One of the most rewarding aspects of education is witnessing progress. The young child who struggles to string sounds together suddenly starts reading words. The angry teenager becomes more self-controlled and learns how to manage emotions. The discouraged teacher gets a second wind and embraces the call to teach once again. We are all energized by progress. Progress reminds us that our efforts are paying off, and this motivates us to keep going!  For those of you who have be

I can’t tell you how excited I am to write this blog. Last week I was praying about what to say that was new and insightful.  If you have been connected to this ministry for a while, you might know I have already written close to 10 blogs about Christmas. What more was there to say?  The Lord knows how desperately I desire to encourage every educator to embrace their calling. Our jobs are so important. The impact God empowers us to have on the lives of others, especially chil

As a Christian educator, Christmas holds a special place in my heart. However, having worked in a public school setting for many years, I felt the tension that arises from the limitations placed on us by the law. Although Christmas is meant to be a joyous time, it's disheartening to be unable to share the joy of our faith during this festive season. We often feel compelled to conceal the true meaning of Christmas in secular celebrations. Christmas has always been about Jesus

It’s that time of year when many educators are self-medicating with sugar and caffeine! Thank goodness for coffee, although I know some prefer their caffeine cold in the form of soda or Red Bull!  With over-packed schedules filled with holiday events, sports, and various activities, it's no wonder energy levels are low. On top of all that, there's work to do! No wonder we all need an energy boost! I’m convinced a big fat dose of thankfulness is just what we need. This may sou

It all started with a burden. Over the years I watched the day-in and day-out struggles that educators faced to make a difference. Optimism would often fade as the year dragged on, leaving so many feeling discouraged and depleted. This scenario weighed heavily on my heart, and so I prayed. What could I do? For years I would revisit this sequence, sensing I was supposed to do something, but then the feeling would fade. Life was so busy with work and family. It was easy at t

When I hear the word grit , I automatically envision the Incredible Hulk in an offensive stance—teeth clenched, face wrinkled, fists clenched, ready for battle! He is unafraid, confident, strong, and amazingly resilient. Every time I watch one of those Marvel movies, I think there is no way the Hulk should still be alive. I’m sure you are thinking, “ Jackie, it’s just a movie. It isn’t real!” I know it isn’t real, but I am still mesmerized by how he survives an unbelievab

For those of us who have had the privilege of serving in a school either currently or in the past, we know one thing is for certain—gaining MOMENTUM in our work is sometimes a challenge. Whether it is a tumultuous season of legislative mandates, changes in standards and assessments, or just societal factors that sometimes create stumbling blocks, gaining momentum to reach our goals is difficult. Sometimes the barriers that hinder our momentum seem so monumental that we lose s

“If students would just be obedient, my life would be so much easier,” said every teacher at least once a day! Educators value obedience. The rules we set aren’t arbitrary. We want what is best for our students, and rules are needed to protect and guide them. However, students often don’t share our perspective. Many children see rule-following as something being forced on them, often constricting, and always a duty to determine if they are good or bad. Obedience, while imp

Pause for a moment and tally how many requests for your help you’ve received in the past month. Did the sign-up sheet for this school year’s committees just flash before your eyes? What roles do you play in your home church? What community responsibilities have you accepted? You get my point; the list could go on and on! One thing I’ve noticed about educators is that we are in a very likely position to be asked to do extra things not only at school but also at church, in t

I honestly cannot believe I am already talking about starting a new school year, but here we are! Many are already back at it while others of you who finished school in June are still soaking up the final days of summer. As a new year beckons, I want to use this blog to offer a challenge, one I wish I had taken many years ago. Before I say what the challenge is, I first want to lay some groundwork so all of you reading will be compelled to say, “YES! I accept the challeng

I hope the title of this blog piqued your curiosity, especially the part about maintaining your sanity! Crazy days are inevitable, and there may come times this school year when you will feel like there is nothing left in the tank to give. However, to hold nothing back doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our physical or mental health. In fact, I’m going to make a case for just the opposite. Holding nothing back can actually help us stay sane when we follow a little formula m

Summer is a great time to refocus and refresh. We can look back on the prior year’s educational journey and reflect on the positives and negatives that came from our experiences. We can wonder if we “won” with those students. D id we teach them enough? Did we grow them enough? Did we love them enough? One thing I love about education is that every year is a new year. A blank slate. A fresh start. There are not many other occupations where you get to start over year af

As I write this, I am completing summer school as a high school principal, and I am wrapping up my 20th year in public education. To be honest, I am ready for a little time off during the summer. I need to sleep, rest, and rejuvenate. I feel a little lethargic, and that fatigue is translating into complacency. I think that is a natural cycle for us in education—feeling a bit of a crash over the summer followed by a renewed passion and gearing up for another year ahead. I have

“I have no idea what I’m doing.” This was the thought that dominated my consciousness as I walked into my new classroom for the first time. The empty walls and empty desks were a fitting metaphor for my empty brain. I was a brand-new teacher entering the profession mid-year in an academically deficient school that was very culturally different from anywhere I had lived or worked before. There would be students walking through the door in mere moments, and I had nothing for

Educators have a front-row seat to the impact a father can have on the lives of children. Unfortunately, we have all seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. We also have our own experiences with our earthly fathers. All fathers fall short of perfection, some more than others. If we aren’t careful, our experiences with earthly fathers can skew our view of the perfect Father. Having an accurate understanding of God—our perfect Father—will not only change our own lives but also s

How many of you have already created your “list” for the summer? Be honest! Is the word “pause” on your checklist? You are probably thinking, of course not! There is too much to do! Yes, there is work to be done and fun to be had, but I am going to encourage you to give yourself some breathing space along the way and explore the habit of pausing. If we aren’t careful, we might find ourselves exchanging one form of busyness for another. Every educator I know is depleted by

We are in the final stretch! There is nothing like the feeling of a school year complete and the anticipation of time to breathe again. However, it can be an emotional time for educators. It’s not easy saying goodbye to students and colleagues we have come to cherish throughout the year. In addition, sometimes the end brings regrets for choices that were made during the year. No matter what the issues are, I find grounding myself in prayer brings peace over anxiety. It reall

May is the month for Teacher Appreciation Week and rightfully so! By now the school year is coming to a close, and a little appreciation goes a long way. Teacher Appreciation Week used to conjure up mixed emotions for me. As a teacher, I was grateful for the accolades, but deep down I wondered why appreciation was saved for one week of the year. There were plenty of times during the school year when a simple “thank you” would have helped. I felt ashamed for going there in my

While most of the world is relishing the newness of spring, many educators succumb to bouts of anxiety and uncertainty during this time of year. We don’t do it on purpose. With spring comes evaluations, testing, leadership changes, and job transitions. An influx of emotions is inevitable. After all, most of the time we are in control of our classrooms. Some unexpected challenges may surface during the school year, but for the most part, we are the captains of our ships. Unti

I consider myself a lifelong learner. As an educator, I’m sure you do, too. I have purposefully taken some additional time this past week to reflect on the meaning of Easter. Having grown up in the church, Easter holds many fond memories for me—a new dress, new shoes, family gatherings, Easter egg hunts, yummy food, special church services singing songs like Up from the Grave He Arose , and, of course, the celebration of a resurrected Christ. These are all sweet memories fo