The Importance of Healthy Teacher/Student Relationships

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How can we help our students to learn? According to educational research, two of the strongest factors in student learning relate back to the teacher/student relationship. This shouldn’t surprise us, since we know that we are created as relational beings in the image of a relational God.

According to researcher John Hattie, healthy teacher/student relationships have a strong positive effect on student learning[1]. When students believe their teachers know and care for them as individuals, they are more willing to take risks and make mistakes and to see these mistakes not as failures but as opportunities to learn. A student who knows his teacher cares for him is likely to work harder and aim higher. Conversely, a student who believes that her teacher sees her as difficult or “a problem” (whether this perception is true or not) will be less likely to fully engage in the learning process.
 
Even more impactful to learning than a positive teacher/student relationship is teacher credibility. When students believe that they can learn from their teachers, it positively impacts learning almost twice as much as healthy relationships [2]. What builds teacher credibility? Foremost is trust. Students need to believe that their teachers know them as individuals and “have their best academic and social interests at heart.[3]” In addition to trust, students need to believe their teachers are competent in both knowledge of content and practice of pedagogy, that they are passionate about their teaching and why it is important, and that they will be reliably accessible and relatable.
 
What does all this mean for teachers? Here are some ideas that ring true for both physical and virtual classrooms.
 
Call students by name. Just as the Lord spoke to Israel in Isaiah 43:1, we should call our student by name and let them know they are ours, that we know them and care for their needs. This can be done when addressing students, but it can also be incorporated in more subtle ways such as by adding student names & interests into your teaching examples.
 
Notice individual students and respond to their needs. It can be easy to only respond to those students who seek attention (raising their hands, adding comments to chat bar, etc). However, all our students need to know they are valued. We should be intentional about including every student in class and finding avenues to give every student a voice. (I found it helpful to keep a tally in my grade book or planner of every learning interaction. This highlighted the inequities in my classroom and helped me engage everyone.)
 
Provide opportunities for students to fail. This may seem counter-intuitive, but allowing students to fail and then giving them tools to change that failure into a learning opportunity increases student confidence in the learning process. Students need to understand that an incorrect answer or undesirable behaviour is not going to impact their teacher’s care for them. They also need tools that will help them learn from their mistakes. This could take the form of meaningful feedback, opportunities to make corrections, or even the chance to try again. The key here is that students know that the teacher believes in them and will support them.
 
Make yourself available. In a physical classroom this could be as simple as moving around the classroom which signals to students that you are there if they need you. In an online environment, communicating clearly and frequently when and how students can contact you for help is essential. The way you respond—your physical demeanor, tone of voice, etc.—should communicate to your students that their concerns are important to you and you have the time and desire to engage them.
 
In a season where so much of life—not to mention school—has been disrupted and feels very uncertain, taking time to intentionally build positive relationships with your students is an essential ingredient in both student learning and in the ministry of transformational education. It is also one of the most rewarding investments you will make this year!


Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.
Global Coordinator of Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond Global

[1] Fisher, Douglas, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie. The Distance Learning Playbook: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in any Setting. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2020. pg. 48. The positive effect size is 0.48. 

[2] Ibid. pg. 66. The positive effect size of this is 1.09.

[3] Ibid. pg. 66. teach by.

Photo Credits: On the chalkboard. via Shutterstock. Learning to Write. via Shutterstock. 

A Thank You to Teacher: Parental Perspective on Emergency Home Education

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These last few months for teachers have been very difficult but you have all risen to the challenge to continue to provide a top-quality education for your students from a distance. You have done this because you love and care for your students. As parents, we are profoundly grateful. I can’t imagine the hours of preparation time for materials and resources, not to mention the time spent learning how to use online platforms such as Zoom, and reading all those extra safeguarding documents relating to doing online teaching. Thank you for your commitment to our children, for being willing to undertake all this extra workload during this stressful time, and for doing so while at the same time (for some of you) managing your own children at home.

For many of us, home-schooling has been a forced decision due to the Covid- 19 lock down necessities. We are trying to make sure our children continue to learn whilst at the same time continuing to work our own jobs from home. We have not had time to think about all the educational issues involved. For those parents not from a teaching background this must be an even greater challenge. Therefore, the support given from school has been vital, and we thank you for being there to help and guide us.
 
