Cedarville Magazine, Spring 2021

Whether it is serving in already established schools, coming alongside missionary families, or creating new schools, we want our teachers to obey God’s command to be “salt and light” and “go.” INTERNATIONAL DISCIPLE-MAKERS At Cedarville, our students are trained by the best theological professors the academy has to offer. We yoke that sound theological training with the best early childhood, middle, and secondary education training to produce outstanding teachers. We also offer our students biblical discipleship through our faculty and student life staff, another component of our excellent preparation process. Discipleship is significant. The vision is for students to see themselves as disciple-making teachers. It is imperative that our students understand they are going to teach more than basic learning skills; they are going to serve alongside and be the church. Pray for our students as they decide whether or not they will stay in the U.S, serve internationally, or both. Let's consider the words of Revelation 5:9– 10: "And they sang a new song saying: Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals. For you were slain, and by your blood, you ransom people for God from every tribe, and language, and people, and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." My desire is that our students would delight in seeking to plant seeds among every tribe, every language, and every people. My desire is they would be modern-day LuLus. Kevin Jones is Dean of the Cedarville University School of Education and Assistant Professor of Education. He earned his Ed.D. in leadership education from Spalding University. Australia, Kenya, India, Honduras, Portugal, Ecuador, Nepal, Hungary, China, Malaysia, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Paraguay, Germany, the Philippines, South Korea, Brazil, and Taiwan. Nearly 200 students over the last 18 years have completed student teaching opportunities in the above-named countries, with many of them returning overseas after commencement. “The sun never sets on Cedarville students because they’re all over the world,” noted Brenda MacKay, Associate Professor of Education. “We’ve had as high as 50% of our School of Education students return overseas to teach after graduation.” For a School of Education that desires to send more and more of its graduates overseas, the current international placement program offers a proven and effective launching platform. Cedarville coordinates placements through Interaction International’s STAGE (Student Teaching and Global Experience) program. According to MacKay, who has led the program since 2003, students must apply a year in advance, interview with her, and receive approval from School of Education faculty. Then they apply on the STAGE website and submit a rank-ordered list of schools where they hope to serve. MacKay reviews their online applications and works with STAGE on final approvals. Once placed in a school, students have a teacher-mentor on site and a supervisor during their semester overseas. MacKay also keeps in regular contact with students while they’re away. When they return, she conducts an interview with each one. “They talk about what God did for them,” she said. “In a setting where they don’t have family or friends, they have to depend on the Lord to help them through the issues that come up, from finding their way around in a new community and country, to eating new foods and learning how to relate to people in that culture. “I ask them, ‘If given the opportunity, would you complete this experience again?’ I’ve never had one of them say, ‘No.’ They all want to go back; they talk about what a great experience it was and how much it changed them.” BUILDING ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEGACY The vision is for students to see themselves as disciple-making teachers. 4 | Cedarville Magazine