The school year for most of us is coming to an end within the next few weeks. That statement might stress you out or invite your soul to shout with joy. But, in any case, the end is near. And, as is the case with most things, the end is just as important as the beginning or middle. So how can you finish your year of biblical integration with a bang? Here are three keys:
1) When you review your content, remember to review your biblical integration too.
If you highlight academic content apart from integration, you are dis-integrating the material and undermining yourself and your students. The end of the year is an inflection point. Students can see if you were serious about what you said all year by seeing what you prioritize at the end. Show them that you prioritize their relationship with, understanding of, and love for Jesus.
2) Include key integration on your end-of-year assessments.
What are the big takeaways about God, self, the world, and following Jesus that you want your students to walk away knowing? Think back on the big ideas of your integration and prioritize the most important truths, questions, processes, etc. Then, put those in your final exams, projects, or activities. This is how you can signal that these are keys. This is how you can ensure that your students understood these ideas. And this is how you can see how well they learned the year’s integration objectives(which will allow you to improve your integration next year).
3) Encourage, personalize, challenge, and tease.
Let your students know that their pursuit of God and godliness does not end at the end of the year. Thank them for growing and learning with you. Share how you were challenged personally. Ask them to keep growing with you over the summer. Point them to a good resource or two that they can follow up with (a website, an article, a conference, a church event, a video, etc.). And then, engage their curiosity with a tease. Offer them a trailer that makes them excited for sequels like American History: A New Democracy or Third Grade: Multiplication Strikes Back or English 103: Return of the Essay. Obviously, those titles are silly, but the point is that their journey doesn’t end at the end of this year. Try to keep your students excited about learning God’s world and God’s Word as they move ahead.
Finish your year with intentionality. It will go a long way in the discipleship and growth of the students you have cared for all year long.
