The Party is This Way!

And we're back! Welcome to class. This year I will focus on specific lessons from class in addition to fun or silly clips I find along the way.

Keep Cool! It's going to be a great year!

American History: I'm Just a Bill

Connection & Collaboration Summary

Sherry Turkle: Connected but Alone

"Ted Talks" have inspired the world of technology. Check out YouTube for more educationally stimulating lectures. They are short, to the point videos with a new-to-me approach about "hot topics" in our society.

The Human Relations Course I've just completed has taught in depth about how we can communicate with each other in our changing world. One thing we can count on is change. Change is constant. As a teacher, changes occur with new staff, new students, new programs, new curriculum. We are constantly learning new things. I am now realizing the complexity of change. It is painful whether it is for the better or not. You can anticipate disruption and prepare to balance our lives in a new way. 

Through the case studies in class I learned more about the need for clear communication. Without it, we fail as educators. We need to remember to take the third side: standing on the balcony gaining perspective before we make our decisions.

The use of sympathy and empathy assist in learning about and understanding people. The two are very different.

Sympathy: showing love, compassion, taking action

Empathy: perspective, understanding

When you can see the differences in humanity and understand their thoughts and feelings, you gain respect and knowledge rather than a jump to quick conclusions.

In order to be an effective educational leader, you need to create and maintain and effective learning environment. You need to be organized, supportive, engaging, professional, approachable, kind. It is also important to be able to stimulate interest in your staff and students while communicating by using these tools and talents. 

In John C. Maxwell's book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, it all boils down to this: "Connecting Practice: Connectors live what they communicate. Key Concept: The only way to keep connecting with people is to live what you communicate." He goes on to say that in order to connect, you need to know yourself and live what you're saying you're living. People will see right through you if you don't. They don't connect with false communicators. Instead, be vulnerable and authentic! That's how you will connect. 

Post-Project Evaluation

It's time to talk about what we've learned!

• What did you know about Amazing Grace before we began our project?
• What did you want to know about Amazing Grace?
• What do you know now about Jesus and his grace and love for us?
• Who wrote Amazing Grace?
• How does working together make it easier/harder to complete a task?
• If you were to tell a friend about this project, how would you describe it in complete sentences?
• How does Amazing Grace apply to you? Your family?
• Did you enjoy the project? Why/Why not? 
• What would you change?

Please email your response or comment below. You will be graded for your presence and contributions to the conversations.

Goals & Objectives for Amazing Grace Project

• Students will use technology and out of school experiences to learn and use grace in their daily lives by following the instructions posted on this blog. There will be questions with space for comment and discussion throughout the course of the year. 
• Students, parents, teachers, and volunteers will work together to reach the community with a school garden. They will also use their experiences as groundwork for more outreach opportunities and community service projects. 
• Students will be able to identify the meaning of "The Parable of the Sower" as told by Jesus Christ in Matthew 13:1-23 by discussing the parable in small groups as well as the importance of planting seeds properly and caring for them with food, water, air, and sunshine. They will show kindness to each other by cooperatively working in small groups and larger groups because they will see what the teacher expects of them during this time.
  
  
  NAD Curriculum Standards addressed:
  
  
  Teachers will lead young people to live a purpose driven life while dealing with trials and temptations.
  
  
  Students will be encouraged to develop personal understandings of truth and apply them to real issues based on their study of the bible.
  
  
  Students will be led to a meaningful encounter with the commitment to the Lord.
  
  
  Jesus' death on the cross will serve as a reminder of the importance of nurturing relationships with others and with Christ and the grace he gives freely to sinners when they repent and request forgiveness. 
  
  
  There is a need to illustrate inherent relevance of biblical truth to the needs of students.

Blessings to you Mercy Seekers!

Materials for Lesson

Materials Needed

open mind
positive attitude
Bible
seeds
greenhouse lights
plastic
string for rows
garden tools (rake, shovel, hoe)
hoses
sprinklers
journals
computer access
tissue paper (for hats)
dirt plots
2x4 wood to form square plots
stakes
popsicle sticks and paper (names of seeds in rows)

Plan & Process

PLAN AND PROCESS

Students: Please Read Lesson and Respond via Email or Blog

The Amazing Grace Project

Class: Bible

Grade: 5-6
*Consider praying before you begin that God will open your eyes and heart to what he has in store for you*

View Video Clip for Brain Break:

Spiritual Inventory:

Ask students to raise their hands if they know the parable of the sower:

• 1-finger: I don't know
• 2-fingers: It sounds familiar
• 3-fingers: Oh ya! I know that parable well!

