Knowing our Stories- developing healthy self-awareness

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So off went the Emperor in procession under his splendid canopy. Everyone in the streets and the windows said, “Oh, how fine are the Emperor’s new clothes! Don’t they fit him to perfection? And see his long train!” Nobody would confess that he couldn’t see anything, for that would prove him either unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success. “But he hasn’t got anything on,” a little child said.

“We have met the enemy and he is us.”—Walt Kelly emperorsnewclothes3

In the classroom, sometimes the greatest impediment to learning is not our students, but ourselves. A healthy awareness of our our strengths and weaknesses allows us to consider and manage these issues while in the classroom. As much as we think that we are able to hide our personal issues and problems, our students are often quick to see through our façade.

We don’t want to be like the emperor in The Emperor’s New Clothes.[1] His aversion to critique and pride led the emperor to make a complete fool of himself. Instead, we need to seek out others to speak into our professional lives. If we openly address our strengths and weakness with others, it allows us to be authentic and transparent and holds us accountable as we seek to improve. It can also be a catalyst for transformation.

Brookfield recommends the teacher using four lenses to increase their self-awareness: autobiographical lens, students’ lens, the lens of literature and, the lens of co-teachers.[2]

Lens of our Autobiography

  • Examine our personality: Understanding ourselves and defining what things are sources of frustration for us professionally is important. Once we identify these areas of frustration, we can ask what steps we can take to grow in these areas. This type of self-awareness is a first step in understanding our students.
  • Examine our personal biography: Sometimes things that trigger us can often be traced back to an incident in our past. What do we do with these situations? It can be helpful to develop an action plan to use when these incidents arise.
  • Examine our educational background: We tend to teach as we were taught, not how we were taught to teach. We unconsciously have picked up both good and bad practices from our teachers. As we understand why we teach the way we do, we can adjust for our weaknesses.
  • Examine our values: We operate and teach out of our values, even if we are not consciously aware of them. We need to be willing to ask ourselves what values we reflect in the classroom, and how this might challenge students who have different value sets.

 

Lens of Students’ Perceptions

  • Ask the students: Our students spend more time with us than anyone else in the profession and we can certainly learn from their feedback. Several times during a term, invite the students to write one positive comment about the class and one improvement that can be made. Collect these statements, tabulate the results and see what is going well and what can be improved.

 

Lens of Literature

  • Read and consider current literature: Exposure to new understandings pertaining to educational theory and critical reflection can be helpful in evaluating our own practice. As lifelong learners we know that there is always room for growth. What does the current research say and what can we learn from this?

Lens of Colleagues Perceptions

  • Invite observation: Asking fellow teachers or administrators into the classroom to observe us teaching can be very helpful. We can invite their critique and feedback based on what they observed.
  • Consider co-teaching: Working closely with another professional offers a natural accountability system as well as a collaborative emphasis. As we learn from each other we all have opportunities to grow.

 

Teaching is a highly personal act that often takes place behind closed doors. This can limit the amount of feedback we receive, hindering our self-awareness and ability to grow. Not only does this do a disfavor to our students, but also ourselves.[3] Taking time to invite professional feedback will help us avoid the fate of the proud emperor, and will open up avenues where lasting transformation can take place.

Debbie Kramlich, Ph.D. Candidate

TeachBeyond, Thailand

Photo Credits: The Emperor’s New Clothes, Pam Sanderlin. Collaboration.
technolibrary2014 via Compfight cc.

[1] Hersholt, J. (2015, August 11). The Emperor’s New Clothes. Retrieved May 12, 2016 from http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html

[2] Brookfield, Stephen. Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995. xiii.

[3] Schollaert, R. (2002). In search of the treasure within: towards schools as learning organisations (No. 8). Garant.

 

 

What’s your hook? Technology for Today’s Classroom.

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23775190436_e198db1731_mEver since the introduction of the use of a slate and chalk in the classroom, educators have been looking for new and different ways of engaging students in their learning. Our challenge as educators is to discover the most effective tools for reaching a particular student or group of students. Technology is a prime hook for this generation.

