Weeding Wasn't Enough

The girls trudged in lugging bags of compost, flats of flowers, and gardening tools.

"What's all this?" I asked.

"We're planting flowers today, remember?" one of them replied.

I was impressed.  "I thought you were just weeding today.  Did you change your mind?"

"No, we just thought we'd plant flowers, too!"

Hearts to Love, Hands to Serve.  That's our school theme this year, and it was developed from the passage in 1 Samuel 12:24: "But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you."

These girls, and each of the other students in my class, were going all out.

Now it could have been that they knew they were getting out of regular class work.  I am not so naive to rule that one out, but each student in my 4th period homeroom came to school excited to serve that day.

It began with an Apptivities type of lesson I had planned.  I didn't have the iPads in my classroom at the time, but there was a promise...and I rolled with it.  The rough lesson would revolve around the Hearts to Love, Hands to Serve theme from 1 Samuel 12:24 and a bulletin board I had created for  my sixth grade classroom.  I love putting up blank bulletin boards that the students can work on as the year progresses.  For one, it kindles a curiosity, but it also allows students to create.  And I found out that weeding wasn't enough for these girls.  They didn't want to simply erase the blemishes on campus; they wanted to beautify it.  In a small way, the girls were reclaiming their world.

Once a month in our middle school, we have a class period devoted to serving others, so we took our first day to plan out what we wanted to do.  I released groups of students to all corners of the campus to identify problem areas.  Some found areas riddled with litter; some found fence lines taken over by bermuda; some found play areas unsafe; and of course some wanted to pull weeds.

With the iPad, students needed to take a "before" picture of the problem area.  The rest of the process would be to plan work materials to bring, get to work for 45 minutes, take an "after" picture, share the pictures with me, and then write a response to the activity on a blog post (I am an English teacher after all).  When it is all said and done, we'll post pictures to our class Flickr account and create QR codes (linked to the blog page) on store-bought handprints to post on our bulletin board.

For our second session, then, we took our before pictures during our Wednesday homeroom service day. Students planned out materials, and I promised them they could have the regular English class period on Thursday to perform the work.  They came prepared, and they served.  It was unusually warm for the end of October, and many students were dressed in neon clothes for a "Red Ribbon Week" dress up day, but amidst the sweat and the dirt stains, the students attacked their jobs with energy.  Some weren't even finished with their work before lunch time, so they asked if they could spend their recess finishing the job, to which I answered a resounding, "Yes!"  Here are some pictures of their work in progress (you can even see one of me in there if you look closely).

The work is done, but we're still completing our after pictures and QR coded blogs, which will occur in our next homeroom session.  I would just like to say I'm proud of those kiddos.  They took an opportunity to serve and made it their own.  I laid the foundation, but they built the house with their planning, gathering, and creating.  I look forward to continuing our discussion on how we can serve the Lord in big and small ways.

blog2buds

Well, I finished the Innovative Educator Advanced Studies Certificate, the IEASC, an online educational technology certification through Computer Using Educators (CUE) and Fresno Pacific University. I can say to everybody who cares that it has transformed how I teach. It was quite a ride: I was able to succeed in completing 18 units in 6 months from April to October. Completely done.

From learning Google Drive...to exploring numerous Web 2.0 tools...to implementing iPads...to taking the plunge into classroom blogging with my sixth graders, using technology as a tool to help students create deeper meaning has become an expectation I have of myself, and I hope to spread the joy within my sphere of influence.

As a class, we have published our first blog posts to our Australian

photo credit: Lisa Nielsen

friends. In the welcome paragraphs that the students shared with the Australian class, they made sure to begin with a jovial greeting, continue with some information about themselves, and end with a few questions for their buds across the globe. After a 2 week term break in Australia, we eagerly await responses within the blog comments. This will be our first real communication with our buddies who live almost 8,000 miles west of us!

We have just completed one quarter of our school year, so you could say that our road has been slow-going. But I believe it is extremely important to do something like blogging for the very first time in a deliberate manner. We laid the groundwork in August, September, and some of October, and now we will continue our journey and see what's around the bend.

As a teacher who just completed an intensive series of courses to earn the title "Innovative Educator", I feel as if a journey is ending, but if I'm completely honest with myself, I know my journey is far from over. And I want to take as many as I can along for the ride.

