As Iron Sharpens Iron – Monday, June 8, 2015

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION HEAD BLOG – Monday, June 8, 2015

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17

 

We have all heard this verse on many occasions, but the simple truth of sharpening one another is something that Christians should seek readily.  Throughout this past week our teachers at PBS put this verse into practice.  On Monday, a group of teachers representing each division met with the purpose of creating an accountability system for all of our teachers.  Just as we hold our students to a high standard, our teachers wanted to implement a measure of accountability for themselves.  The teachers each gave input on what were non-negotiables for a teacher at PBS such as turning in lesson plans on time, updating Renweb, communicating with parents, reporting to duty, etc.  They then agreed on consequences for failing to meet these expectations.  The teachers also constructed peer and supervisor observation tools to provide feedback and accountability on their teaching skills in the classroom.  The atmosphere of this meeting was a positive one as the teachers were excited to push themselves and sharpen one another.  I’m looking forward to seeing the results of this accountability system pay off for our students in the fall.

 

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I had the privilege of leading a professional development session for a group of our Middle School and High School teachers entitled “Superheroes of Education.”  Three of my favorite educators are Dr. Robert Marzano who specializes in better teaching strategies, Dr. Benjamin Bloom whose superpower is cognitive thinking skills, and Dr. Michael Valentine who has created a simple and effective behavior modification system.  We learned practical ways to implement the theories of these three educators in our classrooms at PBS.  It was thrilling to see the teachers eager to take what they had learned and put it into practice with their own students.  The best part was watching the teachers share ideas with one another for the purpose of sharpening their teaching skills.  The teachers who participated in this workshop were:  Jill Bourque, Kandi Brewster, Bentley Brown, Dickie Collier, Mallory Davis, Rebecca Fresina, Suzanne Granger, Beth Hitt, Joy Holden, Lori Kaiser, Lori Kinchen, Marja Liner, Amanda McAllister, Jennifer McGehee, Wilhelmina Palmer, Amy Saucier, Karen Spencer, Becky Talbot, Judy Turner, Jonathan White, and Paige White.

 

The old stereotype is that teachers work only nine months a year and have their summers off.  I can guarantee you that is not the case at Parkview Baptist School.  Throughout this summer, our teachers are attending workshops, traveling to conferences, continuing their education, deepening their understanding of their subject matter through research, revamping their curriculum, all for the purpose of sharpening their skill set in the classroom.

 

I have the honor each day to work with a staff of teachers who truly care about our students and drive themselves to improve their performance in the classroom for nothing other than the benefit of your children.  Our teachers are deeply motivated and passionate about their subject matter.  We are consistently building upon a culture of continuous improvement.

 

While the focus of this first blog post is on teachers, I wanted to take a moment to introduce three new teachers who will be joining us in the fall:  Jenee Ratelle Clark, a 2007 Alumnus of PBS, will be teaching Freshmen Bible.  Jenee recently earned her Master’s Degree in Christian Education from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.  Autumn Latour, a recent graduate in Mathematics Education from Louisiana College, will be teaching Algebra I and Advanced Math.  Rachel Smith, a recent LSU graduate in Secondary Spanish Education, will be teaching Spanish I.  What most impressed me about these three young ladies beyond their teaching credentials is their solid commitment to the Lord and their desire to serve Him at PBS.  I hope you will join me in welcoming our new teachers for the 2015-2016 school year.

 

One other adjustment that will be made in the fall is that Mrs. Amanda McAllister will move from the classroom into an administrative role as Curriculum and Educational Specialist.  Amanda’s primary role will be working with our new teachers and providing tools and strategies for all of our teachers to continue to hone their skills in the classroom.  I am excited about the skill set Amanda brings to the table, and I am looking forward to her joining our administrative team.

 

In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsibility anyone could have. – Lee Iacocca

 

For His Glory,

Ben D. Haindel

High School Division Head

 

Please join me for one of three remaining ‘Table Tuesdays’ TOMORROW, Tuesday, June 9^th in the High School Conference room from 12:00-1:00 (feel free to bring your lunch). This is an open forum time for you to ask questions, voice any concerns, and hear my vision for the High School. Click here to sign up!