Christian Educators Journal: December 2024

Christian Educators Journal December 2024 Vol. 64 No. 2

Classroom Management Sowing Seeds of Success Encouraging Classroom Management Understanding Discipline Climate Control in the Classroom Tips on Classroom Management Strengthening Individual and Schoolwide Relationships Space-Making to Make Positive Impacts What Works with the New Generations?

Contents

3 Editorial 5 Sowing Seeds of Success: Cultivating Safe, Joyful

Classrooms in the Early Weeks of School through Social-­Emotional Learning ALEXANDRIA MIDDLEMISS

11 Encouraging Classroom Management in One Word SUSAN DYKSHOORN

16 Learning Readiness: Understanding Discipline Rooted in Capacity and Capability LIZ ULLRICH AND OWEN WEBB

24 Mockers, Fools, and the Wise:

Climate Control in the Christian Classroom ADAM RASMUSSEN

30 We Are Enough: Tips on Classroom Management BEN NEAL

34 Community Circles: Strengthening Individual and Schoolwide Relationships through Restorative Justice Practices JENNIE CARR AND TAMMY MAY

37 “Chair-ished Spaces”: Space-Making to Make Positive Impacts for Life MITCHELL SKJEVELAND

42 How Do We Know What Works with the New

Generations? An Invitational Behavior Framework YVONNE HARVEY

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Christian Educators Journal Vol. 64 No. 2, December 2024 cejonline.com Editor Abby Zwart cejeditor@gmail.com The Christian Educators Journal (CEJ) encourages letters to the editor in response to articles presented in the CEJ. Letters must be accompanied by the author’s name and email address. The CEJ reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Where a letter addresses issues raised by the author of an article, the CEJ reserves the right to invite the article author to respond to the letter.

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Statement of Purpose The Christian Educators Journal Association publishes the Journal as a channel of communication for all educators committed to the idea of Christian day school at the elementary, secondary, and college levels. The views expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the association.

Reprint Policy We allow free reprinting or photocopying of individual articles that have appeared in our journal, as long as the copied articles are used within the context of schooling and the source is acknowledged.

Editor Abby Zwart Copyeditor Bethany Murphy Design Editor Klaas Wolterstorff Business Manager Klaas Wolterstorff Web Shepherd Heather Altena Board of Trustees Dr. Henry Algera Heather Birch Justin Cook Sara Leo Albert Kok (Chair) Gayle Monsma Ed Noot Jim Rooks Sean Schat Christine Scholma (Secretary) Tricia Stobbe Edith van der Boom Heather VanDyke Christine Webb Supporting Institutions Calvin University Edvance Christian Schools Association The King’s University Redeemer University Trinity Christian College Tyndale University Subscribing Organizations Christian Educators Association Christian Educators of British Columbia Prairie Centre for Christian Education Printed back issues (if available) can be purchased for $7.50 per copy (cost of shipping to be added to total).

Some back issues may be available in digital format.

Editorial

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alk to any educator who taught both pre- and post-COVID and they’ll tell you a tale of two classrooms. Shutting school doors and bringing learning fully online had a huge impact on students academically, socially, and emotionally. This sometimes sounds unbelievable to the accountants and farmers and sales managers and CNC designers of the world—kids are still kids, right?—but those folks can likely tell you stories of how their fields changed after nearly two years of global disruption.

Though I can’t speak for every teacher, I’ll say that, personally, I feel I can handle the academic challenges of our post-COVID students. We’ve still got some catching up to do, sure, but I know my subject area and I have lots of strategies (plus great institutional support) to help students learn at a high level.

It’s the post-COVID gaps in social and emotional skills that still have me stumped. Students struggle to sit still, focus, be curious, stay organized, and interact appropriately with each other. Classroom management has become a challenge like never before; what used to work just doesn’t anymore. Researchers and educators worldwide are scrambling to locate the source of student struggles and find ways to help.

And on top of that, classroom management wasn’t exactly easy for all of us to begin with! New teachers tend to identify it as the hardest part of their first few years, and even the veterans with quiet, harmonious classrooms had to do a lot of trial and error to get there.

When a student misbehaves—or, wait . . . we don’t say “misbehaves” anymore, right? There’s no such thing as “bad” behaviors, just ones inappropriate for the situation. So uh . . . when a student exhibits inappropriate behavior, teachers are told to dole out punishments—oops, I mean . . . uh . . . consequences! Even deciding what language we use to discuss behavior and management is fraught with debate. Regardless, when a student is struggling behaviorally in our classrooms, a lot goes through a teacher’s mind. Did I set clear expectations? Did the student understand them? Am I using systems to support those expectations? Have I dealt with this student’s behavior early enough? Am I being consistent? Have I built a relationship with this student?

Is the student engaged, or is our current activity boring or too easy? Will I get administrative support if I discipline this student? Are they just hungry? Have I prayed for this student enough?

And on top of that, every single classroom is different and requires different methods. The teacher’s management style and preferences matter. The grade level matters. The individual students in the room matter.

The combination of students matters. The set up of the room matters. The

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presence or absence of parapros or aides matters. Heck, the month and the day of the week and the time of day matter.

Our task, then—as post-COVID, research-informed, faith-centered, student-loving educators—is simply to find something that works. This issue is full of great suggestions, and we hope that you’re able to gather some new techniques. The writers here give tips about everything from seating arrangements to restorative justice circles to social-emotional learning to using the wisdom of Proverbs to redirect struggling students.

What works for me might not work for my hallway neighbor, and what works in Maine might not work in Manitoba, but be encouraged by the knowledge that we’re working together to find solutions for this new generation of students.

— Abby Zwart

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Sowing Seeds of Success: Cultivating Safe, Joyful Classrooms in the Early Weeks of School through Social-­Emotional Learning ALEXANDRIA MIDDLEMISS

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t’s a crisp October afternoon, and my first grade classroom is filled with excitement around our autumn leaves investigation. Some students are creating leaf mosaics while others make crayon leaf rubbings at a nearby table. Some read stories from the fall-­themed book basket in our library corner; two students just picked up It Starts with a Seed and are going through it together, helping each other to tackle the trickier words. One student sketches and labels different types of leaves, while a few others create beautiful pastel drawings of the autumn forest. A group sits with me at the teacher table, writing an acrostic poem about leaves with a bit of prompting as they sound out words using the alphabet and phoneme wall behind me.

Two girls are busy gluing leaves into a large chart that they’ve spread out on the floor, sorting them by color and size. One gently lifts off a leaf after realizing she glued it in the wrong spot; her friend smiles and reassures her: “Mistakes are learning—there, you’ve got it now!”

The class is lively, but not loud; vibrant, but focused, with students engaging at different times in collaboration, independent learning, and teacher-­led small groups. A sense of peacefulness rests over the class as students demonstrate the many skills they’ve learned in order to operate with autonomy in the classroom environment. They know the appropriate volume for their voices, how to cross the room carefully while holding scissors safely, how to use and access art tools, how to return books to the classroom library, and how to ask a classmate for help and share ideas with each other. I feel a deep sense of joy and gratitude looking around the room. This positive classroom environment was not achieved by accident. It was intentionally nurtured through an emphasis on social-­emotional learning (SEL) during the early weeks of school, drawing on inspiration from the Responsive Classroom® framework. This article focuses on the proactive side of classroom management strategies: cultivating routines and expectations early in the school year to set the stage for a flourishing community of self-­ regulated learners.

Why Social-­Emotional Learning?

Social-­emotional learning is defined by CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring Christian Educators Journal

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This article focuses on the proactive side of classroom management strategies: cultivating routines and expectations early in the school year to set the stage for a flourishing community of self-­regulated learners.

Students reflect the image of God when they embody character traits like joy, peace, patience, care, and forgiveness.

Students in schools with SEL programs experienced statistically significant improvements in academic achievement compared to control conditions.

decisions.” As Christian educators, we understand the importance of “teaching the heart and soul as well as the mind” (Swaner et al. 12). This holistic approach aligns with a biblical call to be part of caring communities rooted in love (John 13:34–35), to speak life (Eph. 4:29), and to help each other (Eccl. 4:9–1). SEL is important in Christian education because as young students progress in their social and emotional growth, they reflect the image of God when they embody character traits like joy, peace, patience, care, and forgiveness, among others. Fostering these traits in our classroom is a reflection of the love God calls us to share, a love that is central to his story and our faith.

Some educators worry that taking the time to implement SEL will detract from academics and hinder student achievement, but research proves that this is not the case. A recent meta-­analysis of hundreds of studies involving more than five hundred thousand students revealed that students in schools with SEL programs experienced statistically significant improvements in academic achievement compared to control conditions; these students also benefited from a better school climate and demonstrated enhanced social-­emotional skills, attitudes, and prosocial behaviors (Cipriano et al.). The Ontario Ministry of Education recently included SEL as part of their math curriculum, explicitly teaching skills like identifying emotions, stress management, perseverance, and self-­awareness because these skills have a proven positive effect on math learning. Social-­emotional learning is essential for nurturing well-­rounded students, and it is vital that we teach these skills early on, as children’s brains rapidly form new neural pathways.

By laying a strong foundation early in the year through social curriculum, we equip students not only for success during the rest of the academic year, but also for a life of purpose and meaningful engagement in safe and joy-­ filled communities beyond the classroom (Prov. 22:6).

The Responsive Classroom Approach Responsive Classroom® (RC) is an evidence-­based, student-­centered social-­ emotional approach to teaching and learning that uses a specific set of practices with the goal of creating safe, joyful, and positive classroom and school environments (Center for Responsive Schools). The RC approach is guided by six key principles or core beliefs about education: 1. Teaching social and emotional skills is as important as teaching academic content.

2. How we teach is as important as what we teach.

3. Great cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.

4. How we work together as adults to cre­ate a safe, joyful, and inclusive school environment is as important as our individual contribution or competence.

5. What we know and believe about our students—individually, culturally, developmentally—informs our expec­tations, reactions, and attitudes about those students.

6. Partnering with families—knowing them and valuing their contributions—is as important as knowing the children we teach. (Center for Responsive Schools) 6

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There are many resources available, such as workshops, PD sessions, teacher training courses, and dozens of books on specific topics like positive approaches to classroom discipline, teacher language that fosters learning, interactive learning structures, and so on. The discipline structures espoused by the RC framework emphasize self-­regulation and intrinsic motivation as opposed to external motivation (threats of punishment and rewards). Logical consequences are given to students when they need more than a cue or redirection. In a longitudinal study exploring RC implementation with over five hundred students, the approach was proven to increase both the amount of time students were academically engaged during the school day as well as their achievement, particularly in math. Another study found improved reading achievement, increased closeness in student-­teacher relationships, better prosocial skills, less fearfulness, and more assertiveness in schools where RC practices were used (Rimm-­Kaufman et al.).

The discipline structures espoused by the RC framework emphasize self-­regulation and intrinsic motivation as opposed to external motivation.

The First Six Weeks of School Building a structured, safe, and supportive environment early on in the school year lays the groundwork for deeper academic engagement and growth later in the year (Curby et al.). The First Six Weeks of School is a core RC resource and a comprehensive guide to setting up students and teachers for success. I will discuss the components and strengths of this framework for the early weeks of school. The book is intended for K–6 educators, while another text, Building an Academic Community, addresses key practices for the first four weeks of middle school. As a new teacher, I found this resource invaluable, and after nearly a decade of using it, I’ve found these principles and practices highly effective. The text provides detailed plans for each day of the first six weeks that can be adapted according to your specific needs and schedule.

Central goals of the first six weeks of school, as defined by the authors, are the following: 1. Create a climate of warmth and safety.

2. Teach the schedule and routines of the school day and our expectations for behavior in each of them.

3. Introduce students to the physical environment and materials of the classroom and the school, and teach students how to use and care for them.

4. Establish expectations about ways we will learn together in the year ahead. (Denton and Kriete 3–4) Each day begins with a

Morning Meeting

morning meeting, where

Each day begins with a morning meeting, where students gather together to greet one another, participate in reciprocal sharing, and receive a morning message (Center for Responsive Schools). After greeting each other, classmates share their news and respond to what others have shared with questions and comments, reinforcing the skill of active listening and reciprocal, respectful conversation. Sharing builds empathy and connection Christian Educators Journal

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students gather together to greet one another, participate in reciprocal sharing, and receive a morning message.

among students and adults in the classroom alike: “How do we respond to a friend whose family member is ill? When a classmate shares about their pet, what kind of questions can we ask? How do our friends know we are actively listening to them?” Everyone then takes part in a short, fun activity that builds group unity and helps students practice both social and academic skills. Morning meeting ends with students reading a morning message from the teacher. Morning meetings build community through a familiar but fun routine where students feel seen, heard, and cared for in a safe environment, setting a positive and united tone for the day (Center for Responsive Schools).

Rules Simple and positive guidelines help students to function autonomously and learn self-­regulation, and they uphold the classroom agreements without relying on yelling, shaming, or using class behavior charts.

One of the most impactful RC practices is having students collaborate to create the classroom rules. They start by brainstorming a list, then work together to narrow it down to a few key, overarching rules. Rules are stated simply and in the positive, for example, “Be Safe” instead of a massive list of prohibited unsafe behaviors. Opportunities in the first six weeks to teach the rules and highlight them include role play and modeling, acknowledging when students are following the rules, and setting up non-­verbal cues to gently remind students of rules (Center for Responsive Schools). Simple and positive guidelines help students to function autonomously and learn self-­ regulation, and they uphold the classroom agreements without relying on yelling, shaming, or using class behavior charts. Teaching self-­regulation is supported by biblical wisdom: “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-­control” (Prov. 25:28).

Routines Routines are important in establishing structure and fostering independence in the early weeks of school. Taking the time to teach routines thoroughly at the beginning of the year can help the rest of the year go seamlessly. In the first weeks of school, the class learns key routines for daily activities, such as entering and exiting the classroom, transitioning between tasks, and using materials (Center for Responsive Schools). A soft, pleasant sounding chime is used as a signal for attention instead of yelling over students to get attention (Center for Responsive Schools). Successful routines are essentially the classroom rules lived out in actions, for example: “What does being safe mean when we are taking a drink at the water fountain?

What does being responsible look like when we are going to meet our reading buddies?” (Center for Responsive Schools).

Safe and Caring Classrooms Think back to a teacher who made a lasting impression on you as a child.

Did they care about you? Did they ever take the time to talk to you one on one? My music teacher inspired me to be an educator; he got to know us as students and was a beacon of encouragement despite my struggles in high 8

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school, saying that he could see me pursuing a doctorate one day (and here I am!). He fostered community by having us write encouraging notes to each other. I will never forget him and the other caring educators who have helped to shape my path. Students intuitively know when we care about and value them. When we know about their lives outside of school, their likes and dislikes, their hopes and dreams, and so on, they are far more likely to be engaged, responsible members of a classroom community (Wilson). RC teachers are encouraged to build relationships with students and families, talk to students one on one, and have fun with students, planning activities or even playing with them at recess! The more you delight in your students, the more fulfilling teaching becomes. Of course, this is a struggle at times, which is when I pray: Lord, thank you for the gifts you have given to this child; help me see this child as you see them and give me eyes to see who you created them to be. I’ve experienced over and over how leaning into a caring relationship with the child who seems to push all of your buttons can transform their behavior.

The more you delight in your students, the more fulfilling teaching becomes.

Beyond the First Six Weeks As students progress through the early fall months, developing an understanding of daily routines and norms for caring for one another, classroom management becomes significantly easier. Of course, arguments, unkind behavior, and other behavior may still come up from time to time; students may still actively resist teacher instructions, expectations, or routines at times. The proactive side of classroom management discussed in this article can help students feel safe and welcome in the class. Other things teachers must do proactively as part of classroom management include making sure children’s basic needs are met (food, water, movement, etc.), setting them up for academic success, and using positive language. A calm, professional tone and positive teacher language are key for RC practitioners, particularly when addressing student behavior (Wilson). Consider what type of response is evoked by a teacher saying in a harsh tone, “It’s way too loud in here! You NEED to quiet down; this class is full of chatterboxes and nobody is focusing!” versus a calm, firm “Voices off, eyes on me” (Wilson 32). There will be times when it’s necessary to interrupt and address behaviors that fall short of clearly defined class rules, maintaining a safe and orderly classroom while helping students to understand their actions and how to make amends, all while preserving dignity for the student. For strategies related to classroom discipline within the RC framework, I recommend Margaret Wilson’s book Teasing, Tattling, Defiance and More: Positive Approaches to 10 Common Classroom Behaviors, which emphasizes clear and calm communication, consistent expectations, and logical consequences. The author gives detailed strategies to approach both proactive and reactive sides of classroom management.

Galatians 6:7 tells us that we reap what we sow; planting seeds of kindness, care, and consistency through intentional social-­emotional learning practices can allow educators to reap a bountiful harvest of joy and community in our classrooms.

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A calm, professional tone and positive teacher language are key for RC practitioners, particularly when addressing student behavior.

Works Cited CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). “What Is Social and Emotional Learning?” CASEL, 2024, schoolguide.casel.org/ what-­is-­sel/what-­is-­sel/.

Center for Responsive Schools. Responsive Classroom, 2024, www.responsiveclassroom.org/.

Cipriano, Christina, et al. “The State of Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning: A Contemporary Meta‐analysis of Universal School-­Based SEL Interventions.” Child Development, vol. 94, no. 5, 2023, pp. 1181–204.

Rimm-­Kaufman, Sara E., et al. “Efficacy of the Responsive Classroom Approach: Results from a 3-­Year, Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial.” American Educational Research Journal, vol. 51, no. 3, 2014, pp.

567–603.

Rimm-­Kaufman, Sara E., and Yu-­Jen I. Chiu. “Promoting Social and Academic Competence in the Classroom: An Intervention Study Examining the Contribution of the Responsive Classroom Approach.” Psychology in the Schools, vol. 44, no. 4, 2007, pp. 397–413.

Swaner, Lynn E., et al. “Leadership for Flourishing Schools: From Research to Practice.” Association of Christian Schools International, 2021, www.acsi.org/docs/default-­source/website-­publishing/research/fsci-­ leadership-­report-­2021.pdf.

Wilson, Margaret B. Teasing, Tattling, Defiance and More: Positive Approaches to 10 Common Classroom Behaviors. Center for Responsive Schools, 2013.

Alexandria Middlemiss is an assistant professor at Redeemer University’s School of Education and a PhD candidate at Western University.

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Encouraging Classroom Management in One Word SUSAN DYKSHOORN

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n my role as a faculty associate, I have the privilege of supervising students who are entering their practicum experiences in anticipation of becoming certified teachers. No matter how this process works in your province, state, or country, classroom management is not something that students— or certified teachers—just know. It takes time to learn and practice. It takes planning, reflection, and effort. It needs to be enacted, applied, and even enforced at times. It is not an easy task! As a seasoned teacher, this is still something that challenges me. Humans can be unpredictable and behave in unexpected ways, even to themselves. But as leaders and community-­ builders in the classroom, we can create learning environments that are responsive to the core needs of the students who enter them.

As I said, I get to come alongside teacher candidates who are in classrooms to complete their practicums as they gain important teaching skills from the teachers they work with. In my experience, most teacher candidates go through a phase of being surprised and overwhelmed with the task of managing all the moving parts in the classroom, yet they eventually get to a phase of having the tools to do so. This happens only after a lot of observing, learning, and practicing.

One example of this learning occurred when a teacher candidate was able to witness an activity in an intermediate grade on the first day of school. Her supervising teacher directed the class to brainstorm a single word that could be used as their classroom rule. In the process of watching the students work together and discuss the different rules in the classroom, this future teacher suddenly realized how many rules students actually had to be aware of: How to act in groups and alone. How to act in the hallway, classrooms, and outdoors. What can be brought to school and what can’t.

How to interact with others and how to keep to yourself. When to complete different tasks and when to refrain from activities. And that was just the start of her list. Especially if students come from a home environment with few rules or very different rules, how are they to learn so many “dos and don’ts”? And, how, as teachers, can we remember all the rules we made and hold students to them all?

Have a Plan If your school has teachers who need support with classroom management, if you are mentoring teachers, or if you just need a refresher of your own, the IRIS Center provides brief and intentional courses on positive classroom behavior management that cover a wide range of topics related to building Christian Educators Journal

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In the process of watching the students work together and discuss the different rules in the classroom, this future teacher suddenly realized how many rules students actually had to be aware of.

When presented with misbehavior or challenges in the classroom, having a plan and knowing how to respond is imperative for remaining calm, positive, and professional.

When educators are inconsistent, students sense a feeling of uncertainty.

confidence and capacity to integrate foundational practices into your teaching context. Key ideas include creating a plan and your response before school begins; explicitly teaching and practicing expectations, procedures, and routines; and committing to being consistent. While these might seem like obvious points, when presented with misbehavior or challenges in the classroom, having a plan and knowing how to respond is imperative for remaining calm, positive, and professional.

Planning and establishing rules for the learning environments helps you and your students monitor the expectations you established and provides the safety needed to learn, explore, play, and grow together. It helps give students ownership and the boundaries that can guide them in their learning and interactions. The IRIS Center suggests limiting classroom rules to five or fewer so that they can be remembered and understood. The variety of rules students need to follow should fall under the broad rules set out by the teacher and adopted by the class. Like routines (lining up at the door) and procedures (how to collect supplies) in the classroom, classroom rules should be explained, modeled, and reviewed. This can be done through discussions, games, creating posters, and daily focus questions.

Linda Kardamis, who through her project Teach 4 the Heart provides helpful and biblical encouragement to teachers, points out that when educators are inconsistent, students sense a feeling of uncertainty. To avoid unpredictability and to gain confidence and control, she suggests having a written plan to follow. Similar to the training from the IRIS Center, Kardamis’s training video on “How to Reduce Disruptions So You Can Actually Teach” outlines the need for teachers to be proactive in setting clear expectations, outlining smart procedures, providing positive reinforcement, using logical consequences, and making sure responses to students are planned and responsive to their needs and the needs of the classroom community. I absolutely love her reasons for creating a plan to follow: not only will teachers experience more confidence in their responses, but teachers will regain valuable time that was previously spent on pushback, motivation techniques, and disruptions. What educator doesn’t want more time?

Pushback on Pushback!

Creating a sense of community through games, learning activities, and group challenges is a powerful way to build trust, safety, and the need for boundaries in the classroom.

When confronted with pushback, even teachers may need a reminder to stay calm in order to keep the situation from escalating. Having a plan in place and posted classroom rules can help with this, but so can your intentional work to create a learning environment that is positive and supportive (IRIS Center). This can be done through class discussions, morning check-­ ins, and class meetings. Creating a sense of community through games, learning activities, and group challenges is a powerful way to build trust, safety, and the need for boundaries in the classroom in a fun and exciting way. My favorites include creating class books, participating in team relay races, cheering on fellow classmates toward success, and engaging in STEM-­ building activities as a group. Suggesting ways for group members to contribute and celebrating jobs done well can set an example for your students on ways they can act and things they can do to build a sense of community.

In addition, giving gentle reminders for expectations and guiding their choices is a way to support students in selecting alternative methods and 12

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appropriate behaviors, putting students in the position of being responsible for their behavior and responses (Klopfer et al. 2019).

Having clear expectations and a management plan communicates that you have created an organized, consistent, and safe environment that supports effective teaching and learning (IRIS Center 5). Teachers must understand that upholding a rule, practicing a routine, or ensuring procedures are followed correctly is not something teachers are doing to students—instead, it is done to support students. Students need to hear that you value them, appreciate their role as part of the classroom community, and want to see them succeed.

The management strategies and behavior plans a teacher chooses to use to support students should provide encouragement, warning, help, and attention, all while showing patience, consideration, and care with the goal of students learning the skills necessary to regulate their own behavior and feelings and find success in the school environment (Curran 2–3, 20, 26; 1 Thess. 5:14).

Students need to hear that you value them, appreciate their role as part of the classroom community, and want to see them succeed.

The One-­Word Rule So, what was the one-­word rule the teacher candidate discovered? The students came up with many, many words to help govern how they wanted to act and wanted others to act. Their lists included words like calm, listening, kind, and care. But the one word that they eventually all agreed on was the word respect. If we truly want to be a community that cares for the well-­being, success, and flourishing of those around us, we need to practice respect for people, supplies, spaces, and responsibilities. Similar to Matthew 7:12, we need to exercise respect for others—the same respect we hope to be given.

The word respect encompasses so much of how students should be treated and how they should treat others, and I can see how this is a very appropriate word, especially when used in a public school setting. But there is another word that should govern all that we do as teachers when it comes to classroom management practices found in Matthew 22:37–39. Love. In summary, love God and love others. While respect may be a better word to use in the school setting, what we do as educators needs to flow out of the fact that God loves us and, therefore, we love him, love his creation, and love the people he created as image bearers of a loving and faithful Savior and Lord. Kardamis’s vision for Teach 4 the Heart is to equip educators to thrive in their teaching roles and to shine God’s love in their classrooms. Recognizing that community building does not happen by accident, with love or respect as the one-­word rule that guides all that you and your students do, think, and say, you are on your way to seeing your classroom management skills improve along with your confidence, impact, and motivation to learn, grow, and flourish!

Questions Below are some questions to think about and discuss: • What is your one-­word rule?

• What expectations, procedures, or routines need to align with this one word?

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What we do as educators needs to flow out of the fact that God loves us and, therefore, we love him, love his creation, and love the people he created as image bearers of a loving and faithful Savior and Lord.

• What areas do you need to improve on?

• Do you have a classroom management plan? Is it written down?

• Who can you turn to for support, advice, and prayer?

Works Cited Curran, Christina M. “Encouraging Appropriate Behavior.” IRIS Center, 2021, iris.peabody.vanderbuilt.edu/wp-­content/uploads/pdf_case_ studies/ics_encappbeh.pdf.

Kardamis, Linda. “How to Reduce Disruptions So You Can Actually Teach.”

Teach 4 the Heart, 2023, teach4theheart.com/.

Klopfer, Kristina M., et al. “Effect of Preservice Classroom Management Training on Attitudes and Skills for Teaching Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems: A Randomized Control Trial.” Teacher Education and Special Education: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, vol. 42, no. 1, Nov. 2017, pp. 49–66, doi. org/10.1177/0888406417735877.

The IRIS Center. “Classroom Behavior Management (Part 1): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices.” Vanderbilt University, 2012, 2021, iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh1/.

The IRIS Center. “Classroom Behavior Management (Part 2): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices.” Vanderbilt University, 2012, 2021, iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh2/.

Susan Dykshoorn is a faculty associate and course instructor at Trinity Western University in the Professional Year Program and a grade 1 teacher at Abbotsford Christian School in British Columbia. She encourages teacher candidates and fellow teachers in their calling as teachers. Her one-­word rule is love.

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Learning Readiness: Understanding Discipline Rooted in Capacity and Capability LIZ ULLRICH AND OWEN WEBB

W For educators, teaching within a context where behavior is a daily concern results in anxiety, burnout, departure from the profession, and ultimately a lack of support for our students and schools.

Discipline has to be viewed as discipleship, whereby it transitions from punishment and compliance to focus-

e want to acknowledge this from the beginning: teaching is a challenging profession. A recent survey states that the number one concern of teachers is student behavior and discipline (Veney et al. 4). Students today struggle with the highest ever rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide (Desautels, Intentional Neuroplasticity 12). For educators, teaching within a context where behavior is a daily concern results in anxiety, burnout, departure from the profession, and ultimately a lack of support for our students and schools. When our capacity as educators is reduced, we turn to classroom strategies that rely on control and compliance. Indeed, Selwyn (64) posits that schools are places where students are coerced into behaving in certain ways.

We hear many individuals state that the cause of poor student behavior is a lack of punishment or “discipline.” This narrative implies that if we simply “disciplined” more, the behaviors we see in students would disappear. Wachtel and McCold (1) describe this as the school version of tough-­on-­crime, surmising that we fall into a punitive-­permissive continuum. This narrative states that if we are not punishing, then we are permitting students to get away with their behaviors. This continuum reduces the responses of educators to two student outcomes: either students comply and “get in line” or we remove them from the classroom and potentially remove them from school. “How we view discipline is personal and often is intimately connected to our values that have formed from the practiced thoughts we have activated repeatedly,” writes Desautels (Intentional Neuroplasticity 273).

In this article, we want to reclaim what it means to discipline. Hudson (qtd. in Webb 16) articulates that the word discipline is rooted in the Latin word discipulus, meaning “one who follows”—that is, a student. Hudson expresses that discipline has to be viewed as discipleship, whereby it transitions from punishment and compliance to focussing on community and relationships. Hudson conveys that discipline in the community and relational paradigm is rooted in social responsibility, creating a learning environment centered on student success rather than student compliance. Desautels states:

sing on community and

Discipline, unlike punishment, is proactive and begins before there are problems or challenges. It means seeing conflict as an opportunity to problem solve. Discipline provides guidance, focuses on prevention, enhances communication, models respect, and embraces natural consequences. It teaches fairness, responsibility, life skills, and problem solving. (Connections Over Compliance 63)

relationships.

Second Corinthians 5:14 states, “For Christ’s love compels us.” As we discipline, or teach, our students, we are shifting away from external 16

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motivators of compliance and control toward internal and intrinsic motivation. Responses to behavior are based on building or restoring relationships and compelled by love rather than seeking change through punishment.

We desire to create environments where students make choices that honor their educators, their peers, and themselves. Ultimately, we want to lead our students to engage in learning that isn’t immersed in fear but rather centered in hope.

Behaviorism Howard (qtd. in Brummer and Thorsborne) explains how responses to behavior and conflict, specifically in schools, have been centered around compliance and control: “The challenge for trauma aware education is that the bulk of the more common approaches to ‘behavior management’ in schools is mostly informed by Behaviorism and is not informed enough by neuroscience” (33). Behaviorism assumes that behavior is a matter of motivation and that what you reinforce will likely increase or reduce a behavior. We have heard teachers express, “He knows better, he is just choosing to behave this way,” assuming that students, and ourselves, are always in control of our behavior. Therefore, educators use rewards and punishments to demand compliance and control as classroom management strategies. The problem is that rewards and punishments are often ineffective with the students that struggle with ongoing behavior (Kohn qtd. in Brummer and Thorsborne 34).

Kohn (50–62) explains that rewards are a form of punishment that ruptures and warps relationships, as the teacher controls the ultimate outcome, ignores reasons behind student behavior, discourages risk-­taking, and changes how students feel about what they do due to the motivation behind the outcome. Rewards and punishments fail to take into consideration the role our brain plays in our behavior, reducing the likelihood of developing problem-­solving skills, internal motivation, and emotional regulation. Kohn likewise shares that the effects of rewards wane over time (37).

When we shift to consider behavior from the perspective of the role of the brain, we also shift from viewing what is explicitly seen (one’s actions), to what is unseen (the brain’s response). “Behaviorism privileges shaping behavior above understanding behavior. It sees behavior as a whole picture rather than an expression of unmet needs” (Kennedy xi). A central tenet of behaviorism is that educators are waiting for students to change. When they don’t change, further discipline or punishment is used, in the belief that eventually the student will move. (Think of the scene in the movie The Breakfast Club: “You just bought yourself another Saturday.” . . . “Ooh, I’m crushed.” . . . “You just bought yourself one more!”).

We know that educators desire genuine and lasting change in their students. Desautels challenges educators to shift from a model of behavior management to behavior engagement (Connections Over Compliance 59). In behavior engagement, we use moments of behavior to walk with our students, leading them to experience discipline as teaching at all moments, specifically when they are struggling with behavior. This is a just response, fulfilling Scripture’s call to us: “This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another’” (Zech. 7:9).

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The problem is that rewards and punishments are often ineffective with the students that struggle with ongoing behavior.

In behavior engagement, we use moments of behavior to walk with our students, leading them to experience discipline as teaching at all moments, specifically when they are struggling with behavior.

Safety and Relationship

Our brains prioritize safety and relationship.

A stressed brain struggles to learn because, as our stress increases, we lose access to the thinking part of our brain.

How do we make the shift from a more “traditional behaviorism” approach of teaching and learning to one rooted in the true meaning of discipline, where we “view discipline not as something we do to another, but rather as something we want to create within another” (Desautels, Intentional Neuroplasticity 27)? This shift requires us to understand how our brains are neurologically wired for learning and safety. According to Desautels, “To access the frontal cortex of the brain where learning, attention, working memory, and emotional regulation occur, human beings require conditions of felt safety and a sense of belonging” (Intentional Neuroplasticity 26). Understanding how we process information is essential in the context of learning and classrooms because our behavior is a result of how safe our limbic system— the safety center of our brain—feels in the moment.

