CHAPTER 1
The Lesson Of Love
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angelsand have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, ora tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy,and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; andthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,and have not love, I am nothing."
(The Bible—I Corinthians 13: 1-2)
Now abideth faith, hope and love, but thegreatest of these is love. Love is indeed thegreatest of gifts that we can give and receive.When we show love we touch the heart of man. One mightask, "but how do we show love?" Well, there are so manyways in which the teacher can and has shown love to hisor her students.
Love demands action. Hence, to therefore show lovemeans that we must get up and move our bodies. Wemust do something. Teachers demonstrate love for theirstudents when they truly take the time to listen to theirstudents. Yes listen, and listen to each one in turn. Ofcourse this is not an easy task, but if we really love thestudents entrusted into our care than we must listen.
We must be willing to listen with an attentive ear andfocus keenly on the verbal and non-verbal signals givenby the student, so that we will be able to give appropriatefeedback. Sometimes the feedback we have to give willnot be welcomed by the students. For teachers, there willbe times when we will have to demonstrate tough love, alove that disciplines. It will not be entirely pleasing to thestudent, but eventually they too, will see that it was fortheir best and definitely done in love.
In most cases our students come from varying backgrounds.Some may or may not be similar to ours, but it is important totry as much as possible to put ourselves in their place inan effort to fully comprehend what makes them who theyare. Christ demonstrated His love for us while we were insin by dying on the cross of Calvary (Romans 8:5). For, aspreviously noted, Christ Jesus was, and still is our greatestteacher; thus He calls us to teach others and demonstratelove with a heart like His ... the one who came to give usall a more abundant life.
Sometimes as teachers we may find it difficult to lovethe children that give us a challenge, be it physical ormental, but we must put on the garments of Christ anddemonstrate to that student as well a love that knows noend. As such, our love for our students should be unselfishand benevolent.
We continue to demonstrate our love for our studentsby totally giving of ourselves to them—our time andresources unconditionally. No, we want nothing inreturn, other than a productive, vibrant, knowledgeableand loving individual at the end of the day, one who willpositively enrich the world at large. Indeed, our loveshould be loyal and sacrificial.
Some may say this sounds unrealistic, but it is realistic andto love demands going beyond the standard or the averagemode of things. I do believe that when our studentssee that we truly love them, they are more inclined andmotivated to be all that they can be. For love indeed coversa multitude of sin.
Teachers, as you demonstrate your love for your students,spend time other than lesson sharing time with them,by wholeheartedly laughing and playing with them. Eatlunch with them sometimes, yet give them their space.Say encouraging words to them, speak life into theirbeings, not things that will tear them down and destroytheir self-esteem.
Remember, the greatest teacher, Christ Jesus, remindsus in His word that life and death are in the power of thetongue. So guard your heart to show love for your studentsnot only in your deeds, but also in your speech. For out ofthe abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Rememberalso that your love for them must be evident even whenthey are not in your presence.
The story is told of a nine year old girl by the name ofVictoria. Victoria was a bright but shy girl. She was alwayspleasant, but somewhat aloof. She never contributedmuch to class discussions and usually took her break andlunch separate from the children. Some might say she wasa loner. Her fourth grade teacher, Ms. Hart, found thisbehaviour peculiar for a young child and often ponderedwhat was wrong. As the school year progressed, Ms. Hartnoticed that this behaviour of withdrawal increased. Assuch, she inquired about Victoria's home life through theschool's Administrator.
After numerous discussions with the school's Administrator,it was discovered that this bright child was living alonein a house well surrounded by neighbours. Apparently,Victoria had been answering all correspondences sent toher parents from the school for nearly a month.
When questioned, a tearful Victoria confessed that herparents were always arguing, and that her father hadfinally left them about six months ago. She further told theteacher that her mother left one day, about a month ago,to look for a job and never returned. Since that time shewas just taking whatever she could get to eat from aroundthe neighbourhood to survive.
The story continues that the teacher embraced this childin loving arms and reassured her that all would be well.Victoria's case was reported to the Welfare Department,and after much debate Victoria was allowed to live withher teacher, Ms. Hart, until her parents could be located,or alternative arrangements could be made. Unfortunately,her parents were never located, and she remained with herteacher well through her primary, secondary and even hertertiary school tenure.
Today, Victoria, a second grade primary school teacherherself, often shares this story as she recalls the lovedemonstrated to her by her now deceased teacher, Ms.Hart.
