The Dock List: Recent Episodes

The Dock for Learning

Selected recordings on serving in Anabaptist education. Recordings are courtesy of CASBI, Christian Light, Faith Builders, and other conservative Anabaptist organizations.

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Most people can readily see the importance of English. Why do so few enjoy it in school or find it fulfilling?

In this inspiring session, Kendall Myers reminds us of why language arts classes rightly take a significant slice of our energies at school. Kendall brings a wealth of experience and thought to this topic from his time in the classroom, in school leadership, and as a parent. He asks the question: What should we accomplish in our English classes? He unpacks the basic goal of producing students who are capable of listening and reading with comprehension and speaking and writing with clarity.

You’ll hear a profound philosophy of language woven in here. Language opens the world to our students; it changes the way they see and understand. Articulating what they have learned or are coming to understand is a vital part of knowing. Expressing what they know clarifies their understanding and increases their ownership of the material.

But this talk doesn’t just give the philosophy. While that’s essential to caring deeply about English, Kendall’s talk also points towards the kinds of activities that can turn this subject into something students look forward to. Specifically, he offers an overview of how to think about cultivating your students’ reading. What should our students be reading and how do we identify a good book?

Links

This recording was first published on The Dock as "Why Teach English?" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/why-teach-english/
More recordings from CASBI 2015: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2015/
Info on how languages divide the color spectrum differently (two suggested links below; use some or all or other)
- https://blog.duolingo.com/color-words-around-the-world/
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0701644104?url_ver=Z39.88-2003𝔯_id=ori:rid:crossref.org𝔯_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11759-russian-speakers-get-the-blues/ (summary of the 2nd link)

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You’ve heard it before; your school will develop a culture, a spirit. The question is: what kind of a spirit will it be and what can you do to form it?

Richie Lauer brings helpful insight and proactive ideas for you to consider as you get into your school year. Richie has taught and administrated and now fills a role at Anabaptist Financial. This talk comes from way back in 2001. Richie highlights the need to cultivate and guard respect, looks at ways to maximize participation, unpacks the significance of the various interactions around school, and offers examples of the kinds of traditions that bear a lot of weight in developing healthy school spirit.

Many of the details and too much of the information learned at school is forgotten. School plays a unique role in forming a child’s identity and that is something they never lose.

You can find the entire session from which this talk was excerpted at the link below. Jonas Sauder gives his thoughts and ideas in the second half of the session.

Links

This recording was first published on The Dock as “Developing School Spirit and Traditions:” https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/developing-school-spirit-and-traditions/
7: Curriculum is Important, but What About Everything Else? https://administratorspodcast.podbean.com/e/curriculum-is-important-but-what-about-everything-else/

As a school administrator, what is your role in speaking into your students’ homes? That’s actually a much bigger question than what this talk addresses.

Homes matter so much.

Perhaps we’re tempted to think we can take any student and transform them through a great school experience, but that only reaches so far. As we consider our influence at school and capacity to establish a particular culture, it’s important for us to come to grips with the influence of the home. This ought to inspire our gratitude for the good homes and parents from which we benefit as well as prompt us to prayerfully search for ways to care for the troubled homes with which we interact. Ultimately, we offer our work at school to our heavenly Father and trust Him to work through the Spirit to form and establish our students according to his good will.

Gerald Miller cares an awful lot about this issue as you are about to hear in this vigorous appeal to take the home’s influence seriously. He has taught and administrated for many years at Faith Builders Christian School in northwestern Pennsylvania. He is addressing parents and school leaders here as a parent and a school leader. This is an opportunity to consider important strengths and weaknesses in your own example if you are a parent and an opportunity for anyone to gain insight into the circumstances of the families that you serve.

We offer this episode in the hope that God will graciously guide you in responding to any needs that this talk brings to your attention.

Links

This recording was first published on The Dock as “Evaluating Seven Elements of Your Home’s Influence:” https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/evaluating-seven-elements-of-your-homes-influence/
More presentations from CASBI 2018: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2018/
Artificial Maturity, Tim Elmore (book): https://a.co/d/97CIjO4

“A teacher can never put in a method what he does not have in himself.” -Emerson White

This is part 2 of this pair of talks from Jonas Sauder on orienting teachers to their work. Jonas speaks from a deep and passionate vision for education that has sustained and guided him over the past decades. It’s inspiring to hear him cast vision for teaching from a place of fullness and freshness.

In the first episode, Jonas laid out some basic concepts for teachers in forming healthy expectations for their work and their place in the community. In this episode, he delves into the need for and fundamentals of classroom management. Jonas is keen to emphasize that you don’t manage a classroom primarily by how you plan but through who you are. Especially for new teachers, that may feel daunting. Maybe even like a bit of a dead end. I hope you’ll find some language for how to communicate about both the more concrete and abstract components of effective classroom management.

Infused in this talk is a core understanding of children as persons, not pawns. Classroom management is about creating an orderly, nourishing environment for little humans not designing and maintaining some kind of machine.

Jonas closes with a few cautionary ideas on how to lose control of your classroom.

As you press into this new school year, may God give you grace to lead your team with clarity and joy.

Links

This recording was first published on The Dock as "Teacher Orientation: Managing the Classroom:" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/teacher-orientation-managing-the-classroom-jonas-sauder/
More recordings from Teacher’s Week 2008: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/teachers-week-2008/
The First Days of School (book): https://christianlearning.org/product/first-days-school/

Preparation is vital to building solid momentum. Our next segment of four episodes will explore two areas that will play a huge role in the building or defeating momentum at your school this year. These two areas are orienting your teaching team and investing in healthy school culture. What do your teachers need to understand and prepare in order to succeed? In both August episodes, Jonas Sauder will address this question. In September, Gerald Miller and Richie Lauer will help us orient and deepen our leadership of our school culture.

Description

Many of you school leaders are in the process or will soon be onboarding new teachers. All of you are about to guide your team through a new school year. Perhaps your staff have experience, maybe you have someone starting their first year of teaching. How do you see your teachers, especially your new ones? What expectations do you have for them? How do you go beyond just helping them to feel good for the first weeks and set them up for a successful year?

Jonas Sauder has labored for decades in many levels of Christian education. Listen in as he addresses a group of new teachers and glean from his perspective as you lead your team through the opening days of this upcoming school term.

Links

This recording was first published on The Dock as "Teacher Orientation: Expectations & Preparation:" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/teacher-orientation-expectations-preparation-jonas-sauder/
This recording is from Teacher’s Week 2008: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/teachers-week-2008/

What sources of motivation power the performance of your roles? Not only is perseverance a challenge, but it has so many imposters.

There are so many broken versions of true motivation that offer us a way forward just when we’re in a pinch or when we’re sitting in silence waiting impatiently for some fresh inspiration. It seems that it takes some suffering to strip away our ambition and expose our egotistic motivation. And it’s deeply unsettling to be left with what feels like nothing.

Perhaps you’ve been through this or are going through this even now. We require many rounds of training here. This talk explores three elements of the courage to endure.

The example of the faithful
The life and victory of Jesus
The hope of the resurrection

John Coblentz offers these three sources of motivation that draw us towards what’s real, true, and beautiful. John has taught, led, pastored, and counseled in a variety of places. He now serves at Faith Builders and is part of the leadership of a church in Meadville Pennsylvania.

Links

This recording is from Teacher’s Week 2024. Other recordings: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/fbep-teachers-week/teachers-week-2024/
Teachers Week 2025: https://thedockforlearning.org/event/faith-builders-teachers-week-2025/

What’s the link between our destination and our way? This is one of those things that is not difficult to comprehend but by all appearances, famously difficult to obey.

The way is often not apparent or is offensive to us. Or it may be that the way we have chosen is so precious to us that we have lost both the clarity and the concern about our destination. In any evet, it is improbable that we will choose the way of Jesus even if we affirm the goodness of his destination.

This is the situation that Mahlon Zehr addresses, exploring how these four virtues enable us to follow the way of Jesus.

Humility
Faith
Hope
Love

Mahlon speaks as a farmer, educator, and writer from northern Oregon.

“A foolish man chooses his way and must accept his destiny, but a wise man chooses his destiny and accepts the way.” -Anon.

This recording was first published on The Dock as “Of Destinies and Ways:” https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/of-destinies-and-ways/
More Recordings from Pacific School Leadership Institute 2021: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/psli/pacific-school-leadership-institute-2021/

Why do we exist?
For what results are we accountable?
Who are we serving–primarily?
What are our values?
What is our plan?

These are five questions that according to Steven Brubaker are essential for every school leader to help his school to answer clearly and to communicate relentlessly to everyone involved with the school.

When God has work he wants done, he looks for a person fit for the job. Obviously, there are many different positions that God fills when he forms a community of faith. School administrators and leaders are among them. Drawing from Ezekiel 22 and from his observations over 30 years in the conservative Christian school movement, Steven Brubaker identifies school leadership as one of the wider gaps in our communities and one that we’ve had trouble filling. Steven reflects on his experience as a teacher and administrator from the day he accepted his first job at a school at age 22. There he was tasked with both teaching and administrating. That first year he learned that he liked teaching. In the decades since he has developed a passion for administration as well. Clear and thoroughly communicated answers to these questions will go a long way to turning this gap into a strong part of the wall.

Like other speakers on this show, Steven warns us about the shallowness of a negative answer to the question of why we exist born out of our departure from the public schools. And if we do some hard work on that first question of existence, we are primed to form clear and powerful answers to the rest. God has sustained our schools with his grace. The questions that Steven unpacks here lay out a way for us to steward the tremendous resources that God has entrusted to us.

Links

[book] The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization – Peter Drucker: https://a.co/d/f4pNlWc
[book] Good to Great – Jim Collins: https://a.co/d/eUuL3la
[this show] Episode 14: Why Administrators? – Steven Brubaker: https://administratorspodcast.podbean.com/e/why-administrators/
This recording was first published on The Dock as “Loving our Work:” https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/loving-our-work/
More Recordings from Administrator’s Conference and Retreat: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/administrators-conference-and-retreat/
Details about Administrators Conference: https://www.fbep.org/attend/events/administrators-conference-and-retreat/

What makes education distinctly Christian? Is this more a question of what it is or what it isn’t? But whatever we make of those questions, how do educators remain passionate about their mundane, sometimes thankless, often discouraging role in carrying this work forward? Anthony Hurst, who has over 25 years of experience in Christian Day Schools and currently works as school representative for Christian Light, offers valuable insight on these perennial questions.

School leaders, you’ve likely experienced just how quickly your own vision and motivation can fade. You are also in a prime position to renew the passion of the teams that you lead. Join Anthony in reflecting on what keeps the fire burning. As you listen to his ideas and insights, take note of memories and experiences this brings to mind.

How could you and your team tap into the experiences of the past year to renew your commitment for the next one?

Links

- This recording was first published on The Dock as Why I am Passionate About Christian Education: https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/why-i-am-passionate-about-christian-education/
- More Recordings from Pacific School Leadership Institute 2021: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/psli/pacific-school-leadership-institute-2021/
- More Information about Pacific School Leaders Institute: https://psli.info/

How do children develop? How do we give them the best chance of healthy development? The fact of the ocean of ink spilled on this question has not lessened the actual wonder of this process or the reality of its mystery.

In a presentation filled with stories and examples, Brandon Mullet explores the basic needs of children. Brandon speaks as an administrator, teacher, and parent.

He discusses themes such as:

Laboring for what is right and fulfilling for children without regard for own reputation and recognition
Ministering sacrificially to children
Walking with Christ so we can minister in his love
Letting children know that we love them and enjoy them and like being with them

This presentation was given over 25 years ago which highlights the reality that these issues are timeless. May you find them illuminating and orienting as you head into the summer and engage with the children in your life as well as reflecting on this past school year.