In the 21st century, we have a veritable smorgasbord of technology, software, and apps at our disposal for instruction, research, collaboration, study, assessment, and record keeping.

Teachers have successfully implemented technology with their students in one, some, or all of these areas. Many apps and websites are free or offer free versions, making it easy to experiment and explore. My professional technology goal has been to locate and meaningfully implement one new tool –app, website, software– every year. Here are some of my favourite discoveries.

Instruction – Using technology for instruction or to enhance instruction has gone far beyond Powerpoint, an occasional video clip, or even YouTube. Khan Academy provides instruction on a variety of topics. Many teachers are creating their own teaching videos using something as simple as Educreations and posting to a web page or a more sophisticated open source learning management systems like Moodle. Zapation embeds questions within your video. QR codes provide instantaneous links to more information.

Tired of Powerpoint? Try Prezi. No budget for smart boards? Promethean’s free, simplified version of their Inspire software can be projected from a computer. Add a wireless mouse for your students and experience interactive fun. The Promethean Planet website contains a library of flipcharts for all ages, including game templates like this Jeopardy-style game.

Research/Writing – WebQuest is a platform for authoring and hosting internet searches. For students, NoodleTools provides tools for research and writing processes. Citations become simple with EasyBib. Younger students or those with limited language proficiency can use words and pictures for their written presentations with Haiku Deck or MakeBeliefComix.

Collaboration – The Google family (docs, slides, sheets) is invaluable for collaboration. At ECA, we use these almost daily. Wikispaces is another popular site. Social media can also help inspire writing and collaboration. Student blogs, on sites such as Kidblog and Collaborize Classroom, motivate young writers – even primary age — and can provide helpful peer feedback while giving parents a portal to read their child’s work. These teacher-monitored, private sites can also serve as a platform for teaching real life skills related to on line etiquette and safety.

Study/Review – Years ago, one of the first sites/apps I used with my students was Quizlet — and I still love it! Flashcards, quizzes, and games help to keep interest level high. For studying and writing, my English learners prefer both the web sites and apps for Dictionary.com, Thesauras.com, with the word-to-word translation feature.

Assessment – Smart student response systems can be expensive. A free alternative—if students already have devices (smart phone, iPad, computer)—is Socrative. Socrative Teacher and Student are available on line or as an app. If accessibility is an issue, Plickers only requires one device used by the teacher. Back-channel chat tools like TodaysMeet also have classroom assessment potential.

Record keeping – If your school isn’t using an electronic grade book, check out LearnBoost or ThinkWave.

So, where does one begin? Any Internet search turns up more ideas than could be implemented in an entire career. Instead of allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by the choices, start small.

  • Select an area of your teaching in which you would like to implement new technology.
  • Choose one technology tool, and give it a try.
  • Allow yourself and your students multiple interactions with the new technology before deciding its value.
  • Take risks. There’s nothing wrong with taking delight in discovery and admitting that you don’t know all the answers!
  • Allow your students to collaborate with you while you share with your colleagues.

 

As with learning any new skill, we all have to start somewhere. As you step out in the area of technology, check out TeachBeyond’s Yammer group for Educational Technology. This is our in-house resource for discussing our discoveries, failures, successes, and insights as we try new educational technology tools. We can grow in this together, so please join the conversation, ask questions, and of course, share your discoveries!

Lynette Sorensen

ELL Coordinator, ECA Spain

TeachBeyond

______________________________________

Lynette Sorensen is in her third career as an educator. Currently the English Language Learner Coordinator at Evangelical Christian Academy in Spain, she embraces a love of learning and trying out new things – as demonstrated by the fact that she “retired” from public schools in Minnesota to take her current position.

 

Photo Credits: Fishhooks. www.ilkkajukarainen.fi via Compfight cc.