Access to devices and good internet connection has for some been a real concern. Some families have siblings all needing access to follow their classes. For some parents trying to understand and monitor their children’s use of technology is overwhelming. Different children react to screen time and online learning in different ways. Thank you for your patience with us as our families come to grips with the technology and work out the balance of how and when to use it. 

Both the BBC and The Guardian have noted that Zoom meetings can be wearing and people are experiencing feelings of fatigue[1]. This must be true for you teachers spending more than usual amounts of time online and in Zoom. Please look after yourselves and remember to take breaks away from the screen! If this fatigue is true for adults, it is also the case for children, so help us to think about the balance of time children need to be in Zoom class and the amount of work being set. We want what’s best for our kids, and we know you do too. 
 
Many thanks also to you for being genuinely concerned for your students’ well-being during this unprecedented time. Thank you for the time you have taken to phone our families and check how they are doing. Good communication has also really helped us to support our kids’ learning and understand the school’s expectations. 
 
Finally, thank you for your continued prayers for our children. Your prayers do not go unnoticed or unheard (Psalm 116:1).
 
From a grateful parent.


Rosalyn Smith
TeachBeyond, UK
Associate Member

[1] “The Reason Zoom Calls Drain Your Energy.” BBC Worklife, BBC, 22 Apr. 2020, www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200421-why-zoom-video-chats-are-so-exhausting.

Gordon-Smith, Eleanor. “Zoomed out: How Can We Politely Tell People We’d Rather Not Chat?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Apr. 2020, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/16/zoomed-out-how-can-we-politely-tell-people-wed-rather-not-chat.

Photo Credits:

Rosalyn Smith is a Teach Beyond associate member. She has worked as a school librarian, Research Skills and Music teacher in the Philippines and Malaysia. She is a mother to two boys aged 9 & 11 and currently lives in the north of the UK.

Practical Ideas for Navigating a Global Pandemic without Losing Faith

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Thirty-one of Nashville’s Studio Singers pulled together a mobile phone choir to record the hymn ‘It Is Well With My Soul’. Their powerful performance proclaiming the peace of Christ during these unparalleled times of Covid-19 has become an internet sensation. The story behind the lyrics may be the reason for this hymn’s current popularity: Horatio Spafford wrote the words at the very spot in the Atlantic Ocean where his four daughters were drowned. It’s a hymn expressing a deep and comforting faith, an anthem for grieving people reminding them of the hope of Christ as the abiding, true peace which attends their way.

As comforting and true as this hymn is, it is not the one I would choose as the banner hymn for the Covid-19 crisis. The lyrics omit some important biblical messages about pain and suffering for the here and now, such as the solace of knowing that Jesus completely identifies with our suffering because he too suffered and grieved as a man. As we weep in prayer, the one hearing our prayer empathises as a fellow sufferer. Jesus comforted the grieving and told the body of Christ to go and do likewise.

Jesus also alleviated suffering and oppression. As His followers we are not to passively submit to fate or death. We are God’s image bearers tasked with taking care of the creation in order to do His will on earth as it is in heaven. We are to be researching cures for disease, developing immunisations, serving the sick, turning righteous indignation into justice seeking, and striving to improve the lives of others and ourselves as biblical responses to confronting suffering and oppression. Underlying all of this is the bedrock of God’s peace attending our souls.

Three Actions for Teachers to Consider

What does this mean for us in the classroom? Here are three practical ideas.

  1. Offer students opportunities to express their emotions—even the negative ones of sadness, grief, fear, disappointment, doubts, and anger.
  2. Give attention to the unsaid good-byes to classmates or staff members who had to leave suddenly with no guarantees that they will ever be back.
  3. Process the missed experiences and disappointments—especially for high school seniors. Not all losses are tangible and may be difficult for students to identify or describe, but this doesn’t negate the impact they have on students’ lives.
  4. Assign writing prompts to explore the topics above or encourage students to journal.
  5. Assign relevant blogs or podcasts as a part of your curriculum; ask for student responses.
  6. Hold age-appropriate group discussions on these topics.
  7. Share with students your own prayers, insights, praises, emotions, and vulnerabilities.
  8. Communicate your availability to listen as students process difficult questions and thoughts. Be a safe person.
  • Find safe ways for students to serve the school or local community during the pandemic.
  • This could be tutoring a younger student on-line or donating to local food banks. Remind students that intercessory prayer is itself a service to the community.
  • Have students plan alternative dates or reinvent the cancelled events they were anticipating: Easter celebrations, music recitals, dance or drama performances, banquets and proms, award nights, sporting competitions, special Senior recognitions, promotion and graduation ceremonies, etc.
  • Have students join or create a community esprit de corps event such as clapping for the health care workers, creating rainbow displays for hope, placing bears in windows for children on walking bear hunts, etc. Provide opportunities to share their experiences.
  • Embrace the spiritual disciplines.
  • Challenge yourself and your students (at their appropriate developmental level) to use this unusual time to practice more of the spiritual disciplines. You may want to study the disciplines or lead your students in such a study first.
  • Select scriptural passages to pray through corporately. Choose passages that address a wide range of responses, from acknowledging emotional needs, calling for repentance, or acknowledging God’s presence and sovereignty.

