Category Archives: Skills

Why Am I a Teacher?

#bethebestyoucanbe, #godistheanswer, #justbecauseyoushouldknow, #pieedu, Gifts, Skills, Talents, Teacher Support

Discipleship Ministries

Who Am I as a Teacher?

by Diana L. Hynson

We teach and lead because God has called us to do so. For thousands of years God has asked people to participate in the work of helping others come to know God and live as people of faith. These teachers and leaders have come in many shapes and forms, from many backgrounds, and with many levels of ability. But each has somehow heard a call to teach and has responded.

You may not even realize that you responded to a call. You may think you merely answered a plea for help, or just knew it was your turn to help the third graders! But God’s call can come in many ways:

  • through the voice of a friend
  • through prayerful discernment
  • from the challenge of a sermon
  • by identifying your spiritual gifts
  • upon seeing a need and responding
  • through the strong movement of the Holy Spirit
  • even by a seeming accident as you “fall” into teaching.

 

Take a brief inventory before exploring Basics of Teaching.

Read each statement; then circle the number that best describes your situation.

1 = Not at all; 2 = Somewhat; 3 = Mostly; 4 = Definitely

 

1 2 3 4 I understand that my teaching is in response to a call from God.
1 2 3 4 I know I never enter a classroom alone, for God is always present with me.
1 2 3 4 I understand that one of my primary roles as a teacher is to model the Christian faith to the best of my ability.
1 2 3 4 I believe the role of a teacher is not only to share information but also to create an environment where God can transform us into the people God wants us to be.
1 2 3 4 I understand how the primary task of the local congregation relates to my role as a teacher.
1 2 3 4 I know that people prefer different learning styles, and I am able to incorporate these different styles into my lesson plans.
1 2 3 4 I use a wide variety of methods in my teaching, and I am able to adapt them to the preferences of my class.

 

Why We Teach
Students, Participants, and Partners in Teaching
The Role of a Teacher
The Primary Task of Every Congregation
Many Ways to Teach
Using Curriculum Resources

 

WHY WE TEACH
You are called. Read the story of Moses’ call to leadership in Exodus 3:1–4:17. Notice some of Moses’ feelings and concerns that you also experienced when first asked to teach or lead. God’s call to you may not be as flashy as Moses’ call through a burning bush, but God’s need of you and God’s promise of support are just as strong as they were in biblical times.

Like Moses, your first reaction to a call may have been reluctance or fear. That’s normal. When God gives us a task, it can seem overwhelming and we may feel ill-equipped. Moses tried to argue with God and pointed out all of his own personal shortcomings. God assured Moses that his gifts were sufficient and that help would arrive when needed. Like Moses, we can be assured that God will use whatever skills we have and that we will find the help we need to be an effective teacher or leader.

 

God’s Presence
God does not call us and then leave us alone. As a teacher and spiritual leader, you have the promise that God will be with you. Story after story in the Bible tells us that God wants to be in relationship with us and to be present for us at all times. For example, “I will be with you,” God says to Moses in Exodus 3:12, and promises to help. When God sends Aaron to assist Moses, God adds, “I will . . . teach you what you shall do” (Exodus 4:15).

Jesus promised his followers that the Holy Spirit would be with them: “. . . I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever” (John 14:14-16). You can trust that God’s Spirit is present with you in the classroom, enabling you to accomplish things you could not do on your own.

A wise teacher once told a group of people who were learning how to teach that “God goes before me into every classroom I enter. God is present in that room before, during, and after I teach. I don’t have to do it all.” God is already present and working in the lives of the people you lead. God will continue to work within them long after you are no longer around. Thanks be to God!

God’s presence also assumes God’s grace. In church we often hear, sing, and read about the concept of grace. Very simply, grace means God’s loving concern for every person. There is nothing we can do to earn it; God simply loves us. There is no certain number of good deeds we must perform to qualify for it; we just receive it. Grace is the overwhelming, undeserved blessing of God’s love. It is this grace that surrounds us, supports us, and helps us lead and teach. You are not responsible for changing the lives of your students by your teaching; it is the God of grace who does this. You just tell the story of God’s love, and trust God to do the rest.

As a teacher you may encounter the term means of grace. This refers to an action or practice that is a channel for God’s grace. Means of grace are things we do that bring us into contact with God and open the possibility for us to grow closer to God. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, felt that each Christian (especially leaders) should be involved in these practices. The means of grace include (but are not limited to)

  • prayer
  • bible study
  • worship
  • Holy Communion
  • fasting
  • acts of service and compassion
  • Christian conferencing (talking together about our faith)

As teachers and leaders we should be thinking about how we are personally involved in these means of grace and how we can help our students learn to practice them. The very act of teaching can be a means of grace. As we teach and as we open ourselves to learn, God’s mysterious work of grace happens; and all of us—teachers and learners alike—are transformed.

 

Dig Deeper: Personal Exercises
1.Reread and reflect on the Scriptures mentioned above. Use them in a devotional setting–let the words seep into your heart; look for the word of God to you. What do these stories and promises hold for you? Do you have experience of God in ways suggested by those passages? How is God calling you?

2.Look through The United Methodist Hymnal (or other hymnal used by your congregation). List the hymns that include the word grace. How is the word used? How do these hymns help you better understand the meaning of God’s grace?

 

For Further Study and Reflection
1.Gather with other teachers and small group leaders to share your stories and questions about how God has called you. What do you think God wants of each of you? What gifts do you see in yourself? Call forth and name the gifts and strengths you see in each other. Are any of those gifts complementary? How might you work together in different ways to enhance the teaching ministry?

2.Commit with other teachers to form a covenant group (for several weeks, at least) to study and consider prayerfully Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living, by Rueben P. Job (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007; available through Cokesbury). The third section specifically addresses the means of grace, but don’t skip the prior sections.

 

STUDENTS, PARTICIPANTS, AND PARTNERS IN TEACHING
No one comes to a class or small group completely “on empty.” The designated teacher not only has learners, but persons with something to offer as well.

A Cloud of Witnesses
Some of our best teachers are not immediately present. Who are some of the people who have been witnesses to the Christian faith? Who modeled or taught you what it means to be a follower of Christ? Thank God for their witness!

Hebrews 12 begins with the words, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses . . .” This phrase follows a long listing of biblical people who were examples of faith. People like Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Esther, David, Mary, Paul, and many others not called by name— these people have gone before us and sought to be faithful to God. You can add other names to this list: people who are important in the history of your local congregation, pastors who guided you, parents who taught you the faith, Sunday school teachers who helped you grow. You are “surrounded” by these people when you seek to lead a group or teach a lesson. You can almost imagine them sitting in a balcony of your classroom cheering you on!