Making Connections through Graphic Organisers

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As teachers, we are always looking for instructional tools that can positively impact student engagement and comprehension across all grade levels and subject areas. One such tool is the graphic organiser[1]. 62130g3.GIF

Designed to help students visualize the relationships among ideas and concepts, graphic organisers can “offer an entry point into complex material…increase comprehension and retention, and can be used with all students, ranging from gifted and talented to those with cognitive disabilities.”[2] Students can use graphic organisers to interact with instructional content to create meaning. However, as with all instructional tools, the value of graphic organisers is dependent upon how and why they are used. Here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind when using graphic organisers.

What is the Goal?

When introducing graphic organisers into your lesson, be sure to communicate why they are being used. Some common reasons for using graphic organisers include:

  • Activating prior knowledge
  • Creating a framework for new information
  • Organizing one’s thoughts about a topic or concept
  • Indicating key information to be remembered
  • Engaging students in drawing conclusions
  • Highlighting key relationships between concepts or ideas
  • Clarifying student’s thoughts prior to group or class discussions.

Whatever your reason for using a graphic organiser, be sure that the students are clear on the purpose and what your expectations are for their use of this tool.

Teach to the Tool.

Just as students need to know why they are using the graphic organiser, they also need to know how to use the tool. Be sure to clarify your expectations: what are the students required to do? Does this organizer require student brainstorming? Do students need to refer to the text? Are students making inferences based on what they know? The more frequently you use a particular type of graphic organiser, the more comfortable students will be when using it.

Keep it Simple.

Graphic organisers are most effective when they are used to highlight a specific set of relationships. The more complex the organiser becomes, the less likely it is that students will make the desired connections or retain the connections they do make. As you design your graphic organiser, keep it focused on essential information. Be sure relationships are clearly defined (and labeled when appropriate). Avoid extraneous graphics, extended instructions or other elements that may distract the students from the purpose of the organiser.

Use Across the Instructional Spectrum.

Graphic organisers are tools that can be used across all aspects of instruction. They can be used as instructional hooks, as guided practice during instruction, as a way for students to formulate their thoughts prior to an in class activity or discussion, or even as formative or summative assessments. The more familiar students are with using graphic organisers in a multitude of ways, the more benefit they may glean from them.

For more information about using graphic organisers and for sample organisers that can be printed or modified for use, check out the following resources below:

 

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.

Coordinator of Teacher Education

TeachBeyond Global

[1] A graphic organizer is a visual representation used to help students see relationships among ideas within a text or surrounding concept. They provide structure for abstract ideas. Examples of graphic organizers include concept maps, flow charts, venn diagrams, etc.

[2] Mentoring Minds. “Research on Graphic Organizers.” https://www.mentoringminds.com/pdf/pdfGraphicOrganizersResearch.pdf. pg. 2.

Color Square Graphic Organizer

Did you Know…

That TeachBeyond is offering $150 towards the cost of all participants who complete this summer’s Transformational Education Conference in Manila, Philippines? And did you further know that ACSI CEUs are being offered for completion of the conference? This is a great way to deepen your understanding of transformational education and earn some continuing education credits in the process. Don’t miss out. Registration closes on April 30, 2016.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit  http://teachbeyond.org/teachbeyond-conference/.

 

Color Square Graphic Organizer

Class Building: Instilling Christ-like Character in our Students

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As we strive to integrate biblical principles (overtly or covertly) into what we teach, we look for opportunities to foster Christ-like behaviours in our students. Class-building opportunities allow us to do this. They also help to increase the level of student engagement and cooperative learning in the classroom, which results in an increased use of language by our students[1]. I have found that unless I take the time to create an environment that values mutual respect and acceptance through class-building activities, learning suffers and my students demonstrate more negative behaviours.

Spencer Kagan, an expert in cooperative learning, identifies five important aims of class-building: getting acquainted, forming class identity, building mutual support, valuing differences, and developing synergy.

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Getting Acquainted: Often, teachers spend time at the beginning of the school year getting to know their students, but these activities should continue throughout the school year. One such activity, Inside Outside Circle, involves movement and can be used to help students get to know each other. Students stand in two concentric circles. The students on the outside face in and the students on the inside circle face out. Each student should have a partner that s/he is facing. The teacher asks a discussion question and each partner takes turn answering the question. When given a signal, the students in the outside circle move clockwise, while the students on the inside stay in their places. Each student should now have a different partner with whom to discuss the next question.

Class Identity: Encourage the class to develop a class theme, name, chant, or song. This creates a sense of unity and belonging that is unique to this class, which in turn helps to foster an environment of ownership and safety. This activity can be used beneficially across the grade levels, even though some secondary students might think it is a little bit silly.

Mutual Support: An excellent way to promote mutual support is to involve your class in a service learning/ministry opportunity. This allows students to focus their attention on a common goal such as working together to clean up the campus, collecting materials for a local ministry, or mentoring younger students. When students are moving towards a shared vision, they begin to notice the unique ways that they and others contribute to make that vision a reality.

Valuing Differences: Our intercultural classrooms are ideal for equipping our students for the increasingly global world where differences are bound to occur. Using Four Corners is an excellent way to visually see these differences in the classroom. The teacher announces a topic of comparison—for example, what type of book would best express your personality—then labels each corner of the room, each with a different book type. Students move to a corner, pair up with another student, and provide reasons for their choice. Then, each corner shares their reasons with the class. As students share their differences and the reasons behind them, they begin to recognise that differences do not have to be threatening; rather they add spice and variety to life.

Developing Synergy: Synergy refers to the expression of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. An easy way to foster synergy in your classroom is to have a project that involves both an individual/small group component and a class component. Examples include putting on a class play (related to your content area), creating a video documentary, or a class newsletter. The key is that the end product/outcome needs to be better than what could be accomplished by one person alone.

Fostering a classroom that embodies Christ-like characteristics creates an environment where students feel safe, are willing to explore the gifts and talents God has given them, and have opportunities to optimise language learning. It allows us to put Paul’s words[2] into action: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”
Leighton Helwig, M.Ed.
Philippines National Director/Regional Education Specialist
TeachBeyond

Photo Credits: Conversation Ring, Katie Sutton, @MissSuttonOPC.

[1] This is especially beneficial to students learning English.

[2] Romans 12:9-13 (NLT).

Don’t miss an opportunity to deepen your understanding of Transformational Education

This summer TeachBeyond is hosting a Transformational Education Conference in Manila, Philippines, and today’s OnPractice author, Leighton Helwig, is one of our featured speakers. Spend four days (June 7-10) with other international workers learning how to apply the concepts of transformational education to your specific context. This is an opportunity that is too great to pass up!

For more information or to register for the conference, visit  teachbeyond.org/teachbeyond-conference/.

Choosing a Master’s Degree in Education

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One of the questions TeachBeyond members often ask Education Services is how to choose a master’s degree programme. There are as many variations of this question as there are questioners, and in all fairness, there is not a one-size-fits-all program. However, there are some things that everyone should consider when facing this decision—a decision that can be even more challenging when looking for a programme that will help prepare you for international school work.

Type of Degree:

There are two degrees which are often confused: a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), and a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.). The MAT is geared more toward initial teacher licensure and focuses on practical classroom skills and teaching specific subjects. The M.Ed., on the other hand, is for experienced educators and provides more in-depth instruction designed to prepare teachers for new leadership roles. A Master of Science in Education and Master of Arts in Education are similar to the M.Ed.

Make sure not to confuse master’s program in Christian education designed for the church worker or youth/children’s ministry versus programs focused on the school teacher or administrator. The two are quite different.

Program Delivery:

Do you want to pursue an online programme, a campus-based programme, or a hybrid programme, which combines online learning with a summer residency? The chief benefit of pursuing an online degree is convenience; it allows you to pursue your education from wherever you happen to be living while working on your own time schedule. One drawback to earning an online degree, however, is lack of face-time with instructors. Consider your learning preferences: If you learn more from being in class than reading textbooks, it may be best to consider a traditional campus-based or hybrid programme. However, if you are a self-motivated learner and do well translating written text to real life, an online programme could be a perfect fit.

