The longer I’ve taught, the more I’ve realized how much more I have to learn.
In my first year of teaching, I started out pretty enthusiastic and confident—I was going to change the world! (Or at least my students’ lives!)
That lasted…about three days. I realized just. how. hard. teaching actually is. And the reality is exactly that: teaching is the best job in the world…and it is so, so, SO hard! I absolutely see teaching as my calling, what God built me to do! But that doesn’t mean it is easy. In fact, because I care so deeply about the work, some days it feels like all I can see in my teaching is the problem spots, the places that need some more work, the aspects where I have a lot more growing to do.
And since those first few days when I knew it all the next twenty-some years have been a process of continual learning for me. Sometimes in big leaps forward, sometimes in incremental inching along, but always a process of becoming.
I was recently thinking about this again as I was leading a professional development workshop around the topic of teaching Christianly for a Christian school in California. (Shoutout to Hanford Christian School—y’all are fabulous people, and I’m looking forward to the next time we meet up!) I shared with them wisdom I gained from one of my most formative mentors, Dr. John Van Dyk.
In a graduate course I once took with Dr. Van Dyk he encouraged us to take stock of all the things we believe about our work as teachers. It was easy to develop that list—I believe a lot of things about my role as the teacher, about my students, about what good teaching looks like, about the role of assessment in learning, about the kinds of activities that will help learning, about how to interact with students, colleagues, parents, and administrators…I have a lot of beliefs. If you’re a teacher, you probably do too.
Next, Dr. Van Dyk encouraged us to pick just one of those items on our list of beliefs, and to really think about our practices. How well do the things we do actually line up with what we (say we) believe?
I’ll give you an example: I (say I) believe that all of my students are uniquely created as Image-bearers of God, that they have their own unique strengths and weaknesses and talents and growth areas…but that they all reflect the Image of their Creator. But when I look at my practice, well, my actions might belie what I actually believe. Because I often kind of lump all of my students together as “the class” and then just teach toward the middle and figure everyone will be pretty much okay.
Ooof. What I’m saying here is that there is a gap between what I (say I) believe, and what I actually do. I suspect that if you make a little time to do this same kind of introspection, you’ll probably find some version of the same truth in your own life.
Dr. Van Dyk, ever the philosopher of education, encouraged us to think of it this way: there is often a gap between theory (what we believe) and practice (what we do.) Teaching Christianly, in Van Dyk’s view—and mine too—is an exercise in shrinking this gap between our professed beliefs and our actions. This is discipleship in action! In my view, teaching Christianly means learning more and more, day by day to bend my will to the will of Christ, both in my classroom and out of it.
In that class with Dr. Van Dyk, he invited us to all make a little table-tent sign that looked like this:
I kept that little sign on my desk for several years when I was a middle school science teacher, and it was always a good reminder for me that I have not yet arrived as teacher. (And, honestly, none of us will really “arrive” on this side of Glory, yeah?)
In the session with those wonderful Christian teachers in California, I invited them to make similar little signs to give themselves that nudge: “Where can I work on shrinking the gap between my beliefs and actions, and try to look more like Jesus in my work today?”
Teaching is a process of becoming. The Christian life is a process of becoming! If you’re a Christian teacher, I hope and pray that you’ll take encouragement, even on the rough days that God is not finished with you yet. Let’s commit to continuing to shrink that gap!
Dave’s Faves
Here are three things I’m absolutely loving right now that I hope you might love too…
Dave’s Fave #1: The Omaha Zoo
You guys, I *love* going to the zoo. (Once a science teacher, always a science teacher?) We recently took a family trip to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha…and it truly is one of the best zoos I’ve ever been to. I will always have an affinity for the San Diego Zoo, but honestly, Omaha’s zoo is right up there. I highly recommend it!
Dave’s Fave #2: Trader Joe’s Snacky Clusters
Someone recommended these odd snacks to my wife, and so we grabbed a bag when we were at TJs. Oh, man…they are dangerously delicious! Crunched up corn chips, potato chips, and pretzel nuggets, all coated in chocolate, and just the right size to pop one into your mouth. (Or pop five into your mouth, if you have a big mouth like me.)
Dave’s Fave #3: Takk… by Sigur Rós
I don’t always listen to Icelandic music, but when I do, it’s usually by Sigur Rós. Their 2005 album, Takk… is great ambient music and I often listen to this one when I’m writing. (I mean, since I don’t speak Icelandic, even the lyrics kind of fade into the background.) My understanding is that some of their lyrics aren’t even actually Icelandic, but just gibberish, which makes me smile too, honestly. Give ‘em a listen!
The Last Word!
One more zoo picture for you…when we were walking through the amazing aquarium exhibits we came around a corner to a large tank with huge fish in it, and this fishy friend’s shocked face made me grin:
My hope for you today, teacher, is that you have an opportunity to have open-mouthed wonder about something. Maybe it’s a moment of joyful awe, maybe it’s a moment of “what did I just see?” hilarity, maybe it’s a moment of “I can’t believe I get the privilege of doing this!” Whatever it looks like, may you be struck by wonder today!
Here's to another year of shrinking that gap! Thanks!
Great encouragement here, Dave - to shrink that gap not only in teaching, but in our lives as we seek to follow Christ more closely each day! Re: Omaha Zoo - I remember the old commercials featuring Marlon Perkins for Mutual of Omaha on the show Wild Kingdom … any connections?