The mediocre teacher tells
The good teacher explains
The superior teacher demonstrates
The great teacher inspires.
-William Arthur Ward

 

Entering the classroom, I saw a bunch of faces staring at me. Some were playful, beaming with mischief and curiosity while others were shy and unsure. The expressions on their faces captured their emotions at that moment so perfectly. Each of them was from different walks of life, yet they were all alike as they were in uniform: a tapestry of unique minds. As a teacher, I knew that my ability to teach was the thread and needle given to me to weave their dreams and make them individuals the world could rely on – a huge responsibility indeed!

When Jesus called his disciples, each of them was from diverse backgrounds. Only a few were well-educated by contemporary standards. Some were rebels, others had little or no influence and still others were traitors (Luke 6:13-16). Despite this, Jesus gave them a first-row seat to bear witness to His life, death, and resurrection. He prepared them to be the human foundation of His new Kingdom (Revelation 21:14). Jesus through his ministry shows us the perfect example of a teacher transforming his disciples into His likeness. As Jesus said, “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40). These words inspire me. Yet, they also quicken a sense of accountability as I realise that as I look to Jesus, my students too look up to me, for my example will train and inspire many others. 

Hence this teacher’s day let me share with you three lessons that I have learned about being a teacher on my quest to becoming more like the “Great” Teacher Himself. 

As a kid, one of my favourite childhood activities was imitating my teacher. Draping my mother’s dupatta as a saree I would prance around decorating the living room with crayons and scattered books. I loved scribbling with a red pen, imitating the actions of my teacher. Although a common childhood playtime game, this role-play reminds us of how teachers become role models for their students who copy their behaviour. 

In Titus 2:7, Paul teaches Titus to be a good example before others, by demonstrating a pattern of good works, which people can follow. As a leader and mentor, Paul insists that Titus model what he teaches to the church, so that they may see these teachings align with life. Paul here simply reinforces what Jesus did while He walked the earth. 

During His last meal on earth, Jesus dressed up like a servant, got up from the table, poured water in the basin, and humbly began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with a towel (John 13:4-5). When He had finished, He said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” and then explained to them that just as He, their Lord and Teacher, washed their feet, they too should wash each other’s feet. Jesus set an example of what the disciples must do by first doing it himself (VV.12-17). 

Just as Paul taught Titus his “son in the faith” (Titus 1:4), teachers teach best through their lives. To truly inculcate their teaching in the lives of their students, teachers must become models for their students. They must treat them not just as students but as children who are inspired by them. A good teacher not only teaches by words but more importantly by action.  

After completing my education, I got into the profession of teaching not knowing how hard its challenges would hit me. One of the major challenges I faced while teaching 7-year-olds was communicating with them. Oftentimes what they talked about, and what they felt, were entirely different. For instance, one young student suffered from severe migraine. The fear of being sent away to the doctor petrified her, hence whenever she had a headache, she became very withdrawn. This deep sense of anxiety, she interpreted as a breathing problem. Sensing that she was feeling much more than just a “headache,” I slowly learned to interpret her mood. So, whenever she complained of being sick, I would attempt to make her feel better by simply hugging her or relaxing her mind so that she could dwell on the things she loved to do. I was glad I was able to “listen” to what she was going through even though she did not say the words.

In the Gospels, we encounter Christ as someone who was always accessible. He listened and answered the doubts of all who came to Him, even those who asked questions just to find a fault in Him (Matthew 22:34-40). In John 4, weary from His journey, we see Jesus asking for a drink from a Samaritan woman who came to draw water from the well. He knew exactly how to start a conversation with her. Probably isolated and downcast because of her past, she came in the afternoon (V.6). But Jesus seemed to have all the time in the world for her, as He patiently listened to each of Her questions and answered them. When the Samaritan woman felt self-doubt, wondering if she could associate with a Jew, Jesus assured her and encouraged her (VV.16-18). 

A teacher’s heart is attentive, listening to not just the words spoken, but to the student’s unspoken needs as well. Even if you aren’t a teacher by profession, you can always answer the unstated needs of the people in your life – a neighbor, a friend, a child, or a colleague. People need others who will listen to them, just as God listens to us.

 

Among a bunch of mischievous students in my class, there was one child with a dynamic persona. With both parents working throughout the day, he began to feel unloved and lonely due to the lack of attention. So, the moment he stepped out, it meant freedom. Though his energetic attitude outdoors was fine, his behaviour within the classroom was problematic as it was disruptive.

As a new teacher, I was not sure how to deal with his mischief and tantrums. However, a friend suggested a simple solution – patience. Instead of being judgmental toward his behaviour, I aimed to exhibit tenderness and care. Instead of yelling instructions at him, and demanding him to behave in a particular way, I decided to give him space to change, allowing him to choose for himself how he would like to behave. Gentle nudging and correction when he was going astray also helped guide him back onto the right path. He slowly started to learn a better way to command attention and I could see that he was trying to improve. 

Jesus too dealt with difficult people with these simple but effective methods of patience, love, and gentle correction. Like in the life of Saul of Tarsus or Paul, a persecutor of Christians, who became a disciple after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Breathing murderous threats against the disciples of Jesus, Paul pursued Christians to harm them. But on the road to Damascus, with intentions to snuff out the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2), he encountered Jesus, an event which changed everything (VV.3-6). 

This very person who sullied the name of Jesus was now chosen to be an instrument to carry His name. Paul, the least of all disciples, once a “blasphemer, persecutor, and an insolent opponent” (1 Timothy 1:13), received grace and mercy so that through him Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to others (V.16) to become a minister of the gospel of Jesus (Ephesians 3:7). 

Jesus’ unending love and patience for us teach us to have the same attitude toward others as well. In this fast-paced world, patience has become a lost virtue. Yet as disciples of Christ, we are encouraged to be patient with everyone, even those we don’t get along with. Further, Peter confirms, that Jesus is patient toward you because He does not wish you to perish but to reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and in this same way we are called to be patient with others as well. Hence let us teach others patience and love by displaying what we have received. 

While we may not be teachers at a school or professors at a university, we are on a journey of perfecting ourselves as students of our “Great” Teacher – Jesus. It is our privilege as His disciples to intentionally imitate Christ every day, thus being transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). For when we do this, we become channels of His wisdom, patience, love, and grace to everyone we interact with. 

 

As disciples of Jesus let us endeavour to imitate him in every aspect of our life, for as the “divine” teacher is, so also will the disciple be.  

–  Carol MacWan