We've tasted the first fruits of the spirit. We want more.
Romans 8:23
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Always good to find a theological justification for laziness and disorganisation
Today I was busy cooking dinner at 3pm. I pointed out to the kids how awesome a mother I must be to be onto it so early (6.30 is normal.) Nathan said it was a risk to make dinner then. Jesus might come back sometime in the afternoon and my efforts would have been wasted.
Great thinking.
Great thinking.
Christ brings all things back again.
What does this mean, "I bring all things back?" Surely, that nothing is lost. In Christ all is gathered up and kept, everything in a transformed state, purified, and set free from agonising selfishness of desires. Christ brings all this back again, but in the form that God had intended it from the beginning, unstained by our sins."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in a letter to Eberhard Bethge, December 1943.
Amen. Maranatha.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in a letter to Eberhard Bethge, December 1943.
Amen. Maranatha.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tell me.
I'd like a nice big one for our bed.
I have no skills in sewing, no ability to read instructions, no staying power and no attention to detail. Is a quilt beyond me?
Piper on 'does Christianity have a feminine feel?'
He didn't answer the question in the same way that I did (below).
Have a listen - from 5:12 to 8:50.
Piper says that a community with a 'strong masculine feel' creates a space that is big and roomy and has space in it for many feminine feels. A man who is prominently masculine can also be appropriately feminine. A woman who is prominently feminine, can also be appropriately masculine. He defines what he means by masculine and feminine.
Masculine = having backbone, being articulate and thoughtful
Feminine = being tender, kind, nurturing, warm, artistic, liking to write.
Trying to work it out... The overall vibe of Christianity (by which I think he means the Christian community) is to be masculine - tough, backbone, powerful, authoritative. "Strong singing primarily led by men, and then a voice from God is heard."
So it's not just about having men in leadership roles, it is about those more 'manly' qualities being on display. It wouldn't be right for an artsy guy to be leading a church in an artsy way. He might be being inappropriately feminine. But maybe if he were to do that more in the background, in an overall context of 'manliness', it would be okay. Is that it?
Piper is winsome and eloquent and I have sympathy for what he is saying, but I don't think his categories of masculinity and femininity are biblical. Am I wrong? Point me to verses.
Piper is advocating more than just that men should occupy leadership roles in church. He may not be after a culture where all men play football, but I think he is saying that that the stereotypical man vibe is to dominate our experience of Christianity.
Thoughts?
Have a listen - from 5:12 to 8:50.
Piper says that a community with a 'strong masculine feel' creates a space that is big and roomy and has space in it for many feminine feels. A man who is prominently masculine can also be appropriately feminine. A woman who is prominently feminine, can also be appropriately masculine. He defines what he means by masculine and feminine.
Masculine = having backbone, being articulate and thoughtful
Feminine = being tender, kind, nurturing, warm, artistic, liking to write.
Trying to work it out... The overall vibe of Christianity (by which I think he means the Christian community) is to be masculine - tough, backbone, powerful, authoritative. "Strong singing primarily led by men, and then a voice from God is heard."
So it's not just about having men in leadership roles, it is about those more 'manly' qualities being on display. It wouldn't be right for an artsy guy to be leading a church in an artsy way. He might be being inappropriately feminine. But maybe if he were to do that more in the background, in an overall context of 'manliness', it would be okay. Is that it?
Piper is winsome and eloquent and I have sympathy for what he is saying, but I don't think his categories of masculinity and femininity are biblical. Am I wrong? Point me to verses.
Piper is advocating more than just that men should occupy leadership roles in church. He may not be after a culture where all men play football, but I think he is saying that that the stereotypical man vibe is to dominate our experience of Christianity.
Thoughts?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Six observations about men in ministry
In one way or another, I spend quite a bit of time hanging out with men who work in full time ministry. Over time I’ve noticed that the same themes keep on coming up in our discussions. A friend suggested it might be good blog fodder. So here are a handful of observations. What do you think?
1. The house of cards is balancing precariously. Be afraid.
Men in ministry are desperately afraid. Afraid that the minister in the next suburb will steal your congregation, afraid that your people won’t like you, afraid that the other ministers in your denomination will think you are incompetent, compromised, heretical or ungodly. Things may look like they are holding things together, but it is all so precarious if could collapse at any moment. And you will have failed.