Class Members
Whether you teach three-year-old children or older adults, whether your group has two members or two hundred, you can know that the Holy Spirit is present. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). A teacher learns quickly that students and group members quite often “teach” the teacher. Group members come with a wealth of experience, knowledge, and backgrounds that one leader cannot provide. Often a student will share an insight that the leader has never thought about. Even the youngest learners can teach by the questions they ask and the different perspectives they bring to the subject at hand. A young child’s spontaneous hug and “I love you” can teach the teacher something about God’s grace. Teaching is a mutual process where all share together in the experience of teaching and learning. The older the student or group member, the more they bring and the more they expect to be allowed to bring.

 

The Congregation
You have been asked to teach on behalf of your congregation. Hopefully the congregation is supporting you by providing the space, study materials, and supplies you need to be effective. Other ways congregations can support teachers include

  • providing prayer partners
  • offering spiritual growth and study opportunities for teachers
  • enlisting others to be substitute teachers or to serve on teaching teams
  • providing training events in the local congregation and/or sending teachers to district and conference training events
  • helping the entire congregation understand the value of the ministry of teaching.

If you would like to be supported in any of these ways, ask! Sometimes congregations just haven’t thought of all the possibilities.

 

The United Methodist Connection
United Methodist congregations are connected to one another in a special way. Local churches are joined together into districts; districts are joined into annual conferences; annual conferences are joined into jurisdictions; and jurisdictions are joined together with conferences outside the United States to make up the entire United Methodist denomination. The general agencies help support all of these different parts. Just as local congregations share their resources of money and service with these larger bodies, so the districts, conferences, and general agencies share their knowledge, resources, and skills with local congregations. Ask your pastor or Sunday school superintendent about training events and resources that might be available in your area. A district or conference staff person may be available to help provide training for teachers and leaders in your church. Perhaps several congregations located near one another could sponsor a joint learning event. General agencies provide written and internet-based resources that can be helpful.

 

Dig Deeper: Personal Exercises
1. Think more deeply about your own “cloud of witnesses.” What was it that made them good models and teachers? good spiritual mentors and leaders? Dig more deeply than, “She cared about me” to what it was that she did to demonstrate care or further than “the lessons were good” to what sort of preparation made them good. By delving more specifically into your reflections you can identify the success factors that you may be able to adopt and adapt. What have you learned that you can make your own?

2. Consider also the members of your class or group. What does each of them bring to the session? How might their knowledge and experience augment your own? What contributions have you missed so far that could add value to the rest of the group?

 

For Further Study and Reflection
1. Invite members of the congregation who are not currently in a class or group to meet together to share what inspiration, experience, gifts, strengths, or ideas they might contribute, on occasion, to the education ministry. Observers and past participants may have a perspective and gifts that need to be considered. Friends of the education ministry may be willing to be partners in some fashion, even if they are not present in a group each time it meets.

2. Call your conference office or go online to the conference web page to see what sort of helps are available.

 

THE ROLE OF A TEACHER 
You have probably known someone in your life who was a truly gifted teacher. He or she seemed to have a deep knowledge of a subject, effortlessly knew what method to use, and was able to inspire others to learn. In fact, teaching is identified in the New Testament as one of the spiritual gifts given to people to be used in God’s service.

Many of us may never claim the title of gifted teacher, but all of us fill a teaching role at some point. Anytime we encourage, share information, guide, support, challenge, parent, or tell another about how God has acted in our lives, we are filling a teaching role. One resource states it this way:

In a real sense, every person in the congregation participates in the teaching ministry. We teach through worship, through service, through engagement in the administrative tasks of the church. Everyone in the congregation is both teacher and learner. (From Foundations: Shaping the Ministry of Christian Education in Your Congregation; copyright © 1993 Discipleship Resources; used by permission; page 4.)

One of the characteristics of a good teacher is being a good learner and a good listener. Teachers model for their students the value of learning. We can never learn all there is to know about teaching, nor will we ever have all the answers. Trust, value, and seek the wisdom of your class or group members. Listen to the questions and reflections of their hearts, knowledge, and experience.

Who do you consider the best teacher you ever experienced? What did he or she do that was so memorable or effective? It may be helpful to think of the following three words to describe your role as a teacher:

 

  • model
  • formation
  • information

 

 

Model
A teacher is one who models the Christian faith, hopefully to the best of his or her ability. People learn by watching others’ actions and words. What we do is more powerful than what we say; how we live is stronger than how we claim we should live. Your students (of all ages) will watch you and learn from you. It is vital, then, that you model and teach well. The most powerful Christian teacher is one who not only recites, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31), but also actually practices it. An effective teacher is one whose faith is evidenced in his or her actions in the congregation and the community.

This does not mean that you cannot accept a teaching role until you are a perfect Christian. (If it did, our teaching ministry would have ended with Jesus!) It does mean that you understand the importance of seeking to grow into the likeness of Christ. A teacher should be growing in his or her own knowledge of the Bible, learning to pray, attending worship, and setting the example of a follower of Christ.

 

Formation
The role of a teacher of the faith is not just to pass on information or facts. It is to help people be formed as disciples (learners and followers) of Christ, and transformed into the people God has created them to be. Romans 12:2 says:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God— what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Transformation is the process of being converted or changed so that our fullest humanity can be realized. Sometimes transformation is a slow process, like water rushing over rocks for years and slowly changing their shapes. Other times it seems to happen much more quickly, like a river flooding over its banks and radically altering the shape of the land. In either instance, transformation is the work of God in our lives that changes us more and more from our current state of being into the people God wants us to be.

The good news for teachers is that we are not responsible for this transformation—God is! A teacher’s role is only to create places, times, and atmosphere where people can learn about God, hear the stories of Christian people, experience Christian community, and talk about how God may want them to live in their everyday world. We trust God to do the rest.

 

Information
Part of the teaching responsibility is, indeed, to share information. There is more to learn about the Christian faith than any of us can ever know: information about the Bible and the stories in the Bible, the history of the church, theology (or how people think and talk about God), facts about the beliefs and practices of The United Methodist Church, and much more.

Much of the information you will share will come from printed study resources provided by your congregation. Other information will come from your own personal study and reflection. Your class or group members will also bring their collective and individual wisdom. No teacher will ever know all the answers. Yet we can help people learn some important information that will help them know what it means to be a Christian and will assist them in their walk with God.

