The Rhythm of the school year...

OR  "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."

We are winding up, or gearing down around Covenant, depending on who you talk to.  As I walked through the school this morning as classes were gathering for devotions, there was a lot of chatter around sharing for prayer.  Stories of Christmas traditions were excitedly shared: what had happened at church on Sunday, whose house they had had dinner at, and what they were looking forward to doing as the week progresses toward and into Christmas break.

This time of year and the anticipation of some time off is reminiscent of the creation story where God stopped and rested after declaring his creation 'very good'.  In the advent season we work slowly toward the culmination of our time of preparation for Christmas - another 'creation' story.  Just as in the creation story, where the world is spoken into being (Psalm 33:6), we are met with his rescue of His creation:  the Word became flesh. (John 1:1)    It is not a rest where we kick off and just stop because we feel we deserve it....  it is a pause to re-focus and intentionally gather ourselves in the realization that we have been saved from sin and find rest in God's grace.

For God so loved the world...... may you find rest in those words, and as you depart from regular routines to celebrate our Saviour, ponder the words of St. Augustine: "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee."

In habit, word, and deed...

This morning we ran through one of our final full school rehearsals for our Christmas program later this week.  Students worked through their lines, their spoken word recitation of scripture, sang their songs both as class groups and as a full school, and our tech crew and directors attempted to keep everything focussed and audible.

A few months ago, Dr. James K.A. Smith spoke to Canadian Christian education leaders about the importance of school as a re-habit-uation, re-form-ation project. Telling the story, and living it out in habit speaks to our minds and bodies in ways other methods cannot.  No one can drive a nail successfully the first time they pick up a hammer... it takes practice and habit - in fact hundreds, if not thousands of nails need to be placed and hit before driving a spike becomes second nature.  But, once it becomes second nature, it becomes near impossible to shake or unlearn.  The habit forms ability.

The expression of our faith in the songs of Christmas have been practiced hundreds of times at school to a point where they are becoming a part of each student participating.  I hear it in classrooms, hallways, school yard, staff room, and yes, even in the washrooms.   It is our prayer that as our habits in words and melodies have become a part of us, that you will leave our Christmas celebrations humming or singing along with the reminder of "the Word became flesh...."; that:

Love came down at Christmas,  Love all lovely, Love divine;

Love was born at Christmas;  star and angels gave the sign.

Advent... We Wait

We've entered Advent, a time of waiting. What a counter-cultural message Advent is. In a time when waiting is shunned, doing with less or slowing down are frowned upon, it can be difficult to wait!  I remember as a child watching each of the candles of Advent being lit, week after week.... the waiting was almost painful. As almost anyone can tell you, though, the waiting can make the actual event that much more poignant. 

Waiting allows reflection, anticipation, and hope. In the classic series by C.S. Lewis, the Land of Narnia in which it is "...always winter but never Christmas"  is transformed when a prophecy about two daughters of Eve and two sons of Adam appearing comes true and when the King, the Mighty Aslan returns. Spring, a warming up of the land, returns to Narnia.

In our knowledge of the prophesy, we are blessed by hope, fed by joy as we know of Christ's coming. That knowledge is a blessing to pass along so that others may join us in hope.  At CCS, we cultivate that hope by teaching our children that the King has come and is coming again, by sharing that hope through Christmas programs and parade floats, and by reflecting and waiting once again. Christ will come to redeem his creation.

Blessings to you this Advent season as you reflect, share, and hope in the gospel.

Supporting Students

We've come to one of the most exciting and anxiety producing events of the year: Parent-Teacher Interviews!!!  I remember as a childwatching my parents leaving to go and visit my school, wondering what they were saying and what they would come home with.  As a parent, I find myself wondering and worrying about what I will find out about my children, whether they measure up, or what difficulties they may be having.  As a teacher, I worry about what parents are thinking, whether they will perceive inadequacies in my teaching or abilities to reach their child.

