Thursday, September 25, 2025

CHRISTIAN VALUES EDUCATION AND HOLISTIC CHILD DEVELOPMENT FROM THE PARENT PERSPECTIVE IN SANTIAGO CITY, PHILIPPINES

 

Author: Li Jia

INTRODUCTION

Schools serve as a primary institution in which the youth of society will acquire skill sets and form a knowledge base that they can carry on into adult hood, eventually becoming responsible contributors to society (Marte, 2005).Values education can be defined as the aspect of educational practice in which moral or political values e as well as norms, dispositions, and skills grounded in those values e are mediated to or learned by students (Thornberg et al., 2016). Education is a cognitive process that stems from the intrinsic nature in children to be curious and discover the world. Values education is a program designed to facilitate learner’s concept of his or her intrinsic nature as a gift from God imbedded in man at the time of creation. Through values education and the learning process, an individual undergoes a transformation, gaining an understanding and appreciation of the world. As such, an individual’s ability to perceive, retain and apply information starts at infancy and develops over time. Study shows good social emotional development plays an important role in the development of preschoolers and will help shape their lives in the future (Zakaria et al., 2020). It is important that teachers especially early childhood educators should understand parental involvement and recognize its positive effects to the teaching and learning process (Bartolome et al., 2020). Children’s learning is increasingly moving toward a broader vision of the 21st century learning, as children’s educations increasingly occur across a range of settings (Bartolome et al., 2017). While the basis of today’s education setting includes a basic understanding of the core skills (reading, writing and basic arithmetic), these skills alone are not enough for a student to achieve success. A student must also learn, through the education and spiritual process, courage, confidence and life skills; in order to survive in today’s society. Furthermore, the ability to apply the core skills is necessary in order for an individual fully to achieve his or her potential. Education is a methodical effort towards learning basic facts about humanity. And the core idea behind Christian values education is to cultivate essential values in the pupils so that the civilization that teaches us to manage complexities can be sustained and further developed. It begins at home and it is continued in schools. Everyone accepts certain things in his/her life through various mediums like society or government. Values education is important to help everyone in improving the value system that he/she holds and put them to use. Once, one understands one’s values in life, one can examine and control the various choices we make in our lives. It’s our duty to uphold the various types of values in life such as cultural values, universal values, personal values and social values. Values education is essential to shape a student’s life and to give him an opportunity of performing himself on the global stage. The need for value education among the parents, children, teachers etc, is constantly increasing as we continue to witness increasing violent activities, behavioral disorder and lack of unity in society. There is great concern for values formation among the youth and children. There is an alarming number of minor offenders and the mounting frequency of offenders committed by youngsters. Moral decay has affected Philippine society. Criminality and juvenile delinquency has become an increasingly frightening reality. The age-old virtues of honesty and integrity, self-discipline, respect for the rights of others, industry and thrift, and neighborliness appear to be things of the past. Men and women of today, particularly, the younger people, seem not to be concerned about moral values anymore. Transformation through value re-orientation is needed if the country is to survive the continuing moral decadence that has swept over the entire nation. The school, being the second home of pupils, is the second major force in the formation of the pupils’ moral structure. It should be the crucial partner of the home in tempering the character of the youth and children with unbending quality. It should give the solid foundation of a truly moral life, guided by the principle of right conduct and inspired by an abiding faith in God. Moreover, the school is felt as the best place to start and effect the needed reorientation because reorientation entails a lot of teaching and it is the school where the bulk of teaching is carried out. The success of the school in achieving these objectives depends, to a great extent, on the teachers competencies, the curriculum along with the learning environment are all vital to obtain the educative purpose of the school. In consonance with the preceding discussions, it is in this light that the researcher establishes the need to evaluate the Christian Values Education program in terms of its curriculum its correlation on the holistic child development of pupils that responds to the nurturing, social, emotional and intellectual needs of the child. The avenue for which the researcher to validate Christian values education was through a correlation of Christian value formation as imbued by the school to its pupils and those reflected in the holistic child development of pupils in a Catholic and Non-Sectarian School.

Statement of the Problem

The goal of values education is to train its recipients for all life, which includes life on this earth and life in the "earth-made-new." It is a training that transcends the boundary of this life and reaches into eternity. True education means more than the pursuit of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole man. It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the pupils for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come. It is therefore necessary for individuals who are prepared in academia in schools as well as those who are trained for a skilled career, to possess certain values, which will govern all of their decisions. One method of achieving this goal is through integrating faith and learning. There were studies that pointed out the significance of value formation in the formative education of children that lend itself to their holistic child development. The teaching of values is of fundamental importance since the pupils who have been recipients of a values education are expected to enter the world, and live exemplary lives.

Objectives of the Study

The study aimed to correlate Christian Values Education in a Catholic and a Non-Sectarian School and Holistic Child Development. It aimed to determine the association of the Christian Values Education program to the holistic child development among pupils of a Catholic and non-sectarian school in Santiago City, Isabela Province. Specifically, the study sought to determine the differences in Christian value manifestation and holistic child development practiced and manifested between pupils of a catholic and a non-sectarian school. The Figure 1 shows the conceptualization of the study where values education is related to holistic development. Principles of values education and holistic domains were contextualized in the study as they were assumed to be manifested among pupils. The correlation Christian values education and holistic child development was observed across four developmental domains: physical, spiritual, social, emotional and cognitive development. Two sets of respondents: a selected group coming from a Catholic School and another from a Non-sectarian school was selected for the evaluation. A process of correlation was also done to validate the manifestation of Christian values among pupils as perceived by parents. The ensuring outcome of the correlate is an indication that value formation as encompassed in a value education lends itself to the holistic child development of pupils.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study was an evaluation of Christian values education and its correlation on holistic child development among pupils. The study delimited itself with the following considerations with the use of a limited sample size composing of parents from a selected Catholic and Non-Sectarian school, the implementation of a survey questionnaire that was aligned with variables based on values education program and holistic child development concepts and consisted with a selection of ten Christian values and five areas of holistic child development namely: physical, social, emotional, cognitive development. The present study utilized the descriptive correlation design. This method was used to first describe the Christian value formation and levels of holistic child development of pupils and as perceived by parents and then establish the relationship of Christian values to the holistic child development of pupils in a Catholic and Non-sectarian school.