Give students a moment to write what they know and would like to know about the parable in their prayer journals.

Read the parable together in the bible.

Talk about the types of soil - how is your heart? What kind of "soil" is my heart?

Matthew 13:1-23

The Parable of the Sower. 1^* On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. 3^* And he spoke to them at length in parables,^* saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold. 9 Whoever has ears ought to hear.”10 The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”11^* He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. 12^b To anyone who has, more will be given^* and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.13^* c This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’14^d Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

‘You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see. 15 Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.’ The Privilege of Discipleship.^*16^e “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower.^*18^f “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23 But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold.'

‘You shall indeed hear but not understand

you shall indeed look but never see.'"

Begin discussing the project of building a garden.

Conversation building questions:

Who has ever planted a garden?
What did you grow?
Have you eaten food from a garden?
Did you like the taste?
Could you tell a difference between store bought and fresh garden foods?
Why is gardening important?
Who gardens?
Why do so many cultures plant gardens or crops? Why not just buy food at the store?
How can gardening effect your health?
What does gardening teach us about the earth?
Do you prefer to work alone or with others in the garden? Why?

• Take volunteers to be the committee for planting the garden.
• The 6th graders will research plants and seeds locally by calling farmers
• The 5th graders will then research flowers and their seeds locally by calling nurseries in town

If time allows, break into groups and teach the class the "Veggies" game.
Materials: towel or hankerchief

1. Name yourself after a fruit or vegetable.
2. Sit in a circle in a space outside of in the gymnasium.
3. One person (teacher) goes into the middle of the circle. 
4. The person in the middle will call a fruit or vegetable and try to tag them before they can call another fruit or vegetable name.
5. All who are called must hurry and name another before tagged. They must pick a name that another students has chosen for themselves. 

Students will be able to identify some of their favorite, most unique foods and have a lighthearted experience bonding as a class.

Reminder: Students need to use kind words and manners only. Give examples by bringing volunteers to the front of the classroom for "role-play" activities illustrating what the positive and negative behaviors look like.

*Take your time in this process for it is intended to be a long-term, project-based assignment.

I have added an animated video about education. This is for parents who are actively involved in seeing a brighter future for their children.

Amazing Grace & Philosophy

Philosophy of Education

My philosophy is to hold students to high academic, personal, & spiritual standards. I will continuously raise the bar in the classroom and create an atmosphere of safety and confidence where they are encouraged to be there for each other as positive role models and character builders.

I hope to create a climate of care and kindness where everyone is able to express their thoughts without fear of failure or rejection by constantly finding and reminding them of their spiritual gifts.

I want to take each day as an opportunity for new beginnings and fresh starts. If the previous day wasn't great, I want my students to know that every morning is a chance to try again.

I want to be able to lead in a way the shows parents I am confident in my position as a leader but also someone who will listen to their needs and concerns. I will treat each individual as just that - individual.

As the curriculum is a guide, I will use my creative teaching to assist in each of their learning abilities. I desire to motivate students to create goals for themselves by helping each other to reach their goals as responsible citizens of the classroom, community, and church.

I will continuously be checking to see how they are doing and how they feel about their progress in school by asking direct questions and giving out surveys and reports about their accomplishments in class.

As for the Amazing Grace theme for the year, when I can see they are struggling whether academically, emotionally, or physically, I promise to do my best to show mercy. If lending my ear or giving more time will help, so be it. It may go as far as to throw out an assignment that has caused frustration and angst. Whatever and whenever, I will pray that my students can learn from their teachers and each other that school is not a place to be perfect. It is a place to try, try again, and keep trying. We will show our students our vulnerable side so the walls can come down and we can work together collaborating our ideas and dreams.

Christ taught us to be merciful so we call ourselves the Mercy Seekers.

Amazing Grace: