Stanley's Visit

Stanley is the student I wrote about in my first blog.  God used Stanley to teach me about unconditional love.  I tried to teach Stanley about God's unconditional love.

Stanley came by to see me today after school.  It was really nice to see him.  I told him I was glad he came by.  We talked about his plans.  I gave him some advice.  I told him that God loved him and encouraged him to walk with God.  Stanley is a young man that just hasn't had very many things go his way.  He told me that he would stop in again to see me.  He was my student 4 years ago and he wanted to come by and talk with me... I am humbled by that.

Lord I pray that you would bless Stanley.  Bring other people into his life to encourage him and help him.  I want to look for an employment opportunity for him myself.  Help him find his niche in life and be productive.  I pray he would see Your hand in his life and draw near to You.

Day 80

The Donuts Affect

I'm down to 8 left to get a perfect test on linear functions in Algebra.  I finally had to initiate the DONUT affect.  I told each class that when everyone gets a perfect score on a perfect test in that class, I will bring in donuts for everybody.  It simply changed everything.  Those that have already been perfect are all of the sudden, very concerned and willing to help someone who is still needing to get 100.  Those who need to get 100, are suddenly willing to ask for and receive help from their classmates, to learn how to do the problems.

All 8 know how to do all of the problems.  I looked over all of their work and went over the problems with them and the mistakes they made.  These students also asked their peers for help and got it.  I am hopeful that very soon they ALL will have passed a perfect test on linear functions.  This was our student goal in Algebra and all of my students failed it in November, when they took their pre-test.  I think it would be very cool if all of them pass it at 100%.

YOU CAN'T DO ANY BETTER THAN HAVE 100% OF YOUR STUDENTS GET 100% ON A TEST THAT 100% OF THEM FAILED!!!

I am suppose to meet with my principal tomorrow for a mid year conference.  I hope to have only a few left that need to get 100%.

I also talked to my first period class and told them the same thing about their perfect test on solving and got the same reaction... excitement!!!

Changes

I have so many students in my new first period class that are really struggling.  I decided I needed to create an easier perfect test so ALL of them have a chance to pass.  I told them about it today and we practiced similar problems today and I gave them a test at the end of the period.  8 of my students passed and got an 85 for their grade.  If they pass the tougher version I'll raise their score to 100.  They were very happy about this intermediate version and appreciated the possibility of being able to still get the 100.  I still need to take control of planning, writing tests and preparing for it.  My students will not be ready for their test this Friday.  I need to know what is going to be on the test much sooner then 3 days before the test.  I am happy about the changes and need to make more.

Also, I had 2 of my Algebra students pass their perfect test and now I am down to 9.  The test is on Ch 5 and is pretty tough.  I am excited to see all of them make.  I have about 10 versions and keep making more.  I really believe all of them will get a perfect score... I just don't know how long it will take... that's the problem!!

Day 78

Hopeless

I had a student in a class tell me today that he didn't think he could learn how to do the material on the perfect test.  He looked like it.  He wasn't trying, paying attention, correcting his mistakes... nothing.  I need to get him to the place of believing and wanting.  Then I will have a chance to teach him.  In my first period class, I have so many students in this place... he is the extreme.

I need to reach so many.  They are not responding collectively to me.  I need to do more one on one to gain relationship, trust, belief and effort.

I am fighting feelings of hopelessness with my first period class.  I need to keep looking for strategies to succeed with more and more students.

They all need to feel loved and accepted.  They all need to succeed.

Day 77

Eleven

I counted wrong.  The other day I said I had 10 students left who had to pass the perfect test on linear functions... there are 11.  Many of these will pass, but a few are really low and such a challenge to me.  I have such an urge to simply give up on them.  It is like they are screaming at me... 'Leave me alone!!  Give up on me!!"  There is such a clear feeling that I care more than they do.  This is so frustrating to me and causes me to want to lash out at them and/or give up.  I don't know why they are so resistant to help and change.  There has to be a lot of heart ache and pain stored up in these really low students.  I can't imagine what it must feel like to come to school and fail day after day, week after week, year after year.  Every math teacher in their past has given up on them and these struggling students are simply expecting the same from me.  I need God's help.  I need to love, encourage, challenge, exhort and motivate these students relentlessly and unconditionally.