METHODOLOGY

 Locale of the Study

The study locale was at the University of La Salette Grade School Department and that of a Non-Sectarian School which as Santiago City Elementary School. The University of La Salette is a Roman Catholic institution of higher learning situated in Santiago City, Isabela, Philippines. It is one of the top performing universities in the region. It was founded in June, 1951 by the Missionaries of La Salette (M.S.). Known for its charism Reconciliation (Reconciliare), the main complex of the University of La Salette is located in Santiago City, with extension campus in Silang, Cavite, Philippines. The span of its operation covers the vast southern Isabela province with extension offices in various towns for summer courses. Its population close to eight thousand, stands with pride in serving the youth of Santiago City, Province of Isabela and the entire Cagayan Valley. In pursuit of academic excellence, Christian formation, leadership and service, University of La Salette continues to offer well-rounded education that provides an opportunity for self realization and actualization. Each one is called to continue to live by heart the message of Our Lady of La Salette for conversion, prayer and zeal and to make her message known to all people. Santiago City Elementary School is the pilot school of the City of Santiago in the province of Isabela. It is public elementary school located in Purok 3, Barangay Nabbuan, Santiago City. It a premier school with a high density of student population in the area of Santiago City.

Research Instrumentation

A survey questionnaire was the research instrument employed as the primary data gathering tool for this study. This research tool was constructed by the researcher aligned with the research objectives of the study and in context with the principles and concepts of Christian Values Education and Holistic Child Development domains. The data-gathering instrument consisted of two parts: i) ii) Part I was meant to ascertain level of Christian values manifested by the pupils in terms of: repentance, reconciliation, stewardship, faith, worship of God, perseverance, obedience, hope, trustworthiness and responsibility. Part II was meant to ascertain level of manifestation in the areas of holistic child development of the pupils: physical development, social, emotional development, spiritual development and cognitive development. The research tool was constructed in likert-scale type denoting agreement or disagreement (Strongly Agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree, Strongly Disagree) on the statements in the evaluation which was later transposed to an interpretation scale that will be used for interpreting levels of practice of Christian values and holistic child development manifestation in the following scales: 5-excellent, 4-very well, 3-satisfactory, 2-fair and 1 poor. The questionnaire was later translated into the vernacular for ease of understanding of all of the participants of the study. There was only a basic format of the questionnaire and it was revised to align in accordance for the use with parents of the pupils. A pilot study was done one month before the actual conduct of the study on both research locales. The respondents who participated in the pilot study were not among those who participated in the actual conduct. This was done before the actual survey was conducted but in the same sites intended for the study.

The research instrument was also validated. In the pilot study the r-value results set against .05 and .01 levels of significance in that indicated that some of the Christian values as included in the Christian values education program in the Catholic school correlated with that of the holistic child development domains except for the values of obedience and perseverance. In that of the Non-Sectarian school, the Christian values: reconciliation, stewardship, faith and perseverance did not correlate with the holistic development domains. T-values on the other hand, on variance differences on holistic development between the sets of pupil respondents indicated that there is a significant difference in the holistic development of pupils in a Catholic and Non-sectarian schools. The research instrument was also validated by professional third party to effect construction of survey questions aligned with study objectives and this resulted in subsequent revisions of the survey questionnaire but later on was approved for implementation. These validations were conducted to ensure that the survey questionnaire shall be clear, understandable, aligned with objectives set forth and somehow enable the researcher to determine the general kind of responses that was gathered. Data Gathering Procedure A total of 100 parent respondents come from each of the Catholic and Non-Sectarian school through random sampling. Letters requesting permission from respective school administrators of the schools mentioned was prepared. As permissions were granted to conduct the study in the form of approval by the selected Catholic and Non-Sectarian School, the researcher floated the questionnaire in the schools included in the study. The data gathering was coordinated with parents to facilitate the implementation of the questionnaire on target respondents. A total of 20 days were spent in the data gathering procedure of the study. Subsequently, the researcher retrieved the questionnaires from the respondents after they all have answered it completely and accordingly. After retrieval of research instruments, logical interpretation and analysis of data followed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Relationship between Christian Values Education and Holistic Child Development as Perceived by Parents of Pupils in a Catholic and a Non Sectarian School

Relationship between Christian Values Education and Holistic Child Development (Parents- Catholic School)