Lastly, as we journey through this pandemic, keep in mind that any continuation of stress has a cumulative effect. The dam may break for students well after we thought things had settled. As you care for your students, I pray you will also rest in the care of our God and faith which, among everything else, is 100% therapeutic both now and in the time to come.

Helen Vaughan, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant for Transformational Education
TeachBeyond/ CATE Centre (Christians Advancing Transformational Education)

Photo Credits: It is Well. by James Lee from Pixabay. Pixabay License. 

Boundaries for everyone

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I’m not sure what your daily life looks like right now. Maybe you are overwhelmed with suddenly homeschooling all of your children, adapting to teaching online, or leading your school into a new phase of learning. Maybe you have more free time since the virus has put a halt on what you can do in your role. Whichever position this season has put you in, healthy boundaries are so important for you and for those around you. As this season of our lives stretches longer than a week or two, let’s move forward as best as we can. With wisdom from God, and grace for ourselves, this season of life can still be one of growth.

Why are boundaries important?

Everyone is craving boundaries and expectations right now. There has been an upheaval in our lives, our schedules don’t exist as they once did, and each day may feel like it is blurring into the next. Many of us have never worked from home or even desired to. Setting boundaries and expectations for this season is crucial for accomplishing our goals and more importantly having our families, friends, and students feel safe and secure in the knowledge of how and when they can count on us in this time. A lack of boundaries confuses the people in our lives. With the countless uncertainties right now, it’s important for those in our lives that depend on us to know when and in what capacity we can be depended on.

Ideas on boundaries to set:[1]

  • Have office hours with an automated response that includes FAQs. This can prompt others to problem solve on their own and not depend on getting answers from you at any hour. This also helps others know when they can expect to hear back from you.
  • Set screen time limits. Of course, it’s not only for the kids! Removing certain news apps or turning off notifications for your work email may give you the space and time to breath that you didn’t know you needed. Allot certain times to watch the news once or twice a day and that’s it!
  • Keep things simple. Most of us weren’t designed or prepared to live out our lives or jobs in this way. It’s okay to keep things simple. You can always add once you have patterns and schedules in place. This goes for you, your family, and your students.
  • Have a consistent workplace. Designating a work spot provides your family/roommates a visual signal that you are working and allows them to respect your work time.
  • Set times & spaces for your different roles throughout the day. Where and when do you help your kids with school work? Workout? Have your quiet time with God? Watch Netflix?

The absolute hardest part of healthy boundaries is upholding the boundaries you have set and communicating those boundaries to everyone involved. We tend to want to give everything to our students, our kids, and our friends, but we simply can’t. This is a unique time where we are all hurting and impacted in some way. “Boundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal, and necessary.”[2] We must take care of ourselves in order to be able to properly and lovingly take care of others. This is a good practice in every season and something good to model and implement for our children and our students as well.    

I can offer advice, but at the end of the day, there is one who has ultimate wisdom and will give us discernment on what our days can look like. The Creator of this world—who isn’t surprised by any of this—wants to speak into our days and give us creativity, joy, and strength to carry on.

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

I pray that you seek out the wisdom of God in how to live out this season.


Morgan Newcomb

Special Education Specialist

TeachBeyond Asia

Morgan Newcomb is a special education teacher from Chicago IL. She is currently serving in South East Asia as a special education consultant.


Photo Credits: calendar, RL Hunsberger. Online Learning, via Shutterstock.

[1] Conover, Carrie. “Building Healthy Boundaries.” educators2educators, Apr. 2020, www.educators2educators.com/healthy-boundaries.