Links

Child Development Workshop 1998: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/child-development-workshop/
Opening comic: https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1962/02/04
This was first published on The Dock as "Child Development: Biblical Orientation:" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/child-development-biblical-orientation/

How are your teachers’ root systems? If you have the opportunity, ask an arborist talk about root systems and about the tree planting and care process. From root hairs to mycorrhizae, it’s a fascinating world. But one that is mostly invisible to us and that tends to fall prey to our drive to control and manipulate what is visible to us. Melvin Lehman employs the metaphor of roots as he reflects on nearly four decades of teaching.

He did his first teaching back in the early days of the Christian school movement when he observed much rapid planting driven by the need to quickly fill the empty spaces in all the new classrooms. We have better opportunities for cultivating strong and healthy roots today. But of course, this is not automatic and there are plenty of pressing reasons for ignoring our root systems. As a school leader, you are in a position to model the development of healthy roots and to care for those of your team. Without them, as Melvin says, we will be unable to access and appropriate the resources around them, however rich and abundant they may be.

Here are some of the main recommendations that Melvin makes in his talk:

Develop of the discipline of meditation and prayer
Be wholesome (and holy)
Accept new or challenging assignments
Read widely and with a plan
Teach in diverse situations
Pursue stimulating and productive hobbies
Master new and essential skills
Surround yourself with stimulating and challenging people
Take advanced courses of study

This episode was first published on The Dock as "Intentional Growth:" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/intentional-growth-melvin-lehman/

More from Teachers Week 2012: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/fbep-teachers-week/teachers-week-2012/

Does your school have mission, vision, and values statements? Who knows about them?

We’re probably all familiar with these three terms and in this episode, Merle Burkholder offers simple definitions and provides clear examples of each one to refresh our usage. He also suggests a variety of means to communicate these guiding statements so that they can become second nature for you and your people.

Merle brings many years of experience in church and organizational leadership including his work at Open Hands and Servant Institute. After working through definitions and examples of guiding statements Merle explains four elements of an organization that can be used to measure its health and life-stage from birth to death. It’s a useful grid for evaluating the health of a school. On that note, this episode echoes our last episode on evaluation. Merle proposes that, “People produce what you measure.” Clear guiding statements, particularly core values, give you an effective basis to evaluate your school.

Merle was addressing leaders of different types of organizations. Where Merle discusses the responsibilities of a leadership team and CEO in carrying the vision, I think we can insert the school board and administrator. You might consider going back to episode 14 by Steven Brubaker outlining the role of an administrator who works at the intersection of the various parties involved in a school.

Finally, it is possible for a school team to share a vision that is sufficiently vivid and understood to occasionally take away your breath and consistently guide your decision-making. May this strengthen your gains here or guide your steps in that direction.

Links

Why Administrators? on The Dock School Leader Podcast: https://administratorspodcast.podbean.com/e/why-administrators/
This recording was originally published on The Dock as "Clarifying Mission Vision and Values": https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/clarifying-mission-vision-and-values/
More recordings from REACH 2017: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/reach/reach-2017/

How do you know when you have a good year at school? When the people around you talk about having a good year or a bad year, what do they have in mind? As an administrator, it matters that you feel a sense of satisfaction or concern when things are actually going well or going poorly as the case may be. You play a key role in setting the tone for celebrating success and learning from failure. But you need to know what success looks like, and it’s often not enough just to trust your intuition. Further, Mark reminds us that we will never be effective evaluators if we are under the tyranny of only keeping up with what’s urgent. Effective evaluation requires clarity about our desired ends, attentiveness to our current progress, and scrutiny of our chosen methods.

Mark Kurtz speaks with a background in both teaching and administrating and also shares the connections that he’s made between raising strawberries and school children. Mark takes us through an overview of the who, what, and where to evaluate, offering a trove of penetrating questions for administrators and school boards.

You’ll hear Mark describe the four quadrants used by Steven Covey and others to develop time management skills. If this is new for you, use the link below to find a copy of this diagram and consider keeping it in front of you for the section near the beginning where Mark introduces these concepts and gives a few examples of quadrant one and two activities.

Links

Four Quadrants for Time Management

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Steven Covey: https://a.co/d/2D8FvBL

What were we created for and how does that inform our relationships? In this final episode in our segment on relationships, Jeff Swanson describes four fundamentals that become especially potent when relationships turn problematic:

Love
Listening
Structure
Direct communication

If you know Jeff, you may catch the humor of his title and of his proposition to offer groundbreaking thoughts about relating to children and million-dollar hints for interacting with parents and other teachers. Jeff Swanson has taught in a wide range of school settings for several decades and offers here some of what he’s learned in nurturing strong relationships around the school. Jeff throws in many anecdotes alongside of a very straightforward collection of principles. If you want to love your job and want your teachers to love their jobs five and ten years from now, this will help guide you towards that future.

Links

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: https://a.co/d/gRnZ9qQ
This recording was first published on The Dock as "Naughty Students, Naughty Parents, and Naughty Teachers!": https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/naughty-students-naughty-parents-and-naughty-teachers/
More recordings from Teachers Week 2023: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/teachers-week-2023/

Why have an administrator? What can an administrator do in terms of the relationships around the school? Steve Brubaker makes the case that administrators inhabit and manage the complex meeting place of all the people involved in a school. It’s a position of influence to be used not to lord it over others but to serve them. “Administrators exist to serve the servants,” says Steven. And schools that lack these people are hampered in their efforts to grow.

Specifically, administrators are in a position to nurture growth in these two ways:

Valuing the diversity – each person with whom or for whom we labor is worthwhile, and it is one of the administrator’s primary roles to reveal and maximize that worth.
Promoting the unity – helping all our people speak a common language, doing a lot of listening (which includes creating opportunities for listening), doing a lot of communicating (before, around, and during decision-making), and fostering shared experiences makes this a potent second role for an administrator.

Steven develops both of those roles and also provides practical elaboration on the admin/board relationship and the admin/teacher relationship.

Bonus: (from the discussion time in the original presentation)

How can you go about growing into these responsibilities as an administrator if you’re in a situation where the board currently has those responsibilities?
1. Patience, build trust
2. Appeal, ask to be involved/participate rather than trying to change the process
3. Clarify, discuss job description/expectations

Links

Administrator’s Conference: https://www.fbep.org/attend/events/administrators-conference-and-retreat/
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick M. Lencioni: https://a.co/d/2dkE4wu
Doing Good Even Better by Edgar Stoesz: https://a.co/d/ilJRVb2
This recording was originally published on The Dock as "Loving Those We Serve": https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/loving-those-we-serve/
More Recordings from 2017 Administrators Conference and Retreat: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/administrators-conference-and-retreat/

If parents are responsible to train their children, what are the children doing in schools? Matt Peachy lays out a case for education that places schools squarely in a position of service to the church and to families. He then outlines some of the ways that this shapes a school, particularly in its relationships with parents and the church.

Matt teaches at the secondary level and has administrative and pastoral experience. Notably, he is also a parent. Matt addresses three core questions in his talk:

Who is responsible for education?
Where do teachers fit?
What kind of people should teachers be?

Outline of key sections of Matt’s presentation:

How can we support parents?

See yourself as a servant
Communicate well (Assume that parents want what is best for their children)
Lead your classroom

How do we sell the church?

Recognize your impact
Promote excellence
Emphasize discipleship

What qualities are we looking for in teachers?

Christlikeness
Competency
Commitment

For those of you who have been to Faith Builders, there are a few doses of Guys Mills sirens to stir your nostalgia.

Links

This episode was first published on The Dock as “Supporting the Parents:” https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/supporting-the-parents/
Teachers Week 2019: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/fbep-teachers-week/teachers-week-2019/
Reclaiming the Future of Christian Education by Albert Greene: https://a.co/d/7x2oukN

What’s your greatest advantage as a teacher or leader in a Christian school? Stephen submits that it is the immeasurable gift of most of our children having parents that love them. What are you doing to know and care for those parents and your students, especially the average ones?

Stephen Gingerich speaks with year of experience teaching and administrating in a school in Guatemala that serves both mission and native families. This work carried him deep into serving severely broken families.

School leaders are often busy enough just keeping things at school under control. How will you carry these extra things? First, if I hear Stephen correctly, I think he’s telling us that if we’re too busy to care for our families we’re too busy. Second, Stephen leads us to trusting in God to provide in measure to what he’s called you to carry. Third, I would add that sometimes God supplies the kind of strength and direction that’s needed for leaders to facilitate reorganization, delegation, or other strategic responses to the awareness of overwhelming or unrealistic responsibilities.

I don’t know where this finds you, but I trust that as you follow his leading, God will supply the grace you need to help your school grow in caring for your families. They are precious to our Lord. Let’s renew our commitment to counting it a privilege to serve them.

Six ways to help

Be a model/good example
Be faithful
Be a mentor
Be a servant
Be willing to use our gifts
Be biblical

In sum, let Ephesians four saturate your teaching.

This episode was first published on The Dock as "Connecting With a Variety of Families:" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/connecting-with-a-variety-of-families-stephan-gingerich/

Teachers Week 2013: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/fbep-teachers-week/teachers-week-2013/

Just investing in a culture of growth as Gerald described in the last episode won’t solve all problems. Here he is again with a sequel episode exploring redemptive solutions to difficult people problems.

Few people enjoy wading into these situations. Gerald won’t tell you how to begin liking it, but he does outline a number of excellent methods for how to lead responsibly and honorably.

This episode describes how to break down a problem by:

Identifying the issues
Agreeing on the issues
Developing a plan (including specific steps, point person, timing, and contingencies)
Following through
Establishing accountability

These methods will help you gain confidence in bringing clarity as you labor to help teachers stay in the classroom and grow if that’s the right place for them or how to support them in moving forward to another vocation. This is not about toughing up as a leader. It’s about school leaders who are ministers of God’s grace through hard times.

Principles covered in this episode

Leaving things alone does not make problems go away
Name the elephants in the room
Principles of difficult conversations
1. Know thyself
2. Grace and truth
3. Clarity with compassion
You need eyewitnesses, kill assumptions
Act as one
Do what is best for your church’s future and your teacher’s future
Be a part of the solution
Speak no evil
Confidentiality

Links

CASBI: https://casbi.info/

Schools are places for growth and learning.

Growth is essential for teachers.
Teachers must be learners.
This is not something that school leaders can force, but it very is definitely something that leaders can and should nurture.

Gerald Miller, long-time teacher and administrator makes a compelling case for those propositions which will shape how you think about what you look for in a teacher. He also shares straightforward ideas for how you can cultivate habits of development in your school. Some of these ideas aren’t as complicated as you might think.

The Call Develop
The Teacher as Learner
Cultivating Development

Links

Information about CASBI 2023: https://thedockforlearning.org/event/casbi-2023/

What does it look like to shepherd your school?

This episode presents a passionate challenge by a board member to school leaders and to board members in particular to take full ownership of their responsibility for the people under their care. Ernie Weaver brings school board and business leadership experience to this talk as well as perspective from within the classroom through his own time as a teacher and as son and brother of long-time teachers.

Ernie shoots straight here: make the hard decisions for the good of your school and stick with your team no matter what. He outlines the principles of the book, The Way of the Shepherd, and applies them to school. His talk is full of examples and concludes with a collection of ideas to try. See the show notes for a few other ideas from the post-session discussion.

Additional ideas from post-session discussion

Take coffee drinks to school
Pack their lunches
Make sure single teachers are eating well for suppers
Pray over the school
Facilitate teachers getting into the homes of their patrons

Links

This recording was originally published on The Dock as "Encouraging and Blessing Your Teachers": https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/encouraging-and-blessing-your-teachers/
The Way of the Shepherd by Kevin Leman, William, Pentak, and Marc Cashman: https://www.zondervan.com/9780310305408/the-way-of-the-shepherd/
"Seven Essential Principles for Leading Productive People": https://thedockforlearning.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Way-of-the-Shepherd.docx
Information about CASBI: https://casbi.info/
More recordings from CASBI 2022: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2022/
Personality tests:
- DISC: https://www.discprofiles.com/
- Working Genius: https://www.workinggenius.com/

Is an incompetent teacher better than not having a one?

We are beginning a new segment focused on staff development and care.

