Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2016

Program Highlights M.Ed. § § Biblical worldview , experienced faculty, and practical approach § § Focused on enhancing classroom effectiveness, professional leadership, and Kingdom influence § § Convenient eight-week, all-online classes § § Program completion flexibility for part- time students § § Supportive advising team committed to your academic success § § Affordable tuition with scholarships for alumni and Christian school teachers “My entire philosophy of education was crafted by the men and women who led me through the education program at Cedarville, both as an undergraduate and in the M.Ed. ” Ryan Churchward ’07, M.Ed. ’16 Learn more and apply: cedarville.edu/MEd Master of Education the School of Education. “And we do it with biblical integration that makes it for God’s impact and His glory.” The M.Ed. was Cedarville’s first graduate program, introduced in spring 2000 under the direction of StephenGruber ’74, Professor of Education. Cedarville has awarded M.Ed. degrees since 2002, sending qualified, Christ- honoring educators across the country and around the globe. According to Ruth Sylvester, Assistant Dean of the School of Education andDirector of the M.Ed. , Cedarville’s M.Ed . program trains Christian educators for service in all classroom environments — public, Christian, and international. “We equip our students to teach through the lens of God’s Word, in tandem with skills and pedagogy to increase their professional effectiveness,” said Sylvester. “We want to reach the diverse needs within the classroom and potentially change our nation’s schools.” GOD GLORIFIED It is this philosophy that helped form Churchward as an educator. “Living out your faith is important for all Christians living in the real world,” he explained. “But it’s even more important when you’re working with impressionable young people. “My entire philosophy of education was crafted by the men and women who led me through the education program at Cedarville, both as an undergraduate and in the M.Ed. ,” he shared. “I may not be allowed to outwardly share my Christian faith, but I am able to model how that looks through my actions, words, and motives.” That’s exactly what Eddie Baumann, Senior Professor of Education, who teaches philosophy of education courses for both undergraduate and graduate students at Cedarville, hopes for each of Cedarville’s M.Ed. graduates. “I want our students to understand that you don’t have to leave your faith in the parking lot before you enter the school doors,” he explained. “We may not be able to teach the Bible in a public school setting, but we can certainly teach biblical concepts.” Baumann cites stewardship as an example. For a Christian, the idea of stewardship — using your time, talent, and resources for God’s glory — is rooted in Scripture, but public school students can still be taught that they can use their time and talents wisely and for the good of others. “We challenge our students to ask themselves, ‘How does my faith inform what I do in an environment that is sometimes hostile to Christians?’” he stated, “and then guide them to integrate Christian principles as they develop lessons, structure curriculum, and teach character traits.” “Educators have an ideal platform to be change agents in our culture and share our faith, though primarily in a covert manner within a secular context,” Sylvester explained. LIVES CHANGED It’s a lesson Churchward learned well. “One of my strong suits is a service- driven desire to love others,” he explained. “Cedarville helped build that in me in a way that I can bring to the classroom and beyond. I attempt to bring that service mindset into my classroom every day.” Churchward sees his educator role as more of a “facilitator of learning” rather than simply imparting knowledge. He thrives on those moments when he sees a student discover a love for the subject matter or when a student who previously struggled discovers a desire to learn. “I feel it is my duty to empower my students to explore, discover, and learn for themselves,” he said. “I look for those ‘a-ha’ moments every day.” “I’m not in it for the money or the glory or the fame,” Churchward concluded. Rather, through modeling Christlike servanthood and love, he wants to help “create a better tomorrow by crafting students today who are motivated and respectful and who, above all, hold in high esteem the values of respect, care, and service to others.” As they engage these character qualities, he hopes they will be turned toward Christ as the source of that change. That kind of transformative thinking makes high-tech learning a high calling. Michele (Cummings) Solomon ’91 is the Copy Editor for Cedarville University Marketing. Cedarville Magazine | 19