Last night my wife and I watched this show on Netflix called 'The call of the Midwife.'  In the show, there was a new midwife that was very clumsy and awkward.  She was struggling with self-confidence and everyone expected her to fail.  It looked like she was going to fail.  But one doctor spoke a word of encouragement to her after he watched her help a patient deal with her fears.  That little bit of encouragement changed everything for that new midwife.  She was struggling during a breech delivery and then rallied her confidence and successfully delivered the baby.  The nurse that was the toughest on her,  had shown up to take over, but was happily disappointed to see the new midwife do a great job.

I want to keep speaking words of encouragement to each of my students.  The tough part is... some keep: failing, struggling, refusing help, resisting change, remaining closed off.  I need to keep staying in the place of HOPE.  I need to flee that place called EXPECTATION.

WELCOMED TO MY WORLD.

Day 76

Choice

My daughter was reading funning little sayings to me the other day.  This one really caught my attention..."Awesome things will happen today if you choose not to be a miserable cow."  I like this saying.  I think I will make a poster for it and put it up in my room.  I want to keep chipping away at the victim mentality that many of my struggling students have.  We get to choose to try.  We get to choose to pay attention.  We get to choose to believe we can learn.  We get to choose to have a good attitude.  What an awesome privilege we have... choice.

I want each of my students to grow in their appreciation of and their responsibility to make good choices.  I want each of my students to choose well.

Day 75

Community

My mom's memorial service was today.  It was very nice.  About 200 family and friends showed up and there were many kind things said about my mom.  My mom had struggled with her health for the past 8 years with a stroke, CLL, breast cancer and a back surgery.  She needed help from changing a light bulb to changing a dressing.  The room was filled with so many people who had helped my mom and in the process been helped.  I believe that blessings run both ways.  When we help someone there is a blessing we receive in the process that often is hard to quantify.  Jesus said, "In as much as you have done it unto the least of your brethren, you have do it unto me."  My mom's physical limitations gave so many people the opportunity to love her and be blessed as a result.  It was a beautiful thing today to go from table to table, after the service, to thank those who showed up and listen to them tell me what my mom meant to them.  Many of these people had been so helpful and responsible in helping mom stay in her home, yet they all saw my mom as the hero.  I saw community.  I saw love.  I saw acceptance.  Life is all about relationships.  The most important is the one with Jesus Christ.  Then with His love, our relationships with family and friends.

Love people and use things... don't get these mixed up.

Day 74

Progress

I had a great day today in my Algebra classes and Lab.  I had several of my students pass a Perfect Test on linear functions today and now I am down to only 10 students left to pass.  I am determined to do all I can to help them learn the material and get a perfect score on a test on linear functions.  I put zeros in the computer for those who haven't pass yet and that should help to light a fire under them.

Also, I made progress with a student who has been resistant to help from me.  She received help from me today and even asked me a question later on in the period.  She is capable.  She needs to believe that herself.  I need to gently and patiently help her get to the place of being a successful math student.  It was very exciting to see many of my lowest student make improvements in their understanding today.

Day 73

Excuses

You never hear a champion of anything make excuses for winning... like... the sun was in my eyes but I still caught the ball... or... I have ADD but I still paid attention.

No... excuses are for losers, because they are the ones that give them.

I am thinking of a student I have who often looks out the window, fails to follow directions and struggles as a result.  I talked to her today about these poor choices she makes routinely in class and she told me that she had ADD and lots of hard things going on in her life.  She was very defensive with me.  I simply told her that she had the choice to follow directions and she had the choice to pay attention.  I told her it is always her choice.  She did not like what I was saying because I was telling her that she could do it.  She was used to being the victim and thus not being responsible for her poor choices.

I told her that I wanted her to be successful in my class.  To do this, she needed to follow instructions, pay attention, try, and start acting like she can learn.  She gave me an angry look.  I simply told her again that I wanted her to learn... and we should be on the same team.

It amazes me how many students have this victim mentality and thus take little to no responsibility for their learning and as a result, do poorly.  I want all of my students to see themselves as capable and refuse to look for excuses but rather search for ways to succeed.

Day 72

I am struggling

I am trying to teach a new group of students first period.  They took their second Perfect Test on equation solving today.  No one passed the first time and today only one passed.  There are several that are close, but there are also so many that are so far from passing.  It is hard for me.  I am sure, it is hard for them.  I feel so rushed to cover material, but when I do review, most still don't even do the review very well.  I have a large group of students that are really struggling and a small group that are doing fine.  I have never been in this situation before.  I am really struggling trying to figure out how to help them all improve.

