Each October, Redeemer students enjoy a couple of days off as part of their annual Reading Break. But Redeemer’s campus is anything but quiet for those two days as more than 900 teachers, principals and administrators come to Redeemer for the annual Edifide Conference. Redeemer does more than just provide the rooms and refreshments for the conference. Eight faculty members are giving presentations, as are more than a dozen of Redeemer’s alumni, including Justin Cook, who is giving one of the Keynote Addresses. The Education Office is also deeply involved with the Conference. All seventy of the students in Redeemer’s Bachelor of Education program are participating. Professor of Education, Dr. Christina Belcher, is leading two workshop sessions for in-service teachers and Assistant Professor of Education, Phil Teeuwsen is hosting two sessions for teacher candidates “This is an ideal opportunity for our students to network with, and learn from, experienced Christian school teachers,” says Teeuwsen. “It also is a great time for us to be together with our final-year education students, all of whom will begin their six-week practicum placement next week.” The Education Office is using the conference as an opportunity to thank and connect with those teachers and retired school principals who supervise their students at practicum placements. This group, known as Faculty Associates, plays an important role in the prospective teacher’s education. Education Department faculty will share a meal with them to discuss their work with Redeemer students. Later, the Education Department will assist its 70 students in meeting their own individual faculty associate for a one-hour orientation/get-to-know-you session. The Education Office also provides a welcome place for teachers, especially those who have graduated from Redeemer, to come and talk and share their joys with their former professors. “Year after year after year our education folks are involved during Reading Break in this way,” says Dr. Deani Van Pelt, Associate Professor of Education. “We are thankful that we can do this important work, knowing we are blessing our part-time Faculty Associates, our full-time final-year B.Ed. students, in-service teachers involved in Christian education, and our precious alumni. It is a beautiful thing, when along the way, we are blessed ourselves.”