2. The house of cards is balancing precariously. Watch out.
Men in ministry have a tendency towards paranoia. People are out to get you. You have a small (and shrinking) group of people that you trust and everyone outside that group is treated with suspicion. Especially other men in ministry. The fact that they don’t do things in exactly the same way as you means that they don’t like your way. They think you are wrong (or worse, incompetent. Or maybe even heterodox.) Many of them will knock your house of cards over if they get the chance.
3. The house of cards is balancing precariously. Don’t strengthen your neighbour’s house.
Because you are so afraid that your own house will tumble, your ability to praise your neighbour’s construction skills are seriously depleted. You feel that to affirm the work of the minister in the next church will upset some delicately balanced system and cause your own work to fall (also true of co-workers.) Praising your underlings (who you don't perceive as a threat) or those in non-competing ministries is possible, but praising your peers... almost impossible.
4. What you want more that almost anything else is to be told you are doing a good job. With specifics. And you want your peers to do it. (But they won’t, because they are afraid that it will somehow knock their own house over (see #3).)
5. Ministers are emotionally muted around their collegues. There is shame in admitting weakness. Shame in struggling with doubts, shame in struggling with anger or sexual temptation, shame in admitting incompetence. So you don’t share anything much at all. This creates a weird self-protective dynamic. You both have PhDs in NT, surely you've got interesting stuff to talk about! No. It seems not.
6. Indentity issues are big. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who defines themselves more by what they do than ministers. Your whole self perception is wrapped up in your job. Fail at it and you’ve lost everything. You think that your friends wouldn’t like you any more if you were no longer the hot shot preacher you think they think you are. And if you’re a second generation minister there’s another bag of issues to sort through. If your dad is someone with whom you fundamentally agree, then how do you assert your independence from him?
Thoughts?
1. The house of cards is balancing precariously. Be afraid.
Men in ministry are desperately afraid. Afraid that the minister in the next suburb will steal your congregation, afraid that your people won’t like you, afraid that the other ministers in your denomination will think you are incompetent, compromised, heretical or ungodly. Things may look like they are holding things together, but it is all so precarious if could collapse at any moment. And you will have failed.
2. The house of cards is balancing precariously. Watch out.
Men in ministry have a tendency towards paranoia. People are out to get you. You have a small (and shrinking) group of people that you trust and everyone outside that group is treated with suspicion. Especially other men in ministry. The fact that they don’t do things in exactly the same way as you means that they don’t like your way. They think you are wrong (or worse, incompetent. Or maybe even heterodox.) Many of them will knock your house of cards over if they get the chance.
3. The house of cards is balancing precariously. Don’t strengthen your neighbour’s house.
Because you are so afraid that your own house will tumble, your ability to praise your neighbour’s construction skills are seriously depleted. You feel that to affirm the work of the minister in the next church will upset some delicately balanced system and cause your own work to fall (also true of co-workers.) Praising your underlings (who you don't perceive as a threat) or those in non-competing ministries is possible, but praising your peers... almost impossible.
4. What you want more that almost anything else is to be told you are doing a good job. With specifics. And you want your peers to do it. (But they won’t, because they are afraid that it will somehow knock their own house over (see #3).)
5. Ministers are emotionally muted around their collegues. There is shame in admitting weakness. Shame in struggling with doubts, shame in struggling with anger or sexual temptation, shame in admitting incompetence. So you don’t share anything much at all. This creates a weird self-protective dynamic. You both have PhDs in NT, surely you've got interesting stuff to talk about! No. It seems not.
6. Indentity issues are big. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who defines themselves more by what they do than ministers. Your whole self perception is wrapped up in your job. Fail at it and you’ve lost everything. You think that your friends wouldn’t like you any more if you were no longer the hot shot preacher you think they think you are. And if you’re a second generation minister there’s another bag of issues to sort through. If your dad is someone with whom you fundamentally agree, then how do you assert your independence from him?
Thoughts?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
What I love about blogging #867
That I can have a whole lot of people over in my lounge room at once.
The guys go hang out in the family room and bash heads over theological issues (I hand out band-aids, bandage up any broken bones and remind you all of the importance of getting along) and the girls sit on the lounge and talk about Malory Towers books. I'm equally invested in both discussions.
The guys go hang out in the family room and bash heads over theological issues (I hand out band-aids, bandage up any broken bones and remind you all of the importance of getting along) and the girls sit on the lounge and talk about Malory Towers books. I'm equally invested in both discussions.
Malory Towers Mega Quiz
A. Books
1. Which book number(s) have the word 'year' in the title?
2. Which book number(s) have the word 'form' in the title?
3. Which book number(s) have the word 'term' in the title?
4. Which two books take place straight after each other (i.e. the terms run directly after each other.)
5. In which two books was Darrell head of the form? In which 2 books was Sally head?
B. Book 1
1. List three new girls that come to MT in this book.
2. Darrell has a problem with her temper. What does she do wrong?
3. Who does Darrell befriend at first? Is this good? Why/why not?
4. What does Sally Hope look like?
5. What is Sally's problem? How does it resolve?
6. Who rescues Darrell from the pool? How does she do it? What does she gain from this experience?
7. Who is the form mistress? Name one other teacher.
8. What is Darrell's father's occupation?
9. What is the name of Gwendoline Mary's ex-governess?
10. What tower does Darrell belong to?
C. Book 2
1. Name 2 new girls and describe their talents and faults.
2. By the end of the book, these new girls have paired up with someone. Name their partners.
3. Who had a near death experience?
4. Who stole things?
5. Who is friends with a west tower girl?
D. Book 3
1. What is Mavis' talent? What is her fault? How is she cured?
2. What is Bill's full name?
3. What is the name of Bill's horse?
4. Who is the form mistress?
5. Who does Darrell meet before term begins? Where is she from? What does she imagine she's good at? What is she actually good at?
E. Book 4
1. What major stressful thing happens this term?
2. Who played nasty tricks on who and why?
3. What health problem did Clarissa have?
4. What did Gwendoline do to try to escape the exams?
5. Who had relatives begin at MT this term?
F. Book 5
1. Who wrote the script? Who wrote the music? Who was the conjurer?
2. Which role did Gwendoline want? Who got this role?
3. What responsibility did Moira have?
4. Who was the blessed martyr?
5. Which new girl got on everyone's nerves because she thought she was good at everything?
G. Book 6
1. Why did Amanda come to MT?
2. What was she good at?
3. What was wrong with her coaching methods?
4. How did June help?
5. Who was head girl? Who was sport's captain?
H. Friends
Name the friend of each of these girls.
1. Sally
2. Belinda
3. Clarissa
4. Alicia
5. Mary-Lou
Saturday, February 4, 2012
God gave Christianity a feminine feel
Ephesians 5
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Saviour. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
In order to follow Christ, believers must become somewhat feminine. We respond to Christ as a wife responds to her husband - in obedient submission. There is no room in the church for alpha male types. Christ fulfils this role. He is our alpha.
And he delights to choose people (male and female) who delight in being beta. Compare Jesus' encounters with Nicodemus (Jn 3) and with the Samaritan woman (Jn 4). Jesus was not pleased with Nicodemus' masculine competitiveness and took him down a peg or ten. He favoured the more feminine response of the Samaritan woman.
God gave Christianity a feminine feel on purpose. Throughout history his choice has consistently been for the underdog - quiet, bookish Jacob over big hairy Esau , harp playing poet David over beefy Goliath, the village of Bethlehem over the city of Jerusalem, a stable over a palace... and now, the oppressed gender over the oppressor gender. It makes sense that Christianity has a distinctly feminine feel. If one wants to be part of God's kingdom he/she will need to leave macho behind and learn to submit to Christ as a woman does to her husband.
Of course to speak of Christianity having a feminine feel is silly. I want to stay in the complementarian camp, but Mr. Piper, you are making it really hard.
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Saviour. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
In order to follow Christ, believers must become somewhat feminine. We respond to Christ as a wife responds to her husband - in obedient submission. There is no room in the church for alpha male types. Christ fulfils this role. He is our alpha.
And he delights to choose people (male and female) who delight in being beta. Compare Jesus' encounters with Nicodemus (Jn 3) and with the Samaritan woman (Jn 4). Jesus was not pleased with Nicodemus' masculine competitiveness and took him down a peg or ten. He favoured the more feminine response of the Samaritan woman.
God gave Christianity a feminine feel on purpose. Throughout history his choice has consistently been for the underdog - quiet, bookish Jacob over big hairy Esau , harp playing poet David over beefy Goliath, the village of Bethlehem over the city of Jerusalem, a stable over a palace... and now, the oppressed gender over the oppressor gender. It makes sense that Christianity has a distinctly feminine feel. If one wants to be part of God's kingdom he/she will need to leave macho behind and learn to submit to Christ as a woman does to her husband.
Of course to speak of Christianity having a feminine feel is silly. I want to stay in the complementarian camp, but Mr. Piper, you are making it really hard.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Miracle Metaphors
Metaphors have remarkable healing powers. They fix things.
Andrew doesn't believe it*, but it's true.
Here's how it works.
1. You tell me about the rubbish day you've had, which is really just a symptom of the rubbish year you are having, which matches your whole rubbish life.
2. I reflect back to you what you've told me using a nice metaphor.
3. You feel listened to and understood. (Which, for many of us, is enough.)
4. The metaphor helps you to see your troubles as something separate from you. It bundles them up neatly and ties them with a bow. Your problem becomes something that you can sit back and look at or walk around and examine from different angles.
5. You gain the rationality to analyse things more objectively and see the way forward.
6. You get on with life.
See?
* Andrew will argue that the problem still isn't fixed. I say it is because the real problem is not the situation itself, but the way that we become entangled in them. Ensnared. Metaphors free us.
Andrew doesn't believe it*, but it's true.
Here's how it works.
1. You tell me about the rubbish day you've had, which is really just a symptom of the rubbish year you are having, which matches your whole rubbish life.
2. I reflect back to you what you've told me using a nice metaphor.
3. You feel listened to and understood. (Which, for many of us, is enough.)
4. The metaphor helps you to see your troubles as something separate from you. It bundles them up neatly and ties them with a bow. Your problem becomes something that you can sit back and look at or walk around and examine from different angles.
5. You gain the rationality to analyse things more objectively and see the way forward.
6. You get on with life.
See?
* Andrew will argue that the problem still isn't fixed. I say it is because the real problem is not the situation itself, but the way that we become entangled in them. Ensnared. Metaphors free us.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Food on my dog
You have to check out this blog. Karen says it's pointless (but hilarious). I say that the whole www was worth creating just for this.
Note to self #395
If a whiteboard marker doesn't work today, it won't work tomorrow. Don't leave it with the others, hoping for an overnight resurrection. Throw it away.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
abortion silent pastors
I think Andrew is one.
Reading an email from a pro-life group about what our church should be doing to stop abortion. It is lengthy. If our church did 20% of them, it would be all that our church did.
One of the final items on the list is for the pastor to get alongside local abortionists and abortion-silent pastors in order to convince them to change their ways. Andrew's only mentioned abortion a couple of times that I can think of. And those mentions were only in passing.
Not sure what the point of this post is. But church isn't a lobby group.
Reading an email from a pro-life group about what our church should be doing to stop abortion. It is lengthy. If our church did 20% of them, it would be all that our church did.
One of the final items on the list is for the pastor to get alongside local abortionists and abortion-silent pastors in order to convince them to change their ways. Andrew's only mentioned abortion a couple of times that I can think of. And those mentions were only in passing.
Not sure what the point of this post is. But church isn't a lobby group.
Monday, January 30, 2012
How long does it take to get sick of a good song?
Nine listens. If they all take place in the same 2 hour period.
I had forgotten.
Even if it's a good song and teaches the exact chord/rhythm/whatever that needs to be taught, you still shouldn't do it with every class.
I had forgotten.
Even if it's a good song and teaches the exact chord/rhythm/whatever that needs to be taught, you still shouldn't do it with every class.
Finally.
Normal work day.
I have a timetable.
I get to see kids all day - not just when I can beg their teachers to let me have them.
Yr 6 is learning the joy that is Dm chord. And we're playing Coldplay Princess of China.
I have a timetable.
I get to see kids all day - not just when I can beg their teachers to let me have them.
Yr 6 is learning the joy that is Dm chord. And we're playing Coldplay Princess of China.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
The Ghost Ship
I'm running a choir for year 2 and 3 kids this year. Looking forward to it. I'm starting with this set of songs.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Find Life - John's gospel for kids
I've been working on this for ages.
I'm reasonably happy with it - still a few typos to fix, but this is basically it.
It also comes in a younger kids and little kids version and with drafted scripts etc. But I can't be bothered uploading them right now.
I'm reasonably happy with it - still a few typos to fix, but this is basically it.
It also comes in a younger kids and little kids version and with drafted scripts etc. But I can't be bothered uploading them right now.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Aussie flag flyers more racist: survey
Aussie flag flyers more racist: survey
Updated
People who fly Australian flags on their cars have more racist views than the rest of the population, a new study has found.
Many flag flyers also support the now-defunct White Australia Policy and are afraid the Australian culture is under threat, researchers from the University of Western Australia say.
Researchers surveyed 513 revellers among the 300,000 gathered to watch the Australia Day fireworks in Perth last year.
One in five of those surveyed said they had attached Australian flags to their cars.
WA University anthropologist Farida Fozdar says those flying the flags expressed more racist opinions on a number of issues.
"People who had flags on their cars, 43 per cent of them believe the White Australia Policy had saved Australia from problems that other countries had experienced," she said.
"Fifty-six per cent of those with flags on their cars feared their culture and its most important values were in danger compared to 34 per cent of non-flag flyers."
Professor Fozdar says of the people surveyed who do fly flags, the common factor was fear.
"You can't actually ask outright a question about 'do you feel fearful?' I guess the question that I asked that was closest to that was the one about fearing the loss of one's cultures and most important values," she said.
"Certainly 56 per cent of people with car flags agreed with that statement, but there was definitely a feeling of, I guess, being under siege."
Monday, January 23, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
10 things I love about this stage of parenting (this stage = minimum effort, maximum reward)
1. They don't take much looking after.
2. They are all very touchy at the moment. Cuddling me and holding my hand when we're out are popular. I like it.
3. They have good taste in music, which makes driving long distance fun. We put 6 cds into player and then take it in turns to choose a song to listen to. Current faves are Cold Play (track 10 Mylo Xyloto), Greenday (Viva la Gloria), and Tim Freedman (You Weren't in Love With Me). When a nice metaphor comes along, we talk about it.
4. They love having me at school with them. I'll teach Nathan and Joel again this year, but not Micah. (He feels a bit left out but is happy that his classroom is closest to mine. How sweet!)
5. They are great to hang out with. Interesting conversationalists etc.
6. We talk quite a lot about the bad-dog-things that our pups gets up to at night after we go to bed. (We know that she goes out places at night because she sleeps most of the day.) She has a thing for casinos and she spends a lot of time at the pokies. We are disappointed that Andrew's Wilke's reforms won't be coming in. Arry's bad-dog habits are getting expensive.
7. Nathan (#1) and Micah (#3) are now sharing a room and finding joy in each other. They talk about sporting trivia, play Ticket To Ride, play backyard cricket, and listen to ABC radio. This delights me.
8. Joel now has his own room. It is his pride and joy. He keeps it perfect and stays on his bed reading for hours a day. Long time readers will rejoice with me in this!
9. I love it when Micah plays cello. I love that I can accompany him.
10. I'm paying Joel to me origami Ninja Stars to decorate my classroom. 20c per star. I love that he still sees this as a good deal. I need 30-50 stars...
2. They are all very touchy at the moment. Cuddling me and holding my hand when we're out are popular. I like it.
3. They have good taste in music, which makes driving long distance fun. We put 6 cds into player and then take it in turns to choose a song to listen to. Current faves are Cold Play (track 10 Mylo Xyloto), Greenday (Viva la Gloria), and Tim Freedman (You Weren't in Love With Me). When a nice metaphor comes along, we talk about it.
4. They love having me at school with them. I'll teach Nathan and Joel again this year, but not Micah. (He feels a bit left out but is happy that his classroom is closest to mine. How sweet!)
5. They are great to hang out with. Interesting conversationalists etc.
6. We talk quite a lot about the bad-dog-things that our pups gets up to at night after we go to bed. (We know that she goes out places at night because she sleeps most of the day.) She has a thing for casinos and she spends a lot of time at the pokies. We are disappointed that Andrew's Wilke's reforms won't be coming in. Arry's bad-dog habits are getting expensive.
7. Nathan (#1) and Micah (#3) are now sharing a room and finding joy in each other. They talk about sporting trivia, play Ticket To Ride, play backyard cricket, and listen to ABC radio. This delights me.
