Caring for Their Spiritual "Grade"
I should be marking right now. I have piles of exams on my desk and a shelf full of math portfolios to grade. But I'm not motivated. Plus I will not get them done in the next twenty minutes. Why bother? I'll blog instead.
After school, our staff was asked to convene in our cafeteria for a short meeting. At the end of it, we celebrated the retirement of a colleague. Several individuals came up and spoke glowingly about this person. Thirty years of teaching. A leader in creative instructional methods. Challenged students to go beyond the status quo. Loved by staff and students alike. These were some of the many inspiring qualities of this educator.
Got me wondering. My teaching career at my current school hasn't been filled with many glowing accolades. I love to teach. It is one of my passions. And I believe I do a pretty good job at it. But I am missing that personal connection with students and teachers. I do not coach. My extra-curricular involvement has been minimal due to my recent pregnancies. I rarely meet with my colleagues outside of work because of family commitments. And, for all I know, this may be my last year at this school. I could very well walk out of here in January and never come back. No goodbyes. No farewell parties. No nothing.
In the end, public acknowledgements of what I may have done in the tangible world are insignificant. I am contemplating a much deeper issue. How have I made an impact for Christ at this school? Is anyone closer to knowing God because of me? On a day-to-day basis, am I cognizant of the fact that each student, each teacher, and each support staff have a soul that God desperately loves? How has this knowledge (or lack thereof) influenced my interactions with people? Why is it difficult for me to truly and genuinely love others?
As a mother, I love my child unconditionally. My desire for her is to have a healthy and happy life. But more than that, I want her to be captivated by Christ. I hope she will choose to follow Him. I pray to this end. As a teacher, I want my students to succeed. But often that success is tied to a grade in some arbitrary subject. I do not think I really care about them beyond that. I do not believe I really pray for their souls.
That being said, I understand that I can't be emotionally tied to every single student that crosses my path in one semester. Praying intentionally and individually for all 120 of my kids would be an exhausting endeavor. However, I acknowledge that I could improve somehow. I am just waiting for some divine inspiration and encouragement.
After school, our staff was asked to convene in our cafeteria for a short meeting. At the end of it, we celebrated the retirement of a colleague. Several individuals came up and spoke glowingly about this person. Thirty years of teaching. A leader in creative instructional methods. Challenged students to go beyond the status quo. Loved by staff and students alike. These were some of the many inspiring qualities of this educator.
Got me wondering. My teaching career at my current school hasn't been filled with many glowing accolades. I love to teach. It is one of my passions. And I believe I do a pretty good job at it. But I am missing that personal connection with students and teachers. I do not coach. My extra-curricular involvement has been minimal due to my recent pregnancies. I rarely meet with my colleagues outside of work because of family commitments. And, for all I know, this may be my last year at this school. I could very well walk out of here in January and never come back. No goodbyes. No farewell parties. No nothing.
In the end, public acknowledgements of what I may have done in the tangible world are insignificant. I am contemplating a much deeper issue. How have I made an impact for Christ at this school? Is anyone closer to knowing God because of me? On a day-to-day basis, am I cognizant of the fact that each student, each teacher, and each support staff have a soul that God desperately loves? How has this knowledge (or lack thereof) influenced my interactions with people? Why is it difficult for me to truly and genuinely love others?
As a mother, I love my child unconditionally. My desire for her is to have a healthy and happy life. But more than that, I want her to be captivated by Christ. I hope she will choose to follow Him. I pray to this end. As a teacher, I want my students to succeed. But often that success is tied to a grade in some arbitrary subject. I do not think I really care about them beyond that. I do not believe I really pray for their souls.
That being said, I understand that I can't be emotionally tied to every single student that crosses my path in one semester. Praying intentionally and individually for all 120 of my kids would be an exhausting endeavor. However, I acknowledge that I could improve somehow. I am just waiting for some divine inspiration and encouragement.