 

Building Relationships
Perhaps one of the most important things a teacher can do is build relationships. A teacher first works to strengthen his or her relationship with God. Daily prayer and reflection, study of Scripture, participation in worship, involvement in service activities—these are just a few of the practices that can draw each of us closer to God. Next, a teacher seeks to develop a strong relationship with the students or group members in the class. Few Christians remember much of what a Sunday school teacher actually taught them. What they remember most is the warm and caring relationship with the teacher—or the lack thereof! A good teacher also pays attention to the relationships between members of the group, helping them build an open, supportive Christian community.

 

Dig Deeper: Personal Exercises
1. Consider how your class time is spent in information-giving.

  • What do you do in your own class or group that informs?
  • What proportion of your time together is spent in getting the facts?
  • What emphasis is placed upon correct information? What happens when someone offers an answer that doesn’t square with the facts as you understand or present them?

2. Think next about how your class or group is structured to allow for formation and transformation.

  • Do participants feel free to offer insights and to ask questions?
  • Are all questions allowed or are there certain things “we don’t talk about in church!”?
  • Is there time given in the group session for reflection or something “off the subject”?
  • Is any part of the time spent for participants to reflect on what a text, comment, or Scripture means to them as a person of faith?
  • Are participants challenged (in age-appropriate ways) to live out what they learn? If so, do you also help participants reflect on their service or other experiences in light of Scripture?
  • Do you look for transformation and celebrate it when you see it?
  • How are you developing your relationship with members of your class or group? What kind of relationship do they have with one another? What could you do to help?

 

For Further Study and Reflection
1. Gather the other teachers and group leaders together to explore the reference materials that each of you has. What is in your church library or pastor’s study that might be available to you? Do you search out information in sources other than the printed curriculum or study Bible notes? Commit to more background study as part of your preparation for a month or so to see what difference it makes in your teaching.

2. Work with the other teachers, especially those who work with the same approximate age-level, to discuss how they structure the class for transformation. What can you learn from and teach to the others? If you are unsure about how to structure your time to allow for transformation, consider joining with several other people for your own devotional time together (not primarily study time). Use candles or icons for focus; take time to pray silently and together; search the Scriptures for the service challenges they offer you and embrace something. Go back to the group to reflect on your own experiences and to explore how to set a similar stage in your learning setting.

  • If you are an experienced teacher, consider being a mentor to a less experienced teacher. This could be in a formalized way, where you meet with the teacher on a regular basis to help him or her plan and to reflect upon what is happening in the classroom. Or it could be in a more informal process of sharing ideas, asking how things are going, or doing some joint activities.

THE PRIMARY TASK OF EVERY CONGREGATION 
The primary task of every congregation is

  • to reach out to welcome people where they are and to receive them as they are
  • to relate them to God through Jesus Christ
  • to nurture their growth in faith
  • to send them into the world to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

The primary task as described here is not four things, but one task with several dimensions. That one task can also be described as disciple making. The commission to be God’s partner in making disciples is the responsibility of every congregation. All the ministries, including the ministry of education and Christian formation, should align around what it means for your congregation to make disciples in its own time and context. Each ministry area, class, and group has a stake in disciple making. It may be someone else’s “job,” but it surely is your job.

Some groups will do one dimension more completely than others, and so the complementarity of all the groups and classes is important. Together, they engage in the primary task– all dimensions of it.

As a teacher or leader of a small group, you can pay attention to this primary task by

  • creating a hospitable and welcoming atmosphere
  • helping your group members come to know God and Jesus Christ by creating a safe place for them to talk about issues of faith and life
  • encouraging your group members to grow and mature in faith through Bible study, discussion, learning activities, service, and worship
  • sending your group members forth to live as Christian disciples in order to make the world more loving and just.

Each week you help your students reflect on how they live out their faith in the community. Then you send them out to begin the process again.

This may sound complicated, but it can be as simple as calling a child by name as he or she enters the room and giving the child a hug, telling your students stories about God and Jesus Christ, talking with your students about how a Christian tries to follow Jesus, then praying as you send your students out that each child, youth, and adult can find a way to help others in the name of Jesus.

 

Dig Deeper: Personal Exercises
1. Think about this primary task by rewriting it in your own words or by drawing an image or diagram of it. What examples do you see of each dimension in the church, over all?
2. List the things that you do in your class that relate to each part of the primary task. If you are not addressing each dimension, what’s missing? What can you do to engage that dimension?

 

For Further Study and Reflection
Gather with a group of other teachers or education leaders and study the portions of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (or the “marching orders” of your faith tradition) to gain further insight into the church’s mission and goals. How can you incorporate these understandings in your class or group and in the way you approach teaching?

 

MANY WAYS TO TEACH 
There are many different methods and activities to use in teaching and leading groups. There are entire books dedicated to explaining different ways to teach and learn. Most study resources designed for church classrooms suggest a number of different methods. Just remember that the most important person in deciding which method to use is not the teacher but the learner.

 

Ways People Learn
Listed below are a number of ways that individuals learn.

  • Words: Learn through reading, speaking, discussing, and other language-based activities.
  • Pictures: Learn through drawing, diagrams, and other visuals.
  • Physical Experience: Learn through dance, athletics, games, drama, building, holding or manipulating objects, and other physical action.
  • Music: Learn through singing, playing musical instruments, and other musical and rhythmic experiences.
  • Numbers and Patterns: Learn through puzzles, experiments, and other activities involving logical analysis, sequences, and patterns.
  • Self-Reflection: Learn through journaling, independent projects, and other reflective activities.
  • Social Experience: Learn through group discussion, group projects, roleplay, and other activities that involve working together.

 

The Needs of the Learner
An effective teacher has a deep knowledge about the students he or she teaches. Only after reflecting on the answers to the following questions should a teacher decide which methods to use.

  1. What are the specific age-level characteristics of the people you teach? Can they read? Are they able to understand abstract concepts?
  2. What are the physical characteristics of your students? Do they need lots of space to move around and work off energy? Are study materials in large print helpful? Do any group members have special physical needs, such as wheelchair accessibility or assistance in hearing?
  3. What are the life concerns that your group members are experiencing—new parents? divorce? retirement? For what are they searching?

Choose a variety of different methods so that over several weeks you can meet the needs of all of your group members. Don’t be afraid to try new methods and approaches—you may find your students more responsive than you think. (See also the teaching methods in Using Curriculum Resources.)

When you have carefully considered the answers to these questions and thought about your students’ needs and preferred ways of learning, you will be much better prepared to choose methods and activities that will make the class come alive. Remember—you teach people, not lessons!

