Teachers as Examples . . .

In Word

A minister visiting a mission was asked to preach at a service. “But I don’t speak the language,” he protested.

“Don’t worry,” the mission leader said. “I can translate for you. And you can spend some time practicing your sermon with me.”

“Well, okay,” said the minister reluctantly, “but I’m not really used to practicing what I preach.”

It’s imperative that teachers practice what they teach. In 1 Timothy 4:11, Paul told Timothy to teach. In the next verse, he said, “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Those who teach children must be an example to them in these six areas. Let’s begin with the first: in word, that is, our speech. As a Christian schoolteacher, you will use many words in a typical day. Each day an average woman speaks about 25,000 words—a teacher may use twice that number. Your words have great potential to bring blight or blessing to your pupils.

“Beautiful work—I knew you could do it.”
“Don’t be so lazy.”
“You’ve worked very well today.”
“I’m very pleased. Your math has really been improving.”
“Can’t you do better than that? Your younger brother can multiply a lot better than you can.”
“Why don’t you sing on key for once? A hyena could do better than that.”
“I’m sure God is pleased with your obedience.”

Teachers bear a greater responsibility than non-teachers. As James 3:1 says, masters (teachers) “shall receive the greater condemnation” (stricter judgment). If you aim to be the perfect teacher, verse 2 of James 3 tells you the criterion: “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.” Consider some areas of speech in which you can exemplify godly words and avoid unwholesome words.

Impatient Words. How easily words of exasperation and impatience flow from a teacher’s lips. The teacher knows the answer. It looks so obvious, but Johnny is stumped, or guessing, or confused. It especially tests the teacher’s patience when she has already explained the concept or method once, or even twice. Still Johnny doesn’t comprehend. These little things often annoy us most—we can sit on a mountain peak but not on a tack.

On such occasions, I need to remember that my job is to assist the pupil to learn, that what to me seems obvious may be to Johnny as puzzling as quantum physics is to me, that I am not only teaching phonics and math facts but also how to control spirit and speech.

A teacher without patience is like a car without brakes. Christ’s longsuffering, forbearance, and grace transformed a slow learner called Peter. It can greatly help the learners in your life too. It’s far better to help your pupils to get on than to tell them to get off. Think of the patience your parents and teacher have had with you. Remember, too, the patience shown to you by God.

Angry Words. Often impatient words can become angry words. Lost pencils, misplaced books, acts of mischief, carelessness—a day in the classroom can bring a long list of annoyances and irritants. Anger may cause us to speak our mind when we should be minding our speech. Remember: it is very hard to antagonize and persuade at the same time.

Teachers often remind pupils of Ephesians 4:32, “Be ye kind.” Let me remind teachers of the previous verse, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you.” Don’t be like a balloon—full of air and ready to explode. Anger always manages a classroom badly.

Gossip. Teachers often have a window into the homes of the pupils, especially as younger pupils share experiences. In addition, teachers have their own observations of the antics and idiosyncrasies of pupils. Therefore, teachers must be careful to avoid spreading unfavorable reports of homes and pupils. As one dog can start all the dogs barking, so one teacher can start a whole group gossiping.

A gossip has been defined as a person who suffers from acute indiscretion. A teacher needs to exercise discretion.

Boasting. Teachers generally have the reputation of having a lot of knowledge and being able to speak well. But a teacher who sings his own praises always gets the wrong pitch. Proverbs 27:2 says, “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.”

The teacher who brags about how smart he is wouldn’t if he were. People should not forget the mama whale’s advice to the baby whale, “Remember, it’s only when you spout that you get harpooned.”

Complaining. Teachers make their work in the classroom easier as they radiate gratitude, optimism, and cheerfulness. Such attitudes have a positive effect on the classroom atmosphere and morale.

Teachers should not complain to their pupils about all the grading they have to do, about the heavy workload of lessons to prepare, or about their aches and pains. Rather they should be an example of gratitude. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God . . . concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) includes anything that may happen in a classroom.

Giving thanks is a course from which neither pupil nor teacher ever graduates. Unfailing gratitude makes a human magnet out of a common personality. Our despondent moods are, for the most part, moods of ingratitude.

As you face your class each school day, apply Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Be anxious about nothing. Be prayerful about everything. Be thankful for anything.

Teachers need to be examples of what they explain and teach. As Francis Bacon wisely said, “He that gives good advice builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.”

—Howard Bean