8. Joel now has his own room. It is his pride and joy. He keeps it perfect and stays on his bed reading for hours a day. Long time readers will rejoice with me in this!
9. I love it when Micah plays cello. I love that I can accompany him.
10. I'm paying Joel to me origami Ninja Stars to decorate my classroom. 20c per star. I love that he still sees this as a good deal. I need 30-50 stars...
The joys of renting.
My mum bought a steam cleaner and cleaned her 30 year old carpet. It looks amazing.
I borrowed my mum's steam cleaner and cleaned our <30 year old carpet. It looks like damp rental carpet.
I tried.
I borrowed my mum's steam cleaner and cleaned our <30 year old carpet. It looks like damp rental carpet.
I tried.
work work work work work
I've just finished 3 pupil free days at work.
At the beginning of the year you want the whole school to look just so. Classrooms fresh and bright, grounds clean, everything organised. Not so for us this year. Our main administration building - formally a feature of the school - is without a roof and many of it's walls. There are security fences up to keep the kids (and parents) out of the construction site. There are Q-build guys moving around shifting stuff. Our school hall has been turned into an admin area and staffroom with dividing boards and furniture that doesn't match. Teachers have done a good job in their classrooms but the carpet hasn't been cleaned (no one was allowed on site over the holidays because of the asbestos risk) and there is still a slightly smokey smell hanging around. We had no internet at all until yesterday (and it is still not school-wide (the server room was destroyed)), so everyone's been working off photocopies of photocopies. We start teaching from the national curriculum on Monday, but many are having trouble accessing the resources.
I'm more organised than I've ever been before, but I feel stressed. Just want the kids to arrive so we can get on with it.
At the beginning of the year you want the whole school to look just so. Classrooms fresh and bright, grounds clean, everything organised. Not so for us this year. Our main administration building - formally a feature of the school - is without a roof and many of it's walls. There are security fences up to keep the kids (and parents) out of the construction site. There are Q-build guys moving around shifting stuff. Our school hall has been turned into an admin area and staffroom with dividing boards and furniture that doesn't match. Teachers have done a good job in their classrooms but the carpet hasn't been cleaned (no one was allowed on site over the holidays because of the asbestos risk) and there is still a slightly smokey smell hanging around. We had no internet at all until yesterday (and it is still not school-wide (the server room was destroyed)), so everyone's been working off photocopies of photocopies. We start teaching from the national curriculum on Monday, but many are having trouble accessing the resources.
I'm more organised than I've ever been before, but I feel stressed. Just want the kids to arrive so we can get on with it.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
my current favourite song
Eternal youth is a landscape of a lie
the cracks of my skin can prove
as the years will testify
Viva La Gloria, Green Day.
Monday, January 16, 2012
how on earth...
... do I write a set of criteria by which I can select a small group of 10-12 year olds to write a musical with me? I need to be able to show parents that I've been FAIR in choosing some kids over others.
Here's what I'm after:
-Kids who want to do it
-Kids who are willing to work hard and commit to this project
-Kids with fresh ideas
-Kids who understand how metaphor works and who naturally think in metaphors
-Kids who know cliche for the smooth and silent killer that it is. (I'll explain, but not all will understand.)
-Kids who can analyse plots and characters and see connections both within a story and to wider themes in their own experience and that of others.
-Kids who can write - lyric writers and dialogue/narration writers needed.
-Kids who can write music. (Not all kids need to fit this one.)
So how do I phrase my selection criteria so that I get what I'm after?
HOW?
Okay parents, how do you think I should go about this? It's tough because kids will miss out - including mine - but what I'm trying to do here is give an opportunity to kids who think outside of the box and whose needs aren't being met by regular classroom activities.
Anthony - ideas? You live so far away from the box that you don't even know what it looks like. How would 11 year old you have responded to something like this?
Here's what I'm after:
-Kids who want to do it
-Kids who are willing to work hard and commit to this project
-Kids with fresh ideas
-Kids who understand how metaphor works and who naturally think in metaphors
-Kids who know cliche for the smooth and silent killer that it is. (I'll explain, but not all will understand.)
-Kids who can analyse plots and characters and see connections both within a story and to wider themes in their own experience and that of others.
