Church Life

Sajan George

His acclaimed education model employs technology and research to transform struggling schools.

Courtesy of Matchbook Learning

Detroit, Michigan | @matchbooklearn

Sajan George got his start turning around troubled businesses. Then, in 2002, he began applying those skills to a much larger, more complex institution in distress: American public schools. More than 20,000 public schools are chronically failing; the 25 percent lowest-income students have only a 9 percent chance of getting a college degree by age 25. Part of the problem, George believes, is that instructional strategies and the ways schools are organized have barely changed in a century. “I dare you to find another industry that has changed so little in 100 years,” he said in a 2013 TEDx talk.

George’s company, Matchbook Learning, combines modern technology and data management with quality teaching to create what he calls “blended classrooms.” The approach relies on individual learning paths, real-time data on student learning, and ongoing coaching for teachers. Matchbook Learning’s turnaround model has been recognized by the Gates Foundation, the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, the NewSchools Venture Fund, and the Praxis 2012 Social Entrepreneur First Prize.

“My faith is both the catalyst and continuing source for my calling to this work,” George said. “The very best I can hope to achieve is to channel God’s… desire to see every child created in his image bear the potential of that image by cultivating and restoring it through a proper education for the common good.”

Also in this series

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

CT Makers: 20 of the Most Creative Christians We Know

Editorial

Andy Crouch: Stop Engaging 'The Culture,' Because It Doesn't Exist

Kulandei Francis

New & Noteworthy Books

My Top 5 Books on Faith and Football

Review

D. L. Mayfield: ‘What If I Made Everything Worse?'

Review

Where the White Working Class Went Wrong

Ajith Fernando: How Church Leaders Can Serve God's Family Without Neglecting Their Own

Manny Pacquiao, Championship Boxer, Has a New Opponent: Philippine Poverty

Testimony

Professional Soccer Was My God

Creating for Good

Catalina Bellizzi

Health Is About Way More Than Weight

Why Christians Should End Their Search for 'Relevance'

Porn Is More Criticized and More Popular Than Ever

Excerpt

Why Every Christian Should Be Ambitious

News

Preventative Play: Sesame Street and World Vision in Zambia

Let Deuteronomy Awaken Your Inner Child

Why Married Sex Is Social Justice

Reply All

How Neuroscience—and the Bible—Explain Shame

The Gift of My Anxiety

Myquillyn Smith

News

Who Gets to Count That Convert?

News

NGO No-Go: More Countries Make Christian Charity Harder to Give and Receive

News

Gleanings: July/August 2016

Chris and Will Haughey

Andrew Peterson

Lara Casey

Megan White Mukuria

Jeremy Cowart

Eric Wowoh

Christine Moseley

News

Releasing God's Word: Do Copyrights Help or Hurt Bible Translation?

Ryan and Amy Green

David Bailey

Pete Docter

Enoch Ho

Rebecca Bradley

Nury Vittachi

Jon Batiste

Alex Medina

Becca Stevens

View issue

Our Latest

Which Church in Revelation Is Yours Like?

Like the lukewarm Laodicea, these seven ancient congregations struggled with relatable problems.

Be Afraid

Be Afraid Bonus Episode 3: Scott Teems

Sometimes, there’s safety in numbers.

News

In Appalachia, Helene’s Water Crisis Taps a Global Christian Response

North Carolina churches are seeing people suffering dehydration. Disaster groups that work overseas are showing up to help.

Public Theology Project

The Bible Doesn’t Fit an Information Age

Algorithms strip us of mystery. The Gospels restore our ability to be astonished by the truth.

Wire Story

Evangelicals for Harris Asked to ‘Cease and Desist’ Billy Graham Ad

Franklin Graham says the campaign is “trying to mislead people” by positioning his father’s preaching in contrast to Donald Trump.

Facing My Limits in a Flood Zone

As a minister, I’m used to helping people during crisis. But trapped at home during Hurricane Helene, I could only care for who was in front of me.

5 Lessons Christians Can Learn from the Barmen Declaration

How a wartime confession resisted Hitler’s Nazification of the German church, and why its principles are still relevant today.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube