For the last week and a half, I have had the great privilege to work alongside my first grade teacher in the classroom. I got the opportunity to see first hand why teaching is so important.
Yes, the education is important, but there's something even more pressing in a Christian school education. It's Christ's love.
Love is shown in many different ways in the classroom. It's shown by taking time to listen to a child's story even though he might raise his hand in the middle of the lesson. It's shown by correcting a student when she talks back. It's shown by getting a student's attention to make sure he is learning what he should be. It's shown by doing the best you can to understand a child's needs even when it may be difficult.
Most of you can probably think of a bad teacher. One who wasn't prepared. One who didn't care what you did. One who was too overbearing. But you can probably think of your favorite teacher too. It was probably someone who noticed you and loved you just for being you. You may not have realized what they were doing when you were in the class, but you know it now.
After this week, I can see what teaching is really all about because of my teacher's example. Teaching isn't necessarily about giving children the best education that they can in the classroom (even though this is what they are getting in this setting and this will be a goal for me personally). It's about showing my student's the love of Christ, that it will mold them and shape them into who they can and ought to be.
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