NUMBER 2 The DECEMBER 1996 Lutheran Educator · Tetzel is seen on a braying donkey jingling a tambourine-like instrument to call people’s attention to what he has to offer. The

VOLUME 37NUMBER 2DECEMBER 1996The

Lutheran Educator

T h e W E L S E d u c a t i o n J o u r n a l

Let the heavens rejoice;

let the earth be glad.

Psalm 96:11

T H E L U T H E R A N E D U C A T O R

VOLUME 37 NUMBER 2DECEMBER 1996

Editor — John R. Isch

Editorial Board — Irma R. McLean, Mark J.Lenz, Gerald J. Jacobson

Editorial correspondence and articlesshould be sent to The Lutheran Educator, Editor,Martin Luther College, 1995 Luther Court, NewUlm, MN 56073. Phone 507/354-8221. Fax507/354-8225. e-mail: [email protected]

Subscription service information on a newsubscription, a renewal, a change of address, oran inquiry should be sent to NorthwesternPublishing House, 1250 N. 113th Street,Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284. Phone 414/475-6600. Subscription rate for U.S.A. and Canada is$6.00 for one year, payable in advance toNorthwestern Publishing House, postage includ-ed. For all other countries please write for rates.

The Lutheran Educator (ISSN 0458-4988) ispublished four t imes a year in October,December, February and May by NorthwesternPublishing House, 1250 N. 113th Street,Milwaukee, WI 53226. Second Class Postagepaid at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. POSTMASTER:Send address changes to The LutheranEducator, c/o Northwestern Publishing House,Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284.

Copyright © 1996 by Martin Luther College.Requests for permission to reproduce more thanbrief excerpts are to be addressed to the editor.

The Lutheran

EducatorThe education journal

of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

edited by the faculty of Martin Luther College

Addressing Parental Concerns: Eight Habits of Highly Effective People (II)John R. Freese 36Sunday School Is Everybody’s BusinessGerald F. Kastens 42Humanness in a Supervisory Capacity: You Are a Person Also, Mr. PrincipalLarry S. Collyard 46Once Around the BlockSarah M. Westphal 51Parents as Advocates for the Exceptional ChildAlan M. Spurgin 53Created CreativeRamona M. Czer 57Where’s the Applause?Paul L. Willems 60

As We See ItCartoon Theology 35

A R T I C L E S

D E P A R T M E N T S

35D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Cartoon Theology

Oliver Cromwell once told an artist to paint him with “roughnesses, pimples,warts, and everything as you see me.” In many instances the artists of theReformation did just that with their subjects. At the end of his life Luther lookscareworn, bloated and wrinkled with age. Hans Asper’s painting of UlrichZwingli shows a man whose set jaw suggests determination and whose downcasteyes suggest either disdain or disapproval. Calvin looks stern and uncompro-mising in most drawings or paintings. No doubt the artists were drawing andpainting people exactly as they saw them. It’s a good thing. It gives insights intothe character and theology of these people that mere words cannot.

The cartoons and caricatures of the 16th century serve a similar purpose.Giving Pope Leo the appearance of a lion and John Eck that of a pig is not justa play on the meaning of their names, but reveals that artists dared to say morewith their art than others could safely say orally or in written form. A caricatureof Tetzel’s sale of indulgences shows peasants in tattered and patched clothingoffering more money than they surely can afford for what they don’t realize issimply a gimmick to make money for the Church.

Tetzel is seen on a braying donkey jingling a tambourine-like instrument tocall people’s attention to what he has to offer. The money-chest in the middleof the picture seems inordinately large and fancy and is triple-locked, suggest-ing that it holds the vast sums of money the church collected through the saleof indulgences.

Just as did the caricatures and cartoons of the Reformation era, so todaycomics in the daily newspaper, political cartoons, and cartoons in church maga-zines reveal a great deal about human nature, human relationships, and (in thelatter case at least) church doctrines and procedures.

Those who serve in the church do well to read them, not just for their enter-tainment value, but that they might better understand the people they serveand the problems they face. Cartoons can offer some valuable insights intohuman characteristics and behaviors and even theological matters.

So far as we know Jesus did not make use of cartoons in teaching. He regular-ly made use of word pictures, however. His parables were such, and a case canbe made for saying that his miracles were word pictures in concrete. That sug-gests that Jesus would wholeheartedly have endorsed the use of cartoons duringthe Reformation and today as well. The one caveat he would no doubt issue isthat such cartoons always be used in love and that they serve the cause of thegospel.

MJL

As we see it

Seven Habits of High EffectivePeople

This best-seller is not neces-sarily an educational reference.It is instead a book about whatthe author calls “characterethic” and basic principles ofeffective living such as integri-ty, humility, and courage. Theseven basic points can easily beconnected with scripturaltruths that would be of benefitwhen considering how best toaddress parental concerns.

1. Be proactiveThis means we anticipate possible

concerns and act to eliminate or reducethem. In keeping with our divine calls,we assist parents in the Christian educa-tion of their children by being pre-pared, maintaining Christian discipline,establishing a pattern of communicat-ing early and often with parents inregard to commendations and con-cerns, modeling a sanctified life inword and deed. We choose our courseof action in consultation with those inauthority over us (principal, pastor,board, congregation, God). We neverwait for a parent to hear about an inci-dent from a child’s perspective; we talk

to parents first. The reader may wish topause and check the following refer-ences for positive and negative exam-ples of proactive concern: Psalm 1, Pro-verbs 4, 1 Corinthians 2, 1 Timothy 4

2. Begin with the end in mindThe end, or the goal, in our work is

clearly known. We know that heavenhas been won for us on the basis ofwhat Jesus Christ has done. Throughhim we have eternal life, and out oflove for him we can not help but livefor him and tell others about him. Thisgoal will then determine what weemphasize and practice in our schoolsand classrooms on a daily basis. Again,think of positive and negative examples

36 T H E L U T H E R A N E D U C A T O R

Addressing Parental Concerns:

Eight Habits of Highly Effective People (II)John R. Freese

from Scripture: Genesis 1-3, Job 19:23-27. Psalm 46, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians15

3. First things firstConcentrate on the priorities, not

“urgent” irritations. How much of ourday is spent in addressing annoying andsuperficially “important” interruptions?As a result, we do not get to our realpriorities, we become irritated, and wehave allowed Satan, the world, and oursinful flesh to distract us from what weare supposed to be doing. By emphasiz-ing Christ in our lives, the Holy Spiritallows us to transcend petty issues.Instead of focusing on irritations, werejoice in salvation (and so do ourschool families). Reflect on these exam-ples from Scripture: Luke 10:38-42.Luke 12:13-21, Galatians 5.

4. Think win/winCovey defines win/win as a “frame of

heart and mind that constantly seeksmutual benefits.” In an ideal parent-teacher discussion, if both parties areliving sanctified lives, this is natural.This is what President Gurgel refers toin his article, “Great Expectations.”Everybody wins because under Christmembers and called workers care abouteach other and in love act accordingly.

Under this point, we as called work-ers fail if in trying to win the approvalof men we abandon what God requires.We can think “win/win” all day longand try to live in peace with all men,but if a parent raises an issue that is infact sinful, our duty is to proclaim theWord of God. We are to apply the Law,emphasize that this is God’s standardand not just something we arbitrarily

and capriciously made up, and thenpray that God moves the heart of thesinner to repent. This is not easy, butthis is what we have been called to doand God has promised that he will bewith us in this vital work.

Equally important, if the Law isapplied in love to sinful actions we asteachers have taken, it is incumbentupon us to hear that message and withthe power of the Holy Spirit repent andchange that action. Scriptural examples:Genesis 4, Exodus 5-12, Psalm 133,Daniel 1, Matthew 18.

