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Planning Effective Field Trips
Field trips are fun for students, but are they always effective? Conrad Smucker guides a discussion on:
- Purpose
- Destinations
- Planning Tips
- How to Make It Effective
- Pitfalls to Avoid
"Planning Effective Field Trips" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Math--Percentages
Aaron Derstine directs an interactive class in which he presents:
- The 3-Box Trick
- Step-by-Step Process
- 7 Live Story Problems solved together
- Visuals & Memory Aids
- Teaching Tips
- Surprise Ending Last 8 min pivot: “Your classroom is your mission field.” Quick stories on respect, love, and showing Jesus.
"Math--Percentages" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Reducing Absences, Distractions, & Late Work
Jonathan Erb focuses on reducing absences, arguing teachers can’t control them directly but can soften their impact and curb them.
Austin Smucker addresses reducing distractions in three main points:
Own your quirks
Expect the unexpected
Keep your students busy
Kyle Lehman uses Tom Sawyer whitewashing the fence as a 6-point recipe to prevent late work, and follows that up with a couple tips for curing late work when it does slip in.
"Reducing Absences, Distractions, & Late Work " was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Purpose in Pain
Laura Smucker explores God’s redemptive work in suffering. Drawing from Hagar’s story and her own losses, she shows how pain can drive us to God’s presence, build compassion, and yield hope. She shares some small steps we can take to allow God to bring healing to the pain and closes with a time of group sharing and a call to walk with hurting students and each other.
"Purpose in Pain" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Teamwork: Building or Undermining--Part 1
Jay Martin uses a poem about two stubborn donkeys to help us look in the mirror to spot the hidden fires—pride, gossip, ego, and petty gripes—that quietly burn under our schools and churches, wasting Kingdom energy at opposite ends of the same rope. He endeavors to help us learn how to stop pulling against each other and ‘start eating hay together’.
Listen to Part 2."Teamwork: Building or Undermining--Part 1" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Teacher to Parent Relationships
Bryan Overholt speaks on teachers and parents learning to build joyful partnerships through Christ-centered communication. Using the cross as the lens, he urges everyone to sandwich negatives between positives, speak with humility, openness, and invitation, listen fully, and never scold or ambush. Parents are the “customers” yet teachers own the solutions; both sides trust, affirm, and stay distraction-free so every problem bubbles into resurrection-level rejoicing for the child.
"Teacher to Parent Relationships" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
You may also enjoy the rest of this series:
Teacher to Teacher Relationships
Great teaching flows out of great teacher-to-teacher relationships. In this session, Bryan Overholt focuses on:
- Turn Out, Not In
- Christ is the Hub
- Practical Verbs Teachers Live By
- Unselfishness is the Engine
to help build a staff culture where every teacher feels known, trusted, sharpened, and sent out to serve together.
"Teacher to Teacher Relationships" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
You may also enjoy the rest of this series:
Teacher to School Board Relationships
Bryan Overholt uses humor, Bible verses, a seesaw diagram, sports-team analogies, and personal stories to teach teachers how to:
- Replace fear with fearless, humble communication
- Value board members as teammates, not bosses
- Speak up boldly yet respectfully
- Welcome scrutiny and grow from it
"Teacher to School Board Relationships" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
You may also enjoy the rest of this series:
Song-leading
Joel Schrock touches briefly on the rudiments of music, followed by thoughts on the attitudes with which we sing and lead and some tips for how to lead well. He then walks the class through:
- Beating 2-, 3-, 4-, and compound patterns
- Pitch tricks
- Teaching method
"Song-leading" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Teamwork: Building or Undermining--Part 2
Jay Martin contrasts undermining teamwork with building it through selflessness. His main points are:
- Dying to self
- The allegory “The Seven Kingdoms and the Hidden Spring”
- Four practical principles for teachers, parents, and church teams
"Teamwork: Building or Undermining--Part 2" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
That I May Discern
Solomon’s humble prayer for wisdom to judge “this thy so great a people” becomes a lens for seeing the astonishing greatness of God’s kingdom today. Jay Martin highlights four facets of this greatness:
- The King’s jealous honor
- The kingdom’s unique power
- Its supernatural vision
- Its vast scope
Far from inflating egos, this portrait is meant to steady discouraged workers in small classrooms, drab kitchens, or tiny churches. Because we belong to so great a people, every corner becomes a watchtower, every ordinary task a preparation for the final triumph before the throne.
