RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY: teachers

Showing posts with label teachers. Show all posts

The Homework Controversy That's Brewing

7:32 AM Dale Hudson

Time Magazine recently reported on the homework controversy. With school back in swing, the debate is brewing again. At the center of the debate is Brandy Young, a second-grade teacher in Texas who told parents she would not formally assign homework this year. Instead she is encouraging kids to eat dinner with their families, play outside and go to bed early.

Parents who think their kids shouldn't be assigned heavy loads of homework are praising the approach. Other parents worry that kids will lose an academic advantage if they aren't assigned homework.

For years, the National PTA and National Education Association has supported the standard of 10 minutes of homework per grade level. Following this guideline, high school seniors should be completing 2 hours of homework each night.

But some schools have decided to extend the school day and shorten the homework load. An elementary school in Massachusetts is piloting a no-homework program by adding two hours to the school day. Their strategy is for kids to go home at 4 o'clock and have the rest of the evening to be with their families and enjoy activities such as sports or clubs.

The homework question is being debated by educational leaders across the country. Harris Cooper, a psychology professor at Duke University, has conducted extensive research and found evidence that homework leads to better performance in school. And he found that it improves study habits, self-discipline and problem solving skills. On the other hand, he also found that excessive homework can lead to physical and emotional fatigue and create negative attitudes toward learning. His conclusion was that a small amount of homework is useful for all students.

Other experts don't agree with Cooper. Cathy Vatteroot, an education professor at the University of Missouri, says there is not sufficient evidence that homework is helpful at the elementary level. She supports eliminating homework for younger kids.

What do you think? Should kids be assigned homework? If so, how much? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

20 Interesting Facts About Today's Kids That You Need to Know

7:07 AM Dale Hudson

Look into the lives of today's kids and you'll see interesting facts that are a reflection of their native culture.

1. Hybrid automobiles have always been mass produced.

2. They have never licked a postage stamp.

3. Email is “formal” communication, while texts and tweets are "casual" communication.

4. They have grown up treating Wi-Fi as an entitlement.

5. The announcement of someone being the “first woman” to hold a position has only impressed their parents.

6. Cell phones have become so ubiquitous in class that teachers don’t know which students are using them to take notes and which ones are planning a party.

7. Their parents have gone from encouraging them to use the Internet to begging them to get off it.

8. If you say “around the turn of the century,” they may well ask you, “which one?”

9. They have avidly joined Harry Potter as they built their reading skills through all seven volumes.

10. The therapeutic use of marijuana has always been legal in a growing number of American states.

11. The eyes of Texas have never looked upon The Houston Oilers.

12. Teachers have always had to insist that term papers employ sources in addition to those found online.

13. Playhouse Disney was a place where they could play growing up.

14. Surgeons have always used “super glue” in the operating room.

15. The Lion King has always been on Broadway.

16. First Responders have always been heroes.

17. CNN has always been available en Español.

18. TV has always been in such high definition that they could see the pores of actors and the grimaces of quarterbacks.

19. Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith have always been Men in Black, not their next-door neighbors.

20. Amoco gas stations have steadily vanished from the American highway.

This list came from Beloit College.

Back-to-School Prayers You Can Share with Parents

7:57 AM Dale Hudson

Here are two prayers I shared with the parents in our ministry.

One is a prayer they can pray with their child and one is a prayer they can pray for their child. Feel free to use. Praying parents make the difference in a child's life.

A Prayer With Your Child

Dear God,

Thank you for ____________. As he/she begins this school year,

help him/her to use the talents and gifts you've given him/her to do his/her very best.

May he/she listen to his/her teachers with respect.

Help him/her be honest if he/she is ever tempted to cheat.

Help him/her to always tell the truth, be kind to everyone at school,

and treat others as he/she would like to be treated.

Help him/her to make good friends and be a good friend to others.

And help him/her to remember that You’re always with him/her.

and that You’ll never leave his/her side.