If you are looking at a programme outside North America, you should also consider the language of instruction. Some programs in Western Europe may rely on articles and journals that are in languages other than English.

Philosophical Underpinnings:

In order to grow in your understanding of how faith and education intersect, look for a programme that provides a biblical understanding of education, which becomes the foundation of how one serves as a teacher or administrator.[1] Educational theory and practice should be guided by Christian principles and applied with a biblical worldview. An indicator of this is the requirement of a philosophy of Christian education course. Be aware that not all Christian colleges and universities have education programmes which equip teachers and administrators with this biblical foundation. If you are looking for a programme built on a foundation of biblical principles, check out this resource list put together by TeachBeyond’s Education Services team.

 

If you are looking at a program outside North America, finding this philosophic grounding may be difficult: biblical integration is not often combined with an educational degree in Europe. If you choose a program that lacks this foundation, you can address this by creating your own supplemental course of study.[2]

Program Design:

Closely related to the question of philosophic underpinnings is the question of purpose. What is the programme designed to prepare graduates to do? Many programmes (even in Christian universities) will admit they are preparing teachers for public school teaching. Because of their purpose, these programmes would not expose participants to quality curriculum and aspects unique to Christian education. Similarly, many master’s degrees can include a strong focus on state/provincial law and practices. It is important to find out how much flexibility there is in the programme: consideration should be given to how much emphasis is given to pedagogical and administrative content and how much focuses on national/local law and practices. This is true both in North America and across Europe.

Areas of Concentration:

Most master’s programmes offer areas of concentration. Common areas of concentration are:

  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • Educational Leadership
  • Special Education
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Adult Education/Adult Learning
  • Higher Education
  • Secondary Education

As you consider which of these you would like to pursue, ask yourself what your long-term goals and plans are. Do you see yourself continuing to work internationally? Do you want to continue in the classroom, or would you like to pursue a role in school leadership? Use the answers to these questions to help you narrow your focus.

While these are certainly not all the questions that you should be asking, they will help you begin the process of deciding for yourself what type of course is right for you.

 

Education Services Council

TeachBeyond Global

Special thanks to contributors Helen Vaughan, David Midwinter, Geoff Beech, and Melanie Moll

[1] Developing a biblical foundation of education is as important, if not more so, for those who teach or plan on teaching in state or national schools as opposed to openly Christian schools.

[2] Several departments within TeachBeyond—Lifelong Learning, Teacher Education, and Higher Education—have developed resources to help you grow in this area, even if the program you choose does not contain this component.

 

Don’t miss an opportunity to deepen your understanding of Transformational Education

This summer TeachBeyond is hosting a Transformational Education Conferencein Manila, Philippines. Spend four days (June 7-10) with other international workers learning how to apply the concepts of transformational education to your specific context. This is an opportunity that is too great to pass up!

For more information or to register for the conference, visit http://teachbeyond.org/teachbeyond-conference/

Lenten Devotion

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Whether we teach in an overtly Christian environment, a creative access environment, or somewhere in between, the reality is that our teaching can only reflect Kingdom life and principles to the extent that our own personal lives are grounded in Christ. If we are not taking the time and care to nurture our own walk with the Lord, we will not be able to give out of the overflow of our hearts. It won’t matter how well versed we are in theories of Biblical worldview integration, transformational pedagogy, or Christian practices, if we are not dwelling in Christ, and allowing His Holy Spirit to reign in our hearts our efforts will be for naught.

Jesus reminds us of this in John 15: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”[1]

As we enter the liturgical season of Lent, many of us may practice the disciplines of fasting and dedicated prayer as we remind our hearts of the sacrifice made at the cross on our behalf. For some of us, this practice may open doors for spiritual conversations to take place. Others of us may not see any tangible fruit from this experience, which shouldn’t lessen our desire to press in to the Lord in this and other ways.

My prayer for each of us this season is that however we choose to recognise Lent we would press into Jesus, that we would abide in Him, and that as a result our lives and our teaching ministries would bear much fruit for the glory of God and the furthering of His Kingdom here on earth.

