The Definitive Answer to “Why Do I Need to Know Grammar?”

 The Definitive Answer to “Why Do I Need to Know Grammar?”

By Mr. Barnes

I am asked on occasion “why do I need to know this” when I am teaching students grammar and parts of speech. It is always interesting to me because these students who ask these questions often leave my classroom and then get into conflict in the hallway due to miscommunication. To really know why we need to know how speech works, it is necessary to understand what speech is.

Speech is a social contract. As humans, we are physiologically capable of making a large variety of sounds. These individual sounds called phonemes fit together to form words. Words combined to make sentences, and so forth. Each aspect of these exists because of an agreement, the social contract. Words have assigned meanings, and we agree on the meaning of words. Without this agreement, language does not function. The definition of a word matters, and if I tell you to “meet me by the oak tree”, but you have decided that an “oak tree” is what I call a “light pole”, then we cannot communicate to where the actual location is. To illustrate, I will take a single sentence that is very common in the classroom and break it down so we can see how complex this process is, and how easily misunderstanding can occur.

Let’s imagine that you are sitting in a class and you realize you forgot your pencil. You turn to the person next to you and ask: “Can I borrow a pencil?” Simple question, but by breaking it down we can see all the ways this can go wrong.

First, grammatically the question is “may” instead of the common use of “can”. Beginning this question with “can” may imply that you are asking if this action is socially acceptable. Perhaps there exists a culture where you are not able to borrow a pencil for cultural or social reasons. You may be asking if it is allowed, or physically possible to borrow a pencil. Perhaps everyone has their writing instruments attached to their hands, and you are asking about the possibility. This is understood as asking “may I” as a part of what we can colloquialism. It is a figure of speech, we don’t take it literally, and it is understood.

The next most common misunderstanding is the word “borrow”. In the English language, it is understood that “borrow” means to use for a limited time and then return. The literal meaning of the word is to return after use, but often we use it without understanding of returning it. We ask to “borrow” items when cannot be returned afterward. Food, napkins, and tissues are items no one wants to be returned after use, but often they are asked for using the word “borrow”. The question of borrowing the pencil could mean one of two things. Can I use the pencil for a short time and then return it to you, or can I take this pencil with no plan or expectation to return it? The meaning is unclear, and while it can and probably should be assumed that the pencil will be returned, the word “borrow” doesn’t always mean it will be returned.

Some of the other pitfalls can be the ways used don’t always mean the same thing depending on culture, location, and dialect. In the US, in one part of the country, a carbonated, sweetened beverage is called a “pop”. In other places, it is a “soda” a “cold drink” or even a “coke”. All of these things refer to the same beverage. When you begin to move to different countries that speak English, it changes even more. The United States, The United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa all have differences in what things mean. While we assume that the other person knows what a “pencil” is, they may come from a culture or dialect where it is called something else. 

This doesn’t even examine the use of pronouns like “I” and how they function, and the difference between an indefinite article like “a” and the definite article “the”. There is a difference between “a” pencil and “the” pencil. As native speakers of the language, we often communicate assuming what we are saying is understood universally. This just isn’t the case because so often things are ambiguous and unclear. 

Language must be understood by the culture and social group that uses the language, and without knowing how each part functions, then language and communication break down. In our society today, we are seeing a growing gulf between ideas and ideologies, and much of this comes from an inability to communicate ideas clearly. Without knowing and understanding vocab, parts of speech, how they work together, and how to use them properly, things can be easily misunderstood. The English classroom joke of:

“Let’s eat, Grandma, and Let’s eat grandma. Commas save lives”

This is made in jest, but it illustrates the point. Removing something as simple as a comma changes the meaning of that sentence completely. The only way we avoid a culture where language moves to being completely subjective and communication arbitrary is to learn and apply the rules of communication. Language is a social contract, and we must agree to this contract for language to function and for communication to be possible.

How Do I Know I'm Saved?

 This is a question I hear pop up a lot. How do I know if I am really a Christian? How do I know I'm going to heaven? How do I know for sure I'm saved? You would think that for a question this important, there would be a Bible verse. Well, you are in luck, there is an important passage explaining how we know we are saved.

