The Three R’s of Classroom Culture
Being an elementary teacher for twenty years was my delight…my joy…a true gift. It came easily and never did I have to go to work – I wanted to go – every single day. My job was not work but rather a calling – one in which I got to model true servanthood and create a...
Christian Education Is…
I was watching a Curriculum Trak workshop facilitated by Dan Beerens several years ago and he asked the attendees a question that still resonates with me today. “What is the difference between Christian education and secular education?” As he continued to speak,...
Promoting Good Classroom Citizenship
Blog, Character Development, Classroom Culture, Educator Insights, Spiritual Formation, Teaching Strategies | March 15, 2023
“Make the right choice” is a phrase that you would hear often if you walk by my classroom and listen in. I have always felt a responsibility to encourage students to be the best version of themselves in the 180 days that they are with me. Like most teachers, I do not...
Simple Words for Significant Change
Blog, Character Development, Classroom Culture, Discipleship, Educator Insights, School Culture | February 28, 2023
“I was wrong.” Hearing these words brings a sense of empathy as the soul is laid bare. These three simple words change the direction of a student’s social interactions in a powerful way. I’m not ready to admit I am old, but after 28 years in the classroom and 5...
Classroom Management in a Post-Pandemic World
Blog, Classroom Culture, Educator Insights, Effectiveness, Pedagogy, Social-Emotional, Teaching Strategies | December 13, 2022
In Quantitative Analysis, they teach you to stick with one independent variable to assure validity and reliability in your results. In real life, change often occurs due to a confluence of variables. Not only is today’s student population unlike that of previous...