Friday, September 26, 2008

The Teaching Power of Music - Not Just for Music Teachers!

Scott Anoil
The following is an excerpt from a workshop recently presented at the Michigan Association of Christian Schools Teachers Convention earlier this week.

Originally posted on Religious Affections Ministries

In the words of the workshop speaker, the purpose of the workshop was:
  • to convince teachers that it is important that music be a part of your classroom
  • persuade teachers that music is essential to your students’ educational development

The goal was to demonstrate how music will help students:

  • Physically
  • Academically
  • Socially
  • Morally
  • Emotionally
  • Spiritually

CLick here to read the rest of the post.

Please note, by clicking on the link, you are leaving The MACSA Blog. Linking to this particular article does not imply MACSA's endorsement or approval of the general content of the external website.

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Distinctive Mission of Christian Education

submitted by Bill Stevens, Headmaster ~ Wilmington Christian School (DE)

Jesus' Greatest Commandment

Dr. David Dockery, in his book, Renewing Minds: Serving Church and Society, writes about the Great Commandment of Christ . . .

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” ~Matthew 22:36-37

Dockery states that this is the starting point of our thinking about the integration of faith and learning. He says that these words of Jesus serve as the framework for carrying out the distinctive mission of Christian education to this changing postmodern world. It’s learning to think Christianly, to think in Christian categories, and at the same time connectedly to a Christian focus . . . namely Christ.

“Learning to think Christianly impacts our homes, our businesses, our health care agencies, our schools, our social structures, our recreation, and, yes, our churches too. Applying this Great Commandment entails all that we know of ourselves being committed to all that we know of God” (pp. 11-12).

Education today has become academically specialized and thus, being and becoming more unwilling to form interrelatedness between the disciplines. This unwillingness to relate disciplines to one another has resulted in a fragmentation of knowledge. It has resulted in a false dichotomy between the life of the mind and the life of faith. This fragmentation should alarm all who are committed to Christian education, for it strikes at the heart of our purpose and mission.

But alarmed we are not. Lest we would be so angered at the present state of education as to make the leap and sacrifice what was needed (at home and in our churches) to make a biblical worldview paramount for ALL the children of this next generation. As George Barna so aptly illustrated, we have become like frogs in the kettle, instead of leaping out, we slowly “boil to death” as the temperature rises. It is time, as the apostle Paul (and the prophet Isaiah before him) stated in their day . . .
“Wake up, O sleeper
Rise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you”
~Ephesians 5:14

Unfortunately, we have become complacent . . . at the very least, comfortable; accepting a postmodern, relativistic, God-neutral (at best) environment to educate kingdom kids. It’s not the money, for He owns it all and will honor those who honor Him (I Samuel 2:30). It’s not the “salt & light” rationale, for we are to be that wherever we are. It’s the philosophy, the mind-set, and the perspective under which we place our children for the foundation of their thinking, learning, and living.

As we see throughout this political campaign, and in the recent financial crisis, people are looking for a sound foundation. What do the candidates really stand for? What is there true worldview? What is at the heart of our economic structure? Will the financial foundation hold? Are power, greed and manipulation of people and their money the standard for our society? I can’t imagine you saying, “Yes”. So now take these same questions one-step further (or back) to the educational foundation of this next generation . . .

Let’s remember the question asked of Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment”? He answered it straight, that it was the first and greatest. And affirmed that it is a command, not just an option or nice idea. Our children need to learn to love God with their entire mind. That’s at the heart and soul of a Christian education! It’s our mandate and marching orders.

Thinking Out Loud,
~ Mr. Stevens

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Because Worldview Matters!

An invitation from Bill Stevens (Headmaster) and Wilmington Christian School:

This note comes to you to let you know of a special time I am planning for our community.

Wilmington Christian School will be hosting, what is hoped to be an annual event, the "RENEWING MINDS FORUM".

It will be held at our school on Friday (evening - 7PM) and Saturday (morning - 10AM), October 17/18, 2008. The speaker will be Dr. David Dockery, President of Union University in Jackson, TN. As you may recall, Union University was devastated by tornadoes back in February.

Dr. Dockery has also authored several books on developing a biblical world view, with a particular emphasis on Christian higher education and impacting society.

I believe this is a timely topic for the era in which we live and certainly for our Christian school community in these days. I am inviting you to join us and attend this seminar.

The cost is $15 per person with all proceeds benefiting the WCS Student Scholarship Fund.

My vision is that this would grow and develop both as an annual event, and a collaborative effort of our schools.

Our churches, pastors, teachers, and board members all need to be stimulated, encouraged, and challenged to move this Christian educational ministry forward . . .

For more information and/or to download a registration brochure, please click here to visit the Wilmington Christian School website and click on the RENEWING MINDS link on the home page! Please direct your questions to Wilmington Christian School using the contact info provided on the registration brochure.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Revitalize Your Classroom

Adapted from The Seven Laws of the Learner by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson
About the author:
Bruce Wilkinson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Prayer of Jabez ® and Secrets of the Vine ®, The Dream Giver, and Beyond Jabez. He serves as the chairman of Dream for Africa , Global Vision Resources, and Ovation Productions. Bruce and his wife, Darlene Marie, have three children and six grandchildren. They divide their time between Georgia and South Africa .

