What Do Congregations Expect of Their Teachers?

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Written by Greg Schmill

Clear expectations are always helpful. If we know what is expected, we then can do all we are capable of to meet those expectations. This definitely applies to what is expected of us as called workers. A quick check of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 helps us understand God’s clear expectations of us—above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, and more. But what are the specific expectations of our calling bodies? What do congregations expect to be true of the teachers who serve in our schools? Continue reading →

Learning from Mistakes: The Importance of a Growth-Mindset

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Written by Adam Glodowski

How many of us have tried to encourage our students (or children) to learn from their mistakes? Teachers often see mistakes as teachable moments and opportunities to help our students grow. But how do students see their mistakes? Most students “see mistakes as flaws for which their teacher will judge them.” (Willingham, Strayer, & Barlow, 2018, p.326) Continue reading →

Differentiation for Students with Disabilities

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Written by Amanda Weinrich

The Issue
As I began my teaching ministry, I quickly realized that I was underprepared to help the students with disabilities that I had in my classroom. I did not know the best way to teach them. I concluded that other WELS teachers might experience the same problem.

Since teachers who receive even a brief introduction about creating diverse lesson plans have been shown to include more modifications, alternatives for communications, and activities that involved students (King-Sears, 2008), I decided to help a fellow teacher learn about differentiation as part of my capstone work in my master’s program. The results are important for all teachers because all teachers will at some point have students with disabilities, and the number of students with disabilities is on a steady increase (Allsopp, Kyger, & Lovin, 2004). Continue reading →

The State of Special Education in Lutheran Schools

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Written by Calista Leistekow

Lutheran schools often struggle to balance the desire to serve all children who seek a Christian education with the ability to provide sufficient resources and support for students with special learning needs. To learn the extent to which this struggle occurs and what Lutheran schools are doing about it, I conducted some research. Continue reading →

You Want Me to Differentiate What?

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Written by Rachel Timmermann

Teachers commonly complain about the lack of instruction time, improper resources, and mixed student results as they provide spelling instruction. Individualized development is attainable for each student through a research-based approach.

What does the research say?
Historically, spelling and reading instruction has begun with phonics and memorization. This is problematic, since the instructional level of spelling words corresponds to words students read with automaticity; it does not correspond to words they must decode (Templeton and Morris, 1999). In the 1950s, Horn’s research studies cited that the irregularities in the English language required students to memorize words. Horn developed grade-level lists of words for students to learn. But students learn best when instructed within their developmental level (Ouellette, 2013). Continue reading →

My Biggest Classroom Challenge: Student Emotion Regulation

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by Andrea Van Sice

“Before we can teach content, we need to ensure that our students are available for learning” (Lipsett, 2011).

When I began teaching in an urban setting, I knew there would be challenges. However, I never foresaw that my students’ ability to regulate their emotions would be our classroom’s biggest challenge.

You may be able to think of a student you have had in the past who had trouble with anger, anxiety, or outbursts—these are some internalizing and externalizing behaviors that show an imbalance in emotion regulation. A child’s ability to regulate their emotions is essential for their academic, behavioral, and social development.

After teaching a class of students who struggled with emotion regulation, I wanted to research and find what a teacher can do to support these students so they are better prepared to learn. Continue reading →

Preparing English Teachers for the Future

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Written by Larry Czer

The first secondary teachers graduated from DMLC in the spring of 1993. The then STEP program was designed as a means to meet the needs of an expanding WELS area Lutheran high school movement. The original concept was to prepare students to serve as either elementary or secondary instructors. The assumption at that time was for these students to serve in an elementary setting prior to receiving a call at the secondary level. Those emphases have changed over the last 25 years. Now our newly minted teachers are entering a field where accreditation, licensure, and credibility are requirements. The English Division at MLC prepares teachers to meet these expectations. Continue reading →

Students with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): They Really Are Trying!

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Written by Nicole Lehman

According to studies reviewed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 to 5 out of every 100 students in the United States are somewhere in the range of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders,” 2018). This means at some point in your ministry, you’ve probably encountered at least one student with FAS in your classroom or in your school. Some of these students may have very recognizable physical characteristics or intellectual disabilities, while others may just appear to be “lazy” and/or “defiant” when it comes to getting homework done—doing well on tests and quizzes, memory work, paying attention, and following instructions. This can be extremely frustrating for you, the teacher: no matter what you do or say, and no matter how many times you try, they just don’t seem to get it! Continue reading →

Labeling Your Students

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Written by Kimberly Rehbaum

This article was originally published in 2015.

Let us know what you think.

  • Can you share an experience (no names, please) when labeling a student resulted in benefits for the student’s learning?
  • Can you share an experience when labeling hurt a student?
  • In your experience, do the advantages of labeling a student outweigh the disadvantages?

The process of labeling is currently one of the most controversial topics in the field of special education. Should students be labeled with such disabilities as autism, ADHD, IDD, and EBD? According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in order to receive public government funding for special education, students must have a label. Some educators believe these labels have more disadvantages than benefits, but I am led to believe that labeling leads to accommodations that will enable students to succeed in academics and understand their specific abilities. Continue reading →

Early Childhood Outreach Requires Planning and Teamwork

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Written by Michelle Dobberstein

Early Childhood Ministries (ECM) provide a natural way for churches to share the gospel with children and families. Families seeking early childhood education come for a quality education and end up receiving so much more. They learn about Jesus and his love. Continue reading →