, yanking me so I toppled off my chair and fell hard on the floor.”

Interesting quote: “I had so much. I felt so sad” (244).

Genre and format: Regular text historical fiction Short summary: Ada was born in 1940s England with a clubfoot. While her brother, Jamie, goes off to school each day, Ada’s Mam keeps her locked up at home, telling her she is a disgrace and a monster. When the bombing of London gets bad, Ada learns through Jamie of a train full of children that is heading off into the countryside where the children will stay with families until the bombing is over. She teaches herself (painfully) to walk, and she and Jamie leave on the appointed day while Mam is at work. They end up in a house with a woman named Susan. Susan has her own problems but is willing to take on the dirty children. Ada is so scarred by the abuse she has suffered that she doesn’t believe she is deserving of love. And when Susan tells her there is an operation that could fix her foot, Ada has to struggle with the question of how she could possibly be deserving of such a thing.

Why should I read this book? The summary above doesn’t do it justice. This book is an amazing glimpse at how, while Ada’s disability is repairable, the damage that her Mam has done to her—with the endless string of verbal abuse that has caused her to question her value as a person—is not so easy to recover from. Ada’s story also provides a historical representation of disability in the 1940s in England, which offers readers the opportunity to consider similarities and differences of the perception and support for individuals with disabilities today. This book details Ada’s long journey to believing that she has value and learning to be grateful for her found family.

Who is this book best for? Students in fifth or sixth grade through high school could get a great deal out of this book. It would be a great addition to a classroom or school library. It would also work well for reading groups or whole-­class study.

What classroom discussion could this book foster? This book could lead to an interesting question of which is worse: the effect of Ada’s disability in her life or the way Mam causes Ada to see her disability. Susan and the children learn together to be thankful for their lives, but that journey is not linear. Students might think about how difficult that journey to gratefulness Christian Educators Journal

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Even with her disability, Ada proves herself a vital part of the community.

is and what stands in the way. Even with her disability, Ada proves herself a vital part of the community. Students might talk about what capabilities Ada demonstrates. It might also be interesting to note the ways in which Ada changes, how those around her support her through times of difficulty, and how Ada supports others.

Jason Walz, Last Pick (First Second, 2018)

Opening lines: “Three years ago, 864 days to be exact, billions of people between the ages of sixteen and sixty-five were whisked away from us, and now this planet is lousy with aliens.”

Interesting quote: “Life is hard out here for those of us left behind. We were spared because they think we are useless. Because we’re strange. We are unwanted trash. So now we live among aliens who took over our planet and look down on us with disdain” (16–17).

Genre and format: Science fiction graphic novel Short summary: Aliens have invaded the earth. They have taken all able-­ bodied healthy adults off planet to serve as slave workers. The young, elderly, and disabled have been left behind (though the aliens return regularly to harvest the kids who become young adults once they are strong enough to work). Wyatt and Samantha are twins. Their parents were taken by the aliens, and now Sam and Wyatt are living in their old house, stealing food from the aliens, and trying to survive. Wyatt has autism and has been cataloging all the different aliens on the planet, their weaknesses and strengths.

This is helpful to Sam as she slips in and out of alien warehouses, taking canned goods and sharing them with the elderly and the children who have been left behind. But the aliens are starting to take an interest in eliminating Sam and Wyatt. The other humans know them both only by their collective code name, Bird One, and think of them as the leaders of the resistance. All Sam and Wyatt really want, though, is their parents back.

This graphic novel presents a reasonable portrayal of someone with autism who possesses valued social roles, including his leadership within the resistance.

Why should I read it? Plainly and simply, this is just a really good story. Sam and Wyatt both have their own skill sets, but they work really well together.

The aliens are depicted as vile but also driven by a variety of different motivations. Some are lazy, vain, self-important, bureaucratic, or bungling.

Walz has built a world that is believable on some level while simultaneously funny and entertaining. The drawing is neither overly like a caricature nor overly realistic. The style is somewhat similar to superhero comics (though without the capes and muscles)—just realistic enough to draw you in, but unrealistic enough to be really fun. Also, this graphic novel presents a reasonable portrayal of someone with autism who possesses valued social roles, including his leadership within the resistance. Also, because this book is the first in a trilogy, it will keep graphic novel lovers reading (and rereading) for longer. However, it is important to note that in the sequels, when Sam has been taken, she develops an attraction and relationship for another young woman. This relationship is not present in the first book.

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Who is this book best for? Middle school is probably the target audience, but I am guessing that high school students would also enjoy it. There are strong male and female characters in this book. The two protagonists are sixteen, but other characters cover a range of ages, especially in the second book.

What classroom discussions could this book foster? The whole premise of the book invites discussion. Aliens have invaded Earth and have taken most of the people away to serve as their slaves. They have left behind young children, the elderly, and anyone with a physical, cognitive, or emotional disability.

Teachers might ask students what they think of that idea. Has Wyatt been left behind because he has autism? Was Sam left behind because she is rebellious, or just because she was young? Does autism or rebellion make someone less of a person? What about the other members of the resistance—people in wheelchairs, the hearing impaired, the elderly? What things do these people accomplish? Sometimes Wyatt feels overwhelmed and has to be by himself until he can calm down. Is that ever true of people who are not labeled as having a disability? Do they also have weaknesses or difficulties?

John Green, Turtles All the Way Down (Dutton, 2017)

Opening lines: “At the time I first realized I might be fictional, my weekends were spent at a publicly ­funded institution on the north side of Indianapolis called White River High School, where I was required to eat lunch at a particular time—between 12:37 pm and 1:14 pm—by forces so much larger than myself that I couldn’t even begin to identify them.”

Interesting quote: I think, You will never be free from this.

I think, You don’t pick your thoughts.

I think, You are dying, and there are bugs inside of you that will eat through your skin.

I think and I think and I think. (92)

Genre and format: Regular text realistic fiction Short summary: High school sophomore Aza Holmes is a good student and a pretty good friend, and she has anxiety issues and obsessive-­compulsive disorder. She finds herself focused on what she calls spirals of thought where she starts thinking about something and, even though she knows it is not real, she cannot stop thinking of it. For example, she may perseverate on thinking about swallowing hand sanitizer to get rid of the bad germs she thinks she may have ingested. Fortunately, her best friend Daisy is outgoing and fearless and will not let Aza hide from the world. When the two of them trespass on land belonging to recently disappeared millionaire Russell Picket, they encounter his son, Davis, and find him to be far more human than they would have expected a rich kid to be. Soon Aza and Daisy find themselves investigating Davis’s father’s disappearance and encountering danger, secrets, and maybe more truth than either of them or Davis wants.

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Why should I read it? Green’s writing is smart. As a result, these are characters that are fun to spend time with. Also, the book gives remarkable insight into what it is like to live with anxiety and OCD. Green himself has struggled with both ailments in his life and writes from a place of knowledge. Also, it is a really good and gripping story. Finally, the ending is hopeful and satisfying.

Who is this book best for? This book would work for an in-­class text in high school. There are solid themes investigating identity (particularly in relation to sickness), parent-­child dynamics, wealth and happiness (or lack thereof), friendship, and the value of developing friendship along with romance. This book would also be an excellent read-­aloud and deserves a place in your classroom or school library.

Is a disability or chronic illness something that should be portrayed as a trial to overcome or something that one learns to cope with?

What classroom discussion could this book foster? Aza would say that she struggles with OCD and anxiety. Are these disabilities or chronic illnesses?

What is the difference? How does living with OCD and anxiety affect Aza’s ability to do things? How does Aza’s mom respond to her? How does Daisy respond? How does Davis respond? How do you think we should respond to or interact with someone like Aza? Students might consider how, at the end of the book, Aza’s anxiety and OCD may be a bit more manageable, but still present. Is a disability or chronic illness something that should be portrayed as a trial to overcome or something that one learns to cope with?

Joseph Elliott, The Good Hawk (Walker Books, 2020)

Opening lines: “The wind is on my nose and my eyes sting. I brought two cloaks today because I am clever.”

Interesting quote: “We always knew it was a risk to make Agatha a Hawk, but let us remind ourselves that she has always been one of the most loyal and hardworking members of this clan” (19).

Genre and format: Regular text fantasy

Agatha is a character with a disability resembling Down Syndrome, and she is depicted as having a rich friend group, personal agency, strengths that the community needs, and individual challenges.

Short summary: Agatha is a lookout, a “Hawk,” overseeing the comings and goings from the wall that protects her clan in mythical Scotland. Unfortunately, many in the community doubt her ability to perform her duty.

Meanwhile, their clan has been considering uniting with another clan. To cement the union, Agatha’s friend, Jamie, will be married to a young woman from the other clan. But when Jamie and his new bride sail off into the sea on their wedding night to stay on an island (with Agatha hiding in the boat), the other clan overthrows Agatha and Jamie’s clan, killing the leaders and elders and taking many others captive. Now it is up to Jamie and Agatha to journey through the dangerous Scottish Highlands to save their remaining clan members. Is it possible that Agatha may possess a strength that could be key in releasing her community?

Why should I read this book? The Good Hawk follows the story of the two main characters, Jamie and Agatha. Agatha is a character with a disability 14

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resembling Down Syndrome, and she is depicted as having a rich friend group, personal agency, strengths that the community needs, and individual challenges. Agatha is a valuable member of the community, and her character is portrayed as more than a person with a disability.