-Kids who can write - lyric writers and dialogue/narration writers needed.
-Kids who can write music. (Not all kids need to fit this one.)
So how do I phrase my selection criteria so that I get what I'm after?
HOW?
Okay parents, how do you think I should go about this? It's tough because kids will miss out - including mine - but what I'm trying to do here is give an opportunity to kids who think outside of the box and whose needs aren't being met by regular classroom activities.
Anthony - ideas? You live so far away from the box that you don't even know what it looks like. How would 11 year old you have responded to something like this?
teaching plans
This year I hope to be teaching classroom music to year 4 (4 classes), year 6 (3 classes) and year 7 (2-3 classes). I'll also have some littlies. Year 4 is recorder (delight!) and year 6 and 7 are ukulele. I see each class for half an hour a week. The year 4s I may nab some extra time with.
Here are my plans.
Year 4 Recorder
I'm writing a graded recorder program called Recorder Ninja. Kids will move from Green Star level (easy) to Black Star level (really tricky). The trouble with differentiating kids on recorder is that it is easiest (least painful on the ears) if everyone is at least trying to play the same song. But that would be boring... So here's what I'm going to do.
The bulk of the class will be at the same level. I'll work with them for 2/3 of the lesson then send them away to do the written work for their level. During that time I'll work with the kids who are more advanced - perhaps seeing them briefly individually or in pairs to teach them the new notes etc. They practice at home, record their songs on mum's iPhone and email them to me. I email back with comments and tell them when they are ready for the next level. Similarly with their theory stuff.
The kids who get quite advanced will get a brief lunchtime lesson in composing using Sibelius (a computer program). They'll be given a composition task to work on during class time or whenever they want. Or if they prefer, they can move from descant to treble (alto) recorder and I'll group them and give them duets to play.
Year 6 and 7 Uke
Ukulele is not a difficult instrument to play. Bright kids who practice learn quite quickly and find it satisfying to choose their own songs and work out how to play them. This is all fine and many take what I've taught them in class and advance themselves at home. But what to do in class to push them further? While most of us are learning to play melodies (like Ode to Joy or something similar) I could put them onto the computers and get them to make up an upper or lower harmony part, learn to play it and put it with the class' melody. Sometimes I'll put them on the drum kit or piano to play along with the class while we're practicing our chord progressions.
But I want to do more than this.
Here's my grand plan.
I want to get a group of 6 or so kids in years 6-7 and get them to write a musical. From scratch.
What do you think?
Here are my plans.
Year 4 Recorder
I'm writing a graded recorder program called Recorder Ninja. Kids will move from Green Star level (easy) to Black Star level (really tricky). The trouble with differentiating kids on recorder is that it is easiest (least painful on the ears) if everyone is at least trying to play the same song. But that would be boring... So here's what I'm going to do.
The bulk of the class will be at the same level. I'll work with them for 2/3 of the lesson then send them away to do the written work for their level. During that time I'll work with the kids who are more advanced - perhaps seeing them briefly individually or in pairs to teach them the new notes etc. They practice at home, record their songs on mum's iPhone and email them to me. I email back with comments and tell them when they are ready for the next level. Similarly with their theory stuff.
The kids who get quite advanced will get a brief lunchtime lesson in composing using Sibelius (a computer program). They'll be given a composition task to work on during class time or whenever they want. Or if they prefer, they can move from descant to treble (alto) recorder and I'll group them and give them duets to play.
Year 6 and 7 Uke
Ukulele is not a difficult instrument to play. Bright kids who practice learn quite quickly and find it satisfying to choose their own songs and work out how to play them. This is all fine and many take what I've taught them in class and advance themselves at home. But what to do in class to push them further? While most of us are learning to play melodies (like Ode to Joy or something similar) I could put them onto the computers and get them to make up an upper or lower harmony part, learn to play it and put it with the class' melody. Sometimes I'll put them on the drum kit or piano to play along with the class while we're practicing our chord progressions.
But I want to do more than this.
Here's my grand plan.
I want to get a group of 6 or so kids in years 6-7 and get them to write a musical. From scratch.
What do you think?
Sunday, January 15, 2012
gifted education
I've spent the last few days reading up on gifted education. I've worked my way through 6 modules of the ed qld pd course at specialisation level so I figure I now know more than most teachers. But I still know precious little.