[2] Martin, S. (2018). Quotes to Inspire Healthy Boundaries. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 6, 2020, from https://blogs.psychcentral.com/imperfect/2016/06/quotes-healthy-boundaries/

From fear to faith

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We desire to help our learners through their transformation into who God has created them to be. When dealing with anxiety and trauma, our role in this transformation is to learn how to care for students, assist them in their healing and, in so doing, create a space for them to simply be children. As we face new threats of illness and disruption across the globe, teachers are in a unique position to guide their students from fear to faith.

How do we do that? You have probably heard of the “trauma-informed approach” or “trauma-informed care”. While not all children have or will experience trauma, this framework gives everyone the tools to communicate better, to empathise more with each other, and to recognise harmful situations. In the weeks and months to come the classroom, whether online or in person, will be a critical place for learners to process and understand what is happening in the world because of this pandemic.

One of the first ways educators—and parents—can assist their learners is knowing how trauma can present itself. The Child Mind Institute in New York mentions[1]:

  • Problems with sleeping (too much or too little)
  • Loss of appetite or overeating
  • Anger (sudden or unexplained irritability)
  • Attention (trouble focussing on projects, class and private conversations, or needing more attention)
  • Anxiety (constant worry, separation anxiety from parents, reliving traumatic event, easily startled by noise)

Chronic stress or trauma can greatly hinder the ability to learn, so be patient and compassionate. Identifying these presentations of trauma is the first step. From here, your instinct to comfort and reassure is the next step to take. A few practical examples are:

  • Acknowledging the event: whether it was a loss (an evacuated teacher or friend) or a specific event (closing the school abruptly), create a space for discussing this with your students and allow them to express their feelings.
  • Taking time to talk: the classroom will be one of the most important places for students to talk and grieve. They know you and being with you is comforting. Studies have demonstrated that when adults listen to children it can be more effective than saying the right things.
  • Encouraging curiosity: model asking questions to your students.
  • Being mindful of safety: remind them about safety measures, prepare them for fire drills, leave the door ajar, tell them in advance if there will be noise.
  • Being predictable: return to your routine, or if necessary, create a new one. If you can, post the routine so students can know what is coming next. Structure will comfort them. Also be prepared to be flexible within the routine[2].

If you are moving into an online teaching experience because of COVID-19, these strategies can still be applied. Additionally, you can encourage your students virtually by:

  • Referencing how students are feeling: assign reflection homework. This could be an art piece, journal entry, photography, etc.
  • Giving students agency: ask students to help with designing the schedule and brainstorm new “class rules” with them.
  • Reducing media exposure: create a challenge with a prize for students who only use devices a certain amount per day (parents could keep them accountable).
  • Providing alternative assessment: this could be a great time to get creative with projects instead of traditional homework. Students could conduct phone interviews with a family member, presentations in the form of webinars or movies, etc. Studies show integrating the expressive therapies (art, music, drama) transforms the learning and healing experience[3].
  • Creating opportunities for expression: such as a blog or online platform where students can post daily activities.
  • Integrating conversations about faith: during a crisis, students will naturally be asking big questions. You can use this time to be open about God and His promises, while modelling to them what it looks like to choose faith over fear. If you are able, begin your virtual classes with a short devotional and leave room for discussion.

A Note about You:

In the midst of crisis or trauma, educators often ignore their own needs in order to care for their students. This puts them at risk of having vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue or burnout. Make sure you are taking care of yourself and not depleting your own well. The deeper your well, the more you have to give to your students. Dr. Wilbur summarises ways to cope with The ABC’s of Self Care[4]:

Awareness – be attuned to one’s own needs limits, and emotions.

Balance – balance between work, rest, and play.

Connection – connect to oneself, to others, and something larger.

It’s okay if you do not know what to do or do not have the answers during this unprecedented time. All we can do is help our students be who they were created to be and learn from and with them in the process.

Additional resources:

Teacher, Interrupted: Leaning into Social-Emotional Learning Amid the COVID-19 Crisis https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-03-18-teacher-interrupted-leaning-into-social-emotional-learning-amid-the-covid-19-crisis

Coronavirus Has Led to a Rush of Online Teaching. Here’s Some Advice for Newly Remote Instructors https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-03-11-coronavirus-has-led-to-a-rush-of-online-teaching-here-s-some-advice-for-newly-remote-instructors

The ABC’S of Self-Care and Stress Reduction https://www.hartsteinpsychological.com/abcs-of-self-care-stress-reduction

Katy Maria Shimp
TEFOL Education Specialist
TeachBeyond, Beyond Borders

After obtaining her MA in TTESOL, Katy and her husband joined TeachBeyond and developed a language programme in Brasilia, Brazil. They are now based in Winnipeg, Canada, where Katy works remotely with Beyond Borders as the TESOL Education Specialist.

