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Canticles Divine 2: Twenty-One Psalms Set to Music
This volume contains the complete text of the following psalms, arranged in shaped notes for four-part harmony:
Psalm 1
Psalm 2
Psalm 3
Psalm 4
Psalm 5
Psalm 6
Psalm 23
Psalm 42
Psalm 43
Psalm 84
Psalm 85
Psalm 87
Psalm 93
Psalm 100
Psalm 101
Psalm 110
Psalm 113
Psalm 117
Psalm 121 (two versions)
Psalm 125
Psalm 128
Dealing with Dysfunctional Homes: What Teachers Can Do, What Boards Can Do
You heard about the teacher that sent a note home with the Rufous, and it just simply said, "Rufous stinks. Please give him a bath."
And the parents sent a note home, not home, sent a note back to school that said, "Rufous ain't no rose. Don't smell him. Learn him."
I personally feel that teachers�that's one category. School board is another category, and church leadership is yet another.
I think as a general operating principle that teachers ought to have in relating to dysfunctional homes is, when they discuss with the parents, they need to talk about the what and not the why about the situation. The what not to why.
Let me illustrate. We had something more on a slightly annoying side of things that was occurring in a school where I taught. The children came from a home. They were they weren't really being raised. They were just kind of growing up. (It was. I mean. They were they member families. I mean, very, very admirable in many ways, but their parenting skills were perhaps a little lower than average. I don't know how to describe this. I'm just trying to say it kindly and honestly. The children maybe were a bit neglected, but yet there were many things that we can learn from them, if you understand what I'm saying.) The children came to school with their barn boots. The same boots that they milk the cows with were coming to school, and they line them up with the rest of the children. And it was a problem.
It was it was slightly annoying, the first and second and third time that happened. But when wintertime came, then this stuff would be frozen on their boots, and it would make long rivulets across the hallway. OK. And this was this was making a problem in school.
Now, let's go back to what it was demonstrating. As a teacher, the teacher should... I think at that point there should have been some communication with the him, right? Because it was actually affecting the way the other students were looking at those children. Those kinds of things obviously will.
For the teacher to go in to that conversation on a why premise, it's going to sound a little bit like this, "You guys really need to buy two pairs of boots for your children. You're just too... You're not thinking. Come on! Wake up!� That that would be more of a why premise. Or that's, of course, very direct and very, very much in response to what's on the floor. But it was true that the children were being neglected. It was true that their hygiene had issues and so on.
It would be much better to say, "I just thought you might want to know what is happening at school. In the morning, the children's boots are going out. It's making a problem in the hallway. That's what's happening."
And what I have found as a teacher very often the parents, at that point switch into a why. If you're invited into a why type of conversation, that is completely different than using that as your point of entry.
I really think that somewhere we need to determine, is this making a problem at school? Is it truly making a problem at school? If it's truly making a problem at school, than address it.
And now I'm coming around to this question, when does the minister get involved? (Wherever that was raised.) If it's a school problem, then let's not overinflate the situation by getting the minister involved too soon. I would hope that the our boards are proactive enough that many of these things can be handled on a school level. I think there are those times when we need to realize that even Jesus Christ can't help everyone if they don't want help, if they don't respond to his... I mean, he was the one that always gets it right so far as compassion and care and extending help, but a lot of people reject his offers as well. Yes.
[Audience Question]That's one thing that is a guiding principle for me, specifically thinking about this instance, that we're not a public school. We don't take everybody. And there's instances where we have to be honest, the school is not a place. We have 15 other families that need our attention. The school is not the place to help this child. Let's go to the community and find somebody that's willing to give brownies every day. We're not that place.
[Jonathan Erb]I know of a community that has multiple Mennonite communities in the same geographical area where there was a needy family that wanted to enroll their children to school. And the one school said, "We're not equipped."
Me, looking on, I would have thought they had more resources, but I didn't know the whole story, obviously. They just said, "we're not equipped, we can't take you on right now." But they actually recommended another school that I would have said, looking on, was looking on was less equipped. That less equipped school�you know, my own incorrect judgment�took them in and did most of that family and is having a reasonable measure of success.
