But then there are other classes whom you learn to respect and appreciate for so many reasons that it’s hard to list them.  These are the classes that leave a lasting mark on your heart and mind; the ones whom you follow up on through the years; the ones whom you pray for as you think of them. 

I get to work with a class like this this year.  They are seniors and their overwhelming characteristic  is “fun-loving.”  Literally, overwhelming is quite often the case, since we do more laughing than actual learning at times.  But beyond all the joking and camaraderie is a deep-seated devotion to the Lord, and a corresponding bright testimony of godliness. 

I sincerely respect these students, and I look forward to seeing their future success as God blesses them.

The other is that I plan and teach by the textbook.  My lesson plans are based on number of pages and problems to assign.  I have no real objective in mind except to cover the material.  However, the best teaching experiences occur when I have studied those pages so that I now have a new objective that involves the students learning something specific.  These times are always enhanced by my own variation of explanations and demonstrations and practice exercises.  These are the classes when I am “in the zone” as a teacher–reaching out to my students in their own individual situations and adding some new dimension to their understanding of a topic.  Therefore, a great difference exists between my planning and my actual teaching, and it seems that that difference could be bridged by focusing on objectives rather than page numbers in my planning.  (My guess is that a balance is needed between the two points of focus so that the appropriate amount of material is taught really well.  That ever elusive happy medium.)

What a perfect description of ministry!  And what a perfect description of many of our jobs as teachers!  

–found at http://www.gotquestions.org/learning-disabilities.html

I remember being an undergrad student soaking up all the teaching I could get from my teachers.  One repeated bit of wisdom was to love my students, and to tell them that I love them.  This sounded so wonderful, and fit perfectly into my rosy view of life as a teacher.  Of course I would love my students!  Of course they would love me in return!  Of course my classroom would be perfect!

Then, I met my real students in my first year of teaching.  We exchanged many words, but we never said, “I love you.”  We didn’t even say, “I like you.”  And, that summer I was left pondering the incredible failure of my rosy imaginings.  My classroom was far from perfect, and my students were even worse.  There was no way I could say that I loved them.

This is important to me because Christ commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself.”  So, I needed to love these kids.  But love is not something you can just conjure up for people, blindly ignoring their annoying tendencies or their disheartening rebellion.  I determined though, that I would not simply say the words just to make me sound good or to make the kids feel good. 

The point is that I wanted to be sincere.  It seemed wrong to me (because it is wrong) to lie to them even if it made them feel good or made me sound good.  And, I couldn’t believe that insincerity would breed true respect.  And true respect is what I was after.  I knew that a “loving” classroom was nothing compared with a truly loving classroom.  It took time, but God blessed and I have since enjoyed the incredible rewards of loving my students.  God rewarded my efforts at sincerity.

Sincerity also comes into play when you talk about God in your classroom.  I don’t know about you, but I can tell when my devotions have cooled and I am really out of fellowship with God.  The easiest way for me to tell is in the classroom, when I have nothing to tell the kids about what I have studied recently.  Our Christianity or spirituality can be faked—too often it is faked in order to keep up appearances.  But, once again, your teen students will see through it and you will lose respect.  They want sincerity in your walk with God, in your talk about God, and in your application of God to their lives.  Just be honest with them; they need to and want to know what a real Christian life is like.

Sometimes the easy way is to put on a little performance.  Maybe you need to impress some parents or you need to get a few rebellious kids on your side for a change.  But beware:  the consequences of insincerity are great.  Be sincere; respect them sincerely, encourage them sincerely, and eventually you won’t be able to help loving them sincerely.

Randy’s article

I have been pondering and working on a part-time business that would supplement my income.   And, everywhere I turn I hear advice that all boils down to this one simple statement, “It’s plain hard work that does it.”

As a result, my ponderings have been focusing more and more on the truth that work is essential to any success.  I don’t mean some type of fun little challenges that you easily “work” through.   I mean the type of work that we seem to work very hard to stay away from—that “nose to the grindstone” stuff.   This is that stack of papers that you have yet to grade; the attendance records that you have to update; the grades that you have to average; or the phone call to the parent who asked you to keep in touch once per week.

I have realized in myself a deep propensity for laziness, and a strong addiction to entertainment.  These two flaws are not only enemies of my work ethic, but are also enemies of my success.

