The crisp midwestern autumn air isn't the only thing putting a bounce in the steps of teachers at Ignite Christian Academy; the annual Heartland Christian Educators' Convention ushered in extra feelings of excitement and renewed vigor. From praise and worship with other local Christian educators to breakout sessions on a variety of topics, the convention offers much more than just two days away from the office. Encouraged to embrace anew their vocation, teachers shared the following quotes from the most recent Heartland Convention.
"…We must invest in God and his priorities: One of God's priorities is children. They are God-given, custom-designed projects."
"Each child that comes to you was hand-selected for you by God."
"Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them" Psalm 127:3-5.
The magnitude of these statements deeply touched the ICA teachers. This year's theme, the story of Jesus washing the disciple's feet, further encouraged teachers and administrators to delight in their service to Christ-centered education.
Workshops on the latest in practical teaching techniques also inspired. Wendel Buys, high school English teacher, looks forward to using the presentation tool Prezi for online classrooms. The math department hopes to utilize numerous demonstrated websites for students who need extra practice. Several teachers attended timely discussions on assisting students diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorders to succeed. Elementary teacher Pam Holland hopes to develop new poetry projects based on the poetry writing session she attended.
For parents, ICA's presence at the annual Heartland Christian Educator's Convention means two very important things: ICA is committed to providing the latest tools to equip 21st century learners, and ICA teachers relish the opportunity to facilitate students' academic and spiritual growth. That's a lesson worth repeating each fall.