361: From Insecurity to Confidence: Helping Students Discover their True Identity in Christ

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/361 Children and teens face a tremendous amount of pressure from peers and culture to find their identity in their activities, feelings, or performance. This modern way of looking at identity can be challenging to navigate for teachers and parents who grew up with a traditional view of identity rooted in predetermined roles. Jonathan Holmes explores the five core areas of identity struggles most common to teens: sports, academics, moralism, sexual orientation, and gender confusion. He then provides practical ways to help children and teenagers find their identity in something that never never changes—God’s grace. 0:00 Intro to Student Identity 2:00 Helping Students Find Their Identity 23:20 Linda's Final Thoughts Resources/Links Mentioned: Rise Up Summit: riseupchristianeducators.com Grounded in Grace: Helping Kids Build Their Identity in Christ: https://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Grace-Helping-Identity-Christ/dp/1645074641 Fieldstone Counseling: https://fieldstonecounseling.org/

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/360 Does the Bible give us guidance on how to navigate anger? Listen in to this clip from a provocative session from the 2024 Summit with Brant Hansen, a nationally syndicated radio personality and the bestselling author of the counterintuitive and entertaining book, Unoffendable. Brant shares a life-changing approach to handling conflict and gives us practical advice on how to be "unoffendable" in a world that seems to thrive on outrage. 00:00 Linda's Introduction and Summit Invitation 02:38 Our Relationship with Anger 14:49 Linda's Final Thoughts Resources/Links Mentioned: Rise Up Summit: https://riseupchristianeducators.com/#SignUp

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/359 When admin won’t back your classroom management plan, it can be isolating and frustrating. It’s tough to stay consistent and confident when you feel unsupported. Listen in as we walk through practical strategies you can use to keep your class running smoothly, even without administrative support—so you can lead with confidence and protect a positive learning environment. 00:00 Navigating Unsupportive Admin 02:08 Disagreeing with Your Admin 04:00 Continue Dialogue Through Your Disagreement 12:31 Authority in Education 20:56 Partnership Mindset Resources/Links Mentioned: Classroom Management 101: https://teach4theheart.com/cm101 Teach 4 the Heart Plus: https://teach4theheart.com/plus

Join over 10,000 Christian educators at the Rise Up Summit, a free online conference full of practical solutions & Biblical encouragement. Whether you watch just one session or all of them, you'll leave renewed, refreshed, and armed with real strategies you can use the next day in your classroom. Check it out & sign up for free at www.riseupchristianeducators.com.

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/358 Sometimes we feel like our work doesn't matter--we might not be getting paid much, we don't have many opportunities to share the Gospel, so what is the point? You might be surprised to hear that God's design for work is bigger than the Great Commission, and deeper than economics. Jordan Raynor joins us to share about the eternal significance of our work and how it might just change the way we walk into our classrooms each day. Resources/Links Mentioned: Jordan Raynor's Book: The Sacredness of Secular Work Summit: https://riseupchristianeducators.com/

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/357 Teaching and parenting often are compared, but should we be teaching like we parent? While both roles share similarities, how much should we let our parentings style influence the way we teach in our classroom? Listen as we discuss the differences (and similarities) between parenting and teaching. 00:00 Introduction: Bridging Parenting and Teaching 01:20 Understanding the Differences: Numbers Matter 05:03 Preparation and Planning: Keys to Classroom Success 09:36 Establishing Consistency: The Baseline for Classroom Management 12:56 Familiarity vs. Professionalism: Balancing Authority in the Classroom 17:32 Final Thoughts: Embracing Your Unique Journey 18:27 The Myth of Parenting Experience in Teaching Resources/Links Mentioned: Classroom Management 101: https://teach4theheart.com/cm101  

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/356 Being a new teacher comes with a steep learning curve and can often leave you feeling overwhelmed. Avoiding certain rookie mistakes in your early years can make all the difference in saving you and your students from unnecessary frustration and challenges. Whether you're a brand-new teacher or just trying to survive your first few years, listen in as we discuss 5 tips we wish we knew as rookie teachers. 00:00 Introduction to Teaching Challenges 01:20 The Balance of Kindness and Firmness 05:12 Don't Let the Small Things Go 10:12 Ensure Procedures Are Followed 15:34 Don't Be Afraid to Ask 19:38 Prayer Resources/Links Mentioned: Classroom Management 101: https://teach4theheart.com/cm101 How to Reduce Disruptions so You Can Actually Teach: https://teach4theheart.com/free Time Saving Practices to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed: https://teach4theheart.com/savetime Summit: https://riseupchristianeducators.com/

If you could use some fresh ideas and encouragement, join us in October for the free Rise Up Summit, designed for Christian educators in public and private schools. Get all the info & sign up at www.riseupchristianeducators.com.   

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/355 Have you ever handed out a test, only to be met with looks of discouragement? Or maybe you sat down to grade and realized your quiz did more harm than good? Join us as we unpack common mistakes teachers make when creating or grading assessments, and share tips for more encouraging, effective, and grace-filled grading practices. 00:00 Introduction to Grading Challenges 00:59 Understanding Grading Mistakes 03:01 Testing Material Emphasis 05:40 Assessing Student Readiness 09:44 Feedback vs. Assessment 10:40 Question Quantity in Assessments 13:53 Group Project Grading Issues 15:50 Maintaining Gradebook Integrity 17:49 Weighting Grades Effectively 20:47 Transparency in Grading Practices Resources/Links Mentioned: Classroom Management 101: https://www.teach4theheart.com/cm101 Teach 4 the Heart Facebook: https://www.teach4theheart.com/facebook

LEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/354 Why is it so easy to get defensive when a student asks a bunch of questions? How do we navigate the source of our defensiveness and then respond with grace and love? Listen in as we share some insights on diffusing the defensiveness that can be hard to avoid in our classrooms. 00:00 Navigating Defensiveness in Teaching 02:01 Understanding the Roots of Defensiveness 08:05 The Power of Prayer in Response 11:58 Choosing Christ-like Responses 17:57 Embracing Grace in Teaching Resources/Links Mentioned: T4TH+: https://teach4theheart.com/plus Hope Renewed: https://teach4theheart.com/hoperenewed Use code PODCAST20 to save 20% on either program! "I Choose the Jesus Way" song by Phil Wickham