You don’t just teach.

You inspire.

You explain the economics of supply and demand to the fascinated face of a boy who grows up to start a business that flourishes and brings life to his community.

You teach the songs and explain the music theory that ignites the spark of a young composer who goes on to write music that touches hearts and draws many to worship.

You assign the creative writing assignments that cultivate the imagination of a girl who will raise a band of children who live in wonder with their eyes wide open to the sparkle and awe of this beautiful world.

You teach the intricacies of trigonometry to the young mind that will continue to think in angles and lines, engineering buildings that stand like monuments of stability and strength.

You read a missionary story and a seed is planted in a heart, a seed that grows into a passion that sends that child-now-grown-up to share God’s love in the wilds of the jungle, in the village of mud huts, in the heights of a city skyscraper, or in the streets of suburban America.

No, you don’t just teach. You inspire.

And you shape.

You assign the boring math fact worksheets that sharpen their minds and develop their perseverance.

You settle the squabbles and elicit the apologies that grow their empathy and humble their pride.

You coax them through the complex calculus equations that teach them grit and higher-level thinking.

You teach them how to listen when a classmate is talking and pay attention even when they think they already know what they’re doing, because for the rest of their lives they will be involved in communities of people who deserve to be listened to and respected.

You squash the unsportsmanlike comments and teach them that everyone deserves to be involved in an activity, regardless of natural skill.

You introduce them to the literature stories that will slowly change the way they see the world, the people around them, and their very own hearts.

No, you don’t just teach. You shape.

And you prepare.

You don’t just teach spelling and grammar, math and science, history and social studies, music and art. You don’t just grade papers and plan lessons. You don’t just decorate bulletin boards and make PowerPoints.

You are passing on the knowledge and skills that will grow the next generation of doctors and nurses, carpenters and plumbers, pastors and writers, accountants and entrepreneurs.

You are equipping mothers and fathers and singles, aunts and uncles and friends, brothers and sisters in Christ.

You are teaching the future of the church.

You don’t just teach. Oh, no.

You inspire. You shape. You prepare.

And by the grace of God, the world will look different tomorrow because of your efforts today.

While some teachers feel that it should not be part of our jobs to keep our students’ attention, it certainly is annoying to be teaching and to have students disengaged.  I loved school and usually didn’t find it too hard to pay attention, with one exception. I clearly remember an afternoon biology class with a kind and well-meaning but extremely boring teacher.  He had a soft, calming, monotone voice and droned on and on without doing much of anything different or interesting.  Other than an earthworm dissection and the time I fell asleep and literally woke up with drool running down my chin, I don’t remember much of anything exciting about that class. Somehow, I do remember much of what I learned,  but it took a lot of effort on my part. It was honestly one of the most boring classes I can ever remember.

It’s not that difficult to keep our students’ attention if we apply a few techniques.  It is part of our responsibility to try to keep our students interested and not to be boring ourselves.  Here are a few suggestions of ways to keep your students engaged in whatever it is that you are teaching:

1. Vary your volume. Have a regular speaking/teaching voice that you alternate with your soft voice (for emphasis) and your loud voice (for attention).

2. Be interesting and animated. Use your eyes and hands, make faces, and laugh. Obviously, our personalities are different, but this is something that we could all do more of.

3. Use humor. Everyone likes to laugh. Laugh at yourself if you make a mistake or trip over something. Tell a funny story that relates to what you’re teaching.

4. Use your whiteboard! A teacher’s voice becomes at least twice as interesting when he or she is writing on the board at the same time, illustrating the point.

5. Drawing pictures is even better. Use different colors. If your own art isn’t great (mine certainly isn’t), draw anyway. The not-so-great illustrations are usually funny, which will help you with point number three.

6. Put your most sleepy, unengaged student in the front row right in the center. Emphasize your points by pounding your fist on that student’s desk if they start to nod off to sleep.

7. The class period right after lunch can be the most challenging. If your students begin to tune out, have them stand up, touch their toes, shake their arms and legs, walk around their chairs, and/or touch a wall before returning to their seats.

8. Variety does wonders for student morale as well. Move their desks around often, rearrange your room to face a different direction, or change your decor.

9. Involve them as much as you can in your lessons. Have them read aloud, answer questions, work math problems on the board, or do hand motions for some science or math concept.

10. Model paying attention yourself. If you have a guest speaker or if a student is giving a speech, sit up straight, smile, nod your head, ask questions, etc.

Point this out to your students ahead of time so they will notice and pay attention to your good example.

It’s part of our responsibility to ensure that our students are engaged in learning; do what you can to aid them in the process.

See Christian Light's Teacher Training brochure here.

Looking for an opportunity to make a difference?

Pioneer Christian Academy in Brownsville, Oregon is a community Christian school in the Willamette Valley. We have a mission to "help students from all walks of life achieve Godliness, success, and a love of learning". www.pioneerchristian.org

We have two opportunities avaliable!

1. Middle school science and math teacher.

2. We are also looking for a someone intersted in volunteering as an elementary aide. (housing is provided)

You can reach out to Chad Schrock

chad@pioneerchristian.org

(417) 893-8756

Tidings of Peace Christian School in York, PA is hiring for the following positions. Please contact Tyler Burkholder at tburkholder@tidingsofpeace.org for more details.

• Elementary Aide: Assist all of elementary as needed with daily routines/tasks. Teach 2-3 classes across grades 1-6. Monitor recess times for grades K-6.

• Elementary Homeroom Teacher: Take primary responsibility for the overall wellbeing of the students in the grade or grades assigned to you. Teach classes to the grade or grades assigned to you and possibly rotate with other elementary teachers as needed to allow for teachers to teach the subjects they are strongest in. Participate in monitoring recess times as scheduled.

• Assistant Cook: Assist the head cook in managing the kitchen, preparing the meals, and lunch cleanup. Must complete ServSafe Certification. Whoever fills this position will likely have the opportunity to teach some as well.

• High School Subject Teacher: Teach five or six classes to grades 7-12. Assist the secondary department in breaks and other activities. Musical talent/skill would be a huge bonus!

• Maintenance/Director of Internship: Work part time in maintaining the school building and the three houses owned by the school. Work with a committee and the administrator to expand a new internship program that was just started this year. Will likely be involved in some teaching as well.

Each August, Arthur Christian School in Arthur, Ontario hosts an event to promote the development of teachers.

Teachers Week Ontario is packed with main sessions, workshops, and breakouts for new and experienced teachers. Evening activities enable attendees to share ideas with each other or enjoy reprieve from the content of the day.

18th Annual Western Fellowship Teachers’ Institute—Halsey, Oregon

Providing an organized way to edify, encourage, and equip Christian school teachers and school board members to give spiritual nourishment, provide academic excellence, and exercise proper administration in educating our children.

In January of 2025, we were gliding into the second half of the year with strong momentum. Our daughters were doing well, getting good grades, and learning a lot. However, toward the end of January, our lives came to a screeching halt when my dad passed away suddenly from complications related to his cancer. This was not a new diagnosis but a sudden change in his condition that caught us off guard.

