A Glimpse at the Book “Nine Deer & Me” by Melinda Johnson

If an angel appeared before you, and told you to begin a journey to your true home, what would you do? This very thing happened to Saint Abigail, many years ago. “Nine Deer & Me” tells her story. 

Author and mother Melinda Johnson has given young Orthodox children yet another beautiful picture book to enhance their library. “Nine Deer and Me“ is a counting board book. But it is no ordinary counting book: this book encourages children to practice their counting in the context of a beautiful recounting of Saint Abigail‘s journey. 

Illustrator Amandine Wanert brings Saint Abigail to life in her simple, but eye-catching, drawings. Each scene includes items that readers can count each time they read.  Wanert’s playful use of lines and light enhance the charm of the animals and characters found in the book.

Readers will be encouraged by Saint Abigail’s diligence in following the angel’s directions. They will rejoice with Abigail to see how God provides for her along the way! And readers can count on being challenged to follow God‘s instructions in their own life.

Reviewed by Kristina Wenger, educator, podcaster, co-author of Tending the Garden of Our Hearts

Purchase your own copy of the book here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/nine-deer-and-me/

Stories describing the connection between saints and animals are fascinating to church school students. Find additional stories to share from earlier posts on the Orthodox Church School Teacher blog (links below).

For older elementary and middle school students: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2019/08/30/gleanings-from-a-book-the-cross-and-the-stag-by-gabriel-wilson/

Saints of recent decades: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2016/11/25/saints-of-recent-decades-st-sophia-of-kleisoura-may-6-or-19/

https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/saints-of-recent-decades-st-herman-of-alaska-december-13-or-25/

St. Seraphim of Sarov: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/learning-about-a-saint-st-seraphim-of-sarov-commemorated-on-january-2/

St. Gerasimos of the Jordan: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2016/02/26/learning-about-a-saint-st-gerasimos-of-the-jordan-commemorated-on-march-4/

Brain-Based Education and Quantum Learning Core Concept 5: Delivery

This post is the sixth in a series of blogs focusing on the comprehensive model of education called “brain-based learning” and the Quantum Learning method that most effectively applies that model. It is our hope that this series will help you to learn more about both the model and the method. Utilizing this methodology in Sunday Church school lessons will enable teachers to heighten the learning ability of each student in their class.

In this part of our series on the brain-based learning program, Quantum Learning, we will explore the fifth of the five core concepts in this method of teaching. (If you missed our introduction to the program, you can find it here: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/brain-based-education-and-quantum-learning-an-introduction/. Brain-based learning is a teaching methodology based on research that helps teachers to be more effective while also helping students to learn in the best way possible.) The five core components of the Quantum Learning System are Foundation, Atmosphere, Environment, Design, and Delivery. All five of these components work together, but even if you are only able to implement one of them in your Sunday Church school class, you and your students will greatly benefit.

This post will take a closer look at the core concept called “Delivery.” In essence, this concept is the way in which the lesson is facilitated. The Quantum Learning method considers a lesson to be delivered effectively if participation, comprehension, and competency have all been maximized.

How can a teacher ensure that effective delivery happens in their classroom? The method suggests that effective teachers will include these elements as they facilitate their classes:

• Use questioning strategies that increase participation and accountability. Model and enhance discussion skills to that end, as well.
• State directions clearly.
• Maximize your students’ attention throughout your time together. This requires building fun and joy into the learning. Maximizing attention and making learning fun will engage the students in such a way that their brain will best learn.
• Purposefully utilize your voice, your wording, and even your gestures.

Teaching strategies that enhance effective delivery include:

• Encouraging metacognition: That is to say, allow students to think about their own thinking and learning, or how they think and learn best. Then help them to learn in that way.
• Chunking information: Organize what is being presented into bites that students’ brains are able to process. The goal is to have them interact with the information in a way that they can link it to things they already know, so that it stays in their long-term memory.
• Engaging both hemispheres of the brain: Incorporate activities that utilize both the right and the left hemispheres of the brain. This requires variations of thought processes, intentionally including both rational and linear thought, as well as intuitive and creative thoughts. (This is where the “make it fun and joyful” comes into play, to some degree!)
• Vary experiences: Use a variety of ways to help students learn so that they sometimes need to reflect, other times they’re learning experientially, and still other times they’re applying concrete learning. This sort of variety in learning helps them to better embrace the learning, and brings deeper understanding. (The variety of experiences will naturally make the learning more fun, as well!)

The Church school teacher who is living as a true Orthodox Christian should be naturally effective in their delivery. After all, they will be an inviting presence to their students, because they care deeply for them. They will use their voice and words in a careful manner that invites participation. They will give clear directions. If they are truly joyful about their Faith, such teachers will enthusiastically teach their students about the Faith, making the learning as fun as possible, because they want to bestow the gift of Faith on each student. Their own Faith should pour into the classroom as they invite their students to embrace spiritual skills such as quiet times and experiencing different types of prayer. Those things will help to increase participation in class, as well. The effective Orthodox teacher will truly deliver learning in their classroom.

If we should discover that not all of the above paragraph is true in our own classroom, here is our opportunity for improvement. Let us pray and ask God to help us to live and teach in a way that is more true to the Faith. We can also ask the saints (perhaps St. Seraphim of Sarov, known to call all of his visitors “my Joy”, because of his deep love for them) for their intercessions and help. May God help us to better love and teach our students, one small step at a time.

In the future, we will offer suggested ways to apply the Quantum Learning teaching method in your Church school lessons.

