Looking to expand Educational Care

Asia (MNN) — A mission is bringing the Gospel to school in Asia through Educational Care.

Educational Care is a six-module course recently begun by Worldwide Christian Schools. It trains teachers in a Biblical manner regarding discipline, learning styles, school management, and more.

Dale Dieleman of WWCS explains: “The purpose of it, and the reason why we felt there was a need for this, was really also instigated by our partners in Indonesia and Cambodia as we were talking with them about the Educational Care™ program and the need that they expressed in terms of having more biblical training for their teachers–in terms of what is the real essence of being a Christian teacher.”

The program works from the inside out, starting within the teachers themselves.

“They’ll recognize that this is a real calling from God,” Dieleman says. “And when you see your profession as a calling, you tend to see things in a much different sort of God-view, if you would.”

When the program transfers countries or continents, it calls for an adjustment of the training. “One of the things we want to do is make sure that the materials, the training courses, are very contextual to the local situation.”

The basic way to do this is to make sure the materials are translated in the local or national languages. By having local translators work with them, WWCS is able to ensure that the training is applicable and effective. “We try to be very flexible, and yet true to the intent and the content of the material.”

Dielman explains how the program works: “Generally we recommend that all of the six modules are taken in a series beginning with the first one on developing a biblical worldview of teaching, and then going to a focusing on the student, focusing on your classroom, focusing then on ultimately the community– what kind of impact are we making as a Christian school, as salt and light, in our broader community in which we’re located.”

So far, they have found the program to be effective. Even in the training sessions of teachers, many have come to accept Christ into their hearts.

They hope to continue this effort in widespread way. There is a potential matching grant of $250,000 being discussed. If that amount is reached, then they’ll have double the money to work with. The blessing of this donation would be incredible: “With that, we would be able to have a very broad range of impact that we could make throughout the region. We’re thinking India in 2014, and some of the other surrounding countries that have been very interested in having us, but because of monetary implications, we had to move more slowly.”

Also with this gift, WWCS wants to return to Cambodia and Indonesia during their school breaks to provide more training for educators.

The money would make another aspect of the project possible as well. Dieleman says of WWCS, “We are also considering a model of a regional hub–perhaps in Singapore, for example–where trainers could come to a particular location and then go back to their countries to implement a multiplication kind of training to their own areas, districts, or whatever it is.”

Interested in lending a hand? First of all, you can contribute to the matching fund-raiser in the future. Watch for it on their Web site.

And then, you can help WWCS pray: “We are just really praying that people will come alongside of us on this matching grant so we can really make an explosive impact in Asia starting this year.”

Dieleman asks also that you pray for open doors in restrictive countries, and for the ability for teachers and trainers to venture to the regional hub they hope to build. He believes that prayer is a huge way that anyone can help.

“There’s nothing like encouragement from the Christian community to say, ‘We are behind you, we want to support you,’ whether it’s financial or otherwise. [Just] to know that there are people around the world praying–not just for this program but for the impact on children and their families and schools, and how they can reach out and be influential in their communities–is representing Jesus Christ.”

Perhaps you want to do more than pray or give to WWCS. Dieleman says, “If anyone is interested in becoming [an Educational Care Trainer]–perhaps you’re a retired teacher, perhaps you’re looking for a sabbatical opportunity, perhaps you’d like to do some training overseas–contact us.”

He is excited to share with you how you can be part of the team to share in their goals, motives, and opportunities all through the grace of God and for his glory.