My mom's memorial service is this Saturday.  I'm hurting, but I know that Christ is with me in the midst of this and I am seeking His strength, love, wisdom and grace.

Day 71

Reach

We are about 3 weeks into this second semester.  I have a new class first period and it is very challenging because most of the students in this class are not understanding the material, doing their homework well, correcting their mistakes... LEARNING.

I need to reach them before I can teach them.  There is so much that so many of them need to learn just to be able to learn the math.  All Course 3 teachers are giving a Perfect test on equation solving and all of my students failed the first one.  I will have several that will pass, but I am concerned that there are several that may never pass the perfect test or this class.

Changed hearts change lives.  I need to help these students change their heart and head.  I need to love them right where they are.  I need to value effort as much as understanding.  I need to breathe courage into each of my students daily.  I need God's help, love, wisdom, grace and courage.  I so desperately want each of my students to learn, grow and succeed.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  What a wonderful promise from His word that I will cling to.

Day 70

Creation

In public school, kids are only taught one explanation for how we all got here.  They are also taught evolution as if it were a fact.  The reality is evolution is not a fact.  The fact is evolution goes against the Cell Theory, which states that ALL cells come from cells.  So where did the first cell come from?

The amount of information in one cell is would fill libraries, so I been told.  Where does information come from?  How can information come from dirt or slime?  Doesn't the presence of information suggest a source of intelligence?  The cell is amazingly complex.  There are 10 systems that all have to function correctly for the cell to live and reproduce.  If any of these systems were to fail, the cell would die.  How can all of these complex systems all come into being randomly and at the same time and place?  Again where did all the information come from?  When someone observes, say a car, and they learn about all of the complex systems required to make it work, they are not drawn to the conclusion that it evolved from a pile of dirt.  Any intellectually honest person who sees intelligent design, credits the designer.  Oh... the car can't maintain itself or reproduce itself like every cell can!! 

The Second Law of Thermodynamics deals with the fact the order goes to disorder.  Evolution contradicts this law.  Things break down.  Things fall apart.

It takes more faith to believe in evolution than creation.  All creation points to the presence of intelligent design.  Intelligent design points to an intelligent designer...GOD.

In God's word, the Bible, the very first verse states, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  Why is it so hard to except His word?  Because if we do, then we become accountable to Him. From the very beginning man has wanted to be like God.  Man has wanted to create there own gods.  Evolution is simply a slap in God's face as man tries to make himself god.

Why is only evolution taught in public school?  It is because we as a nation have turned our back on God.  On every coin and bill it states, "In God we trust."  There is a movement that keep growing to change our national motto.  Someday it may be changed to "In this we trust." or maybe "In us we trust."

I simply want all of my students to know that evolution is not a fact.  They need to know that it contradicts a previously excepted theory and law of nature.  The cell is amazingly complex.  Information can not come from dirt but from a creator.

I want my students to believe they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" and not the product of time and chance.  It is weird to me that we as a nation spend 12 to 20 years teaching our youth that they are animals and then we as a society complain when they act like animals and worse.

Day 69

Honor Parents

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."  Exodus 20: 12.

"Children, obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right.  Honor your father and mother... which is the first commandment with a promise... that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on this earth."  Ephesians 6: 1-3.

I routinely encourage my students to honor their parents.  Simply obeying isn't enough.  When a child honors their parent(s), they obey them with a good attitude.  They show initiative and do what needs to be done without being asked.  They consider how hurtful a poor decision would be to their parent(s) and their desire to honor their parents helps them to avoid poor decisions.

When a student is living in rebellion to their parent(s), they will seek to make poor decisions to hurt their parent(s)... to show them that they are not in control.  The problem is, often these decisions are destructive, they hurt their parents and themselves.  That is why the command comes with a promise.

When a student is in rebellion with their parents, there is unresolved conflict.  It is so important, for both parents and students, to reconcile when someone's feeling have been hurt.  This is where forgiveness and confession come in.  As people, two things are always are going to need to happen to maintain a relationship, they are confession and forgiveness.

I try to teach my students how to confess and forgive.  This is something I need God's help to do.

Day 68

Freedom and Responsibility

Whenever I have a meeting with parents and a student, one thing I routinely talk about with them is freedom verses responsibility.  If there is conflict between parents and students it usually comes down to this battle between freedom and responsibility.

