We make no claims as teachers to be perfect. We make mistakes. Let’s use those opportunities to model how to respond and apologise when it is appropriate. It provides a sense of vulnerability and reality for our students and one that they appreciate. The challenge is for us to swallow our pride, recognise when we need to sort things out, and lead by example. This is an aspect of true education when we portray Christianity in action.
I remember a day when the Home Economics teacher was away and I was supervising her Sewing Class. Anna came in ten minutes late. I greeted her, established why she was late and then told her what we were doing and asked her to commence working. She went over and sat near Simon.
I was only four or five metres away from the group, watching them, when I saw Anna grab the cutting board that Simon was using and start using it herself. I was almost certain she had not asked him for it. He appeared surprised that it had been so abruptly taken from him.
Immediately I walked over to Anna and asked her if she had asked Simon if she could use the cutting board. She said, “No, I didn’t.” I then asked her to please return the cutting board to Simon since he had been using it. Begrudgingly she did so. She then returned to her seat and sat there sulking. After a few minutes, I sat down beside her to learn more.
She looked at me and asked, “Did you hear what he said to me?” I had to confess I did not. I asked her to share with me what had so clearly upset her. He had said some very inappropriate comments, hence her immediate reaction to grab the cutting board.
I asked Simon to join us; he acknowledged what he had said. Due judgment was delivered and I apologised to Anna for not dealing with it fairly at the time. The next day her mother told me that Anna said it was the first time a teacher had apologised to her.
Nathan told King David to build the temple for God. But then he had to go back and say to David, “I ran ahead of God. You are not going to be able to build the temple after all.” There are times when we have the best of intentions as parents or teachers, and yet we make a wrong judgement call. How will our children and students learn to rectify their mistakes if we do not model it for them?
Jesus provides absolute forgiveness but then also empowers us to change. That is what we need to portray to the people we interact with. Forgive and then expect the best. It is important that we provide a sense of how to sort things out when they go wrong for us. That level of vulnerability is just what our children and students need.
This is the third in a series of ten reflections on important components of redemptive Christian discipline. All the newsletters are available in newsletter format through CIRCLE.adventist.org
- Part 1: Be a Good Listener
- Part 2: Take the Time to be Fair
- Part 3: Admit When You are Wrong
- Part 4: Treat All the Same – But Differently
- Part 5: Look at the Context
- Part 6: Let the Natural Consequences Reign
- Part 7: Keep Things Simple
- Part 8: Model Repentance
- Part 9: Send Consistent Signals
- Part 10: Accept the Individual, Not the Behavior
Author
David McClintock
David McClintock has served as a Bible teacher for most of his professional life. He has also been principal of six schools and a Conference and Union Education Director. He has twice returned full time to the High School Bible classroom from administration and has stepped back from being the Associate Education Director at the South Pacific Division when he was invited to be the principal at Avondale School, Australia, as school land is what he enjoys. He most enjoys engaging learners in knowing, loving and serving God. In July 2019, he was appointed the SPD Education Director.