A helpful way to think of the limbic system is as a smoke detector. Its job is to detect smoke, but it can’t tell the difference between burnt toast and a burning house. Our limbic system is always monitoring our environment for threats, and it has two “look fors”: “Am I safe?” and “Am I welcome?” Our brains prioritize safety and relationship. A seasoned teacher would say that they work hard to create a classroom that is safe and welcoming, and indeed, this may be the case. Feeling safe and welcome is not only determined by the environment we create in a classroom, but also by whether an individual student “feels safe” there. We need to also define and understand “feeling safe”: the belief that one will not be punished or shamed for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes (Edmonson and Mortensen).

Reitz (212) declares that organizations must be more than safe, they must be “safe to.” “Safe to” takes place in the context of classroom relationships between the student, their educators, and their peers. To feel safe means students must feel safe in their actions: safe to engage in conversations, safe to share ideas, safe to ask questions, and safe to make mistakes.

In a classroom, stress is the natural result of the brain feeling unsafe.

As stress increases, the brain engages protective responses—behaviors—in the form of fright, flight, fight, and fawn. The more often the brain experiences heightened stress, the more habitual and patterned behavior becomes.

A stressed brain struggles to learn because, as our stress increases, we lose access to the thinking part of our brain. Behavior is the brain’s way of communicating that it has passed its ability to cope with the situation it finds itself in and can no longer make rational decisions.

The challenge as educators is to be able to see behavior as a stress response in the moment, to pause and ask ourselves, “What is getting in the way of this student meeting my expectations right now?” Most often it is lagging skills and unmet needs in the student (Greene 7). When we can view a student as being “in struggle” rather than “in trouble” and sit in a space of wondering what skill might they need to build to be successful, we are teaching with curiosity and creating a space of disciplining. Focussing on increasing a student’s felt sense of safety and belonging results in reducing their stress levels and creating an environment for learning readiness.

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Learning Readiness Learning readiness is the ability to engage in the moment in learning and problem solving rooted in our capability and capacity. Capability is the skills—physical, social, and emotional regulation; executive function; and academic ability—we develop over time from direct teaching and learning.

Capacity is our ability to access these skills in the moment and is heavily dependent on our level of stress, our coping tools, and how much energy we have. For example, as adults, we would assume that we have well-­developed skills—physical, social, emotional, and so on—and therefore we have high capability. We also have high capacity in that we are generally able to stay regulated in moments of stress and challenge. However, we all have situations where we may not respond well in the moment. Learning readiness lies at the intersection of capability and capacity. When we pause with a student who is demonstrating “behavior”—a brain stress response—we need to respond out of behavior engagement rather than behavior management. The behavior is an indication that at this present time, the student does not possess the capability and/or capacity to engage in learning. When we see students behaving inappropriately, we ask ourselves, “Is this a result of capability and/or capacity?” Our next steps are to reduce the stress by co-­regulating—lending them our calm until they can find theirs—and then building the skills they need to meet our expectations (Shanker 28). These are the moments of discipling.

Learning readiness relies on one’s brain state (both the students’ and ours), which is dependent on safety and relationships. When our brain is in a regulated state, we will have greater capacity to see our student’s behavior as a dysregulated brain state related to struggle and lagging skills. We can see them in moments of “can’t” rather than “won’t.” And we can see these moments as opportunities to walk with them, to hold their hearts gently, and to build skills through loving discipline.

Learning readiness lies at the intersection of capability and capacity.

Being a Sturdy Educator Every person-­to-­person interaction is a brain interaction, and each interaction will therefore build or inhibit one’s sense of safety and belonging to others. As safety and relationship is at the heart of learning readiness, the educators in the room need to create an environment that is conducive for safety, trust, and belonging. This requires a sturdy educator. As a sturdy educator, we rely heavily on our skills of consistency, adaptability, and resiliency. We provide emotional stability by being aware of our own brain states and what we are communicating with our words and our actions. Our nonverbal communication can create an emotional tone that overrides our spoken words, especially when that tone is being interpreted by the stressed brain of a student (Desautels, Intentional Neuroplasticity 32). Our ability to lend our calm (co-­regulate) in moments of student distress—connecting, listening, and validating our students—will create a sense of felt safety and belonging at a core brain level. Our students need us to be the sturdy person, to set expectations and boundaries, adhering to them fairly to adapt to the needs of the students in the moment. When we can view students as in struggle—rather than in trouble—and meet them where they are at, we Christian Educators Journal

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Our students need us to be the sturdy person, to set expectations and boundaries, adhering to them fairly to adapt to the needs of the students in the moment.

support students to be in a position of learning readiness, where their capacity and capability allows them to engage in learning.

Stories of Behavior Engagement

When our students’ brains feel cared for and safe, we create the environment for not just learning but flourishing.

We want to end with a couple of stories—using pseudonyms—that hit close to home for us. They are examples of times that teachers made the shift from behavior management to behavior engagement, taking into account lagging skills, safety, relationship, capacity, and capability as they worked to build learning readiness in their students.

Sarah has a student in her grade 2 class who has a complicated story and yet has had a relatively good start to the school year, except for what is turning out to be a pattern of hard days on Mondays and Tuesdays. Sarah’s description of the student follows: “I know he is capable because I see him engage in learning and doing the work on the other days, so my feeling is he just needs to try harder. His parents are separated and on Mondays and Tuesdays he is with his dad. On these days he’s a train wreck!” Sarah realizes that, in describing the student, she has identified the challenge. While the student has demonstrated to her he has capability to engage and do the work, two days of the week he comes to school and does not have the capacity. She recognized in that moment that he needs her to help him build capacity, to take the focus off learning and task completion and work with him on building the skills he needs to regulate his emotions, attend, and focus on these harder days. When our students’ brains feel cared for and safe, we create the environment for not just learning but flourishing.

Marissa teaches grade 4 and was concerned for one of her students. This student was not a “behavior” student in the traditional sense: this student was the quiet, withdrawn under-­achiever. This student rarely achieved a passing mark in spelling or math quizzes and never volunteered an answer.

Marissa took a moment to engage with the student in the form of some questions about her favorite time of the school day and the hardest part of her school day. The student’s answers surprised Marissa: her favorite time of day was when it was time to go home, and the hardest part of her day was recess and lunch. When asked to elaborate on why these were hard, the student answered, “I don’t feel anyone likes me” and “I have no one to play with.” Marissa took to heart what she learned about creating safety and relationship, and realized that this student’s brain state was probably in high stress at school because it did not feel safe or cared for. Marissa immediately set up a soft start opportunity for the student to go to a quiet space with another student from the class and hang out with some fun activity options. Within two weeks of implementing this change, the student went from failing math and spelling to getting 100 percent consistently.

There were no academic changes made. The student had capability—but not capacity—to be successful. With support, she shifted to a state of learning readiness. Her brain felt cared for and safe, and she could flourish.

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Educating in Hope I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:3–6)

God has started a good work in our students, and he has called us to partake in that work, being “created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10). Discipline, building skills in our students, is hard work. We are walking with students who have higher needs now than ever before. This work is a slow and steady process, as we support students to make positive brain connections, growing their capacity and capability. Our students need us to be sturdy educators, building safety and deepening relationship with our students in every encounter. When we can lean into curiosity around the learning readiness of our students, we can figure out what is getting in the way of them meeting our expectations.

In learning readiness, we are creating spaces of hope, places where students and educators can become the people God designed us to be.

Works Cited Brummer, Joe, and Margaret Thorsborne. Becoming a Trauma-­Informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior. Jessica Kingsley, 2024.

Desautels, Lori L. Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline. Wyatt-­MacKenzie, 2021.

Desautels, Lori L. Intentional Neuroplasticity: Moving Our Nervous Systems and Educational System toward Post-­traumatic Growth. Wyatt-­MacKenzie, 2023.

Edmondson, Amy C., and Mark Mortensen. “What Psychological Safety Looks Like in a Hybrid Workplace.” Harvard Business Review, vol. 3, no.

109, 2021, pp. 1–8.

Greene, Ross W. Lost & Found: Unlocking Collaboration and Compassion to Help Our Most Vulnerable, Misunderstood Students and All the Rest. 2nd ed., Jossey-­Bass, 2021.

Kennedy, Becky. Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be. HarperCollins, 2022.

Kohn, Alfie. Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes. 25th anniv. ed., Houghton Mifflin, 2018. ​​Reitz, Megan. Dialogue in Organizations: Developing Relational Leadership.

Palgrave MacMillan, 2015.

Selwyn, Neil. “The Modern Classroom Chair: Exploring the ‘Coercive’ Design of Contemporary Schooling.” Power and Education, vol. 16, no. 1, 2024, pp. 63–77.

Shanker, Stuart, and Susan Hopkins. Self-­Reg Schools: A Handbook for Educators. Pearson Canada, 2020.

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Listen to Your Teacher! An Analysis of Teacher Sentiment on the State of Public Education.” August 2023, publiccharters.org/news/listen-­to-­your-­teacher/.

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We are walking with students who have higher needs now than ever before. This work is a slow and steady process.

Wachtel, Ted, and Paul McCold. Restorative Justice in Everyday Life: Beyond the Formal Ritual. Piper’s Press, 1999.

Webb, Owen D. “Student Perceptions of Discretion in Discipline: Seeking Resolution and Restoration in a Punitive Culture.” Master’s Thesis, Brock University, 2009.

Liz Ullrich has been working in education as an occupational therapist for over thirty years. As a non-­violent crisis intervention instructor, she has witnessed an ever-­increasing shift in classroom behavior, leading her to see a connection between stress, brain function, and learning. She provides training to schools as a learning leader for the Society of Christian Schools of BC. Owen Webb has served as an educator for the past twenty-­two years and is the director of learning at Pacific Christian School in Victoria, BC. Owen completed his PhD in 2018 in educational leadership, focusing on restorative practices as a means for supporting students and educators and developing school culture.

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Mockers, Fools, and the Wise: Climate Control in the Christian Classroom ADAM RASMUSSEN

“O

For the most part, problems in difficult classes start with the attitudes of a few.

ne bruised peach can spoil many more.” I learned that lesson years ago when a box of fresh fruit was delivered to our front door. The problem started when the well-­intentioned teenagers from our church fundraiser enthusiastically packed the box too tightly. Shortly after a handful of peaches were bruised, the rot quickly spread to many more inside the crammed container. By the time I opened it, I wouldn’t say the whole box was ruined, but many more of those delicious peaches were destroyed than I wanted.

Upon further reflection, this truth translates to Christian education.

“One bad attitude can spoil many more.” We’ve all been there. We remember those difficult classes. In a fraction of an instant, the faces of some students flood your mind, right? We can pinpoint the issue. For the most part, problems in difficult classes start with the attitudes of a few. Rotten attitudes come with bad behavior. And when those spread, they tend to spoil classes.