It indicates that the Christian value of repentance is significantly related to physical (0.49), social (0.69), cognitive (0.59), emotional (0.49) and spiritual (0.43) development. Parents are the best observers of their children in the home environment. Their perception is based on the actions exhibited by their children in the daily course of home life. One of the hallmarks of youth is their impulsiveness and these translates to many instances in the home environment that causes conflict for parents and children. The reason that the Christian value of repentance is correlated to the holistic child development domains being evaluated is because parents see that although there is conflict, their children exhibit repentance for their actions which give credence to the social-emotional wellbeing and indirectly in the other developmental domains as well. Reconciliation is significantly related to physical (0.47), social (0.67), cognitive (0.67), emotional (0.47) and spiritual (0.57) development. As a product of true repentance, the Christian value is manifested also in the social-emotional context in the home environment. Parents has been an important factor in reinforcing values in the home and in its relation to the different aspects of a child’s life, this can also be an attribute why this Christian value is perceived by parents. At the same time, they have a keen sensitivity on the true sentiments of their children. Stewardship is significantly related to physical (0.51), social (0.61), cognitive (0.63), emotional (0.43) and spiritual (0.53) development. Stewardship is the oversee appreciation of God’s gifts to man. Again, this could be related in one’s appreciation for one’s physical attributes, personal relationships, skills and talents. Parents correlated this Christian value to the holistic development of their children because they see it from the way the children take care of the personal care, their things in the home and school, the way they are motivated to improve their talents and skills, as well as their social relationships. They perceive a strong manifestation of stewardship in all developmental domain context. Faith is significantly related to physical (0.52), social (0.52), cognitive (0.42), emotional (0.42) and spiritual (0.52) development. Parents who send their children to the Catholic school want an enrichment of faith for the children. This is a basic assumption and so parents are highly keen on observing if this is manifestation. Since faith is an internal conviction manifested outwardly in the reasoning abilities of a person, then faith made alive by the way circumstances are accepted by the person, in this case the pupils and the way they react to situations in the home and school environment. An enrich faith in a child makes him or her pro-active despite difficult situations. Parents see faith in action in their children that is why they view that this manifested. Worship of God is significantly relation to physical (0.63), social (0.43), cognitive (0.63), emotional (0.43) and spiritual (0.43) development. Catholic education puts a premium on worship and praise and the traditional activities that go with this. Worship of God is a proactive gives life to faith as well. Specially, in our cultural context, Filipinos have ritualistic activities that blend with our Christian worship of God that is often in a yearlong activity schedule. The reason that parents see this Christian value manifested is because they see their children breathe this to life in the context of all holistic development domains and in the context of the events that their children take part in to show worship and praise to God. Perseverance is significantly related to physical (0.63), social (0.43), cognitive (0.63), emotional (0.53) and physical (0.43) development. Perseverance is a Christian value that is outwardly manifested in one’s words and actions. When a child learns perseverance, the child is able to tread along circumstances that may seem frustrating but because of this Christian value, children are able to cope with this. This is relatable to all holistic child development aspects in that children exhibit this when they are taking care of the bodies for their wellbeing and growth, the context of their social-emotional relationships where conflicts often occur in the home environment, in the context of their spiritual life and even in enriching their talents and skills. Parents see a manifestation of this value better since they would the first to know how their children are working very hard at the achievement of what they want to achieve.

Obedience is significantly related to physical (0.49), social (0.52), cognitive (0.62), emotional (0.52) and spiritual (0.42) development. Parents can perceive this Christian value more prominently because they are with their children who are the pupils of the Catholic school in the home environment where this Christian value can be very much seen in action. Obedience is the orientation that there should be positive action in children when parents give instructions to their children. At best, parents are almost always supportive of their children will see this clearly in the way children are told by parents as regards to the physical wellbeing, as to relationships they form with the elders, siblings and friends, in the way their skills are honed and in the spiritual life with has activities that needed to be done in the contest of the worship to God as well. Hope is significantly related to physical (0.63), social (0.43), cognitive (0.63), emotional (0.53) and spiritual (0.43) development. Parents who are models for their children are often viewed as the pillars of home. In such that when hope is manifested, it also indicates that it is first modeled by the parents of children. The Christian value of hope that is seen manifested here can be attributed in the verbal and non-verbal manifestation being observed by parents regarding their children. They could see this is the way the children are experience positive hope amidst different situations in the home environment as well as in the personal life. Trustworthiness is significantly related to physical (0.49), social (0.52), cognitive (0.62), emotional (0.52) and spiritual (0.42) development. The Christian value of trustworthiness is evidently manifested when parents can trust their children to do as they instructed of them, together with Christian values of obedience and responsibility, this Christian value is often earned after a long time that it has been validated. Parents see this Christian value manifested because they can really count on their children even at a young age and they can be assured of the kind of responsibility that their children espouse in their personal activities in their lives. Responsibility is significantly related to physical (0.63), social (0.43), emotional (0.63), emotional (0.53) and spiritual (0.43) development. The same with the Christian value of trustworthiness, responsibility is the pro-active manifestation when children are able to take care of the personal well-being, their relationships, their spiritual life in accordance with tradition religious practices that enforce their worship of God. As parents see these outward manifestations, they correlate that this Christian value is made manifest in the children. It is a reality that in the home environment, parents are the observers of the children and the ones to validate how values are reflected or manifested. This is also true for the manifestation of areas of holistic development; parents are also the ones in a position to see how their children are developing at each level of their lives. The home environment has been stated in literature is one of the factors that play a large correlate in the growth and development of a child, parental support and the cohesiveness of family life pre-disposes children to grow with balance in aspects of their lives. Thus, their parents are able to witness the development of their children and how values they learn in school is reflected in their actions at home. Ablard and Parker (2007) has stated that there is empirical evidence that parent factors have a positive association with, or facilitate, children's achievement and development, thus there has a correlation of the way a child achieves and the support that the home environment and parent’s role in establishing the confidence in children. This is to say that parents are the best to validate manifestations of Christian values practice and manifestation. Ablard and Parker (2007) did a similar study that assess the perception of parents regarding the development of their children in a Christian school in America and their performance levels of learning. The results indicated that there was a low performance of children whose parents do not reinforce values that were taught in the school environment and those who did as the findings noted became academically talented. This study collaborates to the role that parents play in shaping the formation and development of their children. While this part of the study is a validation of the relationship of Christian values education and holistic child development as perceived by parents, it fares similarly to that endeavor by Ablard and Parker (2007) in that it also underscores the need for parents to reinforce the values that in the school in order to support the inculcation of these values amongst children at a young age.