 

Dig Deeper: Personal Exercises
1. Take the time to jot down answers to the three questions above. What insights have emerged from a thoughtful consideration of these questions that helps you understand your group members better?
2. There are numerous inventories related to multiple intelligences (the ways people learn). Search the internet for “multiple intelligences” to find an inventory and complete it yourself. If your group members are old enough to understand and complete an inventory, print it and ask them to complete it. (To avoid copyright violation, record the results and discard the inventories. Do not share them beyond the class.) Use this information to evaluate your teaching methods.

 

For Further Study and Reflection
Go back to the list of ways people learn and place each class or group member’s name by the way that seems strongest for them; then record the lowest scores in the same way. (Remember that there is no right or wrong to this; it just is.) Next look back over your past few lessons. If you adapted or eliminated activities, in what category did they fall? Did you favor your own strongest learning style(s)? In future planning/ adapting, try to offer a blend of several methodologies, then ask your group members to evaluate the session.

 

 

USING CURRICULUM RESOURCES
Most study materials provide a number of different options for teaching and learning activities. You will want to pick and choose among these options in light of the preferences of your class and your own level of comfort and interest. But the resource materials are only the beginning point for your lesson plan. You must make the lesson plan your own.

Some teachers like to teach from the book or leader’s guide. Others prefer to write out their plan or outline on a separate piece of paper. It doesn’t really matter how you go about it. The important thing is for you to know the material well enough to focus more on what is happening in the room than on your notes.

Be flexible! You never know what might happen when we gather to learn in God’s presence. If the Spirit is moving in the room and people begin to share in a deep manner, let it happen. Don’t rush on to another activity because you planned it that way. On the other hand, if the method you thought people would enjoy and would take thirty minutes to complete turns out not to work at all and is over in ten minutes, move on to the next thing you have planned. Plan an extra activity or two that you can add if you need.

Variety of Methods
Here is a list of possible learning activities, methods, and aids.

 

  • Audio tape
  • Banners
  • Bulletin board
  • CD-ROM
  • Clay
  • Collage
  • Computer games
  • Creative writing:
    • Cinquain poetry
    • Haiku poetry
    • Parables
  • Debate
  • Discussion:
    • Total Group
    • One-on-one
    • Small group
    • Circular response
    • Question and answer
  • Drama
  • Drawing/painting
  • Field trips
  • Fingerpainting
  • Group projects
  • Guest speaker
  • Internet
  • Interpretive movement
  • Journaling
  • Lecture
  • Listening
  • Mock interview of Bible characters
  • Movies
  • Mural
  • Musical instruments
  • News report
  • Open-ended questions
  • Overhead projector
  • Pantomime
  • Paraphrasing Bible story
  • Pictures
  • Pipe cleaner sculpture
  • Poster making
  • Puppets
  • Puzzle
  • Questionnaire
  • Quiz game
  • Reading plays
  • Reporting
  • Roleplay
  • Service projects
  • Simulation game
  • Singing
  • Skits
  • Slides
  • Songwriting
  • Storytelling
  • Summary
  • Timeline
  • TV
  • VCR
  • Videos
  • Wire sculpture

 

What a wonderful list of creative options! The problem is rarely, “What will I do?” but instead, “Which one of my options is better?” Remember, any of these methods can be effective if they are appropriate for the age level and needs of your group members and they are chosen because they will help people connect the good news of God’s love to their own particular life situations.

 

Dig Deeper: Personal Exercises
Look again at the list of methods and check any activity that you have used in the past. Using a different mark, check any method you want to know more about or might consider using in the future.

 

For Further Study and Reflection
1. Ask to have aDisciple orChristian Believer group (www.cokesbury.com) orCompanions in Christgroup in your church particularly for teachers and small group leaders who desire to deepen their own knowledge and faith life.

2. Start a study group for teachers and small group leaders using one or more of these teacher development resources, fromThe Upper Room bookstore,unless otherwise noted.

Categories: Basic Resources, What Every Teacher Needs to Know

Top 10 Characteristics of Best Teachers

#bethebestyoucanbe, #justbecauseyoushouldknow, #pieedu, #whyamIhere, 21st Century Learning, Healthy, Motivation, Passion, Skills

Listen to TEACHERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

1.Passionate: You feel strongly about what you as a teacher. You don’t see it as a “job” – you see it as a calling, a part of your purpose.

2. Kind-hearted: You genuinely want to make a positive impact on people from a place of empathy, compassion and love

3. Confident: You can enter into the room standing tall because you have a strong inner perception and knowing of your capability as a teacher.

4. Present: You are fully present and engaged when teaching. You’re aware of what’s going on in the room and use that information to coach, be flexible and provide the best possible experience, moment by moment

5. Authentic: You understand the importance of and are courageous enough to be yourself. You understand that, when they show up in the fullness of who you are, it gives others permission to do the same.

6. Engaging: You are a human connector and enjoy building relationships with people. Because of your willingness to genuinely connect with your students, you make feel good about themselves when in your classes.

7. Positive: You take a positive approach when teaching and are known for having an “optimistic disposition”. When things go wrong, as they sometimes do, you roll with it, staying upbeat and knowing everything will be okay.

8. Inspired: You are inspired from the inside to teach as opposed to being motivated from some external influence. Because of this, teaching fills your cup instead of draining you because you thrive on lifting others up.

9. Growth-focused: You always consider yourself a “student first”. Not only are you foundationally trained/certified, you continually stay open and on the lookout for opportunities that will provide more learning and growth. And you consistently “evaluate and evolve”.

10. Self-Aware: You know who you are and what inspires you. This allows you to be grounded and at peace from within. And, for this reason, you know to prioritize self-care first to ensure you’re a healthy role model for others.

 

Thank you Kimberly Spring-Glick Kimberly@makeadifference.com for the lesson!

Thank you Carmine Gagnor for this contribution.

The Leader in Me

#justbecauseyoushouldknow, #pieedu, 21st Century Learning, Educational News, Educational Resources, Educational Support, Gifts, Loving children, Partner with Parents, Skills, Student Support, Talents, Teacher Support

This summer, I joined this book study with this group in Chatham, Illinois, via Google Docs. My lifetime friend, Pam Hogan, and her team started this move in Chatham in 2016 and as you will hear from the principal, Elizabeth Gregurich, who is an awesome top down supporter, the paradigm shift is visible on their campus.  The district technology lead, Josh Mulvaney, is now involved via the book study,  which took it to district level.

