In this episode we begin with a check-in about our favorite fashion choices from our high school days that we kind of wish would come around again. (You might be surprised…or maybe not at all!) From that silliness, we take a hard turn into a very serious topic–power in the classroom. Dave set the stage by sharing a quote from a book that got him thinking about the nature of power, how teachers use their power, and the way students respond. We think through our own growth as teachers and how we needed to assert power at some points in our teaching experiences. This got us talking about the way we grow as teachers throughout our careers, the difference between “power” and “authority,” and even how teachers can share power with students without diminishing their authority. We hope this episode will help you reflect on the power held by teachers, and ways to use your authority appropriately in light of your office as Christian educator.

• Dave brought up the book On Christian Teaching: Practicing Faith in the Classroom by David I. Smith. We urge you to read this book if you haven’t already: https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Teaching-Practicing-Faith-Classroom/dp/080287360X/