All that stress!  Let's peel some of that away and uncover the opportunities that present themselves.  Parent-teacher conferences can be one of the most important meetings of the year in the life of a student.  They celebrate a student's strengths, they enable goal setting for areas of improvement, and they set the ground work for further communication and progress over the year. For this to happen, keep in mind the following:

• PTI's are a two-way conversation.  To be productive, both parties need to talk and listen.  By learning from one another, sharing stories of home and school, we can help our students more effectively.
• PTI's are about learning.  If we are going to take seriously the many kinds of minds in our school, we need to discuss strengths as well as areas for improvement.  We talk about how our students are doing.  We talk about how they can grow and do better.
• PTI's are about opportunities and challenges and ultimately about setting goals.  Be ready to ask questions about ways you and the teacher can help your child in the school context and at home.

Finally, talk to your child(ren).  The PTI's are about them!  Share with them what you learned.  Show them how you will help with learning at home, and ultimately that we are all on the same page:  We care about them, and about their development as a child of God!!!  We want them to take hold of God's story.

When grading kills education

It's report card time!!  I'm busy reading through the report cards of each child in the school today.  Grades are a funny thing.  Did you know that grading student work is a 1792 invention?  Prior to that, students received feedback on their learning, but there was no 'letter' grade assigned to their work.  There is actually a very active movement to remove grading from education altogether.  I'm sure that some students and teachers wouldn't mind one bit!!!

Earlier this year I shared a video clip on 'growth mindsets'.  It highlighted the huge difference between telling a student that they were really good at something, or if they had worked really hard at something.  http://youtu.be/NWv1VdDeoRY

So, how can we take this new research and apply it to our reporting of how things are going at school?  As you prepare to read your child's report card, prepare yourself also for how you will use that information going forward.  The central purpose of the report card is to encourage growth in learning.    Develop a plan forward on how to improve, how to challenge your kids in their learning, and how to encourage them and praise them for their efforts.

• If your child is doing well, make sure you praise them for their effort, not for how good they are at something. (see video link above!!)
  
• If your child is struggling, make sure you use this as an opportunity to encourage them in their strengths and develop plans to improve where they need assistance.
  
• If your child needs motivation to re-engage in their learning, make a plan to communicate regularly with the teacher and to find ways to encourage your child in their work at school.
  

Your response to your child's report card carries the potential to spur forward their learning and encourage growth.  Together, we can work to make sure grades don't kill education!!!

Remembering

Remembering...

It's becoming harder and harder to remember.  The last living WWI veteran in Canada passed away in 2010.  With that passing, we lost a story-teller.  Also, war is a painful thing to talk about.  Veterans are of different minds about telling their stories - some need to pass on the realities of war, and others avoid doing so as the memories are too painful to continue to relive.  An acquaintance of mine mourned the fact that he saw people 'not wearing a poppy'... "How can they not respect the sacrifice of so many?".  At the same time, we live in such 'taken for granted' freedom that I wonder that perhaps this is what we fight for - a freedom so prevalent that we don't even think about how wonderful it is....

So, where is God in all of this?  How do we take hold of Him in this story?  We look back and remember who he created us to be, and that He created a world of peace, one of beauty, one that was good.... VERY GOOD.  We see our present world - one where there is pain, sin, death, and war.  We remember those who fought and died in pursuit of a world that would be free from sin.  We look forward.  God is working through the good deeds he has prepared for us, and for the day when heaven will come down, and every sword will be laid down.

Remember the peace that God created.  This November 11, honour the striving for peace, and pray for a world where peace is normal... even taken for granted. 

Bucket Filling

It's November.  The heat is turned on, the last few leaves are dearly holding on, the clocks have changed, and we are entering the darkest part of the year.  Did you know that November is often referred to as 'depression month'?  It's no coincidence that schools often have the highest occurrence of behaviour issues in November and February.  The newness of the school year has worn off, we have early nightfall, and the stress of the year has set in.
Along with this seasonal depression, our 'buckets' become more empty, and our natural reaction is to treat one another more poorly than usual, or even than we intend to.  Adults and kids alike are guilty of this.  Unfortunately this creates a negative spiral... as we empty others' buckets, they pass it along.  The intentional act of 'filling' one anothers' buckets with a compliment, a kind word, a helping hand (even if we don't feel like it!!) creates a positive culture and it gets passed on.  God doesn't ask us to be kind.... He requires it.  How are we fulfilling this?

