The Model Teacher

As a teacher I was taught be reflective in order to always grow in my teaching abilities. As I look at my teaching skills, I also want to look at other good teachers to learn from their methods. Through my reflections, I have come to the conclusion that Jesus was the best teacher

1. He knew his audience and he played into that too. When he spoke to the fishermen, he used fishing analogies. When he spoke to Zacchaeus, he invited him to dinner to show him how valuable he was. As a teacher, knowing the audience is important in order to relate. I try to keep up with some of the latest lingo (although they tell me to stop saying lingo) in order to use relevant examples.

2. He told stories. Who doesn’t love a good story? Even high schoolers and adults love to have “story time”. One of my students loved the history lesson I gave as background knowledge for a novel we’re reading; the reason she loved it is because I told it in story form rather than making her read a textbook.

3. He was passionate about his topic. Jesus truly believed in what he was teaching. That’s what made him such a good teacher. Teenagers especially can sense false enthusiasm, and they won’t respond to them. Jesus didn’t have to pretend to have passion for what he taught because he loved his topic. This is the reason why, while I can do math, I don’t teach math; I can’t justify an eternal significance or even an earthly significance for math (kudos to the math teachers who do have the passion for that).

4. He didn’t explain everything; instead, he let them think for themselves. Jesus often answered questions with questions or with unexplained parables. He wanted his followers to listen and then think about what they heard. So many students today want to the quick and easy answer; they don’t value thinking for themselves. Jesus taught in a way that forced people to think. It makes sense that if someone thinks something through, then they’ll take ownership of the knowledge and keep it long term.

5. He left them wanting to know more. The more time people spend with Jesus, the more they wanted to be near him. Several times Jesus had to get away from the crowds. Sometimes it was because they wanted more explanations, and sometimes it was because of his infectious passion. Regardless people wanted to keep learning. That’s the kind of environment I want to make in my classroom. I told my students not read past a certain chapter in our novel because stopping there left them in a cliffhanger. I had a feeling some of them would read on; I was correct. They continue to come back and say that they couldn’t stop reading. Teacher win.

I can go to all the teaching development conferences in the world and get all the education degrees, but ultimately I think I can learn just as much by looking at Jesus. Isn’t that true about most aspects of life.

What is “right”?

I’ve been teaching writing long enough to know that there are basically two kinds of writers: those that conclude a piece and then never look back at before turning it in and those who agonize over every word, reading and re-reading until the last possible second. Well there are also those who never put any words on the paper, but can we really call them writers at that point? I fall in the second category, those that agonize.
Actually that applies to more of my life than just writing. I agonize over even little decisions. For example, if I’m asked where I want to eat, my response it “I don’t know”. It’s not that I don’t want to pick a place to eat or even have a preference; it’s more that I don’t know what the “right” answer is.

There’s the key to my agony: the “right” answer. That’s why I’m here. I started a blog and happily maintained it fairly regularly for about six years; then I got to comparing my blog and the likes/comments (or the lack of) to some of my favorite blogs to read. I got in my head, and part of the reason I let it die was that I was stuck on what was the “right” thing to say and the “right” brand or any other combination of what was “right”. So I just stopped.

There are some things in life that have “right” answers, like math problems for instance. It’s right to stop at a stop sign. It’s right to follow God’s laws. Then there are some things where it’s not so black and white. I’ve learned that not everything has a right or wrong answer. For example, I stood at my closet this morning trying to decide what to wear, and while there were some obviously wrong choices for below freezing weather, there were plenty of choices that would be considered appropriate for the weather and for my job. There was no single “right” answer. The same principle applies with bigger decisions sometimes as well.

God has a plan for my life. That used to scare me a bit because that potentially meant that I could mess up that plan. That was the “right” thinking mentality coming out. God’s plan is for me to follow his Word, have a relationship with Him, and share his message through my life. As far as what workplace I pick or which car I drive or what time I meet up with my fiance, there are some guidelines and sometimes God gives me a clear answer, but most of the time as long as the decision is honoring God, it is the “right” answer.