Reflection
Do you love any of your students enough to take them to live inyour home as your own? Do you love them enough to check ontheir welfare especially if things seem amiss? Love is an action,and as such, I John 3:18 reminds us that we are not to love inword or tongue, but in our deeds and in truth. How much doyou love your students.... all of them?
CHAPTER 2
A Lesson In Joy
"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
(The Bible—Nehemiah 8:10)
Teachers must laugh with their students. Yes,teachers, we must have fun with our students.Show them that yes we are human; and a tearor two must be shed in their presence. I agree that wemust be firm and keep them in a firm hand, but still theremust be room for laughter and for fun. Experience, thusfar, has shown me that such an attitude will help studentsto be more receptive to you the teacher. In so doing, youtoo will be able to fulfill your duties with joy. Studentswill also be more inclined to focus and participate in dailylessons.
In the world today, there are many who have beenbombarded with the difficult circumstances and trials oflife. Such challenges have caused many to lose heart andlose their joy; but God calls out to each of us and remindsus that in Him is joy, real and sustaining joy; a joy thatbrings gladness to your heart. As teachers, this is the joythat takes us through our daily tasks and it is this joy thatwe must transfer to our students.
The word of God reminds us that the joy of the Lord is ourstrength. His promise is so important for us as teachers,for we need to be strong in our endeavours in shaping theminds, the hearts and indeed the lives of the students whopass through our hands.
When students see that it is a joy for the teacher to be withthem in the learning process, they get a sense that learningis fun and furthermore that they too must be joyful inwhatever life occupation they eventually gravitate towardsand embrace.
Yes, there will be times when we feel that there is littlejoy in what we do, or the tasks become so great that itovershadows the joy that can be found in nurturing thelives of young people. It is important to pass on to yourstudents the value of joy in their lives and the things theydo. From the onset teachers must develop an attitudethat makes joy a priority in their daily lives, as in theclassroom. For in so doing, you will be at peace withyourself, as well as at peace with those around you.
Find joy teachers in whatever you are doing. Regardlessof how the situation may look or the task that you arepresented with; you are to find the joy so that you mayhave the strength to persevere and be a shining example ofthe goodness that radiates from the teaching profession.
The story is told of a secondary school teacher. Hisstudents would always see him at school carrying out hisdaily tasks of teaching and interacting with both studentsand colleagues alike. He was always jovial, with a pleasantsmile to offer.
He had one particular class of mainly teenage boys.They would often question him about his constantjoyful attitude; for they had never seen him unhappy ormad about anything to the point that he lost the joy hedemonstrated.
It so happened that one afternoon, a group of the boysfrom that class decided to follow Mr. Happy Soul, as hewas affectionately called, to his home. The boys trailedhim from a distance and were shocked at what they saw.For Mr. Happy Soul lived in a very poor side of the town,in a shabby old house. The boys watched as he was greetedat the door by a brown dog. Once he entered the house,the boys ran up closer and took a look through the windowpane, and were once again taken back by what they saw.Mr. Happy Soul lovingly greeted a woman of similar agein a wheel chair. Her radiant smile spoke volumes of howhappy she was to see Mr. Happy Soul.
It was at that time that one of the boys tripped on a nearbystone and yelled out a shriek. The sound startled Mr.Happy Soul and his companion. As such, he went to thewindow to see what had happened. The boys were mostembarrassed to meet the eyes of Mr. Happy Soul on them.They started to run away, but he pleasantly called themback and into the house where he introduced them to hiswife—the woman in the wheelchair.
As they finally turned to leave, one of the boys softly askedMr. Happy Soul how he could always be so joyful and yetlived in a shabby place with a cripple wife in a wheel chair.Mr. Happy Soul smiled and told him that regardless ofwhere you find yourself in life learn to be thankful andjoyful. For despite how things may look, they can one daychange. He waved them off and said, "boys if I have taughtyou nothing in my time with you, let this one lesson remainwith you always, that you find joy in the midst of all thatyou do in life regardless of challenges, for joy will give youthe strength to go on to many successes."
Reflection
Teachers, do you find joy in your profession? Do you radiatejoy in your interactionswith students and colleagues? Be joyfuland let your students and those around you see the significanceof finding joy in the things of life.
CHAPTER 3
A Lesson In Peace
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace asyou trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope bythe power of the Holy Spirit."
(The Bible—Romans 15:13)
Our peace, like our joy, can be stolen from usby the trials of this life. For, this ever changingworld brings with it uncertainty as well asunrest and a lack of security.
As teachers, we must be sensitive to the issues that comealong with our students daily into the classroom. This isto say that some students come from varying situations inthe home; be it separation, divorce, physical and mentalabuse or even poor economic conditions. For somestudents, the school may be their only haven of rest; aplace where they can find peace in the midst of the stormsin their lives.
