The Dock

The Dock exists to serve the teachers, administrators, board members, and parents of our conservative Anabaptist schools. We want teachers to gather inspiration from the lesson plans of others. We want schools in one part of the country to have a channel with which to connect with potential teachers in other regions. We want to give parents, ministers, and teachers access to trustworthy books, articles, and talks on Christian education.

Teaching Literature

Open PDF Reasons Why Teaching Literature Is Important Through literature, students gain experiences that are wider than just their own history or experiences in life. They are exposed to other worldviews, cultures, and...

Teaching Math

Open PDF Reasons Why Teaching Math Is Important Math is essential for practical life skills, such as budgeting, building, cooking, and any job requiring precise calculations. Math fosters orderly thinking, logical...

Correcting or Disciplining Students

Open PDF General Considerations When it comes to discipline, remember that the specific consequences you give are not as important as the way you present your plan, the matter-of-fact way you handle infractions, and the...

Classroom Management

Open PDF Rules and guidelines are essential to keep your classroom functioning smoothly and to provide security for the students and structure for the class. Establish early on with your students why rules are important. Discuss...

Using Powerpoints

Open PDF Programs such as PowerPoint, Keynote, LibreOffice and Prezi help teachers to emphasize important points and use visuals in their lessons. Their use is an art well-worth mastering. If you need training in the mechanics of...

Maintaining Student Engagement

Open PDF Part of your job as a teacher is to not only present material, but to present it in such a way that it makes your students want to learn it. Find ways to give your students tactile learning experiences, where they can...

Lesson Planning

Open PDF The Basics of Lesson Planning A goal without a plan is only a dream. If you have a goal of teaching your students something, but no concrete plan for how you’re going to get there, your chances of actually achieving your...

Leading Class Discussions

Open PDF Stimulating, productive discussions are among the most rewarding classroom experiences for both teachers and students. Teachers can use specific strategies to ensure that a discussion doesn’t flop, either due to the...

Asking Questions

Open PDF The “Why” of Question-Asking Asking good questions is a powerful learning tool that is often under-utilized. With intentionality, the questions you ask your students can provide valuable learning opportunities. The...

Board Work

Open PDF Your chalkboard or whiteboard is an amazing tool that you use every day—it is worth investing time and intentionality into using it well. Keep boards clean. At least once a week, wipe them down with water and then a dry...

Professionalism in Student Interactions

Open PDF Be sure you are pronouncing students’ names correctly, using the form of their name they prefer if they also go by a shorter version, and avoiding fun nicknames or pet names. Personas to avoid falling into: The Cool...

Communicating with Parents

Open PDF Establish a Foundation of Respect Approach conversations with parents with compassion. Remember that parents can feel vulnerable, like failings in their children are direct reflections of them as parents. Emphasize your...

Parent Teacher Meetings

Open PDF Before the Meeting Recognize the purposes of parent-teacher meetings: To establish common ground between the parents and teacher To create an opportunity for parents and teachers to communicate on a constructive level...

Staff Meetings

Open PDF Meetings provide an opportunity for clear communication, effective planning, fruitful discussion, and professional development Attend a meeting ready to listen to others, focus on the task at hand (silence technology or...

Communicating with Students

Open PDF Be aware of your own tendencies. If you are a task-oriented person who tends to prioritize tasks over people, make sure that in your zeal to do all the things necessary to give your students a quality education you...