2. Relationship between Christian Values Education and Holistic Child Development (Parents- Non Sectarian School).

The results here indicates that parents of pupils of a non-sectarian school who do not see that Christian values are manifested by their children in the home environment perceive that this is not correlated to their physical, social, cognitive, emotional and spiritual domains except the Christian value of reconciliation. This Christian value is a value that is intrinsic to Catholics and it could be that the pupils of the non-sectarian school come from Catholic families where their parents have seen the manifestation of this value in religious practice of confession which is a choice more or less determined by the upbringing in the home environment. For most of the Christian values explored here, the parents of students do not see this manifested in the home environment. This gives credence to what Ablard and Parker (2007) postulating that parent factors have a positive association with, or facilitate, children's achievement and development, collaborating the role that parents play in shaping the formation and development of their children. The results here underscore the reality that pupils of the non-sectarian school who have no formal knowledge or limited knowledge Christian values in the school environment is not able to reflect them in the home or may reflect them but only in limited degree hence the variations in congruency of manifestation among such to their perceived holistic child development domains perceived by their parents. Differences on Christian Values Education between Pupils of a Catholic and a Non Sectarian School Table 3 reveals the computed t-values comparing the differences in Christian value manifestations among pupils of a Catholic and non-sectarian school. It shows that in the Christian values of repentance (8.61), reconciliation (8.69), faith (8.56), worship of God (8.11), perseverance (8.44), obedience (8.20) and hope (8.56) when set against the .05 level of significance indicates that there is significant differences in the manifestation of these Christian values among the two groups of respondents. While the computed t-values of the Christian values stewardship (2,34), trustworthiness (2.21) and responsibility (2.67) set against the .05 level of significance indicates that there are no significance differences in the manifestation of these Christian values among the pupils of the Catholic and non-sectarian school.

Table 3 T-test Analysis on Christian Values Education between Pupils of the Catholic and Non Sectarian School

Based on this variance analysis on the ten Christian values between pupils of a Catholic and non-sectarian school, there are seven Christian values that have been established to have significantly differences of manifestation between these two sets of respondents. These are the Christian values of repentance, reconciliation, faith, worship of God, perseverance, obedience and hope. These seven values are Christian values espoused only on a Christian setting and there are religious and traditional implications to these values that cannot be found in a non-sectarian setting. Three Christian values: stewardship, trustworthiness and responsibility gathered results that stated there are no significant differences of theses Christian values among the pupils of a Catholic and non-sectarian school. This can be attributed to the reason that these are more or less universal values, and being such, any educational institution would espouse these values in their curricula as a universal moral value that is required for moral behavior amongst all pupils. Therefore, these three values are being manifested by both sets of respondents. Schools play a key role in developing virtues and a sense of morality among pupils For Catholic schools, education cannot be free of values. Schools of a religious character are upfront, overt and very reasoned about the values that shape the education. Schools are the places where such virtue is generated or where it is neglected. An important part of the construction of a healthy human ecology is therefore that expressions of faith and the practices of religion are given their space within a school, both according to the school's own tradition and mandate and according to the variety of faith and religion which are in that school. Children bring their values obtained through preschool experiences and/or their families when they start school and this goes progressively through the grade school years. They form and build on the values have been already been development in the Catholic School experience and this is reflected and implement their actions whether in the school or home environment (Halstead & Taylor, 2000).

The results presented here can thus be attributed in the reality that without a formal Christian value education, pupils will not be able to espouse such Christian values amongst themselves. These two sets of respondents, Catholic and non-sectarian pupils have obviously differences in Christian values manifestation because of the school curricula.

Differences on Holistic Child Development Between Pupils of a Catholic and a Non Sectarian School

Table 4 reveals the computed t-values for comparing differences of holistic child development manifestation among pupils of a Catholic and a non-sectarian school. It shows that in the developmental domains of social (8.66), cognitive (8.78), emotional (8.15) and spiritual (8.59) when set against the .05 level of significance indicates that there are significance differences of holistic child development in these areas. But in physical development (2.25) where it falls below the .05 significance level, indicates that there is no significance difference is this area between pupils of Catholic and non-sectarian school.

In holistic child development aspect physical development, it revealed no significant differences among the two groups of respondents since both the Catholic and non-sectarian school has a physical development program or physical education program also both may put a premium on sports program that warrants the development of the physical wellbeing of the pupils. Based on this variance analysis on the five holistic child development domains between pupils of a Catholic and non-sectarian school, four holistic child development domains that have been established to have significantly different manifestation between these two sets of respondents. These are the domains of social, cognitive, emotional and spiritual development. These results can be attributed to the Catholic school implementing the concept of holistic child development in their curriculum which enables them to set the necessary developmental faculties and resources to be able to develop their pupils in the concept of holism. The results here underscore the importance of holistic education that is based on the premise with this concept, each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to the community, to the natural world, and to spiritual values such as compassion and peace. Holistic education aims to call forth from people an intrinsic reverence for life and a passionate love of learning.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a relationship between Christian value education and holistic child development at p value .05 and .01 level of significance among pupils of a Catholic School. While in a non sectarian school, there is a no significant relationship Christian value education and holistic child development at p-value .05 and .01 level of significance except in emotional and spiritual development. Pupils in a Catholic and non-sectarian school differ in Christian Values repentance, reconciliation, faith, worship of God, perseverance, obedience and hope but are similar in the Christian values of stewardship, trustworthiness and responsibility among pupils in a Catholic and Non Sectarian School. Pupils in a Catholic and non-sectarian develop differently in all holistic child development domains except in the aspect of physical development.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 The values education program though extensive enough in Catholic school for the value formation of its pupils could still be enhanced. Values education teachers should undergo more seminars and trainings to become effective facilitators of these values to enhance the practice of these values among pupils. For those in the non-sectarian school, although these schools do not put a premium on values formation, since the basic education curriculum doesn’t focus on this much, it is also recommended that seminars and trainings be undergone by teachers in the non-sectarian school to help provide values formation indirectly to pupils in specific subjects that will enhance areas of development for their pupils. A thrust on holistic child development should be equally recommended for both the catholic and non-sectarian school. The concept of holism is something that is geared toward a pathway to achieve the development of each pupil thus assuring that they will grow into adulthood in a balance way. To this end, it is recommended that adequate monitoring or evaluation for quality assurance on the holistic child development of all pupils be implemented. Continuing education programs among teachers and facilitators of these aspects should be done for them to upgrade them on new teaching strategies that maintain the holistic child development of their pupils.