5. Seek first to understand, then to beunderstood

This point is a key element in com-munication, and one of the reasonswhy concerns rise to the level of con-flict. Covey stresses listening closely towhat someone is saying, realizing that itis not a matter of winning or losing apoint, but rather learning how a personis feeling or hurting and then offering aresponse.

In our work, sometimes we hearmore than we would wish whenaddressing a parental concern. Some ofour families are truly hurting and wecan routinely hear some of their hurtsin their concerns. Parents fixated withthe social relationships of their childmay well be experiencing that exacttype of hurt in their own lives, and theydesperately want to see their childrenspared that pain. Parents on either endof the spectrum in regard to theirchild’s achievement, either obsessedwith it or totally indifferent to it, maybe struggling with their own accom-plishments or lack thereof. Under-standing parents’ perceptions may

37D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Freese

allow us more effectively to apply theWord of God not just to a situation intheir child’s life, but also to the parents’lives.

Again it bears mentioning that ourgoal is not just to understand or to beunderstood as an end in itself. Our goalis to win souls and strengthen souls.Finally, if a person clings to a sinfulposition, our attitude is not to justunderstand it and accept it, but tounderstand it and apply God’s Word inlove. Scriptural examples: Acts 17:16-34, Romans 14, Galatians 2, 1Corinthians 9:19-23.

6. SynergizeCovey uses the phrase creative coop-

eration to explain this concept. Theidea is that by working together we cancome up with alternatives better thanwhat any one person could have devel-oped on his or her own.

Synergism obviously does not applyto justification, but it does apply to theeducation of a child. Parents and teach-ers will each have perspectives, experi-ences, and skills from God to bestreach a child. Cooperation is requiredso that what is taught in church and inschool is not “undone” at home. Apamphlet entitled Parental Partnershipsin Education (Ziebell), along with othersuch handouts, may help reinforcehome-school relationships. It is impor-tant to emphasize that teachers arecalled to assist parents in their primaryresponsibility for the spiritual trainingof their children, not usurp it untothemselves. Scriptural examples:Nehemiah 2, Mark 10:13-16, 1 Timothy,2 Timothy, Titus.

7. Sharpen the sawThis means to take time out from the

constant pressure of responsibility andrecharge physically, spiritually, mental-ly, and socially. The world certainlybuys into this concept, sometimes tothe point of excess. Our society is con-sumed with how a person looks, andwith exercise, recreation, therapy, and

entertainment. The fact is, however,Covey is correct in the basic principle.If we are too tired, we become irritableand are more likely to make foolish,even sinful, decisions. Exercise isimportant for a healthy body and mind.Proper diet is not just something momreminded us of years ago, or in her lastletter. It is important for good health.We need friends, and a person who iso-lates himself or herself loses perspec-tive, good judgment, and good counsel.Scriptural references: Genesis 2:2-3,Proverbs 27:9, Matthew 9:10, 1Timothy 5:23.

These seven habits, especially whenconnected with scriptural examples and


Freese

Our biggest mistakein dealing with

parental concerns istaking the gift of

prayer for granted.

“

”

God’s promises, are important, but inorder to be truly effective one morehabit is vital.

8. Frequent conversation with our LordCovey gives scant reference to spiri-

tual recharging in his list of seven effec-tive habits. He does mention it, butmany things can qualify for “spiritualrenewal” in his definition of characterethic.

As Christians, we have the onlyanswer to conflict and stress. Our God,the same who has assured us that withhim nothing is impossible, has alsopromised to hear our prayers and to beby our side in this world’s struggles.Our biggest mistake in dealing withparental concerns is taking this gift forgranted.

Through prayer, we can pour out oursouls to our Lord. He knows our hurts,our fears, our frustrations. Christ haslived through our experiences ofaddressing concerns. We have a Saviorwho knows the power of Satan and ourincredible frailty. He promises toanswer our prayers for our ultimategood. He promises that the Holy Spiritwill even take our sighs and groans tothe throne of the Father and plead forus on our behalf. A gift like this puts anafter-school meeting with Mrs. Smith orthe next board meeting with Mr. Jonesin proper perspective.

In regard to this gift of prayer, do weremember to pray to God on behalf ofthose having a concern with us? Weshould! Pray often for the child or theparent with whom there may be con-cerns or conflict. God can and doeschange hearts, even our own if need be.Pray for mutual forgiveness. Pray forpeace. Pray for positive working rela-tionships so that God’s Kingdom maybe strengthened, not hindered.

This communication with God is nota one-way connection. God also speaksto us in his Word, and we benefit fromwhat he reveals to us. This includes notonly public worship, although, unfortu-nately, teachers and parents also haveto be reminded about church atten-dance. It applies not only to BibleClass, although, again, parents andteachers sometimes have to be remind-ed of that. First and foremost theopportunity to hear God speaking to usapplies to personal Bible reading andstudy. This eighth, and most important,habit of a truly effective person is fre-quent conversation with our Lord.

Possible suggestions

There are specific, concrete sugges-tions for effectively addressing parentalconcerns. Most of these, quite honestly,are things that can be and should bedone before a concern ever arises.Starting our professional work with par-ents as an attitude and outgrowth ofministry can help prevent concernsfrom becoming conflicts.

First, set the ground rules. FollowingCovey’s first point, be proactive. Clearlyand routinely list policies, expectations,

39D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Freese

and rationale in the school handbook,home visits, and parent-teacher consul-tations. Detail them as a series in theschool’s weekly newsletter (also detailthe school’s operating philosophy andobjectives).

Second, have a small number of suchground rules. These should be devel-oped within your own faculty andboard of education, but some possibili-ties could include• Do not discuss concerns with the

children, other parents, other teach-ers, the outside community;

• Set up an “appeal” system (teacher;teacher and principal; teacher, prin-cipal, pastor; teacher, principal, pas-tor, board of education). Establishthe board of education as the finalarbiter of school related parentalconcerns;

• Never bring up concerns, even pri-vately with the other party, at wor-ship services or Bible class. These areexclusive times for worship, study,and spiritual rest from the pressuresof the world, not for potentially dis-tracting or even distressing business.No one should ever even remotelydread attending church for the fearof what they may get “hit up with”there;

• Forgive hurts, and forget hurts;• These ground rules apply equally to

parents and called workers.Third, DeBruyn’s structure for par-

ent-teacher consultations can be valu-able; however, add scriptural founda-tions. Starting and ending such consul-tations with prayer would be best.Remain calm. “A gentle answer turnsaway wrath” (Pr 15:1). Providing docu-

mentation to demonstrate points wouldbe very helpful. When sinful attitudesare expressed, calmly refute them fromthe Law and stay focused on the sin.Emphasize that this is not some person-al opinion or power play; this is God’sWord. When there is repentance,immediately and unconditionally pro-claim the gospel and complete forgive-ness of sins through Christ.

Conclusion

No one ever served the Lord in thisworld of sin and did not receive con-cerns, or outright hostility, in regard tohis or her work. Often it comes fromsinful neighbors (Cain and his descen-dants, Egyptians, Philistines, Baby-lonians, Romans), but sometimes it alsocomes from those who claim to be fel-low believers and are in fact fellowbelievers. These situations may hurt themost, but Christ advised his followersto expect such treatment.

If the world hates you, keep inmind that it hated me first. If youbelonged to the world, it wouldlove you as its own.... Rememberthe words I spoke to you: ‘No ser-vant is greater than his master.’ Ifthey persecuted me, they will perse-cute you also. They will treat youthis way because of my name .... Allthis I have told you so that you willnot go astray. They will put you out


Freese

of the synagogue; in fact, a time iscoming when anyone who kills youwill think he is offering a service toGod (Jn 15:18-16:2).

It is important to remember whatJesus noted “killing” and “murder”entail—not just the loss of physical life,but anger, contempt, and name callingthat implies the lack of saving faith (Mt5:21-22).

We are not to encourage such resis-tance because of sins or foolishness onour part, nor should we retreat behindour callings and feel that every concernexpressed is an insult or an assaultupon us. We are not infallible. We toodaily sin much and need forgivenessfrom God and from those we have beencalled to serve. We will not appear tobe weak in the eyes of our fellow believ-ers when we repent of sin and ask for-giveness for things we have donewrong.

Keep in mind that if we are insultedand harassed for doing what is right, wehave reason to rejoice. Christ himselftells us:

Blessed are you when peopleinsult you, persecute you and false-ly say all kinds of evil against youbecause of me. Rejoice and beglad, because great is your rewardin heaven, for in the same way theypersecuted the prophets who werebefore you (Mt 5:11-12).

Finally, in spite of whatever concernswe may be facing at the moment,remember that the last act has alreadybeen written. Each one of us, alongwith all the heroes of faith—Abel, Noah,Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David,Daniel, Mary, up to and including the

last baby born into the Kingdom ofGod the second before Christ’s tri-umphant return, have an eternal futurewith him who bore all pain for us. Ourown eyes shall see, and our own earsshall hear, Christ looking at us and say-ing: “Come, you who are blessed by myFather; take your inheritance, the king-dom prepared for you since the cre-ation of the world” (Mt 25:34).

WORKS CITED

Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits ofHighly Effective People. New York:Simon and Schuster, 1990.

Gurgel, Karl R. “Great Expectations,”Northwestern Lutheran. 82(Oct1995):10,29.

Ziebell, Thomas I. Parental Partnershipsin Education. (Milwaukee, WI:Northwestern), 1985.

John Freese is Professor of Education atWisconsin Lutheran College, MilwaukeeWisconsin.

41D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Freese

“I wish those Sunday school teachers

would take better care of my class-

room. Every Monday morning it is the

same old thing. Before I start the

week, I have to straighten up my

desk, pick up and put things away,

and then clean the chalk board. If

those kids would just attend our

school, we wouldn’t have to mess

with this Sunday school business.

After all, can’t these families see that

five days is better than just an hour

on Sunday morning?”

“Mrs. Johnson, those Sunday school

kids did it again. Someone was in my

desk and messed around with my

things.”

“Did you hear the latest? Pastor sug-

gested that it would be nice if the

Lutheran elementary school teachers

would help out once in a while with

Sunday school. Can you believe it?

With all that we have to do, and now

Sunday school too. It wasn’t in my

call!”

These imaginary conversations maynot be quite so imaginary. During myyears as a Lutheran elementary schoolteacher and principal, I have heardteachers and students make similarcomments. During my early years ofministry, I even thought the same way.

However, one day it occurred to me

how wrong I was. There really is noplace for competition between theSunday school and Lutheran elemen-tary school. Polarization and disregardare not options. My experience hastaught me that a strong Sunday schoolprogram complements the Lutheranelementary school. When parents expe-rience the benefits of Christian educa-tion for their children, it is only naturalthat they turn to the Lutheran elemen-tary school. Sunday school is an avenuethrough which parents can learn thatmore is better than less.

The welfare of the Sunday school iseverybody’s business. The mission ofthe Sunday school is the same one thatChrist gave to his Church. Sundayschool provides the only opportunitythat some children have to hear God’sWord regularly. Sunday schools arealso one of the most effective avenuesthat a congregation has for outreach.Nurture and outreach, that’s the busi-ness of the church. From church coun-cil down through the person in thepew, a strong viable Sunday school pro-gram ought to be everyone’s concern.

The obvious implication is thatLutheran elementary school teachersand principals have a vested interest inthe welfare of the Sunday school. Notonly should they be cheerleaders forthe program, but they also have an obli-


Sunday School Is Everybody’s Business

Gerald F. Kastens

gation to be involved. By this time I canalready hear teachers beginning toprotest “But, we’re busy. After all, thereare papers to correct, basketball gamesto be played, synod forms to complete,and lesson plans to prepare!”

Lutheran elementary school teachersare busy. Their work is challenging.

WELS teachers are also the best trainedChristian educators anywhere. How canwe refuse to use that training andexpertise in helping with the importantbusiness of nurture and outreach? If wefind ourselves too busy to supportSunday school, perhaps we are too busyand need to reprioritize our ministry. Ifwe are reluctant to support the Sundayschool then it is time to search ourhearts.

It’s not that Lutheran elementaryteachers should be expected to becomeSunday school teachers, though forsome that may be appropriate.Lutheran elementary school teacherscan provide leadership, mentoring, andthe kind of cooperation that assists the

Sunday school in becoming thestrongest possible nurturing agency.

To accomplish this may mean thatthe board of Christian education has tobe restructured in order to create a sep-arate board or committee for theSunday school. Boards which combineall of children and teen ministriestogether tend to be dominated by thebusiness of the Lutheran elementaryschool. Meetings allow for hasty reportsand provide little time for problemsolving and long range planning.Sunday school, vacation Bible school,and youth ministry tend to be less orga-nized and lacking in support.

The concern and support of both thepastor and principal are vital for thesuccess of a Sunday school. The pas-tor/principal team that takes an activeinterest in the Sunday school helpsSunday school teachers in whatever waythey can. Parents appreciate seeingtheir called workers present when theirchildren gather for Sunday school. Andthe members will appreciate that bothare interested in all of the educationalopportunities in the church.

Sunday schools need leadership andorganization. Teachers can encouragethe congregation to call and salary theSunday school superintendent’s posi-tion. The superintendent is the key per-son on the Sunday school staff. Thetime has come to demonstrate theimportance of the position by support-ing it financially. When a congregationcalls and financially supports the officeof Sunday school superintendent, it isdemonstrating a commitment to thenurture of all children.

If congregations are to understand

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Kastens

There really is noplace for competitionbetween the Sundayschool and Lutheranelementary school.

“

”

that they also have a responsibility tosupport financially and to equip Sundayschool classrooms, they must have ade-quate funding in the budget. Chargingparents for the Sunday school materialused by their children is a questionablepractice in light of the mission of theSunday school. Taking the costs fromthe children’s mission collection is evenmore questionable. Even in our time ofbudget stringencies, it only takes a littleextra “change” to prevent short chang-ing the Sunday school children.

Sunday schools and Lutheran ele-mentary schools are partners inChristian education, not competitors.This partnership can be cultivated bysharing teaching resources, sharinginservice experiences, teaching childrenand by giving mutual assistance. I findit difficult to understand why two setsof everything are needed to teach Biblelessons to children. Sharing maps,charts, learning resources, and inserviceactivities is not only good stewardshipbut it will assist the volunteer Sundayschool teacher to be a better teacher.LES teachers can also mentoruntrained volunteers in the areas ofclassroom control, how to present a les-son, readiness activities, questioningtechniques, and the like. A partnershipthat brings the Sunday only childrenand families into frequent personalcontact with the Lutheran elementaryschool and its teachers will draw someinto the day school.

The potential for developing a part-nership will be greatly enhanced withthe implementation of the Christ-LightCoordinated Religion Curriculum. Atthat time congregations can coordinate

what will be taught throughout its agen-cies and thus avoid unnecessary repeti-tion and duplication. The new WELScurriculum will also accommodate

those congregations who want toencourage children to attend Sundayschool as well as Lutheran elementaryschool.

People need to work together toreduce a polarity in their youth pro-grams in their congregations.Congregations need to look for ways tobring Sunday school and LES familiestogether. It is time to stop separatingand dividing families. Rather, all of thechildren and their families can bebrought together for activities such asthe Children’s Christmas Eve Service,Ascension services, and confirmationclass. Congregations can also look forways to involve all children workingtogether in service projects and out-reach activities. They can encourage theLutheran elementary children to attendSunday school, especially during thesummer. Finally, they can schedule fam-ily activities and parenting classes for


Kastens

WELS Sunday Schools

441,779 children are enrolled in WELS

Sunday schools.

The Minnesota District has the largest

Sunday school enrollment (7,032).

