Research papers are probably the most daunting of all assignments for school students. Keeping that in mind, these steps are designed for younger students (grades seven and eight) or for high school students who are unfamiliar with the...

“What is one unhealthy habit you want to change?” A couple of years ago, my third and fourth graders answered this question in a health test. They had just finished a unit covering components of healthy living that included diet, exercise,...

The relationship between Good Friday, COVID-19, and Easter “We are extremely wet inside.” The simple, innocent opening statement by Dr. Gordon Wilson in "The Riot and the Dance | Water" caused me to weep myself to sleep. The documentary...

Photo by Gabby Orcutt on Unsplash I was six years old, with pigtail braids down my back, when I began my first day of school. Our school was tiny: one teacher, one room in the basement of a little country church house. I took my lunch box,...

I hadn’t been teaching very long when I noticed that my students had lots of problems, bad problems. I’ve seen them deal with abuse, mental illness, chronic poor health, church strife, broken families, material need, spiritual turmoil,...

Why Did Jesus Have to Die? Who hasn’t asked this question at some point? A simple object lesson involving bleach, food coloring, and water visually illustrates how Jesus took upon him the sins of the world and how He can also cleanse each...

Photo credit: Winona History Center In the early 1900s, the town of Winona Lake, Indiana, was a summertime destination for many Christians. Cultural Chautauqua speakers and events mixed with a three-week Bible conference in a beautiful...

As curriculum coordinator, I work with a number of sales people and representatives of various publishers. Much of the communication is electronic, but there are a number of phone calls and personal visits involved, too. I am very...

I was a very green first-year teacher when I stumbled upon a helpful assumption about human nature. It seemed to me that neither the students nor the teacher could do our best work when we felt lost in the shuffle. I had three grades with...

This is the story of how two plastic cups, a coat hanger, and some string revolutionized the way I teach algebra. It started one year when I was teaching my sixth graders some introductory algebra—basically a lot of solving for unknown...

In the last month of school, I find myself and my students coasting in for a finish. To help us all continue to do our best, rather than doing the minimum required, I give them a challenge. Last year I called it “Sundae Best.” This year...

In the middle of the school year, it can be good for us to step back and think about why we teach. Early in my teaching career, a friend asked me why I teach. I described the feeling of satisfaction I get when I successfully explain a...

At the moment the first-grade journal period is filled with stories of train “drivers,” swinging with friends, playing doll, fishing, and kayaking. Today one student was putting out a fire. Another one was playing with his dog while his...

Sometimes less is more. Usually on Saturdays I dance to the background tune of “see how much you can get done today.” It is a wearisome song and wears me out both emotionally and physically. I don’t recommend it. And yet, I tune into this...

What is a better way to countdown to Christmas vacation as a teacher than with great picture books that focuses on the Christmas and winter season? You can find most of these books in your local public library system. Take the time to...

As a 20-year-old, I had a burning desire to be a missionary pilot. But I didn't look forward to just one thing about the job. I didn't like the need for continual education. So after a failed attempt at pilot training, I decided to pour my...

Stock image by Greyerbaby on Pixabay I lead Bible studies for the women at our local jail, and during the course of my ministry, I have come to the conclusion that most of the women there have been abused in some way, whether physically,...

I consider structure and thoughtful planning to be important parts of a positive school day, but, as I discovered again today, sometimes an unexpected, impromptu discussion is far superior to my best planning. This is what happened: Each...

Reading is essential for expanding knowledge, but it requires dedicated time that can be hard to set aside. Audio recordings give us opportunities to learn while we do other things, such as driving or mowing the lawn. (Tip: When mowing,...

Photo by Kuanish Reymbaev on Unsplash Our team meeting agenda said we would celebrate successes and find areas to improve upon as we discussed testing results. I was disappointed after the meeting that there were no successes noted for my...