Read John 3:1-36 and Matthew 18:11-14 Midterm grades. It's that time of year, right? The official grade for the term isn't out yet, but students, parents, and teachers are beginning to see a glimpse of students' academic progress. How are your students faring so far? Are you thinking of specific students now? Can you see their faces in your mind? The ones who are acing their classes, strive to achieve, and love school - or at least the feeling of making their parents or teachers proud. The ones who put forth just enough effort to make it but aren't overly concerned with A quality. The ones who are doing their best but need that extra boost to reveal their true potential. The ones who seem to feel that school - for whatever reason - just isn't their thing, and maybe they try some days and maybe they don't. The list could go on.... Our students are all so different, having different needs, motivations, and learning styles. Do you have a differentiated roadmap for them? One that includes clear road signs and checkpoints to help students assess their own progress along the way? One that includes detours to get those slow rollers back on track and up to speed toward reaching the end goal? One that includes scenic routes for those high flyers ready for the next challenge? Our classrooms should provide hope and clear opportunities for students to reach out and achieve success. Christ, the Great Teacher, is a model for us all. He gave clear guidance for how to earn salvation in this life, how to live this life, and what end goal to seek. He gave clear instructions for recognizing our faults and preparing our hearts and minds for redemption. He also gave clear instructions on how His followers can and should be disciple makers. In the classroom, do you provide clear methods for redemption for students who seem to have taken wayward paths? Do you provide clear opportunities for student growth on both ends of the achievement spectrum? Consider ways to strengthen differentiation to meet various needs of your students, and consider how students' own needs are revealed to them. What are they learning about themselves? What next steps can they take in your classroom to enrich their learning experiences and take steps to meeting their academic goals? PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Word to us with clear guidance for how to live this life in order to live an eternity in your glorious presence. Please guide us to lead students' on a path that will lead to academic success and one that will also instill in them a moral compass that will guide them to you. Please forgive us of any ways we fall short of your expectations for us in this life. Thank you for your mercy and grace and, above all, for sending Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We ask for these blessings in the name of your son, Jesus. Amen.