Suddenly my daughters, who were 9 and 8 at the time, were faced with some of the most difficult questions in life as they watched their last living grandpap lie unresponsive at his home, his body slowly dying. This was followed by the never-ending question of why we would put their grandpap in the ground and cover him with dirt. These ten days were fraught with sadness, grief, and many questions; but the grief did not suddenly disappear when our children entered back into school. They carried grief back to their classrooms and to their teachers and co-students. Thankfully, our teachers were very in tune with the situation and were able to assist our children with their grief.

What will you do when a circumstance outside of the classroom—such as grief, broken homes, or church problems—comes to visit? We will explore some things that were a blessing to us as we navigated this journey with our children’s teachers. Our children did not have any major problems during this time. We attribute much of this to their teachers’ engagement. This is not an exclusive list of ways to interact with grief or pain, but merely some suggestions to assist you in thinking about what this might look like.

One of the first things that the teachers did so well was that they did not act awkward toward our children, but rather they embraced their grief and entered into it. They allowed our children to share with their classmates about their last 10 days. This brought a sense of Christian community to the classroom. The grandchildren sang “Wings of Faith” by Rose Biehn at the funeral of my dad. This became a favorite for our family, but especially with our little second grade songbird. She asked to teach this song to her classmates. Her teacher got the sheet music from us and learned the song with the class. Pretty soon, we learned that this song had entered into the spring program repertoire. It was very difficult to hear the school sing that song at the spring program, and yet so healing to see the other children in an innocent way lean into that grief. This was only possible because the teachers, months earlier, were willing to model this Christ-like spirit to the children.

Another wonderful blessing was that our teachers understood that a student’s expression of grief may look different than an adult’s expression of grief. We parents and our teachers were not interested in creating an environment that tolerated bad behavior. However, the teachers did well at giving space for mixed-up emotions. In children, these mixed-up emotions sometimes come out in ways that may not fit in the box of what we think of as typical responses to grief. There were times when some of our students needed a little space, a little grace, and a little bit of tough love. Each situation was different, but the one thing that our children experienced was a space in which they were allowed to safely experience grief as it came to them.

The third thing that happened, which was an irrefutable benefit to us, was teacher engagement with us as parents. We communicated almost daily with the teachers as new things arose and even as things stayed the same. They kept us in the loop about how our daughters were doing in school and how they were coping. A teacher has a lot of things to do, so spending time messaging a parent nearly daily, providing updates and their perspective, was life-giving to us grieving parents as well. This level of care helped us release our children back to school during the school day. After a death it can be easy to try to pull everything that is dear very close to you in fear that it too will disappear. So, when we saw that our teachers were willing to engage with us, we were able to relax and trust that our daughters would be well cared for even when not physically near us.

As a teacher, an administrator, or a school board member, we are faced with many situations in which we see specific behaviors. While the behaviors themselves must stop because they are not acceptable or do not fit the norms of our culture, we should also step back and find out if grief or pain has stopped by our school. Maybe it isn’t something as overt as death or some catastrophic event that triggers these trauma and grief responses. (In our situation, the teachers understood the cause of our children’s grief.) Sometimes the problems facing our children are buried deep within injured hearts that are crying out for help.

In dementia care, we often talk about how behavior is a means of communicating other needs. This is often true for children as well. As those working with students, our goal should be, first of all, to create a space for each individual to just “be”—where the child knows that in this space there is safety and comfort. In this space is God’s love abounding. Our grief and pain, when it comes in contact with God’s endless love, is not immediately dissipated. However, when provided with the safety to just “be,” much of the behavior has ways of coming out more constructively. We can then meet the actual need and not just fix a symptom.

Hampden Christian School in Baltimore, MD has the following openings.

• 2 yo head teacher

• aftercare teacher/floater

• elementary subject teacher

• Grades 5-6 homeroom teacher.

 Please visit our website and click "more details" for a complete description of each opportunity.

John Dewey, known for his influential education reforms in the early 1900s, once said, “We do not learn from experience . . . We learn from reflecting on experience.”

Dewey raises an important point.

We can miss prime opportunities to grow if we do not put in the hard work of reflection.

Intentional reflection causes us to slow down and notice things that we might have missed otherwise. It forces us to grapple with aspects of self-improvement that we might otherwise ignore. It allows us to learn from our successes and failures, increasing the chances that we will replicate the first and avoid the second.

The end of the school year provides a perfect opportunity for reflection, both for the teacher and the student. Students can learn so much by being guided to answer reflection questions, both in what they can learn from the answers themselves and also in the practice of self-assessment. Teachers can learn valuable insights from the responses of their students that can help them to continue to teach in ways that will connect with students.

There is no right or wrong way to do self-assessment, but the following questions may provide a starting point for you.

Questions for the Teacher

• What procedures and classroom rhythms worked this year?

• What procedures and classroom rhythms did not work this year? What changes might be necessary?

• What was my favorite subject to teach this year? Why?

• What subject could benefit from extra energy this summer/next year?

• What was a particular class that I can remember going really well in terms of student engagement? What may have contributed to that?

• What was a concept that my students struggled to master this year? Can I identify what made it difficult for them?

• What is a parent interaction that I feel I handled well?

• What is a parent interaction I wish that I would have handled differently? What can I learn from that experience?

• What were functional frustrations in the way my classroom ran on a daily basis? What systems could I put in place to make those aspects run more smoothly?

• What did I learn about student relationships?

• What did I learn about staff relationships?

• What were the strengths and weaknesses of this particular group of students, and how did that impact my experience this year?

• What did my students teach me about the heart of God?

• How was God’s grace sufficient for me in the difficult parts of this year?

• What was life-giving? What was life-draining?

• How did I do with time management? What changes should I make next year in this regard?

• What did I learn about myself as a teacher this year?

Questions for Younger Students

• What did I enjoy learning about?

• What was something that felt easy to me?

• What was something that felt hard to me?

• When was a time when I was a good friend to others?

• When was a time when I felt angry? What can I learn about myself?

• What was something I really enjoyed this year?

• What was something I did not enjoy this year?

• What was my favorite subject? Why?

• What was my least favorite subject? Why?

• When is a time that I tried really hard and did something that I didn’t think I could do?

• What would I tell someone younger than me who is just starting ___ grade?

Questions for Older Students

• What is an assignment or project that I completed this year that I feel proud of? What can I learn from that experience?

• What is something difficult that I pushed through?

• What is a work habit or study skill that I got better at this year?

• What is a work habit or study skill that I should focus on improving next year?

• What is something we learned about that made me excited?

• What was my favorite subject? What can that teach me about myself and who God created me to be?

• What are some things I learned about relationships this year?

• When was a time that something difficult happened and I handled it well?

• When was a time that something difficult happened and I handled it poorly? What can I learn from that experience?

• What advice would I give to someone younger than me about how to do well in ___ grade?

IMPAC Communicatin Conference is an event for preachers, professionals, and, most importantly, teachers who want to improve their public speaking skills and communications ability. We teach five simple, foundational principles of public speaking, then teach you how to apply those to your teaching and speaking. The event involves classes to help you learn the concepts, personal coaches who help you apply them specifically to the ways you do public speaking.

For more information or to sign up, you can visit our website.

https://impaccommunication.com/

• Canon Christian Academy seeks a 7th-8th homeroom teacher. Ability to teach HS Math a plus.

• Canon Christian Academy seeks a 5th-6th grade homeroom teacher.

• Canon Christian Academy seeks a 1st-2nd grade homeroom teacher.

 All classes are conventionally taught.

 Our school uses A Beka in K-6. 7th-HS uses A Beka for math. The 7th-8th grade teacher shares teaching responsibilities with the HS homeroom, so some HS teaching is possible depending on ability, interest, and experience.

 See the Middle school job description for more details or call Mr. Roth 214-354-5436.

There was once an apple tree who spent her days helping things grow.

It wasn’t always an easy endeavor, or a pleasant one. Some days, the sun beat down with relentless heat, and it didn’t feel like she was going to have what it took to keep the apples alive. Some days, the wind tore through her branches, and she hung on tight and did the best she could. Some days, she felt weak all the way down to her roots, and she sighed and reached inwards for her last dregs of depleted energy.

But other days, it was a delightful, rewarding task. These little apples, so small, so vulnerable, needed something, and she was able to give it to them. She remembered the first day the blossoms had opened their little pink faces, and how exciting it was to imagine the changes that would happen to them in the coming months. She thought about how they had grown larger and stronger, and how proud she felt of the progress they had all made. She thought about how they had slowly grown vibrant with colour, and how wonderful it was to know that they were maturing into what they could be.

She lived in an orchard, surrounded by other apple trees who were nurturing their own crops of apples. Except, she secretly worried to herself sometimes, they were probably doing it better than she was. Their apples looked bigger than hers, shinier than hers, and definitely healthier than hers. She knew she shouldn’t compare, but it was hard not to sometimes.

Plus, she would never know all there was to know about growing things. She would never be able to do it perfectly, no matter how much she learned and no matter what she did. There would always be dry stretches and the dreaded fungus and rot. Despite her best efforts (and oh, how she tried not to let these things happen) she didn’t always succeed. Sometimes, her best just wasn’t good enough. It made her feel very small.

But other times, the startling significance of what she did almost made her panic.

Her job was to help things grow. It was to provide them with what they needed to develop and thrive. It was rather important. It carried a lot of responsibility. She could fail in a hundred little ways every single day. And really, that terrified her.

It was the Farmer who helped her. He chose the number of things she would grow, and how many days they would spend with her.

And He knew best.

But sometimes, she forgot that. She took successes—and failures—very personally.

There were days when she forgot to thank the Farmer for his help. There were days when she marvelled at the growth she had caused. She felt satisfaction deep in her tree heart. She forgot that she had not done it on her own.

And then, there were days when she forgot to ask the Farmer for help. There were days when she didn’t think she had what it took to help things grow anymore. She felt that she had nothing left to give. She forgot that she did not have to do it on her own.

And then, there were days when she forgot to trust the Farmer’s help. There were days when she didn’t understand how he was helping her. She felt confused by the sting of the pesticides and hurt by the snap of the pruning shears. She forgot that she could not do it on her own.

And then, harvest time came.

She sighed until her leaves trembled. In many ways, she was grateful for harvest. Her branches were growing very heavy, and she was weary.

But on the other hand, it was hard to let things go.

It could be hard to believe that she had done what she could and leave the rest in the Farmer’s capable hands. As her apples were taken away, she couldn’t help but notice all their imperfections and secretly feel that she was to blame.

But in those moments, the Farmer knew. He placed His gentle hands on her weary trunk and whispered words of truth that seeped into her very core.

Your job was to do the best you could in the midst of the circumstances you were given. And even on days that were not easy, you kept helping these apples grow.

That is all I have asked of you. That is all I require of you.

Don’t take expectations upon yourself that don’t even exist.

I’m asking you to help these apples grow for a season and then let them go. Trust me to take care of them—and you.

You have done well, my faithful apple tree.

With proper instruction, pre-test procedures, a good pre-test spiel, and vigilance, teachers can prevent most of the cheating from ever happening. With prayer and grace, God will help us to deal with it properly if and when it does happen.

The request has been made. The deadline is approaching. And still, you are wrestling with a decision. Do I go or do I stay?

For some of you the question is, “I love my job. Do I really need to quit teaching?” For others, it is, “I like what I’m doing. I see the need, but the possibilities of next year look overwhelming.” And yet others are thinking, “The need is great, but am I truly the one to fill it?” You look somewhat enviously at those teachers who readily make their decision.

Take courage. In whatever lies ahead, you do not go alone. Seek wisdom from God and His Word. Seek the counsel of others. Hear what trusted individuals are saying.

Explore the reasons you have for not returning to the classroom. Many of those reasons have a call that is beyond the classroom. Ill health, burn-out, providing care for others, or the need to be a homemaker in your own home can all be good reasons to not return. Teaching is stressful and demands much from a full-time teacher. You cannot do two demanding tasks without sacrificing quality.

To my co-teacher who is struggling with the realization that teaching interferes with her being a homemaker and wife, I say, “Go with God. Your absence will be felt. But you have a higher commitment, now, than only being a schoolteacher.”

To the first- or second-year teacher who is unsure that teaching is their strong point, I give you the example of another co-teacher, who had decided to quit after one year because they felt they lacked qualifications. But when the new school term approached and there was no teacher to take her place, she reconsidered. Today, she is a very valued member of the team. Teaching is not a job that one can jump into and be totally competent. Every year you teach builds experience. If others are encouraging you to keep teaching, give some thought to their advice.

For some teachers, awareness of what the next year may hold brings a reluctance to commit. The number of students, the challenges of the students, the co-teacher drama, the ability to work with certain parents, the need to fit into a particular framework, or other obstacles may look overwhelming. Be realistic and understand who you are and how you handle stressful situations. But also, do not be afraid of the challenge. We aren’t promised an easy path, but we are promised that God’s presence will go with us. It is in the hard and challenging that we learn to trust the most and grow the most.

Do you go or do you stay? Only you can truly answer that question. Wherever God calls, He equips, provides, and grows. Whatever your decision, trust Him to work in you and through you.

Near the heart of the mission of Faith Builders is our commitment to training teachers. Each year in August, Faith Builders hosts around 350 teachers and school staff at Teachers Week in Guys Mills, PA. Our goal is to provide resources to promote and sustain the vision for quality Christian education.

Teachers Week is packed with main sessions, workshops, and breakouts for new and experienced teachers. Evening activities enable attendees to share ideas with each other or enjoy reprieve from the content of the day.

Workshops and breakouts discuss teaching, history, science, math, literature, spelling, Bible, and more. Teachers Week is scheduled a week or more before school usually starts in the fall to give teachers a place to generate ideas, energy, and vision for the coming year. Attendees have found this event to be a focused week of practical content and ideas sharing built on a foundation of biblical teaching and refreshment.

Realizing our place and nature is important in our ministry. Edwin reminds us of what God calls us to. Courtesy CASBI.

The CSRC is inviting school boards to participate in a Teacher Wage Survey. It was eight years ago, in 2018, that we did the first one.

• Please fill out ONE SURVEY FOR EACH TEACHER.

• Deadline is April 21, 2026. Please complete as soon as possible.

• Only those who submit a completed survey will receive a copy of the results.

Offline Survey

If you can’t access the online survey, please contact Marlin Weber and he will email you a PDF version or send it by fax.

Contact Info

Contact Marlin Weber if you have any questions about this survey.

Cell: 519-493-0047

Email: marlin@wemachine.ca

CSRC fax: 519-964-8350

Maranatha Christian School is located in Watsontown, Pennsylvania. We have 143 students enrolled this school year (25-26) and are expecting to have similar numbers next year. We have a variety of Christian families here, ranging from Mid-Atlantic Mennonite to Baptist and non-affiliated. Much of our curriculum is either Abeka or Christian Light Publications. At Maranatha, we seek to help our students grow in their knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ and to provide them with quality education.

4th Grade Teacher - Maranatha is looking for a teacher for our fourth grade class. Our projected enrollment for fourth grade next year is 11 students. If you are interested in this position, please contact the school at (570) 649-5141.

Administrator - Maranatha is also looking for a full-time administrator. Position includes leading staff meetings and student chapels, communicating with the board and staff, office work, upholding discipline, and student correction. We are specifically looking for someone who understands and has a passion for education, who has a heart for people, especially young people, and who is not afraid to stand for truth. If you are interested in this position, please contact our board chairman, Austin Brubaker at (570) 492-2680.

We are in need of a 6th grade, 2nd grade, and Kindergarten teacher. If you are interested in one of these positions please contact the school at 717-222-4355.

I must admit that when I first began reading and hearing about the long term effects of the internet and screen time on students (as well as students using the internet and AI to cheat on assignments) I largely dismissed it because I thought (naively), “This isn’t affecting our Anabaptist schools because our parents know better than to let their children spend inordinate hours on the internet, plagiarize, or play online games for hours.” Sadly, I am concerned about it now.

A colleague recently shared with me the article “What’s Happening to Our Students?” and I am indeed worried, because although most Anabaptists are usually a little behind pop culture and its trends, the Internet has allowed us to be almost, if not completely, caught up with the world and its trends. We are definitely being affected by it and are headed in the wrong direction.

I have talked to several teachers who confirm that this is true in our schools as well, and all agree that they have seen the effects (although not as dramatic as in public schools) in our schools. This is especially the opinion of teachers who have taught ten years or longer. One teacher had overheard her second graders (who were tired and not focused on their work) talking to other students about staying up late and using their big brothers’ accounts to play online computer games with each other after school and in the evenings.

This makes me want to cry, or bang my head against a wall, or both. These children should be outside riding their bikes, climbing trees, and building tree forts with their fathers. Unfortunately, some of them head home from school to retreat to their bedrooms, shut the doors, and play online games, staring at a screen and interacting online with people they just spent seven hours with in real life at school.

I have two questions.

1. Why is this happening in our Anabaptist schools?

2. What are the parents thinking?

I have some suggestions for answers.

I believe that this is happening because we are just a few steps beyond secular society. Regrettably, the lure of being cool and fitting in, which is greatly influenced by social media, is extremely appealing to the parents of our students, the 25-40 year olds, many of whom are buying into the new norm of Youtube influencers, Instagram, and Facebook likes; along with all the hype, lingo, fashion, and accompanying mannerisms.

This is exactly the opposite of what God instructs us to do in His word: "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch not the unclean thing; And I will receive you." 2 Cor. 6:17.

Woefully, this is the answer to question number two as well. The only other option is that the parents are simply not aware or are not monitoring the activities of their children, which is equally as bad. The end of that verse is frightening. Will God receive this?

Many of our Anabaptist brethren are just steps behind the world, and the resulting consequences are becoming apparent in our schools. Students are becoming more and more tuned out, overly stimulated mentally from other more entertaining sources. They are becoming bored with maps and interesting history and science facts. They are more enthralled by computer screens and online games than they are teachers, math problems, or English grammar.

There is almost nothing the teachers can do except to gently warn our students of the dangers of such behavior. From what I have seen and heard from other teachers, the students will politely listen and then go back to their same activities. It is the parents who need to be aware of the dangers and be proactive about this hazardous situation.

We can make parents aware of what we are hearing at school, but this obviously can be unappreciated and labeled as “tattling”, unless the parents ask us directly, which rarely happens.

In conclusion, what we can do is to pray for our students, pray for their parents, set a good example ourselves, and to cling to Paul’s words: “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Games like these can help to make learning spelling words competitive, creative, and fun. Of course, good, old-fashioned copying the list is still the simplest and most efficient way to practice spelling words. But this can so quickly become tedious and dull, causing students to turn their brains off. On the other hand, when student’s minds and imaginations are engaged through games and activities, their whole brain is activated to learn more effectively.

College education can be an opportunity for Christians to learn more about the creation of God and interact with people from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. At the same time, this opportunity comes with a unique set of challenges socially, spiritually, and intellectually. For example, conservative Anabaptist college students are often a minority in both their churches and colleges.

Who: We welcome applications from full-time and part-time college and university students currently in school and/or planning to begin a program in the next academic year.  Registration priority is given to full-time students and students who are currently in school and will continue their studies next year.

Where: Faith Builders hosts the College Student Weekend at the River Ridge Mansion, an early-20th-century mansion built by an oil baron near Franklin, PA.

When: College Student Weekend 2026 begins on the afternoon of Friday, July 3, and continues through lunch on Sunday, July 5.

Cost: The cost of attendance is $255 per person, including two nights of lodging and five meals. The event is limited to 48 participants. Registration is required.

The inspiration for the creation of Science Alive began when I was teaching in a first and second grade classroom. One of the years I taught, the children had quite a bit of spare time, so we would have impromptu classes on the digestive system or whatever else I happened to field a question about. It didn’t take me long to begin recognizing that the children seemed to retain this style of learning almost better than what they considered work. I wished at that point to have a science curriculum that started out based more on input than output.

However, I didn’t really begin to do anything about this dream until I began to teach the Living Threads curriculum for history class. Then the lightbulb moment hit. I could use similar methods to teach science.

Since this curriculum is designed for multiple grades at the same time, you can guiltlessly hold a class that is amazingly distracting because they are all supposed to be involved. The curriculum is designed for grades one through three, with grade one skipping out on tests. They all take the same levels together and alternate levels for variety of learning. For example, the first-year grades one through three take level 1-2 together, the next year level 2-1. If you use this for three grades, first and third grade are a repeat level. The level is made to be taught three days a week for a 45-minute period for ½ of the term.

This curriculum is designed for the children to be paired up into partner teams. Generally, it works best to put an older child with a younger child for coaching purposes.

When teaching this class, there are a few basic structures I use to instill information. The first is constant review of facts you want them to have for life. There are a few extra pieces of information for the fast learners and for interest’s sake, but by and large, study the tests to know what they should master.

Use the experiments. If you have any that are bigger and more exciting to illustrate the point, use them. Practice the experiments before having class.

Vary the flashcard drill as inspiration hits. Let them practice together in pairs. Use your creativity.

Feel free to add or chop up lessons as needed. There are several books mentioned in this curriculum. While you may not have the exact book mentioned, the library often has good resources that will work just as well or better.

Enjoy teaching the amazing world of science!

The inspiration for the creation of Science Alive began when I was teaching in a first and second grade classroom. One of the years I taught, the children had quite a bit of spare time, so we would have impromptu classes on the digestive system or whatever else I happened to field a question about. It didn’t take me long to begin recognizing that the children seemed to retain this style of learning almost better than what they considered work. I wished at that point to have a science curriculum that started out based more on input than output.