In this opening episode, Ken Kauffman speaks from his experience as a teacher, principle, and educational representative for Christian Light. He leads the way in thinking about the following three issues:

How we prepare new teachers
How we identify and nurture the next generation of teachers
How we build up experienced teachers.

This talk will give you a thought-provoking and actionable collection of ideas for you to take steps towards your school being a place where the craft of teaching is prized and where that craft is intentionally being reproduced.

Ken suggests that teachers may have nearly as much influence on the church as its ministry. If that’s the case, our vetting processes and methods of preparing teachers are often sadly lacking. And while good character is of fundamental importance, teachers need more than that.

Links

CASBI 2019: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2019/
Teacher Training Programs
- Faith Builders Training Institute Summer Term: https://www.fbep.org/academics/summer-term/
- Faith Builders Training Institute Teacher Apprenticing Program: https://www.fbep.org/attend/two-year-programs/
- Teachers Week: https://www.fbep.org/attend/events/teachers-week/
- Teachers Conference: https://www.fbep.org/attend/events/teachers-conference/

Our rationale, resources, and methodology matter.

But what about the students who come to us with such deep brokenness and dysfunction that our best efforts to help them go nowhere unless backwards or in circles? The subject of disorders is huge. Here in this bonus episode we’re going to look at just one of them: Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD).

Wesley King is a father of a RAD child and has experience as a principle. He speaks vulnerably and compassionately about this issue. This talk will help prepare you to approach a situation involving a child with RAD, but it will also take you to a more basic level of questions about student needs than when we’re talking about curriculum and rationale. These questions take us deeper into serving both our ordinary students as well as those dealing with RAD or other disorders.

Links

This episode was initially published as “Coping with Reactive Attachment Disorder” at: https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/coping-with-reactive-attachment-disorder/
Other presentations from CASBI 2015: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2015/
“Specific Learning Disabilities” by Lynell Nissley: https://thedockforlearning.org/specific-learning-disabilities/
“Resources for The Exceptional Learner” by Lynell Nissley: https://thedockforlearning.org/document/resources-for-the-exceptional-learner/
“Reactive Attachment Disorder Part 2” by Sumner Loomis: https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/reactive-attachment-disorder-part-2-sumner-loomis/

A common theme in academic discussions is the curriculum. For our final episode in this segment on academics, we’re looking at this common theme, but with an important distinction.

Gerald Miller, teacher and current administrator at Faith Builders Christian School differentiates between the formal curriculum (what you pay money for every year) and the hidden curriculum, which is everything else. He’s casting vision here for schools that produce students that both know things and know how to serve with the things they know.

“Formal curriculum is intentional; hidden curriculum is inherent.

Formal is obvious, hidden is subtle.

What is learned in the formal curriculum leaves you eventually, at least the details.

But what you learn in the hidden curriculum lasts a lifetime.”

– John Ortberg

Links

This presentation was initially published as "Examining Your School’s Hidden Curriculum” at: https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/examining-your-schools-hidden-curriculum-by-gerald-miller/
Other presentations from CASBI 2019: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2019/

We are continuing our segment of episodes addressing particular subject areas.

Building a strong reading program is more than helping students with dyslexia. How well is your school doing overall at shaping your students into adults who love reading, who can do it well, and who can enter deeply into their reading?

Drawing inspiration from Nehemiah where the law was rediscovered through distinct reading that gave the sense and caused the people to understand, Lyndon Hartman calls us to reevaluate our commitment to developing the essential craft of reading. Lyndon speaks from a background of teaching reading and literature in several different grades, working with reading curriculum, and most importantly speaks from a deep love of reading.

He outlines six area for us to evaluate:

Our teachers
curriculum
books
judgement concerning struggling readers
libraries
examples

Links

This presentation was initially published as "Raising Readers” at: https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/raising-readers/
Other presentations from CASBI 2022: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2022/
Find more resources that support teaching and learning at https://thedockforlearning.org/

Description

Singing has been an important part of our Anabaptist heritage. But what are the trends of music literacy and quality in your community? Does your school delight in music making? And what is at stake if music education is off track?

Lyle Stutzman approaches this topic with many years of experience in music teaching and directing. He's taught at the elementary, high school, and secondary levels including places like Shenandoah Christian Music Camp. He currently directs Laudate Mennonite Ensemble. Lyle brings a deep care and concern for music in the classroom. While he doesn’t directly address the issue of music discernment, he describes a foundation for music making that will orient you for making decisions both at school and beyond. Lyle lays out three reasons why we should attend diligently to music education:

Music is essential in the kingdom of God
Christ-centered music education prepares students to be effective in the kingdom
Illiteracy and it’s results if we ignore music

He finishes with a collection of ideas for how we can improve. It’s heartening to see some progress in the years since Lyle gave this talk in 2014. There’s more ground to be gained.

Links

Pilgrim Choral Series: https://blueskymusic.net/pilgrim-choral-series/
Sing for Joy: https://blueskymusic.net/shop/satb/sing-for-joy-you-happy-people/
Lyle has taught at Faith Builders Training Institute: https://fbep.org/
Lyle has taught at Shenandoah Christian Music Camp : https://www.musiccamp.info/

We’re beginning a segment of episodes exploring specific topics in the domain of academics. In today’s episode, history teacher Michael Martin explores the foundations of why we include history in our curriculum. We rely on history, which for Michael includes divine revelation, to answer the following questions:

Who are we?
Where we are going?
What we are doing?
What we could become?

Our history teachers wield great power, or at least they could. Michael makes the case that we must access this power for the sacred work of shaping the worldviews of our children. He leaves us with something of a commission for evaluating our history curriculum.

How do we know our history teaching is working? When our children choose to suffer with the people of God rather than enjoying the pleasures of sins for a season.
How do we measure success in history teaching? When our children see God as the center of history.

Links

This presentation was initially published as "Why Teach History?" at https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/why-teach-history/
Other presentations from CASBI 2019: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/christian-school-administration-institute-2019/
Find more resources that support teaching and learning at https://thedockforlearning.org/.

If there is no such thing as a culture-less school, then the question becomes: what is my school’s culture? Is it what you want? And just as importantly, what are you doing to either build it or change it? In this episode, Anthony Hurst brings several decades of experience as a teacher and administrator to the question about how to cultivate the kind of culture that produces the fruit for which we hope. You will be challenged to be clear and specific, even painfully so, about what you need to do to realize your vision.

Links

Evaluating Seven Elements of Your Home’s Influence, CASBI 2018, Gerald Miller https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/evaluating-seven-elements-of-your-homes-influence/
This presentation was initially published as "Cultivating a Healthy School Culture" at https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/cultivating-a-healthy-school-culture/
Other presentations from CASBI 2018: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2018/
Find more resources that support teaching and learning at https://thedockforlearning.org/.

In this episode, Gary Miller asks us to take a careful look at our target. We are all aiming at something. Our schools have a target in focus and so does each one of our students. At best, functional and ideal targets are misaligned. At worst, careful targeting is ignored in the press of responding to whatever is most urgent.

Gary Miller brings deep experience in finance and education. In 2011 he authored the book Charting a Course in Your Youth where he tried to leverage this experience to equip young people to focus early on the right things, particularly in finances. Unified focus on the right target is vital for kingdom building. In this talk in 2013, Gary offers clarifying insight about the difference between the apparatus involved in hitting targets and the step of selecting a target in the first place. He also offers wisdom about identifying the key target and homing in on it.

Links

Charting a Course in Your Youth: https://cambooks.org/shop/cam-published-books/resources/kingdom-focused-finances/charting-a-course-in-your-youth/
Going Till You’re Gone: https://cambooks.org/shop/cam-published-books/resources/kingdom-focused-finances/going-till-youre-gone/
This presentation was initially published as "Cultivating Hearts of Service in Children at" https://thedockforlearning.org/lecture/cultivating-hearts-of-service-in-children/
Other presentations from CASBI 2013: https://thedockforlearning.org/series/casbi/casbi-2013/

Find more resources that support teaching and learning at https://thedockforlearning.org/.

Kyler and Jaran introduce The Dock School Leader Podcast, talks to inspire and equip Anabaptist school leaders.

Find more resources that support teaching and learning at https://thedockforlearning.org/.

Student apathy can be a frustrating drag in any classroom. What might be going on beneath the surface of a student’s “don’t-care” attitude?

For some, it might signal a fear of failure or a wrong view of education. For others, it might indicate disordered priorities and desires. Whatever the case, John Mark calls teachers to the daily work of forming students into passionate lovers of goodness and truth, of God and neighbor.

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Read transcriptTranscriptDon’t you love a good project? Take some time to develop the thing, but once you roll it out to the students, the students are engaged, and you get to stand back and watch them work. You get to advise them as they dig deeply into this thing on their own, whatever the subject is that you’ve assigned to them in this project. Instead of being the sage on the stage, you get to be the guide by the side for a change. And the students, they’re working extra hours trying to fill in whatever gaps they might have. They find sources you hadn’t thought of. They learn things you didn’t know. And when they get to obstacles, they just bound right over those obstacles as if they don’t exist…

It’s not connecting? That’s not your experience of projects? Sometimes it is, and those are great.

I have only ever had students outright tell me they don’t care about what I’m offering in words, maybe a handful of times in the 14 years that I’ve been teaching. But they tell me they don’t care in other ways.

What’s actually going on when a student is not engaging with the material I have to offer?

Fear of FailureA student saying “I don’t care”—a student really not engaging with the material may actually be afraid of failing. They might be saying “I don’t care” as a means of covering up their fear of failure.

We talked about that yesterday as a misapplication of carefulness. Carefulness is a good thing. If you misapply it and go to perfectionism, then carefulness is damaging and debilitating.

Today I’m going to take a little bit of a different approach to the fear of failure and say that the thing to develop in students who are afraid to fail and therefore feigning a lack of care—the thing to develop in these students is intellectual courage.

Courageous thinking is a willingness to take risks for the truth, for something important. And in this case, intellectual courage is a willingness to take risks for the truth.

So they may be saying they are afraid of failure and feigning that they don’t care. And in that case, the thing to develop is courage.

Misplaced PrioritiesIt may be that the student is saying that their outside life is more important than what is happening here.

In math class oftentimes we talk about making math real for the student, and that means you’re connecting it to their daily life. And actually, in every class we try to do this. We try to connect the class to what students are experiencing outside of school. And that’s a good pedagogical technique; that’s a good thing for us to do as teachers, is to tie what students are learning today with what they know from their life outside of school.

However, if the student is relying on me always to do that, I’m going to fail, and I’m going to lose them along the way because I can’t always make those connections for all of my students.

I have 14 students coming in this year. They have widely varied interests. I’m not going to hit them every single time with things that interest their personal life, with every single lesson that I teach. And so it is the student’s responsibility sometimes to make those connections.

Transactional View of LearningIt may be that the student is saying of learning, that learning is a transactional relationship.

Think about a transactional relationship that you have with a clerk at Walmart. I will give you this money, you will give me the goods I desire.

Think of the transactional relationship that people have with their boss. I will do the things you ask of me. I will allow you to boss me around for 8 hours a day and in return you will give me a paycheck.

That translates very, very easily into school. I will do the tasks you ask of me and in return you will give me a grade and you will let me go to the next grade. And at the end you will give me a diploma.

Transactional relationship of education means that as long as the student is fulfilling the commands of the teacher, the demands of the teacher, then they have earned their diploma, their grade, their advancement.

Is that really what education is? Is that really what we’re all about?

I would say no. No, no, no, no. You see, education is about far more than this transaction.

Malformed LoveAnother way the student might be saying this, might be communicating this transactional relationship is that he might be saying or she might be saying, “I love something else more than I love school.”

Well, that’s fine, actually. Does a student really need to love school itself?

No. But there are things going on at school that ought to be shaping the loves of our students, and students ought to be finding themselves loving certain things more and other things less because of what’s happening at school.

So far this week I’ve been focusing on intellectual character traits, things that exist in the mind, the way students think about things. Today I want to highlight something very different. It is a character trait. Remember, I called character how a student behaves within the range of possible behaviors that they have.

