5 Ideas for Serving the Community During the Holidays

There’s no better time to give back than during the holidays. Finding ways to serve the community during this joyous time of year can bring your family closer together while helping those in need. Despite your good intentions, you may not know how to help others during the holidays. Here are some ideas of easy ways to serve the community this upcoming season:

Volunteer at a local food pantry or soup kitchen.

When you think of feeding others for the holidays, the first thing that comes to mind is cooking for the family. However, some people need extra help to get their holiday dinner. Volunteering at a local food pantry or soup kitchen is a great way to give back as a family. In volunteering, “the more, the merrier” always rings true.

Adopt a family in need for the holidays.

Many charity organizations have an “Adopt-a-family” program, where you can help a family in need by buying the items on their wishlists. These programs ensure that parents who otherwise would not be able to afford gifts could spread holiday joy to their children. This can be a morale boost during a time that can be difficult for struggling families. It also allows your family to feel good about helping others. 

Make holiday cards for nursing home residents.

Nursing homes can be lonely places, especially during the holidays. Creating homemade holiday cards for nursing home residents can bring them joy, letting them know someone is thinking of them. Start by finding out where you can send the cards, then get to crafting. Make a day of putting together cards as a family, writing nice messages and, if you have an artist in the family, allowing them to give the cards a creative touch. 

Organize a neighborhood cleanup.

One way to give back to the community is to clean it up. Get some neighbors together to clean up the neighborhood. Make it fun by encouraging everyone to dress festively but comfortably. Figure out a weekend day that will work for most people, and post some flyers around the neighborhood. Then, when the time comes, buy some gloves and trash bags, and get to work making your neighborhood a more beautiful place. Getting everyone involved will help bring the community together and help everyone appreciate the place they live even more. 

Donate toys and clothes to a local shelter or charity.

Children of all ages have toys and clothes they love for a while that eventually lie forgotten. If they’re still in good condition when this happens, you may consider donating these items to charity. There will always be children in need who will enjoy new clothes and toys like your child once did. Help your child decide which items they’re willing to sacrifice. Put out a “to keep” box and a “to donate” box so they see that they’re not giving everything up, only the things that no longer mean as much to them. It will all be worth it to make another child smile this holiday season. 

As the holiday season quickly approaches, take some time to plan out activities you and the family can do for the community. At NTCA, spreading God’s love through acts of service is part of the curriculum. Students at our Tampa Christian school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Understanding the Value of Learning Outside the Classroom

Students can learn anywhere. Lessons take place in the classroom, on the playground, at home and beyond. Classroom instruction is great for learning facts, figures and skills. For more advanced learning, students benefit from expanding their knowledge out in the real world. Project-based learning allows students to interact with the learning material differently. Going outside of the classroom takes that real-world application to another level. 

Benefits of Learning Outside the Classroom

While most subjects can be taught in a classroom setting, there’s something to be said about hands-on experiences. Reaching out and touching the subject matter brings it to the student’s level. Students who go out into the world and apply what they learn have an easier time relating to the material. Experiencing lessons outside of the classroom also allows students to think more critically and solve problems they may not have thought of in the academic setting. 

Ways Students Learn Beyond the Classroom Walls

Experiential learning can take place in almost any environment. That’s the great thing about hands-on education. Students can go on field trips to places like museums, parks and businesses to learn about any number of subjects. Community service projects provide excellent learning opportunities. Students can also work on collaborative projects with local organizations that need volunteers. The opportunities are endless. 

Impact on Student Engagement and Motivation

Even children who excel in the classroom can benefit from learning in new environments. By showcasing the real-world application of their lessons, hands-on learning can increase students’ interest in the subject matter and improve their retention of information. Getting outside of their comfort zone also allows students to see new perspectives, leading to enhanced creativity and room for innovation. 

How Teachers and Parents Can Support Experiential Learning

While children can benefit in many ways from learning outside the classroom, they need help from the adults in their lives to get started. Teachers can provide guidance and resources to help students find opportunities. Teachers and parents can help their students connect with community partners who could use the help of a child or teen. After a child has an experiential learning experience, parents can encourage their child to reflect on and discuss what they’ve learned. The best way a parent can help a child learn is being involved. 

At NTCA, we’re all about experiential learning outside the classroom and collaboration on campus. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

How Service to Others Helps Build Leadership Skills

Participating in community service helps students in a variety of ways. They learn about the problems in the world around them and their own potential to make a difference. From class volunteering sessions to full blown community service projects, students have plenty of opportunities to do their part in helping their communities. By helping others, they gain essential perspective and learn a lot in the process. One valuable lesson students learn while serving others is how to be a leader. Read on to learn about how service directly teaches leadership skills. 

Developing Empathy

When you learn about the problems going on in your community and see them up close, you start viewing them in a new light. Children can struggle to understand the perspectives of others, and interacting with those in need through community service can go a long way. The empathy built through community service makes leadership more effective, both for the leader and the individuals they lead. When you can relate to others and allow them to relate to you, the connections you build will be stronger and more meaningful in the long run. 

Building Communication Skills

Serving others involves a great deal of communication. Even a single volunteering session involves communicating with leaders and other volunteers to find out what needs to be done and how. It’s important to know when to ask questions and when to figure something out on your own. When volunteers communicate, they get more done, and the same goes for leaders. A leader who can communicate effectively has the power to get tasks done while empowering those around them. 

Teamwork and Collaboration

To build a successful project, everyone on the team must decide how they will contribute and collaborate on meeting their goals. Then, they must work together to get results. Communication also comes into play when it’s time to make adjustments, which happens often with volunteer projects. These skills become even more important when students find themselves in leadership roles. 