REFERENCES

Ablard, S. & Parker, C. (2007). Synergies between education, work and knowledge: A pragmatist perspective. Workshop presented at the International Consortium for Experiential Learning Eleventh International Conference: The Identity of Experience, University of Technology Sydney, 8 – 12 Dec.

Bartolome, M. T., Mamat, N., & Masnan, A. H. (2017). Parental involvement in the Philippines: A review of literatures. Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal, 6, 41-50. https://doi.org/10.37134/saecj.vol6.5.2017

Bartolome, M. T., Mamat, N., & Masnan, A. H. (2020). Exploring kindergarten teachers’ perspectives in parental involvement in the Philippines. Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal, 9(1), 44-58. https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ/article/view/3331

Halstead, J. M., & Taylor, M. J. (2000). Learning and teaching about values: A review of recent research. Cambridge Journal of Education, 30(2), 169-202.

Marte, T. (2005). “Quality teaching and values education: Coalescing for effective learning”. Journal of Moral Education, 37(I), 1-16.

Thornberg, R., & Oguz, E. (2016). Moral and citizenship educational goals in values education: A crosscultural study of Swedish and Turkish student teachers' preferences. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 110 121. https://www.tarjomefa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/5615-English.pdf.

Zakaria, M. Z., Yunus, F., & Mohamed, S. (2020). Examining self-awareness through drawing activity among preschoolers with high socio emotional development. Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal, 9(2), 73 81.https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ/article/view/3516

 

A STUDY ON THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESSES OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS IN THAILAND

 

Charles Mazzrillo, Pojanee Mangkang & Annop Phothisuk

Saint Teresa International University, Nakhon Nayok, 26120 Thailand

Introduction

Statement of the problem

 International Christian schools in Thailand often hire staff from various countries, bringing diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. Many of these employees are unfamiliar with the Thai language and culture, which can pose integration challenges. Moreover, the transient nature of expatriates contributes to high turnover rates among administrators, teachers, and staff (Hiltibran, 2020). High teacher turnover can stem from multiple factors, including inadequate financial benefits, limited teaching resources, insufficient recognition, and excessive work hours. A lack of a supportive work environment, trust, and respect from supervisors and administrators can further exacerbate the problem. High turnover negatively impacts schools, as “schools with a high teacher turnover have a hard time developing and implementing effective curricula and also make it hard for their staff to maintain good working relationships” (Elizabeth & Katzer, 2023). Along with the challenges listed above, Christian schools in Thailand face additional problems. Firstly, as they draw from Jesus Christ as their primary source of wisdom and knowledge to teach their students, they are confronted by spiritual warfare. This warfare is spoken of in Ephesians 6:12, 13 - “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (ESV, 2001).

Objectives

This study aimed to address three objectives:

1. Examine the strategic management processes implemented by Christian schools in Thailand.

2. Identify common themes, challenges, and best practices of Christian schools in Thailand.

 3. Propose appropriate guidelines for the strategic management processes of Christian schools in Thailand.

Research methodology

This qualitative research draws upon current articles, as well as an online survey and interview with twelve Christian school leaders working in Thailand to answer the following three objectives: 1) to study the strategic management processes performed by Christian schools in Thailand, 2) to verify common themes, challenges, and best practices of Christian schools in Thailand, and 3) to propose appropriate guidelines for the strategic management processes of Christian schools in Thailand.

Study site

The twelve Christian school administrators who took part in this study, worked in schools located in the Greater Bangkok Region, such as the districts of Nonthaburi, Pracha Uthit, Bang Na, Suan Luang and also the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Four respondents worked in Nonthaburi.

Sample size/Sampling technique

The sampling size for this research is twelve Christian school administrators who were purposely selected from schools holding Protestant backgrounds and beliefs. They were also chosen for possessing knowledge of their school’s strategic management processes. The first online pre-interview survey and interview was conducted on September 25, 2022, and the last one was on January 12, 2023. At that time, Thailand was experiencing the COVID 19 pandemic.

Verification procedures for survey and interview questions

1.Craft questions based on the literature review of the strategic management process. 2. Conduct an interview with my advisor and co-advisor. 3. Three experts approved the questions to check the validity of the interview questions. 4. Email participation letters to possible respondents. 5. Email the online survey to the respondents. (Most came back in one to two weeks). 6. Interview each respondent.

Validity and reliability of research instruments

For validity, the interview questions were verified by 3 experts using Item Objective Congruence (IOC) which was based on the score ranging from -1 to +1 where congruent = +1, questionable = 0 and incongruent = -1. The total IOC for the pre-interview and the interview questions was 0.67 to 1.00. This confirmed the reliability of the data by the triangulation method.

 Research instrument #1 Online Pre-interview Survey An online pre-interview survey was emailed to the twelve Christian school leaders, who were also called “Respondents.” (In the data R1, R2, R3, etcetera, refers to Respondents). This survey contained twenty short- answer questions. It was used to gather a general understanding of their leadership practices and their school’s strategic planning processes. The online survey questions sought data on such topics as:

1. The respondents' schools' vision, mission, goals and objectives.

2. The respondents’ education level and style of leadership they exude upon their staff.

3. Their school’s strategic planning processes.

4. Rating groups that pose the least and greatest challenges.

 5. The importance of Christian leaders and teachers in their school.

6. How the Bible is presented in their school’s curriculum.

7. The ability to share about Jesus in their school. Aside from gathering general information, the pre-interview survey results were also used by the researcher to help elicit specific information for the interview to follow.

Research instrument #2 Interview

An interview was conducted after each of the twelve respondents returned the pre-interview survey. The interviews of nine respondents were performed through online Zoom meetings, while three were conducted in person. The interview consisted of fourteen open-ended questions. The interview questions sought data on such topics as:

1. What skill, or skillet, has been most beneficial in their role as leaders?

2. Who created their school's VGMOs?

3. How does their school promote the spiritual health of their staff?

4. How does their school implement Faith-Learning Integration?

5. How does their school preserve their Christian school values?

 6. How can schools work together to better promote the Kingdom of God?

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the respondents’ strategic management processes, these questions were open-ended, so they were given more opportunity to elaborate on their responses given in the pre-interview survey.