However, I didn’t really begin to do anything about this dream until I began to teach the Living Threads curriculum for history class. Then the lightbulb moment hit. I could use similar methods to teach science.

Since this curriculum is designed for multiple grades at the same time, you can guiltlessly hold a class that is amazingly distracting because they are all supposed to be involved. The curriculum is designed for grades one through three, with grade one skipping out on tests. They all take the same levels together and alternate levels for variety of learning. For example, the first-year grades one through three take level 1-2 together, the next year level 2-1. If you use this for three grades, first and third grade are a repeat level. The level is made to be taught three days a week for a 45-minute period for ½ of the term.

This curriculum is designed for the children to be paired up into partner teams. Generally, it works best to put an older child with a younger child for coaching purposes.

When teaching this class, there are a few basic structures I use to instill information. The first is constant review of facts you want them to have for life. There are a few extra pieces of information for the fast learners and for interest’s sake, but by and large, study the tests to know what they should master.

Use the experiments. If you have any that are bigger and more exciting to illustrate the point, use them. Practice the experiments before having class.

Vary the flashcard drill as inspiration hits. Let them practice together in pairs. Use your creativity.

Feel free to add or chop up lessons as needed. There are several books mentioned in this curriculum. While you may not have the exact book mentioned, the library often has good resources that will work just as well or better.

Enjoy teaching the amazing world of science!

Shady Grove Christian School (Mifflinburg, PA) is looking for qualified teachers for the 2026-2027 school year for the following positions:

• 1st grade

• 2nd grade

• High School

Elementary Grades are taught conventionally using CLP curriculum.

High School is individualized using ACE curriculum.

Contact Andrew Beachy: abeachy2@gmail.com

Teaching to reach all of our students is an attainable goal that we should strive for. Every student matters, and we should do everything we can to reach every single one of them.

This hour-long whole-school Christmas program uses dramatic recitation of Scripture, songs, and simple actions (mostly still poses) to illustrate how the life of Moses foreshadowed the life and work of Jesus. It can easily be adapted to schools of nearly any size.

Example livestream from Pilgrim Christian School: https://youtube.com/live/KfCZwHG2f1AZwHG2f1A

I had a rather amusing revelation recently. It struck me that my classroom has seemed more peaceful and orderly in the past few weeks than what it did earlier. I wondered why this could be, because the natural tendency is for things to head in the opposite direction if I am not careful. I could not recall any extra effort on my part to keep my students quiet and focused. And then I laughed when I remembered the one thing I had changed: I outlawed slime a few weeks ago.

I may be a more permissive teacher than some, and in general I make very few rules about what students are or are not allowed to have at their desks. Some students are, in fact, able to focus better if they have something small to play with while listening in class. I have also seen countless fads come and go, so I am not quick to outlaw specific things. When slime became all the rage among my students near the beginning of the school year, I thought the craze would soon wear off. Unfortunately, it didn’t. I soon needed to put some limits on when students were allowed to play with it, but I did not ban it entirely. Students still played with it during story time and in various pockets of free time and when they finished all their assignments in study time. If someone had a big container of slime, other students wanted to borrow some, and so passing globs of it around became a distraction. Soon most students were spending all their spare time playing with slime instead of reading books and creating artwork. I knew the slime had to go.

When I realized how happy I was with my newly slime-free classroom, I was reminded of times when this has happened before, not specifically with slime, but with other objects or activities in the classroom that became a hindrance to learning. It is easy to allow a gradual slide into bad habits if I do not keep a constant effort to steer my ship in the right direction. Just because I started the school year with good procedures and routines does not mean I can sit back and let things drift into autopilot. It is my job to make adjustments when I see the need for them.

Making mid-year modifications to rules or routines can be difficult. We may have subconscious excuses: It’s too much work to enforce this. I don’t want to upset my students or take away something they enjoy. We’ll do better after all the excitement of Christmas. We’ll do better after our schedule stops being disrupted by snow days and delays. I write this as much for myself as for anyone, because know that I am proficient at making excuses like this, and I know that my classroom is a better place if I do not give in to those excuses.

I like to have little talks with my students now and then about how we are doing, prompting them to think of ways to adjust their habits and to make our classroom a better place for learning. Sometimes I am surprised at the things they point out. Together my students and I can renew our awareness and recognize ways we have become blind or indifferent to what we ought to be doing.

At the same time, we need to allow grace—for ourselves and for our students. We face realities of sickness, disrupted schedules, and various external factors over which we have no control. This year I repeatedly need to make peace with the fact that my classroom is often noisier than I would like it to be. I have many students in a small space, and my class contains some big personalities. While I do need to stand guard and not let noise hinder learning, becoming a control freak over this would serve no purpose. My expectations need to be realistic.

If you have been on the fence over whether to implement a new routine, ban a particular activity that has been bothering you, or establish better habits in your classroom, perhaps now is the time to do it. Each day you can take small steps to urge your students to excellence.

Every summer, Faith Builders operates a five-week term designed to prepare and equip teachers in K-12 settings.

Do you want to make a difference in Childrens Lives??

At Bethel Dunkard Brethren School (located in Bethel, Pennsylvania) we have several teaching position open for the 2026-2027 school year. Kindergarten position which has classes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

We also have teacher openings in First, Second, Third and Fourth grade.

We use the Abeka ciriculum.

Our goal is to equip our student with quality academics and Bible teaching.

Please feel to reach out for my info: contact Jeff Eberly, 717-821-7433 or Eberlyjeff@gmail.com

Equipping you to effectively teach English anywhere in the world.

I am a teacher. That means my main job is to teach things to students, isn’t it? I teach and they learn. Perhaps this is true, in a way. But I have found that one of the first requirements for being a good teacher is to be a life-long student, and sometimes that means that my students are my teachers. And no, I do not teach high school. I teach third grade. These children were babies only eight years ago, and yet I have gained a wealth of knowledge from these little teachers.

What have I learned from my students over the years? Here are a few things that come to mind:

My students teach me wonder and delight. In her lovely poem “My Work is Loving the World,” Mary Oliver says, “Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work, which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” It is a shame that somewhere in the path to adulthood, most of us forget how to be astonished by the incredible world that surrounds us. One of the best cures for cynicism is to look at the world through the eyes of a child, and my students teach me this continually. We watch caterpillars turn into butterflies, and for them it is complete magic. I let them look at things under a microscope, and they are enthralled. I teach them to sing round songs, and they are thrilled by the wonders of harmony. When I feel weighed down by the daily grind of the ordinary, I need my little teachers to remind me that everyday life is a gift to be savored.

My students show me generosity. Children are the best givers. My students sometimes put me to shame in how quick they are to share with each other. A student who accidentally left his lunch at home may end up with more food than he needs, as his classmates rally around and share what they have. When students give me gifts, I love to see the light in their eyes. They are learning the joy of giving, and I am constantly learning it with them.

My students exemplify forgiving and forgetting. A friend of mine recently switched to teaching second grade after working with high schoolers for several years. She said that one big difference in teaching young children instead of teenagers is that second graders don’t hold grudges. I have much to learn from this wonderful trait of children. They tend to forgive and forget and move on much more quickly than adults. Two students may have a huge disagreement one day, and the next day they will be the best of friends and behave as though nothing had happened. Earlier this year, I had a difficult day with one student. I was not sure that I had used the right approach in correcting her behavior, and I was afraid she might be upset with me. But at the end of the day, she gave me a hug on her way out the door and said, “I love you. Thanks for teaching!”

