TSL Educator Blog

Reading, Righting, ‘Rithmatic, Religion…

These are subjects taught at school. I think these subjects became important during the industrial age. What age are we in now? The technological age, Baby!!

Religion will always be the focus of education. Without it, there is no reason to study and no reason for us to be alive!! But are the other ‘R’ classes standard classes and course work appropriate in this day and age? I mean, who is going to teach relevancy of information? Who is going to teach the soft-skills?Who will teach community building? When will we teach information literacy? Are these the new skills of the future? When will we teach them?

Time, is flowing like a river…

Sorry, Alan Parson’s Project! Don’t hit me with a bad singing lawsuit!!!

Americans are selfish and spoiled. We have so much to do. But what is the best things to do? TV watching, skateboarding, taking a nap, are activities that bring “relaxation”, or so American media tells us. But, are those activities getting you anywhere?

Book reading: If you read a topic for five years, you will be an expert (I read that is some famous book!). You are the same today that you are going to be in five years except for the people you associate with and the books you read (Charlie Tremendous Jones).

I have no time to read! There are so many things I have to do first! After you read “First Things First” by Stephen Covey, you might see that after 15 minutes of Bible reading and prayer every day, that 15 minutes of reading will be your most important asset.

Homework: Another important activity for children, even if they say, “I have no time for homework!” Students have soccer after school, then there is 4-H and I have to practice piano, clean the horse pens and watch “American Idol”. Most of those teenage tasks are good to do. A few may be even great things to do. But the discipline of homework and book learning will last your entire lifetime. LEt’s make homework a priority. Soccer will be valuable until you quit the team because you don’t like your coach, or you get out of school and find there are no adult soccer leagues in your town. 4-H will help you until you move into the city or tire of taking care of animals. Piano can last you a life time, especially if you play for church worship. Cleaning horse pens; see the 4-H argument. “American Idol”! Give me a break! Go make and chase your own goals and dreams instead of watching others do that!!

Homework can give you skills for life. It can make you a life long learner can adapt and change to their new occupations, they make faster and more advances on the job, they appreciate other people more and actually stop and admire the power of God as he reveals it in the world around us.

Take some time…do your homework…struggle…over come obstacles…be successful…have good self-esteem because Jesus loves you

I am looking for input. How can my students blogging help their science and computer grades?

Are there any negatives or positives that should be discussed with student’s blogging?

Writing about their learning is a positive to help students retain their instruction. I do not believe there are any doubts about that. Is blogging going to help my students? Is the lack of technology at someone’s house going to hinder this? Will it be too much administration time for me?

HELP!!!!!!!

Webster, that smart guy,defines criticism as the act of criticizing, usually unfavorably. I thought you weren’t supposed to use a word in its own definition? Criticizing is defined by the same guy as, to find fault with. According to that definition, I don’t believe criticism has a place in the classroom. We won’t criticize someone’s work. We don’t criticize decisions and we will never criticize the president. Why would we want to examine a fault that someone has? It may make us feel superior. It can simply put down a person or their work so we feel better.

What would be the antonyms of criticism? The same Mr. Webster offers these three: approval, compliment, praise. Surely these three words are more becoming the climate of a Christian classroom! But I don’t give my approval to Joshua who continually interrupts the learning process. I won’t compliment my students because as soon as I do, they misbehave. Praise? What do I have to praise my class for? They should behave because Jesus loves them!

I will agree with you. At times students need to be told privately or in a story that a behavior is disruptive, un-Christian, or wrong. But what is wrong with approval, compliment and praise? Maybe the terminology is wrong. Perhaps you would prefer the word edify. Edify your students.

I remember the first time I heard that word used. It was almost 22 months ago. I was reading a leadership book, “Launching a Leadership Revolution” (Brady & Woodward). I’m sure I couldn’t find the section of the book now that spoke of edification, but I remember the gist of the idea. Build people up…to instruct and improve as Mr. Webster says…hey, wait a minute…I should know that concept! Ephesians 4:16 speaks to the topic of building up the body of Christ, in love. This edification concept isn’t that new after all.

How can you edify your students? There are so many ways. Say “Hi!” to them and call them by name. Catch them doing something good. Encourage them in a task they are working on. Get to know their personalities. Know what their likes and interests are outside of school. The list could be longer, but you are smart and can “pick up what I am laying down”, I’m sure.

Use edification. Try it. You’ll like it! So will your students and your relationship with them will change and your classroom climate will improve exponentially!!

I find it simply amazing how there are four different, basic personality types (Dr. Rober Rohm, Florence Littauer), yet they can be assembled by God into so many uniquely created people that no two of them are ever alike.

As I teach children and young adults, as I work with adults, as I coach various teams, as I try my hand in the entrepreneurial world, it never ceases to amaze me that people are different. AND, different people are different at different times.

There are conflicts and disagreements. Knowing personalities helps you understand how to deal with people involved in the conflicts. Can I challange a person, do I have to empathize with them? Will they forget about it when they have fun again, or will this be a deep seated event that will be hard to forgive? These questions and there answers will help decide your best course of action.

The thing that troubles me is leading industry and sales executives hire new employees based on 30% hard skills (what they can do and have done) and 70% soft skills (people skills, relationships, conflict resolution, integrity, leadership). Who is teaching those skills to the next set of Americans? That troubles me. I teach math, science, computer and physical skills according to established curricula at Trinity-St. Luke’s. But soft skills are important enough that I feel they should be taught along side of the curriculum. Why couldn’t a teenager read “How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling”, by Frank Bettger. Everyday we try to sell people on a great day of weather, who the best football team is and other trivial sales items. When it comes to building leaders and making disciples I can not think of anything more important than the Bible…then Mr. Bettger’s book.

Yes, that type of information is unique in a standard school setting. It is important. It helps millions of people everyday. How good of a friend, a wise a father, how great of a loving Christian would I be today if I had been studying soft skills for 41 years? How much better could I have influenced young Christians over the last 18 years? How much greater of an impact should have I had on the youth that God entrusted me to serve? Father forgive me!!