So how do they behave within a range of possible behaviors, within that range of possibility when it comes to love?

Love is a transitive verb that means it needs an object. There is something—you don’t just love, you love something or someone.

So while we are thinking beings, I would argue that we are much more than our minds. What we love is a deeper part of who we are than what we think. Now the two are closely connected. I like to say that the mind defends what the heart chooses.

Education as ReformationEducation is not a process of information; it is a process of reformation. Think of it almost like a hammer and an anvil and the student is this piece of metal. I almost said a piece of work, but that has a different connotation. Sometimes they are a real piece of work.

We shape our students. But it’s not in a single act, it’s not in a single statement. We don’t have these brilliant moments where we change the life of a student. I wish for us that we all could have that experience, but it’s rare.

What happens over time is that the student gets shaped by what happens repeatedly. Loving God, loving our neighbors through practices, these daily habits, will hopefully move the needle.

Now, I recognize, I recognize we have our students for a very short amount of time in the overall scheme of things. We have them for a few hours a day. Then they spend a lot of time elsewhere. And a lot of their loves are shaped by their friends, by what they do elsewhere. As teachers, we have limited capacity, but we do have some capacity to shape their loves. And I’m saying that we ought to be using that capacity to the fullest of our abilities.

If you wish to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. Perhaps the problems that I face with getting students to really engage with the projects that I give to them, to really engage with the lessons of the day, perhaps those problems are not so much problems of disconnection. Rather, they’re problems of students not longing for the immensity of the sea and not seeing how these things that they’re doing day by day connect to that big term, that long-term picture.

I have a vision for schools where each classroom is a community of lovers. Lovers together of truth, lovers of knowledge, but more importantly, lovers of each other, lovers of God, and lovers of neighbors outside the classroom. And we can do that through practices that build that community.

Students today have instant access to more information than previous generations could have imagined. For some, this begs a question: “Why should I bother learning it in school if I can just Google it?” John Mark challenges the skewed understanding of knowledge behind this question and calls teachers to cultivate intellectual humility—in themselves, first of all, and then in their students. Humility, he believes, is the path to true knowledge and insight in a world glutted with information.

Download the video or download audio only

Read transcriptTranscriptWe get our students asking us this question in multiple different ways: “But why do I need to memorize facts when I can look up facts on the Internet? No problem. We have Wikipedia. We have, well, Google, just in general. We have facts available to us all the time.” The Question Behind the QuestionAs I’ve been doing, I’m planning today to talk about what is going on behind the scenes. What is the question behind the question or the assumption behind the question? But I’m going to do a little bit of an aside and attack the question directly for a little bit before we get into intellectual character.

So what’s going on behind the scenes? What is the student possibly thinking when asking, why do I need to memorize facts?

Well, I would say two are really closely related to each other. The first is that education is about information.

I had a student who was planning to drop out of school and go to do online school, who told me, “Oh yeah, I’m going to do online school. I’ll still be educated.” Education is about facts.

The second thing, or sorry, education is about information and information—this is the second thing—information is about facts.

These are two things that students assume when they think that they don’t need to learn the things we’re trying to teach because of the availability of Google.

Cognitive science tells us that the more you know, the more you can learn, and also, the more you know, the better you can process new information. There is information required in the education process, and information does include a lot of facts. But that’s not the only thing about education.

The third thing that students may be saying when they’re trying not to learn something based on the fact that they can Google things is that they are saying, they’re making this assumption that they can readily discern between facts and fiction when they read something online.

And I will hasten to say that I obviously can. I always know when I’m reading fake news and when I’m reading something true.

Or not. You will recognize that as the amount of information that’s available to us gets bigger and bigger, it becomes harder and harder for us to process and to figure out what’s true and what isn’t true, or even more importantly, what’s important and what’s not important.

Defining Intellectual HumilityWhat’s the intellectual character trait that we need to develop in our students if they are going through life thinking that they can always tell the difference between what’s true and what’s false?

I’m going to contend that that character trait is humility.

I’ll start by saying that humility is not, in the words of C.S. Lewis, “pretty women trying to think they’re ugly and clever men trying to think they’re fools.” It is not denying the good things about ourselves. Intellectual humility is not falsely declaring ourselves to be nothing. If that were the case, then Chesterton would be right when he says that kind of humility “would produce a race of men too mentally modest to believe in the multiplication table.”

So that’s not what I’m talking about when I say intellectual humility. It is not just denying the things we have to offer.

Rather, intellectual humility is recognizing our dependence on God, and it’s also treating others better than ourselves.

Authentic humility is an attempt to see ourselves as we really are. And notice I say an attempt to see ourselves as we really are. We don’t see ourselves very well. That’s why we absolutely need to develop friendships in our lives with people who will tell us the truth. Faithful are the wounds of a friend because we don’t see ourselves well.

We need to understand that we are made in God’s image. As such, we have the ability to seek truth and to find truth.

But we also need to recognize that we’re fallen. And as such, we are not perfect in our pursuit of truth. We have false motives. We have poor processing sometimes. All kinds of things go on in our pursuit of truth. We mess up. Humility recognizes that.

The Benefits of HumilityWhy would I want to develop humility? What are the benefits? Again, there are many. I’ve chosen three.
The first is a growth of knowledge and insight. If I can rejoice when I’m proven wrong because I got to learn something, that’s a benefit of a lack of humility.

You know how often it’s been that we say something and somebody says, “No, you’re wrong.” And we go back and forth and at the end we’re both mad and neither of us has changed our point of view, and somebody missed out on an opportunity. Because one of the two was wrong, don’t know which one at this point, but that person missed an opportunity to put their mental model, make their mental model better, more like the world actually is.

Now we can all just in general recognize that we’re wrong about something. Like, I know I’m wrong about something. I don’t know what it is. So when you and I disagree about something, here’s an opportunity for me to recognize, maybe, one of the places that I’m wrong. I might not be wrong here, but if we can talk about it, not in terms of a conflict, not in the case where one of us is vanquished and the other one is victorious, but rather that the two of us together are trying to figure out which one of us is wrong so that person can benefit by now being right.

Think about how different our interactions would be around all of the things that we fight about. Our world would be richer and larger— this is the second thing—our world is richer and larger than if we are intellectually proud.

Third benefit: Our influence is increased if we’re humble.

I already mentioned the case of evangelism, but I’ll tell a personal story for this one. I told you that I grew up, or when I was younger, I had the reputation of always being right and defending my point of view as long as it took till the other person gave up. In 2007, I got a job offer to teach in Colorado. It was a tiny community. I knew one person in the community, but I decided I would do it.

And before I left, I heard some bad things about this community. I heard there are a bunch of legalists there. And I was young and vigorous, and I said, “Okay, well, the way you change a legalistic community is you change their children.” And so I’m going to go in, and I’m going to change this community by changing their children. You have enough experience to know how well this went.

So I got there, and I started teaching school, and one of the school board members was also a minister. He was my age. I was 23, I think, at the time. So he was young, and he really felt the responsibility of his task, of his role there as minister and as school board member.

And so I had this community pegged as a group of legalists, right?

So one day, this young minister got up, and he gave a sermon. And I was listening to this sermon, and I thought he said that you can’t worship God unless you’re wearing the right clothes. You can’t worship God properly unless you’re wearing the right clothes. So I took exception to this. I was wearing the right clothes, but I knew that you can worship God in whatever clothes you’re wearing at the time.

And so after church, I walked up to him and we started arguing. And wouldn’t you know, this is actually kind of embarrassing. It’s really embarrassing for both of us. We stood there and we argued in the parking lot until at least 1:30, I think it was 2:00 in the afternoon, while his wife and children sat in the van.

I ran into somebody who was every bit as stubborn as I was. And he was my boss. Back and forth, we argued.

That summer, I went back home to Ohio, and I worked for my dad. I was driving a truck, hauling farm machinery, and I was driving. I had hours and hours to think. And at some point, somebody said to me, “You know, you can either be right or you can be happy.”

And it clicked. I don’t have to argue with this guy.

Kept processing, went back with a different attitude. I started seeing the community for who they were. These were people who actually love God. They were doing the best they could. They had people from all over the eastern United States who had problems with their churches that moved out there. How do you make a—how do you forge a community from 100 different places? It was smaller than that, but you know what I mean. How do you forge such a community? It’s hard. And I recognized what they were doing in that second year.

My influence in that community was—I don’t want to brag—but it was a lot better. When I left after that second year, that minister thanked me for what I had done in that community. Why? Because I had demonstrated humility.

Now, that is not the end of the story. I am still working on developing humility in myself. I still lose influence because of times when I am too proud to hear another person’s point of view, and when I am too proud to recognize that I might be wrong.

But I go back to that story—that was a turning point in my life with that experience. And I have that man to thank. I’m so glad he was stubborn, even though I hated it at the time.

Developing Humility in Our StudentsSo how do we develop humility? Three practices in my classroom.

One is I try to model humility myself. I’m not perfect and would hesitate even to say that I’m good, but I’m at least trying.

I give my students an opportunity to study deeply.

And third, the third practice I use is that when a student brings something that they’re really sure is a dumb idea, I try to ask for the other side of the story.

So one of my—it was actually a former student—sent me an article about how math education is racist because you’re looking for the right answers, and that’s racist. And I said, “Okay, what’s the other side of the story? What’s going on here?” And I actually looked it up and we had a good conversation about it.

If you ask for the other side of the story, if you ask for the student to need to defend the point of view that they think is dumb, perhaps that will help them understand a little bit of what it takes to be humble.

It feels like with this subject that I’m just skimming past it really fast. There’s so much more.

But I have a vision for schools in which wisdom grows in our classrooms because our teachers are modeling intellectual humility and students are mimicking that model.

I have a vision for classrooms where we value truth over ego, where we recognize that our creation in— that we are created in God’s image, that we are fallen, and that God is working to redeem us to Himself.

What type of teacher are you? The “Trying to Be Cool” teacher? The “Important Authority Figure”? In this light-hearted yet thought-provoking talk, Jeff Swanson caricatures some common teacher types and encourages teachers to grow toward personal and professional maturity. Download the video or download audio only

Download the video or download audio only

When faced with a difficult concept or task, students often ask, Why do we have to learn this? What is behind this familiar and frustrating response? In most cases, John Mark suggests, the question signals confusion or a lack of stimulation. More important than giving students the right answer is giving them clear instruction while cultivating the virtue of curiosity.… READ MORE

History is a lively story full of original characters, interesting places, and surprising plot twists. But history class tends to reduce it to a lifeless assortment of facts and dates. How can we resuscitate history for our students? Lyndon recommends seven tactics, beginning with telling a good story. Download the video or download audio only

When students tell you they can’t do something, what are they really saying? What’s behind the expression of defeat? John Mark suggests three possibilities and how to respond: The student may be expressing a belief about people in general: “Some people can, I cannot.” The student may be dealing with a unhealthy reliance on the teacher. The student may be expressing a fear… READ MORE

Not all learning disabilities are internal or genetic. Traumatic experiences like neglect, violence, or injury can physically alter a child’s brain, making it difficult for to behave and learn normally. In this fifth and final installment of the diverse learners series, Becky describes how trauma works and how teachers can make their classrooms feel safe to students scarred by trauma.… READ MORE

In this installment of the diverse learners series, Becky gets into the complex world of autism—what it is, how it manifests, and how to address challenging behaviors caused by autism. Ultimately, Becky calls teachers to cultivate a classroom environment in which all students can thrive, including those on the autism spectrum, and to model Christlike love and sensitivity toward those… READ MORE

ADHD is one of the more recognizable acronyms in the field of learning disabilities. It also tends to be misunderstood and misrepresented in popular discourse, used as often to joke about one’s inability to sit still and concentrate as to describe an actual health condition. Drawing on research and her own classroom experience, Becky Bollinger sheds some light on ADHD… READ MORE

The best kind of student motivation is intrinsic to the process of learning, but sometimes students need an additional incentive to inspire that extra push toward excellence. What if you could offer hardworking students a rewarding experience that is both educational and fun? In this video, Deana Swanson explains how she uses achievement parties to motivate her students to invest… READ MORE