May he/she love You and follow You with all his/her heart, soul, and strength.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

A Prayer for Your Child

Father,

Enable _______________ to stand strong in Christ. (2 Timothy 3:10-12)

Give him/her a hunger for learning. Enable him/her to use his/her ability to think and learn. (1 Samuel 2:10)

May he/she study and work with diligence. (Proverbs 10:4-5)

I pray that he/she will develop healthy relationships with others. (Proverbs 13:20)

Show him/her how to relate to others with compassion, respect, and understanding. (Ephesians 4:32)

I ask that he/she will have good relationships with the teachers and the administration and show them respect. (Romans 13:1)

I pray that Your Holy Spirit will do a powerful and gracious work in his/her heart. (John 16:7-11)

May he/she love You and follow You with all his/her heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5-6)

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

One Thing That Will Change the Way You Look at Your Volunteers

5:45 AM Dale Hudson

How do you look at your volunteers?

As a teacher?

As a person to fill an empty spot?

As someone who can help you accomplish your goals?

As an awesome worship leader for kids?

As someone who is good at calming crying babies?

As a father figure for boys who come from single parent homes?

As a great leader who can invest in kids?

I want to challenge you to see your volunteers in another way. Not as above...but as a someone God has called you to disciple.

You are not called to make volunteers. You are called to make disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Volunteering is a key component of discipleship. And when you pour into your volunteers, you're playing a key role in their discipleship.

You are called to disciple the adults that serve in your ministry just as much as you are called to disciple the kids in your ministry.

When you see your volunteers in this light...it will change the way you look at them.

You'll invest in them not just so the children's ministry can grow...but so they can grow in their faith.

You'll train them not just so they can become better teachers...but so they can love God's Word more.

You'll pray for them not just they'll show up for their preschool class...but you'll pray they will find and fulfill God's purpose for their life.

How are you looking at your volunteers?

The Surprising Effect Technology Has on Kids' Writing

10:24 AM Dale Hudson

A recent study from Pew Research says technology is shaping students' writing in a myriad of ways.

The positive side of technologies such as social networking sites, cell phones, and texting encourage personal expression and creativity. It also broadens the audience for students' written material and encourages them to write more often than prior generations.

Among teachers...

96% agree that technology “allows students to share their work with a wider and more varied audience.”
79% agree that technology “encourages greater collaboration among students.”
78% agree that technology “encourages student creativity and personal expression.”

At the same time, there are unique challenges of teaching writing in the digital age. This includes formal writing assignments and educating students about issues such as plagiarism and fair use.

Among teachers...

68% say technology makes students more likely to take shortcuts and not put effort into their writing.
46% say technology makes students more likely to “write too fast and be careless.”
40% say technology makes students more likely to “use poor spelling and grammar."
88% spend class time “discussing with students the concepts of citation and plagiarism.”
75% spend class time “discussing with students the concepts of fair use and copyright.”

Despite these challenges, 50% of teachers say technology makes it easier for them to teach writing, while just 18% say technology makes teaching writing more difficult. The remaining 31% see no real impact.

Many teachers are using technology to help teach writing:

52% of teachers say they or their students use interactive whiteboards in their classes.
40% have students share their work on wikis, websites or blogs.
36% have students edit or revise their own work and 29% have students edit others’ work using collaborative web-based tools such as GoogleDocs.
56% say technology makes their students more likely to write well because they can revise their work easily.

Alongside the use of technolgy to promote better writing, almost all teachers surveyed say they encourage their students to do at least some writing by hand.

Their reasons are varied, but many teachers noted that because students are required to write by hand on standardized tests, it is a critical skill for them to have.

Other teachers also say they feel students do more active thinking, synthesizing, and editing when writing by hand, and writing by hand discourages any temptation to copy and paste others’ work.

How do you think technology has affected kids' writing? Positively? Negatively?

The floor is yours. Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Back to School Prayers for Kids

6:43 AM Unknown

As school starts back, one of the best things you can do for parents is equip them to pray for their child. Here's a short video to encourage parents to pray for their child this school year. Below are also two prayers you can pass on to parents.