Maybe it will not destroy an entire school, but the influence becomes greater than we would ever want.

Mature Christian educators, not the attitudes of closed-­minded students, should set the climate control in our classrooms and schools. If we understand the environment, we can change it. But as the saying goes, to do so we must “be the thermostat, not the thermometer.” Whether we are novice educators, veteran teachers, or school administrators, we can all grow in our ability to effectively lead students who have bad attitudes.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio is a touching and thoughtful book. It is a New York Times best seller, with over 15 million copies sold worldwide. Wonder is also a successful movie. The 2017 film stars Hollywood greats Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Mandy Patinkin, along with newcomer Jacob Trembly, who convincingly plays the lead role of August “Auggie” Pullman.

Wonder is about bright, ten-­year-­old Auggie who struggles to fit in to the fifth grade at a new school. Several students relentlessly harass Auggie because of his disfigured face, which underwent several surgeries. The school bully, Julian, spreads the rumor that he started having nightmares after seeing Auggie. He calls him “Zombie boy” and “freak.” Even Auggie’s best friend, Jack Will, is cajoled into mistreating him.

In their not-­so-­great moments, Julian and Jack Will displayed mocking behavior. In his book Scorners and Mockers: How to Dampen Their Influence in Your School (2015), Rick Horne identifies several indicators of a mocking spirit.

Nonverbal Styles • rolling eyes • a smirk or patronizing smile 24

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• an angry glare • a sigh of disgust or contempt • avoidance of eye contact when being spoken to • the silent treatment when being addressed • stubbornness • slouching defiance • disruptive, annoying noises Verbal Styles • nasty, sneering, or derisive speech • belittling, rude name calling, or labeling • patronizing or derogatory speech • the disrespectful “why” that is not really a question but a statement about how stupid or unreasonable you are • an arrogant tone of voice • uncooperativeness • contempt • lies • defiance (15–16) The situation in Wonder greatly improves when the school administrator, Mr. Tushman, courageously addresses the mocking behavior of the bully in the presence of his parents. Because he has a plan with procedures in place, including the support of the school board and the teachers, Mr. Tushman effectively leads all people involved toward a constructive resolution.

We know that this kind of change doesn’t happen by chance. Someone must put forth purposeful effort when he or she chooses a course of corrective action. It takes courage, and it takes kindness. Whether conscious of this verse or not, Mr. Tushman carefully applies the truth found in Proverbs 22:10, which instructs us, “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease” (ESV). From this verse we infer that mocking travels with a bunch of grubby sidekicks—strife, quarreling, and abuse.

So, when the mocker and/or the mocking behavior is removed, those pesky problems stomp out the door with it.

Eventually, Auggie triumphs over all the hurdles set before him. But what is truly remarkable about Wonder is not just the victory claimed by this young boy, but the retooling of an entire community. Not only does Auggie win, but so do his parents, sister, teachers, administrator, peers, and friends. The complete reshaping of an ecosystem of relationships is on spectacular display.

We want a vibrant learning environment for all our students. We want everyone to grow in wisdom. But when mocking and foolish behavior rule unchecked, they spoil an otherwise healthy learning atmosphere. In those situations, firm, direct action toward a mocker may be precisely the most loving thing one can do. When mockers are properly addressed, fools are given a fresh opportunity to become wise. In that type of classroom, the wise flourish. “When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge” (Prov. 21:11 ESV).

The Bible underscores the benefits that abound. First, discipline halts the scoffer from causing any more damage. It also gives that student an Christian Educators Journal

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We know that this kind of change doesn’t happen by chance. Someone must put forth purposeful effort when he or she chooses a course of corrective action.

But when mocking and foolish behavior rule unchecked, they spoil an otherwise healthy learning atmosphere.

We simply cannot assume that our students today possess the values of respect, faith, and hard work that we hold so dear.

I wonder if even the most difficult attitudes can be changed. I wonder if we can see the total reshaping of our entire schools to the glory of God.

opportunity to improve. Second, the discipline addressed to the mocker has benefits for the fool. How so? The simple fool can go either way—live under the influence of the teacher or under the influence of the scoffer. But as it says in the verse, when the scoffer is halted, “the simple becomes wise.” In other words, the simple fool sees the punishment of the mocker and says to himself, “I better straighten up!” Third, the wise are instructed. To say it in a different way, when mocking and foolish behaviors are redirected, we can all get back to the business of the teaching and learning endeavor. And isn’t that the whole point of education?

American culture is changing. In his book Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child’s Heart, Mind, and Soul, worldview researcher George Barna shows how much influence the church has lost on the current culture at large. For example, media is the top influence on children—more than parents, teachers, churches, peers, and siblings combined (175). Equally disturbing are the statistics showing that currently, less than 1 percent of early teens have a biblical worldview, with only 5 percent even close to having such a perspective. The prevailing worldview among 99 percent of young teens is syncretism (105). We simply cannot assume that our students today possess the values of respect, faith, and hard work that we hold so dear.

Christian educators should formulate strategies anticipating an increase in these troublesome attitudes in our schools.

Dealing with mockers is a team effort. A wise educator seeks alignment with administrators, teachers, parents, and students in a united effort.

Mentor-­teachers can help those less experienced by offering helpful advice and a listening ear. Codes of conduct in the student handbook can spell out what is expected. Behavioral plans can give administrators and their entire team a plan for implementation. Often, the bad attitude and accompanying behaviors of a student result from deeper, underlying sources. Dealing with them takes time. But we take heart from verses like Proverbs 20:5: “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (ESV). We should have plans and strategies to help us carve out the time needed to evoke real and lasting change. Sometimes that will require a series of meetings with follow up on measurable targets.

I have thought a lot about the title of Wonder. At the end of the story, Isabel Pullman calls her son Auggie “a wonder” after he wins the Henry Ward Beecher Medal at his school. She also thanks him for being “a wonder” as they walk home from the ceremony. I am deeply convinced that God thinks each one of our students is a wonder. He loves them so much. We should follow his lead. What is more, I think our great God is a wonder. We should spend much time in “awesome wonder” of him.

Filled with wonder at our students and wonder at our God, we will wonder about our classrooms. I wonder if we can all experience more of God’s transformational power in our lives. I wonder if every student can be loved with the love of Jesus. I wonder if even the most difficult attitudes can be changed. I wonder if we can see the total reshaping of our entire schools to the glory of God. We can. But in some circumstances, something painful needs to happen first before we will see that transformation. When there is a rotten attitude behind hurtful and harmful behaviors, someone must decide to intervene and make a difference. God’s Word gives us sage advice about what to do.

An astute educator knows how to discern and effectively interact with those 26

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who have closed minds. Properly address the mocker. Only then can the fools become wise, and the wise flourish.

Works Cited Barna, George. Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child’s Heart, Mind, and Soul. Fedd Books, 2023.

Horne, Rick. Scorners and Mockers: How to Dampen Their Influence in Your School. Purposeful Design, 2015.

Adam Rasmussen, PhD, joyfully serves as the dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Arizona Christian University, where he inspires students to seek connections between faith, reason, and culture as they flourish under the Lordship of Christ in all of life.

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We Are Enough: Tips on Classroom Management BEN NEAL

T When the bell rings to start the day, kick the can across the front of the room, and scream, “Who put this can in the way?”

he summer before my first teaching job, my uncle Gus gave me permission to use his “perfect” first day of school technique to set the tone for the school year. He guaranteed that if I used it, I’d never have any issues with classroom management.

With enthusiasm, he detailed his fail-­proof technique. “Before the students walk in on day one, place a metal garbage can in the center of the doorway. Make sure the can is in their way. Then, stand in the hallway with your arms crossed, but do not smile; don’t even look them in the eyes! When the bell rings to start the day, kick the can across the front of the room, and scream, ‘Who put this can in the way? This is my classroom, and you better respect that.’” He went on to tell me, “The beauty of this technique is that if a thoughtful student moves the can out of the way, you can still start the year yelling at them with ‘Who moved this can? I had a reason for the can being where it was. This is my classroom, and you better respect that.’”

While it may have worked for my uncle a long time ago, in my thirty years of teaching, I have never chosen to use his technique. However, I see that my uncle understood one thing— classroom management is worthy of thoughtful and thorough planning and execution. Unlike Uncle Gus, I do not have a “perfect” technique that works magic in creating the ideal classroom environment. But thirty years has given me ample time to work on my strategies, and I hope my tips and thoughts are helpful for others.

Tip 1: Be Authentically You We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Students, no matter their age, know when we are authentic with them, and they also know when we are dishonest or trying to deceive them.

(Isa. 64:8)

While we wear many hats in this profession, we should stay true and honest to who we are in God. Every time I try to act like a drill sergeant, the students see right through me. Every time I try to take on the persona of my soft-­spoken grandmother, they see through that act as well. I am a loud and passionate kid trapped in an adult body who happens to teach, so I need to be full of energy and enthusiasm and proudly stand in front of my classes as that guy. It’s not for everyone, and I am sure some of my students over the years would have enjoyed another type or style of teacher; however, at least they saw me in all of my authenticity. I believe that goes a long way with them. Students, no matter their age, know when we are authentic with them, and they also know when we are dishonest or trying to deceive them. Classroom management becomes very difficult and often impossible when they don’t trust us.

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Years ago, I had an intern with quite a different personality; she was soft-­spoken and calm. She observed me a few times, and when she delivered her first lesson, she tried to imitate my style or personality through her twenty-­five-­minute lesson on symbolism. Her lesson was ineffective, and the students did not take her seriously. Her material on symbolism was wonderful, but because the students knew she was acting or trying to be someone she wasn’t, they didn’t listen, and the classroom became disruptive. She quickly learned the importance of being herself. From that moment on, she simply taught as herself, staying true to her personality, and consequently, she was effective, students learned, and her classroom was easier to manage.

Most of us decided on education because we enjoy making a difference in young people’s lives, believe in the educational system, and want to serve the Lord. We didn’t enter this field to be disciplinarians, drill sergeants, or old-­school teachers who kick cans to scare our students into behaving. We need to be exactly who God made us, and that’s the start of effective classroom management.

Tip 2: We Make the Classroom Rules!

And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

(Ps. 78:72)

I must admit that I tried the “Let’s come up with the classroom rules as a class” activity a few times. I allowed the students to have input in making the rules or code of conduct. I even took input on the punishment or discipline.

It felt wonderfully democratic. I thought it was a great way to give my students some ownership in the make-­up of our classroom. Even better, when they broke a rule and I had to discipline them, it was their rule and punishment, so they couldn’t complain. I thought I created a classroom where we were all equal and where I would have to work less to manage the class.

However, I have come to believe that we, the teachers, are the experts and know what is best for our students, academically and behaviorally. In my experience, kids, teenagers, and their families desire teachers who confidently lead and demand appropriate and respectful behaviors in the classroom. Our students, even the most mature students, are generally not disciplined enough to set the standards, let alone mature enough to follow them, so why would we want them to set the standards? Ultimately, our students and their families need us and pay us to lead confidently with skilled hands, including setting and holding the standard for appropriate behaviors in our classrooms. We are the leaders they need.