Galatians 5:22  "But the fruit of the spirit is.....kindness..."

For a fun story on 'bucket filling' and a way to talk to your kids about it:  Watch this award winning story in video form:  "How full is your Bucket for kids" by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer  http://goo.gl/ZAeFPV

The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for and deserted by everybody. The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity.— Mother Teresa

It sure is a good thing we have a Bazaar to look forward to in the middle of November!!!!

Professional Development

Professional Development.  So what do all of those teachers do for two days, anyways?  Is it really worth it?  As past chair of Edifide (the Ontario Christian School Teacher's Association), I cannot answer that question more emphatically than "YES!!"  Imagine over 800 teachers from as far away as PEI and Thunder Bay all under one roof for two days.  Here's what I have come to experience at the end of October over the past 16 years:

1) Worship and reflection.  Loud praise as unified teaching voices, and rich inspiration from some of the best speakers in the nation.

2) Honing the craft of teaching.  Introduction to and deeper instruction in some of education's best practices.  Christian education is great education by any standards.

3) Developing the art of Christian teaching.  This is the largest group of Christian educators in the nation looking to do what our schools claim to do:  raise up children in the fear of the Lord.  The initial vision of Christian schools in Ontario ignited over 50 years ago is alive and well.... and being strengthened each year.

4) Connection.  Sometimes being a Christian school teacher can feel lonely in the midst of a majority of publically funded schools and professionals.  Re-connecting with colleagues in similar schools provides the needed face to face conversations that will continue throughout the year via phone, email, and online discussion forum.  Together, we make one another better Christian School teachers.

Please pray for the teachers on Thursday and Friday.  They are the heart and soul of our Christian schools.  May God be glorified in their development!! www.edifide.net

God's Fireworks

       Students returned today to school after various Thanksgiving routines. As I listened to their stories as they came off the bus, the common theme of food, family, and fall walks in the woods emerged.  I'm pretty thankful that I live in an area of the world that is blessed with such an amazing display with the changing of the seasons. Reds, oranges, yellows....  

I'm also a big fan of Calvin and Hobbes... the imagination and delight evident in the comic strip, the boy and his tiger mimic the experience of many of our kids.  One of my favourites is one where Hobbes is so overcome by the beauty of the fall colours, that he has to stop and declare "Kapow, Fwoosh, Zingg!!" as he watches the virtual fireworks display that he imagines in the leaves of the trees.  

May you be overwhelmed this season by God's fireworks as evident in His faithfulness in the changing of the seasons...  May you be blessed by the imagination and insight we see in our children who continue to delight in simple pleasures and demonstrate childlike faith.

Thanks giving

The temperature has dropped, our furnaces, stoves, and boilers are kicking in for the beginning of the winter. As we watch the local crops coming off of the fields(or harvest them ourselves!!), we are again reminded of God's provision for us, and that we have much to be thankful for.
This week Wednesday, we are having a Thanksgiving chapel at 8:50 (you are invited!!) where the grade 2/3 class is presenting a drama for us, and winding down our food drive for Community Care. It can be a humbling experience taking a tour of this fantastic community resource..... there is so much to be thankful for, and there is so much need at the same time, even in our region. Poverty and need are not only a big city issue. Please discuss this with your children, and I encourage you to share generously as we have been blessed. Thank you so much to those who have brought in food already!! We've had to assist some of our kindergarten kids off the bus due to the fact they were so loaded down with cans. What a beautiful picture of abundant blessing!!!

Who needs sleep?

We do, we do!!  Did you know that the latest research indicates that elementary students need 10-12 hours of sleep each night?  This can even increase in the teen years.  Given the increased availability of programming outside of school in churches, sports, clubs and other valuable activities, our children are getting less and less sleep.  Wherever possible, making sure your children get enough sleep each night, and 'catch up' when they haven't been able to (Sunday night!!) will set them ready to learn, and increase their health.  Want to learn more?  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/sleep_matters/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmQmXazqe6I

Settling in and leadership

As the school year breaches into October, we now have a clear sense of routine and direction for the year.  It's easy at this point to 'settle in' and loose some of the excitement of a new, fresh year.  It becomes important to remind ourselves of and encourage one another in the story we are taking hold of and want to write for this year.  

