Christian teacher education - NICE
Our Services > Christian teacher education - NICE
Service type: Teacher education
The National Institute for Christian Education
In recognition of the critical role of teachers in providing ongoing distinctive Christian school education, Christian Education National maintains a fully accredited teacher training arm, the National Institute for Christian Education (NICE). It aims to:
- provide Christian teacher education
- facilitate school and curriculum development
- articulate and nurture a biblical worldview
- foster international links and commitment to education.
What is NICE?
Nice is a tertiary institution providing professional development for teachers and other involved in Christian schools in Australia and throughout the world.
Teaching is provided using distance education (accredited programs) and intensive, face-to-face sessions (non-accredited programs).
NICE celebrates the Lordship of Christ over all aspects of education and schooling.
Why is NICE important?
Education is not neutral. Since education is about unfolding the world to children it is important to ask three questions:
- Whose world is that we are unfolding?
- What are we training our children for?
- What does it mean to teach children God’s way?
NICE helps teachers to operate in professional learning communities. Teachers support Christian homes by equipping teachers to grasp their faith and engage the culture in every vocation and academic study, thus becoming salt and light witnesses to Christ’s kingdom in a lost and needy world. God is relevant to all areas of education as well as to biblical studies and chapel. Each of us brings worldview assumptions to education. Only rigorous examination of our worldviews in light of Scripture will liberate us to think Christianly – to think from biblical categories – about education. This involves engaging faithfully with contemporary educational thinking and research. Constant teacher training is imperative to ensure our schools retain biblically grounded Christian education into the future.
What is offered?
Christian Education National works with and through NICE as a teaching institute of the College of Christian Higher Education, (accredited through the New South Wales government) to provide its teachers with:
- post graduate training for teachers that can lead to a Bachelor of Education (a conversion course) or a Master of Education degree
- training other graduates (eg board members) that can lead to a Master of Education (Professional Leadership and Training)
In addition, NICE provides
- professional development
- training support for Christian school communities