The anticipation for the start of a new year excites most of the world. Maybe the teacher in me only sees the “end of the year” as May so looking ahead to writing the wrong year on documents and checks isn’t as appealing. However, I do understand the feeling of anticipation. The feelings of excitement, hope, and anxiousness all tied into a pivotal moment or event. Even without knowing the outcome of 2020, people focus on their hope for what…
Professional development or mentorship is tricky. As teachers, we want to do our job well and grow. Typically, we love genuinely love learning. It would seem we would love learning about teaching, and we do, yet teacher professional development sessions are some of the most painful things I have experienced. This includes professional development I coordinated or attended, voluntary or voluntold. Finding Quality Teacher Professional Development Currently, our school is testing out a new platform for online faculty professional development….
Stepping Outside of the Comfort Zone As I sat listening to the first speaker, I wondered what the girls were thinking about other than the topic. Our fall retreat spanned from Friday afternoon to Sunday service. We enjoyed lake views and a gorgeous cabin setting to set the vibe. The student who coordinated the weekend put in the effort to arrange speakers and worship leaders. She set-up a schedule of study, worship, and fun. The group who came isn’t what…
I look at the culture of education and see such a heavy cloud over the heads of most teachers. Concerns about students, funding, retirements, community opinion all weighing over them. The level of doom in some states or districts seems toxic. While I don’t think a walk will cure all of our educational woes, I do see how talking a walk could show care to our co-workers and in showing care, we remember we aren’t alone.
“Entering the world of teenagers can be terrifying.” Drew Hill speaks real truth in the opening sentence of Chapter Six of his book Alongside. Recently, a post on Facebook caught my attention. I don’t remember exactly what it said, but it had a picture of the back of a school bus full of kids. The caption focused on the anxiousness of being behind the bus, knowing the “cool kids” were sitting in the back making fun of you. It doesn’t…
This article contains Amazon Affiliate LLC links. This does not increase the cost to you; however, I earn a small commission for sales if you use the link. I only share about books and products I use and enjoy. Yesterday morning, I went for a walk just after sunrise. It’s that time of year in Kentucky when mornings allow you to wear your oversized sweatshirt and shorts. Yet, by lunch you need short sleeves and shade. As I typically do…
This article on college ministry contains Amazon Affiliate LLC links. This doesn’t increase costs for you; however, I earn a small commission on purchases made via the links. I only share materials and resources I love! College ministry work comes with challenges. I’ve been reading Alongside by Drew Hill and he says it so well, “Teenagers are awesome – a mix of childlike spirits and adultlike ambitions. Knowing them is a gift, but loving them is often challenging.” It’s true…
This article contains Amazon Affliliate LLC links. This doesn’t raise the price for you, but I do earn a small commission for sales. Setting expectations requires communication early and often. But it also requires us, as educators, to model those expectations! In the book, Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say, No, to Take Control of Your Life, authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend state: Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A…
Just. Let’s examine the definitions available for this four-letter word. Adjective: based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair (equitable) Adjective: deserved or appropriate in the circumstances (deserved) Adjective: well founded; justifiable (valid) Adverb: exactly (precisely) Adverb: very recently Adverb: barely (narrowly) Adverb: simply; only; no more than (merely) Adverb: possibly Adverb: used as a polite formula for giving permission or making a request It just (8) might be just (1) to just (9) allow just…
After a long day of visits, phone calls, and text messages from my college students about life, I did what any person would do in 2019. I went on Instagram (post-workout) and shared a series of InstaStories on decision making. It wasn’t long (my story stayed dashes and didn’t go to dots, so it couldn’t be too long), but it was certainly blunt. Decision Making InstaStory I wish I saved it, but I didn’t. Ultimately, the story recapped the root…