Scattering Seed in Teaching
Walking with Christ in the Field of Learning and Education
Foreword by Michael Pasquale
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
Jesus calls each of us to live in a way that gives the Father glory, shares his love with everyone around us, and reflects the life of Jesus. He invites us to scatter seed. Scattering seed can be a challenge, though, especially in our public lives, our professional lives, and volunteer lives. Those of us called to teach in some way feel the challenge deeply. We seek to share knowledge, experiences, and life lessons with a broad and varied group of people and do it in a way that shares Christ's love. Often life, curriculum challenges, and student chemistry threaten to derail our best laid plans. When this happens, it's easy to be distracted from our purpose or even to forget that our life calling is the same as our calling to teach.
Scattering Seed in Teaching is about returning to that call, or perhaps connecting with it for the first time.
It shares stories, interviews, and observations of teachers and students learning about scattering seed. It connects with biblical reminders and encourages us as teachers to reflect on and remember that underlying our professional call to teach is our life call . . . they are one and the same, to scatter seed.
Brian G. Pickerd is a husband, a dad, and a teacher. His heart's call is to help students and teachers grow, learn, and become through their work together. His work as a teacher is driven by his faith. As a teacher, Brian wants his words, actions, and responses to mirror God's love to students and colleagues. Brian teaches language at Rockford High School and helps prepare future teachers at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"Brian Pickerd's Scattering Seed in Teaching is a work that profoundly connects the art of teaching to an instructor's spirituality, and his or her impact on the student beyond the lesson. . . . I encourage every teacher who 'believes' in something beyond the stated curriculum to read Mr. Pickerd's book."
--Robert W. Siegel, Jr., Principal, Valley View Elementary, Rockford Public Schools; author; adjunct professor, Graduate Leadership Studies, Grand Valley State University
"This is a gem of a book for teachers of all ages. Brian Pickerd is a storyteller who brings to life for us stories about students he has taught, colleagues he has worked with, and, most of all, his grandparents."
--John Shortt, Professorial Fellow in Christian Education, Liverpool Hope University
"Pickerd focuses on the importance of educators viewing their classrooms as mission fields, where students learn content and life competencies, to prepare them to become successful lifelong learners. Christian and secular educators alike will discover a rich teaching philosophy that is biblically based, from which the student and the institution will find success."
--Michael S. Shibler, Superintendent of Schools, Rockford Public Schools
"[Pickerd's] personal testimony of his upbringing reminds us that teaching is a personal profession, and the ways in which we touch the lives of our students have a lasting impact. This is an encouraging book that is certainly worth reading."
--Bee Bee Sng, author, independent lecturer in communications, writing skills, and research skills
"Brian Pickerd is a creative and committed teacher and a thoughtful Christian. In this engaging book he traces the threads that connect the two in a way that will help teachers live and teach wholly."
--David I. Smith, Director, Graduate Studies in Education; Director, Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning, Calvin College
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