Lego Lesson

Saturday I had the privilege of playing with my nephews.  Two of them have become enthralled with Legos.  As I was getting ready to leave, they asked me to help them build a house!  (I can't resist their requests most of the time...one look and I'm sucked right in!)  I sat down and began building a house.  I'm sure most of you are aware of how to build a lego house (I mean it is the same with bricks or stone on a real house!) but today, I was mesmerized by how sturdy the house became; each row of Legos/bricks overlapping the seam of the row below it.

  If we just stacked blocks without overlapping, each separate tower would easily crumble, but when we are overlapped, the Legos become a force not easily broken.  As I thought of this, my mind was flooded with applications and lessons. (Too bad the flood didn't wash away some of my over analytical dramatic thoughts...) 

The first thing I thought of was a song by Casting Crown, Broken Together. Lately, this song has been in my top 5 and played multiple times each day!  (I know it was intended for a couple/marriage...but in my singleness, I find it applicable to all relationships.)

The lego pieces don't change when you put them together.  Neither do relationships.  We don't become complete just because we are united. In fact, just as the song says, maybe we are meant to be broken together. As I've been thinking about the Legos and the song I have been evaluating relationships. I'm broken...I've got faults! (Yes, I am aware of many of them...) I bring my brokenness and join with others. Connected with others I am able to continually strive to be better. 

Summer has come to an end and each of us has experienced very different things this summer; some exciting times (new babies, weddings, fun adventures), some of us have experienced heartbreak or unfortunate events.  No matter what we've dealt with, it is time we come together to touch the lives of our students (and one another). We must allow others to lean on us while we also lean on others (Overlap those bricks...it takes more than one person.)  We must be aware of our mistakes as we become aware of others.  We must forgive even when it's tough (a wise friend said those very words to me tonight!)  Not one of us can stand on our own so after we rely and intertwine our lives with God, let's support and encourage each other! 

Something I once loved...

Back a few years ago, I began blogging as a requirement for receiving a grant.  I was to blog about what I was doing in my classroom and how we were using the iPads I received.  Over the years, I came to really enjoy blogging.  I refocused my blog to be about spiritual lessons I learned that could be applied to the classroom.  Every now and then, I post a blog about a cool project we did in my class.  For the past 5 weeks, I have been in a master's class that required me to blog each week.  At first, I thought the blog had to be over what I learned (apparently, I didn't read the project guidelines carefully enough-oops).  I soon learned I could blog about whatever I wanted.  I chose to continue using my regular blog and blog like I normally do.

I know I posted something about this on my Facebook with the first blog I posted for class, but since I'm required to do a "Blogging Reflection" I thought I'd share my thoughts in a full out blog post!

Even though I got to blog about whatever I wanted, blogging because I had to, changed my motivation and robbed me of the joy blogging once had.  As I thought about this and struggled with the blogging for the past few weeks, I thought about conversations I had with high school students about using technology in the classroom.  These students shared they did not like using the technology for school work.  These students loved using technology to connect with their friends.  They Snapchat, Tweet, Instagram and now Periscope!  (Yes...I used all of those as verbs)  But some students detest when teachers use the technology for projects.  What I gathered from the students I talked with was they want to keep their "fun & personal" life away from school.  I never understood until this summer.  I want to keep my personal blogging away from my school life!  I enjoy blogging with no strings attached (and most definitely not a grade attached).

As I ponder this, I am at a loss for connecting learning to students and applying personal loves to the classroom.  I want learning to be meaningful but never, do I want to rob them of the joy they find in an activity.  One thought I had was, students in elementary school find more joy in using personal activities in the classroom (such as Minecraft).  Maybe when the activity benefits their personal gains, it isn't as much of a downer.  It could just be high school students and older.  I write this post, looking for thoughts from other educators.  I have no answers.  I am about to take Minecraft (something my students love) and use it for educational purposes.  Is this a good idea?  Do you experience kids engaging more with personal activities or withdrawing?  How can we use their likes and interests to engage rather than detour?  HELP!?!?

Just so you know...I will continue blogging after this class is over.  I might take a few week break, but that is not new!!  I have not been detoured from blogging completely!  I enjoy sharing my thoughts with anyone who will listen (whether the audience is 20 readers or 210 readers).