Good singing habits start early, but they need to be maintained with regular practice. In this video, Jeff Swanson draws on his years of music teaching experience to highlight some practices, tips, and tools proven to yield “music gold” at any grade level. By regularly practicing good posture, pitch-matching, rhythm, and vowel formation, music teachers can push all students toward… READ MORE

A typical school day might end mid-afternoon, but the teacher’s workday is far from over. In this video, Caleb Martin shares some practical tips for staying focused, efficient, and productive after the final bell rings. Rather than feeling overwhelmed and getting distracted after a full day of teaching, teachers can turn the after-school hours into a productive time of preparation… READ MORE

The second of a five-part video series by Becky Bollinger on diverse learners and learning disabilities, this video focuses on dyslexia. Becky explains what dyslexia is and is not, how it affects the learner, ways to diagnose it, and what a teacher can do to overcome the disadvantages it brings. The information in this video should be helpful for all… READ MORE

Overcoming Dyslexia: Second Edition, Completely Revised and Updated

The Alphabet War: A Story about Dyslexia

The process of becoming a better teacher holds so much potential for enjoyment and inspiration, especially when a group of teachers grows together. An administrator can help give this process the vital initiative and structure needed to unlock the potential. In this video, Howard Lichty gives his advice and suggestions for staff development, drawing from his experience as a school… READ MORE

Classrooms are greenhouses, students are plants, and teachers are gardeners. This analogy introduces a five-part video series by Becky Bollinger on diverse learners and learning disabilities. In this introductory video, Becky outlines the purpose of the series, establishes some foundational terms and concepts related to learning disabilities, and discusses the drawbacks and benefits of diagnostic labels. As teachers study their… READ MORE

What does making a Renaissance-era dome out of newspaper or role-playing a labor strike have to do with school? Learning, of course. In this video, Deana Swanson shares some ideas and tips for making your classroom a lively site of learning that engages students not simply in reading and thinking but in making and handling. With enough creativity, forethought, and… READ MORE

Learning grammar doesn’t have to be a soul-crushing exercise in memorizing arcane rules and terms as Spencer and his students demonstrate in this video. Grammar songs not only make learning more lively and fun, they aid with memorization, helping students retain knowledge they might forget with more rote forms of learning. Spencer used grammar songs from these resources: Well-Ordered Language… READ MORE

Do your English students struggle with diagramming sentences? Sentence diagramming is a classic method for helping students see the structure of a complete thought, but the process can get messy, especially for some students. In this video, Deana Swanson demonstrates some teaching methods for making sentence diagramming effective and enjoyable for students. Download the video or download audio only

A well-managed classroom serves students by keeping the focus of class activity where it belongs: on learning. But classroom management takes effort, especially in larger classrooms. Amy Zimmerman shares some practical tips and methods for keeping classrooms running smoothly, including how to communicate expectations, practice procedures, and manage homework. With adequate planning and practice, even large classrooms can become lively… READ MORE

Transitions of leadership are always difficult. But do they have to be as disruptive and stressful as they often are? How can an outgoing administrator effectively pass on his knowledge to a new administrator, especially if that knowledge was accumulated over years of experience? In this video, Howard Lichty and Joseph Shantz offer recommendations and share perspectives from their current… READ MORE

Dysfunctional homes directly impact schools. While some situations cause only minor annoyances, others hinder the student’s and the school’s ability to function, and thus demand more significant intervention. In this video from CASBI 2019, Jonathan Erb discusses how schools can respond well to a range of issues stemming from dysfunctional home situations. Listen to Jonathan’s complete presentation here. Download the… READ MORE

Music is a powerful teaching tool because it involves the entire person: body and mind, sense and soul. In this video, Kyla encourages teachers to harness the pedagogical power of singing by making it a central part of their curriculum and classroom culture. As students sing Bible verses, math facts, or the countries of Western Europe, they internalize knowledge in… READ MORE

All teachers deal with the question of student motivation, but teachers in more individualized classroom arrangements face some unique challenges. If a student lacks internal motivation, what external motivators can help develop this capacity? How can a teacher get students to complete homework if homework completion is not reflected in the final test grade? And what about that student who… READ MORE

Meetings draw on the strengths of each person to accomplish a shared agenda. But a poorly planned meeting can easily waste more time and energy than it redeems. In this video, Philip Horst outlines some practices for making the school board meeting a genuinely collaboratively effort–one in which all members come prepared and ready to work. Download the video or… READ MORE

Many teachers lean heavily on post-reading questions to enable students to evaluate literature. Too often, suggests Sharon, we skip over pre-reading exercises. She shares pre-reading activities that prepare students to understand and appreciate the message of the chosen text. Download the video or download audio only

In school and at home, children encounter so many influences. Which ones are important? Jonathan urges us to take seriously the influences we place on our children. Each teacher in our school is curriculum, a system of living values by which our student learns. Our community culture is curriculum present in our schools. And of course, the course books present… READ MORE

The teacher’s job is to impart knowledge and to train skills. But students are more than knowledge acquisition machines. Anthony calls us to follow Christ’s example in caring for children’s needs for belonging, closeness, and blessing. As we care for children as whole persons, we prepare them to grow academically as well. Download the audio instead

The call of the school: Connecting the heart of the subject, the student, and the teacher. How can teachers as artists stimulate growth in their pupils as they engage God’s world together through any given subject? Download audio

How can you move into an uncertain school year with confidence? Stephan reminds us that the challenges we face are our opportunities to notice the good work of God. Watch the Wednesday Session Download the video Watch the Thursday Session Download the video Download both talks as a single audio file

COVID will change your classroom, your students, and your teaching experience this year–and not just with more masks, social distancing, and handwashing. Students have been hearing opinions about the pandemic and the government’s response. They will bring those ideas into your classroom. How will you guide them through controversial conversations? Patrick suggests a framework that points us away from arguing… READ MORE

What are meetings for? We don’t just gather to drink coffee and work our way through a dry agenda. Meetings are meant for discussion, new ideas, and even conflict, says Philip. But how can we engage without tearing each other down? Philip discusses principles that can help you go from sitting through meetings to thriving in them. Download the video… READ MORE

One of the advantages of individualized curricula is that children can work at their own pace. But that flexibility can also become a student’s enemy, suggests Marla. She firmly believes that elementary students need the support of an established routine. In this video, she shares her approach to setting expectations, guiding students through their books, and rewarding their success with… READ MORE

Download the video or download audio only Years before he stepped down from leading Tidings of Peace Christian School, Clayton worked with the school board to initiated a transition plan. In this conversation, Clayton and Austin discuss the search for a new administrator, the process of planning for the new administration, and the benefits of a phased process for passing… READ MORE

Memorizing poetry: It’s a good thing to do, but where in your already full schedule can you add it? Bethany shares how she takes advantage of little moments throughout the day to build students’ awareness of poetry without creating burdensome assignments, and how she capitalizes on the opportunities for teaching expressive reading. Download the video or download audio only

How do you respond to a student’s mistake? What do you do when you ask a question, and the student comes up empty? Kyla believes that we should share corrections in ways that make students more confident that they can learn, not less so. Here, she offers her basic approach to guiding students in that path. Download the video or… READ MORE

How can you become a better teacher? In Intentional Growth, Melvin explores a range of steps you can take to develop your understanding and your ability to communicate. In this excerpt, he highlights an uncomfortable strategy: teach in unusual situations. Although Melvin doesn’t mention Meet, Zoom, or Teams, his advice highlights the opportunities for growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 24, a group of teachers and school leaders met to discuss: How can teachers support struggling students at a distance? How can you and a disappointing school year positively? What does the future hold for our schools? Download the video or download audio only

What’s the point of a group of staffers sitting in a room, working through a meeting agenda? Why do board members need to gather? Are meetings just inefficient ways for people to avoid emailing each other? Philip spends nearly one third of his working day in meetings. In addition to working in the corporate world, Philip also serves actively in… READ MORE

How do teachers maintain human contact with their students during the shutdown? How can relationships grow during enforced separation? What are some tips for using Zoom effectively? How can students maintain their drive to learn? On April 23, a group of lower-elementary teachers met online to discuss teaching during the pandemic. Here are some of their comments. Download the video… READ MORE

Student needs, teacher suggestions, parental wantswho finally makes school curriculum decisions? Should cost be a factor? How much do we adjust curriculum for slow or disadvantaged students? Is a Bible-based curriculum important? After all, we read the Bible at church and at home. Can we utilize secular textbooks? Does the discipleship level portrayed in our textbooks have any effect on… READ MORE

“> In this recorded Zoom meeting, three teachers discuss their schools’ approaches to the challenges of the shutdown. Download the video or download audio only From the meeting chat: What is the best way to exchange weekly packets? Nelson: That depends on how much social distance you are trying to maintain. We had a scheduled pickup time spread out through… READ MORE

If we follow existing practices and patterns, what will our school look like twenty years hence? If we wish for an improved outcome twenty years hence, what are some steps we should consider now to achieve those results?

Speakers offer a brief presentation of topics relevant to conservative Anabaptist schools: Individualized/Conventional Hybrid School: What are the pros and cons of a hybrid classroom? How can it be used effectively? When Students Play Victim: What are some underlying issues that might prompt students to claim that being subject to school policies causes them to feel unsafe? Finding and Training… READ MORE

In a heartfelt discussion, panelists explore current issues in Anabaptist schools: How does technology affect our children, and what we can do about it? How much should we pay teachers? What can we do about students who don’t feel safe?

What is your goal as a teacher? Survival? Keeping your job? Teaching is much more than making it to the end of the year, Aaron reminds us. We have the opportunity to invest the precious gifts we have received. Is making the investment hard work? Definitely. But the rewards are incomparable. For more on this topic, consider listening to the… READ MORE

Tracking a child’s age is not difficult, but maturity can be can different matter. How do teachers and parents assess whether a child is ready to thrive in school? Kayla describes the social and academic markers she looks for when evaluating potential first graders. Download the video or download audio only

Elementary grades establish elementary academic concepts. What of the years beyond?How should our schools be equipping scholars with vision and skills for Kingdom work?

Mutual respect and consistent structure are faltering in our schools. With todays emphasis on creativity and individuality, have we lost the benefits of firm structure and required respect?

This topic defines the roles of school leaders, parents, and ministry. How can we effectively harness the input of everyone for the good of our students?

In reading class, students practice the reading skills that allow them to spend time in a book all by themselves. But reading is not merely a private affair. How can you make reading class an opportunity for communicating clearly and respecting others? Bethany describes the STAR technique and how it helped her students remember to practice good communication skills in… READ MORE

Why are some stories powerful, while others fall flat? Jim encourages us to tell stories with economy, empathy, universality, and tension–and offers plenty of example stories. This excerpt was taken from a longer talk, Stories that Teach presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2019.

Are you strong enough to teach? Steve has been in the classroom for more than 16 years. Teaching, he says, is too big a job for anyone. What do you do with the reality of your inadequacy? Listen to Steve and Arlene describe how they face the demands of teaching, share the load, and keep the vision alive. Download the… READ MORE

Every spring, 5- and 6-year-olds file into the first grade classroom at Elida Mennonite School. They are here for kindergarten, their introduction to the world of classroom learning. What can they learn in a few short weeks? How can the teacher manager the extra students in class? Kayla describes her goals for kindergartners and some of the strategies she uses… READ MORE

Does the thought of teaching invigorate you, or has the classroom become misery? Anthony calls us to depend, always, on the Lord, and to curb the influences that can drag down our teaching. This excerpt was taken from a longer talk, Re-Igniting the Passion to Teach presented at Teachers Week 2018.

What does it take to sustain a city? How can your students appreciate the work and resources required to make their daily lives comfortable? Austin wanted to send his students into the wilderness to experience for themselves the challenge of starting afresh. Instead, he and his team developed Civitas. Watch as Austin shares his motivation for designing the game and… READ MORE

Could your students benefit from more variety in spelling review? Keith shares a spelling review technique that invites students to misspell purposely—only so that their classmates can correct them. Keith describes the benefits of intentional misspelling: students anticipate and prevent common spelling mistakes. Download the video or download audio only

What does peace look like when demonstrated? Mr. Burdge sketches the stories of conscientious objectors in World War I.