 

Here are some quotes related to this component:

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Tap into the great variety of intelligences in your classroom by keeping the multiple intelligences in mind in lessons, discussions, questions, etc. If you struggle to remember the different multiple intelligences, consider “our friends SLIM-n-BIL (a couple of cool teacher friends… who’ve mentally slimmed down a lot since they discovered the multiple intelligences)…” That is, Spacial-Visual thinking, Linguistic-Verbal thinking, Interpersonal thinking; Musical-Rhythmic thinking; Naturalist thinking; Bodily-Kinesthetic thinking; Intrapersonal thinking; and Logical-Mathematical thinking. More information about each can be found online, or immediately following this quote, on pages 97-98 of “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

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“Powerful communication can be intentional and easy. With every interaction you have in the classroom, how you say things is just as important as what you say, maybe even more so. When you teach, give directions, set context or give feedback, remember these four principles:

• Elicit the image

• Direct the Focus
• Be Inclusive
• Be Specific”

(p. 118) “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

“Teachers often talk too much. They over-explain concepts, repeat directions and lengthen their answers in a way that dilutes the impact of what they say. Why do they do this? Often , because of lack of clarity: they’re unsure about what they want to say. Here’s one way to avoid this trap: Begin direction-giving statements with an action verb: take, draw, write, move, tlk, etc. Not only do you get right to the point, you also set student behavior in motion.” (p. 123) “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

“In… interviews with kids, we learned that their top reason for not listening to or liking their teachers is, ‘They don’t relate to me.’ A gap exists between our world and theirs. With this gap in place, students can’t relate to us or see a  WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?) in our teaching. Without the WIIFM, they don’t buy in… When you understand students’ interests, desires, and thinking, and you let them know you understand, you enter their world, rather than teaching strictly from your point of view…  As you consciously enter their world, you build a necessary partnership with them in the learning process.” (p. 84) “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

“With student success as your goal… First, when you introduce the content (the most difficult point for a learner), make sure you ALWAYS present it in a way that is:

• Multi-sensory – use visual, auditory and kinesthetic elements
• Chunked down – break information into chunks of three to four ‘infobytes’ at a time
• Contains frequent review – throughout learning use review to ensure the brains’ storage of information. Then , add a simple progression to the learning.”

(p. 87) “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

“You represent one of the most significant and influential factors in your students’ success as learners… Your modeling, authenticity, congruence and availability empower and inspire students to unleash the potential they possess as learners. Remember: everything speaks; what you say and how you say it.” (p. 114) “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

 

Brain-Based Education and Quantum Learning Core Concept 4: Lesson Design

This post is the fifth in a series of blogs focusing on the comprehensive model of education called “brain-based learning” and the Quantum Learning method that most effectively applies that model. It is our hope that this series will help you to learn more about both the model and the method. Utilizing this methodology in Sunday Church school lessons will enable teachers to heighten the learning ability of each student in their class.

In this part of our series on the brain-based learning program, Quantum Learning, we will explore the fourth of the five core concepts in this method of teaching. (If you missed our introduction to the program, you can find it here: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/brain-based-education-and-quantum-learning-an-introduction/. Brain-based learning is a teaching methodology based on research that helps teachers to be more effective while also helping students to learn in the best way possible.) The five core components of the Quantum Learning System are Foundation, Atmosphere, Environment, Design, and Delivery. All five of these components work together, but even if you are only able to implement one of them in your Sunday Church school class, you and your students will greatly benefit.

This post takes a quick look at the fourth core concept of the system, “Design.” The Quantum Learning method of teaching seeks to design dynamic lessons. That is to say, lessons that keep the brain in mind, gleans from its resources, and makes purposeful connections. Lessons designed in such a way make it possible for everyone in the room to learn to the very best of their ability. Teachers whose classrooms embrace Brain-Based Education design their lessons to increase student buy-in/interest while also tapping into students’ prior knowledge. A lesson designed with these goals in mind will greatly increase the students’ ability to understand and retain the information that comes their way. Developing conceptual understanding helps the students to then transfer their learning to real life, and apply it to actual situations which they encounter. Teachers also design their lessons in a way that invites their students to participate in activities that show their knowledge, which allows them to accurately assess their students’ progress.

In the Quantum Learning classroom, the lessons are carefully designed with these goals in mind:

1. Create student buy-in, which makes the student more receptive to learning.
2. Find ways to access the students’ understanding of the world, in order to make lessons relevant and personally meaningful to them.
3. Instruct in different ways by varying both the content structure and the way it is presented.
4. Find ways to facilitate reinforcements and reviews of what is learned, checking the students’ understanding of what is being taught.
5. Continually put a positive spin on learning.

When we design lessons that invite our students to call to mind their own experience before we offer them new information and/or labels for things, we are properly using the “design” core concept of the Quantum Learning method. Khouriya Terry Rogers once wrote about this teaching methodology, and related this core concept to our Orthodox Christian life. She said, “Think about [it] even as babes, we experience worship long before we can put a name to it!” Welcoming our students to settle new information into an understandable, relevant context attaches that information to the student’s schema (the way they see and make sense of the world). At the same time, instruction designed in this way encourages positive states of learning and inquiry, and connects the student’s world to what they are learning.

The Quantum Learning teaching method incorporates the following into lesson design: the brain-considering elements: EEL DR C, or Enroll, Experience, Label, Demonstrate, Review, and Celebrate. We will take a closer look at these elements at a later time. Even just at a glance, however, it is evident that there is an invitation for students to access what they already know in order to make room for new information. One can also see an implied expectation that teachers make the learning memorable and fun. (The Quantum Learning model suggests that if something is worth learning, it is worth celebrating!)

In the remaining posts about Brain-Based Education, we will be taking a closer look at the fifth core component of the Quantum Learning system, then offering ways to apply this method in your Church school lessons.

