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The Process of Christian Education-Reflections on a Journey of Faith
by: Dr. Herman K. Wentzel

Learning is a process of change.
Teachers manage the conditions and change in seeking truth.

Why are we here?

Process of education
Theory
Classroom applications

Lutheran Philosophy must be summed in 2 words
"I believe" followed by the Apostles creed

Understanding the scriptures isn't the basis for our belief

To prepare God's people for the work of Christian service to build up the body of Christ.

The mission should exude from all the faculty so the students know it's message.

Concordia exists to find truth in faith and the realm of critical thinking.

Create people skilled in the vocation of living, not just careers.

Growth in faith requires accumulating information but also the values of that faith.

Free to use developed habits of thought under the gospel
Use critical analysis
accept criticism
multiple perspectives

Faculty must engage in dialog to grow the students.

The process of education today
Theory-what is to be learned
We learn not by simply doing, but undergoing
"What does this mean, and how is it done"

Discuss, challenge, argue.
What does this mean?
What does this mean to me?

De-emphasize memorizing of facts.
It's like eating fiber, after eating it serves it's purpose then leaves quickly.

College education isn't about learning facts, but training the mind.

Encourage the asking of questions.
Learning continues when the student leaves with unanswered questions.
Cognitive Dissonance in p terms

Philosophy deals with the why and the what
Education philosophy deals with the how?

Discuss why, what, and how?

Failure is a learning experience.

The process of education for the university.

Christian education
By Christians for Christians
Christians educate Christians
Word, deed, confrontation

How to enroll Christian students.
How many to indicate a Christian campus.

Roommates have more influence than professors.
A living campus is important.

Accept non-Christians
The university has a mission focus.

Cheating.
Cheating is suspension
Forgive?
How do you treat this behavior?
Second chances after wrongful behavior.
It's under the context of the Christian gospel.

Seek truth, and also convey truth.
foster a common language

Available faculty
Faculty must be open and be available to foster learning outside the classroom.

Challenges to the mission
Commuter college
Driving and living off campus
Working, takes away from learning
Technology
Not enough personal contact.
Learning from a distance doesn't foster as much discussion.
Direct confrontation is important.

Summary
Students consider who they are in the light of what they might be
Foster joy in the process of learning

LAST JOURNAL!!!

