Teachers Pacing Alongside Students

A teacher’s spot is not always at the front of the classroom.

In an education class I took many years ago I was introduced to a metaphor for guiding students through the maze of academic and spiritual growth we call learning at a Christian school. Rather than a teacher solely pushing information and ideas at leaners, the author proposed a healthy balance of “pacing alongside our students, speaking truth into their lives.” There is beauty in this metaphor that I’m reminded of as I think of some learning snapshots I’ve  already noticed in the first week of learning at LCES.  

The above pictures show our teaching staff doing some of this pacing activity. We are wise to recognize that learning is an activity deeply rooted in relationships. Jesus taught us this in the way he instructed his disciples. We read of the sermon on the mount and parables where Jesus directly instructs, however we also recognize that Jesus walked dusty roads, ate bread and fish with these men, hauled nets, washed feet – all while taking hold of teachable moments about the truth of the coming kingdom. The beautiful story of the road to Emmaus in Luke 24 examples Jesus literally pacing alongside those who were struggling to understand.  There was best timing and best way of instructing in that moment and Jesus used it.

Our LCES staff are a treasure. I’m so thankful for the space they make and the time they take to pace alongside our students. They are a steady voice of challenge and encouragement as our children unpack God’s world one amazing detail at a time. Pray for them as they walk with our students, your children each day. They are doing work that has an impact today, and for eternity.

SJ

Gardens and Belonging

Many years ago a friend of mine experienced a concussion while travelling with a group. By doctor’s orders, he had to be woken up and asked questions throughout the night in order to be assured he was recovering well. On the third such occasion our alertness questions were starting to run out, so I asked “Why are we here?” The immediate response from the slumbering patient, barely awake, was a statement from his faith tradition:

In body and soul, in life and death, I am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ…

Words of identity that included belonging. That’s a significant bit of text to have memorized and “fall out” when under duress.

Our school theme of “Working in God’s garden” for 2019-20 comes from Psalm 24:1. There David boldly declares that the earth, all who live in it, and even the future potential of both belong the Lord. We pray that God will guide our community, parents, and staff as we work to make our classrooms a place of belonging that draws out the potential of your children, our students.

Our student service project this year will have us learn about and support Indwell, a Christian organization that looks to support people pursuing health, wellness, and belonging. They have a new project they are starting in London.

Welcome back to the 59^th start of a school year! May we grow in grace, and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.

SJ

Year-End Memories and Learning

Memories and Learning

During the last week of school I asked students what they remember most about this school year if they think of all they have done since September. Here are some of their answers:

“Recess when it was cold and snowy was really fun because we got to make a snowman with my friends.” (JK)

“Gym class was amazing. We got to play tag – INSIDE!”  (SK)

“I liked Track and Field Day because I got to see the big people jumping. Water Fun Day was really fun because I got soaking wet.” (Grade 1)

“Tundra Swans and Daily Five are things I will always remember.” (Grade 2)

“I liked taking the city bus for our trip because I always wondered what the inside looked like. I also really liked being able to sit in different places. [classroom with flexible seating] (Grade 3)

“I’ll remember that Ms. Appendino really, really likes art and that our classroom always get messy even after we cleaned it up.” (Grade 4)

“I didn’t know Shakespeare could be fun until we did the play. Seeing the eagles in the gym was amazing!” (Grade 5)

“The Fun Fair was noisy, but I liked the games. Our field trip to Uncle Tom’s cabin was my other favourite because it was something I hadn’t seen.” (Grade 6)

“Studying a novel study the way we did, and going to L’Arche with the LITs. It was neat to see how they did activities. (Grade 7)

“Well, Camp Medeba for sure, and all of the cooking and baking, especially making Cinnamon Buns..” (Grade 8)

It’s delightful to listen to our students summarize a year of God’s blessings. We’ve had an excellent year of growing and exploring as a community of learners.  May the Lord bless your family with safe times of exploration, connection, and relaxation as the summer holidays begin at the end of the week
.

Please continue to pray for the Lord’s leading as the board and school administration get a new school year organized for September.  

SJ

Adventure Camp and Graduation at Our Christian School

Hours and days and years and ages,
Swift as moving shadows flee;
As we scan life's fleeting pages,
Nothing lasting do we see.
On the paths our feet are walking,
Footprints all will fade away;
Each today as we enjoy it
Soon becomes a yesterday.

Our soon-to-be grade eight graduates left last week to head to Camp Medeba, an outdoor adventure camp in Muskoka. God blessed them with safety, growth, and fellowship for three days. It was a memorable trip that I was blessed to be a participant in. Swinging from trees, campfire conversations, and washing dishes with students helps you know them better. 

When our daughter was born someone sent us a congratulatory card and included “class of 2027” in the handwritten message. The sender obviously had sensed how quickly time moves our children from crib to career. I’ll have to admit, holding my 3 week old daughter at the time in my hands as I read it, the thought of a grade eight graduation felt a little far off.  I know it is coming though. I’m so thrilled that Christian education lies in wait to help my wife and I boldly assert “as for us and our household, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15). 

