The summer is drawing to an end, and so I am going back to Moody today for the first in a series of orientation activities.
I woke at 5.00 a.m. because I have to get used to it. So the changes have come to the schedule, but that’s OK. This fall I will enjoy teaching Faith and Learning, Teaching the Bible in the Classroom and Classroom Methods and Management.
So what did I learn this summer? I learned what it means to be ‘afk’ for a ‘bio’. It seems that gamers have a whole on-line vocabulary that I was unaware of. I have learned to think more strategically and honed my problem-solving skills by playing Lord of the Rings On-line. I think that computer games are under-rated for the educational value. For example, in Lord of the Rings I play as a dwarven, hunter woodsman. That means that I harvest and treat wood products. Learning how much to sell my products for and running a business out of the AH (Auction House) has opened my eyes to how markets work and some basic economics that I was unaware of. If anyone is interested in hooking up in the game I am a member of the kinship The Brotherhood of Anor on the Nimrodel server.
In the fall, MBI will be working on setting up Civ3 as a game for my classes in the spring. Most of the trainee elementary teachers steer clear of games on the computers. In the spring there will be an assignment in Social Studies Methods class where the students will have to play on the computer and their score will determine their grade. It is far less passive than sticking a video in the vcr and stepping bac
Plymothian 
I heard a pastor say on TBN the other day, that they needed to put those game consoles in the pews for the kids…Get Jesus to the cross. First Judas has to kiss him…he has to drag his cross…etc; I thought it was a great idea in theory because I don’t see enough christian based games like this for gameboy, xbox etc; not even for the computer, and I’d like to find them. Peace.
I wish I were in your sociial studies class!!!
LOL what you mean you weren’t getting up at 5am to play LOTR? I’m sad I can’t be in your class this semester. I hope you have a great semester teaching.
Salt and Light
Silver
that sounds like a great idea, but of course it would happen the year after I take that class. But that’s okay, I’m sure it will help us el.eders to once again think in a way completely different from our norm.
Good to see you the other day in the plaza. Hope you’re set for the semester and that you get lots of rowdy freshmen like my class had (that is, if you’re teaching freshmen).
I’m giving you the same “I’m not judging you, but I’m definitely skeptical” look that I’m hoping Kelli gives you on a regular basis.
Its interesting to look at what you thought at the end of last summer, just as i about to begin my summer. I remember last summer and i know i want it to be different. Last summer i did not spend time with God daily, and it showed. I was used to working at my water park, enjoying the sun, yelling at people who were running, and jumping in for people who were drowning. when i got back, i was not used to going to church at school, why? B/c i did not go to church over the summer. I ahd work, and i used that as my reason for not going to church. I hope this summer will be different.