This week in our Summer Series, we’re pointing you to an episode from the podcast channel called “The Inquisition” hosted by the witty and very funny, James Cary (known for his clever TV and radio writing for quite a number of British shows, including Think the Unthinkable, Concrete Cow and Miranda).

In this episode, James has a timely chat with “spy-turned-vicar”, Bishop Nick Baines, who explains Advent, Epiphany, Isaiah and the earthing of Christmas. You can check it out and have a listen here.

Enjoy, and have a happy and safe Christmas from all of us at Christian Schools Australia.

In this episode Mark Ryan speaks with Dr Graham Stanton, Lecturer in Practical Theology at Ridley College in Melbourne, and Dean of Ridley’s Centre for Children’s and Youth Ministry. Graham is a leading voice in youth ministry and has recently released a new book: Wide-Awake in God's World - Bible Engagement for Teenage Spiritual Formation in a Culture of Expressive Individualism.

This podcast explores the cultural moment we are living in, and how we as schools can help young people engage with the Biblical story with faithfulness and imagination. Find out more about Graham’s book. Or purchase a copy for yourself now.

If you're teaching in a Christian school, this episode is for you. Keen to know how and why writing Christian curriculum requires a different approach? Cass Pendlebury, CSA EO NSW/ACT and National Curriculum, hosts this enlightening discussion with Dr Craig Murison (Christian Heritage College) about the journey of the God’s Big Story (GBS) Project. Craig and Cass discuss the origins of the GBS approach, the development of the resources with CHC to help teachers in Christian schools illuminate our triune God in the Australian Curriculum plus the future steps needed to equip teachers in the integration of Biblical Worldview and curriculum.

In this episode Rob Loe talks with Dr Graeme Cross, Chief Executive Officer of the Swan Christian Education Association based in WA. An academic, practitioner and leader, Graeme has researched and published on the social and civic development of students within Christian schools. This podcast explores the findings of his doctoral studies and unpacks his subsequent research alongside Relational Schools, where he conducted an informal qualitative inquiry into the trends observed in highly connected school communities and cultures.

But this podcast also captures some of the personal story of Graeme Cross, where this work has led him and how it has influenced his leadership of a network of schools across the state. Good relationships have to be modelled from the top down; from our principals’ networks to the classroom environments.

On this episode of ‘Horizon 2020’ Darren Iselin talks with Dr Deani Van Pelt, who is President of Edvance, a Christian Schools association in Canada and senior fellow at two think tanks, Cardus and the Fraser Institute. Deani has researched, presented, and published frequently on topics including school choice, school funding and school sector enrolments and her work has been regularly featured in mainstream Canadian print and broadcast media.

Christian education around the world is entering an exciting new phase of maturation, growth and development. With this maturation comes exciting new possibilities in regards to evidencing graduate outcomes, best practice, student leaning and celebrating the transformative impact that our schools provide. Deani will explore how such opportunities afford new ways of working more intentionally and collaboratively together through networking which lead to rich and important conversations that can enhance and expand the impact and influence of our schools within the wider community. Deani will stimulate your thinking regarding these exciting new horizons that can bring great hope and encouragement to the cause of Christian education.

Dr Lynn Swaner Episode Summary: A New Agenda for Christian Schooling

On this episode of ‘Horizon 2020’ Darren Iselin talks with Dr Lynn Swaner. Lynn is the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at ACSI in the United States, where she leads initiatives and develops strategies to address compelling questions and challenges facing Christian education. Dr. Swaner serves as a Cardus Senior Fellow and is the lead editor of the books MindShift: Catalyzing Change in Christian Education and PIVOT: New Directions for Christian Education.

Christian schools are constantly required to provide evidentiary data on a wide range of measures and metrics for regulation and reporting. But do we gather evidence on whether our schools are flourishing in ways that align with our core values and beliefs and whether our school cultures are distinctively Christian? Lynn will explore the importance of gathering these data for Christian school leaders and will showcase how such evidence can be used to drive a quality improvement agenda within Christian schooling. Lynn will also discuss a groundbreaking new flourishing schools culture model and survey instrument which will be of great benefit to Christian school leaders.

This podcast is for every practitioner, and the principals who lead our schools. This week we discuss behaviour management with one on the UK’s leading experts. CSA’s Dave Stevens of WA, interviews Paul Dix the once difficult child, relentless teacher and now award-winning behaviour trainer. Paul has been working with the most difficult behaviours in the most challenging urban schools and colleges for the last 25 years. He founded Pivotal Education and The TBAP Trust transforming behaviour, teaching and learning in schools and colleges in the UK and internationally. His voice has echoed through many classrooms.

But, if you think this podcast is for a school other than yours, you’ve missed the point. A leading thinker in behaviour management and behaviour change, his inspirational perspectives and fascinating narratives reveal a ferocious passion for education.

Join them both as they explore tips and strategies to encourage teacher-student relationships in the classroom. From the “at risk” to the “attention rousing” – Paul explores how minor adjustments in our craft produce monumental shifts in our cultures.

Matt Kutz is a Full Professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio in the College of Education and Human Development. He is a Senior Editor for two scholarly journals and is an award-winning author, researcher, and educator. He has written several books and his book on Contextual Intelligence was honored for Innovation and Cutting-Edge Perspective by the Leadership Book Awards.

Some key conversation points from this episode:

On this episode of ‘Horizon 2020’ Mark Spencer talks with Dr Stephen Chavura, currently lecturer in history at Campion College, having previously lectured in political philosophy at Macquarie University.  Stephen also serves on the faculty of the Lachlan Macquarie Instituteincluding teaching in the GPS programaiming at preparing young people for university.

Whether Christians should be involved in politics and the public square is discussed, with Stephen positing that this is a key avenue for Christians to be able to ‘love thy neighbour’.  Sketching the history of the contribution of Christians to society and the changing nature of what society considers ‘the good life’ to be, Stephen argues for the continued involvement of Christian in broader social debates. Challenging stereotypes of Christians as only interested in sexual ethics and morality, Stephen demonstrates how to broach issues of religious freedom, as part of a broader range of freedoms, at your next backyard barbeque.

In preparing students for life beyond school, Stephen highlights the importance of acknowledging the worldview being taught in all schools and preparing graduates to engage with alternative worldviews.

Stephen refers briefing in the podcast to two books charting the history of Evangelical Christians in Australia, The Fountain of Public Prosperity Evangelical Christians in Australian History 1740–1914 and Attending to the National Soul Evangelical Christians in Australian History, 1914-2014both published by Monash University Publishing.

On this episode of ‘Horizon 2020’ Darren Iselin talks with Dr Beth Green, who is currently Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Tyndale University, Fellow of the Royal Society and a Senior Fellow and former Director of Education at Cardus, a faith-based think tank in Canada.

The importance of evidence in a quality improvement school agenda underscores why it is so important to measure what we value in the current educational climate. Landmark studies including the Cardus Education Survey seek to provide a holistic and comprehensive tool for measuring graduate outcomes and provide a mirror for schools to gather meaningful data on their programs and practice. Beth will explore how such surveys can be powerfully used to improve our Christian school communities and also highlights other exciting new projects and initiatives that seek to measure faith formation and development within our Christian schools. Beth’s wisdom, experience and intellect will inspire our thinking regarding research and gathering data on the things that matter most to our Christian school communities.