Nearly 60% of WELS youth attend

Sunday schools.

Over 1/3 of WELS congregations oper-

ate both Lutheran elementary schools

and Sunday schools (361).

There are 5,916 volunteer Sunday

school teachers in the WELS.

everyone in the congregation.When teaching ministers view them-

selves as partners with the LutheranSunday school, all the children get thebest Christian education possible. It islike a mobile that hangs from a ceilingin a classroom. When you touch part of

the mobile, the whole thing moves.When teachers touch the lives of chil-dren in Sunday school with God’sWord and his love, they affect theentire family. Get a child excited aboutJesus, and that child will in turn get hisparents excited.

Sunday school offers as little as 40hours of instruction a year. Lutheranelementary school teachers spendabout 1,050 hours a year with their stu-

dents. It is obvious that the hour ofSunday school once a week can’t hold acandle to the hours of instruction eachweek in the Lutheran elementaryschool. For parents to appreciate theblessings of full time Christian training,they must first experience qualityChristian education. The place for thatis the Sunday school. The next step is alogical one.

Finally, our primary motive isn’t tocome up with a strategy that will guar-antee 100% enrollment in ourLutheran elementary school. Rather,our concern is the eternal welfare of allchildren inside and outside our congre-gation. For that reason, Sunday schoolis the business of Lutheran elementaryschool teachers. No, Sunday schools areeveryone’s business. Pray for them, sup-port them financially, support themwith your time, support them with yourtalents. Endorse them in your churchand community. After all, Jesus said,“Let the children come.”

Gerald Kastens is Administrator for YouthDiscipleship, Wisconsin Evangelical LutheranSynod, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

45D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Kastens

When teachingministers viewthemselves as

partners with theLutheran Sunday

school, all thechildren get the bestChristian education

possible.

“

”

Introduction

The way fellow-teachers, parents, stu-dents, and others perceive a principalhas a critical effect on his productive-ness. That effect could be negative orpositive. If he is perceived as cold andaloof, it will show in negative attitudestoward him and his ideas. If he is per-ceived as friendly and sympathetic, itwill show more positively.

There are serious pitfalls into which aprincipal can fall if he or those aroundhim forget that principals are peopleworking with people and they fail to actthat way. It is hoped that the thoughtstimulated by this article may enhanceyour work for the Lord as a teacherand/or principal. You may not find anynew earth-shaking answers to deependuring problems. But if you find one

new idea or a better appreciation orunderstanding of the role of a princi-pal, this discussion will have been a suc-cess.

The human aspect of supervision

Every job has a title. That title usuallyattempts to give a general description

of the job. The title of “supervisor”does this also. Sometimes because of atitle, the job has a wrong or self-defeat-ing connotation. For example, the jobsof a janitor or a garbage collector arefine, decent occupations and quiteimportant. But because of their closeassociation with things often thought ofas demeaning (grimy dirt and smellytrash), they are not ranked high bycareer seekers. Sometimes these jobsare even disguised in flowery titles suchas “maintenance engineer” and “sanita-tion manager” in an attempt to avoid anegative perception.

The same situation occurs in adminis-tration and leadership occupations.Instead of calling him the bossman,chief, foreman, or some other title thatmay carry a bad connotation, the leaderis called a director, coordinator, orsupervisor. However, these titles, too,can have an unfavorable perception. Adirector sounds too harsh or confin-ing—someone who wields a baton or


Humanness in a Supervisory Capacity:

You Are a Person Also, Mr. Principal

Larry S. Collyard

cattle prod. The term “coordinator”may give the impression of being like abrain which controls all, and withoutwhom nothing could work smoothly.

The term “supervisor,” if taken liter-ally, connotes a seeing above, or over-seeing. Someone, then, who is a super-

visor is looked on as being, or acting asif he is, above everyone else—superior,“super.” If this idea is allowed to pro-ceed, it can make the subordinates(another poor title) negative to theleader’s ideas, or it could give the lead-er a false feeling of superiority, and hissubsequent pride could endanger hisrelationship with his staff.

Whatever the job, whatever the title,it is most important that barriers suchas those mentioned above be brokendown so that a group of people canwork well together. It is especiallyimportant when those people are doingthe Lord’s work, the saving of souls.

Changing a job title or description

isn’t going to help unless there is also achange in attitudes. The supervisormust consider his first priority—that ofeffecting a genuine “humanness” intohis relationships with others. Withoutsuch human feelings, there is no wayhis ideas will be accepted nor can he beeffective and successful.

An educational supervisor may claimthat he can be as human as the jobdemands. But the attitudes of genuinehumanness cannot be turned on andoff as one desires. A supervisor whoonly plays at being human may make itfor a while, but soon his sham will beexposed. Those with whom he workswill see through his hypocrisy and hisjob will be much more difficult.

Humanness in a supervisory capacitymust grow out of humanness in every-day Christian living. Sincerity, open-ness, and honesty must be a way oflife—a whole life philosophy. Of course,it is understood that the supervisor can-not please everyone all the time. But agenuine concern for the feelings ofpeople can go far in helping the super-visor through those difficult situationswith students, parents, teachers, andpastors. If these people see that he trulycares for their ideas, feelings, and opin-ions, the final decision to be made willbe one in which they are more likely toconcur, even if it isn’t exactly what theyhad in mind. Dr. Walter Scott, a formerprofessor in the graduate school of edu-cation at Michigan State University, saidit this way: “Caring for others, accept-ing others’ strengths and weaknesses aswell as admitting your own—that is whathumanness in a supervisory capacity isall about.”

47D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Collyard

A supervisor whoonly plays at being

human may make itfor a while, but soon

his sham will beexposed.

“

”

The Bible and human relations

Since our background and purpose isbased in the teachings of the Bible, weare compelled to go to it to see whatGod, through the Bible writers, has tosay about human relations. Humanrelations begin in God’s new relation-ship with us. God took us as we were—lost, rebellious, perverse, and hatefultoward God and our fellowmen. Hemade a new relationship with usthrough the life and death of his Son,Jesus Christ. Now we are new creatureswho love him who first loved us and wereflect God’s love to persons in ourlives. When a supervisor lives by thisChristian principle of interpersonalrelations, he will be successful as a per-son and a leader.

Among the different ideas concern-ing human feelings in Scripture, threeare quite applicable to our topic—Anger, Love, and Pride. These feelingscould play an extremely large part inworking with people and learning tocare more for them.

A supervisor would do well to listento the advice in the Word concerninggetting angry, holding grudges, or los-ing ones “cool”:• A quick-tempered man does foolish

things. Proverbs 14:17• Do not make friends with a hot-tem-

pered man, and do not associatewith one easily angered. Proverbs22:24

• A patient man has great understand-ing, but a quick-tempered man dis-plays folly. Proverbs 14:29Rather, if a supervisor wants to make

friends and influence people as the say-

ing goes, he’ll follow this scripturaladvice:• Get rid of all bitterness, rage and

anger, brawling and slander, alongwith every form of malice. Ephesians4:31

• A man’s wisdom gives him patience;it is to his glory to overlook anoffense. Proverbs 19: 11

• A gentle answer turns away wrath,but a harsh word stirs up anger.Proverbs 15:1How well it is to remember this last

bit of advice when consulting withteachers, parents, or students over aproblem situation!