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
The weather this week was very nice. In the 40's-50's, which means less people in the Listening House. The attendance was way down since people didn't need a place to get out of the frigid weather and most people wanted to stay outside. I did have to call 911 this week for the first time ever in my life. A guy was having an ashma attack and he passed out drunk. It was interesting to say the least. Then not 5 minutes later I had to call again for the cops. This time a gang dispute was getting heated outside and there were threats being thrown around. Again, it was an eventful.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
I was planning on having this be my last week since I have the required amount of hours, but I just can't give it up. As Joyce was signing my sheet she noticed that I had enough hours, but I told her I was going to finish out the school year, and that is what I'm going to do. At first it was a project I was forced to volunteer for and now I don't want to leave the place. Probably because the guys are really cool and it's just a great environment.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
This was an excellent project week for me. I finally made it to the 120 hour mark, which is very exciting! This is a rare week where I feel on top of the game and I'm getting my stuff done the level I want it done at. This week is certainly an A week.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
One interesting event this week was the meeting on Wednesday. I was by far the youngest volunteer there by at least 20 years. It was kind of awkward at times, but they were all a bunch of sweet old ladies. While working on Thursday a few of the guests came up to me and wondered where I was last week. I told them I was on spring break, but it was really nice to have people actually miss me talking with them when I wasn't there for a week.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
Right now I'm still trying to figure out reasons for why I was the youngest person there, and one of the few guys. It could be that once a person retires they need to find things to do and that means volunteering. I mean not many college students have the time to come down and volunteer between work and school.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
I had a good project week, minus that I turned in my chapters late. Oops. Anyway between the meeting and the working and the chapter work I put some good time towards the end of the project. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
The week before spring break really proved helpful for writing my paper. Many of the events I saw on Wednesday and Thursday were perfect examples of research I wanted to put in my paper. The week of work was pretty standard. I didn't do any work of the project over the break which was a much needed break from school, and I spent relaxing in Colorado.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
For some of this project I have been so convinced that most of the homeless population is just lazy and doesn't want to get off the street. I really saw last week that I was wrong in my thinking. So many of the patrons there are very determined to get a stable life going in many aspects, economic, mentally, and socially. I just have to realize that when I think I have the picture there is a more to it.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
Well last week was excellent and I worked for many hours on my project and chapters. I put a lot of time towards my total goal; however, I didn't finish my chapters on time. I'm going to turn them in late for a 5% deduction. It's just been one of those weeks. I would give myself a B; I worked hard but I didn't finish the chapters.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
Well the first downer I realized just as I stepped off the bus. It's a downer and a good thing I guess. I have been searching for ways to help the Listening House and one of the main things going for me was job help at the Listening House. The kicker is a career center is just across the street...literally! I just haven't noticed it all these times. At the Listening House itself I was talking to a guy who is very diligent and has a set plan for getting money and a career and getting off the streets. I was very impressed by how much planning he had. There were a few new volunteers this week so it was cool to meet them and hear about their stories.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
I have been a little down these past few weeks because all I've seen is the people who don't have much drive and thus abuse the care system. There are many people who are trying very hard to get off the streets and they deserve any help we can provide to help them. The Listening House is doing their job very well. I have been struggling to find any suggestions that wouldn't be repetitive which could help the Listening House, and so far it's been hard.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
I have done decent work this week. I was planning on having my survey done by now which isn't done. So I have to get on that and fast. I have slacked on that some. I will have time this week to get it done before spring break, so I'm not too worried. Other than that it was a standard week at the Listening House. I'd give myself a B this week just because I didn't get around to the survey which I set a goal to have done by this week.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
Well I have been sick with a viral infection similar to mono so I didn't volunteer much this week. I did go for a few hours on Thursday but I left early as I was extremely tired. When I was there I talked with a guy named Sam for a little bit about how he is getting a job here soon. Then 10 minutes later he was harassing a handicapped man for having to use the women's bathroom since that was the only handicapped accessible bathroom. He actually punched him and they fought for a little before getting kicked out. I don't know what's been going on lately, a little musk in the air possibly? I haven't even seen a quarrel until these last two weeks. I left shortly after because I was exhausted.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
I really experienced the diversity of the situation of homelessness and poverty. While one man is working hard but just can't make enough to get by another man was bragging that he gets all these things for free. It just gave me more to think about when writing my next chapters.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
Well I can't really say I did much this week as I don't really have much work done. I really need to step up my game this week and get some extra hours in. I will need to pick up a few more a week if I am going to make the required amount by the end of the project. I have worked on my Chapter 3 some and I need to get the surveys out to the Listening House at the beginning of the week and analyze them at the end of the week. I feel like I am accomplishing the objectives of my project but I need to step it up a few in order to get it done in time at the quality I want.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
Well my project was probably the most uneventful day on Wednesday that I've had all year. Joyce needed some serious dishes done so I put on my gloves and my game face and got to work. I didn't get to interact much with the guests but sometimes I do what I gotta do. The next day took an interesting turn. As I walked in tension was in the air and a fight was bound to happen. I have never seen any of the guests get in any sort of disagreement but for some reason it was going down. Two guys started yelling and doing the typical male dominance circles around the room. Then they threw a few and Adam, one of the workers had to break it up. The cops were called and that ended. Later I was talking with Maurice, a really cool guest, and he wanted to use a back room to make a phone call in private. As I let him in another guest came up and started saying he was here all day. Maurice said he liked the place but the other guy proceeded to taunt him. At this point Maurice put down his stuff and put his guard up. I stepped in the middle of the two like some boxing ref trying to break it up and the guy started saying I had something against him, he just wasn't making sense. He was balling his fists at me and threatening to "kill me." Anyway to make a long story short he was drunk and I reminded him that one touch on me would be a life-long ban. He was thrown out for the night and everything after that was pretty routine.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
Honestly I don't know. I'm trying to think of how something I saw or did contributes to my understanding of the project but I can't put it together. What I can say is that I may have come across a little harsh in my last post. I made it sound like they are all just lazy and take advantage of the system, which isn't true. There are many of them that hold down jobs but just can't make enough to get housing etc.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
I to call up Beth and ask her some questions about where she sees the Listening House in the future and also if they have anything they wanted researched but haven't had the time/resources. I plan on doing that tomorrow and if that goes well then I have the rest of my project made (with about 60 more hours of work...of course). Anyway I would give myself an A this week. I didn't work on Chapter 3 like I wanted over the weekend but I was sick and that was out of my control.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
Well the first thing I did when I got back from break is Facebook one of the people I work with to tell them I'd be in this week. One of the things she said in her message was "i hate tha place sometimes i hate the ungrateful people . seee you wensday" I was a little taken back as she usually doesn't mind work, but it was an interesting message none the less. Work was pretty standard, I got my butt kicked by a few guys playing chess, and I won one. The conversation that I do remember was from one man who was complaining that the homeless were so lazy and just abused the system. Now that I look back the topic fits with the Facebook message to some degree. He is homeless himself so that speaks volumes as to what might need to be done with this nationwide problem. Another man when asked "How are you?" didn't reply with the usual "Good" like the other person, he simply said "God is good." I don't even think he knew what effect that had on me but it really got me thinking about where our joy and trust should come from. We hear from the bible about trusting God but this was a little reminder to actually apply it.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
As I reflected on the conversation I had with the man about how the homeless are so lazy I was wondering how you can help them any other way without giving them a "free ride." His main point was that even though the homeless life is hard sometimes it is so easy to just take the free food, shelter and other necessities that getting off the street isn't worth the work. He also did admit that some of these people were genuinely disadvantaged due to major drug abuse, mental illness etc. but as he and I have both observed most of the Listening House patrons are very able bodied workers but chose not to work. One of the topics I will definitely research for my upcoming chapters is how to improve the services to the homeless to put out the fire and not feed it.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
Well I did work for two of the evenings and I have put some good thought into structuring my paper as well as gathering the data. I also started getting a time set up for having my supervisor and Prof. Rock meet. I would give myself an A this week since I got a lot done and the work for my survey is coming along quite nice.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
I had finals over the course of this week and those took a large chunk of my time. I didn't work at the Listening House as I was finishing tests and packing to leave for home on Friday, although I did give my presentation for the honors final on Tuesday. None the less, I'm going back to Colorado this Friday and I'll resume work on my project the week I get back. Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

