Kirstie Crumbley

Atlanta, GA

Summary/Objective

Education

University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia

Bachelors of Science in Sociology    Dec. 2015

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia   Dec. 2024

Masters of Arts in Teaching: Special Education

Experience

Special Education Teacher

Drew Charter School - Atlanta, GA         2022 to current

• Working closely with parents, paraprofessionals, and other professionals to develop a comprehensive support system for each student.
• Utilize technology tools to enhance learning experience and provide additional support for students with diverse abilities.
• Data driven decision making through analyzing student performance data to inform instructional strategies and make data- driven decisions for continuous improvement.

Special Education Teacher

Dekalb County School District of Georgia - Decatur, GA      2017 to 2022

• Work with students who have learning, mental, emotional, or physical disabilities.
• Adapt general education Math and ELA lessons to teach and differentiate instruction to students with mild to moderate disabilities, behavioral deficits and specific learning disorders.
• Compose Individual Education Plan (IEP) for learners with disabilities and provide monthly progress monitoring.
• Behavior management and develop Behavior Intervention Plans for students with at risk behaviors.

Versatile Coordinator Envision by World Strides 2015- current

• Project Management for summer Stem conferences around the United States
• manage staff of 20+ and scholars of 200+ assisting with educational delivery, travel, and program needs.
• Facilitated STEM curriculum to middle school students.
• meet with vendors, and other site coordinators to ensure conferences were ran smoothly.

Skills & Certification

• Certified in Social Work and Social Services & Culture and Diversity
• Mindset Certified (Physical restraint and De-Escalation)
• CPR/First-Aid
• Dyslexia Certified

Introduction

Education is the key tool, that shapes the foundation for leaners. As teachers, we are a direct source and model for students. Therefore, teachers have a huge responsibility when teaching and passing knowledge and information to students. Not only are we responsible for academic content, we are also tasked with teaching and modeling good morals and character education for all learners. Ultimately, as teachers we become the first adult influences on a child life. Daily we spend large amounts of time in the classroom, resulting in the teacher having a major influence on the student’s life. It becomes the role of the teacher to transmit information to students in the most beneficial way that leads and sets the student up for a successful future. As Christian educators, we become tasked with teaching and leading the classroom, using a biblical worldview. Through the incorporation of a biblical worldview, the Christian education is developing the student to follow the teachings of Christ. The student becomes skillful enough to identify the purpose of their life and how-to development themselves to ensure they have a successful future and life well after the completion of high school. Using the incorporation of a faith-based educational philosophy the teacher must model for the students how to apply a biblical worldview to education.

Biblical Worldview

According to Nelson, worldview is defined as a conceptual framework of our view of the world, a belief system that guides individual behavior. By incorporating a biblical worldview framework, the individual aligns their lifestyle to the followings of Jesus Christ. In pursuit of finding and fulfilling his purpose for your life, the individual may inquire questions about the origins of life. Through a biblical worldview our core beliefs are guided by the Holy Bible, and it provides the answers to our longing life questions. We use this book as our literature for life. The bible becomes the foundational framework for the way a Christian should live and view life. The biblical narrative provides a solid foundation for a comprehensive worldview that addresses these questions and helps to resolve the potential compartmentalization in our lives (Esqueda, 2014). When seeking absolute truth, we must seek the answers from the holy bible for this book outlines all the information we need.

 Applying a biblical worldview on life, shapes the persons morals, values, and beliefs. Faith becomes the standard principles that directs the persons path. Hebrews 1:10 states, and, you Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of your hands, this verse depicts the core principles and basis as being established by our Lord, in a biblical worldview these teachings are transmitted down to the next generation and generations to come. It becomes vital for the youth to acknowledge and understand how to apply the basic biblical foundations to their life.