Why did this hit home for me?  As stated in the previous post, finding everyone’s gifts, talents, passions, skills is what I have been preaching about for years.  “Everyone is a Genius”  states Elizabeth Gregurich.  I believe we all put on this planet for purpose and to delve into what those gifts, skills, talents and passions are will help you find yours!  “What is your genius”?

Albert Einstein wrote, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The question I have for you at this point of our journey together is, “What is your genius?”

We know that ALL students can learn.  Students learn very differently just as you do.  How do we reach all students?  Differentiating instruction, meeting all modalities, understanding we all learn best at different times of the day, understanding we all don’t hear everything the first time, understanding that everyone is in a different place with prior knowledge, not everyone understands the academic language, and everyone has very different home situations.  These are the many concepts that educators must consider in a day while teaching their topic.

So, I have taken on the task to assist with “peppering” this cultural change onto their already full plate without the feeling of adding more to an already hectic schedule.  I’m looking for inspiration from all of you reading this.  Hoping someone in each district will look at the powerful positive outcome this creates and take it on for the sake of students and community.  Hopefully, this group will develop into assisting each other with ideas that create the interdependence necessary to produce best practices.~Sandy

Enjoy  the video below on how this school implemented the “The 7 Habits for Highly Effective People” through “The Leader In Me” as well as other resources.

 

https://youtu.be/SgkqzMQ91bM

I apologize for the quality but its about getting it said and done, not how perfect it is. ~Sandy

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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Currently reading “The Leader In Me”, I awoke with such excitement as to how I can help implement this wonderful idea of creating the paradigm shift that Steve Covey brought to life in 1989 via the business world through the “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.

Being a teacher that began in the early 80s, I realized that many of these were in practice by most elementary schools but not to the degree in which Mr. Covey is suggesting.  Teachers always gave students jobs or tasks and changed them weekly.  Did we realized the ownership that those tasks brought to those students?  I know that we have some incredible ASB groups in our high schools, but we need to share out the leadership in all secondary schools.

Students feel ownership when provided with tasks that need to be done in the classroom and throughout the campus.  Mr. Covey saw the shift from in vocabulary from the school to MY school, the classroom to MY classroom, the school grounds to OUR school grounds.

As we have become more independent learners due to the need of meeting all student needs, have we forgotten the need to work together for the whole of community?  Do we need to take steps back to see how to have students work INTERdependently as well?

In his well-written book, The Leader In Me, the steps are set out on how to begin this paradigm shift.  Simply put, provide a task for students in the classroom, the school, the community.  Ask the students, what can YOU do that I am doing?  Maybe it is reading the morning bulletin, erasing the board at the end of class, gathering or passing out homework, changing bulletin boards, teaching one of the habits monthly, teaching others within the class in small group situations, leading the Pledge of Allegiance, summarizing the lesson or what is due next class period, etc.  This not only helps the teacher, but it helps the students feel ownership in the class.

Professional Learning Communities are no different than what was going on in the past.  Professionals getting together to plan lessons, set the calendar, share what is working, going over tests results to see if teaching or tests need to be changed.  This also is creating an interdependence.

When I was a math coach in Tulare Joint Union School System, our department had an incredible week of finding the needs of students in the classroom.  With the goal being that we didn’t want any of those students falling through the crack, we learned that it was  overwhelming task to meet ALL the needs.  Then we started looking at our own strengths.  What are we best at and how can that assist the entire department.  We assigned tasks to each pair of teachers that would work together to build all that needed to be done to meet the needs of all students for that year.  We had group-test builders, individual-test builders, those creating tasks for the advanced students, those creating assignments for the gaps in learning for the “strugglers”,  those putting the calendar together to meet the goals of the chapters, and more.  It was a beautiful work of interdependence that Mr. Covey is talking about here in his book.  All teachers took ownership in the work that needed to be done to meet the needs of all the mathematics students during 2006.

It’s not about buying in, it is about understanding the need for everyone to work together as teachers, administrators, students and parents to accomplish the goals of doing what is best for the teaching/learning of all students.

For those of you that know me personally, do you see me in this paradigm shift below?  I hope you do and I hope I am now at the 8th Habit!  ~Sandy

In short, this is a cut from wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7_Habits_of_Highly_Effective_People):

The book first introduces the concept of paradigm shift and helps the reader understand that different perspectives exist, i.e. that two people can see the same thing and yet differ with each other. On this premise, it introduces the seven habits in a proper order.

Each chapter is dedicated to one of the habits, which are represented by the following imperatives:

First Independence

The First Three Habits surround moving from dependence to independence (i.e., self-mastery):

1 – Be Proactive
Talks about the concept of Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern. Work from the center of your influence and constantly work to expand it. Don’t sit and wait in a reactive mode, waiting for problems to happen (Circle of Concern) before taking action.
2 – Begin with the End in Mind
Envision what you want in the future so you can work and plan towards it. Understand how people make decisions in their life. To be effective you need to act based on principles and constantly review your mission statement. Are you – right now – who you want to be? What do I have to say about myself? How do you want to be remembered? Change your life to act and be proactive according to the Habit 1. You are the programmer! Grow and stay humble.
3 – Put First Things First
Talks about difference between Leadership and Management. Leadership in the outside world begins with personal vision and personal leadership. Talks about what is important and what is urgent. Priority should be given in the following order:
1) Important and Urgent
2) Important and not-urgent
3) Not Important and Urgent
4) Not important and Not urgent

Habit 2 says: you are the programmer. Habit 3: Write the program. Become a leader! Keep personal integrity: what you say vs what you do.

Interdependence

The next three habits talk about Interdependence (e.g., working with others):

4 – Think Win-Win
Genuine feelings for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a “win” for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten his way. Think Win-Win isn’t about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. It is a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration.
5 – Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
Use empathic listening to genuinely understand a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring, and positive problem solving.
The Habit 5 is greatly embraced in the Greek philosophy represented by 3 words:
1) Ethos – your personal credibility. It’s the trust that you inspire, your Emotional Bank Account.
2) Pathos is the empathic side — it’s the alignment with the emotional trust of another person communication.
3) Logos is the logic — the reasoning part of the presentation.
The order is important: ethos, pathos, logos — your character, and your relationships, and then the logic of your presentation.
6 – Synergize
Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals that no one could have done alone.

Continuous Improvements

The final habit is that of continuous improvement in both the personal and interpersonal spheres of influence.

7 – Sharpen the Saw
Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle. It primarily emphasizes exercise for physical renewal, good prayer (meditation, yoga, etc.) and good reading for mental renewal. It also mentions service to society for spiritual renewal.