Results

The following are answers to the three objectives based on the literature review, online survey and interview, focused on the strategic management processes of Christian schools in Thailand: Research objective No 1.

The strategic management processes performed by Christian schools in Thailand, found five key highlights:

1.     Vision and foundation

In the process of starting a Christian school in Thailand, the initial step emphasizes the importance of receiving a vision from God. Recognizing that such a vision is essential for intellectual and spiritual development for the Kingdom of God. Drawing on Proverbs 29:18, underscores the significance of having a vision to guide the school's mission. The subsequent steps involve forming an administrative leadership team, establishing relationships with local officials and educators, determining the school's organizational structure and financial needs, seeking financial support, and creating essential policy documents such as the philosophy of education and statement of faith. Emphasizing the importance of a strong Christian leader, the process also involves finding suitable facilities, possibly within church buildings, and implementing effective promotional strategies. Financial policies are highlighted, emphasizing the need for careful budgeting to avoid deficits in the initial year. The overall approach emphasizes reliance on divine guidance, careful planning, and a focus on creating a solid foundation for a Christ-centered education in the Thai context.

2.     Information technology system

 Having a robust school website and Learning Management System (LMS) is crucial for schools. LMS, a technology facilitating distance education, automates the administration, organization, distribution, and reporting of educational content and student outcomes. The primary advantage of an LMS lies in its ability to centralize administrative and classroom tasks, streamlining data collection, computing, and communication on a single platform. This consolidation not only enhances efficiency but also saves time and resources for schools. Online applications facilitate effective communication between administrators, staff, teachers, students, and parents, eliminating the need for physical presence. A well-designed LMS not only enhances the flow of information within the school but also contributes to its overall functionality and success.

3.     Christ school leadership framework (CSLF)

The literature underscores the crucial importance of having a Christian school's administrative leadership team and teachers committed to Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit, as emphasized in Amos 3:3 - "Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?" It highlights the potential challenge when Christian schools mix Christian and non-Christian teachers, citing an example where the hiring of teachers of different faiths led to confusion and a shift away from the school's Christian mission. The data stresses the necessity for Christian schools to avoid scenarios that compromise their Christian identity, emphasizing trust in God's provision. The belief that where God guides, He provides is supported by Proverbs 3:5-6. The importance of prayer in seeking the Lord's guidance is emphasized, aligning with Matthew 6:10. The literature also refers to Proverbs 16:3, encouraging committing all works to the Lord for plans to be achieved. The Christian School Leadership Framework (CSLF) introduces four Christ-centered competencies under the title "LEADERSHIP FROM THE HEART": 1. Commitment: The head of a Christian school must be wholly committed to Jesus Christ in both personal life and the education profession. 2. Calling: Despite not being a church, a Christian school is seen as a ministry led by the Holy Spirit. The leader should be convinced of God's calling to the position. 3. Character: A successful Christian school leader must exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit, as outlined in Galatians 5:22-26. 4. Chemistry: Refers to the leader's natural abilities, including aptitude, temperament, and relationship management skills.

4.     Principal’s accountability role

The principal plays a pivotal role in shaping and carrying out the school's daily operations in alignment with its Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives (VMGOs) (Cherkowski, Walker, & Kutsyuruba, 2015). The principal is the primary decision-maker, significantly influencing various aspects such as student attendance, suspension rates, and teacher satisfaction and retention. Extensive research indicates that an effective principal not only engage with teachers on an instructional level but also cultivate a positive school climate, encourage collaboration in a professional learning community, and adeptly manage staff and resources (McDougald, 2021). The principal's actions and decisions have far-reaching implications, impacting on the overall functioning and success of the school. Given the authoritative position of a school principal, it is emphasized that they must possess a high degree of moral and ethical integrity. The principal also serves as a key agent in developing and maintaining the moral and ethical culture of the school, being accountable not only to human standards but also to God, the Righteous Judge of all. An essential responsibility of Christian school leaders, particularly principals, is to lead students toward Jesus and not away from Him (Mosley, 2021).

5.     Beware of falling away from conservative Christian values

The literature emphasizes the crucial role of Christian school principal in upholding the spiritual foundation of their institutions. It underscores the need for the principal to prioritize seeking God, staying connected with the Holy Spirit, and keeping Jesus at the center of the school to prevent the loss of a profound relationship with the divine teacher Jesus Christ. The narrative warns against the potential transformation of Christian schools into mere religious entities 'by name only,' emphasizing the importance of sustaining a genuine passion for Christ. Drawing from 2 Timothy 3:5, the text cautions against having a form of godliness while denying its power, urging a turn away from such tendencies. It further discusses the risks faced by Christian schools that, over time, might succumb to spiritual lethargy, human-secular philosophies, or persecution, leading them away from their spiritual foundations. Colossians 2:6-10 emphasizes the need to continue walking in Christ and avoid being captivated by philosophy and empty deception based on human tradition and worldly forces and drifted away from their original commitment to Jesus Christ.

Research objective No 2.

To verify common themes, challenges, and best practices of Christian schools in Thailand, and found the following:

1. 10 common themes:

(1) God’s calling: A Christian leader has to have a strong sense that God is calling them to come work as a Christian educator in Thailand.

(2) Communication and partnerships: Effective communication and partnership-building skills with parents are highlighted as crucial by multiple respondents.

 (3) Biblical ethics: They derive their moral and ethical principles from the Bible and their Christian faith. It is also important that the Bible be integrated into the curriculum or other school activities.

(4) Bible integration: They agree that the Bible is a central component of their schools' educational philosophy and scripture verses should be integrated into curriculum and/or school activities.

 (5) Holistic education: They desire to build up the whole student, physically, emotionally, academically and spiritually.