What are the theological and spiritual foundations for peace?

Peace is something that we all desire around us. How can we spread peace around us in the everyday routines of our classrooms?

We all want peace in ourselves and in others around us. How can we nuture attitudes and practices for peace?

If your school uses self-paced instruction, self-checking can help students and teachers. Students can identify and correct their own errors and the teacher saves time. But how do you help students maintain integrity? David explains a simple method he uses to support students’ efforts at maintaining integrity. Whether you choose to use a smartphone like David does, or adapt a… READ MORE

Are your students tired of writing class? Are you? Janita’s students found composition class tough and uninspiring until she introduced them to journaling. Janita describes the range of projects that can go into a journal, and answers questions like “What kind of notebook should I buy?” and “How do I grade a journal entry?” Download the video or download audio… READ MORE

If the purpose of your school is to bring people to Christ, why worry about academics? Matt challenges this view, and calls us to see Christian education as excellent education. This excerpt was taken from a longer talk, Supporting the Parents and Selling the Church, presented at Teachers Week 2018.

How many of your students talked during your last class discussion? Too often, only a few students engage with the discussion, says Shawn. How can we make class discussions more meaningful? Shawn shares his practices for preparing students for discussion, valuing their comments, and ensuring that they take away the big idea from the passage. Consider how you can adapt… READ MORE

What’s a tariff? Why should your students care? Several years ago, says Colin, his students would have learned the definition of this term and moved on without understanding its importance. But because he works to put social studies in the context of current events, students develop powerful connections with this word and many others. Colin offers suggested resources and activities… READ MORE

How do I collaborate on my team to accomplish brotherhood? This presentation offers three skills to help a team work together and grow together: personal awareness, personal responsibility, and peer evaluation.

Every Christian can lay a foundation for brotherhood by participating in four construction phases: demolition, reconstruction, renovation and habitation. In which building phase is God calling you to do some work? What posture of heart do I bring with me to the ministry setting where I am called?

Teamwork: the context in which we serve; the greater purpose for which we serve. We are called to walk worthily by the grace we have been given in order to perfect our pupils.

Teachers do more than fill a spot, or impart information: their hands become the guides for the hands of their students. This excerpt was taken from a longer talk, Teacher, Curriculum, Facility, Parents, and Students, presented at Teachers Workshops 1997.

You can teach math in two ways, notes Rolin. Math can be presented as a series of rules that produce reliable results, or as a set of concepts that explain much about the world. Much of our math teaching has been rule-based, and for good reason: the rules are reliable and consistent. But some of our students may be left… READ MORE

Why do we teach? What is the center of center of teaching? How do we bring teaching to life?

Should current events be taught as a one-time per week class, a daily 5-minute reference and review, or simply integrated into class discussions? How can the teacher maximize the nearly-universal interests in the here and now? How can the teacher develop an alertness to connections between typical lesson content and what is current news? In this presentation, we explore these… READ MORE

Culture is the “hidden curriculum” or “persona” that shapes and influences every aspect of your classroom. Mr. Hurst focuses on the spiritual, academic, and social aspects of a school and the teacher’s role in creating a healthy, safe school culture.

Across the country, discipline problems are the number one reason for teachers leaving the classroom. What are some ways to prevent discipline problems? How can a teacher give effective, corrective discipline? This presentation is valuable for new and less experienced teachers.

We all admire and appreciate the fruit of careful, rigorous training, whether in artisans, athletes, chefs, craftsmen, neurosurgeons, or preachers. We recognize, at least partially, the sacrificial dedication required to produce the behavior we appreciate. What happens when we apply our best sacrificial dedicationour most studied disciplineto spiritual growth? What does such training entail? What are its fruits? This third… READ MORE

We all admire and appreciate the fruit of careful, rigorous training, whether in artisans, athletes, chefs, craftsmen, neurosurgeons, or preachers. We recognize, at least partially, the sacrificial dedication required to produce the behavior we appreciate. What happens when we apply our best sacrificial dedication—our most studied discipline—to spiritual growth? What does such training entail? What are its fruits? This first… READ MORE

Why should you love teaching history? Austin explains the delight of guiding students through the darkness and brilliance of the past. He recommends two trade books that fit into American history class, and that call high school students to find their place in the story of God’s work among his people. Download the video or download audio only

To teach children to write: a process as difficult as it is important. How can you empower your students to push past blank page syndrome? Prewriting is important, says Hannah, and it is made easier with graphic organizers such as Venn diagrams, clusters, and beginning-middle-end organizers. But every stage of the writing process needs to be taught and modeled. Hannah… READ MORE

Clear expectations enable students to be productive and learn more quickly. But what does the teacher do when a student comes to school in emotional distress? Rather than brush aside the trauma, Keeshon encourages teachers to adapt their expectations as needed. He reflects on the importance of communicating with parents, maintaining the confidentiality of students, and listening to the student.… READ MORE

You told them how to multiply two-digit numbers. They seem to understand. But can they do it? In this video, Laurie shares the advantages of bringing students to the board to work. When everyone’s work is visible, the teacher can correct mistakes, clarify misunderstandings, and monitor the progress of each student. Download the video or download audio only

If you expect your students to learn, you’ll need to enlist their hands, eyes, and feet. Rhoda demonstrates how she uses proper posture to keep her students’ attention, and calls each student to give the best. Download the video or download audio only

You take your calling seriously, so you give your time and energy to serving the people under your care. But what if you run out of time and energy? What if you’re not properly caring for yourself? Paul walks us through areas in which teachers, pastors, and parents should pay attention. He describes his own morning routine, his strategy for… READ MORE

If we fail to set examples of Biblical worldview in our curriculum, our teaching, and our lives in general, we set our students up to begin the slide into apostate Christianity. We should appreciate the sacrifice of those who have traveled before us.

How we finish is more important than how we start. Pressing on in the face of difficulty is the mark of a strong teacher. What are some ways we can stay sane and whole when it feels like insanity would be an easy option?

In spite of current trends, respect is not out of date. All of us are called to treat one another with respect. In these three sessions, Neal explores practical and motivational aspects of this basic principle of relationships.

A brief overview of this classic book about teachers and learners; to impart knowledge of these laws and their underlying principles so as to help the teachers to be more effective and efficient.

Do devotionals need to be deliberate? Can they be planned ahead instead of quickly stirred out of the mud at the last minute? Perhaps a pattern is good to set. Discover some Biblical subjects that are well-suited for teaching school-aged children.

Discipline is ultimately a liberating exercise. Students need help liberating themselves from the lack of discipline and from frivolous activities. Discipline incubates wisdom.

It might depend whom you ask. Perhaps there are some ways to use it rightly; indeed, we use some sort of electronic technology every day. But what about tablets, phones, computers, and such like enhancing the students’ learning experience? Do they? Can we use them in some right ways?

Team rules decree that the board, parents, and teachers are on the same team. Will they be able to perform together?

When you sit down to discuss a child’s progress at a parent-teacher meeting, the level of tension can rise. After all, whether you are the parent or the teacher, your work is being evaluated. But Victor reminds us that the goal of these meetings is not to establish blame; rather, parent-teacher meetings allow the school and the home to support… READ MORE

Some students memorize letters, words, and concepts quickly: a few repetitions and they have it. Other students, especially those with special needs, depend on visual reinforcement. Hannah demonstrates the image-based teaching strategies she uses in her resource room. Whether your students struggle with phonics, spelling, or memory work, take a few moments to explore how you can empower them to… READ MORE

What makes a lesson effective? What can you do to make sure your students actually learn? A good lesson includes four essential strategies, says Wilmer. Follow him as he walks through EATS, a template for planning effective teaching. Discover the effectiveness of the methods you’re already using, and consider how you can strengthen each lesson you teach. Download the video… READ MORE

How can you teach like other teachers, the ones you look up to so much? Don’t even try, says Anthony. Instead, embrace the way you’re made while disciplining your own weaknesses. Anthony contrasts sociable, energetic teachers with quiet, studious ones, and encourages each of us to consider how our strengths also predispose us to certain weaknesses—weaknesses that can hinder us… READ MORE

Password security: not everyone’s favorite topic. IT staff and large corporations can worry about that. Why do you need to be concerned? In fact, hackers steal the passwords of millions of people like you, and small organizations like yours. Austin knows this danger. As a busy administrator at a small school, he also knows how hard it can be to… READ MORE

New teachers face a daunting task. There are classrooms to decorate, students to manage, and lessons to teach. Paul reminds us to avoid unrealistic expectations. None of us are masters of a craft the first time we practice it. Rather than hold yourself to an unreasonable standard, Paul urges a functional approach: start with something that will work, then improve… READ MORE

Clayton has spent nearly 30 years in Christian education—much of it pioneering a school in the city of York. But not everyone has the ability to start new projects. How do the rest of us fit in? Visionaries need people who are unlike them, says Clayton. He reflects on the people and tools that have supported his leadership, and describes… READ MORE

Language: it’s a wonderful, rich, and complex system for communication. But some of the principles of language don’t make much sense until students have learned to understand the system as a whole. How can you help your students remember the apparently disconnected principles? Stewart encourages us to connect the elements of grammar so students gradually build up an interlocking picture… READ MORE

You’ve agreed to teach music. Now what? Yuriy describes the goals you should consider for your classes, and lays out a step-by-step method for teaching sight-singing. View or download or download audio only

Isn’t technology great? Possibly. Technology can speed up whatever we’re doing. But if we’re not sure about our goals for technology, it will likely get in our way, says Austin. He describes new technologies his school is embracing, and suggests that we take another look at some highly effective technologies that have been with us for centuries. View or download… READ MORE

When you ask your class a question, how many students can answer? Too often, says Rebecca, only one. The student you call on will engage while the others sit passively. But with turn and tell, every student is engaged and at least half of them are required to talk. Rebecca describes the benefits of turn and tell, the reasons to… READ MORE

In schools that use individualized curriculum, students take responsibility for their own learning. But that doesn’t mean they should be deprived of the advantages of working together as a class. Diana and Marla discuss the competitive activities they use to hone students’ skills and brighten their days. They answer questions about how to keep competition healthy and how group activities… READ MORE

If your students can sight-read shaped or conventional notes, a world of classic and modern hymns is unlocked for them. They can learn new songs and harmonize the old ones accurately. But how can you train them in effective sight-reading? In this video, Allen shares a simple practice he used to learn sight-reading, and now employs in the classroom. View… READ MORE

Slavery. The births of Argentina and Brazil. The Industrial Revolution. Are your students’ eyes glazed over yet? Studying the past can involve a wearying barrage of names, dates, and far-away forces. But those events were very real and life-changing for thousands of people. To allow your students to imagine what life must have been like in the past, Deana encourages… READ MORE

Which computer system do you prefer: one that costs more than your school can afford, or one that needs constant maintenance from school staff? Neither are ideal for small schools short on funds and staff. Howard offers insight in school technology gained from his decades as administrator at Countryside Christian School. Which hardware should you buy? Where can you find… READ MORE

Our world is ridden with darkness of all kinds. What is a Christian to do? Val urges us to place ourselves in harm’s way to build the kingdom.

You are looking forward to graduation, or graduation is still visible in the rear-view mirror. Business, helping at home, Bible School, voluntary service, teaching school, industry, adventure… what is your next step? Are you at the right spot now? How should you be preparing for the future? What is God’s role and what is your role? Come to explore these… READ MORE

As Christendom disintegrates around us, we Anabaptists have a unique opportunity to awaken other Christians to the truth of nonresistance and to point enquirers (seekers) to a more holistic understanding of the life God offers us in Jesus Christ. This session will show the importance of nonresistance, its place in the Gospel message, and encourage our outreaches to recognize that… READ MORE

What are advantages of long-term ministry? What is the mentality needed to continue effectively? What is often behind great-sounding excuses to quit? What are causes of burnout? Should there be a difference between the Christianity of a Christian who is not involved in organized ministry and that of one who is?

