Making connections

By Jami Spaulding


Lately, I've been really excited to hear the kids make connections between the ILC and Bible Club. It first started with them using the SOS method to change their own behavior. One day someone was acting crazy and another student said, "Hey, SOS, remember?" The kids then reminded the student what it meant and that chosing to do what is right is like chosing to act like Jesus. It was cool to see them own it and apply it in a different situation outside of Bible Club Tuesday nights.

Last week, the kids were really into the Bible Club lesson. We've been talking about Christmas Schema during reading time and ever since last Wednesday all the kids have had daily connections to the books we were reading and with what they had done at Bible Club. I get so excited when the kids are excited about the lesson and able to use them in other contexts. I'm praying that the more they talk about them, the more natural it will become for them to use these ideas to make better choices and ultimately to give their lives to Jesus. What fun to be a part of this process with them!

Bible Club starts up for the 2007-2008 year

By Jami Spaulding


The first week of Bible Club was super exciting, but also a bit nerve wrecking too. Could 14 preschoolers really last in the auditorium for an hour? Would they understand the new routines in class? It turned out to be a great night indeed. The kids were so excited to be back. The LOVED the worship and talked and talked about singing and dancing for Jesus with the big kids.

The best part, however, was dinner. The preschoolers were fascinated by the idea of a host table. The kids chosen took each of their jobs so seriously and were thrilled to have a job. Those being served were very polite as they went through the line. It was darling and inspiring all at the same time. How cool, that they can learn to serve and to eat in a way that is pleasing to God. They loved the dinner questions. We took lots of rabbit trails, but I think they just loved being heard and were willing to listen so others could be heard too.

We are so excited about this new year of growth and structure in Preschool-Kindergarten class. I know God has big plans for the hearts of these little friends.

God made me and loves me

By Jami Spaulding

Daddiz, Milandra, Madison, and Grace have fun dressing up and reading books.(Picture above)

I was so encouraged this week to hear the younger kids talking with the older kids as they waited for their rides to come. Sometimes you wonder if they are really understanding the things we talk to them about, or even if it's making a difference in their world. I heard them saying things like, "We're talking about schema, it's what you know," and "Our schema is getting bigger and bigger. We're really smart." It's exciting to see them begin to apply what they are learning and to embrace the potential God created them with.

On Friday, we finished up our mental image week. We ended with a lesson on God's mental image. We read from Psalm 139 and then a poem by Jack Pretulsky. The kids were a bit restless as the Psalm has a lot of vocabulary in it, but as we started to talk about each word and what it meant the kids started getting into it. Daddiz blurted out, "God's mental image of us is good!" It was like he finally understood that God made him on purpose and is crazy about him. The kids used that comment to have a discussion about how they know God loves them. We then looked at the illustrations in the poem and talked about how God made them each different and unique. As we did the art project afterwards, it was fun to hear them saying things like,"God made me responsible, he made me caring, he made me creative...." When we came together to share our projects the kids made the connection that God made them and loves them. Milandra said, "We should add that to our schema and then when people are mean to us we don't have to get mad becasuse we know what God thinks about us is true." Mickela said, "We cause our schema and remember God's mental image of us and then we'll remember to act like him, like be kind and respectful to everyone." Madison talked a long time about how God made her special and how He will help her reach her dreams.

It was exciting for me to hear my students using the language of reading and to apply it to God and their everyday lives. How I pray it will take root in their hearts and help them to love Jesus and choose His truth over everything else in their lives.

Making reading fun

By Jami Spaulding


Wow! What an amazing first couple of weeks it has been. The kids have adjusted really well to the new format at the Impact Learning Center. They seem to be beginning to see value in what we do in the read room as well as in tutoring and are enjoying getting to know the staff and volunteers. Milandra came back from tutoring the first day and taught us the sign language word her tutor had showed her. Daddiz came back to report, "I love that place, my guy is so cool!"

Things have settled into a nice routine in the read room. It's interesting to see the kids relate the books we've read to their lives. They comment on everything from, "Wow, that picture looks like my little sister!" to "Oh, he was really mean to the new kid. That's not nice at all." The kids seem to enjoy the other activities we also do. They did great thinking about what respectful words sound like and had a blast trying to come up with 100 acts of kindness.

Yesterday we talked about their own dreams and what they want reading to help them do. Madison said, "I can't read the big Bible, but I can keep practicing and read a little kid Bible and then I'll know more about God." Many kids said they want reading to help them be a doctor. Some said they want to improve their reading to do better in school.

My prayer is that the kids will understand that God made them smart and that He will help them achieve all these goals if they'll only let Him. We've worked hard setting the foundation for the essentials at the ILC and re-affirming the importance of reading well. I'm so excited to get busy with our reading strategies and see how God grows us all this quarter.