2 Peter 1:3–11 (ESV): 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Pe 1:3–11.

Remember, if you are incapable of acting like a Christian, that may be an indication you may not be. Growing to be more like Christ is the fruit of salvation. I pray that you are growing in your faith ever day.

Why Did I Become a Teacher

     After 15 years in full-time vocational ministry as a youth pastor and pastor of education and family ministries, I left the full-time ministry to become a public school teacher. I get asked sometimes why I made this move. As a Christian, it seems like I would enjoy working in the church more than the public school district. I want to answer this question for everyone, and hopefully, inspire people to be involved in a public school in a variety of ways. We need people in the public school system who love God and love people. Here are a few things I want to encourage people to think about.

    There is a push for Christians to want to move to homeschool because of some of the things that happen in the public school system. I don't want to discourage or encourage this. This is where parents need to know their kids. Some kids need to be homeschooled for a variety of reasons. Some kids would thrive in a Christian school. When I was in the public school system, I was active in our Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As a teacher, I am the sponsor for our school's FCA group. The kids in the FCA group have encouragement in their faith and they are able to be a good influence. These kids are good kids, and my fear is, if we pull all the Christian kids out of the public school, then the influence of these students will be lost. Some students need to be removed from the environment of the public school, but some students will be missionaries to their school campus. This is even more effective when these kids have a solid support system with parents, church leaders, friends, and Christian staff members at the public school. 

    What really sealed the deal for me, however, was not the mission field. What really inspired me to go into education was not a what, but a who. A man named Dr. Mike Rogers. Dr. Rogers was the principal at the middle school my children attended. Dr. Rogers was a man of faith, and he really loved what he did. He cared about the kids, he cared about their education, but he cared about them personally, how they were doing. He invested in the kids, he loved his students. He made a difference. There are a lot of good teachers out there who really love students. There are also teachers who seem indifferent or even combatant to their students. With everything happening in our world, in our schools, students need people who love and care about them. Dr. Rogers made a difference in the everyday lives of kids. I was inspired by his example to do the same.

    This world, this country needs people to be involved in public schools who love students. We need Christians who want to show the love of Jesus to people, to students. We need teachers, assistants, substitutes, bus drivers, custodians, and volunteers who love kids and want to show them that they matter and have value. We need people to support groups like FCA and Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) in our schools and communities. We need people who can show Christlike love to show that love in our public schools.

The Definitive Answer to the Question “Why Do I Need to Know This?”

 The Definitive Answer to the Question

“Why Do I Need to Know This?”

By Mr. Barnes

         In schools all over the United States, many students will ask the question “why do I need to know this?” They often question while studying why they need to know this particular subject. If students are learning about algebra, Shakespeare, the periodic table, The War of 1812, or a host of other subjects there can be frustration. If a student wants to work in an occupation that does not require a lot of math, for example, they may be frustrated that they are forced to study math. Often, they ask “when am I ever going to use this”? It is a valid question, so I want to answer that question in the most precise and clear way. There is a very good and substantial reason why our public education teaches the subjects of classical education.

         To answer the question, we have to go back in time, back to the time before America existed as a nation and American public education existed. In medieval Europe. During that time in history, people learned only what they needed. Individuals would learn a single trade, usually, the trade of their father. They were expected to apprentice in the family and they learned to do that job. The only individuals who would be able to move outside of the family trade were children of the wealthy, who were able to obtain an education. Tuition was expensive, and the children of lower-class families needed to work to support the family. Only the rich and wealthy could afford to have their children be educated. This allowed the rich to stay rich and provided the poor with limited opportunities to move up. Those who were not wealthy did not have much opportunity. Outside of their training and trade, they learned very little else in terms of education. Many people could not read or write, they didn’t know anything about history, math, science, philosophy, or any other subject not related to their job. This wasn’t by their choice, however. The rulers and leaders enjoyed this arrangement and wanted to keep the lower class uneducated. An uneducated person is a person that is easy to dictate and control. The monarchy and aristocracy enjoyed having an uneducated servant class of people to control. They did not want the people to be empowered, this may cause them to revolt.