We can't help them all, right? We need to give a good, honest assessment when, you know, we're that enrollment question, "are we really equipped to deal with this?"
And I would�right along with that�I would strongly urge the board to stay in touch with their teachers. They are, after all, the ones that are engaging these students on our hourly basis. And it can be energy-draining work.
When Jesus dealt with people that were needy, Jesus himself said that, "Who touched me? Virtue went out." This is a virtue, whatever, you know what I mean. Virtue flows out of your teachers, and you need to stay there as a support role for sure.
Another thing that I think, along with this, as far as what boards can do, is be sure that you have a communication chain. Have it clearly understood who the teachers should be talking to. And, you know, when some of these things get get messy, maybe the teacher, you know, should be following a different channel of communication than what we would normally. Maybe there needs to be one contact person in the board and that kind of thing.
By all means, support your teachers or your teacher may burn out unnecessarily.
Gratefulness
Psalms 100 is our current Bible memory selection. It has left me pondering about making a joyful noise. How do we make a joyful noise unto the Lord? Some of my first graders have interpreted it to mean that they should raise the volume of their voices tenfold when reciting those words. They pour their heart into the words and it does create a joyful noise. But doesn�t making a joyful noise also mean proclaiming the Lord�s goodness, mercy that is everlasting, and the truth that endures forever?
During this season of the year gratefulness becomes a focus for many. While we should live gratefully all year it is not wrong to take time to intentionally reflect on God�s goodness. With that thought in mind I offer a few areas of gratitude in relation to our school year.
- I am grateful we can go to school in person. I am grateful for parents who support the school�s COVID requirements with little negative comment. I am grateful that we have gotten this far into the year with no COVID outbreaks or major disruptions.
- I am grateful for a school board and administration who have spent much time creating a workable plan and seeing it put into place, especially when they would prefer stepping back from the spotlight and staying away from controversy.
- I am grateful that my first graders are mostly innocent of the swirling controversies in the surrounding world. Elections, mask pros and cons, or coronavirus arguments seldom enter our classroom. They are more concerned about the hawk that killed their pet chicken, the beloved puppy that ran in front of their brother�s truck, the calves they feed every morning, and hunting in the farm fields with Daddy.
- I am grateful for the privilege of teaching in a Christian school where parents do want the best for their children, even though we may not all agree on what the best consists of. I am grateful we can work together with respect for each other.
- I am grateful for the connections with the broader community that school brings. Especially in this time of limited contact with others, the school connection is much more important.
- I am grateful for the good relationships among the staff. We have differing circumstances, personalities, and even come from different generations; but we can enjoy spending time with each other. School is our common ground but I am grateful that by learning to know each other beyond school we can appreciate one another for who we are and not just what we bring to the school.
- I am grateful for good relationships with the parents. And I am grateful for parents who step in when there is a problem, who realize their child is struggling in an area and are willing to work to help correct the problem whether it is academic or a personal relationship.
- I am grateful for the days when all goes according to plan, but I am also grateful for the days that are hard, the days that leave me wondering what the best steps are to take, the days when there are little girl conflicts to mediate or boisterous boys to calm down. These days remind me that I�m not the self-sufficient one with all the answers but I have a God who gives wisdom liberally if He is asked.
- Most of all, I am grateful that we have a God who holds all things in His hand. He knows the future but only gives it to us one day at a time. I am grateful that I have only the ability to look backwards and not the ability to see into the future. ��sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.� Matt. 6:34b
Example Stock Chart Project
This Excel workbook contains a chart based on real-world market data tracking the performance of students' stocks. Use the format to create your own dataset and charts as students experiment with the stock market.
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Real-World Loan Cost Project
This worksheet provides a template for students to use in calling banks to obtain real-world interest rates and loan costs. Note: Replace bank information with banks local to your area.
Download the project or preview it below