The Home/School Partnership

When "healthy" relationships exist between the home and school, both teachers and parents value the expertise that each of them bring to the education process. When parents and teachers work together to build the foundation of a team, everybody benefits. As a parent, what can you do to contribute to your child's class or school, and what are some ways you can value and support the talents that the teacher brings to the classroom?

While here at Upper Room Christian School we strongly encourage parental involvement and support, let's first consider why a teacher might be a bit hesitant to tap the resources of a willing parent, or might have trouble thinking of a parent as a member of a team. A teacher might be wary of this "free service" if he has had a bad experience with parents in the past. Parents who force themselves on a teacher, who intrude on a teacher's personal life, or who work themselves into the classroom with a personal gripe or "agenda" are not likely to be regarded by a teacher as a valuable asset.

Let the teacher and school administration know that you want to help out on in the classroom, and let them know how you might be able to help. You might even volunteer to be the editor of a student-produced class newsletter, so all parents can stay informed about classroom activities.

You and other parents can support your child's teacher in a variety of ways -- by chaperoning field trips, preparing specialized materials for students, helping with lunch coverage, or even creating learning centers which focus on a certain topic or theme. You can generate a survey form on which parents (at an open house, in a school newsletter, or a school's Internet site like this one) can indicate their willingness to share a talent, some information, a service, or a product with the school. If you have the time and energy, you might develop and coordinate a pool of parents who can help out in a variety of ways. You may even be able to find a grant that would pay to put together a dependable parent-support network.

Help your child's teacher put his or her best skills to work in the classroom. By assisting with various non-teaching functions, you can give the teacher more time to be creative in the classroom. Every teacher wants a teammate who can do that!

Grace and Peace,

Ed

Be not Conformed, Be Transformed!

Rom 12:2 says, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". This is part of the mandate of True Godly Education!

Webster defines conformed as an intransitive verb: to be similar or identical also to be in agreement or harmony. To be obedient or compliant. To act in accordance with prevailing standards or customs.

Webster defines transformed as an intransitive verb: to change.

So then there are two very different educational systems in the world today one teaching us how to CONFORM with the world system based on selfishness and carnality and the other teaching us how to be TRANSFORMED into the image and likeness of God.

It is therefore impossible for a secular public school system to teach true biblical transformation as the carnal and spiritual are at enmity with each other. They have opposing goals! The are subject to different objectives.

Our children are not to be conformed to this worlds ideology but they are to be conformed to the image of God! Rom 8:29 says, " For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers".

What is your child's educational system conforming them to? All education shapes the mind and helps formulate our opinions and beliefs. First our children's minds need to be transformed, changed from their Adamic identity to their identity in Christ! Then they should be taught to be conformed into His image and likeness.
Rom 8:5
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Grace and Peace,

Ed

If your on Long Island and you're looking for a Christian PreK-12 school call us at 631-242-5359.

Love Yourself Correctly!

This post actually came to me in an e-mail that I subscribe to. It was written by Bill Gothard. Bill was born November 2, 1934, Bill is the third of six children born to William and Carmen Gothard. His father was the general manager of an engineering firm and later served with various ministries, including Gideons International, where he was the executive director.

When Bill was in the 5th grade, God brought him to an understanding of his need for a personal Savior through the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Shortly after accepting Jesus as his Savior, he and his family joined a Biblically based church and grew in their appreciation for the authority of God’s Word.

At the age of 15, Bill dedicated his life to helping teenagers and their parents make wise decisions. In order to give his complete attention to this, he has postponed marriage.
In 1964, at the age of 30, Bill was ordained and commissioned for youth work.
Bill Gothard received his B.A. (1957) and M.A. (1961) degrees from Wheaton College and, a Ph.D. (2004) degree from Louisiana Baptist University.

As I was reading I thought of how this topic ties in with the bullying and peer pressure that many of our young people go through. With today's expectation and pressure for perfection many young people are left broken as they try to meet an unrealistic expectation! Here's the article, enjoy!

Even though she was a former Miss America, she hated some of her physical features. The problem was that they were not features she could change. They were part of God’s design when He created her and formed her in her mother’s womb.

David declared, “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:15–16).

When we reject our design, we also reject our Designer. Self-rejection is often caused by comparing our unchangeable characteristics to those of others. Paul warned, “… But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (II Corinthians 10:12).

In order to love ourselves correctly, we must be able to accept and thank God for our unchangeable features. These include our parents, birth order, brothers and sisters, nationality, ethnic origin, time in history, basic physical features, mental capabilities, and length of life. David’s response to the Creator was: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 139:14).

If we reject the way God designed us, we will tend to ridicule and reject God’s design of others. As I have counseled teenagers over the years, many have acknowledged that they felt awkward and embarrassed about some of their physical features. In order to divert attention away from themselves, they would mock someone else’s appearance. What a hurtful action toward God and others!

We cannot fully love others without first learning to accept the way God has made us.
Isaiah described the relationship between God and man when he said, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8). Each pot is different, but each one is carefully designed, shaped, and molded for specific uses in His household. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
Rather than seeking to change the unique outward characteristics that God predetermined for us, we should seek to have our inner man transformed into the image of Christ through the renewing of our minds and the development of His character in our lives.

We can take a big step toward loving our neighbor by first thanking God for the way He designed us. If we have rejected any aspects of His design, let’s sincerely thank Him for them and begin to look for the ways that He intends to use them to benefit our inward character and accomplish His purposes in our lives. Then, let’s choose to view others as the masterpieces that God made them to be.

Through Christ our Lord,
Bill Gothard http://billgothard.com/bill/

Grace and Peace,
Ed

What if it Christian Education was FREE?

What if Christian education was free – no tuition charges, no fees, nothing! Would you then send your child to a Christian school? “Sure I’d send my child to a Christian school for free, are you kidding?” Well then, you have to ask yourself the next logical question… at what point is it too much to send your child to a Christian school? Where do you as parents draw the line for sending them or not sending them? One thousand? Four thousand? Eight thousand dollars?

Contact any Christian school in your area and find out why thousands of families have already figured out where to draw the line for their children’s future.

Christian school graduates go to college or they go right into the workplace. But what is really remarkable is that 100% of them study apologetics, learn how to defend their faith, and learn how to serve others. Where are you going to draw the line?

"Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children."
The Holy Bible : King James Version. Deut. 4:9-10.

Matt 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mark 8:36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Grace and Peace,

Ed

http://www.urilife.net.realfoodforlife/