Who is this book best for? While strong middle school readers would enjoy the adventures and epic battles in this fantasy text, due to the graphic battle scenes, high school readers are likely best suited to engage in this mythical journey. This book would work well in a classroom or school library and might be a good choice for reading groups.

What classroom discussion would this book foster? Teachers might ask students to consider how the community views Agatha and how that compares to how our communities embrace or reject differences. Additionally, a euphemism for the R-­word is used by a member of the community to refer to Agatha. It is our recommendation to engage students in discussion about labels, how words can be harmful, and related ideas when engaging with any book containing the R-­word to describe someone with a disability.

Nicole Panteleakos, Planet Earth Is Blue (Wendy Lamb Books, 2019)

Opening lines: “Bridget was gone. And Nova was broken.”

Interesting quote: “Nova hated new schools more than she hated new foster families. New schools always spent the first week or two testing her and always came to the same conclusions: ‘Cannot read. Does not speak. Severely mentally [R-­word]’ ” (29).

Genre and format: Regular text historical fiction Short summary: Set in the 1980s, Nova and her sister, Bridget, wait with anticipation along with the rest of the nation to see the first teacher launched into space in the Challenger shuttle. Unfortunately, before the shuttle launch occurs, Nova, a non-­speaking twelve-­year-­old with autism, is sent to a new foster home without Bridget. As Nova navigates the new environments at home and school, she holds out hope that she will still be able to watch the Challenger launch with Bridget. Readers will find themselves holding their breath as they await the end of the countdown and journey along with Nova to find her sister.

Why should I read this book? Panteleakos pulled from her own experiences as a child with an interest in astronomy who grew up with autism in the 1980s. Consequently, the story rings true, and students might see that realism as a reflection of some of their own experiences. (Also, if you long to go back to a time where slouch socks and leopard miniskirts were in fashion, this book is for you!)

Who is this book best for? Middle school students would enjoy the content of the text and likely find connections with recent history and important Christian Educators Journal

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Panteleakos pulled from her own experiences as a child with an interest in astronomy who grew up with autism in the 1980s.

social issues. There is enough thematic material here that this book could be used for whole class study or small group study. It would also be a great book for a classroom or school library.

What classroom discussion would this book foster? This book presents a child in middle school who communicates in non-­traditional ways due to her autism. Teachers might ask students to notice how Nova communicates with those around her and how she develops friendships. Students might also consider how this book engages the important topics of grief related to the loss of a close family member. Another discussion topic might be the challenges and benefits of the foster system. Additionally, as with other books referenced, the R-­word is used in the text and should be discussed.

Donna B. Higuera, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance (Levine Querido, 2020)

Opening lines: “My gym shorts burrow into my butt crack like a frightened groundhog.”

Interesting quote: “There should be a separate bubble under race for people of Chinacan or Mexinese descent . . .”

“Well there should be!” I say. “You have a bubble for Black. Why should I have to Choose One Bubble or Other? Why should anyone?” Most of my causes don’t get further than a strongly worded letter to the principal. (3)

Genre and format: Regular text realistic humorous fiction

Lupe is aghast when she encounters a surprise in gym class: students will be forced to square dance in pairs.

Short summary: Striving to get exemplary grades in all of her classes so that she can meet her idol, a baseball player who is both Chinese and Mexican just like her, Lupe is aghast when she encounters a surprise in gym class: students will be forced to square dance in pairs. Lupe prepares to rally her classmates against this injustice. Alongside friends Niles and Andy, Lupe navigates encountering something new, uses her voice in positive ways, and learns some things about herself along the way.

Why should I read this book? This book is a fun and often funny read that students will love. It brings themes of ethnic and racial diversity alongside ability-­based diversity. Additionally, the book presents challenges, successes, and failures with trying to use your voice to advocate for positive change.

Who is this book best for? This book could be a read-­aloud in upper elementary classrooms and would be an engaging read for students in middle school. It could also be used for small group reading and would be a good addition to classroom and school libraries.

What classroom discussion would this book foster? Lupe’s friend Niles is a secondary character with autism. He is beautifully portrayed as a genuine 16

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friend and part of the group. In one scene, Niles demonstrates his own personal agency and doesn’t allow himself to be used as a back-­up partner for square dancing by Lupe. Teachers could ask students to use that scene to consider how students with and without disabilities might best engage in friendships together.

Cat Patrick, Tornado Brain (Putnam, 2020)

Opening lines: “People used to believe that tornadoes only move in one direction—to the northeast—but that’s not true. Sometimes they go southwest.”

Interesting quote: “The psychiatrist said labels I didn’t understand but looked up on the internet later, like ‘neurological disorder’ and ‘attention deficit’ and ‘poor executive functioning’—labels that were directed at me!

There were all sorts of articles about how parents could ‘cope with’ kids with these problems. Until the labels, I didn’t know I had ‘problems’ ” (26).

Genre and format: Regular text mystery fiction Short summary: This story is narrated beautifully by Frankie, a neurodivergent thirteen-­year-­old with a special interest in tornados. Sometimes the reader feels as though they are in the midst of the tornado of her thoughts as she both frantically and methodically seeks to find her missing friend, Collette. As the last person to see her best friend before she disappeared, Frankie turns to her sister for support. Will they find her in time?

Why should I read this book? This novel is a fast and engaging read that will hook students from the first page. The mystery ultimately deals with the important topic of grief from the perspective of an autistic youth. Having the opportunity to step into Frankie’s “tornado brain” gives students a valuable experience, whether they experience disability or not.

Who is this book best for? This book is an excellent choice for upper elementary and middle school students. This might work well for whole class study or for smaller grading groups. This book would also be a great choice for a classroom or school library.

What classroom discussion would this book foster? Frankie specifically speaks about her feelings toward the labels she has been given by a variety of medical and educational professionals. Her story would allow students to talk about the power of words and how they are used to refer to people who are not a part of the cultural majority. Additionally, there are opportunities for discussion of death and grief related to childhood loss.

Conclusion Each of these books shows a different perspective about what it is like to live with disability and how society responds to people with disabilities.

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Frankie’s story would allow students to talk about the power of words and how they are used to refer to people who are not a part of the cultural majority.

We encourage teachers to choose some of the books above to preview, and if they fit with the context of their classrooms, use them to engage students in useful discussions about disability. Doing so will help students understand that all people we encounter in the world are God’s children and each person deserves to be treated as a child of God.

Works Cited Sims-­Bishop, Rudine. “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors.” Perspectives, vol. 6, no. 3, Summer 1990, https://scenicregional.org/wp-­content/ uploads/2017/08/Mirrors-­Windows-­and-­Sliding-­Glass-­Doors.pdf.

Taylor, T. M., and M. A. Prater. “Rating Scale for Quality Characterizations of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities in Children’s Literature.”

Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award, 2020, https://www.dollygray​ award.com/information-­and-­procedures/rating-­scale.

Christine Scholma, an assistant professor of special education at Trinity Christian College, pulls on her twelve years of experience teaching students with disabilities to prepare preservice teachers to have an impact on the field. Scholma also serves as the co-­director of the Center for Special Education and as Presentation Chair of the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award.

Bill Boerman-­Cornell was an English teacher for ten years before becoming a professor of education at Trinity Christian College. He is the co-­author of three books: Graphic Novels in High School and Middle School Classrooms, Using Graphic Novels in the English Language Arts Classroom, and Young Adult Literature and Spirituality. He loves to read.

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Found Families: An Idea for Blending Whole-­Class Novels and Student Choice in Middle School and High School English Classrooms ABBY DE GROOT

T

he ideas in this article spring from three important identities I carry in my heart: reader, teacher, and child in the family of God. I have spent my career as a teacher, both in K–12 schools and higher education, thinking about how to best teach literature in a way that produces not only literate and knowledgeable students but also students who see and value God’s truth in stories. I have not always succeeded at reaching these worthwhile goals, but I am grateful to still be discovering and articulating ways to do so.

Throughout the eleven years that I taught high school English, I mostly approached texts with my students in the same way I had been taught: as whole-­class reads with a schedule, homework checks, discussions, and some sort of summative assessment (mostly papers or projects). I also included a variety of attempts at independent reading and book-­club style group reading, inspired by reading workshop enthusiasts such as Nancie Atwell (In the Middle) and Donalyn Miller (The Book Whisperer). While students in my classroom learned and achieved a measure of success in reading with each of those instructional approaches, I never felt as if I was able to help students make authentic connections between their whole-­class and independent reading.

Those connections, as well as an instructional approach that would enable them, were on my mind as I designed an English Methods course for future middle school and high school English teachers a few years later. I have taught the college course twice, in the fall semesters of 2020 and 2022, and a significant part of the course includes exploring with future teachers how to structure literature units, how to effectively teach literacy skills, and how to choose and approach a variety of texts.

One of the resources that has been essential to this part of our work together has been the book A Novel Approach: Whole-­Class Novels, Student-­ Centered Teaching, and Choice by Kate Roberts. Roberts begins the book by outlining the “debate” between reading experts who advocate for whole-­ class texts and those who advocate for independent reading or reading workshops (4). Drawing on educational research, literacy experts, and her own experiences in the classroom, she clearly describes both approaches, including their advantages and shortcomings: • A whole-­class text approach revolves around tough, widely read, complex texts chosen by teachers or schools. This approach, advocated for by literacy experts such as Tim Shanahan and Doug Lemov, ensures that students read a wide range of texts that they would not otherwise pick up on their own. Teachers can guide students in rigorous shared-­ learning experiences with difficult texts that can help prepare them for college. However, this approach is complicated by varying skill levels of Christian Educators Journal

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I never felt as if I was able to help students make authentic connections between their whole-­class and independent reading.

