Gone Fishing....

Summer is here and I'll won't be posting any more blogs until mid-August.
Enjoy your summer, your family, and your friends.

Reporting and Portfolio Expectations

Reporting expectations:

I need to receive an email from you every week, or at the most every two weeks. Even if they just let me know that you're alive and well, and that you're still plugging away. I get nervous when it's been longer than two weeks without hearing anything.  I love receiving brief summaries of what's going on in the different subject areas. 

Portfolios:

As you proceed through the year keep samples from the different subject areas to submit. I enjoy receiving emailed scans of assignments. I'll send a portfolio checklist to help you to build your portfolios. I'll also post the list on this blog.

Welcome 2011-2012 Families

About Me:

My name is Bruce Hildebrandt, I was born and raised in rural Alberta. Both of my parents were teachers and they instilled a love of learning in me. They taught me that education happens everywhere, all the time. The world has always been my classroom. My parents also taught us about God. My 40+ year walk with God has been a joy, an adventure, and the focus of my life. I haven't regretted a moment. Jesus is my rock, my hope, and my purpose. My life is rich and Jesus is the reason.

After High School, I attended Peace River Bible Institute for three years. It was while I was at PRBI that God laid on my heart that I was to become a teacher. I completed my B.Ed. at the University of Alberta and immediately took a teaching position on a First Nations reserve in Northern Alberta. Two years later, I moved to Sherwood Park and began teaching at Strathcona Christian Academy. Four years ago I completed a Masters in Education through Gonzaga University. I've now been teaching for 25 years, two of those with HCOS.

While on vacation in Kelowna I met a beautiful young lady named Niki. We dated long-distance for two years before I got a job at Kelowna Christian School. We've been married nineteen sweet years. =) Niki has taught with HCOS this past year and some of my new students were her former students. This year she feels called back to the classroom to teach Grade One. Together, we have helped to plant a church, and regularly lead worship wherever God opens the door. We have had the privilege of taking five groups of High School students to South Africa and Zambia on short-term missions trips. Niki and I have not been able to have children, so we have always looked at the children in our classes and our lives as "our" children for as long as God allows us to be in their lives.

I enjoy music, hiking, sports, making imovies, and exploring this amazing world that God has created.

I love working with parents who are passionate about the education of their children. It is my goal to support  and work together with you. I'll try to do what I can to assist you in making your job easier and more effective. I certainly don't know everything, nor do I have all the answers, but I'll do my best to find the resources and the people who can help us.

Summer's Here

Summers are wonderful! The days are long, the weather’s warm, and you just want to be outside. There are so many things to do and people to see. Summers are a time for travel, BBQs, camping, laying on the beach, summer reading, and just taking time to breathe again.

You’ve done a great job of guiding your children’s education this year. Celebrate that. Take advantage of this time of year to take a break from the regimented routine and change up the pace.

If you are concerned that your kids will “lose it” here are a couple of ideas. To keep their children sharp, some of my friends would pick up grade level workbooks at Walmart, Costco, or Superstore. Their kids worked on them, at their own pace, and when they finished they got a special reward.

Reading should be connected with your children’s curiosity, and should be purely for enjoyment. Maybe reading will just be a stack of comics, like a Calvin & Hobbes or old Archies. If you’re taking a family trip let your children find out about where you’re going and the highlights along the way.

Whatever your summer plans, let me encourage you to take some time to recharge, take some time to draw together as a family, and take some time to draw close to God. Enjoy your summer.

What Are Your Dreams?

“Predictions are difficult, especially about the future.” 

“Without a vision the people perish.” 

We all need to have hopes and dreams. We need to look past today’s challenges towards tomorrow’s promises. We need to anticipate the future. Hopes and dreams sustain and motivate us. They keep us moving forward.

What are your hopes, plans and dreams? What are the dreams, plans, and hopes of your children? When God gives us the desires of our hearts, when He puts those desires into our hearts, that’s inspirational and motivational. That’s where we need to live.

A couple of videos that I've really enjoyed this week.

I've added a couple of thought provoking youtube videos to the "websites" bar on the right.
Check them out.

Francis Chan  Comments on the "Hell / Love Wins" Controversy
http://youtu.be/qnrJVTSYLr8

Learning to Change
http://youtu.be/tahTKdEUAPk

Finishing Strong

I probably shouldn’t admit this but I’ve organized a lot of Elementary School Track Meets over the years, too many in fact!

I’ve always enjoyed the running events. You line up a group of sweaty, hyperactive ten-year-olds at the start line, fire the starting gun, and before the puff of smoke clears they are half way around the track.

No pacing, little technique, overwhelming optimism.

Running the 1500m, I’ve seen kids spring into the lead only to run out of steam rounding the first corner and eventually walking across the finish line totally out of steam. I know that my life certainly mirrors that from time to time.

“Forgetting what lies behind, I press on towards the high-calling of Christ.” Paul made that statement in regards to his life and his walk with Jesus. It’s a statement that can apply to everything from running a race to, to our relationships, to our schooling.

Spring arrives after a long dark summer. The weather warms up, the trees bud, the flowers bloom, and thoughts leave the “classroom.” It happens to almost everyone.

The challenge every year is to finish strong. It’s easy to back off on the work to the point where nothing is happening. When motivation wanes you’ve got to look for ways to re-inspire yourself and your kids. Some good ideas are to change things up. Take the lessons outside, go for a nature walk, sit outside and read together, visit the Library, get together with friends and have contests like Jeopardy, or Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.

It’s a wonderful feeling to have completed your curriculum for the year, to have crossed that “finish line”. If you’re there relax and enjoy, if you’re close hang in there and finish strong.