1. Description. What happened in your project this week? What did you do? Experience?
I only went 1 day to the Listening House. When I got there they wanted me to do some posters for them since I was able to Google search well and work with Word. I was actually a little taken back because being at Concordia we are all so used to computers that it's an extension of our hand, but not everyone has as much exposure. None the less I made some posters on hypothermia and hygiene to inform the patrons what to watch for. I also got in a talk with the manager about just how people live. She was in the army and has a very regimented standard of keeping herself unlike the homeless who don't care much about hygiene or keeping off drugs. It was an interesting discussion.

2. Interpretation. What did you learn from your project this week? About the project? About the issue? About yourself?
Well I did mention above about talking to the manager about how she lives compared to the patrons. I don't really know if I learned anything about myself or the project, except maybe the issue of hygiene among the homeless. It is important to stay clean so diseases don't spread and other issues but even if you give them the products sometimes they won't use it.

3. Evaluation. How would you evaluate your work on the project this week? What grade would you give yourself? Are you accomplishing the objectives of the project? Your personal objectives?
Well...I am .75 hours behind the 50-70 area so I have a tiny bit of catch up, but nothing I should loose sleep over by any stretch. I plan to do some work with my church over break in order to gain a few hours and get a different perspective on the topic. St. Paul is a big city and Fort Collins, CO isn't the metropolis that we have. I want to explore a little how different size cities affect how the homeless live.