Roberts begins the book by outlining the “debate” between reading experts who advocate for whole-­class texts and those who advocate for independent reading or reading workshops.

students, a lack of diverse representation in the canon, and the time-­ consuming nature of the approach.

• An independent reading or workshop approach revolves around reading strategies and skills taught by teachers that students then use to read books of their own choosing. Advocates of this approach, including the two authors mentioned above—Nancie Atwell and Donalyn Miller— as well as Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle, argue that students need to read a large volume of books in order to become fluent readers, and that choice motivates students to read in ways that teacher-­chosen novels do not. However, this approach is less effective when students fail to choose increasingly difficult texts, and it limits students’ exposure to seminal texts. It is also difficult to manage and requires a significant investment in classroom libraries.

Instead of choosing one of these approaches over the other, Roberts endorses them both and argues that teachers can strategically blend them together for students’ benefit.

How can we help students appreciate the beauty of a revealing symbol, a finely crafted sentence, or a universal theme, seeing them as God’s good gifts?

Instead of choosing one of these approaches over the other, Roberts endorses them both and argues that teachers can strategically blend them together for students’ benefit: “I am suggesting that by thoughtfully, intentionally taking some of the best of different teaching methodologies, while always holding onto some research-­based, core beliefs, we can help our students flourish in ways that teaching only one way may not” (6). She spends the rest of the book outlining this approach in detail, describing how to organize a course around both whole-­class and independent reading, united by the teaching of literacy skills as required in the Common Core Standards.

Our English Methods class spends the first part of our semester reading Roberts’s book, responding to it, and trying out her curriculum design. I model read-­alouds and mini-­lessons, and then the class of future teachers designs their own and teaches them to each other. We look deeply at standards and discuss how and when they should be addressed. We think about relevant book choices, read together, and make recommendations. As a final assessment, future teachers design a literature unit that includes both a whole-­class novel and an independent choice book. In their units, they scaffold the literacy skills they want students to learn by introducing the skills in the whole-­ class novel before asking students to practice those skills independently in a choice book. The two experiences—the whole-­class read and the independent book—are united through studies of the author’s craft, theme, characterization, symbolism, or plot structure. The book choices are connected as well, as future teachers think about how to match choice books with whole-­class novels using themes, authors, genres, time periods, or other touchpoints.

Most importantly, we wrestle with what it means to teach literature as Christians: how can we invite students into stories that help them better understand God and his world while also teaching them the literacy skills they will need to be flourishing students, citizens, workers, family members, and disciples? How can we honor students as image-­bearers who deserve autonomy and choice while also designing formative community reading experiences in which we learn from and with each other? How can we help students appreciate the beauty of a revealing symbol, a finely crafted sentence, or a universal theme, seeing them as God’s good gifts?

One of the ways that we answered those questions together during the fall 2022 semester of English Methods included gathering book recommendations. We wanted a list of books for both whole-­class and student choice 20

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novels that are beautiful and ripe with literary elements to study. We also wanted those books to unveil part of God’s creation, fall, redemption, and restoration narrative in a new way for students. One of the members of our class came up with the idea of uniting our list with a “found family” trope.

Common in literature, TV, and movies, the idea of a found family—a group of unrelated characters who form tightly knit, familial bonds—is also a beautiful metaphor for the kingdom of God. Indeed, the apostle Paul eloquently lays out our place in God’s found family in Romans 8:14–17: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-­heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Using “found families” as our uniting element, we read and reviewed a variety of books to share with each other and a wider audience of teachers.

While many books commonly taught in classrooms employ this trope, our list offers lesser known but valuable titles that cross genre, difficulty, and grade level. Because we also wanted teachers to get a feel for the book and be able to envision how it might be used in their classrooms, our list includes a summary, review, and suggestion for classroom use with each entry. Our hope is that our reviews of these titles are useful for teachers as they design literacy instruction that helps students find their unique place in God’s family and equips them with the skills they need to flourish in it.

Abby De Groot, EdD, Assistant Professor of Education, Dordt University

The Bridge Home, by Padma Venkatraman Reviewed by Lindsay Kuiper Suggested grade level: 5–8 Lexile: 680L Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction

Poignant excerpt: “We saw more people that one day than we’d seen our whole lives. But nobody noticed us. We were in plain sight. But we were invisible” (41).

Summary: Padma Venkatraman brings us on a journey of two sisters who face homelessness, hunger, and hostility. Fleeing an abusive household, protagonists Viji and Rukku must survive on their own at just eleven and twelve years old. The younger sister, Viji, often feels compelled to sacrifice her own needs for the benefit of Rukku, who experiences developmental disabilities. Together, they find shelter with two other runaway boys on a dilapidated bridge. Having been betrayed before, Viji is initially wary of the two boys, Arul and Muthu. She comes to trust them in time, and the bunch ultimately learns how to care for each other as a family. The four children Christian Educators Journal

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Using “found families” as our uniting element, we read and reviewed a variety of books to share with each other and a wider audience of teachers.

exhibit hero­ism whenever they encounter corruption on the streets of Chennai, India. Viji is motivated by providing for her and her sister. Her dignity, however, prompts her to find honorable solutions for making money.

Arul and Muthu train Viji and Rukku in the art of scavenging waste piles, a trade that gives them purpose and a means to live. Through the ups and the downs, the group discovers what it means to selflessly love each other.

Through these themes, students will be challenged to think critically about the perspectives of children in India, and readers should find themselves contemplating their own position and beliefs.

Review: The Bridge Home is an empathy-­inspiring narrative appropriate for a whole-­class novel in the middle school classroom: the chapters are concise, the language is comfortably challenging, and the content is culturally immersive. The story is written in the first and second person and takes the form of a letter from Viji to Rukku. This consistent use of “you” within the novel compels readers to put themselves in the shoes of the characters.

Although some ideas are tough to digest, students will be able to learn the skill of interpreting themes.

There are many diverse themes to explore, such as religious diversity, the effects of the caste system, and the power of camaraderie. Through these themes, students will be challenged to think critically about the perspectives of children in India, and readers should find themselves contemplating their own position and beliefs. Neither Viji, the narrator, or the book itself come to any solid conclusions about God, but the author portrays Christianity and Christians as sources of help and hope in the book, which could lead to fruitful class discussions.

Riddled with metaphors and similes, Venkatraman skillfully paints a beautiful portrait of four kids whose stories are rarely in the limelight. She uses a distinct, refreshing gentleness in her writing that will certainly strike a chord with anyone who encounters this book. The characters are complex and delightful: we hurt when they hurt; we rejoice when they rejoice. She presents the difficulties of poverty in an understated way, showing how the characters’ perseverance in their daily life is met without fanfare. The story simultaneously warms and wrenches the heart, making this an excellent choice to engage students from all backgrounds.

Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan Reviewed by Missy Driesen Suggested grade level: 5–8 Lexile: 770L Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction

Poignant excerpt: “Maybe that happens when you’ve been through a lot. All of your edges are worn off, like sea glass. Either that, or you shatter” (187).

Summary: Willow Chance is a “highly gifted” twelve-­year-­old girl who has a hard time fitting in and finds it difficult to make friends because of her eccentricities. She loves plants, is fascinated by medical conditions, and is fixated on the number 7. She is the only child of her adoptive parents, who adore her and do their best to fulfill her unique interests. Her world feels as though it is beginning to crumble when her best friend moves away and middle school turns out to be a difficult adjustment. Then, the unthinkable happens, and Willow unexpectedly loses both her parents in a car crash.

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She has no friends or family to take her in, but Mai, a girl that Willow has just met through her sessions with the guidance counselor, convinces her mother to take her in. Through many trials and unexpected events, Willow comes to piece together a most unique family in the most unusual places.

Review: Holly Goldberg Sloan beautifully captures the essence of Willow Chance in this novel. Not only do we get to understand Willow as a “highly gifted” misfit, but we are given a glimpse into the inner workings of her uniquely functioning mind. The reader gets to know Willow on a deep emotional level and will fall in love with her, just like all those who choose Willow to be their family by the conclusion of the novel.

Writing from Willow’s perspective, the author beautifully captures the essence of what it is to be a young genius dealing with unimaginable loss.

Because of the exceptional way in which Willow’s brain works, how she handles many of the situations that come her way is often quite unusual.

Yet, we also see the very normal emotions that come from grief and loss in Willow as well. The author does something special in the juxtaposition she creates between Willow’s extraordinary genius persona and the ordinary way a young girl deals with sorrow and loss.

The book deals with issues of adoption, loss, giftedness, cultural differences, and the court/foster system. Although not Christian in perspective, the novel wonderfully displays the characteristics of caring for those who are in need, loving the neighbor, and “[b]ear[ing] one another’s burdens, and so fulfill[ing] the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2 ESV). The novel would be a great inclusion in the classroom as a mentor text for descriptive writing or personal narrative, but at 378 pages, it could be a little long for a whole-­class novel. It is not likely to be challenged; however, the book could be a sensitive read for some students because of the heavy subject matter. Overall, the book would work very well as a reading circle book, mentor text, or addition to any classroom library.

Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones Reviewed by Aleasha Hintz Suggested grade level: 6–9 Lexile: 800L Genre: Fantasy

Poignant excerpt: “In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-­league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes” (1).

