Tampa Practicum - Day THREE!

Friday was Jessica's turn to share her vision as Support Manager.  She did such an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G job communicating her heart and her why.  (Why she does what she does)  It always comes back to HIM!  What do you want, Lord?  Help us to walk in your ways without getting in your way.  Jessica had a smile on her face and purpose in her heart.  

FRIDAY'S TOPIC

"Hallelujah"!  We did it.....no, "HE" did it!  



Truly, I cannot wait to dive into all my curriculum, guides, dvd's, and lesson plans.  God is GOOD!

Day three is all about the power conversation plays in helping us to process thoughts and master idea's.  

A wonderful example was taken from something Lynn had us do the day before.  She was modeling how powerful conversation is in math and wanted to apply it to other subjects.  So, she asked us to partner with the person sitting next to us and to talk about The War Between States.  

As I walked up to this precious woman sitting by herself in the front row, she immediately blurts out, "I don't know anything about that war".  I smiled (knowing well the fear she was feeling) and began our conversation by asking her this simple question:

What are basic things you think might have taken place?

• It was a war that took place between the North and the south?
• It was also called, The Civil War?
• Slavery was involved.
• Underground railroad came into action!

Then we stopped and polled the entire audience.  When you took her four facts and added them to someone else's facts you were able to visibly see the power conversation in community adds to the learning process.  

We filled up an entire white board with facts about, The War Between States.  Together we made a great team and learned far more than we would have by ourselves.

We grew in our understanding and in relationship.  This is exactly what happens in Classical Conversations when our children meet together, week-after-week-after-week.

Next came Lynn and her beautiful gift of connecting our hearts to our subject matter.  She inspires me and causes me to think beyond the moment. 

A big take-away for me personally has been that doing hard things draws me closer to the Lord.  

Hear my heart, I don't want to do hard things simply to do hard things, but I do want to do those things which empower and equip us (my family and I) to further God's Kingdom.   

Can I confess to you that one of the things that kept me from Classical Conversations was a fear that these communities were focused on the pursuit of knowledge, more than the pursuit of God.  

I wanted Jesus to be my everything and was afraid that Classical Education would become an idol, chasing after knowledge.  

What I have found to be true is that Classical CHRISTIAN Education (Which is what Classical Conversations helps us walk out) is a pursuit of God like I've never known.  

It's about total dependence on HIM and understanding that I can do the work, but only HE can make the connections.  Apart from Him I count it all useless. 

I will never look at a circle or the number zero again and not think of the completeness, the wholeness of God.  

One of the things I share at Practicum is how I didn't want to do this years speaker training when I found out the subject was math.  I had explained to Lynn that I was not a math person.  Lynn (patiently and lovingly) shared with me that I was the perfect person to represent this subject matter because, as I had aha's I could share them with others just like me.  I remember feeling pressure because I really didn't believe I was going to have aha's.  Actually, I didn't even want to have aha's.  I didn't understand what the big deal was.  I just needed enough math to get me through life, right?  

It is truly with tears overflowing that I sit here this morning thanking the Lord for this beautiful friend of mine who loved me and believed in me (and more importantly believed in the ONE who made me) enough to give me the push to go.  

This wasn't as much about falling madly in love with math.  This was about falling madly in love with the maker of math, Jesus Christ.  

It was a lesson in God's redemption and His love for His children.  It was learning how to make Phil 4:13 come to life....I CAN do ALL things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me.  

If anyone had ever told me that God would use math to draw my heart to the HIM I would have laughed out loud, literally.  But it's true.  It's not about math, but the process of going to Him in everything....math, food, money, debt, parenting, for understanding, wisdom, and knowledge.  

By wisdom a house is built,
    and through understanding it is established;
 through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures. - Proverbs 24:2-4

Oh how I love Him!

MATH FUN

Lynn invited Laura, one of our lovely tutors to come up and share how we teach the four math laws to even our youngest children.  There was singing, dancing, chanting, and laughing.  She was incredible!

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxtLn-0OSHU

(Permission was granted before sharing;)

Lynn also had the audience participate in partnering to work through math conversationally!

They would then share what they learned.

DIRECTORS

Day three was also about introducing the directors of the different programs in Hillsborough and Pinellas.  They were such a GREAT group.  

 

 

FRIENDS

Oh how I love these women.  It was such a JOY to be reunited with them after our summer break.  

They make my heart happy!

Kathy, is affectionately known as our "book lady".  She travels the state and diligently works our bookstore.  I just love her and her precious daughter.  She exudes the heart of a servant and encourager.  Just seeing her brings peace into the chaos of a large event.  Thank you, Kathy Brown for all you do!  XXOO

ESSENTIALS TRAINING

You've heard me talk about my mornings, but let me share what my afternoons were like.  I was privileged to sit under Tracie White as she trained our Essentials group from Pinellas.  She did such a beautiful job.  

Here is a perfect example of how she would break the ice and get us ready for three hours of Essentials Tutor Training.  Because it was day three she asked if any of us could relate to the picture next to her.   

Yes, we work hard and we play hard and we give God all the glory!!!!