This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine, let it shine Don’t let Satan poof it out I’m gonna let it shine Don’t let Satan poof it out I’m gonna let it shine Don’t let … Read More
Leadership Encouragement for 2017
Ten years ago, at the age of 31, I was entrusted by a bold superintendent and school board with an opportunity to lead a school. At this school, 2006 was known as the “Year of Shock and Awe” because a data dive discovered that the school was having a negative demographic impact on the education of its students, which is … Read More
The Parable of the Chevrolet Owner and the Ford Service Center
A friend from Church asked me recently, “Why would I send my daughter to a Christian School when it is so much cheaper and closer to send her to the state school down the road – they are both schools after all?” I told my friend of a man called Harry. Harry saved up for years to buy a brand … Read More
Deeper Learning in Christian Schools – Update and Invitation
In recent years there has been a movement among Christian schools in Canada and the U.S. towards Deeper Learning, led by a core group of educators, who have gathered from time to time for mutual growth, encouragement, and further networking. In this blog post I would like to clarify terminology and share the efforts of various groups as well as … Read More
Thinking About Conferences?
I just finished reading a blog suggesting a number of good books published in 2017 that I should consider for my summer reading. I usually look for these lists both at the beginning of the new year and the start of summer as a shortcut to finding work to include on my vacation. I enjoy reading and like to use … Read More
Figuring Out What Really Matters in Curriculum Planning
I often joke in workshops that, as teachers, the day we return from spring break is when we kick in to “fast teaching” mode! We do this because while we were relaxed in November and February, and consequently added a few days to our favorite units, we are now faced with being behind on the content we feel responsible for … Read More
More Than The Three R’s – The Effectiveness of Christian Schooling
Dr Beth Green is one of the leading thinkers in the field of Christian education. Originally a history teacher, she completed a doctorate at Oxford University and now runs the world’s most significant long-term study into the effectiveness of Christian schooling – the Cardus Education Study. Cardus is a Canadian think tank that specializes in the role of the Christian … Read More
Thinking Christianly in Curriculum Design
Ralph Tyler, Hilda Taba, and Philip Jackson (with the latter’s reminder that even our definitions are a reflection of our worldviews), are some of the gurus of curriculum design. Their ideas, whether we realize it or not, have helped shape our contemporary understanding of curriculum, including the curriculum construction and application process. For example, Tyler’s work over half a century … Read More
The Hardest Job in School: The Board Member (Part 2)
Surveying a private school with plenty of money, strong enrollment, a winning football team, and selective college admissions during an accreditation visit, a colleague said to me, “Everything’s great when everything’s great.” What he meant, of course, is that over time, even model schools encounter difficulty. It might be a sudden financial downturn, an employee scandal, student misconduct, or vitriolic … Read More
A Few Short Questions to Aid Year End Reflection
In the mad rush to finish a school year we become calendar driven and event oriented. What we sometimes miss is the opportunity to reflect well – we push that off to June after school is over, but by then we are too tired to want to take too much time for reflection. The missed opportunity of reflection robs us … Read More