 

Here are some links related to Lesson Design:

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This article offers suggestions of ways to optimize learning by using Brain-Based Education. Some of the suggestions can and should be incorporated into lesson design. For example, “Whenever possible, make what you teach relevant to the lives of your students.” (from suggestion #7, “Accessing Prior Knowledge”) and “If you want students to remember something, make it memorable.” (from suggestion #16, “Memory-Enhancing Activities”) Read more about each here: https://thesecondprinciple.com/optimal-learning/brain-based-education/

***

“Many students walk into a class asking the question, ‘What’s in it for me?’ While that question may seem a bit selfish and even harsh, put yourself in their shoes. A survey was done with over 81,000 kids. Over half of them said that the only reason they were in school was that 1) it’s the law, and 2) their friends are there Yazzie-Mintz, 2007). This speaks quite loudly to the challenges we all have as educators to make our curriculum relevant…” from booster #9, titled “Relevance”, found in this article of 10 boosters for student achievement: www.jensenlearning.com/survey/Top-10-Boosters-Student-Achievement.pdf

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“The prime directive of Quantum Teaching lies in your ability to close the gap between our world and theirs. This enables you to strengthen rapport, accomplish material faster, make learning more permanent, and ensure transfer… A gap exists between our world and theirs. With this gap in place, students can’t relate to us or see a WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?) in our teaching… “ (p. 84), “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

“Our brains are meaning-making machines, searching for matches to previous experiences. ‘Most of our normal conceptual system is metaphorically structured; that is, most concepts are partially understood in terms of other concepts; (“Metaphors We Live By”, Lakoff and Johnson, 1980, p. 56).” (p. 102), “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

(The chapter goes on to encourage the use of metaphors, imagery, and suggestion to help make the necessary connections to previous experiences in our students’ brains.)

***

“No matter how we orchestrate the design of the learning, we always set students up – for something. Maybe we intend to do this, maybe we don’t, but the design always sets up the learning, risk, success, or failure that results. As you know, everything is on purpose, so in this case, how can your lesson design ensure their success?” (p. 86), “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

***

“With student success as your goal, remember these elements. First, when you introduce the content (the most difficult point for a learner), make sure you ALWAYS present it in a way that is

• multi-sensory – use visual, auditory and kinesthetic elements
• chunked down – break information into chunks of three to four ‘infobytes’ at a time, and
• contains frequent review – throughout learning use review to ensure the brain’s storage of information. Then add a simple progression to the learning.”

(p. 87), “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

 

Brain-Based Education and Quantum Learning Core Concept 3: Environment

This post is the fourth in a series of blogs focusing on the comprehensive model of education called “brain-based learning” and the Quantum Learning method that most effectively applies that model. It is our hope that this series will help you to learn more about both the model and the method. Utilizing this methodology in Sunday Church school lessons will enable teachers to heighten the learning ability of each student in their class.

In this part of our series on the brain-based learning program, Quantum Learning, we will explore the third of the five core concepts in this method of teaching. (If you missed our introduction to the program, you can find it here: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/brain-based-education-and-quantum-learning-an-introduction/. Brain-based learning is a teaching methodology based on research that helps teachers to be more effective while also helping students to learn in the best way possible.) The five core components of the Quantum Learning System are Foundation, Atmosphere, Environment, Design, and Delivery. All five of these components work together, but even if you are only able to implement one of them in your Sunday Church school class, you and your students will greatly benefit.

The third core concept is that of “Environment.” At the heart of this concept is the idea that even the physical space in which learning happens sends a message to all involved about what is important, so everything there should enhance learning. In the Quantum Learning System, the classroom environment is intentionally designed to support a learning culture. The classroom is inviting and comfortable, but it is also stimulating. Quantum Learning classroom walls feature posters (both inspirational ones and ones that relate to the content being studied) alongside student work. Classroom sounds include music that encourages learning. Props and aromas add interest to the learning environment. Even the physical items and arrangement of the classroom speak: the furniture and decor is intentionally arranged in a tasteful manner, and both plants and lighting add to the environment.

In an Orthodox Church school, educators desiring to create a classroom that supports Quantum Learning will arrange the furniture in their classroom together with plants, lighting, and decor in such a way that promotes a relaxed but energetic environment. They will come prepared to share music that can influence their students’ learning. They will surround the class with beauty, which leads us to God. Posters, student artwork, icons from the Great Feasts, and more can enhance the beauty of a Church school classroom and surround the learners with a “culture” of Orthodoxy that enhances the Church school learning environment.

In future weeks, we will be taking a closer look at the core components of the Quantum Learning system, and offering ways to apply this method in your Church school lessons.

 

Here are some links related to this component:

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“Your classroom environment impacts students’ ability to focus and retain information… Orchestrating the elements in your environment greatly influences your ability to teach more with less effort” (p. 78) There is an entire chapter dedicated to the concept of “Environment” in “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

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How our classroom is arranged influences class participation. We wrote about that before, and added related links here: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/pursuing-church-school-success-encouraging-class-participation/

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If you missed it when we wrote about classroom environment before, you may want to check out this blog post and the links attached to it: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2019/09/27/pursuing-church-school-success-evaluate-the-environment/

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Does your classroom suggest that God is in that space? Does it feel comfortable and safe to your students? This Methodist-written resource may be helpful as you evaluate your classroom environment in the interest of making it more conducive to learning: https://nccumc.org/christianformation/files/Classroom-Environment.pdf

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There are a variety of links at this page that may be helpful for teachers wishing to re-evaluate their classroom environment in the interest of making it even more conducive to learning: Classroom Set-Up Conducive to Learning in Bible Classes

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This article offers 17 suggestions for optimizing learning in your classroom, beginning with enhancing the climate of your classroom and reducing stress. It also recommends changing the environment occasionally, to better fit with learning: https://thesecondprinciple.com/optimal-learning/brain-based-education/

Brain-Based Education and Quantum Learning Core Concept 2: Atmosphere

This post is the third in a series of blogs focusing on the comprehensive model of education called “brain-based learning” and the Quantum Learning method that most effectively applies that model. It is our hope that this series will help you to learn more about both the model and the method. Utilizing this methodology in Sunday Church school lessons will enable teachers to heighten the learning ability of each student in their class.

