16-9

If I Knew Then: A Letter to Me on My First Day Teaching

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.com for more information.

• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind

May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools. CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Teacher Appreciation Week - Thursday May 5, 2016

As Teacher Appreciation draws to the end of the week, be blessed and be a blessing. We count it a joy to be able to remind teachers and the ones who love them to celebrate this great profession. Each day this week, we will post a blessing a day the includes:

a video to encourage you
a verse to equip you
a prayer to empower you

ENCOURAGE

Have you looked at the creative side of those around you? Have you encouraged any of your colleagues or students to invest more time in their creative abilities? It's easy to say, "I'm not creative," but that's just not true. Everyone of God's children were born to be creative. It's in our DNA. We encourage you to be mindful of creativity today. Look for creative ideas and nudge them to take it to a higher level. Praise the students for a job well done on assignments and display as much of their creative work as possible.

EQUIP

Today is a day for encouragement all throughout God's word. What a blessing to be a blessing. Pass it on.

1st Thess. 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

EMPOWER

Dear Father,

Lord, You are beautiful and more creative than we can wrap our minds around. Thank You for giving us creative abilities. We are Your children and so are all the students and staff at our school. Lord, help us to tap into our creative abilities to honor You. Show us how to give You the glory and credit for all our creative projects, ideas, and creations. Lord, we want to honor You, the greatest of all Teachers. Thank You for teaching us through Your Word and Your Ways. We love You more each day. Amen.

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.com for more information.

• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind

May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Teacher Appreciation Week - Wednesday, May 4, 2016

In the middle of Teacher Appreciation Week, please know that you are loved all year long. We count it a gift to be able to remind teachers and the ones who love them to celebrate this great profession. Each day this week, we will post a blessing day the includes:

a video to encourage you
a verse to equip you
a prayer to empower you

Encourage

You are a blessing to so many children of all ages, all races, all beliefs, all shapes and sizes. It's incredible how many lives we really touch. If you actually try to count the children whose lives have been impacted by you by the end of your teaching career, it's impossible. It's so touching when a previous student meets you at a store or restaurant and tells you how much they loved your class. Isn't it amazing how many names are forgotten? They remember how we treated them more than they remember what we taught them. Be a blessing to the children today.

LIttle girl song

Equip

Going to God's word each day reminds us of what is important and how much help we need as teachers to be an educator of excellence.

Ps. 143:10 - Teach me to do Your will, for you are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground

Empower

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You dear Father for the children You have placed in our care. Help them to be listeners today and to yearn for new knowledge. Help them to be open to new ideas and to be curious. Thank You for creating each and everyone of the children who come to our rooms today. It's a miracle how You made each and every one of them unique. Lord, help us to see them as You see them and to treasure these last few weeks with them. Erase any negative influence we may have had on them and forgive us for our failure to always be good to them. Show us how to finish strong and be a teacher of excellence inYour way with Your power. We love you. Amen.

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.com for more information.

• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind

May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Teacher Appreciation Day - May 3, 2016

Today is officially Teacher Appreciation Day during this Teacher Appreciation Week. Our mission at CEAI is to encourage, equip and empower you according to Biblical principles. Each day this week, we will post a blessing that includes:

a video to encourage you
a verse to equip you
a prayer to empower you

Encourage

We have heard many great quotes about what an inspirational teacher can be for a child. But one of the ones that encapsulates them all is "Thank A Teacher Today." Today's video made me very grateful to my own teachers and for being a teacher. Even though this video ends up being a plug for an ed-tech product, its message is great.

Link to the video

Equip

Equip yourself with the sword of the Spirit today as you walk the halls of your school.

Col. 4:5-6 - Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Empower

Dear Lord,

You are the Teacher of teachers. Thank You for calling us to teach. Lord, we know that we have a captive audience each day and that we need to guard the words that proceed out of our mouths. Let the words we speak today be a blessing, a soothing ointment that one student needs today. Lord, we realize that we will never know the true impact of everything we say and do to each child that comes under our charge over the years, but please help us act like every word and every moment does count for eternity. Thank You Lord for this Teacher Appreciation Day. May we be a blessing to our paraprofessionals on our campus today. Thank You for the gift of teaching. Amen.

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

K

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.weebly.com for more information.

• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind

• Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray

May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Teacher Appreciation Week - Monday 5, 2016

Teachers, we just want to bless you. Thank you for your high calling. This week we would like to present you with three little things each day:

a video to encourage you
a verse to equip you
and a prayer to empower you

Encourage

Taylor Mali, poet and teacher, wrote a powerful poem, "What Do Teachers Make?" put to video after encouraging 1000 people to become a teacher. Hope you pass it on to other teachers who need a little encouragement. He's made his poem available on this website for you also.

Equip

Roll this verse around in your mind all day. Read it, say it, meditate on it and act on it.

