On February 19 and 20, 55 participants, representing 17 schools from Canada and the United States, descended on Sioux Center Christian School (SCCS) and Sioux Falls Christian School (SFC) for the annual Teaching for Transformation (TfT) Site Seminar.

The purpose of the site seminar is to provide an opportunity for participants to explore the TfT core and essential practices within the specific context of a school’s mission and vision. Participants came from schools along the entire TfT continuum—from those considering TfT implementation to those in Year 10 of their TfT journey! Simply being together as a network of Christian schools from all over North America was a worthy experience, let alone the richness of visiting two specific Christian schools during those two days.

While the core and essential practices are universal through all CACE TfT schools, each practice is intended to take on a contextualized flavor to a school’s mission/vision, geographical location, and community served. This contextualized flavor was on full display as participants had the opportunity to experience elementary and secondary TfT implementation in a PK-8 school and a PK-12 school. As both schools have been using TfT as a framework for several years, the customization was evident.

Hosting a TfT site seminar comes with vulnerability. Essentially, you open your school (the teachers, the students, the teaching and learning) wide to a group of adult learners (mostly strangers) and say, “Come on in—we are glad you are here. Don’t leave a rock unturned as you explore our embodiment of the TfT practices.” 

I am grateful to the hosts for the trust and courage they showed as they welcomed the learners, and to the learners for the way they embodied the Habits of Learning of curiosity, graciousness, and joy. These TfT Habits of Learning were part of the work plan that emerged from SCCS’s TfT endorsement process.

As expected at a TfT learning event, storytelling was a significant piece of the experience. Stories were shared individually by teachers and students, covering practices such as FLEx, Throughlines, Storylines, teacher onboarding, athletics, and Celebrations of Learning for both students and staff.

If you ask any of the guests what their favorite part of the site seminar was, most will identify the teacher and student panels. The panels are opportunities to step into the lived experience of both teachers and students. For most guests, these panels are deeply convicting as both teachers and students share the impact of the TfT practices on their faith and their learning.

The learning walks provide a sense of the TfT journeys within classrooms. Guests can see how individual teacher’s Deep Hopes and Storylines connect both the learning and learners to God’s Story. (Check out the compiled lists of teacher Deep Hopes and Storylines from both SCCS and SFC). Of course, Storyboards are incredibly helpful in sharing the learning journeys. The creativity and diversity of the teachers were on full display.

I am extremely grateful to the schools that provided the opportunity for their teachers and leaders to attend this learning experience. The site seminar was an experience that will deepen both individual and institutional TfT implementation journeys. The seminar was transformational for the hosts as well as it provides an opportunity to share and reflect on their journey.

A giant thank-you to the leadership, staff, and students of Sioux Center Christian and Sioux Falls Christian for hosting this time of learning. Thank you for your work, thoughtfulness and courage.

No matter where you are in your journey, I invite you to consider attending next year’s site seminar that will be hosted at Harding Academy, Memphis, as part of our first ever full TfT conference.

Just like after last year's site seminar in Minnesota, the reflection and debriefing happened around a few holes drilled into ice. This year's ice fishing experience felt successful as well. Sometimes traditions are good: If it isn't broken, don't fix it!