[1] “Signs of Trauma in Children.” Child Mind Institute, childmind.org/article/signs-trauma-children/.

[2] Koplewicz, Harold S., and Child Mind Institute. “A Teacher’s Role in Dealing with Tragedy: Traumatic Events.” Child Mind Institute, childmind.org/article/teachers-role-tragedy-strikes/.

[3] Jehlen, A. “Dance of the trapezoid: Educators use the power of the arts to teach math and science”. NEA Today Magazine. 2008, www.nea.org/archive/4129.htm; The New York State Education Department, Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign Language Studies. “Art as a tool for teachers of English language learners”.Albany, NY: The University of the State of New York. 2008, steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/media/users/nbm3/art_tool.pdf.

[4] Wilbur, Amea. Trauma and Language Learning. March, 2020. TESL Canada. https://zoom.us/j/325093143?pwd=aWZJeE1oQzcxcHNvZ2FucWM1ZUw4dz09. PowerPoint Presentation.

See it. Say it. Sorted!

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I take the train often in our new home country. I enjoy hearing many of iconic statements—like the famous “Mind the gap.”— that are part of the train-riding experience.

My favourite of these sayings plays over and over in stations and on the trains: “See It, Say It, Sorted.” I love these words of wisdom because they remind me of what God has called us to do in Matthew 18: “If a brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Here, God gives us a pattern for dealing with conflict in a godly manner. When we “see” a hurt and “say” it, it gets “sorted.”

A Pattern for Problems

This is a valuable pattern that we can practice with students and use during teachable moments to help transform their lives. And the benefit is that once you have taught this pattern and practiced it, you have more time to teach because small annoyances are handled without your intervention.
There are different ways that younger children naturally try to deal with problems. The verbal child shouts out her annoyance expecting you to solve the problem: “Mary won’t share.” “Mark pushed me.” “Dave hurt my feelings.” On the other hand, the timid child will keep the infraction to herself and not tell you about the hurt or abuse.

God has a better way. God calls everyone to go to the person who caused hurt and speak to him privately, naming the hurt or sin, and wait for the response. Many times, the offender doesn’t even know that he was hurting another. He then has an opportunity to apologise, the matter is forgiven, and relationship restored.

Following this process helps all children. Verbal children learn to not shout out or bring more people into the problem than needed. Quieter children know that if they are not heard they can ask for help and will be supported to solve the conflict. As we train children to follow God’s pattern, our hope is that as they encounter more complicated conflicts, they will know to go to the other person first instead of talking to their friends and increasing the problem.

Practicing the Solution

Last year I was teaching EFL to eight-year-olds. One of the first things that we worked on was following this pattern. I was working in a country where we couldn’t openly share our faith, but I was still able to work with them to learn this godly principle.

I had the students act out a scene where someone was unkind, and we would practice this conversation: “Please stop.” “I’m Sorry.” “You are forgiven.” We had fun acting out silly situations, practicing the pattern and moving to showing forgiveness. Often young children don’t have the language to voice their frustrations and this pattern can give them the words to deal with the hurt in a healthy way.

Personal Involvement
But what happens when the offender doesn’t slow down, admit he hurt the other person, say he is sorry, and stop the activity? Once the hurt student has tried to go to the offender, she can ask for help to resolve the problem. Many times, I’ve asked a child who shouts out in line, “Tom pushed me,” if she had turned quietly to the other and asked them to stop.

Only if the hurt student has tried and the situation was not resolved will I step in to navigate the restoration process. We have a responsibility to teach the students in increasingly complicated situations to solve the problem in a biblical way that culminates with forgiveness and the relationship being restored.

See It, Say It, Sorted.” I love these words of wisdom and think they mimic what God has called us to do in Matthew 18.  When you “see” and experience sin don’t be afraid to approach the person and “say” it, giving them a chance to repent. If that doesn’t work, ask for help from someone, working toward repentance and forgiveness: “Sorted!”

Dana Neff
Administrative Director for Open Schools World Wide
TeachBeyond, Global
Photo Credits:Train. Shepherd Media, via Needpix. Public Domain Image. See It. Say It. Sorted. Public Domain Image. 