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.

Coordinator of Teacher Education Services

TeachBeyond

Photo Credits: Grapevine, emily.jones0817 via Compfight cc.

[1] John 15:1-4

Using Classroom Conversations to Build Language Fluency

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When working with ESL students in the classroom, getting them to use their English can sometimes be a challenge. Building conversation into classes can aid in fluency and communication, and can help students build their confidence in their speaking skills.

Many teachers who are new to using conversation will pose a question from a list of conversation starters and expect the students to engage. The usual result is the sound of crickets and blank stares. So how do we go about structuring an effective conversation class[1] or classroom discussion?

First, content is key. The students will need to have some interest in the topic for them to be engaged. Even if they don’t have a personal interest in the subject, it is good to establish why it is important or useful. Maybe it is something they are studying in their other classes and they need more practice speaking about it. It could be as simple as it being part of their leaving exams. Whatever the case, it is important for students to find a connection to the material.

The second thing to remember is that you want all of your students to have practice speaking. Try to include pair work or small group activities to facilitate more talk time. You also want to limit the amount of time you speak as much as possible. A good rule of thumb is students should speak for about 80% of the lesson. This article has several strategies to help you reduce teacher talk.

Start with a hook, something that grabs the students’ attention. This could be a question to see what background knowledge the students have on the chosen topic, a picture, a short video clip, or a quick reading. The goal is to pique student interest.

Next, present any new vocabulary or grammar structures the students might need to discuss this topic or complete the planned activities. Try to keep this part short: 5-7 minutes should be all you need. It is important to have some practice activities to help the students master this new information.

The actual speaking/discussion activities should take up the bulk of your lesson time. It is best to break your students into small groups or pairs. You may have to model the activity to be sure the students understand what is expected of them. The students should know how you plan to evaluate their progress and participation.

There are many types of activities which work well in conversations classes. Incorporate movement as often as you can. Chat stations are an effective way to get students moving and talking at the same time. Links to more activities and resources are provided below.

Conversation classes are a great way to build student confidence and should be a safe place for students to practice the target language. Students learn how to express themselves and relay information they have learned. It is also a good way to connect with your students and understand them and their culture better (and possibly have fun in the process).

Activity ideas:

Additional resources:

Jessica Weaver
Manager, National Schools Teach ESL Programme
TeachBeyond

[1] Jessica Weaver heads TeachBeyond’s Teach ESL programme. Most of the teachers in this program teach English Conversation classes where the school’s instructions to the teachers is, “Just get them speaking in English.” This is easier said than done. The same skills needed for these teachers to run a conversation class can be transferred to English language learners in the mainstreamed classroom as well – as Jessica’s article points out.
Photo Credits: photo courtesy of TeachBeyond English Language Camps

Transformational Education for 8-year-olds?

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In a recent meeting, the directors of TeachBeyond’s Educational Services were challenged to consider what TeachBeyond’s vision[1] and the theory of transformational education might look like in a class of 8-year-olds. We wanted to move from a theoretical discussion to something far more practical. You may teach younger or older children, but the general principles here may help you to consider what implications this has for your classroom.  8706023560_3079266efa_m

Generally, teachers of 8-year-olds are with their class for the whole school day and therefore, relationships are extremely important. You cannot show the love of Jesus if you never have time to develop good relationships. You can spend hours on preparing the most wonderful lessons and marking books meticulously, but if you do not have time for the children this work will be in vain. An interesting exercise which illustrates this is to ask children what are the characteristics of a good teacher. You will find that among other things they like teachers who are kind, fair, have a sense of humour[2], and always have time to listen to them.

Fairness is a very interesting concept. I read this a few days ago:

PUPIL: ‘Would you punish me for something I did not do?