Tip 3: “Firm in the Fall” My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

(Prov. 3:11–12)

“Don’t smile until Christmas.” Yes, more advice from Uncle Gus. Again, advice I never used. However, we must be firm and consistently follow through Christian Educators Journal

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Our students, even the most mature students, are generally not disciplined enough to set the standards, let alone mature enough to follow them, so why would we want them to set the standards?

This past year, like every year, I had a student on day one looking to earn himself some laughter from his peers.

on holding our students accountable. Before writing this article, I asked a few students what they liked and disliked about classroom management.

A seventh grader named David said, “It drives me nuts when a teacher lets everything go for a long time, and then all of a sudden starts hammering everyone. It’s totally wrong and not fair.” David, I can attest, spoke from experience, and I am sure he deserved the “hammering,” but I couldn’t help but agree with him. I would add that it’s not only unfair, as it sets students up for potential discipline, but it also creates a classroom more difficult to manage.

I look for opportunities to discipline students on the first day or week.

Of course, I am not looking for something petty or unworthy of discipline, but rather something I can use as an example. This past year, like every year, I had a student on day one looking to earn himself some laughter from his peers. He made noises and whispered during my introductory message and activity. I very calmly, yet loud enough for everyone to hear, said, “Benny, please see me after class.” I was firm, quick, and emotionless. Everyone heard and saw. For the rest of the class, Benny was quiet and appropriate with his comments. After class, I introduced myself, let him know that I was excited to get to know him, assured him that I love what I do, and shared that there are times when I need attentiveness and times when the environment will allow for more casual interactions where we can talk and not just sit and listen to the teacher. I finished with something like, “Doable?”

From that moment, Benny was better at restraining from blurting out and disrupting the class. However, the very next time he pushed the boundaries, I knew I had to escalate the situation. Again, I requested, out loud, that he see me after class. After class, I simply shared that I would reach out to his mother. It wasn’t a long conversation with Benny; it was again emotionless and straight to the point, even brief. The email to Benny’s mother was short and simple as well. I praised Benny’s intelligence and even his sense of humor, and then I asked her to remind Benny to work on restraint before blurting. Thankfully, she was appreciative and supportive of the email. If she hadn’t been, that would have been okay, because if I had to go to further discipline with her son, it would not have come as a surprise. Most importantly, the class and Benny realized that Mr. Neal would handle disruptions and off-­task behavior, and I accomplished all of this in the first few days of school. Remember, discipline is an act of love, and we owe it to them and to the other students. We also owe it to ourselves, as being tough and firm in the fall is easier than trying to be tough and firm in the winter or spring.

Tip 4: “Do More Quickly” But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

(1 Cor. 14:40)

After ten years of teaching middle school language arts, I moved over to the high school to teach English. Next to my classroom, a young teacher taught with amazing energy, and more importantly, with very detailed lesson plans. I am not talking about plans listing the state objectives, benchmarks, or the “I can” statements. I’m talking about plans with quick and fast-­paced activities, rituals, work, and transitions. It seemed that every class period 32

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had a quick warm-­up activity; instruction with enthusiasm and engaging visuals; and work that challenged the students, usually due at the end of the hour. Most importantly, all of these were somewhat brief. His class moved from task to task; students were busy with little time for anything but his work and activities. At first, I imagined they felt pressured or “hurried,” but in the end, they came to class, worked hard, and by the end of the hour, felt accomplished, as they were extremely productive. From my perspective, his pace kept his students from misbehaving or creating issues for the teacher; simply, they didn’t have any time for it.

No one can argue with the fact that our students are entertained every day with engaging technology, vibrant images, stimulating games, and split-­ second connections. They look at something for a second or two and then scroll for the next image or message. This lifestyle conditions them to give most activities very little time and attention. Yet we expect our lectures and lesson plans to entertain or at least to engage them. We are not entertainers, and we can’t engage every student all the time. But we better try! One way is to develop lessons that move from one activity to the next. We must find ways to engage our students with short and quick activities, short lectures, smaller extracts, manageable worksheets, and so on. For example, I begin the week with “Mindset Monday,” a quick video or quote on motivation or an academic mindset. Immediately after, I transition into our daily grammar work—short sentences or paragraphs working with recent grammar lessons or content. After grammar, we focus on writing, which usually involves practicing a concept or skill relating to paragraph or essay writing, developing an argument, and the like. These are short writing assignments or journal entries that I’ll look over and provide quick feedback on. Next, we usually jump into the literature we are studying, and often we’ll have a quick discussion or worksheet to analyze a few literature terms or concepts. To end the period, we read or write. When the period is over, we have worked through four to five activities or tasks, each one taking minimal time.

Doing more quickly, or creating daily plans with “a lot of stuff but for small durations,” helps with my classroom management. It may feel like we’re giving into the social media world, but creating active lesson plans can help eliminate classroom management issues before they even begin.

Before teaching in a Christian school, I taught various language arts courses and introduced students to dozens of books. I hope I brought some enlightenment and honor to our study of those texts. However, when my Christian school principal assigned me two Bible classes to teach, I felt tremendous anxiety. I desperately wanted to teach the Bible better than any other book I had ever taught. I even questioned whether or not I was qualified to teach God’s Word. I prepared, I prayed, I lost sleep. Then in a casual conversation a few days before the start of the school year, my mentor teacher shared that “God doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called.”

That night, I slept like a baby as I realized something that’s true for all of us: with God, and with exactly who he made us to be, we are enough to handle anything this world throws at us, even our classrooms.

Ben Neal has been working in education for thirty-­two years. For most of his career, God called him to work in public schools. However, he now teaches middle school ELA and Bible at Kalamazoo Christian Middle School in Michigan.

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From my perspective, his pace kept his students from misbehaving or creating issues for the teacher; simply, they didn’t have any time for it.

It may feel like we’re giving into the social media world, but creating active lesson plans can help eliminate classroom management issues before they even begin.

Community Circles: Strengthening Individual and Schoolwide Relationships through Restorative Justice Practices JENNIE CARR AND TAMMY MAY

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During this valuable time, teachers and students are fully present and actively listening to each other and may use their time to share anything, including but not limited to comments, questions, concerns, joys, or frustrations.

estorative justice practices have been the cornerstone of relationship building and conflict resolution at Lacey Spring Elementary School for over six years. Lacey Spring is a rural, Title I, high-­poverty elementary school nestled in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Dr. May was hired as the building administrator in 2018. In her first year, she observed that student discipline was moving in the wrong direction, as she witnessed discipline slips being filled out by teachers and students spending time in the office or hallways. Negative student behaviors were not being altered, and there was no restoring of relationships when harm had occurred. Dr. May knew something had to change to support the students’ behavioral and academic success at school.

As the building administrator, Dr. May referenced and relied upon her academic coursework from her restorative justice certification at Eastern Mennonite University. The program certificate in restorative justice skills enables individuals to promote positive student behavior, replace suspensions with strategies that work, and improve relationships and school climate. The first step in implementing restorative justice at Lacey Spring Elementary School was educating all staff about restorative justice practices. Professional development sessions were led by a restorative justice advocate who shared how to facilitate community circles, build relationships, mediate conflicts, and support students in repairing harm. Teachers intentionally focused on the aforementioned strategies to guide students and staff in restorative justice. The emphasis on the “why” of restorative justice was critical at the outset of this journey, as it helped all stakeholders to smoothly transition into a rejuvenated and calm school culture. Furthermore, through parent meetings, specially designed brochures, and conversations, the school clearly communicated the necessity for and overarching benefits of restorative practices.

Lacey Spring Elementary School follows a clear and consistent restorative justice approach to behavior management. Every day, all teachers spend the first part of the day meeting with students in a community circle.

A community circle is defined as “formalized interactions governed by specific protocols” (Marcucci). During this valuable time, teachers and students are fully present and actively listening to each other and may use their time to share anything, including but not limited to comments, questions, concerns, joys, or frustrations. There is a mutual respect developed through community circles, as students feel validated and heard by their classmates and teachers. Community circles are intentionally designed to help students feel connected to their classmates and teachers. One teacher shared the following about community circles: “When conflicts arise, restorative justice 34

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practices guide students in understanding the impact of their actions, taking responsibility, and working together to find solutions that repair harm while empowering students. These two practices are an investment in the classroom that takes time but reaps great gains.”

There are many evidence-­based ways to implement community circles.

At Lacey Spring Elementary School, they are either relational or conflict-­ resolution in style. Community circles designed for relationship building are talking circles led by students or teachers sometimes guided by prompts.

Hebrews 10:24–25 promotes relationship building through community and engagement, stating, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

Community circles can also be designed for conflict resolution, where participants have an opportunity to discuss hurts that have taken place during the school day. A restorative justice approach asks questions like “Who has been affected?” and “How can we make things right?” rather than “What rule was broken?” and “What is the punishment?” Forgiveness and compassion are key components of restorative justice, where the focus is on healing relationships after a harm has occurred. In this way, we may reflect on Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

If students make poor choices during the school day, they spend time talking with their teacher, the counselor, or Dr. May. The opportunity to talk and process with an adult can help students to understand why their choices were not the best and what they can do in the future. As Christians, we can look to Galatians 6:1, which states, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.”

This verse highlights the value of restorative justice by emphasizing correction intended to restore relationships and guide people back to positive and appropriate behaviors instead of punitive consequences. When students understand how their actions impact others, both positively and negatively, they have clarity on how to make future positive choices and respond to others in more meaningful and productive ways.

It is vital in this time and space that teachers and building administrators see themselves as change makers who confidently incorporate restorative justice practices and create transformative teaching and learning experiences for all students. Another teacher from Lacey Spring Elementary School commented: “The benefits of using restorative justice help students learn empathy, take responsibility, and build community within the classroom. I like using restorative justice in our school because it encourages kindness and teaches important social skills to help students grow.”

After six years of implementing restorative justice practices, Dr. May is happy to report there are few to no discipline reports or students in the office for punitive reasons. Instead, students and teachers seem happier and enjoy their daily school experiences. Helping to build lifelong learners and future citizens is paramount as educators; the work to educate students goes far beyond reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. It lies in determined and intentional focus on the whole child as a living, thinking, caring, empathetic human with built-­in qualities that can be nurtured and developed.

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Community circles can also be designed for conflict resolution, where participants have an opportunity to discuss hurts that have taken place during the school day.

When students understand how their actions impact others, both positively and negatively, they have clarity on how to make future positive choices and respond to others in more meaningful and productive ways.

Work Cited Marcucci, O. “Why Restorative Justice Works in Schools: An Investigation into the Interactional Dynamics of Restorative Circles.” Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, vol. 31A, December 2021, ScienceDirect, doi. org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2021.100561.

