Category Archives: Education

What Makes a Good Teacher?

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There has been much going on in my neck of the woods with regards to education recently. Teachers strikes, contract negotiations, optimum class sizes, budget cuts. It is all becoming a little cumbersome. We are parents in a somewhat unique situation, in that we have grown (well, almost grown) children and one still in elementary school. So we have a broad base of comparison. Youth is a whole other entity and we should have a prayer list a mile long for these blessed creatures. Then a double prayer list for their mommas and dads. Oh no, parenting is not for the weak. Or the squeamish. Especially if you have been blessed with boys, or an over dramatic girl. Or a partner who cannot handle barf. But, I digress. I’ve been working on a baby gift that I have to send off to some new parents soon, and pondered about how differently their little one will grow up — even compared to my youngest. The world changes so rapidly and we must do our best to keep up.

I’m not here to debate the pros and cons of one particular type of education. It’s not my place… although I would love to sit down with you and discuss home schooling vs. private school vs. public school vs… well, let’s just say I would love to sit with you. I have my own views and opinions that may differ from yours. Which is okay because I am not raising your kid. For the record, I am not an educational expert, either. I’ve seen a few systems, though. And most, if not all, of them are broken. There is not a “perfect” way to raise a child — because there are no perfect parents, and no perfect children. Oh, and here is a big revelation… there are no perfect teachers, either. Or class sizes, or budgets, or salary caps, or… you get the picture.

Which is why I always say that you must be involved in your student’s education. It is vital you know what goes on in the classroom and in the system. And in the heart of your student. But let’s back up a bit and think about that: “education”. What does it mean? The short answer is this: Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. (Wikipedia — which may not be your choice for “educational” definitions, but serves my purposes here, so let’s all move on, shall we?) The acquisition of knowledge. You can get that from sticking your finger in a light socket. No system necessary there. But “facilitating learning”? Much deeper thoughts. How does one do this for such a diverse generation? Can we do it for our own kids? For ourselves?

What about those values and beliefs? Who is responsible for those? The high priest? Pastor? Youth specialist? YouTube? We were teasing our church’s youth pastor, recently, that because he wasn’t a skilled ice skater and didn’t know how to play the guitar, that somehow he didn’t have all the necessary “qualifications” of youth leader. (It’s not true, of course!) but what should our teachers possess in order to make them “good” and “qualified” teachers? Four years of seminary? Greek study? Summer mission experience? Married? Single? Oh, we fiercely debate such things. And so I muse: What does make a good teacher?

I think it is someone who cares about the student. Dare I say loves the student so deeply that they want to see them succeed in that “acquisition of knowledge”… so that it changes their lives forever. Someone who can foster a lifelong love of learning. My favourite teachers were the ones who inspired me. Frankly, I hardly remember a thing they taught. I remember the comments or the encouragement, or the way they made concepts come alive or applicable to me and my measly existence in the universe. People who may have thought differently than I, and challenged my way. In turn, solidifying my core values and/or correcting my habits. So, you see, it is all of us. Formal education is only one part of the puzzle. It’s people who challenge the norms, it’s intergenerational mentorship, it’s cross cultural experiences, it’s formal learning in traditional sessions and it’s being creative and using the gifts God gives us. I don’t care if you have your own kids or not, when you come in contact with mine, you are teaching them. Whether you like it or not.

And we fail. Often. But failure, too, is part of learning. Overcoming the failure and the ability to move forward shapes the next mistake, and the mistake after that. So, be encouraged, my friend, that there is only one perfect teacher who walked the Earth. Yet Jesus also grew in “…wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man…” (Luke 2). He was taught, and was the Teacher. His goals were clear, but loved the students so much that no one was denied the learning experience. Learned men, women, children and outcasts and sinners sat at His feet and were taught with patience and love. Sure, we have our preferences. We have our strategies and pedagogies and they too, ebb and flow as our society changes and the next generation leads the way for a new one. But we should never stop learning. And teaching.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

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Last week, if you’ve been following along, I posted about using up my leftovers. My Instagram feed shared how I made some little treats for our backyard friends. It turned out to be great timing, because shortly thereafter, we had a wackload of snow dumped on us! I’m sure the birds and the squirrels have tucked themselves away and hunkered down in their hidey-holes to wait out this extreme freeze and snow. Which got us a-musing: How do those teeny little birdies survive this cold? They seem so petite and frail.

