Working to be An Example

 "6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command:If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good." 

 (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, ESV)

Idleness doesn't just have to be physical idleness; it can be spiritual or mental idleness too. Idleness can be not exercising your brain by thinking about things, not exercising your heart and habits by striving for excellence. We can become complacent, no longer working to help ourselves fight against sin and its slothful habits. We can neglect to guard ourselves from our pet sins and vices, and the weeds of our bad habits can start to take over the garden before we realize it.

The video link I posted yesterday is an excellent reminder to continue to work towards being more Christ-like, following His example. 

Writing to Think

I always read non-fiction books with a pencil in hand. I find I think better and remember information more, if I underline, bracket, star, or write a short comment in the margin. I've done this for quite a while, but never really thought about how it helps me think until recently. And it gave me a "teaching" idea.

So I am starting a new activity in my Grade 9 English class: annotation. It is a great way to encourage students to think beyond the surface of a piece of writing and find a deeper and more personal connection with the text.

I have really begun thinking about the need for me to teach my students how to think. It is a difficult job, and one that does not happen without intentionally finding ways to foster this skill. I cannot just be teaching them the parts of a short story, or how a theme is explored through many different episodes in a novel, and I definitely cannot just expect them to regurgitate facts and information about Shakespeare and his  many plays. I cannot even merely explain to them how a story works and how a character is developed.

I have to be teaching them how to think about what they are learning. Can they find these connections on their own? Do they have the skills to analyze the story themselves?

When my students annotate a speech from The Merchant of Venice, they are not just coming to a deeper understanding of what the character is saying, but learning to think critically.

I've been thinking about this, and have come to the realization that this is one of the most important skills that I can teach. Annotating a story or a poem is the first step towards thinking deeper about everything that they read and hear and watch. I hope that this will help them to develop those habits of mind that will help them to think critically and carefully about the books they read, the movies they watch, the sermons they hear. This is a skill that will, I hope, help them to grow in their walk as Christians, as well as human beings.

"But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

(Hebrews 5:14 ESV)