Part of the requirement of the IEASC program was to create a project that could innovate education and be effective on a global scale. As I took an elective course as part of the program through FPU called Web 2.0 Tools for the Classroom in June and July, my eyes were opened to student blogging, and I decided then that I wanted my Language Arts students to blog their way through sixth grade. I didn't quite know where to start: some pieces fell into place and some had to be pounded into the proper shape, but my final project became blog2buds. It is a website that documents my blogging journey with my students, offers suggestions for other teachers who would like to start blogging in class, and connects educators by using my blog2buds Google Plus global community.

If you haven't already clicked on the link above, you should check out blog2buds now!

This is an unveiling of sorts. It's the road I'm taking. As I travel, I hope to see you along the way. Perhaps we could travel together for while and get to know each other and share some stories as we walk along toward our destinations.

Climbing

Question: How many bloggers does it take to change a lightbulb?  

Answer: 50. 1 to actually change the bulb and 49 to take a picture and post it on Instagram.

Regardless of who’s changing the lightbulb or how many people it takes, the truth is somebody’s got to get climbing to reach it.  We, as sixth grade Language Arts students, are working to reach our “lightbulb”.  The bright idea for which we’re reaching is successful blogging, and we’re getting there.

I wanted to take some time to post about the steps we’ve taken to get where we’re at right now.  I also want to show you where we’re going.  When school began, we talked a lot about what blogging was.  I don’t know if a lot of the sixth graders really understood the various purposes why people blog.  I have a friend who blogs about her day in order to practice her writing and to comment on life as she knows it.  Another friend blogs about family life.  My wife blogs about the blessings she sees in an insanely busy time in our family’s life.  Some people blog about cooking.  Others blog about their own personal hobbies.  I have a buddy who reads some stranger’s blog because each new post is the next chapter in an intriguing story that’s being written.  I’ve only started blogging recently.  I had one blog that documented my reflections about Web 2.0 tools in the classroom for a course I took. Another blog I have is used for taking notes and turning in assignments to another instructor.  The purpose of this blog is to keep you updated on how and what we’re doing in class.  I have plans for another blog that will be more instructional for other teachers who want to begin blogging with their classes.

The first blog post students wrote with their Kidblog account was to identify the purpose of their blog. I gave them the first few reasons that they should have used in their welcome blog: 1) to write final drafts for the teacher, and 2) to share their ideas with others.  I allowed them to choose a third reason of their own for times when I allow them to “free write”.  Their post was titled “Welcome to My Blog”, and they practiced the writing process on paper--planning, drafting, revising, editing--and then typed the final paragraph on their Kidblog.

For the second blog post, students were tasked to work through the writing process on paper again and then type the final into their blogs.  Their topic this time was simply, “What do you want to write about when you’re free to choose your own topic?”  It basically was an extension of the third reason from their first post.  Both these posts were purposed to orient the students to their Kidblog, and I think they now have a handle on the technology.  We’re still working out a few kinks, but it’s looking up.

These first two posts were completely private, meant to be viewed only by the teacher. I wanted the kids to find a comfort level with the whole process.  Now that we have formed that connection, I plan to open up their third post to the entire sixth grade.  I want to move the students from writing only for their teacher (for a grade) to writing to share their ideas with each other.  I figured that writing a sequel full of mystery, humor, and suspense related to Chris Van Allsburg’s The Garden of Abdul Gasazi would be a wonderful way to begin to share stories with each other.

Not only that, but students will now get to comment on each other’s stories.  We have spent much time in class forming our 3 star commenting procedures.  Comments must 1) be in sentences, 2) be thoughtful and positive, and 3) add to the conversation. While we had some trouble with this process during the learning stage, the students should now understand the “how”.  Now we have to make sure it happens.

If you think about what we’re doing here, students now write for a real audience--their peers.  In the past, I would try to find time for students to read their stories in front of the class.  Whenever we managed the class time, it was definitely worth it, but I couldn’t ever get to everybody’s stories in front of class.  Now, though, the students’ stories are published for their peers to read at their leisure. While there will be requirements on the number of stories to read and comment on, I hope that this will lead to a genuine interest in each other’s writing.  I want to also motivate the students to do their best for the audience that’s waiting for them on the other side of the computer.

Soon, very soon, I plan to open up the students’ blogs to our buddies in Australia.  I have connected with two teachers at a Christian school in Canberra who serve 54 students.  This will link nicely with our 56.  We are very excited to begin to share our stories, experiences, and ways of life.