 

In this part of our series on the brain-based learning program, Quantum Learning, we will explore the first of the five core concepts in this method of teaching. (If you missed our introduction to the program, you can find it here: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/brain-based-education-and-quantum-learning-an-introduction/. Brain-based learning is a teaching methodology based on research that helps teachers to be more effective while also helping students to learn in the best way possible.) The five core components of the Quantum Learning System are Foundation, Atmosphere, Environment, Design, and Delivery. All five of these components work together, but even if you are only able to implement one of them in your Sunday Church school class, you and your students will greatly benefit.

This post will take a closer look at the second core concept, “Atmosphere.” In this context, the “atmosphere” of a classroom is not a physical aspect of the room. It is, rather, the general feeling that everyone in the room – teacher included – senses while there. This atmosphere of a classroom is critical to quality and quantity of the learning that can happen therein.

When the atmosphere of a classroom is optimal for learning, the following happens:
The students in the class feel that they are supported and that this is a safe place for them to be. Those in the classroom feel strongly that they belong there. The teacher sets a tone that implies that work will be done, but they do so in a comfortable and motivating way. Everyone in the classroom is working to develop their character, which in turn grows respect and rapport between students and between students and the teacher. Effort is acknowledged, every time that it is put forth, and learnings and achievements are all celebrated.

In any classroom seeking to be successful, but perhaps especially in the Sunday Church school classroom, the atmosphere should be full of joy. The teachers or catechists in a joy-filled Church school class aim to create a sense of community, and koinonia, or fellowship, in their classroom. One way they do so is by showing genuine interest in each student, caring and respecting each of them, and encouraging the students to respond to everyone else in the same way. If each person in the classroom is growing in the “Eight Keys” (the virtues), their growth will help to set such mutual respect in motion. Although the room should have a relaxed atmosphere, students should still be able to pray reverently. The “opening prayer” before each lesson should set a tone of holiness for the forthcoming lesson. Each lesson should contain joy and wonder. Catechists (and students alike) in a joyful class should acknowledge every effort that is made in the classroom and celebrate all learning and achievement.

The atmosphere of your classroom includes the way that you choose to speak to and with your students. It is heavily influenced by your rapport with them. Your personal attitude about Church, Church school and even about learning itself will all contribute to (or detract from, depending on your attitude!) the atmosphere of your classroom. If you work to grow an atmosphere of joy in your Sunday Church school classroom, you will create an atmosphere of joyful learning for both you and your students!

In the future, we will be taking a closer look at the other core components of the Quantum Learning system, and offering ways to apply this method in your Church school lessons.

 

Here are some links related to the atmosphere of a classroom:

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As we wrote before, extending hospitality to our students is a very important way to work towards a healthy atmosphere in our classroom. Here’s what we wrote before, in case you missed it: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2019/09/20/pursuing-church-school-success-offering-hospitality-in-the-classroom/

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This Methodist-created document offers teachers a few important things to consider when planning for the atmosphere of their classroom. It suggests that students will respond best if “a friendly voice calls; everyone knows my name; there is a place for me at the table; I feel comfortable here; (and) God is in this safe place.” Read more about each of those learning-enhancing student impressions here: https://nccumc.org/christianformation/files/Classroom-Environment.pdf

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“I learned that it was up to me to be happy. It wasn’t up to my students to make me happy, or my coworkers, or anybody else. Being happy was my job. So what if this year was a little tough? I needed to roll with it, continue to love my students, and move on. I needed to CHOOSE to be happy.” Read more about teacher Teresa Kwant’s decision to face time with her class, including 5 practical ways in which a teacher can choose happiness, here: https://teresakwant.com/choose-to-be-happy-teacher/

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Check out the practical suggestions for improving the atmosphere of your classroom through classroom climate, stress reduction, and individual differences as suggested here: https://thesecondprinciple.com/optimal-learning/brain-based-education/

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Boost  your students’ achievement by focusing on two of these ten boosters which are related to the atmosphere of your classroom. Booster #3 (Connections) and #7 (Engagement) will both help toward that end: http://www.jensenlearning.com/survey/Top-10-Boosters-Student-Achievement.pdf

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“Building rapport and safety takes intention, compassion and risk on your part… The Quantum Teaching way suggests that from Day One, we get out from behind our content and policy, and just get to know our students and build rapport with them. It’s part of establishing an open, effective atmosphere…” (pp. 25-26) If you are interested in implementing the Quantum Learning Method in your classroom, you’ll find an entire chapter dedicated to the concept of Atmosphere in “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”  by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It is available for sale here https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

 

Brain-Based Education and Quantum Learning: an Introduction

This post is the first in a series of blogs focusing on the comprehensive model of education called “brain-based learning” and the Quantum Learning method that most effectively applies that model. It is our hope that this series will help you to learn more about both the model and the method. Utilizing this methodology in Sunday Church school lessons will enable teachers to heighten the learning ability of each student in their class.

Brain-based learning is a learning model that combines many educational theories into one comprehensive package. Lozalnov’s Accelerated Learning; Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences; Grinder and Bandler’s Neuro-Linguistic Programming; Hahn’s Experiential Learning; Socratic Inquiry; Johnson and Johnson’s Cooperative Learning; and Hunter’s Elements of Effective Instruction are all blended in this learning model. Because so many different theories work together in unison in this model, students in a classroom where the model is applied find meaning and relevancy in the content that they are learning.

And it is not just the students who benefit! Teachers who apply the brain-based learning model find joy in teaching, because it creates engaging content, it increases moments of discovery, and it blends learning with life skills. All of this shapes students and teachers alike into life-long learners, and it is a joy to be around people who WANT to learn! Brain-based learning also features teaching strategies that are more likely to permanently implant the information into students’ long-term memory, so they are not just temporarily engaging with the ideas.

Quantum Learning is a program based on the brain-based learning model. This research-based educational methodology increases the effectiveness of the teacher while simultaneously enhancing student performance through the cooperation of these five core components: Foundation, Atmosphere, Environment, Design, and Delivery. This program takes everything into account: the classroom, the curriculum’s design, and how the curriculum is presented. The program embraces the intentional use of music, pays attention even to peripherals, closely scrutinizes presentations, and promotes active engagement.

Quantum Learning recognizes that the whole student must be involved in order for genuine learning to take place, so it focuses on this simple directive: “Theirs to Ours, Ours to Theirs.” In other words, we teachers need to enter our students’ world first before we can begin to teach them. Building authentic bridges between ourselves and our students is imperative, because we need to make a connection with something from their life before they will be able to learn. When we are able to connect like that in the lesson’s introduction, that connection becomes a “hook”. It allows the gap between us to be bridged, and at that point, the student is ready to learn. In the Quantum Teaching model, we teachers must at this point prepare ourselves to learn together with our students. We will know that our students are successfully learning when they grab hold of what we are learning together and begin to apply it for themselves.

There are five tenets of Quantum Learning, and all of them require intense teacher attentiveness:

1. Everything “speaks” (including the classroom, any handouts used, each person’s body language, and – of course – the presentation itself)
2. Everything is on purpose (the intention for the lesson, and the goal)
3. Experience before label (complex stimulation will create a “need to know” in students)
4. Acknowledge every effort (find positive ways to respond to every effort in the classroom)
5. Celebrate learning (anything that is worth learning is also worth celebrating)

Quantum Learning requires intentional teaching, commanding a fair amount of prior thought and careful planning. If we really want our students to learn all that they are able to learn in Sunday Church school, it is worth the extra effort both to learn how to apply this methodology and then to actually do so.

Take a moment to think about everything that each student is learning in their life right now. Nothing is more important in the long run than what we are teaching them (and learning along with them).  Our class is not just about great ideas or lifelong skills: we are learning eternity-long skills. Because of the importance of what we’re teaching, it is imperative that we find the best way to reach each child, and to learn alongside them. Quantum Teaching will help us to build bridges between ourselves and our students, enabling us to maximize the learning that takes place in our Church school classroom. We will all be better for having applied it.

 

In future weeks, we will be taking a closer look at the core components of the the Quantum Learning system, and suggesting ways to apply this method in your Church school lessons.

Here are some links related to Brain-based learning and Quantum Teaching:

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Today, more and more teachers are basing their interactions with students on the field of brain-based learning instruction, which the CogniFit article “Brain based learning: What is it and how to apply it” describes as a new educational discipline that “unites the knowledge of neuroscience, psychology, and education, with the objective to optimize the learning and teaching process.” Its effects have been powerful in classrooms all over the world.

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“Anyone working in education knows the importance of finding the most effective way to impart knowledge. Brain-based learning is an advanced teaching method that aims to increase the speed and efficiency of learning.” Read more of this article on brain-based learning, including principles that will help you to improve your students’ learning: ttps://www.classcraft.com/blog/features/what-is-brain-based-learning/
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“There have been teachers of all sorts for centuries, but until the past 20 or so years they all had something in common—their teaching wasn’t based on detailed knowledge of how brains work.” Read this article so that your teaching can be different from theirs!  https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/10-benefits-brain-based-learning-instruction

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Find the history of brain-based learning; some of its core principles, as well as implications and suggestions for optimizing learning in this article: https://thesecondprinciple.com/optimal-learning/brain-based-education-an-overview/

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A very helpful book for applying the Quantum Teaching and Learning model is “Quantum Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success”, by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie, published by Allyn and Bacon in 1999. It can be found for sale here: https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Teaching-Orchestrating-Student-Success/dp/020528664X

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Khouria Terry Rogers, a retired teacher, used the Quantum Learning method when she was teaching, and she has written that this method is “extremely effective and [a] positive model for presenting material to learners.” She felt so strongly about it that, in addition to teaching in a classroom, she was a trainer/facilitator for the Quantum Learning method. You can read more about the method, and about Kh. Terry’s use of Quantum Learning in her classroom in this article: http://www.qln.com/downloads/nashvilleparentqlarticle_2.pdf

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Gleanings from a Book: “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker

“50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker is a general-education resource full of ideas and suggestions that will be helpful to any teacher, including Sunday Church school teachers. It is not a religiously-oriented book, but many of the suggestions of ways that teachers can better connect with their students honor those students (even the “difficult” ones) in a very godly, loving manner. Teachers who read this book will be challenged to be the best that they can, and will likely re-read it over the years, in order to continue improving.

The book offers simple suggestions of ways that teachers can improve the environment and interactions that take place within their classroom. The book is based on the premise that “you have to reach a student before you can teach him” (preface), and suggests 50 ways that teachers can best reach their students. The underlying premise is that students are more likely to behave and be engaged in a classroom where they are welcomed, their presence is desired, and they feel valued.

Ideas include: writing to students (and their parents) before the year even begins; greeting every student as they come into your classroom each day; learning about your students’ individual interests; being enthusiastic about what you are presenting in order to breed enthusiasm for learning; being humble enough to admit mistakes rather than covering them up; bragging on your students to others instead of using guilt trips to modify behavior; and much more. Each of the 50 ideas is presented in a bite-sized mini-chapter, including the reasoning behind the idea, how/why it works, points to ponder related to the idea, and classroom strategy(ies) for successful application of the concept.

Orthodox Christians reading this book will see the love of Christ shining through the suggestions that it offers. Teachers who read and implement this book will be honoring and loving their students in an even better, more godly way. Although it’s not “preachy” or religious, it engenders the application of the virtues within a classroom setting. Teachers who read this book from a Christian perspective will feel encouraged to become a more caring teacher, and thus better follow the loving, caring example of Christ.

“50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/50-Ways-Improve-Student-Behavior/dp/1596671327

Here are a few “gleanings” from the book, to give you a taste of the ideas therein:

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“In a classroom where teachers separate themselves physically from their students, behavior suffers. Want a simple solution? Get out from behind your desk or podium and get right in the middle of your students and teach away! This simple act, on your part will send a message that you are ‘right in there’ with them.” (p. 14,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“When students think they have gotten you, you lose every time. When they begin pushing your buttons, there’s no stopping them. But wait a minute. Who showed them your buttons? You did… Students have to think that you are one of those teachers who just does not have any buttons… So what do you do when a student really aggravates you? …You maintain a calm, composed demeanor and deal with the misbehavior in a rational, controlled way.” (p. 45,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“In the classroom, we tend to see more of what we encourage… The very best teachers always ‘catch’ their students behaving, thus discouraging the students who are misbehaving. They know what to ignore and what to notice.” (p. 59,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“…take note of your actions and ask yourself if you are ever prone to intentionally embarrassing students in front of others. Do you single out students who are not paying attention so that everyone else can be made aware of that student’s lack of attention? …Do you ask for public apologies when a student has misbehaved in front of his peers? The list is endless, but we believe we have made our point… There simply is no justification for humiliation… We have yet to meet a truly effective teacher who uses humiliation as a form of behavior management.” (p. 67,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“…students like and need to feel that their teachers find them interesting. Convince a student that you like her and find her interesting, and you’ve forged a connection. When students feel connected to their teachers, they achieve more and behave better.” (p. 84,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“If one of your goals is that you aspire to be the perfect teacher, we advise you to run away from teaching… there is no perfect teacher. Even the very best teachers make mistakes. But one trait that separates the best from the rest is that the best teachers are not afraid to admit their mistakes, even (and especially) in front of their students… part of being a positive role model involves teaching students, through example, how to admit mistakes and how to use them as stepping stones to achievement.” (p. 89,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“Success comes from taking small, consistent steps toward a goal. Effective teachers make their students successful on a daily basis by making everything doable and chewable. Just as, in eating, small bites are better for digestion, in learning, small bites are better for success!” (p. 101,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“…a simple strategy is to get to know your students and find out who they are as people. Do you know your students’ dreams? …Do they know you care? Do you make a concerted effort to show them that you value them as real people with real dreams?” (p. 111,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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“We have all experienced the phenomenon of telling a problem to someone who listens intently, only to realize that in sharing the problem we were able to devise our own solution. We often leave that person saying, ‘Thanks for all of your help.’ He often replies, ‘But I didn’t do anything.’ Oh, but he did. He listened… sometimes that is exactly what we need—for someone to simply listen to what we have to say. So listen, lisen, listen to your students.” (p. 124,  “50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges” by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker)

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Pursuing Church School Success: Reaching Students Who Face Other Challenges

In this series, we featured resources and ideas that can increase the learning success of a Church school classroom. In each post, we shared some tips for classroom management and/or ideas for increased student participation. What we have shared is not a comprehensive list by any stretch of the imagination: there are many more ideas available. It is our hope that what we have encountered and passed on can act as a starting point toward enhancing the learning that takes place in our Church school classroom. This is the final post in the series.

For this final post of the series, we have gathered a handful of resources for challenges that we have not yet addressed, which teachers in this community may be facing regularly in their Sunday Church school classroom. The resources are as varied as the challenges they address. Perhaps you may find it helpful to review all of the resources, in the event that one or more would suddenly become helpful in your classroom.

Here is an overview of the challenges which these resources address. Students with invisible disabilities may have physical pain or mental or emotional instability which affects their learning. Students with Oppositional Defiant Disorder may unintentionally disrupt the classroom as they try to make sense of their world. Students who are constantly wiggling may have a physiological or cognitive reason for doing so; whether or not they have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Students who struggle with anxiety may need additional margins or space in which to decompress. Gifted children may react intensely to their world; perhaps even with unpredictable angry outbursts because of the difference of their mental capacity from that of their peers.

Each of these challenges is unique and requires a different approach, so we will share a link or two related to each. It is our hope that one or more of these links will be helpful for your Sunday Church school classroom. If none seem necessary at the moment, hang on to the list; next year could be entirely different in your classroom!

Here are the links that we found related to the above topics. Do you face any of these challenges in your classroom? If so, what has worked for you? What related resources would you recommend to the community? Please share them below!

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Some time ago, we shared the following resources that can be helpful to Sunday Church school teachers who are working with students with invisible disabilities. Here they are again, in case you missed them the first time around:

https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2018/12/07/a-handful-of-resources-to-help-us-better-care-for-children-with-invisible-disabilities/

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Here’s a wish list for churches, written by one person who is experiencing an invisible illness. This list applies to Sunday Church schools, as well. https://morningcoffee.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-found-out-just-now-that-someone-out.html

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“Their disabilities are invisible to our eyes but complicate their every waking minute. As sojourners in a world that seems too bright, too loud, too harsh — too much — they need our love, as an echo of the perfect love they’ll find in Christ.” Read more about the reality of individuals with special needs who sojourn in our midst here: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/not-wired-for-this-world?fbclid=IwAR3o

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Find a helpful definition of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, as well as 9 hands-on steps to work with a student with this disorder, here: https://www.merakilane.com/dealing-with-oppositional-defiant-disorder-18-tips-for-parents-and-teachers/

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What happens if one of our students is unable to “sit still and listen” or doesn’t turn around and look when we’re talking to them? Why is this happening, and what should we do about it? It may be occurring because the student is simply tired of being still during Liturgy, or it could signify more. Learn what different types of movement from your student could indicate, and how you can handle each, here: http://mcnattlearningcenter.com/files/Turning-Point.pdf 

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Teachers of students who may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder will find helpful suggestions here:

https://incm.org/what-to-do-with-the-movers-and-shakers-in-your-sunday-school-class/

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Find a host of suggested ways to help students who struggle with anxiety, here: https://adayinourshoes.com/anxiety-iep-504-accommodations/

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Gifted people can be very intense. This intensity can affect their relationships, but it is not always a bad thing. Find 11 suggested strategies for embracing the intensity of gifted people here: https://reneeatgreatpeace.com/embracing-gifted-intensity/#_a5y_p=3284209

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The mother of gifted children (who sometimes has angry outbursts) has written this piece to help others understand and learn how to best work with her children: https://www.notsoformulaic.com/angry-gifted-kid/

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Pursuing Church School Success: A Handful of Resources Related to Autism

In this series, we will feature resources and ideas that can increase the learning success of a Church school classroom. In each post, we will share some tips for classroom management and/or ideas for increased student participation. What we share is not a comprehensive list by any stretch of the imagination: there are many more ideas available. It is our hope that what we proffer can act as a starting point toward enhancing the learning that takes place in our Church school classroom. 

We have gathered a handful of resources related to autism, the brain disorder which affects an individual’s ability to communicate, nurture relationships, and interact with their environment. Although more people have been diagnosed with autism in recent years, it is still unfamiliar to many others. Every person with autism is different, so there is still much to learn, even if we already know or have worked with someone with autism. In order for us to be better prepared to meet the students that may come our way, it is important that we prepare by learning about some of the best ways to welcome and suggestions to try when teaching someone who is autistic.

Summer Kinard is an Orthodox Christian teacher who is well prepared to teach other teachers about autism. She is an autistic mother raising five children on the autism spectrum, so she is familiar with this challenge from the inside. Summer does an excellent job of finding beautiful ways to teach others with autism, and sharing those ideas with other teachers. She offers so many resources at her site, SummerKinard.com. She even has identified patron saints who can be helpful with autism, and you can read about them here: https://summerkinard.com/2018/05/10/patron-saints-of-autism/! Her site is an excellent place to start looking for resources related to autism. (We will share a few of them below, but we recommend that you visit her site for more!

We have found a few other resources as well, and will share them below, in no particular order. These resources are not all Orthodox, but all are helpful, nonetheless.

How about you? What is your experience with autism? What resources have been helpful? What strategies have helped you teach autistic students? Please share them below!

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Summer Kinard has shared a wonderful four-part autism series for autistic people which is invaluable for teachers to read before welcoming a student with autism. The series begins here:https://summerkinard.com/2018/05/15/autistic-brain-owners-manual-1-make-yourself-at-home/

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Frederica Mathewes-Green wrote a poignant article called “Loving a Child with Autism” that Church school teachers would do well to read. It includes important insights and reminders like this one: “Parents are pained by their inability to reach an autistic child; he’s only a few feet away, at the other end of the sofa, but might as well be circling the dark reaches of space. But he is known by God.” Read the article in its entirety here: http://ww1.antiochian.org/node/17970

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An adult on the Autism spectrum shares in this blog post how his mind processes the world, and suggests ways that parishioners can help to better understand and welcome him and others on the spectrum. https://www.hospitablehomemaker.com/autism-spectrum-disorder/

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While this article (written by a pastor’s wife who is the mother of a child on the autism spectrum) may be old, it helps Sunday Church school teachers to think of the intangible things they can do to welcome a child with autism: https://theinclusivechurch.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/teaching-children-with-autism-the-intangibles/

She continues with this followup, which offers tangible ways to welcome the child(ren): https://theinclusivechurch.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/teaching-children-with-autism-the-tangibles/

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Find ten possible scenarios that could happen with a special needs (especially autistic) child in your classroom, together with safeguards to put in place and suggestions of ways to respond to each, here: https://theinclusivechurch.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/orange-conference-workshop-notes-including-students-with-autism/

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An Orthodox Christian mom speaks frankly to Church school teachers about her son, to help them better welcome him into their classroom, in this blog post. (In the process, she presents a series of questions teachers can ask all of the parents about their students, before they ever even meet the class, so that they know what will be helpful to each child!) Find a link to a questionnaire that you may wish to send out to parents in the future, as  well. https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/raisingsaints/unaskable-questions-answered-open-letter-sunday-school-teachers-autism-mom-plus-free-printable/

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This presentation is over an hour long and highly worth the time to watch it!  However, if you can only watch a couple of minutes of the video, please fast forward to 1:19:27 for an important message for all of us about special needs children (autistic, in this case) in our parishes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2h6HJz8154&feature=emb_title

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This blog site offers resources for Sunday Church school teachers to use (or modify for use) in their own classroom that includes students who would benefit from visual supports to the teaching. http://specialsundayschool.blogspot.com/p/visual-supports.html Find pictoral directions, visual schedule and prayer guides, and more at this non-Orthodox, but very helpful site.

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Maura Oprisko speaks to Bobby Maddex in this podcast about raising autistic children in the Orthodox Church. We were unable to find a working link to her blog, but this podcast may be helpful to teachers and parents working with children with autism. https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/features/the_least_of_these

 

Pursuing Church School Success: a Handful of Resources for Welcoming Students with Special Needs and Handicaps

In this series, we will feature resources and ideas that can increase the learning success of a Church school classroom. In each post, we will share some tips for classroom management and/or ideas for increased student participation. What we share is not a comprehensive list by any stretch of the imagination: there are many more ideas available. It is our hope that what we proffer can act as a starting point toward enhancing the learning that takes place in our Church school classroom. 

Every student who steps into our classroom is unique, and has needs that are individual to them. It is a great challenge for a teacher to teach such a great variety of individuals and lead them together through a lesson or learning time. It is a challenge, yes, but it is also a great honor and blessing.

From time to time, God gives a teacher the gift of a student whose needs are so unique that the teacher has the opportunity to seek new ways to teach. The student may have physical limitations, social struggles, or mental challenges that require special accommodations in a classroom setting. At first, it may be tempting for the teacher to greet those challenges with fear or dread, simply because they are new and different. However, it is our duty as Christians to love our fellow humans so much that we will help them in any way that we can. It is our honor as servants of God to extend mercy as completely as we are able. And it is our job as teachers to rise above our hesitance and learn all that we can about our students’ needs, then make the necessary adjustments in our classroom space, our teaching style, and our expectations of our students. When we take the time and effort to do so, we will not only do a better job of welcoming our students, but we will also be better able to receive from them the gifts that God intends to bestow.

In this series on pursuing Church school success, we would be remiss to not share a few resources that help Sunday Church school teachers to prepare to meet the needs of their students with handicaps or other special needs. We have encountered a few materials that can help teachers to teach such students. There are so many different kinds of handicaps and special needs that we will neither be able to include all of them, nor thoroughly address any of them. However, we will share a handful of assets which we thought may be of help to the community in this regard. We will begin by sharing general resources as well as some which focus on physical challenges and limitations. It is our hope that these will be a helpful starting place for us all as we seek to better love and help our students with extraordinary challenges.

May the Lord have mercy on us and on our students, as we learn how to learn together!

 

Here are some links that you may find helpful as you work with students with special needs and/or handicaps. Do you have any related resources that you would recommend to the community? Please share them below!

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This article may be a decade old, but the thoughts it contains and the questions that follow would be a valuable basis of a discussion amongst any group of Sunday Church school workers who desire to better welcome students of all abilities and needs. https://www.oca.org/parish-ministry/parishdevelopment/disability-and-communion

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Summer Kinard’s book, “Of Such is the Kingdom: A Practical Theology of Disability” is a wonderful Orthodox resource that helps parishioners to embrace each other, whatever their challenges may be. If you have not yet read it, we encourage you to do so, as it will bolster your love for Christ by helping you to better value and love everyone around you. We wrote about this book here: https://orthodoxchurchschoolteachers.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/gleanings-from-a-book-of-such-is-the-kingdom-a-practical-theology-of-disability-by-summer-kinnard/

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Summer Kinard’s website offers so many resources (many listed here: https://summerkinard.com/special-needs-resources/). Check out her free month of hands-on Sunday Church school lessons (which offers a glimpse into a teaching style that reaches a variety of needs of the students in your class) here: https://summerkinard.com/2019/08/11/free-month-of-hands-on-Sunday-school-curriculum/

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Those among us who “thought we had the advantages in life… find that on a spiritual level we can be severely disabled compared to our brothers and sisters who lack those intellectual giftings, but whose spiritual life can be marked by abilities and giftings we never suspected.” Read this perspective in this reflection on what the scriptures have to say about those in our midst with special needs: https://www.bethinking.org/human-life/a-biblical-view-of-disability

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“Church, we have a great opportunity to show love! The need is great. Kids are hurting. Adults are too. Families are struggling. The first step in being able to help is understanding the need. Jesus met people where they were, and so can we.” So concludes this presentation of the findings of one study on disability and the church. Read the findings here: https://church4everychild.org/2016/02/09/what-are-the-stats-on-disability-and-church/#_edn1

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This webinar can be a helpful starting point for Sunday Church school teachers and/or parishes desiring to better embrace the parishioners in their midst who face disabilities and other special needs:

https://www.goarch.org/en/-/the-church-and-families-of-children-with-special-needs-webinar

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Check out this list of resources: https://www.goarch.org/-/families-of-children-with-special-needs-resource-list

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This article offers suggestions of ways to make a church building more accessible for those with physical challenges. The article is not written from an Orthodox perspective, but many of the accessibility suggestions can be helpful as we plan (or alter) our physical space, to make it more accomodating. https://churchesbydaniels.com/four-ways-accommodate-special-needs-church-design/

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Something as seemingly innocuous as food can be very dangerous to someone who is allergic to certain ingredients. Summer Kinard’s free printable is a quick and easy way for parish members to communicate what is in the foods that they bring, so that people with allergies can be aware as they choose what to eat at coffee hour or in the Sunday school hall. It is so important that we take steps like this to show every member that their parish cares enough about them to ensure their safety. https://summerkinard.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/allergen-check-list-free-printable.pdf

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In Russia and Greece, parishes are including their deaf members by signing the liturgy. It is beautiful to behold, as evidenced in the video clips found here. https://orthocath.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/orthodox-christians-who-are-deaf-and-blind/
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In addition to Byzantine music, you will find some liturgical texts in braille at this page: http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/music/BrailleByzantineMusic.html#Links

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In this article, a mom of a child with a genetic skin disorder expresses her wishes with regard to what happens when other children notice her daughter and her challenges. She says, “What I wish you would do? I wish you would leave this conversation with your children open to me and my family, so it could become with us, instead of about us…When your child points and tells you to look, I wish you would respond clearly, ‘Yes, look at that sweet little girl. It looks like she’s having so much fun playing, just like you are!’” Read the article in its entirety here: https://community.today.com/parentingteam/post/dear-parents-what-i-wish-you-would-do-when-your-child-comments-on-my-daughters-special-needs

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Here are helpful tips for those in our community who do not have a child with a disability, for awareness: https://www.facebook.com/ellenstumbowriter/videos/371339980392324/