Scripture also speaks concerning apositive attitude people should havetoward one another—love. Christ him-self told us we should love one anotherand our neighbor as ourselves. If morelove, kindness, consideration, and com-passion were shown in our supervisoryrelationships, then the idea of human-ness or “caring” could be carried to thefullest extent. Of course, such a perfectrelationship cannot exist among sinfulpeople. Only Christ himself shows usthe perfect example of love. We can,however, learn much to help us in ourattempts at caring more for people.This is what his Word says:• Keep on loving each other as broth-

ers. Hebrews 13:1• Above all, love each other deeply,

because love covers a multitude ofsins. 1 Peter 4:8

• Love is patient, love is kind. It doesnot envy, it does not boast, it is notproud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, itkeeps no record of wrongs. 1


Collyard

Corinthians 13:4-5• Love your enemies and pray for

those who persecute you. Matthew5:44Love will prompt us to deal with

problems with others in a more positiveway, especially if we follow Paul’s advicewhen he says, “As God’s chosen people,holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselveswith compassion, kindness, humility,

gentleness, and patience. Bear witheach other and forgive whatevergrievances you may have against oneanother. Forgive as the Lord forgaveyou. And over all these virtues put onlove, which binds them all together inperfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14

Finally, the Bible has much to sayabout pride and humility. Because thetitle “supervisor” can imply superiority,a supervisor must guard against a feel-ing of haughty pride due to his posi-tion. Such an attitude could leave thejob a cold, inhumane one, void of atrue “caring” relationship. It can build awall between a supervisor and his fel-low-workers. Holy Scripture says this

concerning pride and humility:• Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but be willing toassociate with people of low position.Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16

• Pride goes before destruction, ahaughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs16:18

• When pride comes, then comes dis-grace, but with humility comes wis-dom. Proverbs 11:2

Practical suggestions to aid the “peo-ple” principle

A listing of sure-fire methods todevelop good human relations for aneducational supervisor could be given ifsuch a list existed. None does. Someideas have worked for some people andother ideas have worked for others.There is no one way to go about it.There are, however, some basic princi-ples which apply to all.

First of all, there are principles ofopenness and honesty when showingconsideration for people. Open, sincerebehavior will inspire friendship, mutualtrust, respect, and warmth toward theleader. A principal needs to learn toshare his feelings with those aroundhim and be ready to take time to allowthem to share their thoughts and feel-ings with him. A supervisor with anopen door can settle many problemsbefore they become crises.

Second, there is the principle of flexi-bility. A principal is not a machineworking with machines! One fault of acomputer is its lack of flexibility. It’sjust not human! Principals should liketo be known for their computer-likeefficiency but not for its inhumanity. A

49D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Collyard

A supervisor with anopen door can settle

many problems beforethey become crises.

“

”

principal needs to be ready to admit hisown weaknesses and errors and ask forhelp and advice of fellow-workers orparents. If he is shown a better way ofthinking or of doing, he should be will-ing and able to change.

Third, there is the principle of sup-port which a supervisor should give tothe staff in all their endeavors. A showof confidence by a leader can do muchto develop self-confidence and diligentefforts by the workers; a little praiseaccomplishes much for good humanrelations.

A fourth principle in developinggood human relations is that of involve-ment. Consensus decision-making aidsin developing staff rapport much morethan does dictatorial policy setting.Getting each member of the staffinvolved and working as a team indetermining directions in order toreach school objectives is crucial towholesome staff morale.

The final principle to be consideredis the most important of all. It is that ofcommunication. If one really cares forpeople and what they think, it is essen-tial to communicate with them to get toknow them—their thoughts, ideas, andactions. All available channels of com-munication must be kept open. This iswhere the open-door policy comes inagain. A supervisor must be readilyaccessible everyday, and, when possible,every hour. Hiding away behind somebig desk in a corner room with thedoor closed will create a physical andpsychological barrier in human rela-tionships.

This communication must also betwo-directional. Some supervisors fail

to communicate effectively withoutrealizing it. They put out memos,newsletters, and teacher-, parent-, andstudent-handbooks. They feel proudthat they are communicating well.They’ve only gone half way, however.True communication must be two-way.There must be a communication inwhich both sides give and take.

The above principles suggested asaids for better human relationships forthe educational supervisor are pointedprimarily toward the principal and hisstaff of fellow-teachers. But one can eas-ily see that they will also enhance therelationship of the principal and stu-dents, principal and parents, teacherand students, teacher and parents, orany other human relationship.

Good leaders are extremely impor-tant to our schools. Whether or not anadministrator is successful dependsmuch on his ability to handle otherpeople and their problems. It is myhope that by following the ideas pre-sented here, we will be able to do ourshare to develop more humanness inour work as supervisors. God’s king-dom work will be advanced as his peo-ple, including those responsible for thesupervision of others, grow in God’sgrace and in their lives of sanctifica-tions.

Larry Collyard is principal and teacher at St.John’s Lutheran School, Watertown, Wisconsin.


Collyard

IT ONLY TOOK FOUR

of us to topplethe Tower of Pisa,to sink the Titanic,and to level theWashington mon-ument: four peo-ple, a 60 minutechunk of unin-terrupted time, aroomy corner, and a shelf-full of blocks.

Our assignment in 1093 TeachingKindergarten and Primary Grades wasto build a block structure as a group. Itwas a task which we admittedlyapproached with some skepticism, asbefits dignified students of 20-or-soyears of life. But it wasn’t dignity thatchanted, “Building Blocks, BuildingBlocks, what shall we build?” Nor wasthere much dignity in the cheer thatrose when an unsatisfactory structurewas reduced to rubble with a resound-ing crash. And it was certainly a deli-ciously undignified thrill that we feltwhen our structure was complete. Thejumble of blocks had become a crouch-ing sphinx in the corner of the class-room, and we had made it all by ourselves.

Blocks have cluttered classroomshelves for years but their significancestacks ever higher in educators’ eyestoday. Play is now widely recognized asbeing educational, and block play inparticular leads in this recognition

because it involves the whole child.Those simple wooden blocks can stimu-late learning in physical, social, andemotional areas of development.

The beauty of blocks is their appealand benefit to children at any develop-mental level or age. The child who isable to stack three blocksfeels the same gratificationas the child who can bal-ance 30. And our col-lege group is proof ofthe fact that agerestrictions are leftin the wake of creativi-ty.

The developmentalbenefits of block playpile up. Of these, theuse of physical skills isthe most obvious. Thestubby fingers that graba block and successfullybalance it upon anoth-er block are engaged inlarge and small musclecontrol. The simple

51D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Once Around the Block

Sarah M. Westphal

maneuver is a feat of eye-hand coordination and ofvisual perception skills.

Those same littlehands push theblocks into groupsby size and shape.The child who sitsamid a jumble ofblocks is in a realm of cogni-tive development. Watch her handspush blocks together according to sizeand shape. Listen to her running com-mentary as she verbalizes decisions ordescribes the structure to an onlooker.One careless move, and balance is over-come by gravity to the child’s sheerdelight.

Now take a closer look. This child hasjust experienced mathematical skillssuch as sorting, classifying, and prob-lem solving. Her language and vocabu-lary development have been reinforced.She has experimented with the scientif-ic concepts of cause and effect, gravityand balance. The most meticulouslyplanned activity couldn’t offer a betterdoor to such a wide variety of intellec-tual skills.

Socially, block play opens otherdoors to sharing, communication, andcooperation. Add another child to theblock area and it may sound like bed-lam and look like trouble. Seize thisopportunity. With adult guidance thechildren’s social skills can be set inaction, and the energy they spend inconflict can be swung in the directionof negotiation and compromise.Children will learn to divide theirblocks and space and to share ideaswith one another. As they work togeth-

er on construction or in dramatic playtheir cooperative skills will be refined.Aside from all these benefits, block playprovides a healthy emotional outlet andinspires artistic expression.

The implications of block play areclear. Don’t underestimate the value ofthe simple block. Invest in a set, sectionoff a corner of your classroom. Set timeaside for children to dream up a struc-ture, and for them to move it from rub-ble to substance to rubble again. Andbe aware. Things are happening whenhands grab blocks and build. An obser-vant teacher will recognize these oppor-tunities to guide developmental growthwith an encouraging word here and ameaningful question there.

And the reward? The child who looksup from his completed structure, oblivi-ous to the many skills he has just prac-ticed, and who proudly says, “Look! Imade it all by myself”—just like we col-lege students did.