God gives us work as a blessing, as the preacher explains in Ecclesiastes.   Our work gives us purpose for each day, and provides us with a healthy satisfaction upon completion of some task.  However, we are so often the slothful fieldowner described in Proverbs who never got around to getting the job done.   We would much rather be entertained than doing the necessary work that God has given to us.

As we begin a new school year, may we all dedicate ourselves to the WORK of the ministry of Christian education. Our ministry will be fruitless if we don’t.

PS–More quotes by Edison found here.

When I first started teaching I was receiving exceptionally low pay, which I was essentially oblivious to since I was still living at home and not trying to actually live off of my income.  As time went on, though, I became more aware of typical professional pay through my siblings’ experiences and quickly realized my lower salary.  I responded with frustration.  A problem-solver at heart, I could not find a way to overcome this “problem” in Christian education, and I began to feel angry that we as teachers were underpaid with few or no benefits to help compensate.

At some point, the Lord impressed upon me the choice that I have in choosing my profession, and thereby the choice that I have in salary.  I fell in love with teaching, and I found that the blessings of ministry far outweighed the inconveniences of low pay. 

I am in the midst of Dave Ramsey’s financial training through my church, and Dave is constantly saying, “Live like no one else so that you can live like no one else.”  I was joking about this comment yesterday with a fellow teacher saying that we as teachers are living like no one else and someday we will live like no one else.   By focusing on the ministry of my job, I am better able to understand the incredible payback that I receive above and beyond my paycheck.

I do not have my head in the sand.  Sometimes the money monster rears its ugly head and gets me coveting and jealous of other’s secure, comfortable, and carefree living.  Sometimes I think, “If only I made ___ amount of money, I could…”   Conversely, I also think, “I could have their job and never make a difference in someone’s life.  I could be limited to two weeks of vaction a year.  I could be working with unsaved people wishing for the fellowship of the brethren.”  This is just the beginning of the list that keeps all of us in our jobs, earning less than most, and pouring ourselves into our ministries.

Every career seems to come with its own set of cons.  Pay scale is one of those cons that all teachers must come to terms with in order to continue teaching.  If you do not settle this for yourself, you will continually be frustrated and eventually become bitter.  If you are currently frustrated with your pay, I recommend asking your fellow teachers how God has provided for them lately.  You will be surprised at how intimately He is involved in our lives.  Or, you may want to find out what other teachers are doing this summer or on their next vacation.  I am continually amazed at what incredible experiences teachers have had that were not affected by their income.  I can guarantee that you will come away praising God for His amazing provision for His own.

Go to www.planbookedu.com to sign up for your own classroom!

I think that this week was so successful because it was very laid back.  We didn’t go too overboard with our dress-up ideas, and we made it affordable for parents.  Also, we did not interrupt class time at all.  I am thrilled with how it all turned out but especially for the blessing of the other teachers’ support for my little endeavor.  It is risky to attempt something different or new for the entire school, and my ideas could have easily been criticized or put down.  I can’t tell you how encouraging it was to have the other teachers participate and be enthusiastic about the week.

The Lord has burdened me this year with the need for unity among the staff at school.  And, I praise Him for this proof of the joy that comes from a unified ministry.  I hope that our school is not unique in this; I hope that you are nodding your head in understanding of this type of God-honoring unity.  But if your school is struggling with disunity, then I encourage you to strive for it, pray for it, put your agenda aside for it.   You may regret your agenda, but you will not regret a Christ-centered unity in your ministry.  ”Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

Teaching during this time of year is fun though difficult.  Spring fever doesn’t restrict itself to teenagers, and I have to fight the urge to run away from my work and just play games.  A few things help to keep me at my desk, but today I came across a Proverb that was especially applicable.

Proverbs 14: 23   In all labor there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Reading this I realized a tendency to avoid work by talking about or planning to do work.  One of the biggest weaknesses I fight is procrastination, and a nice way of gettting around diligence is by talking about doing the work.  Also, this verse reminds me that I need to work and value it not for its rewards but for itself.  In all my work there is profit, not just in the work that brings me praise or self-satisfaction.  Hopefully, I will continue to remember this principle as I battle my own case of spring fever.