Dr. Jennie M. Carr is an associate professor of education, the Elementary Education Program Coordinator, and the Clinical Partnership Coordinator at Bridgewater College. Having dedicated nearly twenty years to the field of education, Dr. Carr is passionate about building relationships and connecting with students. jcarr@bridgewater.edu Dr. Tammy May is the principal at Lacey Spring Elementary School. She also has worked as an adjunct professor at Bridgewater College and James Madison University. She will be working as an adjunct professor at Eastern Mennonite University in 2025, teaching courses in restorative justice. For over thirty years, Tammy has worked in the same school division, and she firmly believes in the power of communication and relationship building. tmay@rockingham.k12.va.us

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“Chair-­ished Spaces”: Space-­Making to Make Positive Impacts for Life MITCHELL SKJEVELAND

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ow do you place your students in the classroom? In rows, columns, table groups, stations, circles . . . Mickey Mouse ears shape? We have tried and debated them all, but which one is the best? The world may never know.

Yet, when we recount our own learning experiences, we not only remember the subject material being taught (and that amazing teacher we had), but we also remember where we were in both space and time. Here, I will share some of my strategies for spacing kids in the classroom to help eliminate behavioral disruptions and to promote positive academic discourse.

I will share some of my strategies for spacing kids in the classroom to help eliminate behavioral disruptions and to promote positive academic discourse.

Counting the Cost Before we embark on any planning adventure (whether it be seating charts, planning lessons, or even planning our own breaks in a day), we must first count the costs. We all know denying ourselves and taking up crosses daily is the highest cost as a Christian educator/disciple of Jesus, and it is an even bolder move to trust in the Lord to inspire that same cost analysis in our students (the band Rend Collective expresses a great outlook on this with their song lyric “I have counted up the cost, and you [Jesus] are worth it!”).

Luke 14:28–33 is filled with more examples Jesus gives about counting costs that relate with daily planning. Likewise, when creating seating charts, it is important to realize that there will be a cost correlation between where you place students, the resulting behavior, and overall classroom dynamics.

It’s important to note that there are several other factors that will affect a student’s learning (like head space, basic physiological needs, and other environmental factors), and the strategies in this article are purely suggestions and not prescriptions. This article will feature the following ideas in guiding you toward a new way of envisioning how you place and space students within your classroom: the purpose of seating charts, student-­created spaces for effective discussion, and cues for seating during project demonstrations and presentations. Harro Van Brummelen, in Stepping Stones Curriculum, says that “a mixture of individual, whole group and small group learning helps students develop their diverse abilities, and they learn to contribute their gifts to the classroom community for the good of the whole” (38). Therefore, it is also important to note that seating charts should never be static, because seating plans may be altered over time or even changed for a particular activity to allow for a variety of different interactions.

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Likewise, when creating seating charts, it is important to realize that there will be a cost correlation between where you place students, the resulting behavior, and overall classroom dynamics.

“Why Do We Use Seating Charts?”

“Why do we use seating charts, Mr. Skjeveland?”

“I can give you three reasons.”

“But we’re in grade 12.”

“Would you like to hear them?”

Every year, I get to have this amazing conversation with students about the power of seating charts. I believe these reasons work for all grade levels.

Reason 1: Encouragement

Arranging students in particular ways can allow them to get to know and affirm each other, particularly when the teacher uses prompts that invite students to be encouragers of one another.

First off, there are many verses supporting the importance of community and fellowship among believers, highlighting the need to gather together regularly, support each other, and encourage one another in love and good works (see, for instance, Heb. 10:24–25). It takes one thing to be the discoverer of one’s spiritual gifts and talents, but it means so much more when you have a flood of people encouraging and supporting you in those gifts and talents as well. Think about why you decided to become a teacher. Surely, there was not one singular moment in your life where you decided to be a teacher, but instead you experienced an accumulation of moments of people verifying that gift of teaching. Arranging students in particular ways can allow them to get to know and affirm each other, particularly when the teacher uses prompts that invite students to be encouragers of one another. *Possible prompts: What is the strongest skill you want to offer to this project?

What is one thing you wish you could do to take this project to the next level? How can we accelerate those skills and dreams?

Reason 2: Nobody Is Singled Out

The social hierarchy that happens within a “sit where you like” setting can cause extreme anxiety for many students.

For all the ’90s kids out there, remember the standard set up in class? Jocks sit together in the back of the class, while the other cliques keep together.

The bad kid sits in one of the corners (far away from everyone else), the nerds are in the front, and if you are a new kid or don’t fit into a group, then you are on your own figuring out where to sit. The social hierarchy that happens within a “sit where you like” setting can cause extreme anxiety for many students. Having a consistent seating space where everyone will eventually interact with everyone else can eliminate this worry. *Disclaimer: Teachers will still have to place students near the front of the class (or in other spaces) who have that as their education plan.

Reason 3: New Is Fun! This one is the shortest reason. We all love the *drum roll* introduction to the new seating chart. To avoid the huge sighs of frustration when a student gets placed next to “Silly Sam,” it is important to give a preliminary 38

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expectation speech of how we want to respond and be responded to for the big reveal of the new seats.

“But Creating and Recreating Seating Charts Takes Forever.

We Don’t Have Time for That!”

The initial setup only takes about twenty minutes, if you can copy and paste names into Excel and create boxes representing your tables. Then, for the rest of the year, it takes less than a millisecond! Check out a video by Mr. Bodgers on YouTube titled “How to Make a Random Seating Plan Generator in Microsoft Excel (for Teachers).” If you want to address the behavior management question, you can also refer to “How to Make a Random Seating Plan Generator in Microsoft Excel Version 2 (for Teachers).” If these resources don’t work, then certainly our artificial intelligent friends in the modern world can help you out (e.g., Google, YouTube, RemagineAI, etc.). *Other reasons for the teacher to have seating charts: minimizing disruptions, controlling interactions, strategic placement to foster focus and engagement, creating a structured environment, reducing anxiety by providing clear expectations, and allowing teachers to address individual needs more effectively (Davenport).

How Students Can Create Their Own Spaces for Effective Discussion Student: “So, we come in and are forced to sit next to and have conversations with people that we don’t like?”

Teacher: “Look at it this way: how can we even sit next to ourselves, as we are all born sinners and do things even we don’t like! Sitting next to many different people gives us new perspectives and an opportunity to extend the fruits of the spirit with one another. So rather than being forced, you are given the gift of a new, fresh opportunity to extend those fruits to yourself and others!”

Campfire Stories We all like stories. At least 90 percent of the people reading this article remember the best of times telling stories near the campfire. Therefore, why don’t we create that awesome story environment for our students? Here are some ideas. Students respond to being placed in a group and are set to engage in some sort of . . . wait for it . . . academic discourse! Before you begin, give students some time to create their own space for learning as a group.

Consider the following prompts: “Describe a space where you can create _______ and feel inspired” (Sample: Describe a space where you can create a model of a cell and feel inspired. I love breakfast, and I would use my different breakfast cereals to represent the different parts of the cell.)

“Draw/tell a story about a space where you can imagine yourself studying the content of _________. Think about the materials you would need to Christian Educators Journal

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Before you begin, give students some time to create their own space for learning as a group.

incorporate one aspect of everyone’s story/drawing to model the space.”

(Sample: I would study astronomy on Jupiter, the largest planet. I might create a giant circle cutout of Jupiter to hang from the ceiling.)

“Create a learning space expectation poster.” This is more of a think, write, pair, share activity where each individual student will write down their ideas for an effective learning space, pair with a partner and share their ideas with them and then, after about 15 minutes of effective discussion about learning spaces, share the ideas from each group as a class. (The teacher could highlight the top five or ten in the end.)

Tangent Time Tangents are important because building rapport with the students in this way will create space for further effective discussion.

This may be the most debated thing I write about, but I believe it’s okay to tangent. Too many times teachers are in crunch mode and caught up in the grind of teaching that they forget to ask questions like, “How is the volleyball team doing?” or congratulate the students on a great drama performance. Part of creating cherished spaces for students is to let them know that you cherish them! The tangents are important because building rapport with the students in this way will create space for further effective discussion.

What about Behavior Management?

[Once upon a time in my classroom . . .] I look over at one table group and I see a student falling asleep with their head down. The other students are having trouble engaging this student as well.

Things will not always go perfectly. In fact, the strategies and prompts in this article may indeed be a trial by fire, and you may wish to never attempt them again. However, if there is any encouragement, it’s this: the first month of school is the golden era to set your expectations for absolutely everything, including expectations on creating spaces in the classroom! My favorite acronym is S.L.A.N.T. “Sit up straight with a nice posture, Listen, Ask and answer questions, Nod your head to note understanding, and Track the speaker. This is an easy checklist for when the teacher and other students within the classroom are sharing information.

There is no argument or petition here for the best ways to set up chairs within the class, but my main purpose is to encourage relationship building along with effective learning and autonomy through how students create their learning spaces within their assigned groups.

For that “sleeping” student, I asked him if he was feeling sick and needed to go home, but that didn’t seem to be the issue. I explained how hydration is a good way to stay awake, so we proceeded to grab some cups of water for the whole table group. From then on, something about having a good cup of water prompted great conversation for the whole group! However, this isn’t the solution for everyone, because other times I would try a similar strategy and strike out. Nevertheless, 98 percent of the time when I conference with a student about learning spaces, I will walk away with a solution that works. It takes the time of 15 seconds to 3 minutes during or after class to figure it out.

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cherished learning spaces is the first step. Next, find out how to boost the experiences of the spaces through trial and error. It might simply take seconds, hours, or days, but taking the time you need to create those spaces will surely have a positive impact on the lives of your students! Finally, and most importantly, pray over the learning spaces in the classroom and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to use your planning to advance his kingdom!

Works Cited Davenport, Mary. “Why I Embrace Seating Charts in High School.” Edutopia, 9 Oct. 2023, www.edutopia.org/article/seating-­charts-­high-­school.

Odgers, Benjamin (Mr. Bodgers). “How to Make a Random Seating Plan Generator in Microsoft Excel (for Teachers).” YouTube, 10 Sept. 2021, www. youtube.com/watch?v=lE4RhaG5Rfg. Odgers, Benjamin (Mr. Bodgers). “How to Make a Random Seating Plan Generator in Microsoft Excel Version 2 (for Teachers).” Youtube, 6 Dec. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITbJo7DfgH0.

Van Brummelen, Harro. Steppingstones to Curriculum: A Biblical Path. 2nd ed., Purposeful Design, 2002.

Mitchell Skjeveland is a science teacher at White Rock Christian Academy (Surrey, BC), who enjoys running and coaching running. He moved to Canada in 2018 from Colorado, having spent most of his life in the Midwest United States. He was heavily involved with the campus Navigators program in university, which propelled him into his ministry journey in education.

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How Do We Know What Works with the New Generations?

An Invitational Behavior Framework YVONNE HARVEY

Bridging the Generational Divide: Navigating the Classroom in a Rapidly Changing World

As a Gen X principal, four generations away from the little ones at our school, how can I even begin to understand the world they live in, be it real or virtual?

