There is a distinct difference in teaching and in speaking that is causing many children and adults to stumble and even fall. Teaching takes time and patience with understanding the different personalities of each student. It is easy to speak something and call ourselves a good teacher but if we are not giving the time that is required to help others find their way then we are nothing but a speaker.
James Harrison
Yes, I found this so true when teaching 1st/2nd grade Sunday School. I often choose to work solo as a teacher, using helpers for “crowd control” only because their teaching methods were so unfeeling. One Sunday, a discussion led to one little girl stating that she didn’t want to go to hell like grandpa did. Before I could even comment, the other children comforted her and assured her what she had to do to prevent that tragedy. They mentioned bible passages and stories. It was a tremendous blessing to be there witnessing these wonderful children! The other teacher pulled me aside after class and berated me for not having taught the lesson that day. She just didn’t “get it!” The kids sharing & caring WAS the lesson that Sunday. She also was someone who expected these youngsters to sit perfectly still through the lesson. That just isn’t going to happen with this age group. I often discovered that the boy hanging sideways off his chair was the one listening who raised his hand first and had the correct answer. How they sat wasn’t the issue. Having them listen and grasp the reality of God’s love for them was. Gee, can you tell I miss teaching?
Thank you so much for your reply. This will be shared in the class which I teach and I will pass this to other teachers. There has been too much emphasis on the structure and on the look. This has restricted the spirit of God and taken the life out of the learning process. To my knowledge Jesus who is the Master of teaching never had a guideline to follow other than the love of God and the only time he addressed the actions of others was when addressing the evil one or the Pharisees.
There are times to teach and there are times that the teachers just need to listen…