A key group of people who have been doing this are our Student Executive. Senior students in leadership roles have been busy recruiting younger students to help out with tasks such as changing the sign, milk delivery, recycling, bus patrols, decorating, intramurals, spirit days, praise team and A/V.  Their enthusiasm for the school and the ways in which they are building one another up is inspiring.  While leadership can be daunting, messy, and challenging, it is also teaching our senior students two valuable lessons: 1) They are responsible for the culture in this place, and 2) they have valuable God-given gifts that can be used NOW... not just in the future.  1 Timothy 4:12:  "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."

Leaders convene in Victoria, BC

I have just returned from a few days in Victoria, BC where Christian Schools Canada assembled over 200 Christian school leaders from  across Canada, the US, and as far away as South Africa, South Korea, and Australia.  It was an incredibly rich experience in so many ways.  We were stimulated intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and encouraged in our task of leading in the project of Christian education.  Specifically, there were opportunities to dialogue with fellow leaders on the topics of teaching and learning, our present context of a secular society and what that means, and how we can continue to develop and walk a Christian story, inviting the world into a deep tradition and faith developed over the ages.  We are a part of an amazing venture across this nation.  May God be glorified as we continue here in our corner of Ontario to live, learn, and serve!  John 15:5:""I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

I Love to Tell the Story

Our staff devotions began this week with the singing of "I love to tell the story", an iconic 'story' song in the Christian faith.  We discussed how important it is to continue to tell the biblical stories that were and are such a cornerstone for God's chosen people in Old Testament days and Christians today.  

The climax of the biblical story thus far is the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of a promise made already to Adam and Eve and continuing through Noah, Abraham, Moses, and throughout the developing story of God and his faithfulness to his people.

Without a knowledge of the stories preceding him, Christ's life and ministry, death and resurrection become a great story in and of themselves, but lack the cosmic impact that comes from the context.  It's why it is so vital to continue to tell 'the old, old stories'.  Christ's death and resurrection affect all of creation, back through time and forward into the future.  As I wandered the halls and listened in on each class this morning, it was a delight to hear that oral tradition and study alive and well in our classrooms as teachers began their day with devotions and Bible classes... telling the old stories and setting the stage for the coming of Christ.

Our students will be able to go forward themselves and 'love to tell the story'.

Sign here in Red

While a red marker is often associated with 'marking' on school papers, we found a new use for the colour red on Friday night.  As we gathered together at Covenant for our annual welcome back open house and dessert social, new families were asked to wear red name tags and our continuing families black name tags.  Why name tags in a familiar community?  One parent and I shared the joy that 12 new families are joining us this year.  15% of our membership is new to Covenant, our routines, habits, and community.  While a name tag seems like a small detail, being able to address one another by name is a big part of being a welcoming place.  The red marker allows us to open our arms intentionally to those who are new.  Simple, but beautiful. 

Taking Hold of God's Story

Here we are at a new year!!  In our opening chapel this morning, we learned more about what it means to be a part of God's story, and how we might 'Take hold of' that story.  It involves looking back to the origins of our story (Psalm 139:16), as well as ahead to the role we play in God's story for our lives (Ephesians 2:10). Not only did God ordain all of our days in his book before we were born, he also crafted a lifetime of work for us to do!  How are we to respond?  By taking hold, of course!!!!  This year, we will look for ways in which God has been faithful to his promises, and we will also look for ways to be faithful to Him. The image of a pathway helps us to see that we are on a journey in this story - looking back and looking forward.  What an exciting thing it is to be a part of God's story in Christian Education.

Getting ready for 2014-15

It's summer, but the school building is starting to see some action.  Cleaning, setting up, preparations are all under way!!!   Check your supply lists, and get ready for a great year!!!  What stories will we hear, create, and be a part of?