Here are some thoughts.
- the main issue here is equity. Each child deserves to be taught at a level appropriate to them. Parents spit at the thought of other people's kids getting special treatment because they are bright, but we all need to get over that way of thinking. The aim is that each child works at a level that is challenging (but achievable) for them. This will mean a differentiated curriculum.
- An undifferentiated curriculum will mean significantly worse outcomes for gifted children socially, emotionally and academically.
- Grade advancement is being shown to have great outcomes for gifted kids.
- Many kids who are intellectually advanced are also emotionally and socially advanced - though they may not look it. They may appear to be loners but it is possible that they feel they have nothing in common with children their own age. Different things interest them and they may be looking for a poor-our-hearts-out-to-eachother friend while their peers are really just looking for someone to kick a ball to. It can be really satisfying for gifted kids to hang out with kids a few years older. This should be encouraged.
- Gifted kids who aren't adequately catered for in the school system have a much greater chance of depression etc later on. And gifted teenagers are already likely candidates for depression.
- Perfectionism is a blessing and a curse. Need I say more?
- Identifying gifted kids can be tricky. Some models say kids with IQs in the top 15% are gifted (but then introduce categories of gifted within this - mildly gifted, gifted, ? gifted, profoundly gifted...), others limit it to the top 3%. I'd be happy to run with either model if kids arrived at school with IQ scores... The trouble is that gifted kids often go under the radar. Some perfectionist types decide early on that's it's safer to go undercover and bludge their way through school. Other kids' abilities are masked by disabilities (these kids are called 'twice exceptional' and basically, no one knows what to do with them!), or by anxieties.
- Most teachers (according to studies) are profoundly uncomfortable with giftedness. They would prefer to teach students more like themselves, who think in a straightforward way, who won't challenge them. Gifted children sense this and learn very early on not to share the fact that the theme in x children's book was developed much more interestingly in Boethius' Consolations of Philosophy.
- If my classroom is to be a place where gifted kids can work and thrive, I need to make changes. In another post I'll outline my plans.
Here are some thoughts.
- the main issue here is equity. Each child deserves to be taught at a level appropriate to them. Parents spit at the thought of other people's kids getting special treatment because they are bright, but we all need to get over that way of thinking. The aim is that each child works at a level that is challenging (but achievable) for them. This will mean a differentiated curriculum.
- An undifferentiated curriculum will mean significantly worse outcomes for gifted children socially, emotionally and academically.
- Grade advancement is being shown to have great outcomes for gifted kids.
- Many kids who are intellectually advanced are also emotionally and socially advanced - though they may not look it. They may appear to be loners but it is possible that they feel they have nothing in common with children their own age. Different things interest them and they may be looking for a poor-our-hearts-out-to-eachother friend while their peers are really just looking for someone to kick a ball to. It can be really satisfying for gifted kids to hang out with kids a few years older. This should be encouraged.
- Gifted kids who aren't adequately catered for in the school system have a much greater chance of depression etc later on. And gifted teenagers are already likely candidates for depression.
- Perfectionism is a blessing and a curse. Need I say more?
- Identifying gifted kids can be tricky. Some models say kids with IQs in the top 15% are gifted (but then introduce categories of gifted within this - mildly gifted, gifted, ? gifted, profoundly gifted...), others limit it to the top 3%. I'd be happy to run with either model if kids arrived at school with IQ scores... The trouble is that gifted kids often go under the radar. Some perfectionist types decide early on that's it's safer to go undercover and bludge their way through school. Other kids' abilities are masked by disabilities (these kids are called 'twice exceptional' and basically, no one knows what to do with them!), or by anxieties.
- Most teachers (according to studies) are profoundly uncomfortable with giftedness. They would prefer to teach students more like themselves, who think in a straightforward way, who won't challenge them. Gifted children sense this and learn very early on not to share the fact that the theme in x children's book was developed much more interestingly in Boethius' Consolations of Philosophy.
- If my classroom is to be a place where gifted kids can work and thrive, I need to make changes. In another post I'll outline my plans.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
To Do List on kids' iPod
1. Go to computer
2. Press power button
3. Click start
4. Go on minecraft
5. Poison creeper
6. Have fun
2. Press power button
3. Click start
4. Go on minecraft
5. Poison creeper
6. Have fun
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
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