TEACHER: ‘Of course not.’
PUPIL: ‘Good, because I haven’t done my homework.’
This makes us laugh, but as you read this I suspect you can remember being told off for something you did not do. We remember injustice, so it is very important that we are fair and consistent in the way we treat children. Take time to think about how you respond to inappropriate behaviour. Do you always take the time to find out what has happened or do you occasionally make assumptions about the cause of a problem that arises? Are you always consistent with your expectations? This is an important way in which you can demonstrate that you care and value your pupils and see them as individuals created in the image of God.

How often do you take time to listen to the news that your students bring to school? If it is good news, why not let them tell the class? Even if it is not good news, maybe it is still appropriate to share with the class–though that will be up to you to decide. This shows you really value the students and what is important to them.  Most importantly this will show you care. If possible you could have a prayer time with your class and include some thank you prayers and prayers for others. Even if you cannot pray openly, you can show your compassion by listening and reassuring your pupils that you care.

Another important attribute to demonstrate to children is honesty. There are times when I have observed teachers fabricating reasons that are not true to explain something a pupil has asked about or pretending to know things that they clearly didn’t know. Usually children see through this falseness. Telling the truth, admitting when you don’t know, and apologising when you get things wrong are other ways that you can demonstrate that you value the children you work with. 8706023560_3079266efa_m

The best teacher was Jesus and by studying His teaching ministry we see that He gave time for individuals and showed them love and compassion. If we want to be channels of His love and see transformation, then we need to demonstrate those same values. I hope that whether you are in a school where you can openly share your faith or not, there are principles here you can adapt to your situation.
David Midwinter
UK National Director
TeachBeyond

[1] “We wholeheartedly desire to serve our Father’s world, to love Jesus Christ, and to see individuals and societies transformed by His Spirit through education”. –TeachBeyond vision prayer
“Our vision integrates faith and learning in the simple, yet profound belief that through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, lives and cultures will be transformed into Christ’s image.”—TeachBeyond distinctives

[2] A sense of humour may be a cultural thing, but I think the other attributes are universally appropriate.

Photo Credits: Learner, Barrett.Discovery via Compfight cc. Classroom, US Department of Education via Compfight cc. Girls, Barrett.Discovery via Compfight cc.

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Maximizing Cooperative Learning in your Classroom

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Multiple studies have shown cooperative learning positively impacts student learning[1]. Perhaps this is because part of being made in the image of God is living in community, which includes learning in community. Designing strong cooperative learning activities takes time. It is not enough to put students into groups and assign an activity. Too often, activities set up in such a fashion result in a group of individuals working on their own and either comparing or combining results without ever really having any meaningful interaction. Instead, cooperative learning relies on students working together and utilising their different strengths, knowledge bases, and abilities to achieve a common purpose. Interdependence, not independence, is key.10606403564_9c5c6819a5_q

Here are some key elements to keep in mind when developing cooperative learning activities for your classroom:

Communicate: Ensure that your students know what the learning outcome of a given activity is and that they understand your expectations on how this outcome is to be achieved. Put this in writing so that students can refer back to it throughout the course of the activity; this is especially true if the activity is open-ended or loosely structured in nature. While this is a general principle of good teaching, it is good to remember it when designing cooperative learning activities.

Construct activities that cannot be completed individually: As you begin to design cooperative learning activities, it is important to focus as much on the process as the outcome. What must students do to reach the learning outcome? Is this a process that fosters interdependence? If students can reach the outcome on their own, it is likely that they will. To avoid this, construct activities that require multiple roles to be successful. Roles may be distributed based on content knowledge (e.g., jigsaw teaching), type of activity (e.g., responsibilities during a discussion), or simply number of persons need (e.g., skit, science experiment requiring multiple persons, etc.). Ensuring that students see how each role is necessary to reach the learning objective will encourage cooperation rather than competition within the groups.

Assign roles: Younger students, or students new to cooperative learning experiences, can benefit from having an assigned role, task, or responsibility (e.g., discussion leader, group recorder, researcher, and vocabulary expert). Defining how each student is expected to contribute to the group’s learning experience will help alleviate the frustration of the free-loader (who does nothing to contribute to the group’s learning) and the over-achiever (who takes over and does everything for the group). It also ensures that the group is aware of and is addressing all aspects of the learning activity.

