Service, Missions, Leadership

NO!

To Mountainbrook!

Two weeks ago, the Education Department took a four day field trip to Mountainbrook.

Why?

 To broaden our horizon, to make us more technologically savvy, to rub elbows with the elite of educators?

ALL OF THE ABOVE!

 AND, it fulfilled a requirement for our EDU 311 Instructional Media class. :)

Our host school was Brookwood Forest Elementary School, one of the leading schools for integrating technology in the classroom in Mountainbrook. While there, we were able to meet with Mrs. Mumm, the technology coordinator, for one-on-one technology use teaching everyday. She taught us how to use Wikispaces, clouds, Elmos, Inter-Write Pads, and so much more. I never knew there could be so much technology to be used in the classroom.

Mrs. Mumm made a good point about technology.

She said that, "Technology is our students' lives. Use technology as a resource for learning before we (teachers) get left behind!"

This is so true!

To make this statement more relevant for us, we got to see how this technology is used in the classroom. I was first assigned to a math class. The teacher was steadily using her technology while teaching students. She used her elmo for checking and correcting homework assignments. She also used her Inter-Write pad for math problems. That was pretty cool. The students didn't have to leave their seat for the whole class to see their work!

My favorite part of the Brookwood Forest experience was the work I saw in a 6th grade English classroom.

The students were working hard on a portfolio of over 27 differnt styles of poetry that they have written over the past semester.

OVER 27 DIFFERENT STYLES! WOW!

Each student was putting their finishing touches on their projects. Which means they were typing their poems and were putting clip art and other colorful pictures to their work to make it look fun and exciting. Then they would print them out and bind them for a keepsake after grading.

The experience at Brookwood Forest Elementary really opened my eyes to the different ways content can be presented to students. I now know that technology isn't just something for leisure time or research papers. It can be used to stimulate and sustain the learning process. I have used technology like this in a few lesson plans for this May block and I plan to use more as I prepare to be a teacher and after I become a teacher.

After all, I really don't like being left behind.

Here is a link to a Wikispace about our experience:edu311instructionalmediashorttermmay2011.wikispaces.com/Picturing+Our+Experience  

Another Lesson Learned.

We had our last Chapel for the year last Tuesday. This chapel is dedicated to Class Day, a day where new Class officers, SGA officers, and Honor Council members are sworn in.

Why was this day so bittersweet for me?

It's also the day where a new Campus Ministries President is appointed.

 I passed my Campus Ministries President robe to Paula Fendley- a symbol of passing the responsibility of leading Campus Ministries from me to her for the coming year.

I am really excited that God is allowing Paula to be the President next year and I know she will follow God in whatever happens.

From what I hear, many new things and things that need a face lift will be happening all for God's glory next year.

The bittersweet part:

I won't be on Campus Ministries council anymore to experience it from the beginning. Yes, I had a chance of re-applying for council next year, but God told me not to.

I will be finishing up classes and preparing for my student internship next year and I won't have time to adequately do a good job on council.

It's not that I want the title or anything because I will still participate in CM activities. It's that a have found who I am in Christ so far through following Him by completely submerging myself in this ministry.

I have become a little more confident in my walk, a little more confident in the Word, and a little more confident in my God-given abilities because of Campus Ministries.

And, so much of my Judson career has been centered on this ministry. It's going to be hard to fill my time slots that once had "Campus Ministries" written on them with something else.

But one of the many lessons I have learned from serving on the council is that God will use His people whenever and wherever He wants to.

He isn't finished with me yet and I don't want Him to be.

So, I will gather my lessons learned and say adios and above all thank you God for allowing me to serve on the Campus Ministries Council-a soul changing experience.

Until then.

Isaiah 41:10 "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

As someone who is extremely afraid of heights, I always find it interesting that God is constantly trying to elevate His children to a newer height for the sole purpose of getting closer to Him.

Over Christmas break I got one step closer to conquering my fear of heights and I got one step closer to God in return. For the past 3 years I have had the pleasure of chaperoning youth retreats during Christmas break. This year I went with Fleetwood Baptist to Gatlinburg, Tenn. Gatlinburg, Tenn. The mountains. Tall mountains. Tall equals high elevation. Bad combination for me.

The whole trip seemed to revolve around heights. The first experience was on our first day in Tennessee. We had to take a 25 passenger van up an icy road to the peak of the tallest mountain in that mountain area. Now, when I first heard that we were staying in the mountains, I was okay with that. I have before. What would be different?