At birth, did the parents of our current graduates have any idea of the nature of the world their children would call home in 2019? Did they know the joys and challenges that awaited them, the unique identity of who their children would become, or the ways in which they would need the Lord’s help along the journey to graduation and beyond? Likely not, but I trust that the gift or Christian education in their lives for part of that journey has been a strong voice of patterning God’s truth into their lives.  I trust the same will be true for those entering JK/SK this fall!

SJ

Answering Children's Questions at Our Christian School

What’s in a question?

I heard a psychologist say that pre-school aged children ask an average of 100 questions of their parents each day. Perhaps that sounds low based on fist-hand experience with hours spent in close proximity to a curious young mind. I love to hear our student’s questions. Here are few of recent favorites:

Mr. Janssen, is Scooby-Doo non-fiction?

How did the first people make tools if they didn’t have tools?

What is a disk? Is it like a whisk? It sounds dangerous.

Mr. Janssen, is it the same weather up there? (J)

While we might become exasperated with the seemingly endless onslaught of questions, it is key to recognize that these questions represent young image-bearing children of the Lord attempting to figure out all things – from abstract ideas like love and heaven, to physical things like making a leaf whistle between their palms and painting things with water to see what they look like when wet.

The treasure of childhood discovery is a crucial time for questions to be answered in a way that causes them to grow in the life of faith. “Is there a distinctly Christian way of asking and answering questions?” asked a favorite wise voice of mine years ago. My answer would be yes! Questions and their answers should provide opportunity to see the connected nature of God’s world. It is complex in its design, and yet often simple in its beauty.

·         The story of a perfect world, sin, and its restoration back to what it was meant to be should be frequent touch stones since questions intersect faith and observations so naturally.

·         The time given to them should include the ability to stop, reflect, and marvel at who God is and how he designed the world as our home.

·         Answering questions should always leave room for our students to push the edges of known understanding. Fulfilling the commandment to “subdue creation” (Gen 1:28) remains their calling and their contributions may be different than their parents. New ways and means are possible to use the world around us in God-honoring ways that he intended.

Praise God for the opportunity to have our children’s questions in the context of a Christian school!  SJ

Leaving to Learn at Our Christian School

As principal, I’ve seen a steady stream of class trip planning sheets coming across my desk in the last months as teachers anticipated May and June. As I read them and consider the unique experiences they will be for our students, I can’t help but be excited for them. Each one opens wider a world made for them by the Lord’s hand.

God formed sky, land, and sea;

stars above, moon and sun,

making a world of color, beauty, and variety—

a fitting home for plants and animals, and us—

a place to work and play,

worship and wonder,

love and laugh.   Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony

The length, educational focus, and structure of the class trips are always different, but one thing remains the same. These memorable experiences are highlights of learning. Why does LCES send students on class trips? I can think of several reasons:

·         These experiences help our students to see God’s world as a place of beauty and offer experiences to develop wonder and praise for an amazing world of people and places.

·         Taking the classroom on the road creates invaluable “touchstone” moments for our students to connect previous learning or prepare working examples for future learning as they see God’s world as a connected, purposeful, and intricate place prepared for his children.

·         Students see their teacher, classmates, and even parents in a different way as they respond to different topics and ways of learning. They understand each other’s interests, passions, and talents more fully, and emerge a stronger community.

·         Students can see the world in its brokenness, and yet see hope in the ways to redeem it.

Taking the classroom on road is part of the bold assertion that indeed, Our World Belongs to God!   SJ

"Lack of Inner Compass"

While working this weekend I heard an amazing tale to learn from via a radio interview.

Leo Koretz was a financial wizard who “made” 400 million (in today’s money) around 1910 by convincing people to invest in worthless Arkansas rice farms, Panama timber operations, and then later Panama oil extraction. He was so persuasive that people begged him to take their money to invest in his financial empire. One person even threw a bundle of money over an office wall, with written instructions pleading for him to invest the funds! Every bit of the operation was fake, however, as investors who travelled to Panama found out when they showed up expecting a bustling oil empire and found nothing there. The entire operation was a fraud. He “hid” in Nova Scotia for a time before being sent back to face charges in Chicago.

The interview with the researcher got very interesting after the story was told. How could someone so talented and effective go so far astray? The response was “the lack of an inner compass” that didn’t guide him correctly. Abruptly, the interview ended to my dissatisfaction. So, why am recounting this to you

on our Christian School newsletter?

First, it is essential to realize that we aim to much more than deliver the content of learning. We seek to impart knowledge that is always accompanied with wisdom. Wisdom orients action. Our present students will eventually be charged with key leadership pieces in their life that offer, much like Mr. Koretz, the opportunity to use it for God’s kingdom or for something else. We are the training grounds for making future decisions well.

Second, the need for our children to be equipped with discernment and critical thinking to choose well in a sometime confusing world of choice and “opportunity” is essential for their future well-being. Unlike the many who were duped and hitched their dreams to Mr. Koretz’s imaginary wagon of success, we want our students to be critical thinkers with good questions that pursue truth and God’s kingdom.

What a joy that we can give our students more than a compass to find their way. 

SJ