First off, I have embarked on the new frontier of kindergarten. This is not what I intended to write about, but it's a big deal to me, so I want to mention it. I am getting rid of nap time. And I'm calling it the new frontier of kindergarten. That gives me an extra hour plus of instruction time a day. And it means I won't have to be as stressed out trying to squeeze everything in the morning and always having to cut something out. It also means I'm kind of crazy. Now I won't get to eat my lunch while the kids sleep. I won't get to correct their papers and get their homework ready. And I won't get a few necessary moments of peace and quiet. But I really feel like it's the right thing to do. I've only done it one day so far, but it was really good that day (one rambunctious child was absent which may have helped). I think some people at the school really think I'm crazy, but I'm excited. It's motivating me to come up with more interesting lessons and centers. Plus I'm continuing to make this kindergarten program my own instead of just doing what the person before me did. But Sunday nights I always feel a little idealistic...so we'll see what the reality is like this week.
OK, on to what I intended to talk about...
On Thursday and Friday the teachers and a few other people involved with the school went to a conference in Lancaster for Christian school teachers. It was a little bit of a bust. It was OK, just not great. The main speaker was interesting and I went to a couple OK workshops. But it made me wonder if I even like Christian schools. In college, I never thought I would teach at a Christian school. I wanted to be in public schools teaching inner-city kids and trying to be a light. I had the general impression that Christian schools were mostly for privileged, often somewhat sheltered, white kids. That sounds harsh. I did go to a Christian college and loved it. But anyway, I didn't plan to teach in a Christian school.
Then Urban Promise came along. It's a Christian school I suppose, but it's also a ministry. We serve kids who may not go to church or may not have anyone else to teach them about God. And I like being able to pray with them and teach them worship songs and Bible stories.
The Urban Promise teachers were kind of misfits at this conference. We didn't really fit in or necessarily agree with what the workshop leaders said. One example sticks out in particularly. This was a workshop Kaitlin was in, so I wasn't even there. But it was based on Micah 6:8 and how we need to try to live that verse. I agree. But then the workshop leader went on to say that if you aren't trying to live Micah 6:8, you should get your resume ready, because you aren't fit to teach in Christian schools. Wait. Hold up. So was she suggesting you should leave Christian schools and instead teach in public schools? Shouldn't public school teachers live Micah 6:8 just as much as Christian school teachers? Aren't public school children created and loved by God just like Christian school children? Just hearing that is so frustrating to me. There is a great need in public schools, especially urban public schools, for teachers who desire to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. I could continue, but I think I'll stop here, lest I begin ranting.
OK, on to what I intended to talk about...
On Thursday and Friday the teachers and a few other people involved with the school went to a conference in Lancaster for Christian school teachers. It was a little bit of a bust. It was OK, just not great. The main speaker was interesting and I went to a couple OK workshops. But it made me wonder if I even like Christian schools. In college, I never thought I would teach at a Christian school. I wanted to be in public schools teaching inner-city kids and trying to be a light. I had the general impression that Christian schools were mostly for privileged, often somewhat sheltered, white kids. That sounds harsh. I did go to a Christian college and loved it. But anyway, I didn't plan to teach in a Christian school.
Then Urban Promise came along. It's a Christian school I suppose, but it's also a ministry. We serve kids who may not go to church or may not have anyone else to teach them about God. And I like being able to pray with them and teach them worship songs and Bible stories.
The Urban Promise teachers were kind of misfits at this conference. We didn't really fit in or necessarily agree with what the workshop leaders said. One example sticks out in particularly. This was a workshop Kaitlin was in, so I wasn't even there. But it was based on Micah 6:8 and how we need to try to live that verse. I agree. But then the workshop leader went on to say that if you aren't trying to live Micah 6:8, you should get your resume ready, because you aren't fit to teach in Christian schools. Wait. Hold up. So was she suggesting you should leave Christian schools and instead teach in public schools? Shouldn't public school teachers live Micah 6:8 just as much as Christian school teachers? Aren't public school children created and loved by God just like Christian school children? Just hearing that is so frustrating to me. There is a great need in public schools, especially urban public schools, for teachers who desire to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. I could continue, but I think I'll stop here, lest I begin ranting.
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