         Fast forward to the foundation of America. In the United States, it decided there would be no king or dictator. We do not have a class of people who have noble titles and positions, who are able to rule over others because of their family position. The people would have the ability to choose a leader through an election process. For this to work, those individuals would have to have some classical education. We the people would need to have a working knowledge beyond just a simple trade. The reason is, if people fell back into the position of not knowing or understanding what was happening at the upper levels of government, they could be manipulated, controlled, and exploited by those individuals in the upper level of government. The purpose of public education was to make “good citizens” that would be educated and informed enough to make the decisions at the ballot box. The alternative is the threat of the rising of a tyrant to become dictator of our country. An educated populace is a mechanism against tyranny.

         A classical education, including reading, writing, science, history, and math, creates a foundation for each individual in our country to grow in knowledge and education. No one in the United States should be forced into one job or trade. No one in our country is required to simply learn the job of their family and have no opportunity to better themselves. No person in this country should grow up without the opportunity to become an elected leader. This is the foundation and fabric of our country.

         Why do you have to learn stuff you may never use in a job? The purpose of public education is not for you to get a job and make money. That is the additional benefit, but it is not the main purpose. The purpose of public education is to keep our country from becoming another monarchy or dictatorship through the empowerment of the population through knowledge. Education is the mechanism that keeps us free. Every group that wants to put another group into bondage or servitude removes their opportunity for education. A population that is not educated is often unable to see or understand what is happening beyond their immediate circumstances. Public education is the measure of protection that keeps our democratic republic alive.

         A classic education creates in every citizen of our republic the opportunity to learn, know, grow, and have the opportunity to have social and economic mobility. Every citizen is given the opportunity to have an education that will provide learning and knowledge beyond just one occupation. In this country, we provide education for all, not just for the wealthy and powerful. This understanding provides the foundation for the leadership each member of a democratic republic possesses. Each of our citizens has the responsibility to vote and be involved in the operation of our republic. Having a classic education including subjects you may never use in a career gives each individual a better understanding of the world, politics, society, and economic affairs. When our elected officials talk about ethics, rights, economic policy, environmental issues, civil rights issues, and international affairs, it is necessary to have a comprehensive education. 

Navigating Stress and Anxiety

 If you say you don't have stress or anxiety, chances are you are lying. You are lying to me or to yourself. You might have very low levels, and for that I envy you. I know when I was in High School, I had very little stress. Now that I am in my mid-40s, I have an abundance. There are times when it is worse than others, like this week. I had an unfortunate incident with an angry driver on Sunday, we have had vehicles issues this week, and then the normal stress of life that doesn't stop. Stress happens to all of us.

If you are stressed out, first know a couple of truths. First, know it won't last forever. Whatever is stressing you out will be over. It may be replaced by new stress, but you will have grown from dealing with the last stress. Every new trial brings us new skills and mechanisms to cope, so we are better equipped to handle the next one. Remember the stuff that caused you stress and anxiety when you were younger? In elementary school, middle school, high school, college, or when you were a young adult? Looking back at the worst things from your younger self probably doesn't seem like it was a big deal. It was a big deal then, but you learned how to cope. Now those same stresses are not as big of an issue. Every hard time helps you deal with the next hard thing better.

Second, know that you are not alone. People care about you and will support you. Everyone has a support network. You have family and friends, and I hope a church. You can pray when you are alone and God is there for you. You are not alone, there is support. If you feel so overwhelmed that you don't know where to turn, reach out to a health care professional. I recommend you start with your doctor. Find some help, there is no shame in it. We all need help once in a while. I need it all the time.

Finally, know that you have control. It may seem like your anxiety is driving your life, but don't let it. Tell yourself that you are in the driver's seat. Take your thoughts captive. Tell yourself to stop thinking about the things that are trapping you in the prison of anxiety. Find things that make you feel better. Find a way to release the pent-up energy. Find ways to rest and relax. You can't control everything, but you can control yourself. Take control of what you can control and know that you are strong enough to get through this. Focus, pour your energy in the right direction. Maybe even write a blog. It might help. It helped me today, so thanks for listening,

Want to Help People pt 3.? Just Be There.

