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How does your understanding of mankind’s fallen nature impact your work in the classroom?
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I understand that I am fallen so I have to keep myself in check as a teacher, and I understand that my students are fallen and will make many mistakes along the way so I need to be Christlike in my interactions with them as they fail along the journey.
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I really like when it comes to challenges and discipline for students, to look at Christ’s model of how he bridged the gap. To help restore students back to God’s image instead of just changing their behavior, to really get to know students and understand what in their heart they need Jesus for. To work with students as God works in us to help students get right with God, us, and others. To do everything we can to love them as Jesus does, no matter how challenging a student can be.
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I recognize my students and I are always in a point of restoration. Modeling spiritual discipline and fruits of the spirit starts with me. I am not to walk a perfect walk in front of my students, but a redeemed walk to give them the pattern for restoration and forgiveness.
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The idea that we are flawed should help us recognize that our students are not perfect. Not only that, but we are not perfect, either. I think it is humbling for educators to admit that they don’t know everything or always do things correctly. It allows for vulnerability and “realness” for students to see. We have to have grace as teachers and show love, especially when students fail or do something wrong.
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As a continually recovering child of an abusive household, I have a keen awareness that I don’t know the sins committed outside the walls of the school. I don’t have any true understanding of what my students have or are experiencing when they are away from me. This makes me have a very different approach from many when it comes to discipline. I’m still very stern, but I also want to be at the bottom of the reason for the behaviors. I don’t want to be chasing symptoms. If a student has ongoing struggles within my classroom we will try many different types of redirections and discussions prior to getting anyone else involved. This has created an unintentional safe space for the older students as well. When there are issues happening in other parts of the building students often find their way to my classrooms to sort out the root of the problems not just the thorns showing.