Our class is getting there.  We’re climbing the wall, but it’s still a long, steep climb, especially for those who are new to sitting in front of a computer, and for now there’s nowhere to go but up.  The risks are still low...by design.  I pray that the students begin to reach new levels with this whole blogging concept.  I plan to teach them how to interact with each other and with their world.  I know their buddies in Australia are waiting for them to get on that wall, too.

Part 3: On the Wall

This is the beginning of our school year together, and I want to start out on the right foot--a foot that takes a step toward the wall with the intention of standing atop it with a confident view of the world and my place in it.

I want your children to make that step as well.

How are we as a classroom going to stand on the wall?

First, I plan to teach my class on the basis of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Your kids were created by the Lord to fulfill their purposes in this world he’s made. I am here to help them along that path, to continue down the road that God has marked out for them. I will work to reveal his plans for them and allow him to lead me in this endeavor. These are the types of behind the wall conversations I will have with your children. I would appreciate your trust and your encouragement, and I welcome any questions or input you may have.

And second, the activities I design for the students are based on a lot of research that I’ve accumulated over my years of teaching (and learning how to teach) middle school kids, specifically in the arena of English and Reading with a recent focus on educational technology. I’ve worked to refine what the best methods are to teach your children how to write and understand what they read, thinking critically and solving problems along the way. I plan to use carefully selected Internet tools throughout our time together.

I will be introducing your children to the positive side of the Internet as it fits into an educational setting, discussing with them important strategies on how to stay safe during the process.

There is a World Wide Web of information in our world. It turns out that this Internet is full of cultural influences, those beyond the wall ideas that we’ve discussed. The Internet really is its own animal, and it continues to expand and change at an alarming pace.

Your children's professional careers may consist of jobs that haven’t even been invented yet. The 21st Century skills that they will be using in those professions will rely very heavily on the use of social interactions on the Internet, a space that is growing exponentially as you read this.

I’m excited to have the behind the wall conversations about our Christian heritage and to witness the faith-building that happens by way of the Holy Spirit.

We will put one foot in front of the other, approach the wall of our faith, and climb confidently. Standing on the wall, we will look at the culture laid out in front of us, hold fast to our Christian heritage learned behind the wall, and determine our place in this wide world.

Psalm 62:2 says, “[God] alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

Let’s stand on the wall of faith together.

Part 2: Behind the Wall

To bravely approach the protective wall that stands between pop culture beyond and Christian tradition behind, we need to study our faith. (For a quick introduction to the analogy here, you can see the first post of my blog.)

Owing to wise people such as Bret Lamsma, Kenda Creasy Dean, and Walter Brueggemann, as well as King Hezekiah, and, well, God, a reading of 2 Kings 18-19 is in order. You can read it here.

I’ll share a summary, though, to make my point. The nation of Judah led by King Hezekiah, who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”, was under attack by the Assyrians, but because of his trust in the Lord, he was able to rebel successfully against Assyria, and the king of Assyria (Sennacherib) turned his attacks elsewhere. Later on, Sennacherib returned to attack Judah, and King Hezekiah’s military personnel began negotiations with the Assyrians at Jerusalem’s aqueduct of the Upper Pool, which we will designate as “the wall”.

To make a long story short, the Hebrews chose to negotiate in the language of the day, Aramaic, something the Assyrians knew well. The prophet Isaiah got involved and prophesied about Sennacherib’s defeat with some choice words from God himself. The end of God’s speech went like this: “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.” 2 Kings 19:34

The end of the story? That very night an angel of the Lord killed a hundred and eighty-five thousand of Sennacherib’s men in the Assyrian camp. When Sennacherib withdrew to Nineveh, his own sons killed him. Talk about God the Savior!

Hezekiah’s trust in God is epic. God’s response to Hezekiah’s devotion is miraculous!

Where did Hezekiah gather his confidence? How did he muster enough courage to approach the wall, climb the wall, and stand on the wall?

How can we?

It begins at home behind the wall, constructing a wall of faith.

Work with me here; the analogy goes like this. The city of Jerusalem, God’s holy city, is behind the wall. Traditions are taught in the native language--stories of God’s faithfulness, parents’ faith journeys, celebrations of love. It is not without its struggles, but the gospel is preached. Your homes represent this Jerusalem. As an extension, Ripon Christian represents it too, and we have a tall order to fill as parents and teachers. We need to speak truth to the children so that their faith will grow in the Holy Spirit. This is what happens behind the wall in our own native language based on our Christian heritage.