     So I have discussed listening, discussed not fixing. The final thing I want to touch on today is availability. When people hurt, they need someone to be there. That can be hard in our society. You are busy. I can say that without knowing who will read this, when, and where, because everyone is so busy. We have stuff designed to make us busy. There is always so much we need to do, have to do, want to do, should be doing, shouldn't be doing but are anyway, and so on. It seems like the list is never-ending. We are busy people and it causes a strain in relationships sometimes.

    Here is my advice. Make time to not be busy. If you try to just wait until you are not busy, it won't happen. You have to plan to not have anything going. This is key for your family, but it is also true for your friends and neighbors. You have to schedule a time to be available for them. Let them know you want to be there with them, plan to have time to do things. It may require a significant amount of time, but chances are it won't. Remember they are busy too.

    It may be best to be busy with someone. There are lots of things we do in common, maybe we should find time to work together and with others. Be busy beside someone. More hands make the work go faster, and the fellowship will help. People often feel isolated, just working beside someone can be healing. In today's environment of virtual everything, we miss the human connection. Never underestimate the value of just being there. Offer to help, work in the same location. Spending time with people makes a big difference.

    The key is to be intentional. We let connections and opportunities slip. Capitolize on the opportunities as they come. More than that, create opportunities. Be aware of the need and find ways to connect. The tasks you set aside will still be there. The stuff we have to do is never-ending, so putting it off to invest in someone will be time well spent. Be there for someone today, and it will make a difference.

Want to Help People? Pt 2, Discover the Lost Art of Listening

 I teach a public speaking class. In that class, I teach listening. You would think you shouldn't have to teach high school students how to listen, but you do. In fact, I think a whole lot of the American population has no idea how to really listen. We can hear just fine, and we even pay attention, but do we listen?

First off, what is hearing? It is simply the reception of sound. You can hear noise, you may be aware of it, but if there isn't any meaning created, then you are just hearing. I hear stuff all the time, but I don't put any meaning behind it. Our world generates a lot of noise, but it is just meaningless vibrations. I hear them, but I don't put any thought into them. As a result, whatever I hear goes into my working memory and then exits just as quickly.

Now we can pay attention. We turn our attention to the source of the noise for various reasons. Sometimes it catches our attention, sometimes we want to make it stop. We pay attention to it, but we don't create meaning from it. It is a noise we turn towards, even acknowledge and then move on. Unfortunately, this is what many call "listening". We are not really listening, we are just waiting for our turn to talk. By paying attention without listening, we are not really taking in any of the information, we are simply waiting for the other party to be done speaking. Five minutes after the conversation took place, we can't really recall any of the information from the conversation. We are not exactly sure what was said or what took place. We were paying attention, but the information never made it past the short-term memory. As a result, it didn't take long for it to be gone.

Listening requires several mental steps. First, you hear the sounds. You pay attention to it, it moves into your short-term or working memory. From there, the information needs to be categorized. You think about what was said, and it moves into the part of your brain that makes sense and orders things. You integrate what is heard into your existing body of knowledge. The new information then becomes part of your mental filing system. You retain the information, you integrate the information. It becomes a part of you.

Here is a secret. You can't do this while you are doing something else. You can only process one piece of information this way at a time. If you are on your cell phone, the area that has your primary attention (ie, your cell phone) will have the information becomes integrated into your mental file system. Many people have a mental file system filled with pointless and meaningless information. How many videos of cats do we need in our minds? The problem is we are missing much of what is said and what is being told. People pour our hearts to us, be we are often preoccupied mentally or simply don't have the compassion to really give it the thought that is required. We have to do some mental work in order to really listen. Passive listening is just hearing, in order to really listen, you must actively think and process what is being said. That must be integrated into your existing knowledge for it to really get into your mind. Do the work, actually take the time and energy to listen to people. Only by listening can you build an understanding. Without understanding someone, you will never really be much of a help to them.