Sarah Westphal is a five-year STEP (SecondaryTeacher Education Program/English) student atMartin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota.She is in her final year.


Westphal

Don’t underestimatethe value of thesimple block.

“

”

EVER SINCE THE INITIAL legislation,the Education for All Hand-

icapped Children Act in 1975 (PL94-142), an ever-increasing emphasis hasbeen given to the parents to drive thespecial education of their child. PL101-476, the Individuals with DisabilitiesEducation Act (IDEA), puts into law theconcept of parents as primary advo-cates. Parents are expected to take theinitiative and participate in developingan educational program that is best fortheir child. This is a daunting task formany parents. Even educators who sitthrough child study team meetings mayfeel awkward with the jargon of theexperts and the criteria necessary forthe child to secure special services. Butthat should not be a deterrent in get-ting the child with special learningrequirements the help he or she needsto utilize the gifts of God to the fullestin a setting that is conducive to thechild’s learning style.

In determining the best fit in helpingthe child with special learning needs,the emphasis must be on the child. Aparent, who intuitively knows his or herown child the best, must take the initia-tive in guaranteeing this best fit. Butthere are challenges in being a child’sadvocate. Raising a child with specialneeds is an emotionally draining, life-

long task. In addition, a parent may bereluctant to become involved in thechild’s education because of memoriesof the parent’s own failures in school.The parent also may feel embarrassedor guilty walking into schools or may

feel that school does not value the par-ent’s judgment (Vandergrift). This iswhere the Lutheran elementary schoolteacher can serve as mentor for the par-ent. The teacher must encourage theparent or guardian to become involvedin the child’s education. To be able todo so, the teacher must possess suffi-cient information about special educa-tion to help the parent become more

53D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Parents as Advocates for the Exceptional Child

Alan M. Spurgin

In determining thebest fit in helping the

child with speciallearning needs, the

emphasis must be onthe child.

“

”

knowledgeable about what is best forthe child.

Parents themselves need to becomeeducated so they are able to makesound judgments that will positivelyaffect their child’s life. A parent needsto learn how to work with the specialeducation system as it stands today, beaware of the resources that are avail-able to help their child, and knowparental rights based on special educa-tion legislation.

The system

The way the system is set up intoday’s schools stipulates that eachchild is entitled to a Free andAppropriate Public Education (FAPE).This education is to take place in theLeast Restrictive Environment (LRE),which in most cases is the regular class-room. To try to accomplish these law-driven directives, a system was set up toensure the child has both FAPE andLRE. If a parent, after consultation with


Spurgin

Referral Process—Flowchart

(from date of referral to IEP: 50 days)

Parent or guardian requests the child to be assessed

Case carrier (case manager) completes assessment plan, gives plan to parent to sign.

Ideally this occurs in a face to face interview, allowing for

discussion of the plan and rights

Collaboration with Psychologist, Occupational

Therapist, Physical Therapist, LD

Teacher, Speech Therapist, Vocational/

Rehabilitation Specialist, etc.

Parents sign the plan received by the case carrier.

Parent or guardian has 15 days to return the plan.

Assessment cannot be done without

parental permission.

Assessment conducted. IEP meeting convened.

The child is not eligible for special education.

The child is eligible: parents do not want special education

services. Child remains in the regular classrorom.

IEP is developed. Child is placed in special education.

Within 15 days

Chart A

the classroom teacher and others, feelsthere is sufficient evidence to seek helpfor the child, the parent may requestthat the child be evaluated. The proce-dure for that referral for evaluation isshown in Chart A.

As shown in the flow chart, the par-ent is necessarily involved in the systemand can make suggestions or stop the

evaluation in each step in the process.The following recommendations shouldbe given to the parent as he or she goesthrough the process. Naturally, the par-ent’s first concern will be to seek theLord’s guidance for the child and suc-cess for the evaluation procedure. • Don’t sign anything; take all docu-

ments home, read them carefully,get expert advice, and know whatyou are signing.

• Write questions to be answered bythe Child Study Team about your

concerns for your child.• Find out who is doing the evaluation

and why the evaluation is necessary.• Prepare your own goals and objec-

tives that you would like to see in theIndividual Education Plan (IEP).

• Negotiate options in the plan (IEP)to help the child.

• Take another person with you to allmeetings to take notes and be yoursecond set of eyes and ears.

• Bring your own agenda with yourpriorities. List the child’s abilities,and learning style. Set your goals forservices you feel your child needs.

The resources

In addition to being knowledgeableabout the system, the parent also needsto be aware of the resources that can bebrought to bear to help the child. Thefirst resource person, as indicatedbefore, is the classroom teacher. Nextto the parent, the teacher has the mostcontact with the child on a daily basis.The pediatrician is another primaryresource person who can help thechild. The child’s pediatrician does amedical evaluation to determine if thechild has a physical problem and is usu-ally the one to determine if the childhas an attention deficiency such asAttention Deficit Disorder. Otherresources and services that can bebrought to bear in determining the bestfit for the child can be school psycholo-gist, speech therapist, special educationteacher, learning disabilities teacher,occupational therapist, physical thera-pist, clinical psychiatrist, vocational/rehabilitation specialist, transportationspecialist, and computer specialist. A

55D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Spurgin

The parent’s firstconcern will be to

seek the Lord’sguidance for the

child and success forthe evaluation

procedure.

“

”

parent needs to know both who andhow to access these services to help theexceptional child. Whatever personnelor agencies become involved, a collabo-rative effort is essential to ensure thebest fit for the child.

The rights

Finally, a parent needs to knowparental rights for securing services forthe child. The laws (PL94-142 andPL101-457) are very favorable and gen-erous on behalf of the parent so thatdue process is maintained. The parentmay request a second opinion (at theparent’s own expense) to determine ifthe plan for educating the child is thebest. If another plan appears to be thebest fit for the child, the parents maywrite a letter to express this. After writ-ing the letter, the following typicallyoccurs:• a settlement conference is set up for

mediation• lawyers are secured by both parties• a court hearing is set up—the judge

may determine the best plan for thechild

• child protection and advocacy maybe involved

• legal aid resources may be providedAt any point along this path an agree-

ment may be reached and the child willreceive the services he or she needs tobe successful in school and life.

Educational research has for yearsdemonstrated that parental involve-ment is a key to success in school(Cavazos). This is especially true for theparents of children with special needs.A parent has to take the lead in being

an advocate for the exceptional child.The parent needs to be bold and stepinto the realm of special education withthe confidence that he or she knows thechild the best. The parent will have asay in determining the best fit for thechild’s special education, an educationwhich is special not just because it suitsthe learning needs of the child, butwhich most importantly contributes tothe child’s spiritual development.

WORKS CITED

Cavazos, L.F. and C.T. Cross. ParentalInvolvement in Education. Washing-ton, D.C.: U.S. Department ofEducation, Issues in Education, 1990.

Vandergrift, J.A. and A.L. Greene.“Rethinking Parent Involvement.”Educational Leadership 50 (April1992): 57-59.Video

Trevor, G.H., 3 R’s for Special Education:Rights, Resources, Results. Video. FairHaven, NJ: Edvantage, 1995.

Alan Spurgin is professor of education at MartinLuther College, New Ulm, Minnesota.


Spurgin

DEAR TEACHERS,They make me want to scream, the

cicadas’ late summer voices, so I’vecome inside to write to you instead.Their calls remind me of the sound inour house a few evenings ago, after thefirst day of school—shrill energy throb-bing from five personalities all at once.The air shivered with their excitementand stories, and I strained to keep myhands from covering my ears. “Nowslow down; first you, then you,” I saidbut with a laugh in my voice to keepthem talking. It’s too easy, isn’t it, to saythe wrong thing, something impatientor critical, that will suddenly silencetheir cicada songs. “Okay, I get it; I’mleaving,” they’ll mumble and fade awayto their rooms.