Transformation from the Inside Out

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Trees fall.

This one by our house collapsed and crushed the fence during a recent rainstorm. There was no outward sign of a weakness. Now, broken open, it lays across the fence and I can see the rottenness inside.

Sometimes people are like trees. We can look good outside but won’t hold up over time or in a storm. As much as we adjust and shape outside behaviours and appearances, it is the inside that matters. It is the inside where real transformation begins and continues.

Our third “Pillar of Transformation” is that real transformation comes from the “inside out,” starting with the heart and mind, rather than “outside in” starting with behaviour formation. Transformation is in the heart-mind before behaviour.

What about classroom management?

As a teacher, you may be saying, “But, I need my students to act right even if their heart isn’t there.” This is true. We do need to function as a class or a society and sometimes this means forcing or training behaviours. External influences, discipline and reward, are often necessary to provide order and achieve purpose.

The important difference is that we know that a tree can stand and look good even with a rotten inside. We don’t rest on appearances and are not deceived. We are never satisfied with good behaviour only. We are always looking and praying for inside change, reaching the heart and mind and pleading with God to do the inside work that only He can do.

Romans 12:1-2 comments on both behaviour and inside transformation. Paul says to “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.” This is an external action. He says to do this, not waiting for it as an overflow of inside transformation. There is nothing wrong with a behaviour that is good and right. It just shouldn’t end there.

Paul continues, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” As the inside is transformed, we then live out God’s desires in our lives as an overflow of inside transformation.

What can we do to transform hearts?

How do we help along “inside out” transformation knowing that heart change is God’s business?

  1. We provide excellent educational environments. This is our second “Pillar of Transformation.” God often uses good pedagogy. As in the parable of the sower and seed, we can “prepare the soil” of hearts with love, security, and positive practices.
  2. We plant seeds. God often uses His Word to transform hearts. We can teach scripture, or if in a closed context, we can share the truths embedded there. God is the one who causes the growth, as we plant, water and feed.
  3. We talk about changed hearts. We help our students know that it is the inside, the heart, that God wants. Even as we discipline using external behaviours, we discuss the heart. We show learners how to do things like Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV)
  4. We model changed hearts. We ask God to change our hearts, as Deuteronomy 6:6 says, “These words I am commanding you today shall be on your heart.” This means letting the Holy Spirit change you with His words. Though written to parents, this is a model we can use so students see inside out transformation.
  5. We pray. As God says in 2 Corinthians 3:3, “you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” We “care” for learners well; God writes on their hearts. And, as Paul continues in 3:4-6, we have confidence because “our adequacy is from God.”

Praise God that He makes us adequate for our part and gives us the privilege of being involved in His work of “inside out” transformation. We often can’t see it or even know what is inside, but by faith in Him, we trust His good work in the lives of our learners. We pray for the day of seeing students as strong, healthy trees standing in the wind and bearing fruit in other lives because of transformed hearts.

Joe Neff, Th.M.
Coordinating Director of Education Services, Director of School Services
TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Joe Neff

Sowing the Seeds of Transformation

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As we teach our students, what is the thing that will make the most transformative difference in their lives? Will it be the spiritual formation classes which we’ve laboured so hard to make relevant and practical? The opportunities to serve others in their school and greater community? The influence of godly teachers and school staff?

While all of these things are important, I don’t think they are the most important thing. These are all things that rely on us and what we do. These things reflect evidence of a transformed life, but they, themselves, are not what transforms us.  The psalmist declares, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”[1] Jesus told His disciples that He was giving them the Holy Spirit who, when He came would “guide you into all truth” and convict of sin and righteousness.[2] One of the most powerful ways that the Spirit convicts is through reminding us of what the word of God says. But in order for us, or our students, to be reminded of what the Word says and to be transformed by it, we must first have hidden this word in our hearts.

In Western educational systems, learning something by rote memory has a bad name.  We focus much of our attention and effort on spurring students to deep levels of cognitive thinking, and often dismiss activities that rely on memorisation.  However, rote memory does have its place in the classroom.  Students who have mastered their multiplication tables have an easier time completing more complicated mathematical processes. The time spent on the rote memorisation of one skill benefits students later as they are introduced to other skills that require deeper levels of cognition. Similarly, students who have memorised the word of God have a greater store of truth hidden in their hearts. This memorisation is the foundation for a deeper understanding and application of Biblical truth.

