Idiology
Well. . .each new year of school is filled with lots of meetings which are filled with lots of new slogans of the day and acronyms to accompany "the latest" in educational mindsets.
Just a sampling. . .
"Failure is not an option." (This is THE BIGGIE for our district this year. . .coming soon to a t-shirt near me.)
UBD (Understanding by Design)
SFA (can't remember the S part. . .facilitative assessment--it's a test)
"Closing the Gap" (not the store--an actual space that needs to be closed)
metacognition
Quantum learning
Power Up
ARIP (Accelerated Reading Intervention Program)
I think that's enough. . .you get the point.
Some of these are just more of the same. . .some of them are being applied in new and unique ways this year. Some of them have already been used ad nauseum, and I have yet to see ONE student on our campus.
I have decided on my own slogan for the year. . .it's actually not a slogan. It is, "Take Captive Every Thought." Now some of you have already recognized that it's a scripture. (Don't tell the state or federal legislature, please.)
II Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
You will notice that in keeping with my sneaky way of posting the fruit of the Spirit by putting just the word "Joy" all over my classroom last year, I am leaving out the parts with which some would take issue. But I think "Take Captive Every Thought," gets the point across to my kids and to me without actually getting me fired. Every action (except for maybe a sneeze) begins with a thought of some sort. It might be a split second thought that is followed by an impulsive action, but it's a thought none-the-less. So. . .capturing our thoughts applies to everything we do.
It applies to students. . ."I don't think I'll do my homework tonight." OR "I think I will stand on the toilet in a bathroom stall so they can't find me when I'm skipping class." (For REAL)
It applies to me. . ."I think calling Beto's parents is more trouble than it's worth. I'll just deal with it." OR "I think I will go to Target on my planning time instead of grading my papers." (Not so for real. . .but it HAS happened at least once.)
And tomorrow, it's goin' up somewhere in my little lot of the trailer park.
Failing to take captive every thought is not an option.
posted by Roxanne @ 10:24 PM
7 Comments:
My favorite initials were from my non-profit stint last year:
BNT=Brand New Thinking and
RMM = Raising More Money (that one really cracked me up).
I have thought about posting some of the fruit of the spirit on my wall, as well. I don't think anyone would object that the world can use a little more "peace", "patience", "kindness", "self-control", or "JOY"!!!
"Take captive every thought" is a good one!
Well, Sarah, THANK YOU!!!! You have inspired me. We've been trying to think of a new name for our "ARIP" reading program. . .not really an acronym that kids like. . .and the word "rip" isn't one that normally has a positive connotation.
So I liked your "BNT" and then I thought "TNT" and then I got to work thinking about what the other "T" could be and the end result is. . .thinking
TNT=Thinking New Thoughts
Has not ONE reference to reading. . .but the kids in that class will like anything to do with explosives. . .AND some of them think the same old thoughts every day because no one has either taught them to think new ones or has never given them any reason to.
So there you go. . .and thank you much.
Because of this I have, this evening, painted "take captive every thought" on the wall above my studio table. Thank you :)
The acronyms are killing me! I don't know if I could handle that many of them flying around me all day long, without acting like a smarty pants, that is. Sarah's and your comments about fruits of the spirit got me thinking about the last part of that verse-- "against such things there is no law." Except maybe in California. Or Massachusetts. Or DC. It's getting a little bit scary around here, come to think of it.
P.S. "Take captive every thought" is awesome! The boys will love it.
Rebecca. . .
Yeah--no law against HAVING the attributes. . .just a law against ATtRIBUTING them to the Bible.
I render unto Ceasar. . .but I live out loud too.
I love it... I think I am going to paint that on my office wall... thanks for the inspiration.
Oh and, you mean you aren't supposed to go to Target when you have grading to do? Someone forgot to tell me that!
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