When we as teachers cannot ourselves find this peacein our own dilemmas, it becomes difficult for us to offersolace to our students. When there is no peace operatingin our lives, it will be reflected in our tasks and in ourteaching. Such heaviness should not be transferred ontoour students. Hence, our classrooms will lack stability,calmness and order. As a result, all that we are doing willbe shaken.
Therefore, it is important that as teachers we are at peacewith God and ourselves. It is only then that we can offerpeace to those around us. Simply said ... can we give whatwe ourselves to not have? With peace will come joy, for, allof these parts of the 'fruit' complement each other; eachneeds the other to effectively operate within our lives.
The story is told of Ms. Sally Neels a third grade teacher.Ms. Neels was always busy, busy, busy. Sometimes thestudents would even call her the 'busy bee' teacher. It wasalways as if Ms. Neels felt she had to be doing something.However, she began to notice that even though sheappeared to always be busy, nothing was never reallyaccomplished.
Her classroom would be noisy and students would movefrom one subject to another without really completingcertain tasks just to keep up with her. Books kept piledon her desk for marking, and incomplete charts werestacked up to be placed around the classroom. You see, forsometime Ms. Neels had been going through a trying timeat home with family pressures. As a result, she brought her'restlessness' to the classroom; allowing it to impact herteaching, and hence her students.
It was not until one day, when one of her students saidto her, 'teacher, my mummy always says if you find peaceand calm in live you can accomplish more.' It was thesewise words from her student that made Ms. Neels stopfor a moment to re-access how ineffective her role as ateacher was becoming. From that day on, she decidedto look beyond her struggles and embrace peace whichhelped her to perform better as a teacher. As a result, herstudents noticed and they too became less restless andmore productive.
Reflection
Is there order and calm in your classroom? Have the pressuresof life stolen your peace? Is your 'restlessness' negativelyimpacting your students? If so, seek out, and rest in the peaceof Jesus Christ. Today, allow God's peace to reign in your lifeand let it spill over into your teaching!
CHAPTER 4
A Lesson InLongsuffering(Patience)
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that yewalk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, withall lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearingone another in love."
(The Bible—Ephesians 4: 1-2)
Teachers, regardless of the environment in whichthey work, must exercise patience. Experiencehas shown that the teacher not only showspatience with the disruptive child, but also with the childthat takes a longer time to grasp various concepts taught.Additionally, the teacher shows patience in the emotionalevolution of the child; for, not all children readily openthemselves to individuals. Some take awhile before theytrust others for whatever reason.
Patience is indeed a virtue and the teacher that exercisespatience will always be fruitful in the harvesting of hisor her vineyard. Patience is so important in the overallmanagement of the classroom. Recalling my years inthe classroom, I have found that most students are morereceptive to the teacher that demonstrates patience;patience in their delivery, in the manner and attitude inwhich you speak and relate to the students. Patience inmaking decisions especially for the display of negativebehaviour, helps in cementing a good bond between theteacher and the students. Be reminded that love is patient.By your love for your students you will demonstratepatience, even in the face of problems.
No doubt you would not want to deny that there is aproblem, but at the same time you want to be patient; totake a moment and decide on the best way forward. If thatway does not work, then you should try another way untilthe desired results are achieved. Sometimes we give uptoo soon, and end up losing our youth, or we teach themthrough our own actions and attitudes that patience andbeing persistent does not work. No, the teacher must bepatience and demonstrate in his or her management ofthe students a patient heart.
The story is told of a teacher by the name of Paige Daniels.Paige was a seventh grade teacher with fifteen studentsin her charge. As the new school year began, she, like herstudents, was very optimistic about what the school yearhad to offer. Things went relatively well in the beginning.However, as the year progressed, Paige realized that shewas having difficulties with two students in two differentareas. One was with a boy who could not grasp theconcept of long division using four digit numbers. Tryas she might, Paige employed a number of strategies toget this student on the right track with long division, butit seemed as if nothing worked; not extra classes, or teamteaching; nor peer coaching. It seemed as if no amountof help was been of any good to this student.
In a staff meeting, Paige was sharing with her colleaguesthe struggle she was having with getting long divisionacross to the student. Some were familiar with theproblem and suggested team teaching with her as astrategy. However, there were some who told her to leaveit alone, that the student may get it later in life. Paige didnot agree with that suggestion as a solution. As such, shewas even more determined to help her student.
Try and try she did! The school year ended and as the newone began, that student moved on to the eighth grade.