Turns out, birds are a little like us humans. Some prefer to give up entirely on winter and fly to the tropics. Let’s just say, those migrating types don’t count. A few of us who can’t afford the time and effort of flying south, choose to batten down the hatches and hibernate for a few days in this extreme cold. Technically, with wildlife, it is called torpor and involves a period of “slowing down” in order to conserve energy. Much like some of us who choose to stay inside and drink hot chocolate on snowy days. I love it when I see evidence of God’s handiwork in nature! It’s all so interconnected and perfectly orchestrated!

This was brought home to me, again, a few weeks ago (before the snow) when I happened upon a tiny clutch of wing feathers. Putting aside the gruesomeness of this tiny winged creature’s demise (discovery and education has a dark side), let’s focus on the science for a minute. Feathers are uniquely designed like tiny, little zippers. If you observe one under a microscope, miniature little barbs link together to keep the fibres tightly attached.

A bird preens and fluffs up to keep the zippers zipped… enabling air to be trapped underneath the layers. The tight barrier allows for flight as the wind gets pushed down, and helps the bird stay warm in extreme weather! Fat build up and specialized body feathers help too… literally the birds wear a down jacket! The piece of wing I found was so small. Perhaps a sparrow? It’s feathers were layered so tightly and knit together so well, I marvelled at the intricate design. Tiny. Perfect.

And so, I am encouraged, again, by the promise in God’s word, that if He takes care of the tiniest sparrow, how much more are we loved? They were uniquely created to survive the harshest winters, knit together and infused with warmth by God’s own breath. As are we. May you be encouraged of that fact, my friends, as am I. Until next week — stay warm!

My backyard goodies were made with leftover gingerbread house pieces and pine cones (from a winter centerpiece) spread with some nut butter and dipped in bird seed! You can also use coconut oil or lard for the “sticky” part if you need a nut free option! It’s a fun Sunday School craft if you need an object lesson on how God cares for us!!

What is Peace?

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Peace. Joy. Love. Twinkle stars and green grinch hearts that grow. ‘Tis the season of spreading good wishes and warm fuzzies. But let’s get real for a second. Crowded parking lots, tired bodies, loneliness and pain often marr our Hallmark movie visions of what this season is supposed to look like. Tensions ride high and our often idealistic gatherings end in hurt feelings and anger. We are human — it happens.

Last week, I discovered that December 12th has been set aside by the United Nations as “International Day of Neutrality”. Which got me thinking about this whole idea of peace. Is it easier to just be “neutral” in order to keep the peace? To let things go? To simply sweep tensions under the rug rather than cause a scene? Maybe you’ve faced this delima at your last holiday gathering? A co-worker with whom you’ve had a disagreement? Or in-laws that have become out-laws? The holidays seem to bring out the best — and the worst — in some people. Let’s think about it a little more…

According to the Oxford dictionary, “neutrality” means:

Artwork symbolizing ‘peace in the world’ © United Nations
  1. the state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, disagreement, etc.; “impartiality.”
  2. absence of decided views, expression, or strong feeling.”the clinical neutrality of the description”
  3. the condition of being chemically or electrically neutral.

The UN extended this definition even further to: “the abstention of a state from all participation in a war between other states” while still maintaining “an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents”. Try that at your next party. Belligerents indeed.

All of this sounds wonderful. No one wants war. World peace is a noble goal. But wait. Doesn’t the Bible talk about a time for peace and a time for war? It’s confusing isn’t it? And as much as I appreciate activists waging war on political leaders, and as much as I don’t want bomb threats and lock downs becoming realities at my children’s schools, I must narrow down this idea in my own little world. How do I, as a Jesus follower, take a stand for what is Biblically correct, and still be respected in my community?

I found some insightful views via Kaitlin Garrison and her post on The Barefoot Blog. She has outlined it much better than I can, so I encourage you to read it there. She explains that there is a significant difference between being peacekeepers and peacemakers. Peacekeepers would make the UN proud by avoiding all conflict and simply staying neutral. No opinions must be voiced, no thoughts shared. Peacemakers, on the other hand, are lovingly honest. They lay Biblical truths on the table and discuss the conflict at hand with hopes of resolution and true peace. Jesus was not one to back down from a fight. Yet, His birth is surrounded with this idea of peace. There’s gotta be some correlation.

I’m afraid I may not be making my views crystal clear on this one… and maybe it’s because I am struggling with the practicalities of this myself. I tend to avoid the conflict by keeping my mouth shut. Introverts peacekeep well this way. But maybe it’s time to open up a bit. To peace make instead of peace keep. Perhaps this season, we can be bold together… to be more honest with ourselves and others. To make our feelings known, yet still love our neighbours. It is no easy task. But I’ve got your back. And I wish you a season of true peace this Christmas!