The past couple days I have been reading a book for Effective Bible Teaching called "The 7 Laws of the Learner" by Bruce Wilkinson. It is a phenomenal book and I highly recommend it - not just to teachers. I wouldn't hesitate to go as far as saying that it is a must read for anyone who is even remotely considering teaching. By the end of the first chapter I was in tears, overwhelmed by the story of the impact one teacher had on a student. I felt inspired to be an excellent teacher myself. See what is this semester has done that to me?
Never before was I really interested in teaching. Though practically every spiritual gifts or skills test I have taken has included some form of teaching in my result (from "teaching", to "exhortation", to "pastor/teacher"), I never put much stock into it. In fact, more often than not I have laughed it off, finding the idea of me teaching somewhat humorous. I can't remember how many times I have said, "Yeah, but I don't really want to be in the classroom for the rest of my life," to my father. Thinking back, I can remember my fourth grade teacher pulling me aside and telling me that I should come back to my MK school and be a teacher, that I had the gifts and skills for it. Fourth grade. Seriously? And yet, I can still remember vividly the moment he told me that.
Today I find myself loving teaching. I have been an RA now for almost two semesters, and I love it. I love the relationships I have with the girls, the fun that we have together without having to hang out all the time, and the opportunity to teach and guide and watch them learn and grow. Preparing devos each week has been stretching, but also very rewarding. One advantage is that this semester I have been able to take things I am learning in classes like Effective Bible Teaching and Expository Preaching and Foundations of Ministry Leadership and apply them right into my interactions with the girls on my floor. The experiences of this semester have been life-changing to be completely honest, and I have a totally different perspective on teaching now.
As I continue reading this book I am becoming more and more aware of room for improvement, the need for a shift in my way of thinking. There is much to be learned about teaching and causing others to learn, but I also know that I have plenty of time to learn how to be the best teacher I can be. I am excited for the possibilities, and at this point would absolutely love to end up teaching in a Bible College overseas. Hmmm, Goroka Baptist Bible College perhaps? What a trip! Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would end up back there teaching alongside my parents, and never have I wanted it the way I want it now.
Truthfully, I will go wherever God leads me, but my college education has caused me to value education in such a way that I want to be a part of creating opportunities to learn where there aren't many. Here in the U.S. one can choose which Bible College to attend based on personal preference alone. In some countries around the world the option of getting a Bible College education doesn't even exist. While home on Thanksgiving break I was talking to a young man who casually mentioned the fact that he was thinking about going back to school to finish his masters degree. There is nothing wrong with what he said or how he said it, but when he did mention finishing his masters level education it struck me how easily he could do just that. The option to get a masters degree in Theology was there just waiting for him, but there are so many places in this world where that is not the case. That is why want to be a part of making the same kind of education I have so enjoyed and so benefited from available to people in places where it is not so readily available, places where it hasn't been an option.
In the meantime, I hope to learn all that I can about the art of teaching so that when the opportunity arises I can be the most effective teacher I can possibly be. I want to touch the lives of students, helping them to reach their full potential. Who knows what can be accomplished through the life of an individual who has been both loved well and taught well by a careful, God-focused instructor?
Today, having finished only through the second chapter of "The 7 Laws of the Learner" I am already left with this, my wish: to excel in educating for the glory of God.Labels: books, education, reflections
