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Always Becoming, Never Arriving: Developing an Imagination for Teaching Christianly by Dr. Dave Mulder
Paperback: 186 pages
Publisher: Cascade
Publish Date: December 20, 2024
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8385205066
ISBN-13: 979-8385205066
Content
From the back cover…
Does Jesus care how I arrange the desks in my classroom? How I evaluate student work? The way I interact with students and colleagues? What if all these small, moment-by-moment classroom decisions a Christian teacher makes are actually the evidence of living discipleship?
Teaching Christianly does not just happen; it is the result of deliberate choices to work toward shrinking the gap between what we (say we) believe and what we actually do in our teaching. This book is an exploration of the teaching profession through the lens of living out our calling through teaching-as-discipleship.
Whether you are new to the profession or a seasoned veteran, you will find ideas to expand your imagination about what teaching Christianly looks like, considering topics that run the range from professionalism and ethics, to a biblical view of learners and learning, to content knowledge and curriculum, to planning, instruction, and assessment. Teaching Christianly is a journey, a process of growing as a more faithful disciple, and more closely following Jesus day by day. Learning to teach Christianly is an adventure of “always becoming, and never arriving,” until that day when we meet the Lord face-to-face. Welcome to the adventure!
From the author…
I wrote this book out a deep conviction that serving as a Christian educator is a privilege, something I “get to” do rather than “have to” do. Teaching is the best—and most demanding—profession, and I believe that teaching Christianly is a joyful challenge.
I have taught Introduction to Education over 20 times in my work as a teacher educator, and it’s always a joy to help novices to the profession come to understand the work we get to do, and to discern their own sense of calling to teach. Indeed, I wrote this book to help introduce them to the profession, but I believe any Christian educator will find it an encouragement to faithfully work out our discipleship through our service as teachers.
The title comes from something I often say when teaching Introduction to Education: “Teaching is a journey, a process of becoming, but we never ‘arrive’—at least, not on this side of Glory.” My deep hope is that this book will encourage, equip, and challenge all Christian educators to keep growing and developing our imaginations for teaching Christianly.
Table of Contents:
- Chapter 1 – Learning to Think like a Teacher: Developing Your “Teacher Imagination”
- Chapter 2 – The Teaching Profession: Job? Calling? What are We Doing Here Anyway?
- Chapter 3 – Faith Matters: What is Teaching “Christianly?”
- Chapter 4 – Joys and Challenges of Teaching Today: History, Reform, and the Future
- Chapter 5 – Do the Right Thing: Professionalism and Ethics
- Chapter 6 – Understanding Your Office: Learning and Leading
- Chapter 7 – Jesus Loves the Little Children: Learner Development
- Chapter 8 – Jesus Loves ALL the Little Children: Learner Diversity
- Chapter 9 – Culture and Climate: Creating a Space Where Learning Can Happen
- Chapter 10 – Knowledge and Understanding: What Do You Need to Know to Be a Teacher?
- Chapter 11 – Finding the Path: Curriculum Guides the Learning
- Chapter 12 – Designs for Learning: Planning and Preparation for Effective Instruction
- Chapter 13 – Getting Inside their Heads: The Most Mystical Part of Teaching
- Chapter 14 – Effective Instruction: Teaching like Jesus?
- Chapter 15 – Joy on the Journey: Why We Never “Arrive” at Teaching Christianly
Author
David J. Mulder serves as professor of education at Dordt University where he teaches in both the undergraduate teacher preparation program as well as the MEd program. He has experience working with learners at the elementary, middle school, high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Dr. Dave embodies a playful approach to his classroom practice, and he enjoys a wide variety of interests both within and outside the field of education.
Endorsements
“As David Mulder notes in his introduction, this book is neither a nuts-and-bolts introduction to teaching nor a philosophical treatise. Instead, this important text provides multiple authentic opportunities for the reader to reflectively consider the vocation and craft of Christian teaching. This book is very readable, and each chapter’s content and opening vignettes draw the reader in, challenging them to consider both the simplicity and complexity of the various aspects and dynamics of distinctively Christian education.”
– Dr. Sean Schat, Redeemer University
“Dave Mulder walks the line between teaching and learning better than anyone. His mastery of both sides makes his voice a refreshing one for teacher-educators. His ability to playfully articulate them to others makes Always Becoming, Never Arriving a must-read for preservice teachers.”
– Dr. Chris Nonhof, Northwestern College
“David Mulder has hit the mark with this work for educators at any point in their career! This book is a must-read for aspiring teachers learning their craft and how to approach the profession from the foundation of their beliefs. At the same time, there is encouragement and wisdom for experienced educators as they strive to teach Christianly. Readers could come back repeatedly and come away with a poignant reminder or a new insight each time.”
– Dr. Aaron Imig, Corban University
