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Board--Stewards of the Past
Jonathan Kropf traces the biblical and historical roots of Christian education from Anabaptist origins through Reformation influences and early America, warning against losing vision to state-controlled secular systems. He urges reclaiming church responsibility for schooling, defining clear goals, and safeguarding the heritage for future generations.
"Board--Stewards of the Past" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Pitfalls
Jonathan Erb discusses four common pitfalls that derail new (and veteran) teachers:
- Faulty Self-Concept
- Ignorance of Technique
- Poor Planning
- Ineffective Discipline
He keeps it interactive, with real examples and student-teacher dialogue.
“Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Pitfalls” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Preparation
Jonathan Erb emphasizes preparation as the key to effective teaching, structured around three core areas:
- Heart Preparation
- Expectations & Knowledge
- Practical Prep
“Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Preparation” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Prelude
Verlin Miller welcomes attendees and facilitates introductions from ~30 participants.
Jonathan Erb outlines the “Foundational Concepts” track to ease novices through fantasy, survival, mastery, and impact stages.
Jonah Avina inspires teachers to embrace teaching as a rewarding privilege to imitate Christ.
“Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Prelude” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Perfection
Verlin Miller urges first-year teachers to prioritize personal holiness and character over procedures or curriculum, using Matthew 5:48 as the core text. He covers:
- Teacher-student relations
- Co-teacher dynamics
- Occupation pitfalls
- Relationship with God
He closes the topic with Q&A on whether a teacher can be a student’s “friend”.
“Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Perfection” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Presentation
Jonah Avina uses a fishing analogy to outline three steps for effective teaching:
- Bait (Introduction): Grab attention with appealing, relatable methods.
- Bite (Explanation): Keep attention by clearly explaining concepts tied to known facts.
- Catch (Application): Guide students to apply knowledge through practice, repetition, and real-life relevance.
“Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Presentation” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Procedures
Verlin Miller arms new and veteran teachers with one actionable tool they can use on the very first day of school: a clear, positive system of classroom procedures. He shows how simple habits—greeting, paper headings, finger signals, lunch-line order—become the “oil” that turns a chaotic room into a peaceful, studious one.
“Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Procedures” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Presources
Jonah Avina emphasizes that teachers already possess abundant "pre-existing resources" to succeed in the classroom and urges them to keep and use these rather than feel unprepared. Through personal stories, humor, and practical examples, he reassures novices they're not starting from scratch.
"Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Presources” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Problems and Possibilities
Verlin Miller emphasizes that the possibilities in a multigrade classroom far outweigh the problems. He discusses:
- Smart Scheduling
- Independent Learning
- Using Helpers
- Clear Procedures
"Foundational Concepts for Teaching: Problems and Possibilities” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Give Me an Understanding Heart
Drawing from Solomon’s plea in 1 Kings 3:9, Jay Martin unpacks one Hebrew word for “understanding” as the art of hearing intelligently and responding wisely. Aimed at parents, teachers, and leaders, it offers practical steps to slow down, truly listen, and turn every conversation into loving action.
You may also enjoy the rest of this series:
"Give Me an Understanding Heart" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
I Am But a Child
Jay Martin unpacks Solomon’s “I am but a little child” (1 Kings 3:7) to show why diversity, questions, scrutiny, and time pressures keep every educator small before God. Instead of despair, he urges child-like prayer, patient decisions, glad accountability, and joyful lifelong learning—closing with his poem “Childing Up,” a celebration of teachers who stay eager to grow in God’s vast world.
You may also enjoy the rest of this series:
"I Am But a Child" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Foundational Concepts for Teaching: The Seven Laws of Teaching
Jonathan Erb gives some praise and background for the book The Seven Laws of Teaching and a little history of its author. Seven different teachers then give brief overviews of the 7 laws:
- The Law of the Teacher
- The Law of the Learner
- The Law of the Language
- The Law of the Lesson
- The Law of the Teaching Process
- The Law of the Learning Process
- The Law of Review
"Foundational Concepts for Teaching: The Seven Laws of Teaching" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
More recordings in the “Foundational Concepts for Teaching” series:
Maintaining Your Classroom
Dan Sullivan likens the school year to a 30-ft cliff jump: prep is everything, mid-air is short, landing depends on what you set up before Day 1. His main points are:
- Stay Salty
- Build the Culture, Not Just Rules
- Pattern Early & Often
- Surf the Learning Wave
"Maintaining Your Classroom" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Inspiring to Write
Kyle Lehman’s talk, “Inspiring to Write,” roots writing in the ultimate Story: God’s Word made flesh. He shows teachers how to light a fire under students by incarnating truth in stories—using vivid senses, snowballing choices, and real-time classroom writing—so they don’t just learn to write, they live truth on the page.
"Inspiring to Write" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Maintaining Effective Discipline
Dan Sullivan insists that no teacher can wield godly authority until he first forgives every authority who ever wounded him and submits afresh to Christ. Only then, he says, can we carry both “grace and truth” into the room—clear rules, swift consequences, warm encouragement, and at least three “guy-wires” of influence (punishment, incentives, and relentless parent partnership) to steady every young life until they learn to stand, and finally to walk, in self-disciplined obedience.
"Maintaining Effective Discipline" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Music for Little Ones
Regina Troyer addresses:
- Why we sing
- Curriculum
She then switches to demonstration mode and ‘teaches a music class’ to some of her students from the previous year. She follows up with some more activity suggestions and other tips and closes with a time for Q&A.
"Music for Little Ones" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Organization in Teaching
Maryanne Schrock discusses bringing order to the classroom without losing heart for students. Some points she covers are:
- Personality
- 5 basic student disciplines
- Decluttering
- Training students in self-discipline while loving them
"Organization in Teaching" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.