Summary: Sophie Hatter is a victim of superstition in her magical world, where the eldest of three is sure to fail should they ever leave home and seek their own fate. Yet, Sophie willingly plays her part until, one day, she unknowingly offends the Witch of the Waste, who transforms her into an old woman. Having no other options, Sophie’s situation compels her to leave her home and find a cure in the roaming castle in the hills. The castle is occupied by the Wizard Howl, along with a magic-­bound fire demon named Calcifer and Howl’s apprentice, Michael. Sophie must learn to handle Howl, strike Christian Educators Journal

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The author beautifully captures the essence of what it is to be a young genius dealing with unimaginable loss.

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a deal with Calcifer, and finally face the Witch of the Waste to disentangle the horrid curse. All the while, Sophie discovers that there is more to Howl and herself than meets the eye.

The strong personalities of each character clash often, but they care for one another despite their more disagreeable traits, such as Sophie’s learned willfulness and Howl’s vanity.

Review: Howl’s Moving Castle is a charming novel. It takes her a while, but eventually Sophie finds a home with Howl, Calcifer, and Michael. The troupe is bound together by what they were forced to endure: curses upon curses and a final battle with the Witch of the Waste. This book exhibits the “found family” trope, but it is subtle. The strong personalities of each character clash often, but they care for one another despite their more disagreeable traits, such as Sophie’s learned willfulness and Howl’s vanity.

The draw of this book is found in its unique world building, something that will appeal to fans of the fantasy genre, without going over anyone’s heads. The book’s syntax is accessible to young and struggling readers. However, the plot quickly becomes confusing and unclear. If the reader is not paying close attention, it is likely that they will muddle through the middle of the book: the important details are easy to miss.

There are a few potential points of conflict in this book, such as frequent use of magic (including pentagrams) and a brief scene of drunkenness from the Wizard Howl. The book is quite tame overall, but due to these complications and the book’s complex plot, it may not serve all classrooms and readers.

This novel is ideal for middle school and even early high school classrooms, where students could study its unique characterization and setting, as well as themes of destiny, courage, and love. The book begins and ends quickly, leading to a lengthy middle section, and therefore is better suited for book clubs, self-­choice reads, and classroom libraries than for whole-­class readings.

Ghost, by Jason Reynolds

Reviewed by Abby De Groot Suggested grade level: 6–9 Lexile: 730L Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction Poignant Excerpt: “And I felt . . . good. Different. Like, even though they were all stunned by what I said, I felt like they could see me. Like we were all running the same race at the same speed” (133).

Summary: In this first book of the Track series, Jason Reynolds tells the story of Castle, AKA Ghost, a teenage boy who is running away from his traumatic past mostly through picking fights at school and gnawing obsessively on sunflower seeds from Mr. Charles’s neighborhood store. One day, however, when he stumbles upon a city youth track team practice after school, he decides to actually run, challenging one of the team’s best runners to a race in the middle of practice. His stunt and immense natural talent earn him a place on the team, made up of an eclectic group of athletes led by tough and tenacious Coach Brody. As Ghost tries to figure out what it means to be a teammate, new and old obstacles threaten to undo the bonds he is forming on and off the track with his new team.

Review: Ghost is an incredibly likable and realistic character in a fast-­paced 26

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plot, making Ghost a great book choice for a whole-­class novel in a middle school or early high school classroom. Readers can’t help but root for Ghost, even as they may shake their heads at his self-­sabotaging choices. As an author, Jason Reynolds uniquely captures the everyday experiences and conversations of middle school and team sports, while also thoughtfully presenting the lasting effects of unhealed trauma.

Written from Ghost’s first-­person perspective, the novel lends itself well to studying the author’s craft, including point of view, direct and indirect characterization, and voice. This also makes it a great choice for a read-­aloud, perhaps an uncommon approach for these grade levels, but a delightful idea for this novel. The audiobook, which is only 3 hours and 29 minutes long, could be a useful tool for this purpose and would give students an even more visceral experience of Ghost’s voice and story.

The “found family” in this book is one so many adolescents can relate to—a team. Teens who have experienced trauma may also recognize some of Ghost’s intrusive thoughts and his desperate attempts to hide part of his story, along with his relief at finally being seen. The book can also provide an opportunity for students who have not experienced trauma to see and witness that experience from Ghost’s perspective, hopefully building empathy and understanding. As a bonus, this book can serve as a starting point for readers who may want to continue to read the Track series, which tells the first-­person stories of four of the runners on Ghost’s team.

While there is some description of violence in this book, it is not graphic, and it is unlikely to be challenged. The accessible reading level and relatable adolescent experiences help cement this book as a solid whole-­ class novel choice.

A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman Reviewed by Jayden Hoksbergen Suggested grade level: 10–12 Lexile: 870L Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction

Poignant excerpt: “People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had” (45).

Summary: A Man Called Ove tells a story about Ove, a curmudgeonly man learning to live on his own after his wife’s death. A stickler for both rules and routines, Ove spends his time in retirement getting angry at those who break the neighborhood rules. Ove’s new neighbors, Parvaneh, Patrick, and their children, drag him into the very troubles of his neighbors that he’s been avoiding for years. Through the many misfortunes of her family and her refusal to take no for an answer, Parvaneh forces Ove to remember what it feels like to help other people and gives him purpose in his life again. Ove’s newfound (though reluctant) friendships help him begin to honor his wife through showing love—the love she so freely gave him.

Review: This “found family” book is somewhat unique because of the ages and situations of the family. Many found families in stories are younger people, typically all the same age, whereas Ove, an old man, finds family in his Christian Educators Journal

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The “found family” in this book is one so many adolescents can relate to—a team.

This “found family” book is somewhat unique because of the ages and situations of the family.

Many found families in stories are younger people, typically all the same age, whereas Ove, an old man, finds family in his neighborhood of diverse people.

neighborhood of diverse people. Furthermore, Ove might be the most resistant character to a found family in all of literature—his cranky attitude toward those who are trying so hard to include him makes for a heartwarming humor throughout the book. The mood throughout the whole story is bittersweet. We see an old man trying to deal with the death of his wife, a man who is so exhausted with life without his wife that he wants to kill himself. However, we also see the friendliness of his neighbors, who, despite their flaws, want to look after Ove and help him find meaning in life. We get to see Ove’s character arc through the story from being a grumpy man who cares about no one to a man who holds people close to his heart (albeit, still grumpily).

As an author, Backman’s strength is his characters. Ove’s character has layers, and readers get flashes of his past throughout the book, helping us understand aspects of his character. His character arc is interesting: Ove changes a lot in how he views the people around him, but his core values remain the same throughout the book. Additionally, the other characters Ove interacts with are unique, and because Ove is not the most reliable narrator when describing other people, readers have to draw their own conclusions about them. Backman’s incredible characters would make characterization a good area of study when reading this book in a classroom.

This book might be challenged in some cases. There is some strong language and several references to the main character’s suicidal thoughts.

Because of the challenges, this book is best suited for students in grades 11 and 12 as an independent read. However, when given to the right audience, the book is a refreshing story of love, one where we see characters interact with genuine care for one another.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows Reviewed by Annette Jacobson Suggested grade level: 10–12 Lexile: 930L Genre: Historical fiction

Poignant excerpt: “We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us” (64).

Summary: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an epistolary historical fiction novel that begins in January 1946, shortly after the end of World War II. The main character, Juliet Ashton, is a London writer who is looking for new inspiration following the recent loss of her home in the war. She soon receives a letter from a man named Dawsey Adams, who is requesting more books for his local book club on the British Isle of Guernsey, curiously named the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This letter begins a long-­term period of communication between Juliet and the society’s members as she learns more about the island, its unique position as the only Nazi-­occupied British territory during the war, and the reason that the society came to exist.

Review: Considering the mature themes and harder Lexile level of this book, it would be ideal for use in upper high school classrooms, such as those in 28

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grades 10 through 12. Because of its historical connections, the book could be an interesting connection point between ELA and history courses, either as a whole-­class reading or for interdisciplinary book clubs. This novel would be a great work to use when looking at an author’s craft, especially discussing with students how the author set up the story as a series of letters and what effect that has on the reader. Another interesting way to use this novel would be to do a comparison between the book and its film version, which debuted in 2018. This activity would not only interest students but also fulfill the Common Core Standards on thinking critically about decisions made by authors and directors.

Thematically, this story shows the ingenuity of people during times of hardship and realistically depicts the range of emotions in the human experience. It also emphasizes the importance of literature to unite and uplift people, even in horrific circumstances, as the members of the society cling to books, letters, and each other during the occupation of their home. Finally, readers are exposed to familiar themes of war and heroism through a World War II story that has an unexpected setting and form.

The story does contain some harder elements for students to grapple with, including an unfavorable characterization of a Christian woman, some inappropriate language, and some graphic imagery of the Holocaust.

If a teacher takes care to address these elements appropriately, the book has great value for a class learning about the human spirit, World War II, historical fiction in general, or interesting novel forms.

Salt to the Sea, by Ruta Sepatys Reviewed by Abby De Groot Suggested grade level: 10–12 Lexile: 560L Genre: Historical fiction

Poignant excerpt: “Just when you think this war has taken everything you loved, you meet someone and realize that somehow you still have more to give” (315).

