Thoughts on Teaching

...For some reason the video won't move to the bottom, where I want it. So anyways. It's a good song, listen to it. ;)

This week have been thinking about teaching. And teachers. Especially those of us who are young Christian teachers just getting out of school--but also older teachers. . .

We have a great Christian educational system here in the States. Trained teachers, (generally) supportive parents, good kids, good resources--we update our resources and textbooks and everything and it's just great. Kids can go to Pre-K through college in Christian education; it costs a LOT but you can do it. And of course then there is our favorite homeschooling, which I still entirely consider Christian education!

And just FYI please, please do NOT consider the following to be down-playing those who are SM's or career missionaries teaching without a teaching licensure or training. I admire you all like you cannot know and I pray for you all. I can't imagine doing what you're doing. God bless you!!

But, for teachers: Why are we not taking our training and what we know, and stretching it a little, and taking it outside our familiar comfort zone? Why do children in Christian schools in another country not get our long-term skills and our practice and even our resources? Think about it. If our students here had to deal with half the things students in other countries do--and I'm not even talking about physically or environmentally--we'd have parents at our throats 24/7. Just something to consider. Consider and pray about.

All of which is just to say that if you find me in Zimbabwe next year, you'll know why. . .

Really Live

Alaska's a good place to really live. ;) 

--Random thoughts inspired by my tutoring session yesterday--

I'm continually amazed (and shocked) by how infrequently kids are really living their lives richly and joyfully. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since I guess it's rather infrequent that adults live life richly . . . but really. Why is it any sort of funny/pleasant/positive thing for you to tell me that you sleep all day on the weekend, because your mom's watching TV and you don't want to watch the shows she does? Why?

I have a professor (we will call her Dr. B; any of my Ed. major friends will know who it is ;) ) who teaches most of our reading/literacy classes. She is always emphasizing that we as teachers need to live as readers and writers if we ever expect our students to become enthusiastic and good readers and writers.

I think she's right. But not to just live as readers, or as writers--we need to live as whole people. As writers, and readers, and mathematicians, and scientists. As musicians and artists and athletes. As hikers, runners, ornithologists, mountain climbers . . . whatever you are, do it. Do it wholeheartedly and with love and passion.

"Live to the hilt every situation you know to be the will of God."

It's contagious, a life like that. Even if your friends and students and family don't understand why you choose that vocation or hobby or . . . calling of God . . . there's something irresistible about a life that's "all there."

And if it's contagious in things of hobbies, so much more so in things of God. I believe a lot of kids brought up in Christian families and Christian schools leave because they see adults who "have" to teach or live a certain way. Not those who are really living it. How can we--how can I--live wholeheartedly and completely for God?

[Pre-] Teacher Diaries: Last Classroom Semester

So wow, this semester has been full.

Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Rousseau, Dewey. Education. Papers. Huge tests that praise God, I did a lot better on than I expected!

Research projects, in the classroom. Fifth-grade classroom. So. much. paperwork. All my placements this semester, except P.E., are in fifth grade--ha!

Reading assessments. So. Many. reading assessments! Classroom observations, anecdotal notes, now two kids to tutor. One is probably the lowest reading level in her class; the other is probably the most disengaged. This is going to be fun!

P.E. classes, fitness activities, games, teaching kids how to hop. Do we really have to teach kids how to hop these days?! What has the world come to?!

Twelve-page World Religions papers, studying all kinds of religions. Grateful for a Christian perspective. Wondering where God's call will lead, later on. . .

Flying paper planes with little boys at work (no it's not part of my "normal" work, but hey, you do what you gotta do!). Chats with wise friends about student missions and what-after-college and all those things good seniors talk about. ;)

Now a very full weekend with GYC-SE meetings and Sunday convocation and school Apple Festival. The race never ends. . . on the other hand, I tell myself it is good preparation for working in a small school later on. :)