The classroom is not like it was when you were at school. The classroom is not like it was five years ago. As teachers, at the back of our minds, we are aware that we cannot keep up with this rapid rate of change. At some point, we find ourselves unable to relate to words, humor, and technology as Gen Z gives way to Gen Alpha, soon to be Gen Beta. As a Gen X principal, four generations away from the little ones at our school, how can I even begin to understand the world they live in, be it real or virtual?

Today’s children have been shaped more than ever before by technology, social media, and a changing zeitgeist brought on by cultural trends (Lukianoff and Haidt 110). New behavioral dynamics are evident in the classroom, on the street, and in interactions with parents. Historically, older generations have often expressed concerns about the differences between their own experiences and those of younger generations and have perceived children’s behaviors as changing or declining compared to the past. However, the gap today between experiences and world interpretations has never been wider (Twenge 23).

Balancing Expectations and Grace: The Role of an Invitational Behavior Framework in Christian Schools In our Christian schools (open or closed enrollments), it is the parents who decide to place their children in an environment that honors God above all else. The children do not necessarily sign up for this journey, yet they are immersed in a world that inevitably seems contradictory to the one they live in outside of school, be it online or physically. Christian schools’ student codes of conduct tend to have high expectations and may seem unreachable for students. One could argue that they are impossible to reach because of our human nature. However, we must have rules in any institution, and thus, these high expectations are to be applauded. The downside of these expectations is that they could lead our students into Christian fundamentalism and legalism due to the fact that student codes of conduct often depend on mandating a list of behaviors rather than cultivating desired dispositions. This is where an invitational behavior framework—student behavior guidelines that emphasize a welcoming, respectful, and positive environment where all members of the school community are invited to participate fully and feel valued—can bridge the gap. As William Purkey 42

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suggests, invitational education offers a way to make schools more inviting places where each person is intentionally summoned to realize his or her fullest potential in every aspect of development (45). It is an easy jump to include a biblical worldview in this ideal. For example, invitational education offers a way to make schools more inviting places where each person is intentionally summoned to realize his or her God-­given potential, reflecting the image of God in every aspect of development.

to make schools more inviting places where each person is intentionally summoned to realize potential.

Modern culture often emphasizes individualism and self-­expression, which can present challenges in managing classrooms effectively. Individualism stands in direct contrast to the way of Christ, who calls his followers to be part of a collective body. As Scripture teaches, we are many members of one body in Christ, each with different functions, but all belonging to one another (1 Cor. 12:12–14; Rom. 12:4–5). In Christian schools, this creates a unique difficulty, as not every child or parent may follow Christ. However, they are expected to exhibit Christian behavior, which can conflict with their usual practices. There is a large difference between living out one’s faith and the more culturally acceptable moralistic therapeutic deism (the simplistic idea that God wants us to be nice and happy people).

A student code of conduct may not explicitly define what it means to be a Christian, and students are expected to know the expectations. To be a Christian is to be “a follower of Jesus, a disciple, who is then given a vocation to participate with the mission of God” (Judd et al. 5). However, it is typically rooted in a set of beliefs that affirm essential Christian doctrines. Therefore, educators must engage with families, helping them understand the school’s expectations. Moreover, educators should seize opportunities to regularly explore New Testament teachings with students, helping them to authentically represent Christ rather than merely adhere to a generalized set of moral values (Judd et al.103). For schools to neglect this responsibility would be to miss the opportunity to cultivate the spiritual disciplines that Richard Foster, in his well-­loved Celebration of Discipline, argues must be integrated into everyday life.

Navigating Complex Worldviews in Christian School Behavior Frameworks A worldview is a “comprehensive and cohesive understanding of the world and one’s place in it” (Goheen and Bartholomew 13). Let’s face it: students’ worldviews today are complex. James Sire expands on this by describing a biblical worldview as a fundamental orientation of the heart, not just a set of intellectual beliefs (37). The heart drives how one perceives, interprets, and responds to the world. This perspective clarifies that a student code of conduct is not merely about following rules but about navigating our hearts, where deeply held convictions reside. Reflective practice involves balancing the behavioral obligations of the children of the families we journey with together with the faith commitments of staff and the school’s covenant, ensuring a coherent December 2024

education offers a way

his or her God-­given

Navigating Individualism in Christian Schools: Upholding Christ-­Centered Community in the Classroom

Christian Educators Journal

For example, invitational

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Educators must engage with families, helping them understand the school’s expectations.

In a rapidly changing postmodern culture that emphasizes individualized truth and achievement, setting expectations for students can be particularly challenging.

integration of worldviews. However, sometimes a student code of conduct or list of behavioral expectations is viewed purely from an intellectual, secular standpoint, without any need for a heart orientation. In order to avoid this, we need to adjust to a Christ-­centered invitational behavior framework.

Usually, behavioral expectations presuppose absolute truth and morality; within a Christian school, there is an added layer of uniformity in Christian beliefs. While a biblical worldview seeks to provide a coherent interpretation of the world grounded in biblical truth (Anderson et al. 21), the reality within diverse Christian communities is that there are varying theological interpretations and practices (Walsh and Keesmaat 75). Indeed, we have all dealt with parents who differ wildly in managing behaviors based on their values. This diversity highlights the challenges of enforcing a unified approach in a context where personal and cultural differences shape individual understandings of behavioral expectations, faith, and morality.

In a rapidly changing postmodern culture that emphasizes individualized truth and achievement, setting expectations for students can be particularly challenging. Modern cultural messages surrounding personal success and autonomy and how one achieves this often conflict with a Christian school’s call for selfless, Christ-­like behavior.

Addressing Modern Behavioral Challenges in Schools: A Call for Transparent and Compassionate Engagement

Leaders should seek to educate the community and welcome them into the discussion early on, transparently and robustly discussing difficult situations.

There is often tension in reconciling a student code of conduct’s aspirational ideals with the complexities of real-­life human behavior. For some students and some parents, the expectations are too high, and the school and the family then become at odds, especially if the family has not been invited early on to engage with the behavior framework expectations. From the moment a family enrolls, they need to know and understand behavioral expectations, and while these should be taught with love and grace, at times there is a line that cannot be crossed or tolerated.

Students and parents will gain clarity when led through honest reflection and compassionate engagement with the invitational behavior framework documents, guided by a small group of theologically and educationally literate adults who seek to mirror Jesus (Judd et al. 65). These leaders should seek to educate the community and welcome them into the discussion early on, transparently and robustly discussing difficult situations. Today, relatively new postmodern behaviors that need discussion include • disrespect for all authority in schools • entitlement and narcissism among students (and potentially parents) • social media forms of bullying, harassment, exclusion, and sexual provocation • academic dishonesty with the rise of AI • mental health challenges that lead to damaging outbursts and aggression • an overemphasis on individualism, where the self is placed above anyone else • resistance to moral guidelines • inappropriate common student vernacular taken from memes that are misinterpreted and hurtful yet generally accepted in society 44

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Christian Educators Journal

Implementing an invitational behavior framework in the ways suggested above would help schools navigate these challenges and grow in faith and fellowship (Phil. 1:27).

Ensuring Biblical Relevance in Behavioral Frameworks: Avoiding Mission Drift In light of the challenges above, an invitational behavior framework is essential for maintaining focus and direction within a Christian community, helping to prevent mission drift (Wong 4). The framework principles should be deeply rooted in biblical teachings. Questions must be asked about whether a current behavior framework is simply a moralistic aspiration, perhaps unrealistic in its expectations, or whether it functions as a dynamic document that actively engages with contemporary culture informed by a biblical worldview. Addressing this question is pivotal for understanding the practical implications of an invitational behavior framework and ensuring it effectively serves as a meaningful, biblical, and attainable guide for student behavior. Through fostering continuous dialogue and support, leadership can assist staff in grappling with and navigating these expectations, ultimately embodying a hopeful vision for the Christian community.

Despite being four generations removed from the little primary school children in our school, no matter how fast-­paced this new world gets, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). He is our constant through all of time. While the challenges of today’s young people are new, they present us with the opportunity to refine our biblical worldview, emphasizing the need for reliance on God to navigate these complexities.

Works Cited Anderson, Terry J., William M. Clark, and David K. Naugle. An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God’s Perspective in a Pluralistic World.

IVP Academic, 2017.

Foster, Richard J. The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth.

Special Anniversary ed., Harper Collins Religious, 2018.

Goheen, Michael W., and Craig G. Bartholomew. Living at the Crossroads: An Introduction to Christian Worldview. Baker Academic, 2008.

Judd, Stuart, et al. Keeping Faith: How Christian Organisations Can Stay True to the Way of Jesus. Acorn, 2023.

Lukianoff, Greg, and Jonathan Haidt. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure. Illustrated ed., Penguin, 2018.

Purkey, William W. Invitational Education. Phi Delta Kappa International, 1991.

Sire, James W. Naming the Elephant: Worldview as a Concept. 2nd ed., IVP Academic, 2015.

Smith, James K. A. Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation. Baker Academic, 2009.

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A school’s behavior framework should function as a dynamic document that actively engages with contemporary culture informed by a biblical worldview.

Twenge, Jean M. iGen: Why Today’s Super-­Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood—and What That Means for the Rest of Us. Atria Books, 2017.

Walsh, Brian J., and Sylvia C. Keesmaat. Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire. IVP Academic, 2004.

Wong, Bronwyn. “The Distraction of Winking Lights: Sailing for Shalom in Christian Education.” Christian Teachers Journal, vol. 25, no. 2, 2017, pp. 4–7.

Yvonne Harvey is the principal of an independent Christian school (K–12) in Melbourne, Australia. She likes to speak and write about significant current topics, at times with a heavy dash of humor and inspiration. Yvonne’s passion is to train teachers and parents in how to work with each other to promote the holistic learning of all children and young adults. By working in partnership, she believes we can achieve so much more for all children. Yvonne is currently studying for her second master’s, this time with Christian Education National.

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Future Issues Field Trips and Travel—February 2025 Experiences outside of the classroom often create some of our students’ strongest memories. As adults, we may even remember an elementary school field trip to a local farm or an overnight senior trip to another city. What are your school’s traditions surrounding field trips or more extensive travel with students? Where do you go and why? What connections have you made with local organizations or businesses? How do you recruit additional chaperones?

Who handles transportation? Is there a budget for these trips, or are students asked to contribute? Does Christian school travel look different than that of public schools?

What service opportunities do you build into trips? How do you make field trips accessible for all students? In this issue, we look forward to hearing about the ways you make great learning happen outside the walls of a classroom.

This issue is no longer accepting submissions.

April 2025—Resource Review Each year we highlight the best books, films, websites, teaching tools, and other resources for Christian school teachers. We publish reviews of student-facing material (like which books to stock in your classroom library) as well as materials relevant to school staff (like curricula or books about teaching). Articles may focus on one text or may be written in a list style featuring multiple texts around a particular theme.

Proposals due December 13, 2024 (informal—just send us an email explaining your idea).

Articles due January 20, 2025.