Problem-Solving and Decision Making

Leaders need to make tough decisions and follow through on those decisions. For most people, this skill requires practice. Fortunately, volunteering can help students build these skills over time. Service projects are all about coming up with solutions and adapting as needed. For example, you may have planned a park cleanup, but the forecast calls for thunderstorms. Learning to make decisions, like whether to head out earlier in the day or postpone the cleanup session for everyone’s safety, is essential for anyone who wants to be a leader. 

At NTCA, our goal for students is to teach them leadership through Christian innovation, and one of the ways we do that is through community service projects. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Life Skills for Children and Teens to Build Over the Summer

Summer break isn’t over yet, and your child still has more time where they won’t be going to school every day. They’ve had a decent amount of time to recover from the school year, and now they’re getting antsy. This is the perfect time to encourage your child to start building some life skills. Whether you have a child or teen, there’s plenty you can teach them over the summer without cracking open a textbook. 

Life Skills for Children

First, you’ll want to make sure the skills you’re teaching your child are age-appropriate. Your child can learn a great deal about life in the classroom, but some lessons are better learned at home. For a younger child, start with the basics. 

Money Management

To begin the money management lesson, take your child to the store to pick out a piggy bank. You should be able to find a decent selection at any big box or department store. Lesson one can be as simple as “pay with cash, and drop whatever change you receive into the bank.” Make a savings goal, like buying a new toy or going somewhere fun at the end of summer break. When the time comes, bring the change to a change machine at a store like Wal-Mart, or roll the coins up together and bring them to the bank. 

Time Management

When you have a daily routine, like going to school, some of your time is managed for you. However, over the summer, things tend to be a little less structured. Encourage your child to build a daily schedule that gives them plenty of time for tasks like chores and summer reading, as well as time for play and relaxation. Start with the times they’re naturally inclined to do each task, and work together to build a schedule that works for them and for you. The most important part of this is learning how to plan ahead or adapt when things don’t go as planned. Help your child figure out the best way to use their time wisely. 

Life Skills for Teenagers

Teens could certainly benefit from learning about time management and money management, but by the time they’re in high school, they should have a grasp of the basics. As they move into adulthood, the skills that will help them the most are what are known as “soft skills,” or people skills. 

Communication Skills

In your teenage years, you begin to understand that there are consequences for your actions, and that includes how you communicate with others. However, teens often need some help fine tuning their communication skills. Start by discussing how to say things, especially in an argument. Go over the importance of “I statements” and active listening. Go over strategies for being assertive without being aggressive. Use lessons you’ve learned as an example of what to do and what not to do. 

Problem-Solving Skills

Once your teen learns how to communicate on a personal level, you can begin discussing the art of collaboration and brainstorming. Encourage your teen to think critically before responding to any given situation. Help them think of creative ways to solve problems. Learning how to problem solve takes work, but with a nudge in the right direction, your teen can be set up for success as they prepare for life after high school. 

Summer break can be the perfect time to help your child or teen learn valuable life skills. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

5 Ways Teens Can Learn to Balance Screen Time and Learning

In recent years, screen time for children and teens has become a hot topic. Nearly everyone, even a significant number of teens, agree that teenagers spend too much time on their devices. Considering the fact that less than 4 years ago, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, screened devices were the primary tools for just about every aspect of life, it’s no surprise that teens have continued to depend on this technology. However, excessive screen time can cause teens to become insecure, anxious and even unable to sleep properly. All of these can distract your teen from their education during a pivotal time. Read on to learn about some ways your teen can work toward achieving a better balance between screen time and learning.  

Set Realistic Screen Time Limits

The first step to establishing a plan for screen time is deciding on rules for daily usage. Work with your teen to figure out what limits make sense and how they can stick to their goals. If your teen struggles to get away from their phone, self care apps like Finch or screen time specific apps can help them stay on track. As long as your teen understands that they’re working toward better balance for themselves and aren’t being punished, whatever tool they use to achieve screen time balance is fine.  

Schedule Focus Time and Break Times

Coming home from school and seeing a pile of homework that needs to be done can be intimidating. Work with your teen to create a schedule for homework and studying, ensuring that it includes a break every 30 minutes or so. Consider setting timers to ensure that your teen takes breaks and gets back on track each time. Some teens and adults find listening to pomodoro playlists, which play calming music and set off an alarm during each break, helps them stay focused. 

Use Screens as a Tool for Learning

Screen time isn’t all bad. Your teen can use their screen time to help them study and learn. There are plenty of educational apps and websites that can help when they’re struggling to grasp a subject. Computers and mobile devices can also be used for research, though your teen may need help figuring out how to differentiate reliable and unreliable sources of information. 

Make Time for Other Hobbies and Interests

Part of balancing screen time and school work is taking time away from both. Rest and relaxation are as important as getting work done. Teens can take time away from screens and work through extracurricular activities like sports and school clubs. Picking up new hobbies, like sewing, reading or writing by hand, that involve taking time away from screens, can be another great outlet. 

Focus More on the Real World

The internet connects us in so many ways, but one thing it can’t give us is in-person connection. Screens can also take us away from the world around us. Encourage your teen to plan outings with their friends that don’t involve screens. Find time to get the family together for screen-free weekends. Focusing on the real world will help your teen become more connected to what’s in front of them. It will also help build up in-person communication skills, a valuable tool that can be lost to our mobile devices. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we know that screens are necessary for modern life and believe that screen time balance is essential to teens’ wellbeing. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.