Covey explains the “Upward Spiral” model in the sharpening the saw section. Through our conscience, along with meaningful and consistent progress, the spiral will result in growth, change, and constant improvement. In essence, one is always attempting to integrate and master the principles outlined in The 7 Habits at progressively higher levels at each iteration. Subsequent development on any habit will render a different experience and you will learn the principles with a deeper understanding. The Upward Spiral model consists of three parts: learn, commit, do. According to Covey, one must be increasingly educating the conscience in order to grow and develop on the upward spiral. The idea of renewal by education will propel one along the path of personal freedom, security, wisdom, and power.[3]

The 8th Habit

8 – Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs.

Reception

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has sold more than 25 million copies in 40 languages worldwide, and the audio version has sold 1.5 million copies, and remains one of the best selling nonfiction business books in history. In August 2011 Time listed 7 Habits as one of “The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books”.[4]

Teaching At Home/Addition

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Once your student understands counting with manipulatives and identifies where whole numbers fall on a number line, you can add using both of this visuals.  Start with adding 1+1, put out two beans and push the one and one together.  The student should come up with 2.  Have the child count the one and one and then count it again as 2.  Show the numbers with dots on a paper.  One dot plus one dot equals two dots.  Now add 2+1 and move through the same process.

1+1, 2+1. 3+1, 4+1, 5+1, 6+1…

Then add 1+2 and look at 2+1 again to show student that 1+2 and 2+1 gives you the same number of beans or dots.  This is COMMUTATIVE PROPERTY.  Shows that you can add in either direction and get the same thing.

Move to the number line now.  Put your finger or a pencil on the number 1.  Adding one means moving right by one number.  This will also show that 1+1=2.  Show it with beans, dots and number line for several examples.

Go back and ask if 4+5 = 5+4 to revisit commutative property.

Continue to practice single digit addition until student feels confident.

Trade School vs. College

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Many realize that not everyone is created to go to college.  What are your talents? Gifts? Skills?  What is your passion?  Take that route! ~Sandy

Why You Should Consider Trade School Instead of College

by Updated on 03.27.16

For a lot of people, going to a four-year college seems like an automatic choice when they graduate from high school. The reason is obvious – higher income. According to theNational Center for Educational Statistics, a bachelor’s degree accounted for an average of $16,900 in additional income per year compared to a high school diploma ($30,000 versus $46,900).

Over a 30-year career in the workforce, that’s more than a $500,000 difference in earnings. These numbers may not paint the whole picture, however. Due to the increasingly high costs associated with a college education, as well as other drawbacks, more and more people have been considering trade school as an education alternative. If you’re one of them, you can actually search for a great trade school right here using the tool below:

Find Schools That Fit YouThree easy steps and we’ll connect you to our online education partner that matches your needs.

Sponsored schools

Trade School vs. College: Drawbacks to College Education

Length: Four (or More) Years vs. Two Years

For starters, a bachelor’s degree typically takes four years of study, which means that people who enter the workforce after receiving their bachelor’s degree aren’t doing so until age 22. That shaves some years off of a person’s career and can be considered an opportunity cost for experiencing the ‘real world’ hands on instead of being in a classroom. Plus, a four-year program usually makes you take classes outside of your major to fulfill credit requirements. Unless you enjoy spending time in a classroom, it may seem unnecessary to pay for extraneous credits and courses. Sure, that improv theater class was fun, but was it helpful for your chemistry major?

High Cost of a Bachelor’s Degree

Another drawback is the cost. Research conducted by the Idaho Department of Laborfound that the average bachelor’s degree in the United States costs $127,000! Not only that, but nearly 70% of students take out loans to help pay for school. According to the study, over 20% of students with loans owe more than $50,000, and 5.6% owe more than $100,000 at the end. Although some student loans are certainly better than others, the added cost of accruing interest makes the overall expense of receiving an education in the U.S. significantly higher for the average student than the already steep price tag suggests. The college lifestyle isn’t cheap either — dorming, paying for food, going out, and even doing your own laundry adds up!

Dropout Rate + Late Grads

A third drawback: Some people simply aren’t prepared for the rigors of a four-year college. For many students, college is their first experience away from home and, without an adequate plan, it’s easy to stray off course. In fact, the Institute of Education Statisticsestimates that 40% of attendees at a four-year college drop out before completing their degree. If you find yourself as a part of that 40%, not only have you incurred some of the expense of college, you left without receiving a degree. For the 60% that do complete their degree, a whopping 64% take longer than four years to graduate, costing themselves nearly $70,000 in lost wages and educational expenses per year, according toU.S. News. Most colleges don’t even require students to pick a major until the end of their sophomore year, creating a class of undecided students who may have wasted their time and credits on courses that they chose not to pursue.

Poor Economic Conditions

Finally: Job prospects for new graduates may not be as bright as they had expected. Although some college majors are faring better than others when it comes to labor market outcomes, a recent report released by the Economic Policy Institute states that overall, the unemployment (8.5%) and underemployment (16.8%) rates for college graduates under the age of 25 are nearly double what they were in 2007. Over the past five years, graduates have faced sluggish labor markets Young graduates are faced with limited job opportunities and difficulty paying off their student loans. College degrees are a career investment that require a considerable amount of both time and money, and the portion of grads who are unable to find desirable employment (or employment at all!) are seeing negative returns.

Trade School as an Alternative

My response to these statistics is that people approaching high school graduation should seriously consider trade school, particularly if they are not at the top of their class. A traditional four-year degree is not for everyone, and trade school offers a pretty compelling career path, especially when considering the factors associated with a college education outlined above. I’ll provide an overview of what a trade school education is, who it would be best for, and some of the advantages of trade school versus college.

What is a Trade School or Vocational School?

A trade school, also known as a technical or vocational school, is an educational institution that exists to teach skills related to a specific job. Trade schools are a more streamlined approach to education, with curricula focusing on developing a particular skillset and knowledge base for a career rather than receiving a general education. Trade schools typically take a lot less time to complete, have smaller class sizes, and the majority of the training is hands-on, which is an ideal environment for many types of learners. Vocational degrees can lead to well-paying jobs like electrician, mechanic, machinist, pharmacy technician, nuclear technician, and dental hygienist, with room for growth and managerial potential in each field.

