Teacher Trek, Day 1

July 25, 2019: Teacher Trek, Day 1

What a great opening day!

I arrived at school this morning about forty-five minutes early, feeling a bit smug for being so early on a non-instruction day. Feeling proud, that is, until I saw my colleague’s door open, all of her 3-D bulletin boards completed, textbooks ready. Cheerily she even offered to help with my bulletin boards since she was all finished – even had her syllabi printed.

Not only was all of her work complete, she had exposed my greatest educational weakness: BULLETIN BOARDS. Let’s just say I was born without the bulletin board gene. Chip and JoJo would definitely not be proud of my boards. Can you say, “fixer upper”?  I follow their mantra to the letter; I have the worst board on the best hallway! Location, location, location.

When I entered my classroom, I noticed that I had been gifted an eight-pack of Kleenex. Clearly somebody expects an emotional year. Every semester I hear students crying and much gnashing of teeth; this year I can offer tissue.

But seriously, the highlight of the day was the Head of School’s address this morning. Mr. G. clearly and passionately made a case for our school theme: "Undivided." What a wonderful direction to chart in our culture today, where “unity” nearly sounds unattainable, a mere metaphysical speculation.

Today, I am deeply grateful that I have been privileged to be a teacher. I have never been more excited about the prospects, yet more aware of the hazards. When I began teaching, I embraced the model of Christian education’s being one leg of a three-legged stool; the other two were home and church. However, for many of my current students, Christian education is the only leg standing. Today’s high schoolers are increasingly churchless and receiving little direction from home. If I don’t point these children toward Christ, who will? If I do not train these students in biblical philosophy, who will? If I don’t teach them that life is about more than a microaggression waiting to happen, who will?

I challenge my teacher friends to be at the top of your game on day 1, and before. Your input has never been so vital in the classroom. Yes, students can Google nearly everything that we know as teachers, but technology will never replace our love for students, never duplicate the power of exemplary and enthusiastic living. Join me in trying to be the teacher that you would want for your own children.

Even if that teacher is really bad at bulletin boards!