Verses that I memorised in elementary and middle school may not have meant much to me at the time. I’m sure there were times when I rebelled against having to memorise them. My understanding of the verses may have been limited at best. Despite all of this, I developed a deep reserve of truth that years later was brought forth at the prompting of the Spirit, teaching me, convicting me, and encouraging me. As we encourage young people to memorise scripture, we are equipping them and preparing the ground for the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.  We may not get to see the fruit, but that’s not the point. As we “train up a child in the way he should go,”[3] we plant seeds that the Holy Spirit can use as he grows older. We can rest in the assurance that “the word of God is living and active…penetrating soul and spirit, joints and marrow.”[4] We know that this word “does not go out void” but “accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent.”[5]

As teachers in Christian schools, we have the awesome privilege of teaching this Word of God to our students. We have the opportunity to plant the seeds of God’s truth. While we certainly want our students to engage with Biblical truths and principles at increasingly deeper cognitive levels, we would be foolish to neglect this critical first step: memorising scripture.  We cannot work transformation in the lives of our students; we can’t even work transformation in our own lives.  That is the job of the Holy Spirit. But we can, and should, provide opportunities for our students to hide the Word of God in their hearts. This, I believe is the most transformative thing that we can teach.  Let us not neglect this opportunity.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children.”[6]
 
Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed. 

Coordinator of Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond, Global

[1] Psalm 119:11
[2] John 16:7-15
[3] Proverbs 22:6
[4] Hebrews 4:12
[5] Isaiah 55:11
[6] Deuteronomy 11:18-19a

Photo Credits: Planting. podchef via Compfight cc. Bible. rykneethling. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48946094@N04/4543060842;  Seeds. waterlilysage via Compfight cc Article reprinted from 26 August 2015. 

Knowing your destination

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I travel a lot. As a result I have become pretty good at navigating through airports. I know all the tricks—how to pack so that I can whip out my electronics and liquids at security, how to dress so that I don’t freeze in the waiting areas or on the plane, where to wait to maximise my time and minimise the distance I need to travel to get to the gate. I’ve learned how to excel as traveller. But here’s the thing. None of this knowledge does me much good if I don’t know where I’m going.

A few months ago, I was headed out on a trip where I had a layover in Spain. No big deal. I checked in for my flight, headed to the nearest Costa to grab breakfast, and sat down to wait. When I saw the gate flash for the 10:15 flight to Madrid, I gathered my belongings and made my way to the boarding area. All was going swimmingly until the gate agent swiped my ticket. Turns out my ticket was for Barcelona, not Madrid. All my travel knowledge and preparation did me no good as I rushed back through the terminal looking for a monitor to find out where I was supposed to be. I did make the flight, but only just.

Destination matters.

That’s true when flying, and it’s equally true when learning. How many of your students have mastered the art of school? They know all the tricks for being a good student—where to sit, when to take notes, how to navigate multiple choice tests, exactly how many sentences you require for short answer questions, etc. They come to class and appear to have it all together. This is great, but if they don’t know what they are supposed to be learning it may not actually do them much good. They need to know their destination.

This is where communicating strong learning objectives comes into play. In my experience, most teachers are aware of the learning goals they have for their students. They know what knowledge and skills they want their students to master at the end of each unit of study. They’ve considered the different thinking skills they hope their students will use in the course of the unit, and the outcomes that students should achieve.

Unfortunately, while most teachers are aware of where they are going, the same is not always the case with students. Many students come to class with a working knowledge of how to do school, but without any sense of their destination. They can go through all the motions of learning, appearing confident and capable, only to get to the test and discover they’ve ended up at the wrong gate. How demoralising!

When the ticket agent told me I was in the wrong place that day, my stress levels went through the roof. All my confidence in my travel expertise flew out the window. I felt frustrated, stupid, and incompetent. Even though I ultimately made my flight, I certainly did not count the experience a success.

This is not the experience we want for our students. So what can we do?

  • We can be intentional about communicating—clearly and often, orally and in writing—the learning objectives for a particular unit.
  • We can engage in a variety of formative assessments—formal and informal—and ensure that our students understand how these assessments connect to the unit objectives.
  • We can provide rubrics and scales to help our students know what steps they still need to take to master the learning objective.
  • We can draw explicit connections between past knowledge and skills and the current learning objectives—and ask our students to do the same.

