The Dock School Leader Podcast

How many of your students talked during your last class discussion? Too often, only a few students engage with the discussion, says Shawn. How can we make class discussions more meaningful? Shawn shares his practices for preparing students for discussion, valuing their comments, and ensuring that they take away the big idea from the passage.

Consider how you can adapt Shawn's methods for your own Bible class--or any other class that benefits from discussion.

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What's a tariff? Why should your students care?

Several years ago, says Colin, his students would have learned the definition of this term and moved on without understanding its importance. But because he works to put social studies in the context of current events, students develop powerful connections with this word and many others.

Colin offers suggested resources and activities that can enable you to use current events to improve students' comprehension and engagement.

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Teamwork: the context in which we serve; the greater purpose for which we serve. We are called to walk worthily by the grace we have been given in order to perfect our pupils.

How do I collaborate on my team to accomplish brotherhood? This presentation offers three skills to help a team work together and grow together: personal awareness, personal responsibility, and peer evaluation.

Every Christian can lay a foundation for brotherhood by participating in four construction phases: demolition, reconstruction, renovation and habitation. In which building phase is God calling you to do some work? What posture of heart do I bring with me to the ministry setting where I am called?

Teachers do more than fill a spot, or impart information: their hands become the guides for the hands of their students.

This excerpt was taken from a longer talk, Teacher, Curriculum, Facility, Parents, and Students, presented at Teachers Workshops 1997.

You can teach math in two ways, notes Rolin. Math can be presented as a series of rules that produce reliable results, or as a set of concepts that explain much about the world.

Much of our math teaching has been rule-based, and for good reason: the rules are reliable and consistent. But some of our students may be left behind unless we also teach the concepts behind the formulas. Rolin encourages math teachers to incorporate a strong mix of both types of teaching. He demonstrates how that might work with a common type of math problem.

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We all admire and appreciate the fruit of careful, rigorous training, whether in artisans, athletes, chefs, craftsmen, neurosurgeons, or preachers. We recognize, at least partially, the sacrificial dedication required to produce the behavior we appreciate. What happens when we apply our best sacrificial dedication—our most studied discipline—to spiritual growth? What does such training entail? What are its fruits? This third session focuses on how to do spiritual disciplines.

Why do we teach? What is the center of center of teaching? How do we bring teaching to life?

Across the country, discipline problems are the number one reason for teachers leaving the classroom. What are some ways to prevent discipline problems? How can a teacher give effective, corrective discipline? This presentation is valuable for new and less experienced teachers.