Greetings from Week 19 AKA the mathematical middle of the academic calendar AKA the worst part of the school year. We are equidistant from the beginning and end, stuck in a no-man’s land with Christmas break behind us and a vast wasteland of “learning” ahead. We are short on motivation. The weather is cold. TheContinue reading “A Few Words for the Worst Part of the School Year”
Category Archives: Education
A Few Principles for Effective Teaching
Successful teaching is not a plateau we reach but a lifelong climb across an ever-evolving landscape. Students graduate, culture shifts, knowledge expands, personal experiences bring new joys and sorrows. Along our winding pilgrimage, various factors will constantly shift—both within and without—but certain elements must remain constant if we and our students are going to flourishContinue reading “A Few Principles for Effective Teaching”
What Is Christian Classical Education?
With classical schools popping up across the nation, it might be helpful to step back and ask a few foundational questions: Are “Christian” and “classical” basically synonymous? Is “classical” a methodology? a curriculum? a philosophy? All of the above? Does classical mean anything more than “memorization heavy education”? Recently I spent some time trying toContinue reading “What Is Christian Classical Education?”
Inspirational Quotes for the School Year! (PDF)
My wife does such an intentional job about putting together the school year for our kids, as I’m sure thousands of educators have been doing all summer for their own students wherever they may be. It’s a strange year, and many of us are trying to figure out how to teach and nurture our studentsContinue reading “Inspirational Quotes for the School Year! (PDF)”
A Baptist Catechism for Kids
When I was growing up, there was this infomercial for a countertop appliance called the Showtime Rotisserie. I can remember the salesman showing the product’s many practical uses, and after putting a whole turkey or chicken or a salmon or a pineapple or whatever inside, he and the audience would repeat the catchphrase together: “Now…setContinue reading “A Baptist Catechism for Kids”
I Was a Lost Pinky Toe in College
The college semester is back in session, and our church is seeking to minister to the flood of students who descended upon the liberal arts college a couple of blocks down the road. At 30, I am already beginning to feel that drift, as the gulf of experience between me and these young men andContinue reading “I Was a Lost Pinky Toe in College”
Grove City College: What’s in a Name?
On Sunday, Dr. Michael Coulter shared an article about higher ed institutions changing their names. He posted the playful remark: “For GCC alums: Other colleges have changed names. What if GCC renamed itself? [my preferred name: Ketler College] The ‘city’ in GCC makes some think we are a community college.” What ensued was a livelyContinue reading “Grove City College: What’s in a Name?”