A Prayer to Pray WITH Your Child for School
Dear God,
Thank you for ____________. As he/she begins this school year,
help him/her to use the talents and gifts you've given him/her to do his/her very best.
May he/she listen to his/her teachers with respect.
Help him/her be honest if he/she is ever tempted to cheat.
Help him/her to always tell the truth, be kind to everyone at school,
and treat others as he/she would like to be treated.
Help him/her to make good friends and be a good friend to others.
And help him/her to remember that You’re always with him/her.
and that You’ll never leave his/her side.
May he/she love You and follow You with all his/her heart, soul, and strength.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

A Prayer to Pray FOR Your Child for School
Father,
Enable _______________ to stand strong in Christ. (2 Timothy 3:10-12)
Give him/her a hunger for learning. Enable him/her to use his/her ability to think and learn. (1 Samuel 2:10)
May he/she study and work with diligence. (Proverbs 10:4-5)
I pray that he/she will develop healthy relationships with others. (Proverbs 13:20)
Show him/her how to relate to others with compassion, respect, and understanding. (Ephesians 4:32)
I ask that he/she will have good relationships with the teachers and the administration and show them respect. (Romans 13:1)
I pray that Your Holy Spirit will do a powerful and gracious work in his/her heart. (John 16:7-11)
May he/she love You and follow You with all his/her heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5-6)
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Why You Should Be Nervous

6:55 AM Unknown

The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!"
Jeremiah 1

Do you still get nervous before you teach kids or adults? I think that's a good thing. Being nervous makes you cry out to God for help and stay dependent upon Him. It causes you to rely upon His power instead of your own.

It's easy after you've been teaching kids for awhile to get "used" to it. You might even get to the point where you lose the butterflies. Ask God to send those butterflies back into your soul. Stay as dependent upon Him as you were the first time someone handed you a lesson plan and asked if you could share.

Posted by Dale Hudson

Are You Using This Effective Teaching Method In Your Children's Ministry?

7:01 AM Unknown

God loves variety. Think of all the wonderful varieties of plants, animals, colors, and fish He created. Think about all the different types of people He created. It would be boring if we were all the same! He also created kids with a variety of learning styles.

The effective Children's Ministry recognizes this and seeks to engage all learning styles.

Linguistic Learners have sensitivity to the meaning and order of words. They use an expanded vocabulary. They respond to jokes, riddles, reading, writing, telling stories, and word games.

Logical-Mathematical Learners like reasoning, patterns, and order. They want to know how things work, ask lots of questions, and collect things. They respond to puzzles, blocks, and counting devices.

Bodily-Kinesthetic Learners enjoy sports and physical activity. They respond to body language, dance, acting, and active games.

Musical Learners are sensitive to pitch, melody, rhythm, and tone. They love to listen to and play music, sing, hum, move to rhythm, and create tunes.

Spatial Learners perceive the world accurately and recreate or transform aspects of that world. They like to doodle, paint, draw, build with blocks, puzzles, mazes, and taking things apart and putting them back together again.

Naturalist Learners recognize and classify the numerous species of an environment. They like to spend time outdoors observing plants, collecting rocks, and catching insects. They love nature.

Interpersonal Learners are all about people and relationships. They have many friends. They are good mediators and team players. They enjoy group games and discussions.

Intrapersonal Learners use their emotional life to understand themselves and others. They control their feeling and emotions. They do a lot of observing and listening. They do best when working alone. They enjoy cameras, drawing pads, journals and questions about their experiences and emotions.

How to use the learning styles...

Make a grid with the above learning styles. As you prepare your lesson, run it through the grid and incorporate as many learning styles as possible. Over the course of a few lessons, you should hit all the learning styles.

Here's an example. Let's take the story of Jonah and the Whale and run it through the grid.

Linguistic – Dramatically tell the story to them. Then have them re-tell it to someone else in the room.

Logical-Mathematical – Have them put together a puzzle of Jonah and the Whale.

Bodily-Kinesthetic - Have them act out the story.

Musical – Sing a song about the story.

Spatial – Have them draw a picture of the story.

Naturalist – Bring some seaweed for them to touch or a picture of a large fish for them to look at.

Interpersonal – Have them play a group game and discuss the story with friends.

Intrapersonal – Ask them questions and have them draw pictures about how they would have felt if they were Jonah.

Your teachers will have a tendency to teach out of their own learning style because it's their comfort zone. Challenge them to engage all learning styles. When that happens children will be excited about coming to church because they will be learning in style...their style, that is!

How do you incorporate learning styles into your lessons?

What are some creative things you have done with some of these learning styles?

Share your thoughts with other readers in the comment section below.

Posted by Dale Hudson