Summary: In Salt to the Sea, young adult historical fiction novelist Ruta Sepetys walks readers through a little-­known tragedy of World War II: the sinking of the Wilhem Gustloff, a German passenger ship evacuating civilians from Poland, East Prussia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia as the Nazi regime collapsed and the Soviet soldiers advanced. When a Soviet submarine shot three torpedoes at the ship in the Baltic Sea, over 10,000 refugees and German military officers were crowded onto the ship meant for only 1,500 passengers, resulting in the single greatest maritime tragedy in history. Over 9,000 passengers perished in the icy Baltic Sea. Salt to the Sea follows four teenage characters who were on the boat: three refugees, Joana, Florian, and Emilia, who met while fleeing their respective homes, and one young Nazi soldier, Alfred, whose path intersects with the other teens on the boat.

As Ruta Sepatys weaves their stories together, telling each one from ever-­ rotating first-­person perspectives, readers are able to witness the devastating effects of war and the buoyancy of the human spirit.

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Thematically, this story shows the ingenuity of people during times of hardship and realistically depicts the range of emotions in the human experience.

The “found family” in this book is one formed out of tragedy and necessity, and students may find themselves wondering what they would do in similar circumstances.

Review: While this is a relatively easy book to decode, the mature nature of the content and realistic descriptions of war—and the atrocities the teenage characters endure—make Salt to the Sea appropriate in upper high school classes. The “found family” in this book is one formed out of tragedy and necessity, and students may find themselves wondering what they would do in similar circumstances as Joana, Florian, and Emilia daily make decisions that could cost them their survival (or their humanity). As they pick up several more refugees on their way to the port city, including a giant woman, a shoe poet, a blind girl, and an orphan boy, the characters choose connection, empathy, and compassion. The author also gives voice to Alfred, a teen himself serving in Hitler’s army, who has bought into the Nazi cause so completely that it has blinded him from any notion of right and wrong and cut him off from true human connection.

The different first-­person points of view, along with the sometimes haunting prose and vivid descriptions, make this book an obvious choice for studying the author’s craft. It would be interesting in a historical fiction book club, and it is bound to be a cult favorite for independent reading. It could also be used as a whole-­class text because of its readable Lexile level yet complex themes. However, in addition to war, there are hard issues such as rape and teen pregnancy in the novel that teachers will want to thoughtfully approach with students.

Overall, Salt to the Sea expertly tells the stories of characters who represent an entire group of forgotten casualties in World War II. In her author’s note at the end of the book, Ruta Sepatys offers this recommendation for bearing witness to this story: “History divided us, but through reading we can be united in story, study, and remembrance. Books join us together as a global reading community, but more importantly, a global human community striving to learn from the past” (383).

Works Cited Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle: New Understandings about Writing, Reading, and Learning. 2nd ed., Heinemann, 1998.

Backman, Fredrik. A Man Called Ove. Washington Square, 2015.

Jones, Diana Wynne. Howl’s Moving Castle. 1986. Harper Trophy, 2001.

Miller, Donalyn. The Book Whisperer. Jossey-­Bass, 2009.

Reynolds, Jason. Ghost. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016.

Roberts, Kate. A Novel Approach: Whole-­Class Novels, Student-­Centered Teaching, and Choice. Heinemann, 2018.

Sepatys, Ruta. Salt to the Sea. Philomel Books, 2016.

Shaffer, Mary Ann, and Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Dial, 2008.

Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s. Dial, 2013.

Ventkatraman, Padma. The Bridge Home. Puffin Books, 2019.

This article was written by the members of Education 354: Methods of Teaching Middle School and High School English at Dordt University, Fall 2022. Collectively, they enjoy thinking, reading, writing, teaching, and 8 AM field trips for coffee and muffins.

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Hi, My Name Is . . .

SEAN ENGLERT

W

e have all been there before. One hand in your pocket, the other hand holding a beverage while you engage in small talk with a complete stranger. A Hi-­my-­name-­is sticker with your name scribbled across the blank space is stuck on your chest like a mini-­billboard. If you’re an introvert, you’re glancing at the nearest clock every chance you get, hoping it is much later than the current time. If you’re an extrovert, you’re soaking up the moment, dreading the inevitable return to your silent office cubicle.

As someone who is more comfortable in quiet moments with a few of my closest people, I personally do not get too excited for social networking events. My feelings aside, I do find it fascinating how some of life’s biggest questions get asked and answered in rapid succession at these occasions.

A common interaction between two people usually follows this formula: “Hi, I’m Paul. What’s your name?

“Hey, I’m Sean.”

“Well, it’s good to meet you. What do you do?”

“I’m in education.”

“Oh nice. Where do you work?”

What’s your name? What do you do? Where do you work? While these questions get tossed around flippantly at networking events, they are also woven into the hearts of humanity as we search for identity and purpose.

Thankfully, our loving Creator gives answers to these questions in the first two chapters of his Word. We have a name—an identity—as image bearers of God (Gen. 1:26–27). We have been tasked with taking the raw materials of the earth and cultivating and reproducing them so that God’s glory is revealed across creation (Gen. 1:26–28). And finally, we have been given a place (Gen. 2:15), our own gardens (metaphorical or literal) to work and keep so we see the fruit of God’s goodness come to light.

Whether we know it or not, by God’s design, we are all searching for answers to these questions, answers that, prior to sin entering the world, were clearly laid out for us. But now, most people—including our students—are still searching for fulfillment to their souls’ inquiries. After spending years of working with junior and senior high school students and hearing them ask in their own words similar questions to the ones above, I put together a year-­long course that attempts to give understanding to three driving questions. Each question is accompanied by a book that assists with building a foundation for future decisions—decisions I pray will be made centered around God’s Word and his plans for their life.

The three driving questions for this course are: Who am I? What do I Christian Educators Journal

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What’s your name? What do you do? Where do you work? While these questions get tossed around flippantly at networking events, they are also woven into the hearts of humanity as we search for identity and purpose.

do? How do I do it? The first question is solely dedicated to knowing our identity: who we are and God’s plan for us when he made us. The second question aims to address the enigma of purpose many of my students have.

The third question teaches us how to live out the first two questions in grace and truth (John 1:14).

Who Am I?

What some may consider to be a contentious decision, I find provides a great teaching moment.

This book gives the reader a clarion call to the Bible’s teachings on identity and its implications for our actions.

As we unpack the complex question of identity, the book Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ (Driscoll) is the go-­to resource for this section of the course. Before I get into how this text is used and why, I must be transparent and offer a disclaimer. The author’s leadership within the church and teaching style has come under past scrutiny. You can Google-­ search the author’s name and read all about the history of previous charges and allegations. You can even find a recent podcast that chronicles in great detail these events. I share all of this with students before we begin journeying through the book. What some may consider to be a contentious decision, I find provides a great teaching moment.

I begin by sharing with the class that if you remove the author’s name from the cover and take what is written on the pages, you will find that it aligns with Scripture’s teaching on this same topic. I challenge students to look for discrepancies between the book and the Bible and point them out if they find them. I remind them that this is actually good practice for anything they read, especially when it is someone’s teaching on Scripture.

The second thing we do is listen to Propaganda’s poem “Precious Puritans,” which concludes with this line, “So I guess it’s true that God really does use crooked sticks / to make straight lines” (64–65). Somehow by God’s grace, he can use broken people to point others toward his righteous path. It happens every day. My students understand this, and I have never had an issue with the use of this text in my classroom.

One great thing about this resource is that it fits nicely into the eighteen-­week semester format common to most secondary schools. The book has sixteen chapters, so we take one chapter per week. Add in the seemingly inevitable week of school that gets canceled because of a hurricane (I live in southeast Louisiana, after all) and exam week, and you have a very clean sixteen-­week format that follows the same flow from week to week.

The one-­chapter-­per-­week schedule is a pragmatic pace from a planning standpoint, but it also eliminates rushing through a topic that is so incredibly layered for students. Satan wins when he can get us to question our God-­given identity. He did it in the garden with Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1–5) and continues the practice today. My students, as all of us, are plagued by the serpent’s question, “Did God really say . . . ?” (Gen. 3:1). They complete that question with phrases that often cause them to question their significance, security, and belonging. What Driscoll does so masterfully in this book is give the reader a clarion call to the Bible’s teachings on identity and its implications for our actions.

We are repeatedly reminded through its pages that as followers of Jesus, we are in Christ. And because of this position, we are saints: blessed, appreciated, saved, reconciled, afflicted, heard, gifted, new, forgiven, adopted, 32

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loved, rewarded, and victorious—all descriptions Driscoll gives meaning to as part of our beautifully restored identity in Jesus: You aren’t what’s been done to you but what Jesus has done for you. You aren’t what you do but what Jesus has done. What you do doesn’t determine who you are. Rather, who you are in Christ determines what you do. (3)

After spending half a school year dissecting this truth, students are properly equipped to begin thinking through the second driving question of this course: what do I do?

What Do I Do? While the first book mentioned in this review offers us an accurate answer to the question of who we are, the second book in this review sheds light on what we should now do in response to our redeemed identities. In Designed to Lead (Geiger and Peck), the reader is given a page-­turning tutorial on our cultural directive: God’s people were the first to be given leadership and we were told to reproduce more! We were never meant to be power grabbers, but power givers.

As God-­appointed leaders, Christians are not just called to have power and authority; we are called to use it to serve others. Being made in his image, our Father gave us an inconceivable mandate. Not only did God make us to thrive within creation, but he also commissioned us to lead this creation so that others in this creation would flourish and thrive. (57)

As a class, we spend several weeks taking personal leadership assessments and personality inventories with the goal of helping each student discover exactly how God has arranged his or her unique traits, talents, passions, and dreams to “serve others” and help creation “flourish and thrive.”

I couple this time of self-­discovery with a teaching from Nehemiah 5, where Nehemiah begins by declaring he heard a “great outcry” (5:1). The outcry Nehemiah heard was an outcry of injustice and economic oppression.

