The Seed and The Soil of Education (New Learning Project Part 1)

(This is my entry for the first part of my project for my New Learning course that I am taking.)

Introduction

Corn Fields in Illinois

I have lived the majority of my life in the Midwest: mid-state Illinois to be specific. Where I live, farming is everywhere. My grandparents and great-grandparents on both sides of my family were farmers. My dad grew up on a farm and owned farmland, well into my own adulthood. But, even if it wasn’t in the family, I still would have been surrounded by farming. You can’t go more than a mile outside of my city’s limits without encountering miles and miles of fields. Most of our highways, and even interstates, are located between acres of farmland.

New Learning Course Update #4

As I've mentioned before, I'm taking a course this summer called New Learning through the University of Illinois. As a part of the course requirements, I must add 7 different updates related to the topics in the course.  This is update #4 on the topic of Authentic Pedagogy: More Recent Times.  The update ended with the prompt: Describe and analyze the features of an example of authentic pedagogy today. 

Here is my update:

Morning Bible Reading - Psalm 44

Morning Bible Reading today is Psalm 44

Morning Bible Reading - Psalm 43

Morning Bible Reading today is Psalm 43

Morning Bible Reading - I Peter 5:1-11

The Morning Bible Reading today is from I Peter 5:1-11. This is near the end of Peter's first letter to the church. This particular portion is addressed to the elders of a church.

Morning Bible Reading - Psalm 42

Morning Bible Reading today is from Psalm 42.

Morning Bible Reading - Psalm 41

Your morning Bible reading is from Psalm 41 today.

Morning Bible Reading - Psalm 27

Your morning Bible reading.

 Psalm 27 today.


 

New Learning Course Update #3

Update 3: “Did That Take?” Education

As a teacher, among my peers, I am usually one of the first to adopt new technologies and find ways to integrate them into my teaching. In 2008, when Google Drive was still just called Google Docs, and it was still in it’s beta phase, I started using a version of Google Apps in my tech class. It was still very rudimentary, but it worked for what I was trying to accomplish in my class. I was running my tech class like it was a small business. So, I gave each of my students their own e-mail account under the domain that I had purchased, in order to use the Google Apps suite. At that same school, I worked with the administration in 2009, to introduce Google Apps to the rest of the high school, and enabled e-mail and other online functions for the remainder of the students.

Morning Bible Reading - Romans 5:1-11

Your Morning Bible Reading today is Romans 5:1-11

New Learning Course Update #1

I am currently taking a Master's course through the University of Illinois. This is an online course, and the requirements of the course involve me contributing to the "discussion" through typing my own updates and adding them to the course's page. There are seven updates that I need to compose, and I have decided to cross post those updates on this blog.

Here is the first update, in response to the instructor's update, titled Being an Educator in Interesting Times.

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God's Sovereignty is Inscrutable

"God's ways are fathomless. We can't ultimately comprehend the works of God (cf. Romans 11:33-36). Hymn writer William Cowper said, 'God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.' Why does James die and Peter live? We aren't told the reasons. We know that Jesus promised James' death in Mark 10:39, but we're not told why. Surely the church was praying for James, like Peter, yet he was put to death. John, James' brother, lived to be an old man. Sometimes believers suffer terribly, and sometimes God delivers miraculously (Schreiner, 'God's Inscrutable Sovereignty'). We can't predict the ways of God.  

"Sometimes those who would be great parents can't have biological children. Sometimes those who are terrible parents keep having babies. Sometimes God answers prayers for healings, and sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer -- at least for a season (Psalm 73).  

"While such trials bring much grief and pain, we must not be angry with God. Trials are not necessarily a sign that he's displeased with us. God calls us to trust him, even when life hurts. His ways are wise, good, and just. And we must remember this: God has given us his Son. God doesn't promise to give us an explanation for everything, but he has given us the promise that changes everything: he will raise us from the dead. We will dwell with him in the new heaven and new earth, where sin and suffering can't touch us. God doesn't everything, but through Christ, God has entered into our suffering, has taken the ultimate injustice at the cross, and has risen triumphantly so that all who call out to him may have eternal life. Latch on to this reality in suffering. Glory is coming. It's not here yet, but keep looking to God in faith. He gave his Son for sinners like us, and soon all suffering will end."

~ Tony Merida, Christ Centered Exposition Commentary: Acts

"I don't feel so good, Mr. Krabs."

Elsewhere in the Universe...

"I don't feel so good, Mr. Krabs."

Some Recent "Doodles" March 28, 2018

Here are my two "doodles" from last night. I feel like the one on the left has some deep meaning, I just don't know what it is. 

March 27th, 2018 Doodles

And here are the book marks from my "book mark spree" last week. 

March 25th, 2018 Doodles

I need to find an easy way to laminate the book marks... I think some of these might sell...

Edgewood Church - Acts 4:1-22

Last week's sermon...







(In all of our "technical difficulties" glory!)