“A teacher affects eternity; they can never tell where their influence stops.” — Henry Adams
I was twirling my pencil at warped speed and trying to figure out what the catch was when I raised my hand and asked, “So you just want us to write about anything we want?…And what will we be graded on?” The teacher smiled and simply responded, “I want you to write about anything you wish and not necessarily worry about your punctuation or being graded.”
Surprisingly, I felt this great sense of freedom – if not empowerment – to write without worry. And to this day that English teacher ranks near the top of my long list of really great teachers. That simple exercise was actually a great lesson in my owning my education.
Long time Columbia University English professor Mark Van Doren offered one of my favorite quotes about teaching, “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” The educators that have been the most influential in my life are the ones who inspired new learning that continues to have impact to this day.
One of the answers I always appreciate from my guests on my 5 Questions in 5 Minutes podcast is the question, “Who was or is a teacher for you? And what have you learned from them?” Consistently these highly reputable leaders speak glowingly about a teacher that changed the course of their life.
This is exactly what Jesus did with everyone he encountered. Whether quoting the Hebrew Scriptures, through parables or in conversation his teaching inspired transformation. As historian Diana Butler Bass writes, “Of the ninety or so times Jesus is addressed directly in the New Testament, roughly sixty refer to him as ‘teacher’, ‘rabbi’, ‘great one’, or ‘master’ (as in the British sense of ‘schoolmaster’). He teaches at the Temple, on a hillside, by a lake, in a field, by a campfire, at a dinner table, while at a wedding, and in the center of the city. He teaches individuals, his disciples, large crowds, small groups, his friends, and his foes….” Like all good teachers, always teaching – always inspiring new impactful learning.
I am forever grateful for all those who have or continue to be a teacher for me. As Augustine of Hippo wrote, “The Church (and the rest of the world) is always in need of teachers who are themselves learners.”
May the wisdom of God guide your words,
the compassion of Christ shape your heart,
and the fire of the Spirit inspire your teaching.
May you see in every student a beloved child of God,
full of possibility and promise.
May your patience be deep,
your joy abundant,
and your hope unshakable.
And may the seeds you plant today
bloom in ways you may never see,
yet know are part of God’s good work.
BP