That’s what I hope to explore more through this updated blog: the decisions I make and the adventures I take. I’ll probably write about the road to marriage, teaching, what I’m reading, the Bible studies I have, and even my cats, but ultimately whatever words I put out there will be Just About Write.

Mute or Reflective?

Hmm. I haven’t been here in a while. It’s not that I haven’t had blog worthy moments. Maybe the reason involves summer laziness or wedding distractions, but there’s also a part of me that has just felt the need to be quiet for a while.

I was reading in James the other week, and while James always holds a huge throat punch the latter part of the first chapter highlighted itself. The author writes, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:19-21 ESV).

My mouth gets me in trouble sometimes. I say things before thinking; I speak in order to fit in. Sometimes I say the wrong thing, and other times I say something in the wrong way. The part about listening and speaking apply heavily in my spiritual and relational parts of life. The anger part, though, didn’t ever feel as applicable because I am generally not an outwardly angry person. This time, though, the addendum to the third point, “for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God”, stuck out. Anger doesn’t have to be manifested outwardly to be anger. I have an inward bubbling anger when I do get angry. I’m more likely to cold shoulder someone and think mean things about them than say something to their face. I might sometimes speak ill behind their back, which goes back to the slow to speak part, but God showed me that the cold shoulder and mean thoughts were just as unpleasing. They didn’t produce the righteousness of God within me. If I was busy angrily seething over my hurt or frustration, I wasn’t seeking the face of God.

So the solution? Thankfully James also throws us a bone occasionally. Immediately after punching us with the truth of what anger doesn’t do, he tells us to put it away and receive the word of God. That saves our souls. Now literally, Jesus does the saving of our souls, but our actions of seeking Him rather than seeking anger bring us closer to Him.

While I’ve been quiet on here lately, I’ve been learning about this and other things. Maybe I’ll share them in time, or maybe the lesson is that some lessons are to be shown in my life rather than in my words.

In other news, I’m excited for the start of this school year. It’s one week away from teacher meeting week. While I still can’t get into my classroom, I have been scouring the internet and making resources and preparing my mind for the return of my lovelies. Here’s to a good school year!

Cheers!

Flying with God

Sometimes life feels completely awesome, and that’s my life right now. I’m recently engaged to an amazing man, it’s summer break after a fun year, and everything I need I have. None of that even comes close to the relationship I have with God. My life is blessed, and I don’t think I’ve done anything to deserve it. That’s just how awesome God is.

I’m soaring!

There have been seasons in my life when things have felt impossible: those times when I thought finding a teaching job wouldn’t happen, the many lonely days of being single with no prospects, and the moments when I’ve let myself begin to worry about my financial future. I didn’t feel like I was soaring when I was worrying and trying to make my life myself.

I’m able to soar when I trust in God.

Isaiah 40: 31 says, “but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” That’s what I’ve learned to do. In order to fly, I have to trust God and his perfect plan. I have to wait for the moment in which he moves.

Right now I’m waiting on some other prayers for people in my life, and rather than worry and fret, I know I just need to wait for God. He’s got this.

By the way, those earrings I am wearing in the above pictures were custom-made by my good friend, Clare. She sells in-person locally and on Etsy. If you’re interested in her leatherwork or some of her other styles, check out her Etsy shop or her Instagram.

God’s Faithfulness

In the book of Joshua, over and over God reminds the people not to fear, and then he completely obliterates their enemies.

God is powerful, and he’s faithful to his promises.

God has promised modern Christians that he’s with them and coming again (Matthew 28:20; John 14:3). He says he works all things for his good (Romans 8:28). He also says he can do far more than we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

There are situations I continually pray about: a friend who needs healing, family members who need to return to a relationship with God, students who are too angry to see God’s love, my future and relationship, and the list goes on.

Sometimes it feels as if God doesn’t hear or remains silent because I see nothing happening, but I have to remember his promises and his faithfulness. God is still working just like he did in the book of Joshua.