Advantages to Trade Schools

Salaries for Trade School Jobs

For starters, salaries for trade school graduates aren’t that much of a drop-off compared to a four-year degree. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, technical and trade school jobs have a median annual salary of $35,720, though this figure varies heavily based on the particular industry and the experience level of the worker. The BLS predicted earnings for bachelor’s degree holders to be roughly $46,900, amounting to an annual difference of $11,180. This stat, of course, doesn’t factor in long term earnings growth.

However, because trade school only takes an average of two years to complete versus four, that amounts to an additional two years of income for the trade school graduate, or $71,440. Factor in another $70,000 in costs for the many students who take an extra year to graduate from college, and trade school grads can be over $140,000 ahead at the get-go, making up for over 12 years of difference in income.

Price of Education

The average trade school degree costs $33,000, which, compared to a $127,000 bachelor’s degree, means a savings of $94,000. But that’s not all! If you assume that students are fully financing their education with loans at 4% over 10 years, the bachelor’s degree will cost $154,000, while the trade school degree will cost only $40,000. That’s a savings of $114,000 just on the degree.

Of course, most students in both cases won’t fully finance their education. They’ll work and find other sources of income to help with the process, meaning the gap will be smaller in the average case. Research gathered in 2012 suggests that the average college student debt load is $29,900, and that number rises to $36,327 when factoring in interest. Conversely, the average debt load for students graduating from a two-year technical school is $10,000, roughly 70% less than the four-year graduate.

Job Security

Yet another advantage of technical trade school is that most of the jobs you’ll get are extremely difficult to export to another country. More and more jobs are being outsourced to places where labor is cheaper, making domestic employment in certain sectors difficult to get. It is much easier to export, say, computer programming work or other information economy work than it is to export carpentry or electrical work, as that requires a physical presence.

Not only that, but there’s a growing domestic demand for high-precision skills. According to Forbes, skilled trade workers are a disproportionately older population, and will only continue to get older, creating increased opportunities for young workers to fill their shoes.

Final Thoughts on Trade School vs. College

It should be noted that I’m not opposed to a four-year degree; instead, I’m simply making a strong case for an option that many people overlook when deciding what to do after high school. In lifetime earnings, a bachelor’s degree still pays off – don’t get me wrong. According to statistics, a person with a bachelor’s degree is projected to earn around $1.1 million, compared to the $393,000 projected earnings of an associate’s degree or trade school program graduate.

The advantages of a four-year degree are many: You’re going to earn much more later on in life and you also have the door wide open to continue your studies and earn substantially more with a masters degree or doctorate, however the cost/benefit equation to even higher education is changing every day.

Trade school graduates are very limited in opportunities to continue to bolster their education. That being said, a four-year degree is expensive, and not suited to everyone’s learning style and skill set. If you’re a hands-on learner, excited by the prospects of getting out of the classroom and starting to work immediately after high school, trade school is a relatively inexpensive alternative education that may work well for you. Take advantage of the search tool above to learn more about trade schools near you and what they offer.

I’ll leave you with an anecdote. My wife’s cousin graduated from high school at roughly the same time my wife graduated. Her cousin went to electrician’s school, while my wife went to four-year university. Her cousin started working three years before my wife and incurred much less student loan debt. Today, though he makes a little bit less money than she does, the difference isn’t very significant, plus he had hardly any debt to pay off after school.

This past May, my nephew graduated from high school. He is now attending electrician’s school as well. I think it’s the wisest move he could have made in his situation.

If you are graduating from high school soon, or have a loved one who is approaching graduation, I recommend seriously considering trade school as an alternative option. If you’re still unsure about your academic future or you’re looking for more information and options, check out our education series.

Considering Trade School: An Infographic

Consider Trade School

Need a Job?

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7 Trends That Will Impact Who Finds A Job in 2016

Unemployment is the lowest it’s been in seven years, at 5 percent, and for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher the rate is actually half that. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the economy has been adding well over 200,000 jobs a month. And healthcare, professional and technical services, retail, manufacturing, finance and government are all adding jobs.

Current U.S. employees—especially those looking to switch jobs—can expect a raise in 2016. A WorldatWork study found U.S. workers can expect an average base salary raise of 3.1 percent next year, but top performers can expect higher-than-average merit-based salary increases. New research from The Conference Board found that labor markets have tightened faster than expected, and that could mean employers will have to start raising wages faster than they have been. And research from SHRM and Rutgers University shows that the newly hired are seeing increased pay—which reflects the need for businesses to raise wages in order to attract new talent.

For those doing the hiring, employee retention will be a top priority in the new year. In fact, LinkedIn’s 2016 Global Recruiting Trends report found that nearly 60 percent of companies are investing more in their brand in an effort to keep current employees happy and recruit new, well-qualified talent.

Some of the job market and hiring trends to keep in mind as we head into the new year:

  1. Hiring isn’t limited to technology and healthcare.

Sure, those sectors are growing, but there are plenty of opportunities for new jobs and long-term, thriving careers in areas like marketing, sales, finance and transportation. Recent studies have found that among the top ten fastest growing occupations are nurses, software developers and network and computer system administrators, marketing managers, sales managers, industrial engineers, construction professionals and financial managers.

  1. However, if you are a software developer, it’s going to be a great year.

There’s no question software developers are still in high demand. Nearly one in every 20 open job postings in the U.S. is related to software development and/or engineering. Also in demand, is expertise with data analytics –now one of the most in-demand skills in the U.S.

  1. Marketing manager becomes a tech job.

Some of the highest growth tech companies, like Amazon and Facebook, have a great need for marketing managers. In fact, it’s the highest volume job opening after software developer/engineer. But the requirements are changing, because of the rapid growth of digital consumer advertising. The job increasingly requires the use of analytics to navigate new marketing channels and ways of acquiring customers.

  1. Millennials take the reins.

We’ll see a lot more Millennials in management positions in 2016. A new study from Upwork reports that nearly 30 percent of managers today are Millennials, with five percent seniors  managers and two percent in executive positions. The study found that within ten years nearly half of Millennials are aiming to be senior managers; seven percent want to be executives and 15 percent want to be business owners.  The global consultancy EY (Ernst & Young)  is a good example of this leadership transition underway–about 60 percent of its managers are Millennials, as well as 18 percent of its senior managers.

  1. Video will become an even more important recruiting tool.

The use of video to attract and recruit talent is increasing because of its high impact—it’s an engaging way to show the culture of a company, as well as the excitement and passion around the the company’s mission, products and services.  Expect to see more employee videos shot on cell phones, to give a more authentic peek inside a company, as well as personalized recruiting videos, video job descriptions and, yes, even video job offers.