I ask students to think about the outcries of injustice and oppression of our day. We spend several classes researching and learning to be aware of the hurt and pain of others. What follows next is a lightbulb moment for some as they realize they are uniquely positioned and qualified by God to match their traits, talents, passions, and dreams with their personal response to the outcries of our day. In other words, students begin seeing they are in fact designed to lead so the world around them can “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8). This is a major moment in the class for most and one that is celebrated, since it often represents a great shift in a student’s worldview. I can see teenagers actively pushing back on the world’s message of self-­preservation and eagerly embracing the example of self-­sacrifice modeled by Jesus. It is quite refreshing.

The last remaining hurdle of the course is to guide students through an understanding of how to live as a person who spends their days serving others and helping the world around them to flourish and thrive. If we are actively looking and listening to the outcries of society, then it means we Christian Educators Journal

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I can see teenagers actively pushing back on the world’s message of self-­preservation and eagerly embracing the example of self-­sacrifice modeled by Jesus.

will often find ourselves side by side with social outcasts, the hurting and oppressed, and the forgotten. This requires us to embrace a certain posture, or better yet, follow the way of Jesus.

How Do I Do It? John 1:14 declares that Jesus put on flesh to dwell among people, and he did so full of grace and truth. In fact, it was this display of grace and truth that allowed people to see the glory of the Father. In every story we read about Jesus, we always see some combination of grace and truth in the proper amounts for the intended audience. The book A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table (Chester) is a great short read that captures the harmonious relationship of grace and truth from Jesus to others.

This book takes the reader through the gospel of Luke by examining six different occasions when Jesus ate meals with people. Sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, women, children, and the religious elite are all welcomed guests around Jesus’s table. And that is exactly the point: Jesus did not push anyone away. Instead, with arms wide open, he embraced the wretchedness of humanity with grace and truth so we could see the patient, generous love of our Father God. It is this tender yet pointed approach to people that I try to guide students toward. It is a fun unit, where we do meal-­time things—we eat, we laugh, we tell stories. Everything is anchored by the teachings in this brief book that empower students to live in the freedom they have in Christ while pursuing the purpose God made them for by engaging with the people God has intentionally placed in their lives. It is a beautiful conclusion to a year of personal growth.

I hope this resource review gives you a glimpse into each book and how I use it for the class, my intended outcome, and the journey it takes students along. Though far from perfect, my class has proven to be a successful formula in helping students answer those three major life questions. Helping students unlock the answers to those questions at the age of seventeen or eighteen years old is a great passion of mine, as the implications of the decisions they will be making over the next five years of their lives are tremendous. By God’s grace, I pray this has been helpful to you. Be encouraged in your pursuits.

Works Cited Chester, Tim. A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table. Crossway, 2007.

Driscoll, Mark. Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ.

Thomas Nelson, 2013.

Geiger, Eric, and Kevin Peck. Designed to Lead. B&H, 2014.

Propaganda. “Precious Puritans.” Excellent, Humble Beast, 2012.

Sean Englert is Dean of Student Life at Northlake Christian School in Covington, LA, where he oversees spiritual life programming, community outreach, and 34

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student leadership development. He earned a doctor of education with a concentration in educational leadership from Liberty University. He enjoys designing systems that facilitate the application of students’ faith in their daily lives. He resides north of New Orleans with his wife and two children.

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Calling All Boundary Pioneers: Making Sense of Science and Religion ANDREW KIRK

Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond, by Joseph W. Shane, et al.

(National Science Teaching Association, 2019)

Knowing how to navigate the relationship between science and religion has dogged teachers, administrators, and schools across North America. Many have found it challenging, especially with the difficult history of science and religion in schools—most notably, with evolution. Yet it is fair to say there are few topics that are more relevant, timely, or needed than science and religion in the science classroom.

Many students come with myriad questions about ethics or a sense of wonder for creation; they often find these conversations meaningful and engaging. Teachers and schools alike long for wisdom, clarity, and guidance on how best to engage. In addition, as much as these concerns are philosophical and moral questions, they represent issues of equity and justice in the classroom (Shane et al. 144–47). We need teachers and administrators who will serve as mentors and guides into the unfamiliar territory of science and religion in the science classroom. Drawing upon a phrase from sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund, the authors of Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond set out to inspire a generation of educators to be “boundary pioneers” (Ecklund 45–50; Shane et al. 7–8).

Whom Is This Book For? The text is co-­authored by four educators—Joseph W. Shane, Lee Meadows, Ronald S. Hermann, and Ian C. Binns—together with a broad group of educational collaborators. Most notably, this book on science and religion is published by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), with contributions from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The publication of the book alone signals the importance of this issue to NSTA and its guiding principles—the pursuit of learning, championing of science, inclusion of all, fostering of passion, and building of community. It is also a notable publication by an organization that typically does not directly address religion.

This book is written for all science education professionals, not just those who teach within religious educational settings. In their preface, the authors identify the primary audience as “our fellow science educators” (viii), which includes those from elementary to post-­secondary, as well as Christian Educators Journal

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This book is written for all science education professionals, not just those who teach within religious educational settings.

those in teacher education. The authors also embrace in their audience “advocates for good science and quality science education, including parents, administrators, elected officials, and other policy makers” (viii). Based on their expanded educational focus in the subtitle (“and beyond”), one can safely assume that informal educators from museum staff to science club leaders are part of their target audience.

Aim and Summary of the Book The goal of the book is to equip and encourage a wide range of science educators to tackle the challenging issue of science and religion in the science classroom.

The advice given is not theoretical—rather, it is hard won in the classroom or in museum halls.

The goal of the book is to equip and encourage a wide range of science educators to tackle the challenging issue of science and religion in the science classroom and beyond: “No student in a public-­school classroom should feel as though he or she needs to choose between science and faith” (8). To facilitate their aim, the book is written in a conversational tone (explaining key concepts and using minimal jargon), in an accessible format (short chapters averaging 10–12 pages), and with self-­contained chapters (easily organized from elementary to post-­secondary to informal education). One could work through chapters of the book, individually or with a group, for professional growth and development. Pastorally, the authors seek to equip educators to be able to help all students: “Our overall approach gives science teachers a way to move beyond conflict and toward a classroom honoring both science and students’ cultural and religious background” (89).

There are few books that seek to address this contemporary and pressing issue. Volumes have been penned that explore various facets of science and religion; however, those books are written from a theoretical or conceptual perspective. Making Sense fills the gap of science-­religion in the classroom, with the emphasis being unapologetically educational. While the book provides a few introductory chapters for those initiates to science and religion, the lion’s share of the book is focused on teaching and practical concerns, particularly in an American context. The book is co-­authored by educators and has several chapters from contributing authors with varied teaching experience, each writing in their area of expertise. The advice given is not theoretical—rather, it is hard won in the classroom or in museum halls. From my perspective, even if there are differences of opinion or emphasis among the authors, the shared experience and pedagogical focus gives a foundation from which to ground the conversation.

In fitting with the educational emphasis, the scope of Making Sense recognizes the significant role that informal education plays in the broader public. School accounts for only 9 percent of our lives, so much of our learning occurs in the “and beyond” (Fenichel and Schweingruber 1–2). Making Sense makes a compelling call for teachers to be engaged in the work of advocacy. As gifted communicators, many teachers often play a key role in community outreach—sharing key lessons and practical wisdom from the classroom within the community. The authors encourage teachers to take the risk to stretch themselves in this way and connect with a wider audience.

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Furthering the Conversation: Some Critiques Let me raise two areas where I hope to broaden and embolden the valuable conversation that NSTA and the authors have initiated. The first is related to the scope of the conversation reflected in Making Sense.

The title suggests that the book encompasses the expansive domain of science and religion, yet, in fact, evolution (and Christianity) is the primary topic addressed. To be sure, evolution is both relevant and pressing, for teacher and student alike. Yet the choice to focus exclusively on evolution leaves the impression that the challenges and strategies in teaching evolution easily apply to other topics in science and religion. Even though the authors claim “one [might] extend these lessons to other domains of science with potential religious implications for students,” they provide few examples (Shane et al. 39). Whether it is physics or earth and planetary science or history of science or nature of science (see Numbers and Kampourakis; Clough), further inquiry beyond Making Sense is required to develop practices and pedagogy.

Similarly, the scope of educational communities that the authors include in their discussion is quite limited. Studies have demonstrated that there is a wide range of beliefs about science and religion, even among atheists (e.g., Ecklund). In particular, more needs to be done to understand the beliefs and behaviors of those described in the book as “resistant” (a pervasive label: Shane et al. 9, 11, 42, 44, 77, 79, 80, 81, 89–90, 98, 110; on conflict, see Moritz; Peterson; on approaches to sci-­religion, see, e.g., Loke; Lamoureux).

The overall scope of the book makes clear that the authors assume that many, if not most, classrooms will experience conflict. The goal of the authors reflects this: “Every type of science educator has an ethical obligation to minimize the perceived conflict between science and religion” (9). Yet, our commitment should be to develop spaces where science can flourish and where dialogue between science and religion can take place, not just where conflict is minimized. Classrooms can find ways to discover and explore the convergence between science and religion and can enrich the scientific inquiry. In fact many communities have moved past conflict and compartmentalization to embrace dialogue and integration. Stories of hopeful celebration are needed to highlight the communities of practice where students see how values, such as wonder, awe, and beauty, support learning (on values, see Crouch; on wonder, see Bancewicz), and how a range of discipline-­experts work together to negotiate nuanced solutions. The teachers, administrators, and science educators who reflect the compatibility of science and religion should serve as role models and mentors in the conversation. In particular, the voices of disadvantaged and marginalized communities need to be heard and amplified in this conversation. These boundary pioneers and boundary communities will shape the science and religion in the classroom conversation of the future.

