i just finished preparing for the lesson on "christianity" in the textbook. i'm sure at this point you understand where i live if you're reading this blog, so you certainly understand the fine line this chapter represents when it comes to my job. but, a cool thing happened over the last month for me. i'm holding my job with an open hand. if it is gone, its gone. if it stays, it stays.
with that in mind, i'm super pumped about this required chapter. its the first time i've been excited about anything in a long time, and definitely the first time i've been absolutely sure i know what i'm talking about. the main characters in the lesson on christianity are jesus of nazareth, the apostles, paul of tarsus, and constantine (although i could do without constantine, he was, in fact, a part of history and a key player in roman/christian relations). vocabulary includes crucifixion, the resurrection, and messiah. i can't make this up. its like i've found myself sucked into a bizarro world where i'm being asked to teach about something that could get me kicked out of some countries, including the one i'm in.
this is an opportunity that you can be sure i will not squander. not to shove religion or faith down anyone's throats. not even to try to convince anyone that it is right. but the opportunity to share my point of view in the classroom from an historical perspective that will drop a little truth into the minds of my students. and the cool thing is, its happening in the first week of school. this means, barring an unfortunate decision by the administration, i will definitely get the chance to speak openly and for that to be the foundation for the entire school year. for the first time, i'm hoping that i can stick this thing out. but even if this job is ripped away from me, the opportunity can't be. for that i am grateful.
so, if you're thinking about it anytime between sunday and thursday, give me and my class (of 7 girls) a little shout out.
5 comments:
This is awesome! May God's will be done.
interesting. i'm sure i've missed your *achem* shoutout deadline but i'm curious as to how this turns out. it must be a fine line (at least at first) when approaching this subject in a closed setting.
to your last response i believe zoology will keep us in Carbondale a little longer. Nikki was really pushing for ISU but the program is a lot more generalized than the one at SIU...but i'm going to really try and hammer it out.
cheers.
!!
kent
i miscalculated/started planning on the wrong chapter, so that lesson is going to be this week on sunday or monday.
kent - we will pray for you guys that you can meet some normal/strange people like you in carbondale. do you think you're coming out to visit?
scratch that... the lesson will be a week from sunday. man i'm out of sorts
last nikki and i spoke we were going to try to come out for sure. i know i'd like to. i think it just depends on when we can get off work and stuffs...
let me know if there's any time frame that works best for you all and i'll talk to the boss about it.
!!
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