This session will look at three important types of spiritual relationships: mentors or coaches, peers or co-labourers, and followers or admirers. We will look at the nature of each of these types of relationships and how they can be built and used effectively.

Born in the year of D-Day and V-E Day, Elida Mennonite School is one of the oldest private schools still operated by conservative Anabaptists. Lyndon describes how the Mennonite community built the school with a sense of mission, and how shifting cultural forces and internal divisions have tested the community since then. Elida Mennonite School still stands among the cornfields… READ MORE

What are practical ways to interact with manipulative parents? What is the core problem with manipulative parents? What’s underneath the communication problems you experience with parents, and what can you do about it? Specifically, how do you effectively communicate with a parent when basic trust and respect has broken down? A panel of education veterans respond to school administration’s worst… READ MORE

If a student breaks an important rule, your classroom culture is disrupted. But which rules are important? Which violations can you tolerate? While not all problems are equally serious, all your rules are important, says Anthony. Rather than ignoring small issues, teachers should address them with solutions that match the level of the problem. Anthony and Joey share practices they… READ MORE

What if you could tailor each lecture for your students’ needs? The twin challenge of the teacher is to know the content and know the student. Spencer describes practices of individualized instruction that, though born out of his work in a small school, suggest principles that can enhance the effectiveness of instruction in classrooms of any size. Download video or… READ MORE

What do eggs, bubbles, and two sharp pencils have in common? They’re all connected to success in achievement tests! Allen Troyer has helped schools improve their testing experience for more than twenty years. In this video, he models best practices in preparing your students to be at their best for achievement tests. View or download or download audio only

What do you do if your students won’t sing? If they don’t sing well? Anthony describes three principles to keep music practice enjoyable and effective: Invest in a positive school culture. Be patient. Sing in small segments. Stay positive. Make singing a special event. Compliment students for their work. Use programs as motivators. View or download or download audio only

No matter how valuable the lesson you’re teaching, some students will struggle to stay focused. From calling on students to hooks that provoke reflection, Andrea explains the simple activities she incorporates throughout class time to keep students connecting to the material. View or download or download audio only

Victor leads a discussion on activities that invite parents to engage with the school at a more than superficial level.

This recording includes four presentations: Grade 1: Ready or Not? When and How to Dismiss a Teacher The Manipulative Parent The Dress Code Questions regarding these topics were dealt with in the panel discussion: Dealing with Dilemmas Panel Discussion

What makes a school Anabaptist? Citing the examples of the earliest Anabaptists, Jonathan takes a sobering look at what our schools have to offer–and of what we must be ware.

The effects of the texts and reading material in your school are obvious; they shape your students. But what about the less obvious curriculum, the one that hides in plain sight? Gerald addresses the importance of facility maintenance, teacher development, school policy, and other aspects of the hidden curriculum.

What is the value of teaching classic literature to children? Jonas explains that with literature, students connect to reality in a way they might not through other disciplines–and offers extended selections from poems and stories to reinforce his thesis.

Rebecca hoped to train her students in art technique while introducing them to art history and concepts—but she didn’t want to create every lesson from scratch. In this video, she talks about the way she incorporates ARTiculations curriculum across the grades, and describes rules that enable art classes to be peaceful and productive. View or download or download audio only

How do you decide what you will require students to learn? In English and math, these decisions are usually made by your curriculum, says Anthony. But there are so many things to learn in science class that the teacher must choose where to focus. First, says Anthony, teach to the test. The assessment you use should reflect what you asked the students to master. Second, Anthony demonstrates learning maps, a simple and flexible method for outlining the content you expect students to focus on.

Some students speed through their work. Others need extra coaching. How do you keep the faster students motivated while preserving the time you need to help others? Shannon and Cheri describe a simple practice that keeps everyone busy—and learning. D Download the video or download audio only

How do you train 6-year-olds to sing well? How do you train high school students? While students’ voices mature as they grow older, Jeff encourages teachers to use the same techniques—and expect similar performance—at all levels. In this video, he discusses the value of regular practices that incorporate music theory, vocal training, and singing technique. Download the video or download… READ MORE

If your classroom has a projector, you can display PowerPoint and pictures. But does your projector get in the way of real, interactive teaching? Amy describes a tool that allows her the flexibility of writing, presenting, and demonstrating more naturally than most touch computers and much cheaper than a smart board. View or download or download audio only

As a 20-year-old, I had a burning desire to be a missionary pilot. But I didn’t look forward to just one thing about the job. I didn’t like the need for continual education. So after a failed attempt at pilot training, I decided to pour my energy into a new field: education. Was I ever surprised to realize the need… READ MORE

As a teacher or parent, you are concerned with your children’s manners and conduct. How would the conversations about behavior change if the children were actively involved in reflecting on their own habits? Meghan shares the power of the self-evaluation tool she recently began to use, and offers guidance in applying it in your classroom or home. View or download… READ MORE

“I can’t do this. This is dumb.” If your students keep getting stuck and needing the teacher’s help, they are at risk of negative attitudes about themselves or their learning. But Spencer encourages teachers not to simply provide the answers to students’ questions. Instead, teacher and students can journey together, learning to identify the specific gaps in their understanding and… READ MORE

With paper, rock, and a football galaxy, Wanda demonstrates visual and sensory activities for engaging students. Today’s students live in an immersion of media. From glossy picture books to digital media, they have grown accustomed to learning visually. Wanda reminds us of the importance of engaging all of our students’ senses in the learning experience—and offers examples from her own… READ MORE

If you teach algebra using the Cartesian plane method, your students are familiar with graphing paper. That is perfect for work at their desk, but how can you practice and check work together as a class? In this demonstration, Jason shows how he uses free web-based tools to keep everyone involved in class. View or download on Vimeo or download… READ MORE

You’ve taught the lesson. Your students have learned the parts of speech, the parts of government, or the parts of a tooth. But have they learned? Will they use the information? Do they want to know more? Deana believes that, unless children are excited about learning, the teacher’s job is not complete. In this video, she describes tools to communicate… READ MORE

Checking: It’s one thing you can save for after school. But should you? Javon Miller believes the immediate feedback of checking student work in class is worth the time it takes. He explains the benefits of checking in class, and offers guidance or avoiding potential problems. Download the video or download audio only

What is your task as a teacher? The responsibilities you bear may seem overwhelming, but Gerald reminds us that our purpose is to humbly apply our learning and effort to serving the church. Download the video or download audio only

It’s Bible story time, so you reach for the Bible story book. Will your students engage with the message? Will they understand how the people of the story felt? By learning the story so well that you can tell it rather than read it, you unlock greater possibilities for your class, suggests Yvonne. In these videos, she describes Obstacles to… READ MORE

How can your students master the parts of speech? The bones of the body? The formulae of geometry? No matter the subject you’re teaching or the personalities of your students, Becky says you can use songs and chants to make learning more engaging. As students move, sing, see, and hear the material, they become more comfortable using it. Becky adds… READ MORE

A huge hindrance in city ministry is prejudice. Jesus looked beyond skin color and dirt to the hurting, sinful soul. He proclaimed truth without embarrassment. Clayton Shenk preaches from the Sermon on the Mount, challenging his audience to live in love with Jesus and in obedience to whatever He calls us to do.

Why is attitude important? What is attitude? Which attitudes enable? Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. As God’s children, attitudes of humility and gratitude enable people to continue serving because it helps them see themselves as recipients of God’s grace and mercy.

Mr. Lehman tells stories of teachers from his school days. Some examples are exemplary and some less so. Listen and ponder: how did teachers use their authority well? How can you?

What happens when Gods people take on Gods role? What are the signs that we may be crossing the line? What are the trademarks of a real servant? What is the way to gauge whether you are in the Servant or in the Savior mode of operating?

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own stories that we forget about others in the room. Compassion enables us to imagine what others are feeling. Jeremy begins his first presentation in this teacher’s week series by defining education and the Kingdom. He shares pointers and stories of teachers who taught with compassion.

Schools run better on efficiency. But is the efficiency to benefit the teacher or the student? Teachers that use a variety of methods creatively reach more effectively the different students in a classroom. This presentation offers five steps to creative teaching.

God has blessed us with the opportunity to educate our children in our own schools. With this opportunity comes the responsibility of investing wisely in this resource. How should our schools be relevant in preparing students for church work as well as the workplace? How can our schools develop young people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that make them… READ MORE

This presentation explores ways to stimulate and involve the family in ministry nationally and internationally. These include the impact of family in a broken world, creative ways to develop mission interests in children, processing lifes choices through the filter of ministry, and viewing all people as candidates for the kingdom of Heaven.

Why was I born? What does God want to do with my life? This presentation provides information regarding how to write a personal mission statement, set long term objectives, and short term goals. It explores ideas related to sustaining personal vision, and direction throughout a life of ministry. It gives the participants ideas about avoiding distractions and deterrents in pursuing… READ MORE

After describing what overload and burnout looks like, this presentation discusses and looks at solutions to common external and internal causes, wrestling with what it means to have appropriate balance in all areas of life. How sad when uniquely gifted individuals must leave strategic places of ministry because of overload and burnout!

Collaboration: the action of working with someone to produce or create something. The essence of love is that we don’t leave anyone behind. How do I bring the strength of collaboration into my classroom? Jeremy offers a variety of activities you can do with your students to promote creative teamwork.

Effectively motivating our students goes far beyond a piece of candy or a sticker chart. It is possible to create a classroom culture in which all students, even the ones who are the least excited about school, can be truly motivated and enjoy school. This presentation discusses practical, effective approaches to create this kind of culture in your classroom and… READ MORE

In the midst of the brokenness caused by sin, Jesus Christ’s message of redemption is always hopeful. Can you listen in a way that embodies care and casts a vision toward hope?

Learning isn’t just learning; it is learning how to learn. Critical thinking is a mode of thinking in which the thinker improves his thinking. Jeremy challenges us to grow our students in critical thinking skills and gives examples of teachers who did this. Remember, you are teaching for the students’ future, not just for the classroom today.

Mr. Lehman discusses how post-modernism has changed classroom management. Some of the differences he mentions are the erosion of the chain of command, straying from text-based learning, and promoting love and respect while neglecting moral absolutes.

We all have relationships. Relationships that are stable are built on the foundation of our relationship with God, our peace with God. Out of the priority of our relationship with God, we work toward peaceable relationships within ourselves and with other humans.

Enjoy a family-oriented evening as two presenters alternate with stories that illustrate wisdom from various school disciplines–nature, history, human interest, etc.

Enjoy a family-oriented evening as two presenters alternate with stories that illustrate wisdom from various school disciplines–nature, history, human interst, etc.

How did Jesus teach? John D. Martin lists things Jesus did that made His teaching effective and life-changing for His students.

A call to live and to preach the church as the Kingdom of God today.

Teachers should be people who understand the times and are wise about teaching truth. John D. Martin lists four concerns that he urges teachers to address: teaching young children to carry a tune, having children participate in singing, teaching songs rich in truth, and not neglecting historical music in favor of modern tunes.

The Anabaptists believed in the centrality of Jesus’ life and teachings in their understanding of scripture and how they should live. In this talk, learn how this makes a difference in our lives today.

Does this sound familiar? First-graders come eager and ready to learn. Middle schoolers refer to school as prison. Seniors are glad they survived. The teacher has power to make or break this pattern, so what are some factors that contribute and what can you do about them?

Mr. Bean gives 40 things he has learned in his 40 years of teaching. These 40 things are about relationships at school and in the community, techniques in working with students, and a teacher’s personal life. Included are many personal stories.

How do a teacher’s personal interests contribute to his/her teaching quality? Your delights communicate powerfully to students.

When a child doesn’t perform according to our expectations, what are some of the root causes? Is the issue we face a problem of the will, a disability, a developed inability, a habit, a lack of training? We’ll look at a variety of reasons children can’t, another set of reasons they wont, and consider how to deal with the issues.