The more that we can remind our students of where they are going, the more likely they are to find themselves successfully arriving at the right destination. This is a simple thing to add to our classes, especially as we already know where we are headed.

Knowing your destination is important! Let’s do what we can to be sure that our students end up at the right gate so they can reach their destination successfully.

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.

Coordinator of Teacher Education Services

TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Traveler. w4nd3rl0st (InspiredinDesMoines) Flickr via Compfight cc. Objectives. pic. B. Hunsberger, board design, L. Estes. 

Moving Towards an Inclusive Classroom

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Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. That kid over there says weird stuff. This kid always needs the teacher’s help. The kid in the corner seems to overreact all the time. And that kid flaps his arms when he gets excited.

How many times have we thought “My students make fun of the kid that ______ (you fill in the blank). They don’t like to hang out with him. I don’t know what to do.” More often than we realise, these behaviours may simply be symptoms of a deeper issue.

It’s natural to see someone who is different or something we don’t understand, and automatically react negatively. We don’t move towards understanding and acceptance until the difference is explained or we become familiar with what we see—often both.  

We like to celebrate and talk about diversity in our classrooms and in our circles. Unfortunately, when we actually encounter the individuals that fall outside of what we abstractly call “normal,” misunderstandings and problems often arise. The truth is that acceptance of these students doesn’t just happen. Acceptance comes through education, experience, classroom community building,[1] and facilitated discussion. This is when we can see mindset shifts and students moving away from separation and into inclusion.

We’d like to think it is enough to teach that God loves everyone the same and thus we treat everyone just as we’d want to be treated. That is a good first step. However, it doesn’t really address some of the unique differences our students face that often require a more targeted response.

If we are not having conversations with our students about individuals who are differently-abled, they will continue to see them as outsiders. However, when we bring disabilities out of the shadows, acknowledge their presence, and educate ourselves and our students about them, we begin to make our classrooms truly inclusive.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started:

  1. Have students brainstorm and write down what comes to mind when they hear the word disability. Discuss the differences between physical disabilities vs. “hidden disabilities” (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities).
  2. Autism is now identified in 1 in 59 individuals[2]. This is a great video that demonstrates what it is like to live with autism: “Amazing things happen video“
  3. Brainstorm perceptions vs. facts of different kinds of disabilities. Help students discern the difference between these and why it matters.  
  4. Brainstorm ways that language can be used to colour our perceptions. Is someone loud or enthusiastic? Impatient or eager? Bossy or a strong leader?[3]
  5. Put students in someone else’s shoes through experiences. Give them a test in German (or another language they can’t understand), play sounds of nails on a chalkboard, assign work that they cannot complete. Then debrief this experience.
  6. Have students research celebrities who have faced disabilities: Tom Cruise (Dyslexia), Ray Charles (blindness), Handel (epilepsy). What effect did these disabilities have on these people and their way of life? Do students personally know anyone with a disability? Does it keep them from doing what they want to do?[4]
  7. Promote self-advocacy. Give students the language to name their challenges, to put words to what they are experiencing in school and in life and equip them to advocate for themselves and their special needs.
  8. Model the truth that we believe: Every person is unique. Some of us struggle with reading; some of us struggle to balance well, bounce a basketball, multitask, or communicate with someone when we are in a conflict. We all have things to learn and ways we can grow. Being honest and vulnerable about our own weaknesses or challenges when talking with our students opens us up and makes us human.

Remember, understanding is the beginning of acceptance.

Morgan N.
Special Education Consultant
TeachBeyond, Asia

[1] “Morning Meeting Archives.” Responsive Classroom, https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/category/morning-meeting/.[2] “Autism Facts and Figures.” Autism Speaks, https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-facts-and-figures.[3] Koenig, Jen. “Autism Awareness Resources.” The Autism Helper, 1 Apr. 2019, https://theautismhelper.com/autism-awareness-resources/.[4] Disability Awareness Activity Packet. https://www.dvusd.org/cms/lib011/AZ01901092/Centricity/Domain/1318/Disability Awareness Packet 2.pdf.
Photo Credits: Banner Photo. via Shutterstock. Playing Alone. via Shutterstock. Inclusion. via Shutterstock. 

Morgan N. is a certified special education teacher from Chicago IL who is currently serving in Southeast Asia as a special education consultant.

Tags: Best Instructional Practices, Special Education