The second area of the book that needs further development is the educational emphasis in teaching science and religion. While there are chapters replete with strategies and practical advice (notably chapter 7 on middle and high school), educational practices and especially theory need to be richly developed. Areas that were left unexplored include foundational work in the nature of science, concept formation or attainment, and informal Christian Educators Journal

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Studies have demonstrated that there is a wide range of beliefs about science and religion, even among atheists.

Our commitment should be to develop spaces where science can flourish and where dialogue between science and religion can take place, not just where conflict is minimized.

In particular, the voices of disadvantaged and marginalized communities need to be heard and amplified in this conversation.

science education. Science, Technology and Society (STS) and its cousin, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM), provide untapped resources to frame the exploration and teaching of the social context of science, for instance, including issue-­based and historical-­based inquiry. STS research (e.g., Pedretti and Nazir) provides pedagogical resources, theories, and related practices to inform discussions ranging from the ethics of genetic testing to the value of stewardship. Other significant issues that relate to science and religion—such as “science for all,” social and emotional learning, and cross-­cultural competence—are not addressed in Making Sense but have relevance to the application of science and religion in the classroom and beyond.

Conclusion As mentioned above, Making Sense is the first extended engagement of science-­religion in the K–16 classroom within the North American context.

Some were recently published in the UK (Billingsley et al.; Hutchings and McLeish; see also Faraday Institute for Science and Religion). The support of the NSTA and the publication of these volumes signals an important shift in the conversation and hopefully opens space for these conversations to take place in science classrooms as well as teachers’ lounges, professional learning communities, and teacher education.

I am grateful to the authors for their gift of Making Sense and their hard work in bringing together the community of education professionals to explore science and religion in the science classroom and beyond. The next “chapter” of Making Sense is lived out in your classrooms, schools, museums, and community halls.

One of the interviews included in Making Sense is with renowned biologist and science-­religion advocate Kenneth Miller, PhD. He makes clear the connection between science and religion, and specifically their mutual dependence. I give Miller the final word: “The reality is that Western science was born in a religious context, was nurtured by religious institutions, and remains one of the great achievements of our culture. We must all work to ensure that this continues to be true” (Shane et al. 123).

Works Cited Bancewicz, Ruth M. Wonders of the Living World: Curiosity, Awe, and the Meaning of Life. Illustrated by Danny Allison. Lion Hudson, 2021.

Billingsley, Berry, Manzoorul Abedin, and Keith Chappell, editors. A Teacher’s Guide to Science and Religion in the Classroom. Routledge, 2018.

Clough, Michael P. The Story Behind the Science: Bring Science and Scientists to Life. 2021, https://www.storybehindthescience.org.

Crouch, Andy. “The Life of a Scientist.” Delight in Creation: Scientists Share Their Work with the Church, edited by Deborah Haarsma and Scott Hoeze, Center for Excellence in Preaching, 2012, pp. 16–31, http://ministrytheorem.calvinseminary.edu/wp-­content/uploads/2016/06/2_crouch.pdf.

Ecklund, Elaine Howard. Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think, Oxford, 2010.

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Ecklund, Elaine Howard. Why Science and Faith Need Each Other: Eight Shared Values That Move Us Beyond Fear. Brazos, 2020.

Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. Faraday Kids: Science and Religion, 2023, faradaykids.com. Faraday Educators: Resources for Kids & Teens, 2023, faradayeducators.com. Faraday Teens: Science and Religion, 2023, faradayteens.com.

Fenichel, Marilyn, and Heidi A. Schweingruber. Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments. National Academies, 2010.

Hutchings, David, and Tom McLeish. Let There Be Science: Why God Loves Science, and Science Needs God. Lion Hudson Books, 2018.

Lamoureux, Denis O. Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes! Zondervan, 2016.

Loke, Andrew. “A New Four-­Fold Taxonomy of Science-­Religion Relations.”

Theology and Science, vol. 21, no. 1, 2023, pp. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.108 0/14746700.2022.2155909.

Moritz, Joshua M. Science and Religion: Beyond Warfare and Toward Understanding. Anselm Academic, 2016.

National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future. National Academies, 2021.

National Science Teaching Association. “Guiding Principles.” 2023, https:// www.nsta.org/overview.

Numbers, Ron L., and Kostas Kampourakis, editors. Newton’s Apple and Other Myths about Science. Harvard University, 2015.

Peterson, Derrick. Flat Earths and Fake Footnotes: The Strange Tale of How the Conflict of Science and Religion Was Written into History. Cascade, 2021.

Shane, Joseph W. “Becoming ‘Boundary Pioneers’: Roles for Academic Science Departments in Understanding and Addressing Interactions between Science and Religion.” Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, vol. 87, no. 1, June 2013, pp. 3–9. https://www.jstor.org/ stable/10.5325/jpennacadscie.87.1.0003.

Andrew Kirk is an assistant professor of education at The King’s University (­Edmonton, AB). Trained in chemistry (MSc, University of Alberta) and biblical languages (MDiv, Regent College, Vancouver, BC), his interest is in secondary science education. He has taught science, theology, and science-­and-­theology in secondary and post-­secondary settings. Andrew is currently working toward a PhD (secondary education, University of Alberta) under the supervision of Gregory P. Thomas, PhD.

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The Tortoise Wins: You’re Only Human B. J. CONDREY

You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News, by Kelly M. Kapic (Brazos, 2022)

The hare once asked the tortoise, “Do you ever get anywhere?” While this story may be something that we read to children, the question is one that often haunts all of us who live in Western culture with its emphasis on—and worship of—productivity and efficiency. We are conditioned to despise our limitations, and this can be a recipe for disaster. After being a Christian for decades, writing several books, and teaching theology at Covenant College for over twenty years, Kelly Kapic is biblically grounded, theologically sound, seasoned, and wise in his nuanced effort to recast Christians’ view of human limitations as a gift from God rather than a product of sin. This shift in thinking is intended to help Christians “praise God for [their] limits” (11). This paradigm shift is crucial for reclaiming a humble, biblically rooted anthropological vision of human beings as limited and finite—and therefore dependent—creatures. Due to my specific focus on Christian education both in formal and ecclesial settings, this review will be much more education-­ focused than the general Christian audience to which Kapic writes. What follows is divided into two sections: (1) key insights and analysis, and (2) critique and conclusion.

Key Insights and Analysis The book is divided into two parts, “Particularity and Limits” (part 1) and “Healthy Dependence” (part 2), each containing five chapters. The first section is focused more on the limitations we face and how dependent upon God and others we really are, while the second part shifts to what we need to understand and the steps that we can take to peacefully live with God, ourselves, others, and the earth (i.e., to reach human flourishing). In my view, chapter 7 alone is worth buying the book and is similar in its focus and aim to John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, which I found to be inspiring, convicting, and helpful.

Part 1 begins with a positive appraisal of our vulnerability, limitations, and dependent creaturely status. Kapic describes the original, pre-­f all goodness of creation and emphasizes that human beings were limited in many ways before sin and death entered the world. This point is key to his overall project because it provides a biblical foundation for decoupling our understanding of human limitations from sin so that we can properly view Christian Educators Journal

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The first section is focused more on the limitations we face and how dependent upon God and others we really are, while the second part shifts to what we need to understand and the steps that we can take to peacefully live with God, ourselves, others, and the earth.

Kapic suggests that our anthropology needs to rediscover a balance between creation and redemption.

Kapic directs our attention to where many Christians—especially evangelical and Reformed thinkers—often do not focus: the importance of nature and our physical bodies in the spiritual life.

While there are notable advantages of online education, it is disembodied in nature.

them as a “beneficial gift to be honored” rather than a “fault to overcome” (12). Both God’s glory and human flourishing—ours and the people around us—are at stake. This is the theological foundation upon which the entire book is built.

After laying this foundation, Kapic focuses on how an inordinate emphasis upon sin can actually prevent us from knowing important truths that have their origin in creation: the original goodness of human beings, that we are created in God’s image (imago Dei), and that he actually likes us. Kapic suggests that our anthropology needs to rediscover a balance between creation and redemption. We are not horrible creatures that God hates that now need saving—a redemption-­only focus. Rather, human beings as a subset of creation are the only creatures made in the image of God for fellowship with God. Our intrinsic worth is directly rooted in these truths. Thus, we are glorious, although fallen, and the strength of the Christian worldview is its robust explanatory power in being able to simultaneously account for both our dignity and depravity. Thus, while emphasizing sin and our need for a Savior, our “fallen humanity’s sinfulness” must not become the sole or uppermost theme in our assessment of humanity (25). Kapic admits that this is where his own Reformed tradition has sometimes gone wrong (22).

In the last three chapters of part 1, Kapic focuses on the limits of our physical body, the value of appropriate physical touch, and how identity formation requires other people and is not self-­generated. His focus on the limits of our bodies is extremely valuable for the simple fact that it directs our attention to where many Christians—especially evangelical and Reformed thinkers—often do not focus: the importance of nature and our physical bodies in the spiritual life. Our bodies are not unimportant, nor are they evil containers for the soul (cf. Plato, Plotinus, Gnosticism, Descartes, etc.); instead, they play an integral role in our formation and growth. Thus, the chapter is a corrective of sorts. He writes that the incarnation of Christ is “God’s affirmation of our created materiality” (46), limitations and all, and is one way that God affirms the “high value on the particular humanity and finitude of each of us” (39).