Hebrews 10:24 - And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works....

Empower

Dear Lord,

Please bless the teachers today. Give them the wisdom and strength to be excellent. Help them Lord to look at their students as fearfully and wonderfully made particularly when that student is not so lovable. Lord, can you help them to encourage their administrators today no matter what relationship they may have with them. Show them your love and help all teachers to be givers, not just receivers during this Teacher Appreciation Week. Please help our teachers to understanding their high calling. We love you, Lord and thank You for making us teachers! Amen.

Have a great Monday!

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.com for more information.

• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101

May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

St. Johns County - Honor the Grads

The 18th annual Honor The Grads ceremony in St. Johns County, FL was held Monday evening, April 25, 2016. This prestigious award, sponsored by Christian Educators Assoc. in St. Johns County, had become one of the most important events of the year in the lives of these students. Can you imagine being chosen by your peers as an example of integrity and living out your faith throughout high school? The best part is that these students are chosen by their peers!

The format of the program is beautifully simple. The family and friends of the award winners are lead in a few praise songs and then the graduates are given the opportunity to share a favorite verse, tell about their future plans and give a testimony. It never ceases to amaze us how the students can so boldly and passionately share their love of the Lord and their desire to serve. Some of the comments shared by the graduates this year include:

The way of God was always the way to go in our family.
We prayed with our team every game and in every sport. As athletes, we play for Him.
Knowing how great He is motivates me.
Be obedient when God says it's time to go.
Everything you do has consequences. If I'm willing to work hard at football, why wouldn't I work hard for God?
It could be worse. I could be getting what I deserve.
I want to shine. God speaks through us.
Our own school is a mission field for us.
The Body of Christ is one big family.
Every day is a mission trip at school. Embrace your place!
One of the students even sang their testimony.

After the student testimonies, the families and supporters gather around for a time of prayer from all who feel led. The prayer time was closed by Rev. Joseph Smith, the pastor of Switzerland Community Church who was himself a recipient of their previous award years ago. All were then invited for a time of fellowship and snacks.

Congratulations to all the graduates and their families.

The 2016 Honor the Grads awardees are:

Bartram High School

Kendall Gast

Tyler Aristimuno

Maddox Yuro

Creekside High School

Chelsea Janda

Andrew Hudson

Nease High School

Bailey Williams

Pedro Menendez High School

Simon Ndy

Hailey Malota

Ponte Vedra High School

Meg Barnhorst

Christi Begeman

St. Augustine High School

Hannah Hudgins

Samuel Bodo

St. John's Technical High School

Amber Geist

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.com for more information.

• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101

• Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray

May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

What is gentleness in the classroom?

As I began reflecting on what it means to have gentleness in the classroom, I felt so inadequate because I don’t feel gentle most of the time. It is one of the parts of the Fruit of the Spirit that is a weakness for me and often an area of repentance. However, as a grandma, I relish the opportunity to be gentle with my granddaughters by giving them a place where they are safe, comfortable and at peace. Isn’t that what we all strive for in our classrooms? Don’t we aspire to create an atmosphere that is safe, pleasant, calm, comfortable and peaceful? Gentleness is our ability to give others that sense of “I want to be here.” Gentleness in the classroom is our purposeful attempt to make all our students, even the unlovables, feel safe and welcomed. No learning can begin until there is that sense of trust and reliability. Being gentle does not mean weakness. In fact, it takes a lot more strength to be gentle under adverse conditions than to be powerful. Anyone can intimidate a child into conforming, but it takes the Spirit of God to consistently be gentle on a daily basis.

What might a gentle classroom look like? One of the synonyms for gentle is placid. As a lake without ripples, waves or turbulence, a gentle classroom will have a sense of calm. As the gentle leader, our students will respond to “events” in our classrooms as we do. Ask any substitute teacher about classroom personalities. If the teacher is loud, the class is often loud. If the teacher is calm and soft spoken, the class, in general, takes on those qualities. It’s a great experiment to test this theory. Speak in your normal tone while giving instructions or lecture and then mix it up with a very soft voice. Our students will immediately notice the difference, perhaps strain to listen, and if given the opportunity to respond, they will answer in a quiet tone. Our classrooms environments are set by our standards, our mannerisms and our display of the Fruit of the Spirit. Let’s be purposeful in being gentle to these precious children we will inevitably be making an impact. Let’s strive to be gentler in order to give our students a calm, orderly, and safe place to learning.

The greatest teacher who ever lived, Jesus, was described as gentle shepherd. What a compliment if we could be like Him! These four verses are my favorite reference to gentle in the Word. May you and your students be blessed with a gentle classroom this year.

Proverbs 15:1  - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Matthew 11:29  - Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Philippians 4:5  - Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

1 Peter 3:15  -But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

Prayerfully yours,

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.