(6) Strategic planning activities are a regular occurrence in their schools, and they have a positive view of the processes.

(7) Christian leadership and teachers: Having Christians on their school leadership teams and Christian teachers in their classrooms are considered crucial in their Christian school communities.

(8) Patient and understanding: New Christian leaders coming to work in Thailand have to be patient, understanding of Thai culture, and cannot come to place their own western ideologies upon the Thai people.

(9) Topics adverse to Christian values: Human Secular ideals, Transgenderism, gay marriage and other topics adverse to Christian values is something that may need to be addressed in their school.

(10) Multicultural environments: The need to understand and acquire better skills while trying to work with people in a multicultural environment.

2. Challenges

Christian school leaders face several significant challenges: hiring non-Christian employees, financial constraints due to parents' inability to pay tuition, communication barriers, and managing diverse relation ships with stakeholders. These challenges jeopardize financial stability and sustainability, as parents prioritize expenses over education. Cultural diversity poses additional hurdles, requiring leaders to navigate varied beliefs and backgrounds. Managing difficult individuals and ensuring alignment with educational philosophies and standards are also pressing concerns. Effecting cultural change within the school demands substantial time and effort. Overall, these challenges underscore the multifaceted nature of Christian leadership, necessitating strategies to maintain financial stability, foster cultural sensitivity, improve communication, and manage relationships while upholding Christian values and mission.

3. Best practices

 First and foremost, Christian school leaders need to be guided by a divine calling to ensure all policies, practices, and rules honor Jesus Christ. They foster their Christian faith through daily devotions and corporate worship with their leadership team. Emphasizing their faith, they set aside weekly chapel and devotional times for students and teachers, integrating biblical principles across the curriculum. Leaders prioritize hiring Christian staff and ensure adherence to the school's Statement of Faith. They maintain accountability through regular meetings and uphold boundaries to prevent burnout. Effective leadership involves navigating cultural diversity with sensitivity and offering professional development on multiculturalism. They strive for integrity, transparency, and positive partnerships, fostering a school culture aligned with Christian values and mission.

Research objective No 3.

To propose appropriate guidelines for the strategic management processes of Christian schools in Thailand.

Ten proposed guidelines

The following ten proposed guidelines for the strategic management processes of Christian schools aim to establish effective strategic management processes that uphold Christian values, respect cultural diversity, and create a conducive environment for students' spiritual growth and academic development.

 1. Divine calling and spiritual foundation: Leaders should possess a genuine divine calling and maintain a strong spiritual foundation through daily devotion and corporate worship, setting an example for the community.

2. Biblical worldview integration: The curriculum should incorporate a clear biblical worldview, linking scriptures and principles to academic subjects, fostering a comprehensive understanding of faith in students.

3. Sensitivity and inclusivity: Schools should respect diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, presenting a biblical worldview without imposing faith, and maintaining an inclusive environment.

4. Statement of faith and parental agreement: The school's faith statement should be clearly defined in the Student Handbook and Enrollment Contract, with parental alignment required.

5. Hiring practices: Schools should prioritize hiring Christian believers, using thorough vetting processes, including faith essays and references, to ensure alignment with the school's mission.

6. Accountability and oversight: Implement oversight measures, such as meetings with neutral counselors or chaplains, to support staff and ensure adherence to the school's values, especially for foreign staff.

7. Addressing violations: Swift and appropriate action should be taken for violations of the school's faith or values, ranging from correction to termination for severe breaches.

8. Cultural understanding and adaptation: Leaders should invest in understanding Thai culture and language, approaching their roles with humility and openness, and avoiding the imposition of Western culture.

9. Decision-making and boundaries: Leaders should base decisions on convictions and divine guidance, maintain composure under criticism, and set healthy boundaries to prevent burnout.

10. Building positive partnerships and relationships: Leaders should foster strong, professional relationships with the school community, promoting integrity, accountability, transparency, and open communication, and offering professional development in multicultural environments.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are made to assist, support, equip, educate, and aid in development of Christian schools in Thailand as follows:

1. Administrators should reinforce the importance for these schools to implement a robust Information Technology (IT) Department and Learning Management System (LMS).

 2. Administrators should have effective communication and strong partnerships with parents to emphasize and reflect the importance of community engagement.

3. The head of a Christian school must have their whole personal life and Christian education profession committed to Jesus Christ.

4. Explore potential strategies to bridge cultural gaps and foster better understanding and acceptance of the Gospel in the Thai context.

Topics for further studies

 1. Christian and Thai schools’ strategic planning processes: Research the strategic planning processes of both Christian schools and Thai schools and compare the differences and similarities of their visions, missions, goals, objectives, values and worldviews.

 2. Clear communication and conflict resolution in a Christian school in Thailand: Investigate barriers to clear communication between leaders, students and parents in the multicultural environment of International Christian schools in Thailand. Establish steps for conflict resolution when communication breakdowns occur, based on biblical principles.

3. Hiring and firing processes for Christian schools in Thailand: Research the best practices for hiring processes for believers, non-believers, foreigners and Thai nationals to work in Christian schools in Thailand. Identify the most effective tools for vetting their faith and capabilities as Christian educators. Also, determine the best methods for firing employees when they break the school’s ethics agreement.

 Conclusion

This article is based on qualitative research conducted with the aim of providing insights and practical guidance to strengthen and support Christian schools in Thailand. Its focus was on the status of Christian administrators, establishing a Christian school on a solid foundation, achieving sustainability, and protecting biblical values for the future. It expounded upon the methods by which Christian school leaders are to carry out their strategic planning processes and by the values and character they are to perform. It focused on the importance of merging the academic and spiritual aspects of their pedagogy and the transformational power that can result as their students receive the teaching. This research, its data, and findings should be one of many more research projects to come, to strengthen the rapidly growing field of Christian education in Thailand.