You teach to make a difference. Now, revitalize your classroom by learning and mastering seven time-tested principles being taught around the world! Written for teachers, including Sunday school teachers, parents, and professionals, this book outlines scriptural principles and techniques that will revolutionize your ability to teach to change lives. From the “law of the learner” to the “law of equipping,” each chapter presents hands-on, practical tools for you to employ in your own classroom.

Students learn best when teachers teach best! So how can you do your part? Employ the seven laws of the learner and unleash your students’ capabilities. You’ll discover how to:
· Help students reach their full potential
· Effect lasting life change
· Rekindle your flame for teaching
· Create an excitement for learning
· Transform apathetic students

Whether you’re a professional teacher, a parent, or teach in any setting, these principles and techniques will empower you to make a lasting impact in people’s lives. Thousands of teachers have already used these principles to spur their students to new horizons of success.

The Law of the Learner
The teacher should accept the responsibility of causing students to learn.

The Law of Expectations
The teacher should influence students’ learning by adjusting expectations.

The Law of Application
The teacher should stimulate life change in students by properly applying the Scriptures.

The Law of Retention
The teacher should enable students to enjoy the maximum mastery of the irreducible minimum.

The Law of Need
The teacher should surface the students’ real need before teaching the content.

The Law of Equipping
The teacher should train students for a life of service and edification.

The Law of Revival
The teacher should encourage an ongoing personal revival in students’ lives.

This article was adapted from The 7 Laws of the Learner DVD Curriculum by Bruce Wilkinson, © 1988, 2008 Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.

The 7 Laws of the Learner DVD Curriculum is available at www.walkthru.org.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Spread Too Thin: The Peanut Butter Syndrome in Christian Schools!

Are You Spread Too Thin?
How to THRIVE and not merely SURVIVE as a Christian school!
Originally posted by Dr. Barrett L. Mosbacker
The Christian School Journal

I recently read an interesting article by the CEO of Yahoo! titled The Peanut Butter Manifesto. For the purposes of this blog article I want to focus on the following statement from the memo because it is instructive for us as school leaders.

"We [Yahoo!] lack a focused, cohesive vision for our company. We want to do everything and be everything -- to everyone. We've known this for years, talk about it incessantly, but do nothing to fundamentally address it. We are scared to be left out. We are reactive instead of charting an unwavering course. We are separated into silos that far too frequently don't talk to each other. And when we do talk, it isn't to collaborate on a clearly focused strategy, but rather to argue and fight about ownership, strategies and tactics ...

I've heard our strategy described as spreading peanut butter across the myriad opportunities that continue to evolve in the online world. The result: a thin layer of investment spread across everything we do and thus we focus on nothing in particular."

The Christian school movement is not particularly healthy. Based on recent statistics that I have seen, the number of Christian school and overall enrollments are stagnant or declining.
Although there are external forces beyond our control that affect our schools, many of our problems are self-inflicted.

One of our self-inflicted wounds is similar to that articulated by the CEO of Yahoo!--we are often not strategic in the allocation of our tangible and intangible resources and as a consequence we are not offering a substantial marginal value to our current and potential clients. I am referring to our parents a clients because notwithstanding our missions as Christian schools, our parents are essentially paying clients who make economic calculations in deciding whether to enroll or re-enroll their children in our schools.

If our schools are to survive, much less thrive, we must stop "spreading the peanut butter too thin." We need to think far more strategically. Where should we place our resources? What is the basis for our decision? What programs should we eliminate? What programs should we add? The the marginal value of our schools been stagnant or declining?

These are important questions that we must answer with ruthless honesty.

Click here to read the rest of the post on The Christian School Journal.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Inquiring Parents Want to Know!

Mark Strohm, Jr.
Elementary Principal
Delaware County Christian School


From my 20 plus years in School Administration I can tell you - without any doubt - there is one primary bit of information every parent wants to know from their child’s teacher. Often a parent will hear nothing in an initial teacher meeting until they get the answer to this primary question. If a parent is not satisfied they have the answer, all of our communication, every story they hear from their child, will be filtered in such a way as to discern the answer to this most important question. What does every parent want to know?

Does this teacher love my child?

I have found there are two types of teachers. Some teachers feel it is their divine calling to measure and observe students while imparting knowledge and wisdom to them. Then at the appointed time, through their educated power of observation they are to declare which students are “good” or “bad” as well as which students are “smart” and which are “not so smart.” Parents are not impressed with this “purely professional” approach and conclude that teachers espousing it lack love. Wise teachers understand their calling as an opportunity to roll up their sleeves and come alongside parents to help teach and train students. These teachers work on their skills to be a greater blessing to students. They rejoice with parents and praise God when students succeed. Failure of a child, either morally or academically is a matter of great concern. At the point of failure parents are contacted to coordinate efforts to help the child grow and learn. Genuine interest is shown in each child with an acknowledgement that all are divinely created by God with great love and concern. Parents will appreciate these teachers and recognize the love this teacher has for their child.

I suggest you put every parent at ease! Let them know right at the start of the school year how much you appreciate working with young people.
  • Assure them it is a joy for you to get to know their son or daughter.
  • Share with parents the call of God on your life and why you desire work as a teacher in a Christian School.
  • Let parents know that it is your aim to work closely with them to minister to their child.
  • Clearly communicate that you want parents to contact you if they hear something is wrong and that you will work together with them through thick and thin. Trust me on this one - you can take the time up front or you can spend loads of time later trying to repair a parent’s perception.

Make it obvious that you love each child and are excited to work alongside parents, then make it doubly obvious!