Archive for the ‘Public Schools’ Category

CHOOSING THE LOOSING SIDE

Monday, July 13th, 2009

No one likes to be on the loosing side–unless one is breaking up a fight in a public high school.

We teachers are taught, it is an axiom really, when breaking up a fight, to hold the losing student–why? Because the losing student wants an excuse to quit. You give him the excuse. Well, I chose the winning side last week and it nearly killed me! I reluctantly (hoping someone else would be the hero!) left the front of my door to break up a fight. The poor child – and that is really what he is, a 17 year old child – mercilessly slammed me against the cinder block wall countless times. He did not hurt his opponent very much but he very nearly killed his reluctant faculty member..

But the children are safe, school continues, I walk with a slight limp, and an occasional look over my shoulder.

I go to the doctor tomorrow to see how much damage the winner did to my artificial hip.

Life is like that, isn’t it? We find sometimes that grabbing the losing cause can make us winners. Think about it.

Public School – Part 3

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

It amazes me how absent the church is from this school. Virtually no one attends church anymore. 2000+ community. There are churches all around us but they have no impact on this school. Why?

Hey, I am a pastor. I know that my fellow pastors want to impact this school. I know this school wants to be impacted. Os Guinness warns us that sacrosanct institutions (e.g., public schools) will become dysfunctional in the years ahead. How right you are, Dr. Guinness!

What an opporutnity for the Body of Christ! There are fewer obstacles to the Christian witness than we really understand. We can pray. We can hold receptions for teachers off campus. We can have trainings for staff. We can have breakfasts for students. We can honor administrators. All in the name of Christ. Why don’t we?

Write me and tell me what you think And remember to pray for me. jim@forsuchatimeasthis.com

Public School – Part 2

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008

Yesterday I told you that I am a public school teacher.

Last year colleagues returned from training in Baltimore put on by “some Christians.” No strings attached, no confessions required. My colleagues, most of whom are benevolent pagans, were on fire! Suddently, they wanted to implement what they learned at that training. We were told, “it is about reaching the child’s heart.” Hum. Sounds promising!

That was last year. This year violent crimes are down 60%. Suspensions down 85%. People are hopeful again. There is something “Christian” about what is happening in our school, yet, I never hear the name of the Lord mentioned (except in anger).

But Jesus is here. Is my school experiencing some sort of “revival?” Will the social amelioration of my school someday be transformed into a spiritual revival where hundreds will proclain Jesus Christ is Lord! I fervently hope so.

Meanwhile . . . we are capturing children’s hearts . . . and tomorrow morning I will get up again, and I will pray, and I will hope where there is no hope. Pray for me. And write me jim@forsuchatimeasthis.com.

Public School

Monday, September 15th, 2008

As some of you know, I pastor a church on the weekend, and, like about 1/2 of American pastors, I have a day job during the week. I teach in a public school. Egad! I know, I know. Some of my readers are in shock. When I talk to some of my home school friends I feel like I work in a strip joint! And, truly, I would never put my kids in public school. I don’t even particularly believe in public education. But the fact remains 46 million children (vs. 2.5 home school children) are educated in public schools. It is my privilege, then, in a modest way, to be a part of a ministry to these kids.

Not that I am a missionary, or anything. Or maybe sort of. I thought that it would be hard to be a Christian in an obviously non-Christian environment. But brothers and sisters, it is not hard. But it is a privilege. None of my colleagues want public education to fail. Nor do their students. Nor their students’ parents. We want it to succeed. Now we know why, in many cases public education fails. But believe me, it isn’t because we participants aren’t trying to make it work!

Most mornings I get up at 4:30 in the morning to pray for my children, my bosses, my parents, and my colleagues. I walk the lonely school halls, praying Scripture, dreaming, sometimes crying softly. Thinking of my student children. Most–about 75% I guess–in blended homes. Some abused. All struggling to make sense in a senseless world. I dream of them at night. One of my special education students who thanked me when I taught him how to punctuate a declarative sentence (he is 18 years old). I dream of another student who is raising his younger siblings. I know tomorrow that I will have to contact social services and tell them, even though this revelation will cause the family to be split apart. And so on.

What do you think? Pray for me. Write me @ jim@forsuchatimeasthis.com