K-12 Christian school teachers’ perspectives on faith and learning

Abstract

Relationships between faith and learning are central to Christian education. However, few large studies have examined grade-school teachers’ faith-learning perspectives, especially the influence of academic discipline and theological tradition. I investigated these among 1,059 teachers certified by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Academic discipline showed a relationship to the responses of secondary (7–12) teachers but not to those of elementary (K-6) teachers. Theological tradition showed no significant relationship to either group’s perspectives. Both groups reported a stronger influence of faith on course content than on instructional strategies. These results have implications for teacher training and evaluation.