For if we are really to receive everyone as Christ that means that we must respect each as made in the image of God and not in the image of ourselves. Esther de Waal,Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict. Reflection Sitting at their tables, my students listened to me with red-rimmed eyes or drooping heads. Many had half empty coffee cups near them. They were tired. Painfully tired. I knew these students gained from the course because they would refer to its content in other classes. But as I walked to my car, their … [Read more...] about Releasing the Helm: Loosening My Grip on My Students’ Learning (Scholar’s Compass)
The Four Loves
Scholar’s Compass: Prayerful Pedagogy
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. -James 5:16b-18 (NIV) Reflection Learning a language is an exciting endeavor–the beginning of an adventure that leads to new relationships, opportunities, and experiences. As a German instructor, I have the privilege of … [Read more...] about Scholar’s Compass: Prayerful Pedagogy
Scholar’s Compass Navigating Knowledge: Creativity That Delights
Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others." – Exodus 35:30-34 … [Read more...] about Scholar’s Compass Navigating Knowledge: Creativity That Delights
Navigating Beginnings: Student’s Bolognese
Recipe Instructions (15 minutes) Ingredients Thaw and Fry beef mince in pan with oil, onion, and seasonings Boil pasta Pour sauce into mince Plate pasta Spoon bolognese onto pasta Jar of pasta sauce Pasta, any kind Beef mince Onion Oil Seasonings, various Reflection I will always remember the DIY Bolognese I received just after moving to a new country. One week before the beginning of the university term, my list included: power adapter, bank … [Read more...] about Navigating Beginnings: Student’s Bolognese
Navigating Knowledge: The Conflict of Gratitude and Equality
Love Your Academic Discipline Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. – I Peter 4:9-10 (NIV) Reflection I have recently been analyzing large datasets of appreciation for research on cooperation and diversity online. I used to think that thanking others was an straightforward good, but a literature review has changed how I see the role of gratitude in my life as a … [Read more...] about Navigating Knowledge: The Conflict of Gratitude and Equality