Christian Philosophy of Education

Romans 12:2 says, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. The root of Christian philosophy of education can be outline through this verse. The sole purpose and main idea of a Christian philosophy of education is to adopt the followings of Christ and incorporate these principles and ideas into education. Knight writes, Certain educational thought leaders are calling for professional training that emphasizes studies in the humanities of education—those studies of the history, philosophy, and literature of education that will enable educators to develop a clear vision regarding the purpose of education and its relation to the meaning of life (Knight, 2006). As a Christian educator it becomes imperative that we guide students to the word of Jesus Christ. The goal is for the students to implement these practices into their daily life, yielding the best results to establish a successful future, with the potential of passing these time-honored values down to the next generation. They must embrace the task of identifying the faith assumptions of their own disciplines, so they can challenge their students to do likewise (Quinn, Foote, Williams, 2012) It becomes the responsibility of the educator to carefully outline their personal faith based ideas and rituals, so they can carefully transmit these beliefs to their students. As students embark on their personal educational endeavor, they must understand how things were created and given purpose. This helps the student to develop a core belief system and molds their morals and values. Today a lot of youth are turning to outside readings and documentaries to find out where life all began. They challenge the metaphysics of life, seeking the absolute truth of their meaning and purpose. Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of reality, “What is ultimately real”? (Knight, 2006), well we know that if we are in alignment with a biblical worldview then we seek these answers using the Holy Bible.            

Our understanding of God necessarily influences our behavior and our service to Christ. Thus, our worldview must place God at the center of everything (Esqueda, 2014). Therefore, the actions of the teacher must connect to the word of Christ. Within the classroom the teacher must model these core principles and beliefs of a Christian philosophy of education. The Great Commission, is defined by Matthew 28:16-20, it explains how the eleven disciples went to Galilee where they saw Jesus. They were informed that, “all authority in heaven and earth had been given to Jesus. Matthew 28:19 states, therefore, go and make disciples in the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. The standards of The Great Commission shape the core principles of a Christian philosophy of education. It becomes the task of the teacher to reach all students. Their axiological values should be shaped by the teachings of the Bible. The ten commandments still hold prevalent value in today’s society and are good foundation standards to teach and shape the minds of young learners.

Implications for Educational Practice

Implementing the Great Commission and Biblical worldview within any classroom can come with a great deal of challenges and responsibilities. However, many schools have adapted to the use of the Character Education Program to implement and incorporate these values and beliefs within the learning environment. Through learning words such as kindness, honesty, and responsibility, teachers can directly integrate and model the teachings of Christ. Modeling and leading by example is another way to implement a biblical worldview into the classroom. Children receive the Biblical story through caring and compassionate adults who build trust with them much like Erikson describes in his first stage of psychosocial development in which an infant is establishing trust or mistrust in his or her relationships with adults (Carter, 2012). Through these trusting relationships the teacher can let their own Christ like light shine through and have a major impact and influence on the student.

Proverbs 22:6 says, train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it, through this verse we learn the responsibility of shaping and modeling the child while they are young. For these key faith-based principles and values will follow the child well into adulthood. The student will then begin displaying the values and morals and passing them along to the next rising generation.

Conclusion

 In conclusion, by teaching using a biblical worldview, the Christian educator is ensuring they are fulfilling the mission God has called upon their person life. Luke 6:40 says, the student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. Therefore, the Christian educator must use the principles and standards of Jesus Christ to become just like him, who is the ultimate teacher of all. Through outlining education using a biblical worldview, Christian educators can reach all learners and alignment with The Great Commission, this includes reaching learners of the diverse and special needs population as well. The teacher can instill a passion for learning, an acceptance that all people are different, and the understanding that no one is perfect, which are all key principles for early learners to understand, when in pursuit of finding the absolute truth. Through character education and modeling using direct instruction, the Christian educator is setting the students up for the best future possible. Through their teachings they are aligning with the teaching of Christ and passing them down to their learners.

References

Carter, D. L. (2012). Biblical worldview expression in four-year-olds (Order No. 3528768). Available from

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1059417808). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1059417808?accountid=12085

Esqueda, O. J. (2014). Biblical Worldview: The Christian Higher Education Foundation for

Learning. Christian Higher Education, 13(2), 91-100. doi:10.1080/15363759.2014.872495

Knight, G. R. (2006). Philosophy & education: An introduction in Christian perspective. Berrien Springs,

Mich: Andrews University Press.

Quinn, M. E., Foote, L. S., & Williams, M. L. (2012). Integrating a biblical worldview and developing

online courses for the adult learner. Christian Scholar's Review, 41(2), 163-173. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/920195970?accountid=12085