My students have taught me to slow down. We live in a hurried world. Children are adept at teaching us the art of slowing down. Unfortunately, this can often be annoying and inconvenient. I read John Mark Comer’s book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry recently, and an important point he makes is that it is hard to love when you are in a hurry. I see the truth of this in my classroom. The times when I am most likely to be exasperated with my students are times when I am in a hurry to get through a lesson or to finish a project. Then I view their neediness as an interruption instead of an opportunity to show love and patience.

My students often show me ways that I relate to God. Sometimes I have recognized that the words coming out of my own mouth while talking to a student were really God’s words to me. It seems that every year I have at least a few students who are constantly rushing ahead and are so concerned with getting the next thing done that they miss important instructions in the present. As I considered why this is so frustrating to me, I realized that it is precisely the way I relate to God sometimes. I can think of many instances where I may never have gotten through to a student, but God got through to me.

What are you learning from your students? As we take time to listen and discover, our students can lead us to become better teachers.

Maple Grove Mennonite Academy in New Holland, PA, is looking for a 6th and 7th grade teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. We are a Waldorf-esque school in our sixth year and have around forty students from diversified backgrounds and a variety of conservantive Anabaptist churches. Responsibilities include teaching math, English, spelling, science, and history. Perks include four field trips a year, as well as choir, band (including a marimba ensemble), and art classes every day. Please contact Deana Swanson at littleflock7@gmail.com for more information.

Group recess games are a staple of every school playground, but sometimes teachers and students alike can grow weary of playing the same ones over and over again. Here are a few recess games you might consider adding to your rotation.

FRISBEE/TENNIS BALL GOLF

Materials needed: A frisbee or tennis ball for each student. (Using tennis balls instead of frisbees makes the game easier, especially if students are not proficient at throwing frisbees.)

Considerations: Works best outdoors.

The aim of the game: Like golf or disc golf, to complete the “course” in the least number of throws.

Instructions: This game is, quite simply, disc golf without fancy tees or baskets. Create a plan for a course that stretches around your school property. You will want to choose a succession of starting points (tees) and ending targets (holes). This will be things like “start by standing on first base of the baseball diamond and try to hit the second maple tree beside the playground.” You can either instruct your students about the “tees” and “holes” verbally or create a little map for them.

Students start on the tee and try to throw their frisbee/ball to hit the hole. Wherever their first throw lands is where they will stand to throw their second shot and so on, until they hit the final target. They keep track of their number of throws.

If you have a small number of players, you could travel through the course as a whole group. With a larger number of players, you will want to divide them into small groups and have them start at various places along the course.

POST TO POST

Materials needed: A large outdoor space with 3-5 “posts.” These posts are merely stopping points in the game; they could be a tree, a base on the softball diamond, the corner of a building, a strategically-placed cone, etc. You will want these posts to be arranged in a somewhat circular pattern around the property.

The aim of the game: To be the first player to complete the route three times.

Instructions: Start by choosing the posts and making sure each student understands where they are and what route they must run in order to reach each post in succession.

Choose several players to be “it” (probably around 10-15% of the players). They are trying to tag as many players as they can.

The other players will go to any post to start the game. While on the post, they are safe and cannot be tagged. Their goal is to run from post to post without getting caught. Those who are “it” may hide around corners, behind trees, etc., in order to catch players unawares as they run by.

Each player is attempting to be the first to run three complete circuits (at which point they are declared the winner). If a player is tagged, they must return to their starting point and start that circuit all over again.

If a player gets tagged three times, they also become “it.”

Options for variation:

• We used to play that players were allowed to take seven steps from a post and still be considered “safe.” This allowed for them to get a bit of a start from the post without being in danger of getting tagged, which helped the game keep moving. Once a player took an eighth step, they were then able to be tagged from that point onward. This is an optional rule.

• You might choose to allow students to reverse their course throughout the game and run around the route in the opposite direction. However, specify that they may only change directions at the post on which they started the game. That way, students can easily keep track of how many complete circuits they have made.

WAVE

Materials needed: A cone or landmark (such as a step, post, tree, etc.) to be the home base.

Considerations: Works best as an outdoor game.

The aim of the game: To be among the last players to be caught and to help free those who have been caught.

Instructions: One person is chosen to be “it.” They close their eyes and count to fifty (or some other chosen number) while everyone else runs and hides somewhere nearby. The person who is “it” may circulate freely to try to find people. If they see someone, they catch them simply by calling out their name.

If a player’s name is called by the person who is “it,” they must go to the home base. They will stay there until they see any player who has not been caught waving at them. If they see someone waving, they may run away and hide again. If the person who is “it” is nearby and sees them escaping, they may call out their name again, in which case the player must return to the base and wait to see another wave.

You will want to make it clear that players need to escape within around thirty seconds of seeing a wave, otherwise the wave is “too old” to count anymore.

Choose a certain number of students that the person who is “it” must have caught at one time before the game is over. It usually works best for that number to be around 50-60% of the total number of players.

TUBES

Materials needed:

• An assortment of balls; dodge-ball type balls work best, though soccer balls could be used as well. You will want somewhere between 10-20 balls.

• “Tubes.” You need one tube for each player. These can be created out of a wide variety of materials. My school had large PVC pipe (around 4-5 inches in diameter) cut into chunks, each creating a free-standing tube around 12 inches tall. The same could be done with stiff cardboard tubing. Another option would be going to a department store or flooring store and asking for old carpeting tubes.

• Alternatively, you could collect large empty jugs (at least gallon-sized or larger) and use those as your tubes.

• A rectangular playing area with a central dividing line.

Considerations: Could be played inside or outside, though a contained space like a gym will more conveniently keep errant balls from getting away.

The aim of the game: To keep your own tube standing and knock down the opposing team’s tubes.

Instructions: The group is divided into two teams. Each team goes to one side of the dividing center line and sets their tube upright on the ground. The balls are placed along the center line. Players are not allowed to cross the center line.

Once the game begins, players may run to grab the balls. They then try to throw them at the opposing team’s tubes and knock them over. Each player is also trying to stop balls from hitting their own tube. If a player’s tube is knocked over, they are out of the game and watch on the sidelines until the game is over (which happens once all the tubes of one team have been knocked over).

Options for variation:

• You could also play that once a player’s tube is knocked over, they join the opposing team.

• Another variation is to delineate a narrow section at the back ends of the playing zone. When a person’s tube is knocked over, they go to the back end behind the opposing team and try to knock down tubes from there. If they successfully knock a tube down, they may return to their side and set up their tube again.

MANHUNT

Considerations: This game works best if played outdoors on the whole school property.

The aim of the game: To be the last player to be caught.

This game is essentially like tag, though it is played in a very large area. One or two people start as “it.” As each player gets tagged, they become “it” as well and help to catch as many players as they can. The game continues until every player has been caught.

SPUD

Materials needed: A dodgeball or soccer ball

Considerations: Can be played indoors or outdoors, though if you have a lot of players a gym will not be enough space.

The aim of the game: To be the last player to spell SPUD.