But that isn’t what I want, not silenceand rote obedience at the expense ofhearing the overflow of their creativespirits. For they are creative, just as Ibelieve all people are creative, evenyoung people who have been brow-beaten into imaginative submission andpassive thinking by school systems thatdon’t value creativity and individuality.

You value it, I know, but sometimesour Christian schools are so used todoing things a certain way—and overval-ue, I believe, discipline, quiet, and con-straint—that we don’t realize the effecton those passionate young personalitieshungry to be listened to.

Long ago Oswald Chambers wrote,“The starvation of the imagination isone of the most fruitful sources ofexhaustion and sapping in a worker’slife.... Imagination is the greatest giftGod has given us and it ought to bedevoted entirely to Him.” God createdus with the capacity to create, to makesomething original, whether it be a lovenote written in code, a ditty sung to therhythm of the lurching school bus, anew dance step perfected in the base-ment, or a nifty way to wear makeup sothe teacher won’t notice. Kids can’thelp being creative. It oozes out ofthem almost every moment of the day,sometimes, I bet, in ways that makeyour head throb like the cicadas domine. But those children who won’tstop doodling in the margins of theirpapers, those who stare out the win-dows, and those who pun on yourdirections with a wit you wish they’duse more productively, those are oftenthe ones most capable of creatingastounding works right away if encour-aged.

So how do we encourage creativity?These are a few ideas that have workedfor me with my children or my studentsor for other teachers I’ve observed or

57D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Created Creative

Ramona M. CzerLetters FromHome

read about:We need to allow students to talk

more, listening intently and writingdown their responses far more than wetalk ourselves. When we read back theirwords, noting how powerful and full ofvoice their expressions are, they’reinspired to try harder for original ideasand language choices.

We need to ask often for out-of-classofferings, stuff produced just for thejoy of it. A writer’s or artist’s drawerwhere they can slip us their work unno-ticed will help the shy or self-consciousones submit. It’s important to look atsuch offerings privately, concentratingon what they’re communicating not onhow well it imitates “literature” or “art”or fits into forms or conventions, andthen to return it to them the next day,if possible with sincere thanks andencouragement to see more. Be sure toreserve your most ardent praise forpieces that are really individual, even ifimperfect or unfinished. Ask to sharesuch offerings with others, perhaps ona wall or in a publication. Nothing getsthe flow of self-initiated creative worksgoing so well as honest appreciation.

We should create too (with our chil-dren or after school) and then shareour expressions. Sure, you’ll feel vul-nerable and inept—I always do—but bysensing both our commitment and dis-comfort, we become models of passionand bravery to our observers.

Stealing moments (hours?) from his-tory, science, math, and Bible lessonsfor creative speculations—what if thingshad been different, what might thattime have felt like—and activities, helpsstudents see art as a reaction to learn-

ing rather than a sterile act apart fromknowledge. Which is how most artthrough the ages has been produced,right? I suspect one of the things thatmakes it hardest for children to be cre-ative (verbally and in other ways) is thetight, unforgiving schedule of someteachers. “We must, we must keepgoing at all cost,” the timetable hisses,but at a high cost indeed.

We should never allow conventionalimitations, no matter how neat or “pret-ty,” to receive the highest praise.Children long for approval and willsoon get the idea that staying in thelines and robotic production isn’twhat’s really good. Once they feel theeuphoria of expressing their own voicesand being lauded for it, they’ll behooked. Their first tries at somethingindividual may be crude, messy, buttake them seriously and they’ll abandonforever those polished, safe offeringsthey always thought we wanted.

When we must evaluate their work,we should let our hearts seep all overthe page first, not our red pens.Through the arts, children grow anddevelop, becoming consciously moreaware, for Christian children, of God’sspirit within them. Then, eager to spillwhat they’ve learned out to others, toyou, in its still imperfect state—aren’tthey brave?—imagine what happenswhen we hand them something coveredwith surface-level corrections and nograppling whatsoever with what theymeant? I’ve learned that if we commentfar more on whet they have expressedthan on how they have expressed it,they’ll accept our suggestions withgreater equanimity.


Czer

In fact, if we hold off mentioning sur-face irregularities until it’s time to pre-sent their works to a real audience, theywelcome such help. Tell them in an off-hand, humorous way that they don’twant their underwear showing in pub-lic, do they? Explain that grammar,spelling, and punctuation rules are con-ventions—which means they can andwill change—and that they were invent-ed to give a regularity to a manuscriptso that readers aren’t distracted fromconcentrating on an author’s meaningby inconsistencies. Being able to spellor punctuate perfectly does not meanyou are smarter or more holy, nor thatyou will be successful later in life,although many people good at conven-tions wish that it did. However, peopledo form impressions quickly—so weartists should give them as few reasonsto reject us as we can.

To underscore this common senseand low key approach to surface prob-lems, we might allow them to forestallall worries about copy editing until thevery last draft, or most effectively, adraft that will be published in someway. Then we can be good-naturedlyruthless—the work must be perfect. Bysending it back to them over and overand explaining why, or for older stu-dents allowing them to find the errors,we underscore the importance of cleanwork at the appropriate time. We mightalso reveal to them the secret thateveryone makes these errors—eventeachers, brilliant professors, and paidwriters—so such things are definitelynot what “writing” is all about.

Finally, we need to admit to childrenwhat works of art, literature, and music

we love most, and which ones we dis-like too. Art portrays emotion, sorather than play safe and complacent,we should admit our own feelings. Bysharing what our creative spirits areenlarged by, and by trusting our intu-ition to explain why, we subtly teachchildren how to discover their individu-ality as well.

Hughes Mearns admitted in hisinspiring and landmark book CreativePower: The Education of Youth in theCreative Arts that his main job as aneducator was to “summon the individu-al spirit; I try to give it its chance togrow in strength, although the processis worrisome and fraught with peril.That powerful rebel within us whichnever really succumbs to circumstance,that creator, who may fashion miraclesout of the dust of the earth, that, Ioften fancy,... God created....”

But I’m tired now of sitting at thiskeyboard so perhaps I’ll go stretch mylegs outside, cicadas or not. I remem-ber reading somewhere that it takesfrom two to five years for a cicada todevelop from egg to adulthood, andthat once mature, the males use theirbuzzing sounds to attract females. Theymate, the female lays her eggs, andthen at the end of that one season theadults die. A long, long childhood fol-lowed by their chance for one briefintense debut on the stage of summer.Something tells me I have more tolearn about being a patient, apprecia-tive audience.

A Mother

Ramona Czer teaches at Bethany LutheranCollege, Mankato, Minnesota.

59D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 6

Czer

I worked hard last weekend to pre-

pare the very best multimedia lesson

yet. I had pictures, a video, charts,

and graphs. I made a detailed work-

sheet. I even invited a guest speaker

from the local college to speak to the

class. My principal didn’t notice. No

student said thanks. At the Parent

Teacher’s Society meeting last night,

not one parent expressed any appre-

ciation for my efforts. Where’s theapplause?

I had to meet with the chairman of

the Board of Education to discuss a

problem one of our teachers is hav-

ing with a new family. No one want-

ed to take the teacher’s part because

she can be so contrary at times. Well,

I stood up for her. I went out on a

limb and said I would meet with her

and help her through this crisis. The

chairman didn’t stay after the meet-

ing to say, “Thanks.” The teacher was

very cool to my suggestions, and the

involved parents just sat and said

nothing. All my work and where’s theapplause?

I know it was a tough decision, but

that’s what being the principal

involves. Our school just can’t keep a

student who causes trouble at

school, refuses to attend church, runs

away from home, and now is arrest-

ed the third time in a week for shop-

lifting. We had to expel him from our

school. He was the bad apple that

was causing the whole barrel to

smell. None of the faculty realizes

this decision had to be made. The

pastor didn’t phone me after our

meeting, and the chairman of the

school board had little to say after

church this morning. I take my

responsibilities seriously and make

the tough decisions, but where’s theapplause?