Beyond the wall are the Assyrians who speak a different language altogether, the language of popular culture. I bet your kids know this language and are already testing out their interaction beyond the wall. Relating back to the story of Sennacherib, are your children listening to the hollow promises the culture, the “empire”, presents?

Here’s a gut check. How many commercials do your kids know by heart? What do those commercials advertise? Or the Internet--how many mindless YouTube videos or inappropriate Instagram posts or violent video games enter your walls? Hey, I’ve got a finger pointed at myself here, too. How do we interact with this culture? With what lens should we view our world? What should we do?

I’ll tell you two things I think we should not do: 1) we should not send our kids beyond the wall unprepared, in essence throwing them to the wolves of the culture in which we live; and 2) we should not keep them behind the wall forever without giving them the tools to interact with the larger world. So, are we at an impasse? I don’t think so.

Solomon built the wall around Jerusalem. It is a wall of strength.

Hezekiah approached the wall with confidence in the Lord, who is our Strength.

The conversations behind the wall must occur. Please don’t leave the conversation to somebody else to have with your child. In her book Almost Christian, Kenda Creasy Dean, says this:

We can safely assume that the modern-day Assyrians (media, marketers, and other culture-makers of global postmodernity) are immersing American teenagers in the official language of the commercial empire. The empire’s language dismisses Yahweh, offers tantalizing but ultimately empty promises of salvation, and hands out scripts that the empire expects teenagers to follow. Unless the church cultivates a behind-the-wall conversation that reminds young people who they are, who they belong to, why they are here, and where their future hope lies--unless we hand on a tradition that gives them cultural tools to help them lay claim to this alternate vision of reality--then the empire’s conversation is the only view of reality they have (pp. 114-15).

Though it speaks of the church cultivating the conversation, chapter 6 of the book clearly points to the family as the main influencers of the children.

And again, by extension, we teachers must have these behind the wall conversations.

The empire is on our wall meeting with us, and our children can hear what they’re saying. Our kids have been instructed to remain silent for now, but they are considering the empire’s words, and images, and clothing, and food, and videos, and games. Perhaps they feel fearful, or curious, or insulted. We know they are deeply affected by culture beyond the wall. Let’s talk to them about what’s going on. Let’s cultivate in them a confidence in the Lord that cannot be shaken.

Let’s teach them about Hezekiah’s faith, and let’s help them construct a wall of faith of their own.

Part 1: Our Walls

We all construct walls.

And each of us may have a different reason for doing so. Perhaps you’ve been hurt, so your wall is built to protect yourself from letting it happen again. Maybe I’ve failed, so I block off that area of my life and hide it from view. Some walls grant security, and some walls bring privacy; some even hide secrets. Other walls are showy and call attention to themselves. Many walls cast long dark shadows that become immovable forces in our lives. Does your wall hold you back?

Don’t get me wrong; I’m a sheltered guy. I lock my doors to keep negative influences at bay, but also to protect the treasure that’s inside my walls...whether it be my possessions, my family, or my faith.

I believe this protective wall is inherently necessary. In this world, we need to protect what’s good behind the wall and deflect the bad stuff that can attack from beyond. Our children, YOUR children, must intentionally be taught about Jesus. And this happens behind the wall in a protected state. In fact, as parents, we’re called to do this in Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

This instruction needs to happen in a sheltered area behind the wall. Parents are called to do it, and as a representative of you as your child’s teacher this year, I am called to do it. And I promise that I will. Behind the wall.

There is a wide world of information beyond the wall full of influences and temptations. This is the popular culture in which we live, and it is EVERYWHERE. It even brings negative influences into our homes, thanks largely to the Internet, which seems to settle into our lives like dust on a table.

I was inspired by a sermon or church's youth pastor preached. After diving deeper into the reading on which Bret preached, I am convinced that this protective wall that we build should be an imposing presence in our lives. And I believe that it’s the parents’ calling to impress truth on their children behind the wall. By extension, it’s my job as your child’s teacher to speak this truth behind the wall of my classroom.

What do we do about our culture? If it’s hurt us, do we hide behind the wall? If it’s failed us, do we block it off and shut it out? Or do you think we should approach the wall using a confidence that the Lord has provided so that we can look beyond the wall at our culture to make sense out of our place within it?

To do that, we have to climb the wall. To do that, we have to be on the wall.