Well, the elevation of the cabin. Because the cabin was so high up, the owners decided to name it "Above it all." I did not find this amusing at 8 p.m., with 20 youth, and a very steep climb to our humble abode.

 As we made our way up the mountain, one of the leaders prayed for safety because of the ice on the road, hair pin curves, and huge bus that was being driven. I did not feel comforted at all.  It was then I realized how full of fear I am and how little faith I have. I mean, we were just driving up a mountain. Why was I so scared?  God answered, "Ryan, you are a control freak."

Ouch! A control freak, that's kind of harsh there God. He was right. He is right.

I couldn't control our altitude or what would happen if we slid off the road and down the mountain. I couldn't even control my fear. That's what hurt the most. Even with God on my side, I still had fear.

There are hundreds of times where the Bible says, "Do not be afraid" or "Do not fear." The question is how do I get from reading these words to believing these words?

My conclusion, practice makes perfect.

 For the rest of our week in the mountains, God presented some kind of activity that dealt with heights every day. Funny, I know. The more I did these activities the more I trusted God. I haven't mastered not having a fear of heights or fears in general; however, I know that with each new fear I will remember that God says, "Do not be afraid" and He is with me through any situation that comes my way.

A Lesson Learned.

1.  WORK ON TIME MANAGEMENT!

  Yep, time. One of my friends told me a couple of months ago that I am a great scheduler, I just stink at executing what I schedule. Either something comes up and it detours me from my plans or when I am on schedule I don't want to do it. This is a problem and I am slowly learning to work on my time management. I HAVE TO! My GPA is not acceptable right now.

2.   FIND QUIET TIME!

 When the day is DONE and you only have one thing left to give, let that gift be quiet time. For those of us who have forgotten what that is, let me try to remember for all of us. It's that time where you and Jesus reflect on the day, collect your lessons learned, and rejuvenate your spirit. I sure wish I would have done this more this semester. I don't know how many times I bit someone's head off for stupid stuff because I was so on edge. There is no excuse for it and I'm sorry.

3.  LEAVE ROOM FOR FUN!

 In the midst of every good dead, planned or not planned, that fills our lives with business, make time to just have fun! I've forgot how to for a minute, then realized that life was too short for all work and no play. Not to contradict what I said earlier, but after you have worked to the best of your capabilities and your brain is fried in the realm of academia, call up some friends and have some fun! Grab a board game, take a midnight run to Selma for a Sonic Creamslush (preferably  not before a major exam or when a paper is due), or drink a cup o' joe with some friends. You never know what a little bit of laughter does for the soul.

4.  LAUGH AT YOURSELF!

   Let me tell ya, I have laughed more at myself this semester than I have at any other point in my life. Why? College? Taking a chance? Falling out of a raft? Asking stupid questions? Falling down, period? Like I posted in a previous blog, laughing at yourself can be very therapeutic.  

5.   MAKE MORE FRIENDS!

Before I started college, my realm of friends was small. Living in a small town, not traveling a lot, and hanging out in the library all the time really limits the possibities of meeting people. Once I went to college, I realized that people were cool. It's amazing the stories I have heard from incredible people over the past 2 ½ years. I have learned so much from them and they from me, the good and the bad. Branch out and never be comfortable with where you are. There is always someone to meet and a story to hear.

6.    GO!

One of my very close friends tells me all the time that I have Goitis (Go-eye-tis). It sounds like a really gross disease, I know, but to her it's a disease that keeps me constantly on the go. I hate staying in one place for too long. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do.  It helps with that whole meeting new people and hearing new stories thing.

We are also supposed to GO because Jesus commands us to do so. Most of my goitis is from mission opportunities and chances to see people that I met on the mission field.  I am glad that I was designed to be bored with my surrounding after a while. There is always a new adventure to be had and goitis helps me find one.

7.   HAVE FAITH!                     

 When I applied to Judson, I had NO idea what I was getting into.When I read the rules on  our website, I truly thought I was stepping into a black and white T.V. show from the sixties. Fortunately, when I arrived everything was in color. I was new to this whole idea of being by myself, fending for myself, and truly being a grown up (sorta). I just told God that  I might question what was going on; however, ultimatley He's got my life in his hands and I trust Him. That was hard, but it's worked so far. Judson's been a blessing and I wouldn't trade it for...well, there might be a few things. Haha.

I hope you have learned something. Merry Christmas! God bless!

With Love,

Ryan Dowling