He then goes on to discuss the value of appropriate physical touch and why it is so important to our development. While being a gift, our physicality also gives us a gift: it makes interacting with people and the world around us possible (53). We are psychosomatic creatures, a word Kapic uses often to communicate the importance of both the psychological and physical aspects of our nature as embodied souls. He writes about the church during COVID and how our interactions were reduced to streaming services and video small groups. While he expresses gratitude for the technology that made this possible—something is better than nothing—he also laments the irreplaceable loss of “hugging, singing, shaking hands, and sitting close to one another” during that season (61). Touch matters, which is yet another indicator of how dependent we are on others.

In my opinion, his discussion of our need for appropriate physical touch (i.e., our dependence) is important for educators to consider as the need and demand for online education continues to grow. While there are notable advantages of online education, it is disembodied in nature. In my view, this can result in a failure to develop the entire person unless intentionally compensated for in one’s own local community (family, church, work, friendship, etc.). Kapic’s chapter on physical touch is useful for thinking about 44

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education in Christian contexts that seek to develop the entire person and not just the intellect (i.e., education as soulcraft).

Before concluding part 1, Kapic turns his attention to personal identity.

He focuses on two major ideas: (1) being “in Christ” does not negate the fact that we are “necessarily social creatures with histories” (78), and (2) personal identity is not self-­generated, meaning that we are once again heavily dependent upon others to discover who God has made us to be. These two points are important. The former prevents us from treating our “in Christ” position as a negation of other identity-­forming factors that comprise an important part of our God-­given individuality (e.g., family lineage, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality), while the latter is yet another reminder that we are dependent, not self-­made, creatures.

Part 2 begins with how Christians should understand humility. Kapic makes a clear case that humility is not a Christian virtue because we have sinned. Instead, it is a Christian virtue because of our status as dependent creatures (cf. Acts 17:28). If sin is the sole reason that we should be humble before God, then this suggests that there was no need for humility prior to the fall. But as Kapic notes, this is absurd. Humility is a virtue that is intrinsically connected to our need for God, so while awareness of sin can provide fertile soil for humility to grow, it is not the primary reason that humility is crowned a virtue in Christian thought and practice.

One of the more interesting parts of the book is Kapic’s analysis of the development of our conception of time throughout history from being determined by nature (the rising and setting of the sun in specific geographical and seasonal contexts) to being influenced by the precision of mechanical and digital clocks. Living under the domination of a “clock-­oriented consciousness of time and efficiency” (125), every day is chopped into tiny pieces (hours, minutes, seconds, milliseconds, etc.) that must be managed to perfection lest we “waste” it. This pressure produces “perpetual hurriedness” (127), keeps us on high alert, prevents us from letting down and letting go, and changes us at a fundamental level.

When we deny our very real limitations and assume the position of the unlimited Creator as opposed to very limited creatures, false expectations arise. These suffocate any chance for joy and fulfillment in our lives, work, local churches, and communities. No person can do it all. Reaching back to chapter 3, Kapic argues in one of the most insightful moments of the book that we need a biblically centered view of limitations as opposed to a time-­ management view. The latter seeks to overcome limitations with less sleep, more caffeine, and better planning, while the former admits that we cannot do it all and focuses on that which is within our means in each particular season.

A very interesting connection that Kapic makes is between the fear of the Lord and time. This was the connection that I initially viewed with the most skepticism—I thought, surely this would be a theological reach on his part. Kapic explains how the fear of the Lord is about recognizing who God is and who we are—and aren’t—and that this ontological ordering positions us to trust in the Lord. Trusting in God, in turn, grants a person guilt-­f ree permission to be finite (138), and this allows one to have a more accurate assessment of oneself and what one can do in any given season. The fear of the Lord is truly the “beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10).

Toward the end of the book, Kapic focuses on the value that God places Christian Educators Journal

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Humility is a virtue that is intrinsically connected to our need for God.

Time pressure produces “perpetual hurriedness,” keeps us on high alert, prevents us from letting down and letting go, and changes us at a fundamental level.

Trusting in God, in turn, grants a person guilt-­ free permission to be finite.

Kapic invites Christians to meditate on the truth that God is near, for only

on process as opposed to quick results—“the race is not always to the swift” (Eccl. 9:11 MSG)—and why belonging to a local church is vital for human flourishing and God’s purposes being realized in and through us (remember Aesop’s lesson). He then concludes the book in chapter 10 by answering the question: “How do we faithfully live within our finitude?” Some seasons in life allow for more while others allow for less. Ignoring or denying this fact causes us to set expectations that were never possible in the first place, which leads to “frustration and resentment” rather than “a life of gratitude and joy” (197). Drawing from his own experience, Kapic is ruthlessly honest, sharing how he has struggled to accept limitations in both his personal life and professional career and how others—especially his family—have helped him find freedom. He invites Christians to meditate on the truth that God is near, for only the person that believes this in their deep heart can give themselves permission to stop, rest, worship, and delight.

the person that believes this in their deep heart can give themselves permission to stop, rest, worship, and delight.

Critique and Conclusion While Kapic’s book is impressive, I have two concerns. First, I think that the book could have been improved with a greater emphasis on the fact that there are times when one ought to work hard to overcome certain limitations. Whether learning a language, trying to improve one’s resume, working through marital conflict, earning a promotion, trying to find a cure for cancer, or overturning unjust laws, there are times for not praising God for limitations but doing everything one can to overcome them. While I have no doubt that Kapic would agree with this point, I do believe that it needed more attention to provide a balanced perspective.

Second, while Kapic stresses the point that it is of the utmost importance to view our limitations apart from sin, he could have spent more time addressing the fact that many of our limitations are the result of sin, albeit indirectly. While it may be true that a person’s limitations are often not due to any specific sin that they committed, it was the sin committed by the first human beings that opened the door to so many limitations that we would not otherwise experience (bodily disease, mental illness, feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness, fear, insecurity, grief, etc.). Therefore, while Kapic’s severing of human limitation from sin is important and helpful for accepting our limitations with grace, more needed to be said about limitations that are the result of sin in one way or another.

In conclusion, Kelly Kapic’s You’re Only Human is an interesting and thought-­provoking read, with great potential to both comfort and empower Christians. As God’s sole image-­bearers on the earth, viewing our limitations as a gift from God is vital if we are to be people that can recognize and respond to God’s presence with us (132). We are not God, and the good news is that God doesn’t expect us to be.

Dr. B. J. Condrey is the Bible Faculty Chair and Curriculum Specialist at Enlightium Academy. He also teaches an introduction to philosophy, ethics, and logic at Hutchinson Community College and is the author of a number of books and articles.

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Three Nesting Dolls: A History of Reformed Christian Education in Canada ROBERT BRUINSMA

Education for Hope: A Course Correction, by John E. Hull (Friesen, 2022)

Dr. John Hull is a Christian educator and scholar born in the United States with a long history of teaching in Christian schools in Canada and as part of the education faculty of The King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta. Who is this book for? In Hull’s own words: I wrote this book for multiple audiences. Anyone who has been, is currently, or will one day be involved with the Dutch Neo-­Calvinist tradition of alternative education has vested interests in the stories and issues that appear in this book. The narrative not only provides them with an overview of their legacy, but also points to a way forward. I also believe educators and supporters who have been, are currently, or will be involved in other faith-­based traditions of education can learn much from the strengths and weaknesses of this tradition. (xiii)

So, CEJ readers, this book is for you!

Hull’s book is a gift to the Reformed Christian education movement.

The gift is a little like those Russian dolls—matryoshka—that one can take apart only to discover yet more dolls inside. The first “doll” is the core of the book and provides a fascinating history of the neo-­Calvinist tradition of education in Canada. American readers of this review might think that this section will be irrelevant to them. Not so. The section begins with a history of the movement in nineteenth-­century Holland and its migration to, and early development in, the United States. It then moves to post-­WWI Dutch immigration to Canada and the subsequent development of Reformed Christian schools there. In telling this fascinating history, Hull demonstrates his deep understanding of curriculum theory and practice as he sketches the competing views of various Christian school leaders as they attempt to develop (more or less successfully) a uniquely Christian approach to curriculum development and pedagogy.

In order not to weigh down the narrative with too much philosophical and theological discourse, Hull provides brief notes directing the interested reader to the second “doll” of the book called “Digging Deeper.” In my view, the digging deeper excursions are worth the price of the book alone and provide a mini-­textbook for anyone interested in knowing more about curriculum theory and practice.

In the third “doll” of the book, “Memoir of an Educator,” Hull provides us with his personal journey of becoming an educator: his early days in Christian Educators Journal

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small town Nebraska; his contact with Reformed theology at Dordt College, Iowa; his nineteen years of teaching high school in Ontario; his graduate studies at the Institute for Christian Studies and the University of Toronto; and his eventual career at The King’s University. I love this part of the book because it puts a very human face on the author and honestly details his frustrations and struggles with much of what passes for Christian schooling, as well as his hopes for what it might yet become if educators are willing to make certain fundamental course corrections.

The bonus “dolls” of the book provide helpful appendices of acronyms and important dates, a bibliography, and a detailed index.

Robert Bruinsma is an emeritus professor of education at The King’s University, Edmonton, Alberta.

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