(12.) Thoughts on the Christ-Centered Middle School “Outwitted” “He drew a circle that shut me out – heretic, rebel, a thing to flout But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.” (by E. Markham) 1. CHANGE. Pre- and young adolescents (roughly 10-15 year olds) are experiencing …
The heroism of Christopher Nolan (2) “I want to highlight the creativity within the brain of a cripple, and while not attempting to hide the crippledom I want instead to filter all sob-storied sentiment from his portrait and dwell upon his life, his laughter, his vision.” (Christopher Nolan, referring to his autobiography) When a true …
The heroism of Christopher Nolan (1) “I want to trip inside your head, Spend the day there… To hear the things you haven’t said, And see what you might see. I want to hear you when you call. Do you feel anything at all? I want to see your thoughts take shape and walk right …
(13.) OPEN DOOR: Welcoming Students with Learning Differences and Health Needs. “Only when we do the Jesus truth in the Jesus way do we get the Jesus life… It is easier to talk about what Christians believe, the truth of the gospel formulated in doctrines and creeds… And it is easier to talk about what …
(14.) Receiving the Children. What did Jesus mean when, after taking up a child into his arms, he said that whoever welcomes, whoever receives, one of these little children in his name in fact welcomes him? (Mark 9:36-37). It would take a lifetime to plumb the depths of his statement, but it’s almost as if …
(15.) Embracing the Characters “The more I considered Christianity, the more I found out that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild. He who has the faith has the fun!” (G. K. Chesterton) Every educator knows about the …
(45.) Z is for Zest “He who has the faith has the fun!” If G. K. Chesterton was right, Christian schools need to make sure they are not operating with a personality defect. Being salt of the earth has many functions,including that of being a preservative, a peacemaker between people, an ancient home remedy for …
(44.) Y is for Yarn Remember that old fanciful term for a compelling story? In fact, a yarn is often synonymous with tales of high adventure, intrigue and the imagination. Tragically, schools have retreated from their ancient role as centers of storytelling, and education has consequently left the stage bare for the rationalists, utilitarians and …
(43.) X is for X Marks the Spot Any avid reader of pirate stories can tell you the meaning of that familiar phrase. Wherever there are rare treasure maps, there will be a much anticipated X. As we all know, the X reveals the general placement of the valuables, the hidden booty, the sole reason …
(42.) W is for Wildlife Refuge Many Christians believe that the perfect school is akin to a hothouse, a place where, protected by a bubble and nurtured by an ideal climate, young plants are nursed into a life of fruitfulness and prepared for the inevitable storms of life. I believe this hothouse image is troublesome …
(41.) V is for Virtue Certainly one of the pillars of a Christ-centered school is the role of helping the students to develop a godly conscience. Surrendering to goodness is a gradual process for each of us, so naturally moral education has its share of ups and downs in every school, Christian or not. Is …
(40.) U is for Unity of Curriculum “Everything, I am profoundly convinced, is connected with everything else; the universe, my life, the past, the future, all this is a oneness, in which each part bears a relation to each other part… I see in the world, this phenomenal world, in nature, in the achievements of …