The student will focus on what their freedoms should be, while the parent(s) will focus on what responsibilities their child has.  A parent naturally wants their child to take on more and more responsibilities as they grow up.  The goal(usually) is for their child to become a successful responsible adult that has a job, lives in their own place and pays their own bills.  They also would want their child to respect themselves and others.  As a Christian, a parent's top priority would be that their child has accepted Christ as their savior and is living a life that glorifies Jesus.

The student, in conflict, will usually be focussing on what their freedoms 'should' be.  I tell my students that they need to focus on what their responsibilities are.  As a student focuses on their responsibilities they usually earn and are naturally given more and more freedoms.  I tell my students to be responsible and trust their parents to give them freedoms as they earn the right to them.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY SHAKE HANDS

Day 67

Sanctity of Life

A few weeks ago at church we were told it was Sanctity of Life Sunday.  The pastor gave some startling statistics.  In all our 238 years as a country, there have been 1.3 million soldiers killed in all of the wars we've fought in.  Since the legalization of abortion, there has been on average, 1.2 million babies killed each year in our country.  That means over 50 million babies have been killed legally in our country these past 41 years.

These facts keep running through my head.  Every year I talk about this with my students and they are quick to say how awful this is.  It is illegal to destroy an eagle egg because it might become an eagle.  But somehow it is legal to destroy an unborn baby because, some convince themselves, that it is not a human being until it is born.  They call it Pro-Choice.  What an awful JOKE of a name.  The baby has no choice!!!

A drunk driver that kills a pregnant woman is often charged with two counts of manslaughter, but what if the woman was driving to an abortion clinic, should he only be charged with one count of manslaughter?

My students always know that abortion is wrong.  It is us adults that are so misguided in our thinking.  Once a woman finds herself in an unwanted pregnancy, this is the place where one poor decision can lead to a far worse decision.  Life is precision and is a gift from God.  "We are fearfully and wonderfully made."

I want my students to know the facts about this.  It is in every person to know that killing babies is wrong.  But it is in some adults to convince themselves that it is OK, when their need requires it to be so.  I want my students to know what is right and wrong about abortion before they find themselves entangled in a situation that may cause them to consider it.

Here again, tolerance is the "virtue" preached to the masses by our society.  The worst thing to do, we are told, is to say that something is wrong.

Abortion is such an awful blight on our society and country.  As we drift from deciding what is right and wrong from the Bible, we make legal, more and more often, that which was previously know to be wrong and even repulsive.

Day 66

College

About a week ago, all classes showed a movie during 5th and 6th period.  It was about families with kids who were the first in their families to go to college.  School is important.  Education gives opportunity and the more education someone has, the more opportunities they will have.

My problem is trying to fit all students into one category... college graduate.  The reality is, not all students will even graduate from high school, let alone college.  Many of those that do graduate will have large debt.

I don't like the message that is being sent to students... which is, GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE OR BE A LOSER.

My dad didn't make it past 10th grade.  He still had an opportunity to live a good life.  I believe life is about relationships.  The most important one is our relationship with Jesus Christ.  I want all of my students to have a wonderful life.  They can even if they don't go to college.

Day 65

I'm not God

Years ago I went through a very difficult time.  Someone I knew hurt some of my family and friends and only got 4 months of jail time.  I was bitter.  It affected me in such a negative way.  There is a saying, "Bitterness is the only poison that destroys the vile that contains it."  It was destroying me and even worse it was destroying my relationships with those close to me.

This went on for about 6 months.  One day, I was driving with my wife and our three oldest kids(who were young) in the back seat.  I was at an intersection, waiting to turn left.  I looked over to my left and the driver who was also waiting to turn left looked very much like the PERSON I hated.  The light turned green and I started to roll forward to make my left turn.  I was trying to decide if it was him.  If it was, I was going to pop the emergency brake, jump out of my seat, pull him out of his car through his open window and beat the snot out him right their in front of my wife, kids and everyone else in the intersection.  I was creeping through the turn trying to decide if it was him, when suddenly wife gave my a firm little back hand across my right shoulder and asked me, "What are you doing?"  Before I could even answer, she looked past me at the other driver and quickly did the math and said, "What were you going to do?  Oh... were you going to stop the car and beat that guy up if it was _______? You are not God.  'Vengence is mine sayeth the LORD.'"

