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Blog2022-02-24T18:53:59-05:00

On Christian Teaching

Every two weeks as part of our staff meetings, we spend time in devotions.  Devotion time is structured around reading and discussing a book together.  We try to find books that combine Christianity and education.  It allows us to have professional conversations on Christian teaching.  This year, we are reading David I. Smith book called, “On Christian Teaching: Practicing Faith in the Classroom.”  The author challenges us to remember all aspects of teaching and the classroom when we consider what is Christian education.  For many, Christian education means either the content that is taught or the acts of piety, such as prayer or Bible readings, that are done or a combination of these two things. In our reading this week, David Smith reminds us that “Teaching is not just made up of talking, but of gesture, volume, tone of voice, eye contact, position, posture, lighting, seating layouts, proximity between people, images, symbols, pace, rhythm, silence, sequence, and so on.”  If we are to engage in Christian teaching, a teacher must consider how all of these things shape learning.  Are there structures or practices in place that hinder or hurt the message of Christ and faith?  For example, what would a Bible lesson filled with Christian content, but delivered in monotone mean?  The teacher’s lack of enthusiasm would be the real lesson that is taught, which is Bible is boring.  Can a Christian teacher rely heavily upon sarcasm?  If Sabbath [...]

By |26 April 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Authors, Illustrators, Photographers & Publishers Hard at Work

VISION Our vision is for your child to: • Live Biblically. • Comprehend God-given identity and worth. • Develop Christian character. • Experience grace. • Build communities of belonging. • Transform lives through service, leadership, and innovation. • Radiate enthusiasm for life and learning. • Grow in knowledge and skills. • Create beautiful, excellent work. Language is important. In the picture, you see some Grade 1/2 students working on their candy stories. As they work through the process, they take on various roles from authors to publishers. The use of these terms is intentional. It connects learning to real life tasks. Each role is a profession and as students take on one of the roles, they begin to learn the skills and knowledge of that profession. This is also done to promote beautiful, excellent work. The authors also did a book tour. Several have come to my office to read their book to me. This is done to celebrate their work.

By |26 April 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Cognitive Flexibility and Resilience – Giving Students the Tools to Weather Life’s Storms

Cognitive Flexibility is... Our ability to adapt or adjust our strategies when we face new and unexpected conditions in the environment. When we develop cognitive flexibility, we are better able to cope with change and new information. Resilience is... Our ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens. It is our ability to adjust or recover from change and difficulty. Resilience doesn’t mean we never feel sad, frustrated, angry or afraid - expressing all of our feelings in a healthy way is a good way to build resilience. The above two definition of important life skills come from the Umbrella Project. The purpose of the Umbrella Project is to equip students with tools and skills to deal with the inevitable challenges of life. This morning as I spoke with students during our morning greeting time, I could hear the students articulate these skills in their own words. I asked them to compare the online learning experience now with the time in January and basically asked how they are adapting this time. Many students stated it was easier this time or about the same. When exploring why it was easier, the students said that they knew what to expect; they knew the routines, and felt they had the support they needed. This is cognitive flexibility and resilience in action. It is a sign that our students are coping and healthy. More importantly, it also means they [...]

By |26 April 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Jesus Calms the Stormy Sea

“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:35-39 This week, I strongly identified with the disciples. After a nice, peaceful Easter weekend, the storms let loose once again Monday night. Once again, I, likely we, was plunged into the swirling mess of lack of communication, the darkness of not knowing anything, being hit on several sides with a wind of questions, and facing the fear of uncertainty. Nothing seems predictable. I imagine many of you can identify with these feelings. We all have been living this way for over one year now. It is easy for despair to set in. This is how the disciples felt. They went to a sleeping Jesus and asked, “Don’t you care if we drown?” I imagine that just before this scene the disciples were working furiously to save themselves. They likely tried to [...]

By |25 April 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments