TfT Bulletin #16 | May 8, 2024

The shadow side of repeated language is . . . that it can simply become repeated language. A saying. A cliché. Non-disruptive sound. Just words. Words without meaning.

You know many of our TfT words and have become familiar with TfT’s Storyline, See the Story. Live the Story. I wouldn’t dare to guess how many times I have said it, written it, and designed learning to live into it. Given this frequency of engagement, I am always at risk of experiencing the shadow numbness of these repeated words. Maybe it is that way for you as well.

However, a recent text received from a TfT Head of School reawakened me to the significance of this language, See the Story. Live the Story. This text shared a message from a parent who was attending a funeral with her kindergartener:

My daughter, at my aunt’s funeral, said, “Mommy, what do you think her Throughline was? I think she was a beauty creator. She liked making beautiful gardens and crafts that were always so pretty. I bet God loved that about her.

Once again, I am alerted to the importance of providing language to our students and to all of us as their educators. Kindergarten students, 12th-grade students, parents, 35-year veterans of Christian education—the language of TfT beckons us to notice and to name, to make sense of things, and to clearly See the Story into which we are invited, nurtured, and empowered. Language shapes us.

See the Story. Live the Story.

TfT Instructional Coaching Intensive: Registration is open!

We are excited to announce that we have opened registration for next year’s Instructional Coaching Intensive at Delaware County Christian School (Philadelphia) running Nov. 13-15 (including the pre-intensive offerings).

Some highlights as you consider your participation:

The Instructional Coaching intensive is our largest gathering of educators from TfT Network schools. As many people share year after year—“I have found my people!”
To accommodate the growing numbers in the pre-intensive learning days, this year we are offering two options: 1) Designing Celebrations of Learning and 2) Experiencing and Deepening FLEx design.
Once again, we have differentiated instruction: Level 100, Level 200, and Level 300. We are still working on details and possibilities for Level 400.

Supporting Throughlines: Sheboygan Christian

When we invited TfT Network schools to share their personalized list of Throughlines (which you’ll see in the next TfT Bulletin!), Joel Navis, TfT instructional coach at Sheboygan Christian (SCS), shared both the school’s personalized list of Throughlines (with student-designed images!) and a structure by which they support the Throughlines at SCS.

For schools looking to grow in their school-wide use of Throughlines, this document embodies an articulation of SCS’s Throughlines, calendar approach with suggestions to support their implementation, and reflection prompts for teachers and students. These SCS resources are rich!

Elementary TfT: More wisdom from kindergarten

Meet Addy. Addy is a kindergarten student in Stacy Reynold’s class at Trinity Christian Academy. Stacy’s Deep Hope is for "my students to know everyday that we love Jesus, He gives joy, we are blessed and we bless others." Because of this Deep Hope, Addy was inspired to write a personal response in which she shares what the Bible means to her. Ms. Reynold captured a video of Addy reading her reflections with fellow kindergarten classmates.

Secondary TfT: A collaborative project at Avail Academy

We are excited to share this highly collaborative project between Avail Academy’s art teacher (Susan VanGeest), media and marketing teacher (Kelsey Wieberdink), the Today devotional, and Kids Corner of Reframe Ministries. Within Susan’s Storyline, Spread Love Share Art, her 9th-grade students take photographs that capture the essence of a devotional from the Today devotional and write a statement sharing how their art reflects that meditation, then Today publishes these images on their website along with the devotional. Susan shares that website viewers are able to share their response to the photos, and students are very encouraged by the feedback they receive.

Kids Corner wanted to produce a video that shared this story of collaboration, so, naturally, Kelsey’s high school media students captured the necessary footage and interviews to create this video of Avail students playing their part in God’s story. What a great example of “real work that meets real needs for real people.”

If you are interested in partnering with Kids Corner to create a video of a TfT learning story from your school, please reach out to Ron VandenBurg of Kid’s Corner—he would love to partner with you.

Masterclasses: Registration Deadline June 10, 2024

Thank you for suggesting various Masterclass ideas for 2024—we have heard you! Registration is now open for our 2024 TfT Masterclasses. We have expanded our course offerings: some of this year’s courses continue from the past, and some are brand new!

Primary Classrooms: Grades K-2	Intermediate Classrooms: Grades 3-5	Middle School Classrooms: Grades 6-8	The Mathematics Classroom: Grades 6-12
FLEx Design Grades K-5	FLEx Design Grades 6-12	Learning Targets Grades K-12	Leading TfT for those who lead TfT implementation at their schools

Masterclasses are led by school-based TfT practitioners. Each class provides a highly efficient, practical learning experience that will leave you with TfT plans for the year and a new set of collegial relationships from across the TfT network to encourage, support, and sustain your work.

Learn more and register here. Please contact Amanda Albright with further questions.

TfT Tips Trio

See the Story, Live the Story. All of the practices orient towards this TfT north star. Through Deep Hope, Storyline, FLEx, and Throughlines, we seek to invite, nurture, and empower learners within God’s Story. This week’s tips highlight a specific tool for framing learning with God’s Story.

Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.

700 7th St NE
Sioux Center, IA | 51250 US

This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.