http://www.icctejournal.org/ICCTEJournal/past-issues/volume-1-issue-2/teaching-through-... - 0 views
-
"It is the image of the praying leader, the vulnerable leader, and the trusting leader. May that image fill your hearts with hope, courage, and confidence . . ." (1989, pp. 92-93) as you teach through a mirror dimly.
-
portert67 on 28 Oct 07This is a great article and really speaks to the need to daily dying to self so that we might be like Christ for others.
-
-
I believe it is the absence of Christ in these desires that leads to an unhealthy self-centeredness.
-
This is an excellent point. So many times Christians feel as if they cannot pursue excellence in their careers. I firmly believe that God gave us the abilities we have and we are to pursue them to the best of our abilities.
-
-
must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God [who] will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people . . ." (Bonhoeffer, 1954, p. 99).
-
Another great point. I once hear a sermon entitled "The interrupted Christ" that was based on this theme. If we are open to who God sends our direction we will see all sorts of opportunities to engage in God's work for us.
-
- ...11 more annotations...
-
I realized that with under a year of K-12 teaching under my belt, I still had plenty of weaknesses to focus on, rather than spending time dwelling on the inadequacies of others.
-
My wife always says that it is so much easier to focus on the negative rather than the positive. I have found that it takes a considerable amount of prayer and hard work to try and stay positive. This is still an area with which I struggle.
-
-
"The way of the Christian leader is not the way of upward mobility in which our world has invested so much, but the way of downward mobility ending on the cross" (pp. 81-82).
-
This is still a difficult concept to strive for. I believe that it is only through the power of Christ that we may ever attain this. This is definitely one that I struggle with on a daily basis.
-
-
my commitment to my students was so evident that I could win them over.
-
I was once told that it doesn't matter if you use the latest research in your teaching as long as you teach with enthusiasm and commitment to your students. I think there is definitely some truth to this.
-
-
the drive to significance is a simple extension of the creative impulse of God that gave us being"
-
This is a great point and is something I see many Christians struggle with. It would seem that we have been told so much about humility that we have extended that concept to our own God-given gifts and I believe this is a mistake.
-
-
I knew my content area well, I could put together engaging, relevant lessons, and, mercifully, my commitment to my students was so evident that I could win them over.
-
I think this is definitely true. Whatever we do, if we do it with passion people will buy into it. This does not guarantee that it will always be that way but it at least gives people a reason to join. If students know that you truly care for them and their learning they are much more likely to learn.
-
-
"their liking or disliking me had absolutely nothing to do with any of the many useful things I had done until then"
-
There is no better way to be humbled than to be in a group of people that have no idea of your accomplishments and in all honesty wouldn't care even if they did. It is so easy to get caught up in our own accomplishments and not realize that these things matter to very few people. This does not mean we shouldn't strive for excellence, it simply means we shouldn't think we are more important than we really are.
-
-
My focus on my own performance led to a self-centeredness, rather than a focus on my students and their needs.
-
Despite my desire to be a positive person, I was becoming the opposite, and Bonhoeffer’s words clarified the point: "If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all" (p. 96).
-
This is an area in which I continually struggle. It is so easy to find fault in other people and yet so difficult to find it in ourselves. The only way I know to do this is to die daily to myself and let Christ do His work in me.
-
-
I found early in my career that it takes a great deal of love to get to the heart of students’ misbehavior, to find out why Jason ran his fingernails down the chalkboard or why Jared jumped out the window. I also found that it was much more effective.
-
Another great point. It is very difficult to take the time to really try and figure out what leads to our students behavior. There are so many other things that pull at our time and make us think that we don't have the time to do this but as is pointed out in the article it really is the most effective way.
-
-
I have had to deeply examine my motives and pray for humility. Am I remaining faithful to my calling? Will what I do ultimately improve the lives of schoolchildren and the abilities of teachers? Am I just being a "proud and pretentious dreamer"? (Bonhoeffer, 1954, p. 27). My involvement in a doctoral program should not be a stunt but a service.
-
Great point and something I am having to ask myself as I continue my education.
-
-
In other words, I loved the ones who were most lovable.
-
Loving the people that are least lovable is another area with which I struggle. It is so difficult loving people who seem to try so hard to be unlovable. It is only when I see them through the eyes of Christ that I am capable of this at any level.
-