You may also enjoy the rest of this series:
"That I May Discern" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Walls that Speak
Kyle Lehman explores how teachers in Christian education can intentionally use classroom walls and decor to reinforce spiritual and educational goals. Drawing from Deuteronomy 11 and Habakkuk 2:2, he emphasizes being purposeful yet not obsessive with decorations, ensuring walls reflect the teacher's mission, promote virtues like honesty and gratitude, display subject aids, stretch students' worldview, and create an orderly, inspiring environment that supports learning without overwhelming distractions.
"Walls that Speak" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Why Children Learn Differently
Peter Whitt, a dyslexic electrician-turned-teacher shares his journey and passion: helping educators understand why 1-in-5 children truly “learn differently.” With humor, scripture, and brain science, he reframes struggle as God-given variety, not defect.
"Why Children Learn Differently" was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers' Institute 2017.
Amazing Animals and Ancient Structures (Five Minute Talks)
Ryan Schrock, Jerry Troyer, Derek Smucker, Dorvan Ropp, Austin Smucker, and Jonah Avina give fascinating facts about the:
- Komodo Dragon
- Giraffe
- Giant Panda
- Moai Statues
- Great Pyramid
The session closes with a game in which the speaker gives hints and interesting facts about various ancient structures and the audience guesses the structure.
“Amazing Animals and Ancient Structures (Five Minute Talks)” was presented at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute in August of 2018 at Lighthouse Mennonite School in Halsey, Oregon.
Biblical Principles of Education
Uve Steinmann outlines key principles for Christian education, emphasizing a foundation rooted in biblical values. The main points are:
- Responsibilities: To God, parents, and students
- Core Concepts: Fear of the Lord, God’s Word, and humility
- Teaching Principles: Stories/Illustrations, practicality, and repetition
You may enjoy the other talks from this series:
- Biblical Principles of Education
- Biblical Principles Guiding Priorities
- Biblical Principles of Service
- Biblical Principles Guiding Relationships
“Biblical Principles of Education” was presented by Uve Steinmann at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute in August of 2018 at Lighthouse Mennonite School in Halsey, Oregon.
Biblical Principles Guiding Priorities
Uve Steinmann discusses biblical principles for setting priorities, focusing on three key areas for Christian educators:
- Spiritual Safety: Prioritize the spiritual well-being of students by teaching godly principles.
- Student Well-Being: Teach with diligence, understand students’ needs, and provide encouragement to foster learning and reduce classroom issues.
- Personal Well-Being: Maintain personal health through rest and engage in diverse activities to avoid burnout, while pursuing ongoing learning to model lifelong learning.
The overarching message is to seek God's kingdom first, define clear goals, and align priorities to ensure spiritual and educational success.
You may enjoy the other talks from this series:
- Biblical Principles of Education
- Biblical Principles Guiding Priorities
- Biblical Principles of Service
- Biblical Principles Guiding Relationships
“Biblical Principles Guiding Priorities” was presented by Uve Steinmann at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute in August of 2018 at Lighthouse Mennonite School in Halsey, Oregon.
Board--The Teacher Merry-Go-Round
What can we do about this teacher turn-over? What can a community do to help the long-term teacher stay a long-term teacher? Come to discuss this thing of finding, replacing, and keeping teachers.
“Board--The Teacher Merry-Go-Round” was presented by Jonathan Kropf at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute in August of 2018 at Lighthouse Mennonite School in Halsey, Oregon.
Board--The Curriculum Buffet
We live in an age of opportunity. One of the opportunities is curriculum. Are there some guiding principles that we should be thinking about in regard to how our schools/churches make curriculum choices?
“Board--The Curriculum Buffet” was presented by Wes Weaver at Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute in August of 2018 at Lighthouse Mennonite School in Halsey, Oregon.