Instructions: For this game, you will want to have the students in groups of approximately 5-7 players. For the purposes of explanation, I will assume a group of 5. Start by giving each student a different number from 1-5. (These numbers should be a secret from the other players. Either let them choose a number written on a piece of paper in a dish, or whisper it in each student’s ear, being sure to assign the numbers randomly so that initially the players don’t know who has which number.)

The game begins with all the students standing in a clump, with one student holding the ball. They will throw the ball straight into the air as far as they can. As soon as the ball is in the air, the person who threw it will yell a number from 1-5 (not their own number). As soon as the ball is thrown and the number is shouted, all the players scatter, except the player whose number was called. That player tries to catch the ball (or grab it as soon as they can). Once the ball is in their possession, they shout, “Spud!” At this point, all the other players must freeze exactly where they are.

The person with the ball may take three steps in any direction towards a frozen player. They will then try to hit the player with the ball (only shoulders and down). The player who is being thrown at is allowed to try to catch or dodge the ball, but they may not move their feet.

If the person throwing the ball doesn’t hit the other player or the ball gets caught, they “receive a letter” (the first time they get an S, the next time a P, and so on until they have received four letters and spelled SPUD). If the person being thrown at gets hit by the ball, they receive a letter instead. Each player must personally keep track of how many letters they have and does not have to reveal that information to anyone, even if asked.

The game then continues by everyone gathering in a central spot again. This time, whoever’s number just got called is the person who throws the ball up and calls a new number.

To add a fun twist, once a player has received all four letters of SPUD, they are then “poison.” Anyone who calls their number when throwing the ball in the air or who hits them with the ball receives a letter themselves.

In today's educational climate, much emphasis is placed on reading decoding with the science of reading. While being able to read the actual words is vital, understanding what they mean is just as important. "Being a mindful reader involves not only reciting the words, but also understanding what those words mean in context," say Zimmermann and Hutchins (155). So if Sarah turns in incomplete and uncomprehended activities about World War II aftereffects, the teacher may need to re-teach the lesson, guiding her through comprehension activities.

Source Cited: Zimmermann, Susan and Chryse Hutchings. 7 Keys to Comprehension. New York, Three Rivers Press, 2003.

Ah, the challenges in gaga ball.

Justin sorrowfully reported after recess, “They were ganging up on me and trying to get me out! I asked them why they were ganging up on me, and they said, ‘Because you’re the littlest.’”

Curt and Derek immediately chimed in, “We saw it happening and we stuck up for Justin.”

I was blessed to hear that they cared for and championed Justin. We talked about being kind and about playing at recess, and so on. What I’m thinking of is how Curt and Derek “washed” Justin’s feet. Literally washed his feet in a gaga game? No, but they served him by sticking up for him.

What does it look like to “wash feet” at school—students’ feet? parents’ feet? colleagues’ feet? I’ve pondered this since our faculty devotions on this topic. We read from John 13 about Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. How can we apply this example at school? We may give physical service, academic help, or behavioral guidance as our washing of feet. It may be encouragement, parental support, or coaching a new teacher.

Feet washing will be different for different people. This is going to be different for a first grader than for a coach. It will be different for a struggling 7th-grader than for a fellow teacher.

Parent-teacher conferences were approaching at the time we studied this topic in staff devotions. So how can I wash parents’ feet? I can listen during the conference. Sometimes parents just need to talk with someone and share their concerns and worries for their children. I think of Joanne, who related how she had difficulties in school, and is concerned now that her child is having challenges. I will show that I care about their child. I listen as the parents discuss a physical need of their child, and I make a note to myself to remind this child to go to the bathroom (and make sure I do this). I offer a spelling retest for the three children who missed many words on the latest test. I agree to find and print off books for a child to read at home after father says they don’t know what to have him read. (This is washing feet, because I don’t care for this task.) I will communicate with parents, sharing positive aspects of their children as well as areas to reinforce and work on.

I should wash the feet of my fellow-teachers. I may do this by sharing supplies, giving advice and ideas, or planning and taking care of all the parts of a shared field trip. I leave my door open before and after school so I am accessible for a colleague who needs to talk, has questions, or wants advice.

I’ve written before about serving students, but I want to include them, as well. How can I wash the feet of my students? For my first graders, it may be sharpening their pencils, helping them with band-aids, or comforting the homesick child. This one lasted all day. Kari was very “sick” in the morning, and after a while I said, “I know what’s wrong—you’re missing your family.” She agreed and cried. Her parents were on a trip and she was staying with friends, without any of her siblings staying with her. I told her she could come to me when she needed to that day, and she came often for reassurance. I washed her feet many times that day! I may “wash feet” by keeping patience with the child who rarely knows the directions yet confidently goes ahead and does things wrong.

For teachers of older students, you may be listening, advising, helping with a project, tutoring, consoling, working out “girl drama,” attending events in which your students participate, or helping with friendship issues.

Washing feet is thought of as a lowly job. This is a job for the servant! Serving others can be a lowly job. Let’s follow the example of Jesus, as he said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15 ESV)

(Credit to Paul Harrison for getting my thoughts going on this topic, and for some of the thoughts in the second and third paragraphs.)

Photo by WS Chae on Unsplash

Group recess games are a staple of every school playground, but sometimes teachers and students alike can grow weary of playing the same ones over and over again. Here are a few recess games you might consider adding to your rotation.

Johnny Johnny

Materials needed: Two end zones, either opposite walls of a gym or cones/other markers to delineate two safe areas. Ideal spacing depends on group size and age of the players.

Considerations: Can be played inside or outside.

The aim of the game: To be the last player to be caught.

Instructions: Choose one player to be “it.” They will stand in the middle of the playing field, halfway between the two end zones.

The rest of the players will go to one of the end zones. They will then call out in unison, “Johnny, Johnny, may we cross your bridge today?”

The person who is “it” will then respond, “Only if you’re wearing the color ___.” At that point, anyone who is wearing the specified color may cross to the other end zone, unhindered.  Anyone who is not wearing the specified colour must wait until the person who is “it” says “Go!” At this point, they must try to get safely to the other side without being tagged. Anyone who gets tagged will then join the person who is “it” in the middle and help them tag players in consecutive rounds.

This repeats until everyone is caught.

Options for variation:

• If your group size is large, you may want to choose two people to be “it” to start.

• Another twist on this game is to allow the person who is “it” to allow crossing based on something other than color of clothing. They may make up whatever stipulations they want to, such as, “Only if you had cereal for breakfast” or “Only if you have a dog at home.”

Freeze Tag

Materials needed: If outside, a way to mark a contained area, such as the boundaries of a baseball diamond, or a rectangular area marked with cones.

Considerations: Can be played inside or outside.

The aim of the game: To be the last player to be caught and to help free those who have been caught.

Instructions: This game is like regular tag, only when someone is tagged, they must freeze in that position until another player comes and “frees” them by touching them. If a player runs out of the boundary lines, they need to freeze on the line and wait to be freed.

In order to keep the game from extending into infinity, it works well to instill a rule like “If you’re caught three times, you also become ‘it.’”

Options for variation:

• If your group size is large, you may want to choose two people to be “it” to start.

• Young children may enjoy a twist called “Chicken Tag” (or cow tag or dog tag or whatever animal you want), in which they must cluck like a chicken the entire time they’re frozen.

