Sabbatical Developments

So today is the first official day of my sabbatical.  I have already been working on various projects but in the next week or so, things will be kicking into a higher gear.  Over the last few weeks, there have been some changes to the plan.  My "Folk Project" will need to take a back seat to some more pressing material.  In fact, a theme has emerged that runs through most of the other projects and, naturally, this is something that I intend to follow.

I am enclosing here the outline of my work for the next few months.  They are roughly in the order they will be addressed.  Of course, there will be some overlap as well.

Teaching:  Some of you are aware that I have a son who is "homeschooled".  The term--while it makes sense from a legal perspective--is a bit misleading. Most homeschoolers do NOT spend their days sitting around the kitchen table.  They are highly social and are involved in programs outside the home on a daily basis.  Many times they have a great deal of control over what and how they learn.  It can be complicated, but for a certain kind of kid who is willing to take ownership of their education, a well-conducted homeschool plan is just the best darn thing.

Among other activities, my son attends a school that subscribes to a "self directed learning" model.  It has teachers and advisers who help the student plan out their year. Various courses are offered by the teachers, volunteers, and interns based on the interests of the student body.  This is where I come in.  I will be teaching two course at the school this fall.  One is Public Speaking and the other is Nature and Spirituality.   I know a bit about both subjects and expect to learn more. 

I am looking forward to this.  I am curious how it will go.  While I have done some teaching with children in this age group (10-19), it has been mostly in a church context.  Of course, there is a great deal of similarity between a Sunday School model and what happens at this school, so it won't be entirely unfamiliar.  Still, it is good practice and a lot more "face time" than what I am used to.  Each class meets formally once a week and then I will be available as a "mentor" at other times.  Thanks to this time commitment, it is the first on my list.

Church Curriculum:  I have written about this before.  We are transitioning our Sunday School to a "one-room" model with a series of "units".  Each unit will lead to some kind of project or presentation in church.  I am responsible for writing all but one of these.  

My former intern (now sabbatical pastor) will be writing the second unit on Advent.  I have already written the first unit, which is about women in the church.  This means that the next one I am concerned with (a social justice unit with a focus on LGBTQIA+ issues) will need to be ready some time in November so the teachers and I can go over it before it's January start date.

Obviously, the teaching I will do at the school will influence how I go about these curricula at church.  In both cases there is a "project" element.  Also, they both work on a student-centered discussion model. A great deal will depend on their willingness to be engaged and our ability to engage them.  I am actually moving a little slower in this area right now because I think that my perspective may change after doing some teaching.

Dungeons and Dragons Club:  Yeah, there is this.  I am well into the development of a world for my player characters to explore.   I have been a Dungeon Master for many a year, starting way back in my teens when being a nerd wasn't so cool.  Perhaps that is why I am still a bit surprised by the level of initial interest from the kids. It is a great thing!  I am very pleased.

My goal is to have enough material ready for a first meeting near the end of September.  At that point we will make characters and perhaps run through a couple of short battles or scenarios to see if everyone gets the game mechanics.  It would also be good to see who actually shows up so we can plan for either one or two groups.  I will probably also need a rotating cast of "assistant DM's" to keep things rolling...

OK...  I assume you see the theme, right?  All of these activities will apply most directly toward the church's religious education program.  RE has been an interest of mine ever since my first paid gig as "Co-Youth Group Director" for the middle schoolers at the UU church in Evanston, Illinois.  In my current capacity I don't have as much time to do get into it as much as I would like.  I am hoping that using my sabbatical time to get the prep work done will make me a better pastor to the kids and their parents.  We shall see...

What this does mean is that the who Folk Project must be the last of my concerns.  I haven't given up on it entirely.  However, the spirit does seem to be moving me in a different direction right now...