As a member of the District

Mission Board I stood up and deliv-

ered what I thought was a list of

excellent reasons to build the cam-

pus chapel. I know the dollars are

scarce, but we are losing so many of

our young people as soon as they

leave high school. Something has to

be done. The association voted for


Where’s the Applause?

Paul L. Willems

the chapel. No other board member

stopped to say thanks. Even the col-

lege student representatives didn’t

thank me. I made the sacrifice to

serve on this board, I did the neces-

sary research, and now I got the

building program off dead center.

Where’s the applause?

I am a WELS pastor. I don’t make a

lot of money and I’m certainly not a

prominent member of the city gov-

ernment or even on an important

committee in this community. I gave

up a lot to become a pastor. My

brother’s name appeared in the

papers again last week. He’s really

climbing the ladder in his political

party. I heard he’s been asked to

chair his party’s next campaign com-

mittee to elect the state governor.

No one even asks me to serve on the

board at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Where’s the applause?

These stories may sound trite or evencomical, but on a Friday after a longschool week or on gray Monday morn-ing in February they might sound veryfamiliar. Those who have been calledinto full-time church work often won-der if their efforts are worthwhile. Theymay doubt if their work is appreciated.They look for some positive feed-back,and when there is none, they may evenhave thoughts of resigning from theministry and getting a “real” job. Thedisciples had similar thoughts. Peterasked Jesus, “We have left everything tofollow you” (Mk 10:28). His impliedquestion was, “Where’s the applause,Lord?”

Instead of rebuking the disciples,

Jesus answered, “No one who has lefthome or brothers or sisters or motheror father or children or fields for meand the gospel will fail to receive a hun-dred times as much in this present age... and in the age to come, eternal life”(Mk 10:29-30). Jesus recognized whatthey had given up.

We too can become more aware ofthe need for recognition in the lives of

called workers. Words of appreciationto a teacher, pastor, or principal are inplace and welcomed. Words of encour-agement from a principal, pastor,board member, or colleague are alsowelcome. Because of culture and per-haps because of the way we have beenraised, WELS workers are not knownfor their words of congratulation orpraise for each other. Some may beeven uncomfortable giving or receivingwords such as, “Good job,” “Thank youfor your effort on this project,” “Yourwork is sincerely appreciated.” Butthese words are also the oil that helpsmaintain healthy and loving relation-ships among workers. An engineerrecently told me, “We value cordial andrespectful communications among ouremployees so much that courses in pub-lic relations are required for workers

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Only God can grantsuccess to our work.

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”

who lack these people skills, or whatwas once known as common courtesy.”Workers in the church can take a tipfrom this person of the world and prac-tice such skills.

Everyone likes to be given a pat onthe back and told that his or her effortsare appreciated or even to be rewarded

in some way for a job well done. Welive in an age where self esteem has ahigh priority. Sometimes when peopledon’t receive the recognition they feelthey deserve, they burn out and fallinto self-pity. They are not right indoing that, but the response is typical.That very thing happened to Elijahwhen he whined to the Lord and askedto be taken to heaven because no oneappreciated his work and he was theonly believer left (1Kgs 19:3-5). Elijahwas selfishly and wrongly demanding,“Where’s the applause?”

As we consider each of the five situa-tions at the beginning of this article, wemay also be able to discover what hasbecome of the applause we feel shouldbe ours. In the first example, is it reallyour efforts that are required to makeour lessons successful? Are we responsi-ble for building the church of JesusChrist? Does God expect us, or ourschools, or our colleges, or the WELS,to build his church? In the book of

Revelation, we see who really is sup-porting and building up the church.John’s vision shows seven lamp stands,which are the churches, and seven stars,the angels, or the called ministers ofthese churches. The ministers werebeing held up by Christ (Rev 1:12-16).The ministers were not holding up thechurches. No, if the Christian churchprospers, if our lessons in the class-room are successful or our sermonmoving, it is in spite of us not becauseof us (Ps 127:1). Only God can grantsuccess to our work. Christ is buildinghis church, using us only as his tools,much like a carpenter uses a saw to cuta special compound miter joint in akitchen cabinet.

Do you think people do not appreci-ate what you have done, they do notstand up for you? But consider whatJesus has done for you. Jesus stood upfor each of us as Satan accused usbefore the throne of heaven (1Jn 2:1-2).Again it is Christ’s intercession for thechurch that keeps it in his grace. Yes,again our efforts may be used, but the

fulfillment of a person’s ministry is inthe hands of Jesus and his or her ownhands.

Can we purify the church? Do ourarguments, our persistence really mat-


Willems

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ter in keeping the doctrine of thechurch pure and true? We may speakthe right words, but it is through theefforts and through the words the HolySpirit places into our mouths that thework gets done. Jesus said the gates ofhell will never prevail against hischurch. Do we believe Jesus based thisstatement on a person like Peter, or arewe convinced that it was based onPeter’s confession of Jesus as theMessiah that holds the key here? (Mt16:16-18) In these troubled times Jesusreminds us, even the very elect wouldbe deceived, except for his efforts (Mt24:24).

When a recent conference wrestledwith how to gain more recruits for the

pastoral and teacher ministry studiesfor the ministerial college in New Ulm,many methods and ideas were set forth.But what do the Scriptures say? Jesusvery clearly says, “Ask the Lord of theharvest, therefore, to send out workersinto his harvest field” (Mt 9:38). Againit is God who sends messengers intothe classrooms and pulpits of his manycongregations. We may call them, butonly Jesus can send them.

And so where’s the applause? Well

the applause is there. Jesus promises usa reward of a hundred-fold. However,the real applause does not belong to

you or to me. The applause belongs tothe Lord of the church, Jesus Christ.The Apostle John clearly stated this factin Revelation when he wrote, “Worthyis the Lamb, who was slain, to receivepower and wealth and wisdom andstrength and honor and glory andpraise” (Rev 5:12). Yes, at the final dayeveryone will applaud the efforts ofChrist in building his church, in inter-ceding for his church, for purifying hischurch, for speaking to his church andfor sending messengers to his church.There’s the applause which we seen tofind missing in our ministry.

When Jesus reinstated Peter as anApostle in his church, he reminded himto “feed my lambs, ... feed my sheep”(Jn 21:15-17). We too are to be remind-ed that while we may be called to serve,it is the Lord Jesus we are called toserve and his church. We are not calledto serve ourselves. We are not called toreceive praise or to seek places ofhonor, for this is what the people ofthis world value (Lk 9:46-48).Nevertheless, God himself will and doesreward us. Although Jesus knew thewoman who touched him needed only

to be cleansed of her sin, he healed herphysical ailment too (Lk 8:43-48). Jesusunderstands human needs and our frailconditions. He loves us and has com-passion on us. And so he reminds us,“You did not choose me, but I choseyou and appointed you to go and bearfruit—fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). Godhimself called us to serve him in hiskingdom. This wonderful privilege isnot given to everyone. The seventy dis-ciples also looked for and receivedapplause for their work. They weredelighted to report, “Lord even thedemons submit to us in your name” (Lk10:17). But Jesus reminded them of aneven greater reward when he said,“Rejoice that your names are written inheaven” (Lk 10:20). At the Last DayJesus will say to us and to all believers,

“Come you who are blessed by myFather, take your inheritance, the king-dom prepared for you from the cre-ation of the world” (Mt 25:34). That ishigh applause for anyone.

Paul L. Willems teaches at Minnesota ValleyLutheran High School, New Ulm, Minnesota.

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We call messengers,but only Jesus can

send them.

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Documents

NUMBER 2 The DECEMBER 1996 Lutheran Educator · Tetzel is seen on a braying donkey jingling a tambourine-like instrument to call people’s attention to what he has to offer. The