Provide checkpoints for self-assessment: One of the hallmarks of cooperative learning is that group members are responsible for the success of each member. In order to achieve this goal, students benefit from specific questions or directives along the way. For example, when I have a class of students create a series of tableaux[2] to illustrate a story, part of my instruction is that any given student in the group must be able to explain the significance of the scene and how it relates to the rest of the work. Students know that any one of them could be chosen to be the narrator, which ensures that all of them have a vested interest in being able to explain what is happening. As part of their preparation, therefore, they will periodically stop to self-check that everyone is on the same page.

For more information about cooperative learning, or for suggested activities, check out the following websites: * Cooperative Learning Activities for College Courses—provides a strong overview of and rationale for cooperative learning * DePaul Teaching Commons: Active Learning—provides examples of active/cooperative learning activities, along with a brief description of how to set these up * Walker Center for Teaching and Learning: Cooperative Learning—provides examples of cooperative learning activities along with a brief description of how to set them up.

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

5739589979_f5269be7ac_q [1] Barkley, E. F., Cross, K.P., & Major, C.H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [2] Tableaux, or frozen statues, are recreations of a scene from art, history, or literature. I often use this activity to check for student understanding of assigned reading.

Photo Credits:Teamwork, Luigi Mengato via Compfight cc. Project Planning, DoDEA Communications via Compfight cc. Physics Lab, B Hunsberger.

An Advent Reflection

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I’ve always loved Advent. Every year I look forward to the opportunity to celebrate the epic story of how the Almighty, Creator God chose to limit Himself and step into His creation in order to bring restoration to a world that has lost its lustre. I love the tale of a God so magnanimous and compassionate that He chose to love those who turned away from Him to the point that He denied Himself His rightful place in the universe in order to dwell among us in the mundane, tedious, mucky world we’ve made of His pristine order. Advent, for me, has long been a season to echo the angel voices singing loudly and with heartfelt thanks: Joy to the world, the Lord is come! But not this year. This year, I’ve experienced a different kind of Advent. Instead of a season of light twinkling hope into the darkness and overflowing my spirit with the wonder of the glory of God, this year I’ve experience the Advent of a different carol. This year the darkness has seemed palpable; the brokenness of this world far greater than ever. This year Advent has been seasoned with loss—death, disease, the debilitating effects of age, hate, violence, disappointment, fear. Grief, rather than joy, has overshadowed the season, lending its bitter flavor to the daily Advent readings. This year, I’m experiencing the Advent of the diaspora, longing for the hope of a Savior who with every passing day seems more like a fairy tale than a reality. I find myself pleading with tears in my eyes:

Oh come, oh come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel who mourns in lonely exile here…O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory over the grave…O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight. O come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid thou our sad divisions cease, and be thyself our King of Peace.

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This isn’t the Advent season I look forward to celebrating. I miss the exultant hope of angel voices and the promise of a miraculous star. But as hard as this season has been, I’m thankful for what the Lord is teaching me. Yes, the world we live in is very broken, and very dark. And yes, I find myself calling out, “how long o, Lord, how long?” But the old, old story reminds me that even when things look the darkest and hope seems too distant to grasp, the hand of God is still at work. Immanuel did come: he came where he was least expected in a manner so humble that only a few lowly shepherds were on hand to note his birth. He came. And his coming changed everything. So as dark as this season may seem, I won’t give up hope. The light of my expectation may be dim, but I won’t let it go out. Immanuel will come again, and then…

No more will sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground. He’ll come to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found!

I know this is true, and so I will continue to cling to it as my hope and my prayer this Advent season. And no matter what type of Advent you are having this year, I hope you, too, get to experience the beauty of this truth.

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

*Since today’s OnPractice comes out so close to the Christmas holiday, we wanted to acknowledge the season and its impact on our faith and how we live.

Photo Credits: Peruvian Nativity, Pam Sanderlin. Church of the Nativity candles. Becky Hunsberger.