Does this sound familiar? First-graders come eager and ready to learn. Middle schoolers refer to school as prison. Seniors are glad they survived. The teacher has power to make or break this pattern, so what are some factors that contribute and what can you do about them?

Students make choices every day. How can teachers train them to freely, cheerfully and willingly will to do their best?

Every student brings an attitude along to school. How can teachers help students discipline their attitudes?

Sometimes students can learn to express clearly articulated thoughts better in settings that are not formally called public speaking. We will consider ways to develop students’ oral skills as they answer questions, explain problems, give reports, read aloud, and engage in discussion.

The purpose of this talk is to help inform us of the broader context of the New Testament in general and of the Gospels in particular. In what ways was the time of Jesus similar to that of the Old Testament, and in what ways was it different? And how did these similarities and differences help create the ‘fullness of… READ MORE

Students can study identical content, yet develop different thought processes. How can teachers influence students’ thinking?

“The success of today is the strength to face tomorrow.” Struggling students may seldom find the satisfaction of success. Mr. Whitt explains how he helped several students in his classroom succeed. This clip is taken from Peter Whitt’s talk “Working with the Struggling Student” at Teachers’ Week 2008.

As teachers, our work is to create an environment in in our classroom where growth happens. Mr. Brubaker talks about some conditions that hinder and some conditions that nurture growth in character in our students.

Teaching science and social studies can feel overwhelming there is so much information and students cannot retain all of it. We will discuss how to define what is the “irreducible minimum” and how to quiz and test accordingly.

Each person is hard-wired by their Creator to be creative. Creativity will look different in different people. Schools do not do so well with growing creativity. Mr. Brubaker gives suggestions for creating conditions that nurture creativity in school and minimizing the things that kill it.

Curiosity is a desire to know, an eagerness to learn. Mr. Brubaker gives ideas and examples about how to create a classroom atmosphere that moves away from boring to one where students experience the thrill of learning.

Conviction: Godly, passionate belief. Conviction is cultivated in our classrooms when the search for truth is understood. Mr. Brubaker gives practical advice in guiding junior high and high school students toward personal conviction.

Sacrifice: This word sounds like deprivation, joyless asceticism, even like suffering. Certainly it does not sound like joy. But could it be that our instincts are wrong on this matter, that in a right-sideup world, joy and sacrifice are not mutually exclusive, but are actually blood brothers?

“And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” But then Adam ate of the forbidden tree. Now man is depraved, the ground cursed, and sweat and toil the order of the day. Can excellence even be achieved? Is striving for it always a good thing?

The why of achievement tests: We maintain what we value, and we value what we understand. Let’s see if we can better understand so we perceive the value of what we would like to maintain.

A school’s culture accounts for much of the shaping power of education. Anthony Hurst discusses the board’s attitude and responsibilities for the school’s culture.

There is no doubt that teachers and schools have great potential for shaping students. But Gerald reminds us that the most powerful influence comes from the home. In this message, he examines several ways parents can shape their children, particularly their children’s relationship with the school.

What is the difference between the ability to find information and the ability to recall what you have learned? More than rote memory, Linford recommends that schools work for mastery.

This moving recording was created by the Mennonite Central Committee Canada in 1996. Jonathan Erb received permission from MCC Canada to distribute it on the Dock. However, please note that the recording is still under copyright by MCC Canada. From the description on the CommonWord website: This performance, scripted and produced by Jack Dueck, comprises five main elements in interrelated… READ MORE

In the second of four sessions on Anabaptist teaching, Kyle extends the analogy of swords>plowshares/knowledge>wisdom by speaking of the specifics of classroom life. Kyle explores the question of who gets to define education, and encourages teachers to see choices as a fire that heats knowledge and makes it usable.

In the last of four sessions on the Anabaptist view of knowledge, Kyle talks about empowering a faith that will not shrink. Faith, says Kyle, is the window by which we experience the unseen–and school is part of the way we can grow in faith.

Do your students know who they are? Do they appreciate the Anabaptist value on following Christ? In the first of four talks, Kyle encourages us to settle with our Anabaptist heritage, which views knowledge as dangerous.

Inspiring teachers spark a response that initiates action. Listen to learn seven attitudes and actions that teachers should have and do to spark action in their students.

In the third of four sessions on the Anabaptist view of knowledge, Kyle points out the difference between what is called “knowledge” in the information age and the knowledge the Bible recommends. Real knowledge comes through real-life experiences.

We’ve all heard that God has a plan for our lives. But how do we find it? Many people struggle to make sense of God’s call. The struggle is an important one. Calling is a central part of what motivates us to effective, passionate service. Without a clear sense of calling, we’re vulnerable to drift through life without exercising the… READ MORE

Intentional living is a way of understanding and actuating the latent gifts God has given us. Living intentionally assumes that we have appropriate goals and that they are clearly defined. Arthur discusses the value of incremental growth and practical tools for time management.

We live in a world of much sin and sorrow. How should Christians respond? How can we engage with broken people in ways that are redemptive and life-giving? What can we learn from the life and ministry of Jesus?

Phil offers inspiration and insights from his experience at Camp Andrews. Catch and renew the vision of reaching children and youth, learn tips on more effectively reaching and managing them, be educated about the potential liabilities of working with children including some creative policies related to physical touch, and discover what more can and should be done in breaking the… READ MORE

The public persona of a leader is one thing; his personal and private habits of life are another. This workshop addresses the personal and private disciplines that contribute to successful leadership in the marketplace. Of particular interest are those life habits that result in sustainable leadership over the long haul.

Teaching children is first, says Howard, the responsibility of the parents. Howard probes our attitude towards children, and calls us to view children as a blessing, to lead them to Christ, and love them as God loves them.

How can we train our students to think? Steven suggests several key techniques.

Steven leads the group in developing tools for deductive analysis, a discipline well suited for secondary classrooms

In order to serve the Lord in our schools, we must accept the challenge to discipline our thoughts. Steven outlines the big questions with which we must engage: questions of reality, of God, of absolutes, and of significance.

Steven challenges teachers to spur student learning with three necessary elementd: facts communicated with pizazz, engagement in careful thinking, and opportunities for creative expression. If any part is missing, says Steven, learning is stunted.

God deals with us in outward, visible ways in order to convert us to spiritual life. Edsel discusses the meaning of the incarnation.

In the closing session of his series on Scripture in the classroom, Dan reminds us of the greatness of little moments. We tend to emphasize the big tests and great acts of God’s people in history. But many of the important events of God’s story were really small things to the people who lived them. This clip is taken from… READ MORE

In order to understand who we are, we must understand where we come from. Merle Burkholder suggests that Anabaptists have an important role in the church of Jesus Christ. Anabaptists, says Merle have a unique theology and a unique view of the church. David Miller continues the discussion by examining more closely the current strains of Mennonitism.

By far the majority of our teacher staff are sisters. It is the hope of all school boards to hire and employ long term teachers that are passionate and effective at their job. How does a sometimes inexperienced school board provide oversight and direction to experienced sister teachers? Courtesy CSAI.

Our Christian schools have a steady flow of students passing through the doors. The graduates that leave our schools each year will transition into a new phase of their lives. God will lead some to become fathers and mothers, business men, pastors, missionaries, or even school teachers. What are our schools doing to prepare our students with hearts of service… READ MORE

Fifty years after the beginnings of the Christian school movement, Tom reflects on the history of Christian schools in North America. He calls us to faithfully tell the stories of God’s work in the past–and continue the labor. Courtesy CSAI.

New teacher does not necessarily mean young teacher. However, many times new teachers are also young teachers. How and when should the school board guard the new teacher from concerned or upset parents? What is a realistic workload for a new teacher? How does the board offer practical support by utilizing student teaching opportunities and senior partner/mentor roles? Courtesy CSAI.

Jonathan expands lesson content beyond the three R’s. The academic setting provides a forum for teaching five R’s of service skills: reverence, responsibility, reality, respect, and relationships. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

Our students do not know the skills they will need for future service. Lyndon comments on five R’s of service: reverence, responsibility, reality, respect, and relationships. He urges us to equip student for life by the principle “Others first, myself last.” Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

Jonas begins with meditations on the power of words to bring life and make commitments. Words are not merely arbitrary labels, Jonas reminds us: “By our words we will justified [or] condemned.” Jonas goes on to give example activities of building rich vocabulary. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

Patrick addresses the practices that develop our children as servants. Used by permission from Calvary Mennonite Fellowship of Harrisonburg, VA, where this message was preached. CMFVA.org

Philip names several obstacles that hinder school boards and their schools from effectively accomplishing their mission. He urges a clearly identified mission that includes all the participants in the educational community. Courtesy CASBI.

Schools without a vision will not serve their students, or the church, well. Ernie encourages a shared process of building vision and conforming the school to that vision. Courtesy CASBI.

Our goal should be to raise, broaden, and deepen our students’ understanding of the world and their calling in the kingdom. Courtesy CASBI.

Dyslexia, says Peter, is not a defect; it is a design feature. Peter leads workshop members in recognizing signs of dyslexia. Courtesy CASBI.

Philip reflects further on the obstacles he identified in his earlier talk , and encourages school boards to work within the structures of their educational community to achieve excellence. Courtesy CASBI.

Ryan’s class discusses the motivations for holding Bible class: to focus our thoughts on God, to learn the facts of the Scripture, and more. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

Pete compares eastern religions and Islam, highlighting the exclusivism of Christianity and the openess of eastern religious thought. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

Pete offers reflections on the choices we make in the light of the decisions of Mennonites in the past. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

Uvi addresses the principles, properties, and practices of effective classroom leaders. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

The calling and task of a teacher can feel overwhelming. How can we measure up? Pete offers an inspiring path forward. Courtesy Christian Light Education (CLE).

How do we respond to the unlovely people in our classrooms, homes, and churches? God is interested in changing us to be able to love better. Courtesy FBEP.

When does apparent stability introduce change? When does apparent change offer stability? Courtesy CASBI.

Jonah discusses the causes and solutions to disorganization, especially time management, priorities, and motivation. This lecture is filled with many practical tips and suggestions. Courtesy Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute.

Patrick addresses the question of “Why study history?” and tackles some of the questions of teachers and curriculum choices. Courtesy CASBI.

How can we change our methods to maximize the learning experience? Jonathan guides participants in considering self-analysis and flexibility in response to critiques and disappointing results. Courtesy Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute.

How do we cultivate hearts of service in children for future business and missions? Gary urges school leaders to develop a vision for schools that raise committed citizens of the kingdom. Courtesy CASBI.

Jonas demonstrates his approach to using literature in the classroom, and includes selections from Amos Fortune, Freeman, The Bronze Bow, and Around the World in 180 Days. He also previews effective methods of teaching information by rote. Part of the “Understanding Pupils – Teaching the Lesson” series from Teachers’ Workshops 2000. Courtesy FBEP.

Brandon leads a series of exercises designed to enable students to perform music. Along the way, the class discusses best practices for teaching music in a Christian educational program. Courtesy FBEP.

Burnout is common in our schools. Tim addresses the problem and provides helpful cures and preventative techniques. Courtesy CASBI.

Our students can sense our fear, and will respond with misbehavior. Melvin lays out three principles for fearless classroom management, grounded in the principle of confidence in Christ. Courtesy FBEP.

Many different factors go into motivating and changing children’s behaviors. Jonathan deals with how to help a child be motivated correctly in academic, social, and moral behavior. Courtesy Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute.

Acceptance, rejection, and all the complexities with this issue have created a lot of issues in our schools. Jonathan takes a balanced look at accepting children in ways that motivates them properly towards good ends. Courtesy Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute.

In ministry, we are faced with many demands and are often asked to give more than is possible. Maintaining health in our physical body and in our soul is key. We need continual input in order to have continual output.

In this talk, Carol discusses the killers of enthusiasm and investigates some of the cures for an enthusiasm deficiency. Is this deficiency preventable and reparative?

“Truth dressed in story is memories’ storehouse.” Stories make a difference in how a teacher functions. This talk is to inspire teacher to find and use stories in their classrooms.