The Teacher's Almanac

I try to have a "game day" in my classes at least once a month. Kids, just like the rest of us, sometimes just need to slow down. Playing educational games is such a great way to have them relax, but also keep their minds moving. An added benefit is that many of today's games help students understand how to work together. I try to do one game day near the beginning of the year when students are still trying to get to know one another. Today we had a game day (two weeks into school) and I absolutely loved seeing new students interacting with veteran students. There's just something about the humor of a game that helps walls come down and insecurities fade away. In today's culture, relaxation is almost always tied to a screen of some kind. Video games, television, cell phones, tablets, smartwatches...the list can go on. Our kids are forgetting what it truly means to relax.  The Greek word "Schole" means leisure. One of the goals of classical ed...

Biblical Integration is not just prayer.  Over the past few years, this concept has been reinforced at many of our training sessions. And it's so true! But, while saying a prayer at the beginning of class isn't Biblical Integration, I do feel like it serves an important purpose Last year, I began trying something different when it comes to class prayer. On the first day of class, I have all my students write their name on an index card (are you beginning to get how much I love index cards !). Each day, when class begins, I draw a name at random and ask them what I can pray for. A few students say "nothing", but most of them will fill you in on something going on in their life. I also noticed that last year, as the year went on, students who were initially hesitant became more open. I do this for a few reasons.  1. It helps you get to know the students. Early in the year, I'm still trying to master names and this is a big help! Additionally, I w...

First days back are always so full of possibilities, aren't they! The kids are excited and ready to learn. The teachers are organized and ready to change the world. If only we can bottle that first day feeling and bring it out in mid-February when things get dicey... This semester I've added a few English courses which have required me to use my brain a bit more. I've actually really enjoyed the process of working through the lesson plans and getting a feel for what these first few weeks will look like. Since I am frequently asked, "What IS classical education?" I thought it would be fun to create this blog as a means to answer that. I by no means know fully what classical education is, but I have experienced it from many different perspectives over the years. I'm continually learning more and will share as I go. Hopefully, if you're out there trying to decide how to educate your children, this will help in some way.  Classical education can be done a...