A gentle reminder ...

The goal of this blog initially was for Mr. Mc to show his students and friends what he doing while in Pennsylvania and DC in 2011. Now it's being used as a place for him, travelling colleagues and former students to discuss edumacation and history related "stuff" as well as ... well, anything which pops into his head. Mr. Mc would never knowingly embarrass either the school he loves or the family he is devoted to. By joining in the discussion, he expects the same of you.

Friday, July 12, 2013

A shift in blog content ...


As a blogger I have written about what I know and what I want to know more about ... primarily history and teaching. Its where I blather on about my time in the classroom as both a teacher and a student of teaching and history.

To quote Monty Python ... now for something completely different.

Anyone who knows me know that my family and vocation are a huge part of who I am and half of that has been fodder for my blog. I will continue to leave my family life out of here for the most part. Its hard enough being married to me and being my progeny without their stories being flashed on the 'interwebby thing'. There is another aspect of me that most who know me knows is significant. I am a Christian-a person of faith. I even have a degree in religion and philosphy and spent nearly ten years working in churches as a youth minister and director of Christian education...they paid me and everything.

This blog started as a way to process information about a teacher program I was attending and morphed into a classroom tool and then a clearinghouse of my ideas as a teacher. I teach at an independent (non-religous and private) school and like the model of its being independent of both relgious and governmental influence. We get no money from the state or a church and that gives us a voice that is different and a freedom that allows for a diveristy of ideas to exist at the same time in a way most dependent schools can't. I love that I have Hindu and Muslim and agnostic and Christian  and atheist kids and we can talk freely and ask questions that wouldn't be touched in some schools and 'administratively' overseen in others. I love that my school trusts me and my students.

The kids know I have a degree in religion and was a pastor for years and so they naturally ask questions...and I naturally answer them as is best appropriate in a classroom setting.  You can't talk about American and European history without talking at some point about religion and the civic conviction to make things better is often bourne out of the religious conviction of any number of faiths.

This blog started as a way to process teacher ideas and for my class. The class connection is, for the most part gone--I have a classroom blog for that. As a result, I want to add to the list of things I'm passionate about: history, teaching, and faith. If I lose you as a reader as a result, I respect that. The only thing I ask is that you give me a fair hearing.


Now, the timing for the change is the result of a conference I'll be attending next week. Presbyterian Youth Triennium is an event sponsored by three Presbyterian denomations and will bring 4,000 to 5,000 youth to Purdue University. I have been asked to be a small group leader and so will be working with about 30 youth and adult over the course of the five day event. The theme this year is "I AM" and the teaching packet is really well done. The movie up at the top of the blog is one we will view at the event. The one above this paragrph is from the last Triennium in 2010. This will be my fourth Triennium and I leave each year with

I'll keep you posted...

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