I can’t seem to get my head around it! No matter how many times I talk to someone around the world and it sounds like they are sitting in the same room with me, I am filled with wonder. When I look at anything in micro and see how color and design pop forward that I previously hadn’t observed, I … Read More
Staying Balanced…
If you are reading this, and an educator, I am a bit surprised! This time of year is pretty crazy for those involved in the traditional agrarian school calendar that the Western culture holds tightly to. Professional development workshops, home visits with preschool families, department level or grade level meetings…all in full swing. These events, in addition to all of … Read More
Honoring the Treasures They Bring
16 years out of the classroom, and I still feel the summer begin to bleed as the corn ripens and what seemed like an endless July surrenders to inevitable August. I haven’t seen the leaves turn red yet, nevertheless, the anxiety of the first day of school creeps into my dreams. I stand before my class, entirely unprepared, even naked sometimes, or blind, the children jumping off their desks, running wildly wherever… God, please wake me up!
What’s Your Plan? Part 2 of a Conversation with Dan Beerens and Steven Levy
In Part 2 of the CACE summer webinar series Dan Beerens and Steven Levy discuss how school leaders and teachers can use the summer to plan more effectively for the following school year. Part 1 was about “Ending Well” in celebrating the accomplishments of the school year and Part 3 will be about “Beginning Well” as we jump into the … Read More
Did You Ever Wonder…
Why students (and their parents) are so grade obsessed? In a previous post: What Happened to the E?, I noted my lack of surprise when students petition for an extra point or two on an assignment or request extra credit opportunities. Some readers responded with notes of similar experience and frustration. One reader asked the question “how do students become so … Read More
Ending Well: Part 1 of a Conversation with Dan Beerens and Steven Levy
The school year is over, and we are in the midst of celebrating the past year with our students and families. Too often we wait until another year is gone by to discuss or think about how we finish, and we continue to do what we’ve always done. Dan Beerens challenged us to think differently and asked us in a … Read More
Helping Children Grow – Are We Forming, Are We Informing, or Is It Both?
I have several grandchildren who are in the early years of involvement in a number of different Christian schools. As I watch them develop through different experiences, challenges, and opportunities, I’m impacted again by the glorious privilege and honor we have as Christian parents and teachers to unpack the mysteries and wonder of God’s creation with our young ones. When we have … Read More
Engagement Matters: An Introduction
According to Gallup’s weekly survey only 33% of employees are actively engaged in their work while another 25% are actively disengaged. The data regarding teacher and student engagement is equally as discouraging with engagement rates that have plummeted in the past ten years to levels not seen since the early 1980s. As I work in a school, work with … Read More
What Happened to the “E”? A Perspective on our Grading System
“If you received an A on the test, you may take a seat in the back row. B’s in the next row, C’s, D’s and F’s should grab seats in the front two rows please.” Unbelievable, right? Would a teacher really do this in a classroom, seat students by the grade they received? Unfortunately the answer is yes, and I … Read More
Aligning Philosophy and Practice to Propel Potential
I’ve been working in the past several years with schools who are trying to move from being traditional schools to what we have called, for sake of understanding, 21st century classrooms (albeit a now somewhat outdated term). As I have been reflecting on this effort by these schools, I have come to realize once again how critically important the mindsets … Read More