Teaching Science so that Students Learn Science: A Paradigm for Christian Schools  by John D. Mays

             This past summer I decided to attend the Society for Classical Learning Conference because it was close and seemed like something I should do. I had never been before, and I did not know what to expect. I was excited to find that they had a math/science track (which I am told was the first time that had happened), and spent most of my time listening and taking vigorous notes on all that these wise men and women had to say. As I listened, I was affirmed in many of the things I was already doing in my classroom and the reasons why I did them. However, most of the time I was being humbled and challenged by how much better I could be doing. The first speaker in this track talked about why we study math and science (for more than just the pragmatic reasons). He emphasized teaching our students to love these subjects through “wonder, work, wisdom, and worship.” As I listened to his reasoning, I was encouraged to continue in the work that is before me and excited to attend more of his lectures. My favorite quote that morning was “the wonder is the foundation; the effort comes straight from the heart.” The more we instill in our students how incredible God’s creation is the more effort they will naturally want to put into learning more about it. Later in the week he gave multiple book recommendations as many of the speakers did, and my reading list grew daily. In particular, while attending another lecture, I found a book that our science department had been thinking about for our students, and I was excited to get home and have the school order it.

               When the student books came in towards the end of the summer, there were two copies of a book I had not ordered, Teaching Science so that Students Learn Science, by John D. Mays. Robyn had added these books to the order, saying that they looked interesting. Over the past month I read through this book, and the same feelings as I had at the summer conference came back. How much I was doing right, and more importantly, how much more I needed to be doing to help my students become the best excellent Christian scientists. Before he begins a discussion of the core principles of Christian science instruction, how to teach these core principles, and how to deal with controversial topics, Mays begins with a brief introduction to his philosophy of education, rooted in the gospel of Mark. He says, “My own philosophy of education derives fundamentally from the first and greatest commandment, articulated by Jesus in Mark 12:30: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” For him, we engage in and teach our students science and math as one expression of loving God with all of our minds. Another important point that he makes is that we need to be responsible learners of science. As responsible learners, we should endeavor to teach our students to be and ourselves be respectful towards our opponents, produce quality material, and be open to what the data reveals. He explains that our science and our faith should complement one another, and if they seem to contradict it is because we do not understand what is being said or we are misinterpreting one side or the other. I could go on about the interesting and thought provoking things he has to say, but nothing compares to reading it firsthand. Simply, Mays expresses a heart for providing a quality Christian science education that can and should be replicated by schools and parents alike.