In 5 seconds, God used a total stranger, my wife's wisdom and HIS WORD to help snap me out of my bitterness.  I still would find myself sinking back into bitter feeling but when I realized I was, I would ask God to help me forgive.  I even prayed for him.  This helped me.  I forgave because God commands.  I forgave because He gave me the grace.  I forgave because I wanted to trust and obey Him.  I forgave because I knew it was the best thing for me.  I did not forgive because I  felt like it.  I did not forgive because _________ deserved forgiveness.

The Bible is so clear about the importance of forgiving others.  They don't have to ask for it or even deserve it.  We all need to forgive those that we need to... out of simple obedience, faith and grace.

Day 64

Right is right

Recently a follow math teacher had a student cheat on a test.  Several of us math teacher discussed what we thought the consequences should be.  It got me thinking.  In the last major election, our state legalized 'things' that had previously been illegal.  As a society, this is now how we decide what is right or wrong.  We have lost our moral compass as a society.  We used to decide by what the Bible said.  Now we vote.  When I was growing up, my parents had a saying... "Right is right even if no one is doing it and wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it."

The worst thing someone can do now is say and/or believe that something is wrong.  Our society's highest virtue now is tolerance.

I talked to one of my classes about this.  I told them that cheating was wrong.  It would still be wrong even of they voted and they decided that it wasn't wrong.  I told them that they needed to decide how they were going to decide what is right or wrong.  The choices are the Bible or our society.  In Old Testament times, when Israel was at their worst, morally, the Bible describes them as, 'doing what was right in their own eyes.'  

I want my students to know that there is sin and that we all sin.  I want my students to know that we all struggle with selfishness and pride.  I want my students to know that they are NOT God.  They do not get to decide what is right or wrong.

Those ancient Israelites were burning their babies alive on stone alters trying to gain favor from false gods.  They were doing what they thought was right.  They were trying to be evil but they were being very evil!!!

When we walk away from God's Word, we are always on a path of destruction.   If there is no sin, then there will be no need for a Savior.  I want my students to know that they are sinners... then there is hope that they will get saved.

Day 63

Coachable

I am thinking of one particular student I have.  She has hurt in her life.  I can see it in her.  She struggles with being coachable.  To be coachable, she needs to trust me... and she doesn't right now.  I need to do more and more to help her trust me.  I moved her seat next to a student she is willing to talk to.  This student is doing way better than her and I've talked to him about helping her understand the material.  I figure, if she is not open to my direct help, I need to use the help she is open to.  It will take time to build her trust.  I want to help her be successful even now.  It is my hope and prayer that she will grow and move more and more to the place where she can let go of her pain and bitterness so she can be more coachable and successful.

Day 62

Bend your knee

My mom died tonight.  It feels so strange writing these words.

It has been hard watching her decline so fast.  She was told just 3 weeks and a day ago that she had lung cancer.  She was 77 years old and she wanted no sympathy.  She was a stoic, strong and fiercely independent woman.  I am left with my memories of her and only a hope that she is in heaven.

I am thankful for my mom.  These past weeks I was able to tell her repeatedly that the only thing that mattered was that she makes it to heaven.  I wasn't sure if she was a Christian.  I talked to her about Jesus and taking His hand.  I sang hymns to her.  She liked it when I did.  She had others do the same these past weeks.  I hope and pray she is with Jesus now.

Life is all about relationships.  The most important one is your relationship with Jesus.  The Bible says, "Every knee will bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus is LORD."   It is not a matter of IF you are going to bend your knee... it is when and where WILL you bend your knee.  Will it be here on earth in repentance and gratitude at salvation or will it be at the Judgement in shame, regret and horror.

I want to spend my life doing ALL I can to help others bend their knee here on earth.  It scares and convicts me to type the word ALL, because I know I haven't and I know that it will cost me.  I know I won't do ALL.  I will fail.  So I need to contend myself with doing more and more as God leads and gives me the grace, love, faith, courage and strength.

I plan to put a prayer request box on my desk this next week and offer to pray for any of my students needs.  I know this may get me in trouble, but I also know I have students with needs that only Jesus can meet.  I want and need to trust and obey.

Day 61

Absence

I have not written since Jan. 31st.  My mom is dying of lung cancer and I am having a hard time putting any effort into this right now.  I had committed to trying to write for 200 days... but now I don't know if I will continue.  I had hoped to attract more interest. I am disappointed in the lack of interest in what I am doing both here on this blog and at school.

I still am excited about what I am doing and pray that God will help me to reach and teach more and more of my students.

Day 60