23 Skidoo

Materials needed: Two end zones, either opposite walls of a gym or cones/other markers to delineate two safe areas. Ideal spacing depends on groups size and age of the players.

Considerations: Can be played inside or outside. We also used to enjoy playing this one while skating on the rink during the winter.

The aim of the game: To be the last player to be caught and to help free those who have been caught.

Instructions: In this game, players try to run from one end of the playing field to the other without being tagged by the one or two people who are “it”. While in the end zones, they are safe and cannot be tagged. If a player is tagged, they must go to the middle of the playing field and stand with their arms outstretched.

Other players can free those caught in the middle by touching their hand or shoulder and counting aloud to twenty-three. If there is danger of being tagged while they are counting, they may run off at any time. At that point, the player who is caught in the middle may call out whatever number the counting left off at (for example “sixteen!”) At that point, any other player who comes to free them may continue counting from sixteen until they get to twenty-three. After the person counting gets to twenty-three, they must say “Skidoo!” at which point the caught person is free to run back to a safe zone and continue playing.

Option for variation: You can instill a rule like “If you’re caught three times, you also become “it.” This helps the game move faster and doesn’t tax those who are “it” as much.

Wave

Materials needed: A cone or landmark (such as a step, post, tree, etc.) to be the home base.

Considerations: Works best as an outdoor game.

The aim of the game: To be among the last players to be caught and to help free those who have been caught.

Instructions: One person is chosen to be “it.” They close their eyes and count to fifty (or some other chosen number) while everyone else runs and hides somewhere nearby. The person who is “it” may circulate freely to try to find people. If they see someone, they catch them simply by calling out their name.

If a player’s name is called by the person who is “it,” they must go to the home base. They will stay there until they see any player who has not been caught waving at them. If they see someone waving, they may run away and hide again. If the person who is “it” is nearby and sees them escaping, they may call out their name again, in which case the player must return to the base and wait to see another wave.

You will want to make it clear that players need to escape within around thirty seconds of seeing a wave, otherwise the wave is “too old” to count anymore.

Choose a certain number of students that the person who is “it” must have caught at one time before the game is over. It usually works best for that number to be around 50-60% of the total number of players.

Tennis Ball Softball

Materials needed:

• Tennis racket

• Tennis ball

• Baseball diamond

The aim of the game: For your team to get the most runs.

Instructions: This is simply a twist on regular softball where the bat and ball are replaced by a tennis racket and tennis ball. This has several advantages, particularly for young students. One is that ball gloves are not needed. Another is that young students can hit a tennis ball with a racket much more easily than they can hit a softball with a bat. This keeps the game moving much more quickly (and makes it much easier for a lone teacher who is often trying to pitch and give batting assistance at the same time!)

This is a perfect way to introduce young students to the concepts of softball rules (how to run around the bases, how to play outfield, etc.) with less stress and hassle than a bat and softball create.

Tubes

Materials needed:

• An assortment of balls; dodge-ball type balls work best, though soccer balls could be used as well. You will want somewhere between 10-20 balls.

• “Tubes.” You need one tube for each player. These can be created out of a wide variety of materials. My school had large PVC pipe (around 4-5 inches in diameter) cut into chunks, each creating a free-standing tube around 12 inches tall. The same could be done with stiff cardboard tubing. Another option would be going to a department store or flooring store and asking for old carpeting tubes.

• Alternatively, you could collect large empty jugs (at least gallon-sized or larger) and use those as your tubes.

• A rectangular playing area with a central dividing line.

Considerations: Could be played inside or outside, though a contained space like a gym will more conveniently keep errant balls from getting away.

The aim of the game: To keep your own tube standing and knock down the opposing team’s tubes.

Instructions: The group is divided into two teams. Each team goes to one side of the dividing center line and sets their tube upright on the ground. The balls are placed along the center line. Players are not allowed to cross the center line.

Once the game begins, players may run to grab the balls. They then try to throw them at the opposing team’s tubes and knock them over. Each player is also trying to stop balls from hitting their own tube. If a player’s tube is knocked over, they are out of the game and watch on the sidelines until the game is over (which happens once all the tubes of one team have been knocked over).

Options for variation:

• You could also play that once a player’s tube is knocked over, they join the opposing team.

• Another variation is to delineate a narrow section at the back ends of the playing zone. When a person’s tube is knocked over, they go to the back end behind the opposing team and try to knock down tubes from there. If they successfully knock a tube down, they may return to their side and set up their tube again.

Photo by Elizabeth Dunne on Unsplash

Union Center Christian School UCCS is located in Nappanee, Indiana. We are a growing school in the middle of our 3rd year (2025-26) with 65 students enrolled in K-12th grade.

The school is operated by Salem Mennonite Church. It is open to area church families and the community around us. Our goal is to provide a good Christ-centered education for our church families and the families in our community.

For 2026-27 we are in need of a high school teacher and a learning support teacher.
The learning support teacher works in cooperation with the home room teacher to provide specific support and tutoring as required by the student. This includes using the Barton reading program and more.

For more information contact Ken Miller (board chairman) 574-847-1369 or fill out an application here: https://form.jotform.com/231857891291164

2026-2027 term
Now Hiring: Inspiring High School Teacher

Join Our Mission. Shape Tomorrow’s Leaders.

Are you a passionate educator who believes teaching is more than a job—it’s a calling? Our private school is seeking a dedicated High School Teacher who is committed to academic excellence, character development, and creating a positive, engaging learning environment for students.

What You’ll Do
• Teach and mentor high school students in a supportive, faith-centered environment
• Inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for learning
• Build meaningful relationships with students and families
• Collaborate with a team of caring, mission-driven educators
• Contribute to school events, activities, and a vibrant campus culture

What We’re Looking For
• A passionate teacher with strong classroom management and communication skills

• Ability to connect with teens and motivate students of varying abilities
• A heart for serving, leading, and helping students reach their full God-given potential
• Energetic, dependable, and committed to excellence

Why Join Us?
• Supportive leadership and a family-like atmosphere
• Small class sizes that allow you to truly invest in each student
• Competitive pay and opportunities for professional growth
• A safe, faith-based environment where values matter
• The chance to make a lasting impact—every single day

⸻

If you’re ready to teach with purpose, we’d love to meet you!
Submit your résumé to [office@crf.farm] or call [618-218-5397]

We are looking for a full time music and drama teacher to lead our K-12 students. We would be looking to this staff member to lead a refreshed arts program to instill in our students a love for music and drama. This would include teaching music theory, leading upper school choir, directing drama performances with upper and middle school students, and more! This would be a first full time position at our school so growth and development opportunities would abound. Starting compensation for a qualified candidate would be around $40,000.

Zion Christian School is a small K-12 school located in beautiful Mesopotamia, OH and operated by Zion Christian Fellowship. The projected enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year is sixteen students. We have an experienced teacher who will teach grades two through four. The high school room will have eight high school students and two students in junior high. 

We are looking to add to the team of involved parents, school board members, and teachers by hiring a high school teacher. Zion Christian School offers a competitive compensation package and is a well established school that has been operating for over 60 years. If you are interested in this opportunity, we would love to have a conversation with you. Please reach out to Steve Kaufman at (330) 647-1290 or Kenneth Petroski at (216) 502-5287. Email us at kenneth@zcsmiddlefield.org.