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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > June > 22 > Entry
Reasons to love (and fear) Bible school
Why I loved Bible school this week:
For $50, two of my kids are spending four hours a day singing songs, making art projects and talking about the power of love and faith.
That would be good enough for me, but then there was a little extra payoff.
Just after I returned home from work yesterday, seven-year-old Claire taps me on the elbow and says, “Can I talk to you in private?”
Uh-oh. What could this be about? Let me guess — she misses her dead cat, she got into another fight with her best friend (also attending Bible school) or maybe she misses her mom, who is out of town?
Well, we headed to the computer room, shut the door and sat down on a chair. After stopping first to chase away her sister from listening at the door, she tells me softly with a very serious face:
“Dad, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all the things you do for me. Even though I don’t tell you often enough, I know you do lots of nice things for me, so I wanted to say thank you and tell you I love you.”
I don’t care if they made her memorize the script for this homework assignment, it was worth every penny of that $50.
Why my best friend didn’t love Bible school this week:
While my kids were coming home after spending all morning holding hands and singing “Kumbaya,” his daughter came home the first day from a different Bible school with … a sword.
Not a real sword, of course, but one they must have spent some time making out of cardboard and construction paper — a pretty fair forgery. Apparently, this was “the sword of faith.” Ok, he thought, seems a little odd for Bible school, but no big deal. The next day, she brought home … a shield. Make that the “the shield of salvation.”
Hmm.
Finally, today there was a wrap-up Mass/performance by the kids. And out they come in full Crusader battle gear — swords or faith, shields of salvation, helmets of who-knows-what — looking like they’re ready to charge off and re-take Jerusalem!
My friend was not entirely amused. This Bible school seemed a little light on love and togetherness and a little heavy on military tactics.
So before you sign your kids up for Bible school this summer, you might first want to ask about the theme for the week.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: My Favorite Posts, Teaching and Learning
Comments
By Laf
June 28, 2006 3:34 PM | Link to this
Mayby the vacation Bible School people should reconsider the use of swords and shields. Is this promoting our culture of violence? Is this the same as providing our kids with a diet of TV violence everyday. MMMMMMM Just to give you something to think about.By Patty
June 25, 2006 7:27 AM | Link to this
Hi Scott It’s too bad the LA Times couldn’t run your other comment about how there WAS a lot of love and hand holding in that other bible camp also. (There were probably more boys too.) (smile)What a beautiful moment with Claire—savor it.By NYC Educator
June 24, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this
Sounds like the best fifty bucks any parent has ever spent.By elementaryhistoryteacher
June 24, 2006 12:20 AM | Link to this
I enjoyed your post about VBS. There are all kinds of rewards for volunteering, going, and taking your kids. I posted about my memories of VBS earlier this week. It was always a great time of year for me.By Beth
June 23, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this
What a great story. Be sure to thank all the volunteers that helped make the VBS so special to claire that she would want to have that special moment with her dad. (and don’t think Grandma Nell didn’t have something to do with it!) It is amazing how children recognize how important and awesome the “God-stuff” can be. It’s even more amazing that God is willing to share it with us thick skulled adults.By Scott Elliott
June 22, 2006 9:45 PM | Link to this
Thanks Mary. My friend reports his daughter still had fun at battle school, uh I mean Bible school, and that there was plenty of singing, hand holding and general goodwill toward men. In poking fun I probably made it sound a little wackier than it really was. The Medieval Times-style theme was just a bit odd.By Janine Kahn
June 22, 2006 8:00 PM | Link to this
Hi Scott! Once a week we take excerpts from teacher blogs, but liked this post and decided to feature you instead! Check it out at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/schoolme/2006/06/nonteacher_tren.htmlBy Mary
June 22, 2006 5:18 PM | Link to this
I enjoyed your story and the contrast of experiences with Bible school. You are probably more sensitive and approachable as a father, education writer, and with three? daughters than most fathers to have the 7 year old come to you that way. Of course, you might also have a very unique 7 year old. Having grown up in the Bible Belt, and with relatives who range from Southern Baptists to atheists, I often reflect on what religion really does in a culture, the separation of church and state, how often religion becomes politics and politics becomes religion. I never got around to reading the series the Dayton Daily News did a few months ago on this very topic of religion and politics. I wish I had.