  1. Recruiting will be more data-driven.

The technology available to recruiters today is better than it’s ever been, allowing them to optimize the entire recruiting and hiring process, from job descriptions to the process of nurturing and interviewing candidates, to developing and setting compensation. Letting data guide the hand of recruiters will most likely make the experience better for job candidates, allowing companies to better establish and nurture relationships with both current and potential candidates.

  1. The Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. will see the most hiring.

According to the Collegiate Employment Research Institute, states in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Southcentral, as well as the Central Midwest will see the greatest uptick in hiring, as much as a 40 percent increase from last year. In fact, regional employers will be increasing their hiring by the greatest percentage next year, nearly 20 percent over 2015. U.S. employers, the Institute’s new trend report says, “are entering the recruiting season with very high expectations for hiring.”

About the Author

Eilene Zimmerman is a journalist who writes about entrepreneurship, technology, small businesses and the workplace. She was a career columnist for the New York Times and is a regular contributor to the paper’s small business section.

Ways to Serve God Through Serving Others in the New Year!

#pieedu, Gifts, Skills, Talents

To serve God is to serve others and is the greatest form of charity: the pure love of Christ. Jesus Christ said:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34).

 

Looking for ways to improve 2016?  This list gives 15 ways in which we can serve God by serving others:

1.  Serve God Through Your Family

To serve God starts with serving our families. Daily we work, clean, love, support, listen to, teach, and endlessly give of ourselves to our family. We may often feel overwhelmed with all that we must do. As we lovingly give of ourselves to our family, and serve them with hearts full of love, our acts also serve God.

2.  Give Tithes and Offerings

One of the ways we can serve God is by helping His children, our brothers and sisters, through tithing, a generous offering. Money from tithing is used to build God’s kingdom on the earth. Contributing financially to God’s work is a great way to serve God. Money from offerings is used to help the hungry, thirsty, naked, strange, sick, and afflicted (see Matt 25:34-36) both those locally and world wide.

3.  Volunteer in Your Community

There are countless ways to serve God by serving in your community. From donating blood to adopting a highway, your local community has great need of your time, efforts and resources.  You can easily become involved in your community by contacting a local group, charity, or other community program.

 4.  Home Visiting

Home visit opportunities provide a means by which an important aspect of character may be developed:  love of service above self.  Stop in to see someone in need.

5.  Donate Clothing and Other Goods

All throughout the world, there are places to donate unused clothing, shoes, dishes, blankets/quilts, toys, furniture, books, and other items. Generously giving of these items to help others is an easy way to serve God and declutter your home at the same time.

When preparing those things you are going to donate it is always appreciated if you only give those items that are clean and in working order. Donating dirty, broken, or useless items is less effective and takes precious time from volunteers and other workers as they sort and organize the items to be distributed or sold to others.

Stores that resell donated items usually offer much needed jobs to the less fortunate which is another excellent form of service.

6.  Be a Friend

One of the simplest and easiest ways to serve God and others is by befriending one another. As we take the time to serve and be friendly, we’ll not only support others but also build a network of support for ourselves. Make others feel at home, and soon you’ll feel at home. Who does not love and need friends? Let us make a new friend today!

7.  Serve God by Serving Children

So many children and teenagers need our love and we can give it!  There are many programs to become involved with helping children and you can easily become a school or community volunteer.  Jesus Christ loves all the children of the world and so too should we love and serve them.

8.  Mourn with Those that Mourn

Carefully asking appropriate questions often helps people feel your love and empathy for them and their situation. Following the whisperings of the Spirit will help guide us to know what to say or do as we care for one another.

9.  Follow Inspiration

When going through my own trials, I listened for inspiration.  I took every meeting and every phone call.  I read every book that was presented.  Each time I was obedient, I felt His inspiration!  What an incredible walk with Jesus.  Listen and move!  Follow His steps for you and be truly inspired!

10.  Share Your Talents

Each of us have been given talents from the Lord that we should develop and use to serve God and others. Examine your life and find your gifts, skills and talents.  What are you good at? How could you use your talents to help those around you?  Are you good with children? Do you enjoy time with the elderly?  Do you like to cook or bake?  Are you good with your hands? Computers? Gardening? Building? Organizing? You can help others with your skills by praying for help to develop your talents.

11.  Simple Acts of Service

Sometimes all it takes to serve God is to give a smile, hug, wave, prayer, facebook message, text or a friendly phone call to someone in need.

12.  Serve God Through Missionary Work

One of the most important and rewarding ways in which we can serve our fellowmen is by living and sharing the principles of the gospel. We need to help those whom we seek to serve to know for themselves that God not only loves them but he is ever mindful of them and their needs.

13.  Fulfill Your Callings

When we seek to serve others, we are motivated not by selfishness but by charity and giving. This is the way Jesus Christ lived His life. Faithfully serving in our callings is to faithfully serve God.

14.  Use Your Creativity: It Comes from God

We are compassionate creators of a compassionate and creative being. The Lord will bless and help us as we creatively and compassionately serve one another. The Lord will bless us with the needed strength, guidance, patience, charity, and love to serve His children.

15.  Serve God by Humbling Yourself

I believe it is impossible to truly serve God and His children if we, ourselves, are full of pride. Developing humility is a choice that takes effort but as we come to understand why we should be humble, it will become easier to become humble. As we humble ourselves before the Lord our desire to serve God will greatly increase as will our capacity to be able to give of ourselves in the service of all our brothers and sisters.

Our Heavenly Father deeply loves us- more than we can imagine- and as we follow the Savior’s command to “love one another; as I have loved you” we will be able to do so. May we find simple, yet profound ways to daily serve God as we serve each other.

By Rachel Bruner

Updated by Krista Cook on December 01, 2015.

Adapted for this page by Sandy Carl December 21, 2015.

Passion. Motivation. Inspiration.

Gifts, Skills, Talents, Videos and Podcasts

This is a few of the lines from the attached video.  Get inspired!

Your time is limited.  You have got to find what you love.  Work will fill a large part of your life.  Have the courage to follow your hearts.  Up and downs will occur.  The real challenge of growth comes from when you get knocked down.  It takes courage to start over.  Fear kills!  At the end of feelings is nothing.  But Behind every principal is a promise.  Get over your feelings!  Don’t allow your emotions to control you.  Discipline your emotions.  Don’t allow your emotions to control you!  Make a declaration of what you stand for!  Take full responsibility for your life!  Life each day as if it were your last.  Live your life with PASSION.  with some drive.  It doesn’t matter what happens to you. What are you going to do about it!  Don’t give up!  Don’t give in!