Hands-on learning:
Rhema grandfather bring wood shop to life
Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - Karl Nielson
Several days each week, for several months each year, Rhema Christian School's grade seven and eight students are given a real educational treat. Under the expertise of Mr. Jack Nelson and various helpers, they are given a wood shop course that includes all the usual experiences with power tools, hand tools, paint and other things, as well as a solid introduction to mechanical drafting techniques. Mr. Nelson is a retired technology teacher, an avid Rhema supporter and a proud granparent to several Rhema students, past and present.

Mr. Nelson’s classes are hotly anticipated by students and have become a true rite of passage for intermediate graders. The popularity of Mr. Nelson’s courses is due in no small part to his positive, outgoing personality. If you ask Jack how he’s doing, he will always respond with a wry smile, “Absolutely magnicifent, thank you very much!” He carries this gentleness and humour with him and it colours all he does at Rhema. And whether it’s basketball nets, or bird houses, he teaches the students to be proud of what they do with their hands; he challenges students to do their best in whatever they undertake.

Mr. Nelson’s contribution to Rhema cannot be overstated. It typifies the godly kind of community that makes Rhema so unique. The involvement and support, not just of parents, but of grandparents, community figures and others helps us to offer our students truly excellent experiences, both educationally and personally, and to forge strong ties reaching beyond the walls of Rhema itself. We are thankful for God’s blessing on us in the form of a retired teacher who loves kids, woodworking, the odd lame joke and the Spirit of Christian education. Thanks Jack!

Mr. Jack Nelson volunteers each year at Rhema Christian School to teach wood shop skills to intermediate students.