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Strengthening the Values of Christian Education in Facing the New Normal Era

 

Authors: Dirk R. Kolibu, Ramot Peter, Lamhot Naibaho, Stenly R. Paparang, Edward E. Hanock

Introduction

The global problems facing the nations of the world in recent days are increasingly complex.  The Covid-19 pandemic has forced an increasingly complex change and has resulted in the development of individualistic views amid rapid change.  The competition of the world is increasingly open so that those who are not able to compete will be tempted.  Social change, the rapid development of IT (information technology), the rapid flow of globalization has made many significant social changes, and so fast.  This condition is inevitable, so it is necessary to establish National Resilience as a dynamic condition of national and state life capable of combating all forms of threat that endanger the sovereignty and survival of the nation [1; 2].  The threats can arise from within and outside the sovereignty of the country and can threaten all dimensions of national life, namely: ideology, politics, economy, social, cultural, defense and security.  To face various threats, Indonesians should prepare themselves for all aspects of life in the face of various impacts of globalization.  The development of Science and Technology is a trigger that is so fast and has the potential to cause threats both from home and abroad [3; 4]. There is an ambivalence of the use of science and technology that is a means to spread fake news, pornography and pornography, fraud, and other crimes that have caused a deterioration in the character and morale of the nation's children [5; 6]. On the other hand, the advancement of science and technology, especially in the field of IT, has changed the human life order more easily with all online facilities [7]. Advances in IT in the 4.0 technology era have forced different dimensions of life to be sucked into it. More than that, Christian educational values need to be seen in the scheme of change during the Covid-19 pandemic, and education providers need to strengthen those values [8; 9]. With this action, Christian education is expected to survive and give widespread influence even though the threat is an inhibition factor. The values of Christian education, namely relational, humanity, creed, and missional, should be able to develop biblical principles to continue to make inroads along with the times.  Increasingly sophisticated technology and information can be a medium for strengthening the values of Christian education.

Methodology

This research uses narrative methods conducted by fact-observing, reading and reviewing literature that are closely related to the context of Christian educational values and other significant features that have the support of facts and the power of theory. The narrative method is a research step that collects data from various sources. This method is used as a construction formulation of thoughts on strengthening Christian education values in the normal era in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The research process was carried out by explaining the phenomena that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic and showing strengthening points on Christian values that include relational, humanities, creeds, and missional.  

Results / Findings  

Christian educational values that include relational, humanities, creeds and missional are a biblical formulation that shows the identity and face of Christian education itself. In fact, without these values, Christian education cannot become a global education system.  Especially during the current Covid-19 pandemic coupled with advances in technology and information in the era of industrial revolution 4.0, encouraging every Christian education stakeholder and observer to strive for strengthening these values [10; 11]. Christian education has contributed both locally, nationally, and internationally. The pattern of strengthening will be an internal mechanism that encourages all parties to be able to participate in realizing a credible and biblical Christian education.  Relational, humanity, creed, and missional are biblical values expiration in public spaces, where Christian education is applied [12; 13].

In today's observation of facts, there are shifts and changes in almost all areas of human life. Paradigms and learning processes are also affected by advances in technology and information, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic [14].  Reflecting on the phenomenon, Christian education, with its internal values needs to be the main highlight to be strengthened as an act of anticipation of the Covid-19 pandemic phenomenon that is not yet known when it ends [15].  Thus, strengthening the values of Christian education is expected to be a priority step by every Christian education stakeholder and observer so that the vision, mission, and objectives of Christian education can be realized. 

The source of Christian Education is rooted in God's righteousness. The Bible notes that obedience to this law will have a positive impact on blessings and successes; otherwise, disobedience results in condemnation and condemnation (De deity 28). Walter Brueggemann stated in his writings that the Torah is, an intentional ethical practice, and hence the Torah is a command. The people of Israel were invited to reflect amicably and attentively, about the meaning of related to and derived from intangible God.  That is, the practice of the Torah is not a study; the practice of the Torah is worship [16; 17].  It is an individual intensity with God significantly, discourse or conversation with God (theology).  The relationship is certainly built on the basis of "fear of the Lord" (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 10:12). The fear of the Lord begins with a confession of faith in the Lord called "Shema" "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One!"  (Deut. 6:4). 

The basis of calling was to love the Lord as the primary duty of carrying out the Lord's will (Deuteronomy 6:5), "You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength". That is, the ultimate purpose of God's commandments is to instill the love of God expressed through faithfulness and obedience. So, loving God is synonymous with answering His unique calling [18; 19]. The call is closely related to "work" or "vocation" (English), "vocare" (Latin), translated to "calling".  That is, in "work" there is the meaning of "call", because "work" is a call. Who is calling? The Lord who calls His people to serve Him [20; 21]. The Hebrew word "call" has the meaning of "worship" and "work" is the same word בבבע ה - 'Avodah, (Arabic absorption) being called "worship" as an exercise in serving the Lord (Genesis 2:15), "The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work for and preserve the garden". So obviously the word work is serving as a natural activity for man since it was called by Him to seek and choose ara.  A servant must understand how God shaped himself for service [22; 23]. Whenever God gives a task, He always equips a servant with what is needed to accomplish it. It can be identified and understand the factors that exist. Warren explained itself is a combination of many different factors.  A special combination of these abilities is called SHAPE (Spiritual Gift, Heart, Abilities, Personality).

Conclusion

 The education system needs to be built in totality as an interaction of a set of educational elements that work together in an integrated manner, and complement each other towards achieving educational goals that have become ideals with the perpetrators. Although the fact of the Covid-19 pandemic has made everything change, strengthening the values of Christian education:  relational, humanities, creeds, and missional become a joint task. Christian education becomes an essential part in facing the deterioration of national character as the impact of the ambivalence of science and technology development, including in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic.  Therefore, strengthening the values of Christian education remains a priority for stakeholders and education providers. Christian education is expected to create a superior young generation in all fields facing the challenges of intolerance amidst diversity. Educators are expected to instill Christian values and national values to prepare students for entry into the workforce in the 4.0 technology era.

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