Written by Joycelyn Christmas-John
In our Lutheran community, principals wear many hats. They are usually the first to arrive and the last to leave the school. You can find them doing some pretty odd jobs on the school compound. These jobs range from shoveling snow to unclogging toilets because toys are stuck, from taking apart the projector to recharging the battery of a teacher’s car. Many people may wonder: What is the real job of a principal? Continue reading
Written by Larry Czer
Classroom research tells us we (teachers) talk too much. Let that sink in for a moment. Immediately we defend our practice—aren’t we obligated to teach? Aren’t we called to educate the children in our care? Aren’t we trained to share knowledge? While all of these are true, researchers have discovered that we spend way too much time talking on less relevant issues. The word educate comes from the Latin educere, which means “to lead out.” Given that etymology, we should be doing more leading out and less pouring in. Continue reading
Written by Andrew Willems
Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!
My apologies to Dr. Seuss, but this is exactly how I felt introducing my class to Google Cardboard.
Question: What can Google Cardboard, a Galaxy J3 phone, earbuds, and a room full of freshmen do for you? Answer: Bring virtual reality (VR) to your classroom! Continue reading
Written by Dr. John Meyer
Every teacher is special. Through them, children and young people develop full and productive lives. But Lutheran teachers are more, and being one is an awesome privilege and a tremendous responsibility.
An Awesome Privilege
Lutheran teachers are called. That’s not just a fancy way of saying hired. A call comes from God through a group of believers in Christ (Acts 1) to people whom he has appointed and gifted for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13). Their contract is with God, and so the call is divine (Gerlach, 1977; Mueller, 1988). Since Lutheran teachers do not seek their positions by putting out résumés (Romans 10:15; Hebrews 5:4), they are confident that God himself has appointed them to serve where they are (Fehlauer, 1968; Gerlach, n.d.; Mueller, 1988). Continue reading
Written by Amanda Weinrich
What is meant by classroom management? It involves how students should behave in the classroom. A common misconception is that classroom management is a set of rules to address discipline problems. Rather, classroom management involves a well-planned set of procedures and routines for avoiding problems and having a plan for when misbehavior does occur (Lester, Allanson, & Notar, 2017). Continue reading
Written by David Uhlhorn
It doesn’t take long for a new teacher in our WELS schools to realize that today’s schools are different from what they remember. Wanting what is best for their children, parents are looking for additional opportunities for their children to excel. To meet this need, schools are offering additional courses and activities, while the amount of time allowed for learning remains the same. Teacher schedules are limiting students’ course selections. Continue reading
Written by Elizabeth Johnson
Parents have more choices in the type of pasta sauce on their child’s spaghetti than they do in where their child receives their education. For decades, the public school system told families where they would attend school. In many places, voucher programs are giving some of that power back to parents. With the choice comes a responsibility to find out who can best serve them, along with a responsibility for administrators to know what parents want. While a school’s location and demographic can vary the order of preference, parents are most actively seeking private schools that offer . . .
1) A high quality of education
2) A safe learning environment
3) An exceptional school culture Continue reading
Written by Benjamin Clemons
Procedures in our classrooms provide the framework for operating our schools. Procedures answer a vital question of “How?” in our buildings. We may be more familiar with the questions of “Why?” (to provide high-quality Christian education) and “What?” (our curriculum) because they are highly visible. Procedures, on the other hand, can fade into the background, especially when they run well. Continue reading
Written by Paul Koelpin
Does Lutheran education in the 21st century need a reformation? Lutherans often wonder just what Luther would say about the practice of the church that bears his name today. Would Luther approve of what they teach? Does the 21st-century church rightfully bear the name “Lutheran”? Does the mystical concept of “Luther’s spirit” live on? Continue reading
Written by Duane Vance
Administrative release time (ART) and its importance has been a key issue discussed heavily within our circles for the past decade or so. Greg Schmill (2009) identified some alarming statistics about WELS principals that could be leading to burnout and ineffective practices. In response, the Commission on Lutheran Schools created a guideline for appropriate administrative release time. Each school should provide its principal with one hour per week for every 7.5 students enrolled. The synod convention adopted this recommendation in 2013. Dr. John Meyer (2014) has identified five ways that proper release time will help principals improve their schools. They are as follows: Continue reading