Lauren Wiggs | Ep. 167

Reading with Discernment: Teaching Biblical Thinking in the ELA Classroom

Show Notes:

“We cannot teach our children how to think without helping them know what the standard of truth is.” - Lauren Wiggs

Have you ever heard someone say, “What were you thinking?” Or maybe a student has looked at you and said, “I just wasn’t thinking.” In a world where AI and endless tools are eager to do our thinking for us, the skill of thinking, real, biblical, critical thinking, can feel like a dying art.

In this episode, Jenny Copeland sits down with Lauren Wiggs, a middle and high school English Language Arts teacher and Secondary Supervisor at Matthews Christian Academy, to talk about what it actually looks like to teach students how to think, not just what to think.

Key Takeaways:

• Why you cannot teach critical thinking without a clear standard of truth

• How Scripture shapes the difference between teaching what to think vs. how to think

• Practical ways to evaluate literature through a biblical lens (themes, worldview, motives, consequences)

• Why literature still matters in a screen-heavy culture, and how it trains depth and discernment

• The discipleship connection: you can’t disciple what you don’t know, and you can’t know what you don’t draw out

“There is a huge difference between teaching students what to think and teaching them how to think.” - Lauren Wiggs

“Literature is a safe place for students to wrestle with big ideas before they face them in real life.” - Lauren Wiggs

Every day in the classroom is YOUR day to impact and inspire through God’s power and grace working in you. 

Go do what God has called you to do!

About Our Guest:

Lauren Wiggs

Lauren Wiggs has over ten years of experience teaching middle and high school English language arts. She currently serves at Matthews Christian Academy as a middle and high school ELA teacher as well as the Secondary Supervisor. Lauren is passionate about helping young people grow as thinkers, readers, and communicators. In addition to her work in the classroom, Lauren enjoys coaching sports at MCA, particularly the girls' volleyball team. Outside of school, she’s fueled by a genuine love of coffee and a lifelong enthusiasm for hockey. 

Podcast Sponsor:

Now, more than ever, children need a learning experience that enables them to think critically, advances them academically, and encourages them to live biblically.  BJU Press serves Christian educators with academically rigorous resources written from a biblical worldview to prepare the next generation to be salt and light in society. We are committed to doing everything we can so Christian education can do everything it must. Visit our website today or contact your Territory Manager to learn more.