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Quentin Flokstra
Professor Elaine Brouwer
EDUC 540
03 August 2011

Being a Faithful Follower of Jesus in a Learning Community of Truth

To be a faithful follower of Jesus in teaching and learning asks us to know who we are
first. John Piper gives this excellent, yet succinct, description of who and why we are: God
created meand youto live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passionnamely, a
passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of
life (31). When we live by this motto, enjoying and displaying Gods excellence, we begin to
live out our discipleship in a way that will create a learning community of truth, based on the
truth, in which students are motivated to explore more of that truth as related to their passions.
To begin this process, we must first begin by looking at ourselves. Parker Palmer points
out that we teach who we are (2) and, as follower of Jesus and readers of the Bible, we are
being shaped by God himself (Smith and Shortt 37). Because of this, it is clear that our lives are
religious in nature; What this means is that all our activities are (1) driven by faith
commitments, (2) headed in a certain direction, and (3) performed in (worshipful) service (Van
Dyk 37). Keeping all of this in mind, we must be rooted in the Word in order to seek to live to
make others glad in God (Piper 102). This ought to be the heart of our teaching.
Out of a personal examination, we then see that Christian education that is, education
for discipleship must flow out of the Christian educator. As Smith and Shortt point out,

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Christian education is not merely regular school done better but school done from a
fundamentally different perspective (15). Van Dyk provides an excellent synopsis of the purpose
of Christian teaching. He states, What is the purpose of Christian teaching? To equip our
students for works of service. That is, to enable them to function as knowledgeable and
competent disciples of the Lord, exercising their Kingdom tasks by hearing the will of the Lord
and implementing it wherever they find themselves. Your goal is to teach your students to walk
in the ways of wisdom (69).
Notice that the goal is not about subject material, tests, literacy levels, etc. When the goal
is knowledgeable and competent discipleship (essential in being a follower of Jesus) then
teaching is not so much about the process but about establishing a community of truth, centered
on the Truth. It is within such a community that students will learn more about this amazing
world God has created in all its facets. In fact, when establishing a community based around this
idea of discipleship, students will want to learn more about all that God has done.
With a focus on creating this community, the teacher has a different role than traditionally
thought. In an environment focussed on community, the teacher is more of a guide (Van Dyk
80). This is because the teacher, like the students, is a disciple of Jesus. However, the teacher is
in a different role than the student because the teacher is responsible for establishing the
environment for all of the learners (including himself) to learn. As Alfie Kohn puts it, we can
create a classroom culture that taps into our innate desire to know and to be known. It is when
this culture is maintained that learning, or knowing, becomes yet again communal (Palmer 55).
The focus on establishing this community cannot be over-emphasized. Van Dyk provides
clear direction in establishing a collaborative classroom via the first-step approach (130-137).
This approach to a learning community ensures that all students are treated as image-bearers of

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God, takes sin seriously, exemplifies the Body of Christ, gives students responsibility,
encourages critical discipleship skills, and gives students ownership of learning (137-138). It is
when students have been given responsibility and perhaps more importantly the opportunity
to practise discipleship skills even as it extends to being good stewards of the learning capability
they have. It is then that we will be teaching in which the community of truth is practiced
(Palmer 92).
This community then centers on learning. It has as its overarching goal discipleship but
allows educators to focus on the learning process and to reward and praise for practice, study,
persistence, and good strategies (Dweck 177). Indeed, with the focus on community there is less
of a chance that students will become lazy due to not having to work (Van Dyk 164). Students,
once they realize that school is for them to grow as disciples, will not seek to sabotage their own
learning. To take this one step further, students, once they realize they are part of a community,
will seek to have that community flourish through their efforts.
Creating the community must be deliberate on the part of the teacher. Creating a space
for the learners to flourish will result in an authentic environment for the teacher to guide
towards discipleship. What does this space look like? It is a collaborative and cooperative
space. It is one where students voices are valued. It is a space where students input is sought
and discussed. It is a space where students are not competing but working together. It is a space
where encouragement is given. It is a space where mistakes are not punished but seen as
opportunities for growth; indeed, praise will be given for the process. It is a place where the
teacher will be there to guide students in a process of making learning their own.
This space, practically speaking, is a place of conversation. The conversation begins on
the first day of the class by discussing with students what the community ought to look like and

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soliciting feedback from students regarding expectations that will be put into place. Class
meetings would need to be held to discuss the nature and scope of projects, the process and
application of class discipline/issues, and to have an ongoing conversation about a growth
mindset as it relates to an authentic walk with Jesus. When students are vested in their learning
community, they are more likely to ensure that it succeeds. Moreover, they will see that all
members of the community, including the teacher, will have a vested interest in seeing growth
and learning happen.
With the community thus established, other practical matters will easily fall into place.
Learning centres that are catered to students interests, the use of social media to expand
learning, and the flexibility to have students explore and seek to expand all areas of learning will
create the space for learners to flourish.
With the ongoing conversation and the learning environment set up to motivate students,
the community will flourish. The students will see an authentic teacher who reflects who he is.
The students will be in conversation with this teacher, and the other members of the learning
community and see that with growth as being important and not some extrinsic success
point- that there will be a positive environment where discipleship will be practiced. This will
then be a space which seeks to glorify God by reflecting his glory and communal nature. It will
be a community of truth based on the Truth.

Bibliography
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Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: The New Pscyhology of Success. New York: Random House, Inc. ,
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Kohn, Alfie. "How to Create Nonreaders." 26 June 2011. The Daily Riff. 13 July 2011
<http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/how-to-create-nonreaders-439.php>.
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